It wasn't until well past the middle of the chou hour that a bouncing figure finally appeared on the path through the courtyard of Xiaoxiang Lodge.
Under the moonlight, the figure's red formal outfit stood out particularly vividly. The menacing plush teddy bear dangling from her left hand swung with every step, while in her right she held half a string of spirit-fruit tanghulu from who knew where, happily munching away.
"Hmm-hmm~"
(｀)
There was no doubt about it. At this time of night, when everyone should have been asleep, the only person who'd still be eating sweets was a certain immortal—Annie herself.
"Eh?"
(.)
Annie had just wandered into the courtyard. Before she could even enter the house, she looked up and spotted a quiet white figure sitting beneath the eaves, almost "invisible" in the moonlight.
"Strange..."
(ì_í)
Annie stopped in her tracks, her jade-green eyes full of surprise as she looked at the other girl.
"You! Why aren't you asleep in the middle of the night? What are you sitting here for?"
(⊙o⊙*)
"What time is it, anyway?"
└(￣^￣)
And just like that, the immortal—who herself had only returned after the chou hour was already halfway over and still hadn't gone to bed—pointed the finger at someone else without a hint of self-awareness.
(...)
(;￢￢)
"Master..."
Daiyu didn't seem bothered, nor was she especially surprised. She simply rose slowly and stepped forward, then dipped into a graceful curtsy, as proper and meticulous as ever.
Then she fell silent for a moment, as if weighing her words. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, as though something weighing a thousand catties lay heavy on her heart and she couldn't bring herself to speak.
"Master."
"Let's move out."
But before long, she finally spoke. Then she stood there timidly,