Xiao Yan pinched the oddly shaped "Ultraman" nose clip, unsure what expression to make. He casually stuffed the absurd thing back into his pocket, deciding that out of sight was out of mind.
Taking Xun'er, who was still lavishing praise on that "rare edition," by the hand, he hurried away from the Fate Blind Box stall, which was packed so tightly that not a drop of water could have passed through, leaving Xiao Yi's maddening sales pitch and the clamor of the crowd behind them.
The two walked side by side along a relatively quiet stone-paved street in the Market District. Afternoon sunlight slipped through gaps between the eaves, casting dappled light and shadow on the ground.
That faint, peculiar odor still stubbornly lingered in the air, but the delicate cicada-shaped nose clip on Xun'er's nose, along with the subtle fragrance drifting from her, seemed to carve out a small, fresh haven around Xiao Yan.
Xun'er turned her head to look at Xiao Yan's still somewhat glum profile, and a faint dimple appeared on her lovely face.
She stopped and took a scroll from her Storage Ring. It was an antique dark yellow, made of something that resembled leather yet was not, and carried the weight of years. She gently held it out to Xiao Yan.
"Brother Xiao Yan, the coming-of-age ceremony is already over. I thought... this might be useful to you. It's much better than anything in the Dou Qi Pavilion..."
Xiao Yan's gaze shifted from Xun'er's face to the scroll, and he paused in surprise. He could sense a powerful yet restrained aura within it.
Rather than reaching for it, he shook his head, a gentle but resolute smile appearing on his face.
"Xun'er, thank you, but I appreciate the thought. There's no need for the scroll.