Star Luo's Faint Stirrings, An Encounter in the Streets

In the imperial garden of the Star Luo Empire, a warm breeze carried the fragrance of peonies past the vermilion stone pavilion, tinting even the air with a soft, gentle warmth.

Dai Yun'er's fingers loosened slightly around her skirt. Her eyes were faintly red as her lashes trembled while she looked at Adult Tang Wulin before her. Beneath the disappointment in her gaze lay a barely concealed flutter of emotion. The man before her looked exactly like the Shrek youth from her memories, yet he possessed the composed aura forged by the passage of time. His golden eyes were deep, and the power naturally surrounding him only made the tender feelings in her heart all the more lingering and indescribable. Even her breathing unconsciously softened.

"His future self..." she repeated softly. Her voice caught slightly, but she was no longer as flustered as before. Instead, she raised her eyes and looked straight at him, a faint stubbornness hidden within them. "Even if it is the future, even if there is no outcome, I have never regretted it."

Adult Tang Wulin stood in the pavilion, his plain robes stirred by the wind. The detachment in his eyes eased slightly when he saw the girl's reddened eyes and her aggrieved yet stubborn expression. He had weathered countless hardships and seen all manner of storms; he was not made of stone. He knew this youthful affection was pure and untainted, and he could not bear to be too harsh. He no longer drew such a blunt line between them, softening his tone with an almost imperceptible sigh. "You are a cherished princess. You should be held in someone's palm, not set your heart on a bond with no road home."

His voice was low and gentle, no longer as distant as before. It carried the comforting tone of an elder brother, yet to Dai Yun'er, that gentleness became a different kind of concern. A faint blush quietly spread across her cheeks, and her heart raced faster. She lowered her gaze to the ground, twisting the hem of her clothes between her fingertips. Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum. "But there is only him in my heart... Even with you, I feel close."

That single sentence contained the girl's most straightforward feelings. The ambiguity was as faint as a breeze, brushing past lightly—not intense, not ostentatious, yet leaving behind just the right ripple.

Adult Tang Wulin's golden eyes paused briefly, but he ultimately did not respond coldly again. He knew this faint affection did not need to be forcibly severed; it was enough to leave it at that. Being too forceful would only wound the girl's dignity. He slowly stepped half a pace closer, his tone still calm but carrying a clear sense of restraint. "From now on, let us each be well. You protect the prosperity of your Star Luo, and I will guard the bonds and concerns I hold dear. That would be best."

The aura of the Dragon Emperor around him spread slightly. It carried no pressure, only a strength that put others at ease. They stood close enough for him to see the faint flush on her cheeks clearly, yet he remained within his boundaries, without the slightest impropriety. This restrained gentleness held a subtler ambiguity than direct intimacy—neither too much nor too little. It touched the girl's heart precisely, yet left her with no excessive hopes.

Dai Yun'er looked up at him. The tears in her eyes gradually faded, leaving only a faint attachment as she nodded gently. "I understand... I will be well."

This meeting had no fierce break, no entangled struggle. There was only a faint, breeze-like lingering ambiguity, ending at just the right point. It fulfilled the girl's final thoughts while completely establishing the boundary between them, leaving neither future trouble nor regret. Adult Tang Wulin then discussed the alliance with the Star Luo Emperor, no longer allowing any matters of the heart to distract him as he focused on the purpose of his visit. The bond with Star Luo quietly drew to a close.

Meanwhile, the streets and alleys of Shrek City bustled with voices and excitement.

Young Tang Wulin walked through the crowd beside Xu Xiaoyan, their steps unhurried and the atmosphere peaceful. The academy exchange competition would begin tomorrow, and the entire team had been given half a day off to rest. Their companions had gone out in pairs, and Tang Wulin, knowing Xu Xiaoyan spent every day buried in cultivation, had brought her out for a stroll to relax. It was purely the care an elder brother showed his younger sister.

Xu Xiaoyan looked at the dazzling little trinkets lining the street, her eyes carrying a girl's lively sparkle. "I am usually always at the training grounds. I never expected Shrek City to be this lively."

"It is rare for us to have a break. Tell me if you like anything." Tang Wulin turned and smiled, his tone gentle as his gaze casually swept over the streets, full of leisure.

The two walked slowly side by side. They did not speak much, yet there was no awkwardness between them. The faint, fragmented emotions Xu Xiaoyan had once felt had long settled completely into calm through their day-after-day relationship as brother and sister, leaving only the steadiness of familial affection. She paused slightly before a star-shaped jade pendant by the roadside, her eyes lighting up, but she merely looked at it quietly without saying anything.

Tang Wulin had just been about to offer to buy it when his gaze suddenly fixed on a street corner in the distance. A slender, simply dressed figure made him freeze in place.

It was Na'er, the younger sister he missed day and night, whom his parents had adopted.

After so long apart, excitement instantly overwhelmed him. He completely forgot Xu Xiaoyan beside him and hurried toward the street corner, unable to conceal the joy in his voice. "Na'er!"

Xu Xiaoyan stood where she was, watching his eager retreating figure without the slightest displeasure. Instead, she followed him gently, her eyes filled with warmth. She had long heard Tang Wulin speak of Na'er and knew that she was the family member he cared about most. Her heart was full of happiness for him.

Hearing the call, Na'er abruptly looked up. The confusion in her eyes instantly brightened the moment she saw Tang Wulin. She hurriedly ran to him, tightly grasping his sleeve, her voice soft and sweet. "Big Brother!"

"Why are you here? Where have you been all this time? Mom, Dad, and I have all been worried about you." Tang Wulin held her hand, his tone full of concern, unable to hide the joy in his eyes.

Only after a moment did he remember Xu Xiaoyan at his side. He quickly smiled and introduced them. "Na'er, this is Xiaoyan, the sister I acknowledged. Xiaoyan, this is Na'er, my younger sister."

Xu Xiaoyan smiled with curved eyes, her tone gentle and friendly. "Hello, Na'er."

Na'er obediently raised her eyes and softly called, "Sister Xiaoyan," then stayed close at Tang Wulin's side.

Sunlight streamed through the streets and fell upon the three of them, warm and bright. Xu Xiaoyan and Na'er got along gently, while Tang Wulin watched over his two sisters, his heart filled with the steady comfort of family. That faint ambiguity in the Star Luo Empire lay far beyond a thousand miles, never disturbing the youths' peaceful time. Every relationship settled cleanly and properly, just as it should.