"Heh heh heh..."
Lin Shisan and Bai Youyou continued strolling side by side.
From time to time, Bai Youyou's laughter drifted from behind him.
This was probably the most Lin Shisan had seen Bai Youyou laugh, and the happiest he had seen her, since they had met.
As they passed through Shell Square, Bai Youyou was drawn to a group of little merfolk at play.
The little merfolk only came up to an adult's knees, their fish tails swishing back and forth in the shallow water.
They were playing a game of tossing and catching pearl balls.
When they saw Bai Youyou stop to watch, one of the bolder little merfolk hesitated, then tossed a pearl ball her way.
Bai Youyou froze for a moment, but still caught it.
The little merfolk let out delighted cries and tossed a second, a third, a third...
Bai Youyou caught them one after another, her movements as deft as though she had done this many times before.
When she caught the sixth, the smile at the corners of her mouth deepened a little.
She was having a wonderful time.
Lin Shisan stood a few paces away, watching quietly.
He suddenly remembered what she had said before: "I never had many friends growing up. My master wouldn't let me have much contact with outsiders, either."
"I used to play when I was little, too."
Bai Youyou gently tossed the last pearl ball back and shook the water droplets off her hands.
"There was a little stream on the mountain. The water was shallow. I would throw stones into it and watch the splashes. I could watch them all afternoon."
She walked back to Lin Shisan's side and turned her head to look at the golden barrier in the distance.
It was slowly changing with