"You weren't thinking of using it on Fu Lin just now, were you?"
Kiana☆'s voice suddenly became low and commanding, "I suggest you forget that idea. Or don't blame me for being rude!"
---------------------------------
Mei☆, after hearing that, lowered her head and gazed at the red string in her hand, as if it were a rare treasure.
However, when her eyes met Fu Lin's, a complex emotion surged in her heart.
After hesitating for a moment, she resolutely gathered lightning in her palm and completely destroyed the red string. With a flash of dazzling lightning, the red string instantly turned to ashes, scattering into the air.
Mei☆ stared at her now-empty palm, her eyes gradually dimming, and murmured in a daze, "It was destroyed so easily?"
Standing to the side, Kiana☆ saw this scene and let out a sigh of relief.
At that moment, Elysia gently rested her chin on Mei☆'s shoulder and comforted her softly, "Mei☆, this red string isn't actually that powerful, you know. It's just an ordinary, very ordinary string~"
Hearing this, Mei☆ turned her surprised gaze to Elysia and lowered her voice to ask, "Elysia, you know the origin of this red string?"
Elysia smiled, her lips curving up as she explained cheerfully,
"Because this is the red string I once used to trick Fu Lin. It was just a prank, I didn't expect he'd actually believe it."
Curiosity surged in Mei☆'s heart, and she pressed further, "Oh? What happened back then?"
Elysia thought for a moment before speaking slowly, "At the time, I took these ordinary red strings and went to Fu Lin..."
...
Flashback~
In the base of MOTH of the Flame Chasers, Elysia rushed to Fu Lin with a handful of red strings, her face full of excitement, shouting, "Fu Lin, look what I have in my hand!"
Fu Lin slowly turned at the sound, glanced casually at the red strings in Elysia's hand, and said indifferently, "Aren't those just a bunch of red strings? What's so special about them?"
Seeing his reaction, Elysia quickly waved her finger and explained mysteriously, "These aren't just any red strings. They've been enchanted by this Pink Fairy Lady with magic! As long as two people are connected by this string, even if they're thousands of miles apart, they'll still be able to sense each other's presence clearly!"
Fu Lin's expression, initially indifferent, suddenly showed a trace of curiosity.
He took the red string from Elysia's hand and examined it carefully.
Under the sunlight, the string faintly glowed with a pink shimmer, as if it really had some magical power.
A gleam of interest appeared in Fu Lin's eyes, and he said intrigued, "This sounds a bit like the Red Thread of Fate from the myths. Is it really that magical?"
Seeing his interest, Elysia was secretly delighted. She put her hands behind her back, gave a bright smile, and asked playfully, "Yup, Fu Lin, want to give it a try?"
Fu Lin thought for a moment, as if weighing something.
After a while, he nodded and replied readily, "Sure, I'll give it a try."
As soon as he finished speaking, Fu Lin stood up and quickly walked outside.
Elysia was momentarily stunned, blinking in confusion and called after him, "Fu Lin, there's a cute girl standing right in front of you, where are you going?"
At the door, Fu Lin held the frame, turned back, and looked at Elysia, his eyes lingering on her for a moment.
"You?" His tone was hesitant, seemingly uninterested in Elysia's presence.
"Forget it, I already have someone in mind for the test."
Without another word, Fu Lin turned and walked away without hesitation.
His figure grew smaller in the distance, leaving Elysia standing alone, disbelief and existential doubt all over her face.
Elysia widened her eyes, her mouth slightly open, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
She stared blankly in the direction Fu Lin had gone, waves of grievance and frustration crashing in her chest.
It took a while before she came back to her senses.
"Fu Lin, you big dummy!"
Elysia muttered under her breath, cheeks puffed out in anger.
"I made it so obvious, and he still doesn't get how I feel!"
The more Elysia thought about it, the more frustrated she became, feeling like her heartfelt sincerity had been completely wasted on Fu Lin.
But soon, Elysia calmed herself down and consoled herself,
"Luckily, that red string only had a bit of pink special effects from me, and didn't really have the power to bind people. Otherwise, I'd be crying for real!"
...
After Elysia finished telling her story, Kiana☆, Mei☆, and Fu Shi all turned their eyes toward Fu Lin in unison.
Fu Lin, caught off guard by their sudden stares, scratched his head in confusion and asked, "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Mei☆ looked away and continued to question Elysia, "Then what happened next? Who did Fu Lin go to with the red string?"
Elysia didn't answer directly, but instead looked at Fu Shi beside Fu Lin, her eyes saying, "The answer's right there."
Fu Shi noticed Elysia's gaze and glared back, displeased, "What are you looking at me for? How should I know who Fu Lin gave the red string to?"
But as soon as she spoke, Fu Shi suddenly realized something. She pointed to herself and hesitantly said, "Don't tell me... it was me?"
Elysia looked at Fu Shi's expression of sudden realization and sighed helplessly, "Who else~? I only found out much later myself. If you hadn't told me, I'd still be clueless about the whole thing."
Hearing that, Fu Shi got excited like discovering a new continent. She opened her arms and tightly hugged Fu Lin, clinging to him like a koala, then planted a big kiss on his cheek and cheerfully said, "I knew it! Fu Lin, you like me best!"
Fu Lin was flustered by Fu Shi's sudden actions, his face turning bright red as he said, "Alright, alright, you got it. Now come down already."
Although Fu Shi was reluctant, she still obediently let go and slid down from Fu Lin.
Meanwhile, Kiana☆'s eyes were flashing with a crimson glow, making Fu Lin feel a pang of unease, realizing that his words just now may have upset her.
Kiana☆ slowly walked up to Fu Lin, gently hugged his arm, and asked in a soft voice, "Oh? Fu Lin, say that again, who do you like more, Fu Shi or me?"
Remembering what Bronya had said before, Fu Lin hesitated for a moment, then replied, "You're both my wings…"
But before he could finish, he suddenly felt sharp pain in his arm.
He gasped and looked down, only to see Kiana☆ and Fu Shi each pinching one side of his arm, clearly unhappy with his answer.
Mei☆ stood silently, her eyes empty as she watched Kiana and Fu Shi standing on either side of Fu Lin. Her once bright gaze now dimmed with a sense of loneliness.
She slowly lowered her head, as if afraid to keep watching, turning her gaze away as though that could help her escape the pain in her heart.
Elysia keenly noticed the change in Mei☆'s mood. She gently walked over, softly patted Mei☆'s shoulder, and said tenderly, "Don't be so down, Mei☆. I understand how you feel, after all, I like Fu Lin too. But don't worry, I'll help you. From now on, we're allies on the same front~"
Hearing Elysia's words, Mei☆ gazed deeply at her. After a moment, she gave a gentle nod and replied, "Mm."