After leaving Wanmin Restaurant, the two went to the pier, intending to rent a boat to Yilong Wharf.
As luck would have it, a merchant ship bound for Chenyu Vale to transport tea was preparing to depart.
After agreeing on a price with the captain and paying him, Shen Luolun and Lan Yan boarded the merchant ship.
Once everything was ready, the merchant ship set off from Liyue Harbor for Chenyu Vale.
Inside a guest cabin on the merchant ship.
Lan Yan lay on her stomach on the bed, engrossed in a comic book. Whenever she came to an exciting part, her delicate pink feet bobbed behind her.
Meanwhile, Shen Luolun wrote furiously at the desk, pouring out his inspiration for his novel.
Black-haired heartbreak, white-haired heartbreak, green-haired heartbreak... Pink hair?
Maximum heartbreak!
The most satisfying characters to put through the wringer were pink-haired beautiful girls with savior qualities who embodied everything wonderful in the world.
Hehehe.
Since the journey was long, they each found something to do to pass the time.
Lan Yan liked comics, especially the recently popular "Will of Fire." Its battles and bonds had deeply captivated the girl, who was a bit of a chunni at heart.
Unfortunately, she had already finished the bookshop's latest volume of "Will of Fire." If she wanted more, she would have to wait for next month's release.
But as luck would have it, the original author was right here, so she didn't have to wait until next month at all!
Shen Luolun had originally been reluctant to spoil it, but the girl pestered him until he had no choice. With the hand speed of a man who had been single for two lifetimes, he drew the latest volume of "Will of Fire" and told her to go amuse herself and stop disturbing his writing (breaking readers' hearts).
Lan Yan happily took the comic, claimed the big bed and settled down to read in peace.
Time trickled by, and evening soon arrived.
Sunset light streamed into the cabin, bathing it in a faint golden glow.
"Phew~"
Shen Luolun had just finished writing his story. He put down his pen, rubbed his aching wrist and let out a breath as he gazed at the clouds on the horizon.
Then he looked toward the bed. The girl on it had fallen fast asleep. The faint sunset glow made her delicate face look rosy. She was still hugging the comic book, and a slight smile graced her lips. She seemed to be having a good dream.
He stood and loosened up his back, waist and joints.
After getting his blood circulating and easing some of his fatigue.
Looking at the girl's defenseless sleeping face, Shen Luolun couldn't help curling his lips into a mischievous grin as a wicked impulse arose in his heart.
He walked over to the bed and crouched down.
He pressed a finger to the tip of her nose.
Then... gently pushed it up.
A perfect pig snout took shape.
Pfft-
Shen Luolun couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"Mmm~"
Lan Yan was awakened by the movement and slowly opened her hazy eyes.
She saw the young man smiling at her.
"What are you doing~ Where am I~"
Clearly, she wasn't fully awake yet.
Shen Luolun's expression suddenly turned serious.
In a somewhat grave tone, he said:
"Sir, your surgery was a great success. From now on, you're a cute girl. Congratulations, you can debut in a girl group."
Huh?!
Lan Yan was instantly startled awake.
She hurriedly checked her little brother.
Wait, little brother?
What little brother? I was a girl to begin with!
As the realization hit her, the girl's face rapidly flushed red.
She reached out and seized someone by the throat.
"You bastard, what nonsense are you spouting?!"
He had actually played that kind of prank on her. Damn him!
He deserved a beating!
"Gah, gah, let, let go, I'm sorry, I was wrong..." Shen Luolun rolled his eyes, stuck out his tongue and begged for mercy over and over.
"No! I'm definitely going to teach you a lesson today!"
"Your pants aren't zipped. Let go first, let go."
Hearing that, Lan Yan looked down. Her face turned frightfully red, and she hurriedly let go, pulled up the blanket and wrapped herself in it.
"Pah! Pervert!"
Shen Luolun rubbed his neck and complained:
"You were the one who took them off. I was nice enough to remind you, and you call me names."
The girl gritted her teeth.
"That's because someone said something so obnoxious in my ear about my surgery being a success and scared me!"
Shen Luolun coughed awkwardly a few times and looked up at the ceiling, as though there were something up there worth pondering.
Seeing that he had nothing to say, Lan Yan puffed out her cheeks.
"Turn around already!"
This time, he understood.
Shen Luolun obediently turned around, leaving her looking at the back of his head.
Only after fixing her pants did Lan Yan dare get off the bed.
"Come on, I was just teasing. Don't be mad."
At his apology, she turned her head away and ignored him. She was clearly very angry.
Too angry to be appeased.
"Hehe, really, don't be mad. I won't dare do it again, I won't. I promise!"
"Hmph!"
"Then how about I write you another volume of 'Will of Fire'?" Shen Luolun ventured.
"Hmph!"
"Two volumes?"
"Hmph!"
Are you Peppa? All you know how to do is snort.
Shen Luolun couldn't help grumbling inwardly.
Still, he knew it was wrong of him to provoke her, and that he ought to make amends and apologize.
So.
Shen Luolun let out a long sigh, as if he were painfully parting with something precious and taking a huge loss.
"Three volumes, three! I'm giving you all the chapters I had in reserve! If you want any more, I really won't be able to produce them."
Perhaps feeling that she had squeezed him dry, the girl finally stopped snorting and gave him a radiant smile.
Shen Luolun quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Fooled you.
I've still got three hundred chapters of 'Will of Fire' in reserve.
"Where's the merchant ship now?" Lan Yan asked.
"Looking out the window, we've reached Bishui Plain. Another hour on the boat and we should reach Chenyu Vale."
"It's been quite a while. Let's go out for a walk," Shen Luolun suggested.
Lan Yan nodded.
Shen Luolun opened the cabin door, and a cool breeze off the water brushed against their faces, bringing a refreshing chill.
Ahead.
In the glow of the setting sun, layers of forest across the green mountains were dyed in color; blue waves rippled, and the autumn waters shimmered with countless scales of light.
The scene was as beautiful as a poem or a painting.
Lan Yan moved closer to him and exclaimed happily:
"What a beautiful view. Hey, A-Shen, look, there are swallows over there!"
Shen Luolun followed her gaze. Against the great evening sun, birds soared across the sky in a V formation.
"Aren't those wild geese?"
"Yes, big swallows."
"Hmm, I get the feeling we're not talking about the same thing."
Never mind.
Shen Luolun couldn't be bothered to argue.
They were all birds anyway.
But hearing Lan Yan mention swallows reminded him of things from the past.
When he was little, his mother had told him that swallows were a lovely omen: their arrival could ward off evil, drive away malign influences and bring good luck.
If swallows built a nest in your home, it was an especially auspicious sign of great fortune.
Before Shen Luolun came to his senses (before his memories of his previous life awakened), he had actually believed his mother. Every day, he and his friends had caught swallows all over the hills and fields. They had been so happy back then.
But now.
Those birds did nothing but drop fresh poop from the sky, letting it land at random on passersby's heads, hands and bodies. They could stay as far away from him as possible.
He didn't want to go through that painful experience of buying vanilla ice cream only to have a glob of paint smeared on top of it a second time.
"Swallows, swallows, you're so beautiful~"
"See you next time, see you~"
The girl's eyes sparkled as she waved at the wild geese.
Enough, you fake fan. Those are freaking wild geese.
Shen Luolun flicked her on the head.
"Ow, A-Shen, what was that for?"
"Nothing. It was fun."
"Drop dead!"