Chisa, the Sword-Bearing Guard: The Rules of a Bowl of Yangchun Noodles

Zhou Yu paused in peeling peanuts as he watched the white-haired woman with a knife push open the door and enter. He raised an eyebrow.

Have to.

This is getting interesting.

The person who arrived was Chisa.

She stood ramrod straight, like a javelin. Her white and red shrine maiden robe, embroidered with cherry blossom patterns on the shoulders, was neatly tailored with not a single piece of fabric wasted. The ancient bells at her waist were now completely silent.

Lupa pointed at Zhou Yu, then at the pile of colorful tourist brochures next to him.

"Chisa, this holiday, you'll go with them. If you encounter enemies, kill them. If anything happens... listen to him."

The last three words sounded like they Lupa coming out of her mouth.

Chisa's gaze didn't linger on Zhou Yu for even a second. Her gaze seemed to pass through everyone and land on some unknown place.

I have only one condition.

The sound was very flat, like the stillness before ice cracks in winter.

"In case of danger, everything will be done my way."

Zhou Yu didn't respond. She popped the last peanut into her mouth, dusted off the crumbs on her hands, stood up, and picked up the fluorescent yellow vest that was tied in a tight knot on the table.

He waved to Lupa in such a casual manner, as if he had just finished a small business deal.

"Goodbye then, Principal. Have a nice holiday."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door without looking back. As he passed Chisa, he uttered two words.

"Keep up."

Chisa stared at his unguarded back, a barely perceptible look of surprise flashing in her crimson eyes.

She had assumed that the other party would at least try to negotiate her terms.

Inside the Logistics Department warehouse, the warm yellow light made everything feel languid.

Dania was hunched over Zhou Yu's desk, scribbling something crookedly in a notebook with a new pencil. A sticky note on the cover read: [Xiao Yu and Yaya's Huanglong Food Diary].

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, about to laugh, when her gaze fell on Chisa behind Zhou Yu.

Dania's eyes lit up immediately.

Dania: (๑•. •๑)

"Wow, your bell is so pretty."

Chisa's body stiffened for a moment. Almost instinctively, she raised her hand, and the wide sleeves of her shrine maiden robes fell down, just enough to cover the string of bells at her waist.

That movement was so fast, like dodging a hidden weapon.

Zhou Yu tossed the fluorescent vest aside, walked to the table, and ruffled Dania's hair.

"What are you writing? You've practically buried your face in your notebook."

Dania proudly showed him the notebook.

"I'm making a list. First stop is Huanglong Night Market, I want to eat grilled skewers, tangyou guozi (a type of fried dough), and that... what's it called again?"

She frowned and thought for a long time.

Zhou Yu added with a smile, "Dragon beard candy."

"Yes, dragon beard candy."

Dania nodded vigorously, then leaned close to Zhou Yu's ear and whispered.

"Xiao Yu, is she a new colleague? She seems... a little unhappy."

Zhou Yu followed her gaze and glanced at her.

Chisa stood at the warehouse entrance, like an ice sculpture, completely out of place among the surrounding shelves piled high with miscellaneous items. She neither sat down nor spoke, but simply scanned every corner of the warehouse with a scrutinizing gaze, as if assessing the safety of the place.

Zhou Yu looked away and pinched Dania's cheek.

Zhou Yu:(￣▽￣)~*

"She's not unhappy, she's just out of energy and needs to recharge."

"Charge?"

Dania was even more confused.

Before she could ask any more questions, Zhou Yu had already turned around and walked into the small kitchen in the back of the warehouse, which he had secretly converted without her permission.

Soon, the soft sound of chopping scallions and bubbling water could be heard coming from inside.

It's lunchtime.

Zhou Yu brought out a tray with two steaming bowls of plain noodles. The broth was clear, with a perfectly fried soft-boiled egg on top, and bright green scallions sprinkled on top. The aroma wafted straight into her nose.

He placed one bowl in front of Dania, and the other bowl on the empty table in front of Chisa.

"Here, have yours."

Chisa stared at the bowl of noodles but didn't touch it.

She didn't say "I don't need it," nor did she say "thank you." She just looked at me with a rather complicated expression.

Zhou Yu ignored her. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Dania, picked up a piece of noodles with his chopsticks, blew on it, and took a big bite.

Dania also picked up her chopsticks, but she didn't eat. She glanced cautiously at Chisa, then leaned closer and whispered to Zhou Yu.

"Does she not like noodles?"

Zhou Yu swallowed his noodles and said slowly, "I don't know, maybe they're waiting for some kind of ceremony."

Chisa finally spoke.

"It's been a long time since I've had food cooked by someone."

Her voice was very soft, like a snowflake falling into the palm of your hand, melting at the slightest touch. It carried a fragility completely different from her outward appearance.

After saying that, she sat down, picked up her chopsticks, took a small pinch of noodles, and put them in her mouth.

Then she paused for a long time.

Dania became nervous and asked in a low voice.

"Is it not tasty?"

"Fine."

Chisa said.

This is her standard answer to all food: indifferent, polite, and aloof.

However, she finished the entire bowl of noodles.

They drank every last drop of soup. The vibrant green scallions at the bottom of the bowl looked like the last patch of green growing on a barren wasteland.

After finishing her meal, she put down her chopsticks. Her movements were quite elegant, but there was something about them that... reserved.

Zhou Yu looked at the empty bowl, which was even cleaner than his face, and couldn't help but smile.

He knew it.

There's no grand narrative that a bowl of hot, plain noodles can't solve. If there is, just add a poached egg.

Chisa wiped her mouth with a napkin, stood up, and walked back to the warehouse entrance, transforming back into that ice sculpture.

It was as if she wasn't the one who had just finished drinking all the noodle soup.

Dania stared in disbelief. She nudged Zhou Yu's arm.

Dania: (•-•)?

"Xiao Yu, has she really charged up?"

"Hmm, I topped it up by 10%."

Zhou Yu smiled and took the poached egg from Dania's bowl and put it into his own.

"Eat quickly, and then we can plan the specific route for our 'business trip'."

Dania exclaimed "Ah!" as she looked at the empty bowl, then at Zhou Yu, her cheeks puffing out. But she didn't protest, and obediently lowered her head to eat her noodles.

Just then, Chisa's voice rang out again. It was still calm, but it carried an unyielding tone.

The noodles are very good.

She paused for a moment, then looked directly at Zhou Yu.

"But my rules remain unchanged."

"And we need to add one more thing."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

"During the trip, from 10 PM to 6 AM each night, the two of you must sleep separately."