Poetry Is Wonderful; Poetry Must Be Learned

"I see..." Arlecchino sat in her chair with her legs crossed, listening to Clervie and Xingsu's explanations.

Xingsu at her gentle expression, Xing Su smiled faintly and asked softly, "So, did you like the surprise I prepared?"

Clervie quickly leaned forward, a hint of pride in her voice, and pointed to the exquisite dessert tray on the table. "And there are desserts I made! I specifically learned how to make them from Chef Escoffier when I was at the Hotel Debord."

Arlecchino picked up another pastry and took a bite. The familiar sweetness spread on her tongue. "Excellent craftsmanship, just as delicious as it was back then."

Clervie tilted her head slightly, feigning grievance as she teased, "Is Pepe saying my cooking skills haven't improved?"

Xingsu's eyes held a hint of amusement. "She means that, whether in the past or now, she has always liked the desserts you make."

Oh~~~

Clervie feigned sudden realization, then chuckled softly, her eyes darting between the two. "Wow, Xingsu really knows how to talk. No wonder you managed to win Pepe's heart."

Once those words were spoken, she seemed to have opened a floodgate of conversation, her curiosity surging forth as she leaned closer to the two of them, chattering away and asking questions:

"I always felt something was off between you two! I never thought you'd actually get together. Tell me, when did you two get together? Who pursued whom first? And how far have things progressed between you two?"

A faint blush crept across Arlecchino's ears, but her face remained composed. She simply picked up her teacup and took a small sip, concealing the helplessness in her eyes. Xingsu chuckled helplessly, letting the Damselette who had regained her memories gossip about their private affairs with great interest.

"It's a long story between the two of us... but if you're asking who pursued whom..."

As soon as Xingsu began to speak, two completely different voices uttered simultaneously.

"She pursued him."

He chased after her.

Xingsu and Arlecchino suddenly locked eyes, and a subtle atmosphere filled the air.

Xingsu lightly, a faint smile in her eyes, and teased first, "When I first came back, someone pinned me against the wall and slammed me against it. I didn't dare to move an inch."

Arlecchino's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. She put down her cup and calmly retorted, "Someone secretly wrote me a letter a while ago, assuming they didn't have much time left, and poured out their heart. Do you need me to help you recall what you wrote back then?"

Xingsu choked, a faint warmth creeping onto the tips of her ears. After a brief silence, she sighed helplessly, utterly admitting defeat.

"... You win."

Clervie, resting her chin on her hand, watched the drama unfold with great interest, her eyes sparkling. She couldn't contain her smile and was thoroughly enjoying herself.

Seeing this, Clervie squinted and teased, "Oh~~~ So how far have you two progressed? Since you've already done the wall slam, you must have kissed, right?"

"Yes." Xingsu had just been defeated, nodded helplessly.

"Since you've already kissed, then definitely..."

"No, no, don't talk nonsense!" Xingsu panicked instantly, her speech quickening, her ears burning red. "And you can't ask that!"

Huh? Where is this strange sense of familiarity coming from?

Clervie's smile deepened, and she curled her lips into a sly smile, "I haven't even asked anything yet, why are you suddenly blushing?"

Arlecchino watched Xingsu, who was at a loss, silently, a faint smile in her crimson eyes, without uttering a word.

Xingsu was both amused and exasperated. She raised her hands in surrender, her tone full of helplessness. "Oh, heavens, La Signora, please spare me."

"Get out, get out. We need to talk about some secrets between girls."

Clervie smiled and gently pushed his back, while Arlecchino nodded in agreement. The two worked together seamlessly to shoo the embarrassed Xingsu Su out of the room.

The door closed gently behind him, shutting out the faint laughter from inside.

Xingsu stood outside the door, helplessly raising her hand to rub her burning ear tips, already used to this treatment.

Well, this isn't the first time.

He chuckled helplessly, turned and slowly walked back down the corridor, resignedly returning to his room alone.

Xingsu lay on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, his heart heavy, the deal Lin had proposed still lingering in his mind. He sighed softly, muttering to himself, "Sigh, I must find enough precious memories within a month... to exchange for Clervie's chance to live."

Amidst the turmoil of his thoughts, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him, and he instantly identified the perfect candidate.

"Next is..."

Before he could finish speaking, the tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open with a loud bang.

Arlecchino's figure suddenly stood in the doorway, the night making her silhouette appear both hazy and beautiful.

"Huh? It's so late, what's wrong?" Xingsu was slightly taken aback and looked up in surprise.

As soon as he finished speaking, he keenly sensed that something was wrong. The usually aloof and restrained Arlecchino had an unnatural flush on her cheeks, and her usual sharp and cold demeanor was gone as she walked towards him step by step.

As she drew near, a rich aroma of alcohol wafted over—the distinctive, intense scent of kerosene.

Xingsu was about to ask instinctively, "You drink—"

Warm, soft lips covered his, silencing all his unfinished words.

Arlecchino's kiss was direct and passionate, tinged with a hint of alcohol, sweeping across their lips and teeth, rushing straight into Xingsu's mind, instantly disrupting all his thoughts.

Xingsu's mind went blank, her whole body completely shut down, and even her breathing seemed to suddenly stop.

After a long kiss, the two slowly separated.

Xingsu's eyes were glazed over, his heart pounding, and he couldn't come to his senses for a long time.

Arlecchino leaned down quietly, her crimson eyes fixed on him without blinking, her gaze revealing a tenderness and flutter of emotion she had never shown before.

The evening breeze drifted through the windowpane, ruffling her hair. Her voice, low and slightly hoarse, carried a languid earnestness unique to those who had been drinking, as she slowly began to speak:

I really liked your gift. So, I'd like to give you a return gift as well.

"I almost never touch fire or water, but today I'm making an exception for you."

"Pepe, Pepe, you..."

Xingsu's apple bobbed violently, his disordered breathing failing to calm down for a long time. The mental blankness he had just experienced slowly dissipated, replaced by a surge of heat and clear perception.

He was a perfectly normal adult. The tenderness surging in the eyes of the person before him, and the unreserved initiative after drinking, made him wonder what would happen next. If he still didn't know, then Chlothar was just putting on an act.

The room was silent, save for the slow, intertwined breathing of the two. Sometime later, the open door had quietly closed with a soft click, completely shutting out the night from the corridor and subtly concealing a sly yet tender smile from outside.

Clervie leaned against the wall, covering her mouth and chuckling softly, her eyes filled with relief and comfort. After years of separation by death, regret and pain, she finally witnessed with her own eyes two stubborn yet gentle people completely running towards each other.

Inside the room, in this tiny space, only the two of them remained.

She leaned slightly closer to Xingsu's ear:

I want you.

The tender buds and flower buds are infinitely beautiful, and the east wind brings forth the work of spring.

A century of joy shared in wine cups.

The sheng (a type of reed pipe instrument) plays the song of a fledgling phoenix, her skirt stained red with pomegranate blossoms.

Let us dwell deep within the five-colored clouds, where we can leisurely enjoy ourselves under brocade quilts and embroidered curtains.

How can one escape the cage?

Few people visit Penglai, yet the affairs of love and romance are endless.

The long night was still, and all the remaining tenderness was reduced to a silent embrace.