Ch. 84 - I Haven't Decided Yet

"I'm sorry. I was worried about getting lost in the mist and afraid we might encounter danger along the way, so I had no choice but to trouble you to accompany me..."

"You don't need to apologize. I'm happy to help. Besides, the fact that you're asking me shows a certain level of trust, doesn't it?"

"Actually, it's not really about trust."

Tang Qi looked up to meet Catherine's frank gaze.

Wine-red hair cascaded over the young woman's slender shoulders as she sat quietly on a square stone by the clear stream, just a few meters away from him.

She had removed her leather boots and set them aside carelessly.

Lifting a corner of her nightgown, the pale moonlight spilled across her slender calves, making them look like rounded blue chalcedony—a milky white, smooth jade.

She gently pressed her foot against the cool water surface, and after only a brief moment, she pulled it back as if startled, her arch slightly curving, splashing up tiny ripples.

Then, slowly, she extended it again, allowing her translucent toes to sink into the ”glass surface,' followed by her flushed soles and heels, until her entire delicate ankle was submerged beneath the flowing water, creating several long-lasting ripples.

"Hiss..."

The young woman gradually adapted to the cold water and replied with what seemed like relief:

"I just don't mind."

Tang Qi knew she had no intention of deliberately seducing anyone.

It was just that when a traveler who had been parched in the desert for so long discovered an oasis standing not far away, it was difficult to restrain his desire.

He could only pretend he hadn't noticed:

"Why not?"

"To be honest, I actually find it a little annoying when you often examine my legs or chest with those particular glances—"

You know, that kind of stare is hard to ignore, especially when you make no effort to hide it, right?"

Tang Qi couldn't help but cough awkwardly twice:

"I mainly thought that 'pretending to look away when someone catches you peeking' seemed even more conspicuous and sleazy."

"That's true."

Catherine nodded in agreement. Using the clear stream water, she skillfully dampened a towel, wrung out some moisture, and began wiping the skin exposed beyond her nightgown.

Scattered, crystalline water droplets slid down her neck, reaching her collarbone and that silver pendant, then disappeared into the shadows of the valley:

"But thinking about it carefully, you've already helped me so much. And aside from some worthless starberry wine, I don't seem to have anything decent to repay you with.

Now it's just being looked at a bit more—by any calculation, I'm still coming out ahead.

When I think of it that way, there's nothing to mind."

"Don't think like that."

Tang Qi was afraid she'd misunderstand and quickly clarified:

"I'm not escorting you to Longgold City because I have some ulterior motive toward you. It's because—"

"You don't need to explain. I can tell you just want to repay a favor!"

She seemed unwilling to let the topic become too serious and joked:

"Besides, I'm not so conceited that I'd assume every man who's friendly to me has taken a liking to me."

"Actually, you could be that confident."

"Do you?"

"Of course."

Catherine was startled and looked at him with some surprise:

"That direct?"

"People's pursuit of 'beauty' stems from biological instinct.

Hiding one's pursuit of beauty is just another hypocritical way of trying to obtain it."

Tang Qi also smiled:

"You know I'm always sincere."

Hearing his words, Catherine lowered her head instead, looking at her reflection in the clear water under the moonlight, along with that long scar slashing across her entire cheek.

She frowned in confusion:

"Does this count as 'beautiful'?"

"Leaving a flaw on something already perfect doesn't destroy its inherent beauty—it only gives it a different meaning."

Catherine was somewhat dazed, almost forgetting to wipe herself, and exclaimed:

"No wonder you came from the Poet's Academy. Are all bards as silver-tongued as you, so good at making people happy?"

"There are exceptions."

Tang Qi thought of the reason 'he' was expelled from the academy, and couldn't quite keep face:

"But stating facts shouldn't count as 'making someone happy'..."

"Alright, alright, stop praising me!"

Catherine hurriedly waved at Tang Qi, then hugged herself, her silver teeth chattering:

"My goosebumps are about to fall off."

For a farm girl, she still wasn't quite used to this kind of praise.

When the men of Starberry Town expressed compliments, they always said "what a hot babe"...

She was immune to that kind of praise.

In her flustered state, she raised her snow-white arm to a height a dwarf couldn't reach, stretching out certain key words with emphasis:

"Besides, not everyone is like you, with 'such—' noble taste to discover 'flawed beauty'! I'm still worried about how I'll avoid relying on this face to make a living once I get to Longgold City."

She was a very practical girl.

She minded those strange stares, but she was also happy to endure them.

Because they allowed her to earn more gold coins.

"Don't worry, that's exactly what I came to talk to you about."

Tang Qi said, taking out a bottle of Restoration Gel from his dimensional bag:

"This stuff can even reattach severed limbs, let alone heal a scar."

"But that's very expensive!"

Catherine shook her head in refusal:

"Selling the Golden Oak wouldn't be worth that much!"

Tang Qi realized:

"Is that why you didn't actively ask me for any back in the tomb?"

Catherine's elbow rested on her thigh, her delicate feet swaying back and forth in the stream, and she sighed deeply:

"I know that if I asked you, you'd definitely give it to me—but I can't repay that."

"Who said you need to repay me?"

"The more you don't need me to repay you for anything, the more indebted I feel!

Just like this time, if it weren't for this face, neither you nor Stonecrusher would need to risk yourselves...

I'm so useless, just a Chibi Bird—I can't help with anything except causing trouble.

When you risked yourselves for me, I even needed my own sister to be distracted protecting me—

It wasn't until today that I realized that aside from my body's value, I don't have anything else worth offering.

Not causing you trouble and not seeking help is the only way I have left to maintain my self-respect..."

"Don't say that."

Tang Qi realized that the only difference between the current young woman and a bull charging into a dead end was that she was attractive enough:

"You can't only search for your own value in these exceptional circumstances.

Everyone has things they're not good at—

You might not be good at fighting, but if Stonecrusher tried to run a tavern, it would close within three days—not because he couldn't sell a single drink, but because he'd drink all the inventory himself."

Thinking of the dwarf's perpetually drunk state, Catherine laughed at first, then realized this wasn't entirely impossible.

Tang Qi continued:

"Besides, when Black Snake and I were arrested, without that chisel you gave us and the bread and starberry wine you specially prepared, we might have died on the road.

So at best we're helping each other mutually—there's no need for you to feel any psychological pressure."

"Then I feel a bit better."

Catherine's narrow leaf-like eyebrows relaxed slightly, and her pink feet stopped swaying randomly:

"In that case, we're even. So I definitely can't accept your Restoration Gel."

"No, no, no, precisely because of that, you should accept it. Because afterward I'll still need your tavern to help build my reputation."

Tang Qi wasn't joking.

Using the Golden Oak as a temporary base in Longgold City was a plan he'd already conceived before setting out:

"Bards need taverns.

I need you too."

Though constantly traveling and somewhat weary.

But Catherine's skin was flawless and white like a piece of smooth jade—this was beyond doubt.

If you placed lustrous white jade beneath the crimson sunset, that hazy color would only add vibrant vitality to it—

Just like her cheeks right now:

"Actually, you didn't need to add that last sentence..."

"That won't do. I'm being sincere."

"Sometimes you don't need to be so sincere!"

She bent down, burying her entire face in her elbows, slowly turning her head away, her voice softer and more gentle than the sound of butterfly wings flapping:

"Don't you find it embarrassing?"

"I never find it difficult to express genuine feelings."

"Please stop talking..."

Tang Qi saw she was about to steam like a boiling kettle, hot air seeming to rise from her head, so he stopped teasing her.

Instead, he stepped across the stream and crouched beside her:

"If you really feel unable to repay me, consider that I'm investing in your tavern with the Restoration Gel. Remember to give me dividends at year's end."

"Okay..."

She kept her head down, trembling and unable to speak a complete sentence, her carefully maintained shrewd image long since vanished.

"Now, lift your head. Let me remove your scar."

"I can do it myself."

"No, one bottle costs a thousand gold coins—we need to use it sparingly. You're not familiar with its effects and won't know the right amount. Let me do it."

"Fine—but you're not just trying to pinch my face, are you?"

"Mm? How did you guess?"

"I don't know. But... I seem to be able to read your thoughts?"

"Don't move yet, I'm about to start."

"Ah, it tickles a bit."

"That's normal. It means your scar is about to heal."

Tang Qi only took out gel smaller than a fingernail each time, gently applying it to Catherine's scar.

To ease her tension, he changed the subject:

"How's Anbi doing?"

"Father Lynn said that after Miss Dawn treated her injuries, she was actually out of danger.

It's just that all the traveling exhausted her strength, her spirit suffered some trauma, plus the spell damage... all these factors combined caused her to fall into a coma.

She needs some time to relieve the stress while sleeping before she can wake up."

"It's really something that she could sleep through Stonecrusher's snoring."

Thinking of the 'thunder' in the camp, Catherine couldn't help but laugh:

"After all, even being jostled on horseback all the way didn't wake her."

"Good thing she's alright."

"Yes."

"..."

Tang Qi's breathing grew somewhat heavy.

They had never been this close before.

So much so that he suddenly realized the young woman's eyes were fiery red yet clear, containing bright charm within her shyness—even her tired under-eyes made him want to kiss them.

After a brief silence, Catherine suddenly said softly:

"Thank you, Tang Qi."

"I'm not done yet. Thank me later."

"I'm talking about Anbi—you know, I'm actually very afraid of losing another family member."

"You should thank Dawn more for that."

"I'm also thanking you for giving Anbi a chance to vent—in that tomb, you sang for her at the end, didn't you?"

"Mm?"

"Remember Father Lynn's story?

The hunter was infected with the beastification curse and left town, hiding in the forest with his wife.

Later, they unexpectedly gave birth to a cursed child, and by the time they realized it, they had no choice.

When Father Lynn saw the hunter again, he decided to entrust the child to their close friend—my mother.

The priest advised him to stay in town, but he said he was going to avenge his wife...

Actually, Anbi always knew she was a child born by accident and then 'abandoned.'

Of course the hunter loved her, but he loved his deceased wife more.

That's why he 'selfishly' left her to do what he thought was right—the hunter knew it was 'dying for love.'

But as their child, what could Anbi say or salvage?

She could only endure the cold stares in town, hoping that one day her 'avenging' father would return.

So she's always been in pain.

If these emotions kept accumulating in her heart, I can't even imagine what that child would become..."

Tang Qi sighed.

For Beastfolk whose negative emotions continue to erode them, there's only one final outcome—completely losing their rationality and surrendering to their bestial nature.

"That venting opportunity was something she fought for herself. I didn't think that deeply about it.

Besides, although she has a father who thinks about 'himself,' she also has a sister who thinks about her.

So she won't be that desperate."

"Don't keep finding ways to praise me."

Catherine murmured softly:

"I'll think you have ulterior motives. And then feel I'm being too conceited, which makes me feel ashamed!"

"What if I actually do have ulterior motives? Wouldn't you stop thinking that way then?"

"I haven't decided yet..."

"...Huh?"

His finger, resting on the young woman's nose, paused for a long while.

"Are you done?"

"Done."

Tang Qi immediately coughed twice and quickly stepped back two paces.

Catherine washed her face clean with clear water, and that long scar faded away completely.

Tang Qi had even used extra gel to remove the dark spots accumulated from years of hard work, making her cheeks more lustrous than ever before:

"No wonder those nobles are so obsessed with it. Being rich is nice."

Tang Qi joked:

"Rather than that, I think what you should be considering now is how much trouble this face will attract when you open a tavern."

"With Young Master Melade standing in front, that should solve most of the stares. If there's trouble even he can't solve, that kind of person could definitely afford Restoration Gel, so whether I'm scarred or not wouldn't matter anyway."

Catherine was clearer about many things than anyone and had long made up her mind.

This actually made Tang Qi's joke turn serious:

"Have you decided to marry him?"

"Since I've decided to stay in Longgold City, I have to think everything through.

Where in this world are there perfect solutions? Being a cover for Young Master Melade is better than sleeping in some unknown noble's bed—

At least he likes men, so I don't have to give myself to him."

Catherine paused, then suddenly turned to look at Tang Qi as if sensing something:

"Are you... disappointed?"

Tang Qi blinked, then shook his head repeatedly, raising both hands to prove his innocence.

It wasn't that he was deliberately avoiding the question, but that he couldn't read Catherine's mood clearly.

He desired the oasis, on the condition that it wasn't a 'mirage in the desert.'

Otherwise, not only would he fail to get what he wanted, but he might also disrupt his subsequent plans:

"I didn't say anything."

Catherine hesitantly asked:

"Is it my imagination then...

I don't know why, but I seem to always be able to sense what you're thinking."

"Really?"

Tang Qi was initially surprised, thinking she was overthinking it.

But then he realized she had indeed guessed his emotions perfectly.

In the silence between them, Catherine slightly twisted her waist to look at him, allowing Tang Qi to clearly see the pendant squeezed out between the valley.

Then, he suddenly pressed his chest...

"Oh no."

He realized the source of her suspicion—

He hadn't removed the Ring of Mutual Hearts!

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