Thump
Ena's heartbeat rang in her ears, drowning out the sounds of the world.
Across from her, Jing Yuan stood beneath the red sky with a faint smile.
Her eyes immediately locked onto that faint smile.
'Jing Yuan!'
Instinctively, her hand drifted faintly toward her own robe.
"Miss Ena, there is no hostility between us, right?"
As he spoke, Jing Yuan raised both hands.
Seeing the gesture, Ena almost took a step back but managed to hold herself.
Behind Jing Yuan, Yanqing quietly observed her.
Ena's gaze shifted between the two of them.
'Did Herta tell him about me and Yaoshi...'
Seeing that neither of them moved, she turned her attention back to Jing Yuan.
'No hostility... Himeko and Uncle Yang should have warned her to keep it quiet'
After taking a silent breath, she forced herself to relax.
"Indeed, General Jing Yuan. There is no reason for the Xianzhou to be hostile toward a Nameless like me"
Jing Yuan slowly lowered his hands.
"Indeed"
The two exchanged a nod.
Standing behind the General, Yanqing watched the exchange without a word.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Jing Yuan broke the silence.
"How are your days in the Luofu?"
Lowering her gaze, Ena searched for an answer.
"My days..."
The past few days unfolded within her mind.
The polite smiles. The polite refusals.
The sharp creak of a door screaming beside her ears.
And finally, the woman furiously chasing her while screaming.
Lowering her head, Ena pressed her lips together.
"It's been a bit difficult, I suppose..."
A faint frown appeared on Jing Yuan's face as he listened.
Pushing the memory aside, Ena took a quiet breath.
Then the park and Qingling appeared in her thoughts.
"...However..."
By the time she looked at him again, a smile had already begun to form.
"Someone helped me, so I have to say my days in the Xianzhou Luofu have not been that bad"
Jing Yuan watched the smile settle on her face.
"I see... Then I'm glad someone in the Luofu was able to brighten your days"
He gave a solemn nod.
"The people of Xianzhou Luofu could be... difficult sometimes..."
He stopped himself from speaking further.
Across the street, buildings stood beneath the sunset sky as Jing Yuan's gaze wandered over them before settling on the ground below.
"As the General of the Luofu, their shortcomings are also my responsibility"
Lowering his head, he bowed.
"I'm sorry"
Behind him, Yanqing's eyes widened slightly.
'General bowed...'
He looked at Ena.
'Luofu failed her...'
He quickly bowed alongside Jing Yuan.
Quiet settled over the street as Ena watched them both.
As she stood there, several familiar faces surfaced in Ena's mind once more.
The man who had shown her the way and wished her luck.
Yunmei, who had treated her with genuine politeness and respect.
Qingling, who had supported her and accepted her as a friend.
Remembering them, her expression softened.
Looking at the two still bowing before her, she spoke.
"Raise your heads, General Jing Yuan and Yanqing"
Her hand rose and rested against her chest.
"Even if some people are difficult, not everyone is like that"
Jing Yuan remained bowed.
Behind him, Yanqing quietly closed his eyes.
Watching the two remain in place, Ena spoke again, her voice softer than before.
"Like I said, it's not that bad"
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then a quiet breath escaped Jing Yuan.
Slowly, he straightened.
Yanqing opened his eyes, glanced at the sword at his hip, and followed suit.
Looking at Ena, a firm look entered Jing Yuan's eyes.
"Thank you for your generosity, Miss Ena. I will strive to improve the Luofu from here on"
Lowering her hand, she smiled.
"Then I'll become an inspector and inspect the Luofu myself someday, General"
Jing Yuan blinked.
Then a smile returned to his face.
"In that case, I'll do my best not to disappoint you, Inspector Ena"
The two chuckled softly.
Standing behind Jing Yuan, Yanqing nodded firmly but said nothing.
A gentle breeze suddenly drifted through the street, causing Ena's robe to sway lightly around her.
As she adjusted it, the embroidered herbs decorating the robe caught Jing Yuan's attention.
"Miss Ena, you wish to become a medical practitioner, am I correct?"
She looked back at him.
"That's right. Unfortunately, most clinics weren't willing to accept me"
Jing Yuan nodded.
"Then have you considered opening a clinic of your own? As the General, I could grant you a permit"
Behind him, Yanqing blinked and glanced at him.
"Uhm... General, is that alright?"
Calmly looking over his shoulder, Jing Yuan nodded.
"Of course. The Alchemy Commission won't complain. I'm the General, after all"
"I see..."
Yanqing nodded firmly.
"I understand, General"
Smiling faintly, Jing Yuan returned his attention to Ena.
"However, as the General, I cannot allow someone to open a clinic without first confirming their capabilities. There are procedures that must be followed"
He offered his hand to Ena.
"Why don't you examine me? And please use your Abundance powers as well. It would make writing the report much easier"
Ena's gaze settled on the offered hand before rising to meet his smile.
After a brief moment of thought, she stepped forward.
Using her robe as a barrier, she gently wrapped it around his hand before beginning her examination.
One of Jing Yuan's eyebrows rose.
"That is certainly an unusual examination technique"
"This?"
Adjusting the robe wrapped around Jing Yuan's hand, Ena smiled.
"I'd rather not spend the rest of the day being chased across the Luofu by a group of angry, love-struck women"
A chuckle escaped Jing Yuan.
"That scenario does sound rather distressing. Better to be cautious"
Ena laughed softly.
Behind Jing Yuan, Yanqing nodded thoughtfully.
Some time later, the examination came to an end.
Letting go of Jing Yuan's hand, Ena gave her assessment.
"You need rest. Your body is exhausted from overwork, and your Mara level has become... worrying"
Looking at his hand, Jing Yuan frowned.
"Mara..."
An old memory began to surface.
He pushed it away before it could fully form.
Then his hand fell quietly to his side.
"You are right, Miss Ena. Rest is something I have neglected for too long. I can practically hear my back creaking already"
"Good"
Ena nodded in approval.
"As a General, you need to keep your health in check"
A soft chuckle escaped Jing Yuan.
"I will, Doctor"
Then he straightened his posture.
"As for the examination, I have seen enough. You possess the qualifications necessary to become a medical practitioner, and I will arrange the permit as soon as possible"
A gentle smile appeared on Ena's face.
"Thank you, General"
Jing Yuan's expression softened.
"No. I believe I am the one who owes thanks, Doctor"
For a moment, his gaze lingered on her before lifting toward the sky above.
By now, the sky had turned a deep crimson, and the lights from nearby buildings stretched across the road below.
Humming softly to himself, Jing Yuan looked back at Ena.
"I won't take any more of your time, Miss Ena. I hope your journey through the Luofu becomes more enjoyable from this day onward"
"With the General's blessing, I think it will be"
They exchanged smiles.
"Good night, Miss Ena"
"Good night"
With that, Jing Yuan turned and departed.
Yet Yanqing did not follow.
He remained where he was, his attention fixed on Ena.
Seeing him standing still and staring silently, an awkward smile slowly formed on Ena's face.
With a fist resting against his chest, Yanqing stood straight and spoke.
"If anything happens in the future, call for me. I'll help"
Ena blinked.
"Oh. I will. Thank you, Yanqing"
He nodded immediately.
"No problem, Miss Ena. Have a good night"
"You too"
Then he turned and hurried after Jing Yuan.
Beneath the glow of the evening lights, Ena watched until both figures disappeared from sight.
TBC
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Hey Hey reader, Nilvan here.
Sorry for not uploading a chapter over the past week or two. Work has been keeping me busy, with orders coming in faster than ever these last few weeks.
And by the time I got a chance to rest, I was already too tired to write.
Honestly, forget writing. Thinking already makes my head spin!
Thankfully, I managed to get some free time today and finally finished Chapter 34.
That's all for now. It's already 18:46 here, and now that I've finished Chapter 34, I'm going to take a shower and sleep.
Good night everyone!
(❀❛ ֊ ❛„)♡