Little Ningguang sang for Fang Xun as she spoke,
Though the little girl's voice was still childish, her singing was sweet and pleasant to listen to,
It was a local folk song from Liyue,
Though Fang Xun couldn't understand many of the words, he could still grasp the general meaning,
The song told the story of a wildflower struggling to survive amid wind and rain.
The wildflower might not be as breathtakingly beautiful as those flowers,
But it still wanted to do its best to live in this world.
Fang Xun could tell that the song Ningguang was singing was really about herself.
She refused to live an ordinary life,
And worked hard to prove her worth.
Fang Xun was deeply moved as he listened,
He took Ningguang's Genshin's Eye from his backpack,
This Genshin's Eye belonged exclusively to Ningguang,
In other words, the Genshin's Eye was useless in Fang Xun's hands.
Only Ningguang could bring out the power of this Genshin's Eye.
The reason Fang Xun hadn't given it to Ningguang earlier,
Was that he thought the little girl was simply too young,
He'd planned to give her the Genshin's Eye once she was a little older,
But now, Fang Xun didn't think there was any need to wait.
He felt that even if he gave Ningguang the Genshin's Eye now,
The little girl would surely make good use of it.
When the song ended,
Little Ningguang stuck out her tongue and said apologetically, "Brother Fang Xun, I know I'm not a very good singer, but you're not as scared to walk at night now, right?"
Fang Xun didn't know whether to laugh or cry,
He'd been completely unfazed in the much spookier Tsurumi Island,
So how could he be scared of walking along this road?
Still, Little Ningguang was only showing her concern,
And Fang Xun naturally didn't want to hurt the little girl's feelings.
"Little Ningguang, you sing so beautifully! After hearing you, I'm definitely not scared to walk at night anymore!"
Hearing Fang Xun's praise, the little girl grew bashful and gave him a sweet, silly smile.
"Ningguang,"
"Hmm? What is it, Brother Fang Xun?"
The little girl blinked her big, watery eyes and looked at Fang Xun, full of curiosity.
Fang Xun pressed the Genshin's Eye into her hand and said earnestly, "This Genshin's Eye is a reward for your bravery. Keep it safe."
"I believe you'll be able to bring out its power."
Chapter 25: This Is My Task. I Don't Want to Disappoint Brother Fang Xun
Ningguang hadn't yet figured out what was going on,
When, the next second, she felt something appear in her palm.
It was a Genshin's Eye, dull and lusterless,
It felt like warm jade,
Cool to the touch and surprisingly heavy.
"Brother Fang Xun, are you giving this Genshin's Eye to me?"
Little Ningguang cried out in surprise, unable to believe it.
Back when she sold goods, the little girl had often heard people discuss Genshin's Eyes,
She knew how precious they were,
Whenever an unowned Genshin's Eye appeared on the market, wealthy merchants would rush to buy it,
After all, if they managed to activate it, they'd make a fortune,
And even if they couldn't, an unowned Genshin's Eye still made a lovely decoration.
Either way, they wouldn't lose out.
Yet now Fang Xun was going to give her something that merchants would clamor to buy?
Little Ningguang's first instinct was to refuse.
"No, Brother Fang Xun, this Genshin's Eye is too precious. I can't accept it."
"Brother Fang Xun has already been so good to me. If I accept something from you on top of that, I'd be terribly ungrateful."
The little girl shook her head again and again, trying to return the Genshin's Eye to Fang Xun.
Pouting, she said tearfully, "Besides, this Genshin's Eye is so precious that even if I worked three jobs every day, I'd never be able to pay you back."
Seeing the little girl so anxious that she was almost in tears, Fang Xun didn't know whether to laugh or cry,
He crouched down, gently pinched Ningguang's cheek, and said, "You silly girl, this Genshin's Eye is useless to me. It'd just be a decoration if I kept it."
"But things would be different if I gave it to you,"
"You can bring out its power. I have no doubt about that."
Looking into Fang Xun's determined eyes, Ningguang bit her lip and said uncertainly, "Bring out... the power of the Genshin's Eye? Brother Fang Xun, can I really do that?"
"But, but I'm just a little girl with no skills at all. Why would the gods recognize me?"
The little girl looked dejected,
She thought of herself as an insignificant, inconspicuous ordinary person,
So ordinary that even the gods wouldn't notice her.
Little Ningguang had never considered activating a Genshin's Eye,
Because it had never seemed realistic.
Fang Xun didn't answer. Instead, he smiled and asked, "Why wouldn't they?"
"In my eyes, Little Ningguang is wonderful, better than most people. Otherwise, why would I have made you my secretary?"
Fang Xun's faith in her filled Ningguang with a warmth she couldn't describe.
"Brother Fang Xun, thank you for believing in me so much,"
"But..."
"No buts,"
Fang Xun had no choice but to change tactics.
"Little Ningguang, are you my secretary?"
"Of course! I'm going to be Brother Fang Xun's capable secretary!" Little Ningguang nodded firmly,
"Then as my secretary, isn't it your job to follow my instructions?"
"Yes!"
"Then I'm giving you the task of keeping this Genshin's Eye safe for me. Any problems with that?"
Not knowing why the little girl was being so stubborn,
Fang Xun had no choice but to use this approach to get Ningguang to keep the Genshin's Eye.
The little girl blinked her big, watery eyes and tilted her head as she thought it over,
It did seem to make sense.
But somehow, something about it also felt a little off.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Fang Xun wasn't about to give the little girl time to think it through,
So he changed the subject at once. "Little Ningguang, how much farther is your home?"
Hearing Fang Xun's question, the little girl's attention was indeed diverted,
She answered with an innocent, serious expression, "We're almost there, Brother Fang Xun. Just hang in there a little longer."
Little Ningguang held Fang Xun's hand with one of hers,
And clutched the dull Genshin's Eye tightly in her other hand,
She thought to herself that keeping the Genshin's Eye safe was a task Brother Fang Xun had entrusted to her,
So no matter what, she had to take good care of it,
She couldn't let Brother Fang Xun down!
After a while, Ningguang tugged on Fang Xun's sleeve and said excitedly, "Brother Fang Xun, Ningguang's home is just up ahead!"
Fang Xun noticed it too,
He and Ningguang had already crossed the dark mountain road,
And now, when he looked up, he could see a faint light ahead.
Wait...
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