Get up? How was she supposed to get up?
Shen Manyun’s gaze fell on Yan Feiguang’s outstretched hand. The lines on his palm were clear, unbelievably beautiful.
She said softly, “Yan Feiguang, I might need to rest a bit longer.”
“Take it,” Yan Feiguang said to her.
His voice was deep, falling like a gust of wind that made Shen Manyun’s long lashes tremble incessantly.
Take it?
Did he want her to hold his hand?
Shen Manyun remained silent for a long time before finally reaching out and placing her hand above his palm.
She couldn’t stay here forever, wasting Yan Feiguang’s time, could she?
The warmth of his palm was just as she had imagined-comforting, dry, and warm.
Yan Feiguang’s hands were strong. He grasped Shen Manyun’s slender wrist and pulled her up effortlessly.
Although their hands were pressed tightly together, there was something remarkable about it—
His movements were straightforward and decisive, without a hint of ambiguity or hesitation.
However, Shen Manyun had been in one position for too long while treating A’Lie’s injuries.
Even though she was now standing, her back ached, and her legs felt weak, making it impossible for her to walk.
In the next moment, Shen Manyun felt her body become weightless. Yan Feiguang had…picked her up?
Come to think of it, the original book hadn’t described any intimate actions between Yan Feiguang and the female lead in detail.
Shen Manyun had wondered how Yan Feiguang would hold the female lead if given the chance would it be a princess carry, an embrace, or perhaps carrying her on his back?
Every way she imagined seemed romantic and intimate.
But now, Yan Feiguang had chosen the most unexpected yet logical way to carry her when she was too weak to move.
He slung her over his shoulder, an action that left little room for romantic thoughts, with minimal physical contact.
Shen Manyun’s head hung between his body and arm, and fearing she might fall, she gripped the fabric of his sleeve.
“That’s how I carried him back too,” Yan Feiguang said, nodding toward A’Lie, perhaps to ease Shen Manyun’s embarrassment.
This was camaraderie, so upright that even Shen Manyun accepted it.
She softly murmured, “Mm,” and let Yan Feiguang carry her back.
Yan Feiguang placed Shen Manyun on the back of the giant beast, letting her lean against his shoulder.
“Can I hire you in the future?” Yan Feiguang suddenly asked as the beast leapt into the sky.
“Me? I only know how to make clothes,” Shen Manyun replied.
“Have you considered becoming a healer?” Yan Feiguang asked.
“Me?” Shen Manyun then remembered she could heal the Soul Clan.
Yes, she had gained a new skill in this world.
This ability was more meaningful than sewing, and she enjoyed the feeling of helping others.
“Alright,” Shen Manyun quickly agreed.
“I’ll pay you monthly, but you’ll need to live closer to me. The Soul Clan…is indeed dangerous,” Yan Feiguang paused mid-sentence.
Shen Manyun had already witnessed the dangers of the Soul Clan. Xinglan could sneak up on her unnoticed, and if he wanted, he could easily take her life.
“Alright,” Shen Manyun agreed, feeling a sudden sense of joy.
She could actually be of help to Yan Feiguang, assist a brave couple, and even aid a suffering child.
The beast’s back was broad, and Shen Manyun was half-lying on it, leaning against Yan Feiguang’s sturdy back.
Though her body was weak and sore, her thoughts suddenly felt expansive.
Amid the wind created by their flight, she looked up and saw countless stars in the sky, with a serene moon deep within the cosmos.
—So tranquil and harmonious. In that moment, she found her purpose in this world, in this city.
A few days later, Shen Manyun moved into a house next to Yan Feiguang’s city lord’s residence.
Yan Feiguang said the house was a gift for her to live in, but Shen Manyun thought she should pay rent.
Yan Feiguang told her she could buy it, and her annual salary would be enough. Only then did Shen Manyun realize how generous his payment was.
She had never received such a large sum before. In the past, her monthly salary was barely enough to cover the rent for her small attic.
Shen Manyun didn’t think her abilities were exceptional. She only knew how to knit, sew, and embroider all needlework-based skills.
In the factory where she worked, everyone’s abilities were similar to hers. She wasn’t outstanding.
Some people are born to do certain things, and it’s decided from the start.
Perhaps only in this fantastical world could she discover her unique purpose.
After settling in for a while, Shen Manyun felt more at ease.
Yan Feiguang had been away from the city these days, leaving her alone and unsure of what to do.
Did she need Yan Feiguang to take her to the injured Soul Clan members to heal them?
Shen Manyun had no experience with this job and couldn’t decide for herself.
One day, she dug up a few withered plants in the corner of the yard, planning to clean it up.
While busy, she looked up and saw a beautiful young boy sitting on her courtyard wall, tilting his head and smiling at her.
It was Xinglan. Seeing a familiar face, Shen Manyun nodded at him.
“I heard you saved Uncle Lie?” Xinglan jumped down from the wall and asked Shen Manyun.
“Yes, but there were some things I didn’t do well…” Shen Manyun replied.
Xinglan helped Shen Manyun clear the bricks from the yard.
His clothes were clearly too big for him, hanging loosely and looking somewhat comical.
“Xing…Xinglan,” Shen Manyun called his name hesitantly.
In the past, she had no friends and rarely spoke to others, so even calling someone’s name felt uneasy.
Of course, Yan Feiguang was an exception. She had read his name so many times in the book that when she first met him, calling his name felt natural and fluent.
“What is it?” Xinglan asked, hands on his hips.
“Clothes,” Shen Manyun said. She had noticed his ill-fitting clothes earlier and had made him a few sets in her spare time.
“Some of these clothes were given to me, and others I bought in the city,” Xinglan didn’t understand her meaning, thinking she was asking why his clothes didn’t fit.
His beautiful, clear eyes dimmed: “When I was little, the children’s clothing shops run by humans in the city were crowded. They would… be afraid of me. Back then, I couldn’t control my form. I didn’t look very human.”
“It’s fine. I’m growing fast now. Soon, I’ll be able to wear adult clothes,” Xinglan said.
Indeed, he was taller than the last time Shen Manyun saw him. At this age, boys seemed to shoot up like bamboo sprouts.
“Ah, then the ones I made might be a bit small,” Shen Manyun took out a cloth bundle and handed it to Xinglan.
“Clothes! Are these for me?” Xinglan shook out the garments and examined them repeatedly. “You’re really a tailor?”
“Yes,” Shen Manyun had almost finished tidying the yard. She told Xinglan to try on the clothes.
Xinglan was good-looking but too thin. Wearing the clothes Shen Manyun made for him, he looked more upright.
The white and black color scheme was clean and sharp, making Xinglan appear less like a child.
“These are really nice,” Xinglan held up the star patterns at the hem and admired them. “Did you embroider these yourself?”
“Yes,” Shen Manyun nodded.
“Thank you so much, Sister Manyun!” Xinglan threw himself into her arms.
He was taller than Shen Manyun, and his embrace made her take a few steps back, struggling to keep her balance.
“As payment, let me help you with something. Cleaning the yard? Or something else?” Xinglan asked.
“No need, this wasn’t much effort,” Shen Manyun thought. It was much simpler than healing the Soul Clan.
“What do you want to do?” Xinglan stared at Shen Manyun’s lowered lashes. “Let me see.”
The boy seemed to have a special ability. When his gaze turned sharp and focused, it had a strange penetrating quality, as if he could see through Shen Manyun’s thoughts.
Shen Manyun tried to avoid Xinglan’s gaze, but she couldn’t escape this clingy child.
These days, she had been thinking about one simple thing where had Yan Feiguang gone? He seemed to have left Wuwang City.
“Ah, I know—” Xinglan clapped his hands. “Great! You want to see the city lord too. I do as well. Now I have a reason to leave the city!”
Shen Manyun covered his mouth and said, “Yan Feiguang hasn’t been around for days. I was just wondering where he went.”
“Where? You don’t know? Right, right you’re new here. You probably don’t know that the Grand Ritualist from Luodu is coming to inspect the area near Wuwang City.”
The Grand Ritualist she was the female lead in the book. Before the original regime collapsed, she was the Grand Ritualist of the royal capital, responsible for ceremonies, a figure of great prestige.
“The city lord must have gone to protect the Grand Ritualist. By the way, Sister Manyun, do you remember that Twilight Orchid? The one the city lord wanted to give her!”
“Perfect timing. I couldn’t find a reason to leave the city,” Xinglan rubbed his hands together and pulled Shen Manyun along. “I’ll take you to see the Grand Ritualist’s birthday banquet.”
Shen Manyun’s feet were rooted to the ground. She knew how this part of the story unfolded, but when Xinglan actually wanted to take her, she hesitated.
“Isn’t it dangerous outside the city?” Shen Manyun asked.
“Not with me around. It’s not fully winter yet, and the chaotic spirit storms have already been dispersed by the Grand Ritualist. It’s safe outside now. Those beasts can’t touch me,” Xinglan patted his chest confidently.
Shen Manyun wasn’t sure if her presence would affect the original story. She worried about causing any disruptions to the timeline.
But Xinglan looked at her eagerly “Sister Manyun, please come with me. If we’re caught, the city lord definitely won’t punish you. But if I go alone, it’ll be bad.”
Shen Manyun finally agreed. She did want to see this part of the story. After all, the Grand Ritualist’s birthday banquet would be so lively that no one would notice them.
Xinglan transformed into a black mist again, lifting Shen Manyun and flying toward the city outskirts.