Aniekra and Lucy

Aniekra, who was chewing a flatbread, hurriedly swallowed her food when she heard that. She asked in return,

"Was it that obvious?"

"Hehe!"

Lucy then copied the tender look Aniekra had worn on the way back.

Seeing Lucy like that, Aniekra could hardly believe that was what she had looked like at the time.

But when Lucy imitated her calling out "Brother Li Xing," Aniekra squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears, as if to shut it all out. "I'm not listening! I'm not listening!"

Seeing Aniekra turn away from her performance, Lucy stopped teasing her and leaned close to her ear.

She began whispering softly, stirring Aniekra's feelings.

"Do you know how Little Jerry reacted on our way back, when you kept calling Li Xing 'Brother Li Xing' at his side?"

Sensing the reaction of the woman beside her,

Lucy grinned mischievously. "Little Jerry just stood there in a daze, watching the two of you together. But what a shame! Someone only had eyes for her own Brother Li Xing, without realizing she'd stolen someone else's 'Brother Li Xing' right in front of him."

Lucy spoke in her wonderfully angelic voice, yet her words had the effect of a Void Demon's whisper. They lingered in Aniekra's heart.

It was as if Lucy had cast a spell in her ear, the words echoing without end.

"Please, Lucy! Stop saying it. I know I lost my composure this time, so please let me off!"

Seeing Aniekra plead for mercy, Lucy sat up and laughed with secret delight.

"All right! I'll let you off this time, but! The flatbread I brought you is mine."

Hearing Lucy's demand, Aniekra promptly sat up and protested.

"No!"

But when she saw Lucy imitate her tender expression yet again, Aniekra lowered her head in embarrassed indignation.

"You can have half!"

"Deal."

And so, by candlelight that night, the two beauties took up their knives and forks and shared the scallion pancakes Li Xing had cooked himself.

As they enjoyed the food, they also reminisced about their past.

"Come to think of it, it's been a long time since the two of us sat down alone for a proper meal at night!"

"Yes! Especially these past few years, since the children have started growing so much. Can you still manage, Lucy?"

Lucy speared a piece of pancake with her fork, chewed a few bites, and said casually,

"Whether I can manage or not, what difference does it make? I'm doing all right for now, anyway!"

She speared another piece and continued chewing.

Aniekra noticed that her friend seemed a little thinner than the last time she had seen her, so she put the last scallion pancake from her own plate onto Lucy's.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

After that brief reply, Aniekra spoke as lightly as Lucy had.

"Lucy, if you need help, you can rely on me more."

"All right, all right, I know!"

After brushing her off as usual, Lucy quickly asked Aniekra,

"By the way, Aniekra! Have you really made up your mind to start a relationship with Li Xing?"

Lucy asked Aniekra, who sat across the table, as she cut her pancake.

"I don't know!"

Aniekra put down her knife and fork and told Lucy about her situation.

As far as Aniekra was concerned, her impression of Li Xing was simply that he was handsome, strong yet wise, and gentle and friendly toward others. Talking with him felt as pleasant and comforting as a warm spring breeze.

There were two reasons she had initially hoped to start a relationship with Li Xing. For one, she was indeed no longer young. Now that her life was gradually settling down, she longed for a romance she could look forward to. The other reason was to ease the burden on Lucy and herself.

The first time she saw Li Xing, Aniekra sensed that his abilities were extraordinary. In the past, Lucy had been strong enough to protect her, but now that both of them had lost their powers, they too needed to find a man to rely on, like most women in this world.

And at that moment, Li Xing, an outsider, happened to meet every requirement Aniekra had in mind.

Thinking of all this, Aniekra began to feel lost and conflicted.

As a former spellcaster, she had thought she could control her own fate.

But life was unpredictable. Now they had both lost their powers, and they needed to return quietly to civilian life.

"Brother Li... Mr. Li! He's a very good person.

"From our first meeting until now, despite his great strength, he has treated us with nothing but respect. In his gaze and his behavior, I haven't seen any arrogance toward the people in the surrounding towns. To me, he seems the very definition of humility right now.

"The way he acts has actually made me curious about his homeland, 'Pandaria.' What kind of place could produce someone so powerful and humble?"

Lucy recalled Li Xing's actions and his various reactions during their interactions, and could not help nodding in agreement.

"Yes! Of all the people I've met since I was little, strength and humility have seemed almost like opposites. A person like him would only seem to fit in a story. And besides..."

As Lucy spoke, she suddenly remembered Li Xing's awkward expression as he led the horse, and abruptly burst out laughing.

"And for someone so strong, he can't even ride a horse..."

At that, the two laughed happily as they recalled how embarrassed Li Xing had looked.

After they had finished laughing, Lucy looked at Aniekra and said seriously,

"His identity and background are still questionable, after all.

"But leave those to me to investigate. Aniekra, you two shouldn't go any further for now! Wait until I find out something before you do anything else, understood?"

"All right! It's just..." Aniekra lowered her head shyly and asked,

"Brother Li... Mr. Li! Will he like me?"

Sensing the hint of spring in Aniekra's shyness, Lucy, now pleasantly full, could not help missing the glow of motherhood.

Wearing a mischievous grin, Lucy watched Aniekra lower her head as she waited for an answer. Like a cunning wolf, she slowly circled behind her.

Then, like a ravenous tiger pouncing on its prey, she attacked the "little fat sheep" in front of her.

"Ah!~~~"

In an instant, Aniekra was stunned by Lucy's actions.

"Don't~ Lucy! You're bullying me again!!!"

And so, after wrestling until they were exhausted in a manner of playful interaction unique to women, the two went to sleep together.

By then, Li Xing was already deep in a dream.

Only this time, there were no grand scenes from the 3C game, just a giant statue gradually taking shape.

And the statue was unmistakably the hero Li Xing had once chosen in a dream—the Orc Blademaster!