Kiana: "I've known my husband since we were young."
Hu Tao: "Ah, childhood sweethearts, I understand."
Kiana: "But from a very early age, he constantly found various reasons to beat me; broken bones became routine occurrences."
Hu Tao: "(ー`?ー) Uh, well, about that..."
Kiana: "As we grew older, my father initially disapproved of him marrying me. Then suddenly, our family found ourselves indebted to him with a sum so colossal it would take a century to repay."
Hu Tao: "(?Д?)ノ Huh?"
Kiana: "At that time, both my sister and aunt held high-ranking positions within a major faction, their futures promising. But one day, the faction's leader unexpectedly died, allowing my husband to swiftly absorb the entire organization."
Hu Tao: "( -'`-) Um..."
Kiana: "Afterward, my family readily agreed to his marriage proposal. On the wedding day, there were four brides, including my master who had watched me grow up since childhood... Looking back now, I realize my husband had already taken control of each of our families' assets beforehand."
Hu Tao: "I think..."
Kiana: "Ah, let bygones be bygones. Since I'm married, I naturally wish for harmony between us... However, he remains unchanged, often finding reasons to beat me. That alone could be tolerated, but now, he's actually involved with my two younger sisters... If nothing unexpected happens, they should soon have their own weddings as well."
Kiana rested her hand against her cheek, gazing at the moon above with a soft sigh. Her face bore an expression of weary resignation and despondency.
Naturally, every word she spoke was true, devoid of any deceit.
"Hss!" Hu Tao gasped sharply, freezing on the spot as a chill ran through her limbs.
She had glimpsed a horrifyingly dark narrative unfolding: A ruthless villain entrenched deep within evil forces, orchestrating conspiracies, seizing power by force, all permeated by the scent of bloodshed.
Oh Emperor, what twisted tale is this? What kind of monstrous man could commit such deranged acts? And not just once but four times! Wait, no—it might even be six times already!
After Kiana's melancholic sigh, seemingly oblivious to Hu Tao's trembling gaze, she continued:
"My husband often looks at me with a cold stare reserved for the dead. Recently, my sisters from his harem have started doing the same. I fear it's only a matter of time before I'll need Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services... Manager Hu Tao, please help me choose a suitable arrangement. Once done, I'll return home to await my husband's arrival with my two little sisters."
Kiana's lips curved upwards, revealing a smile devoid of any hope, filled with the melancholy of someone about to bid farewell to the world—despite her grin, it conveyed utter despair.
"Snap!"
Hu Tao instantly grasped Kiana's hands, her reddish-brown peach blossom eyes blazing like flames. With barely contained excitement, she declared:
"I'll take you to the Thousand Rocks Regiment!"
"Huh? Why go to them?"
"Of course, to help you! Don't worry, I swear upon my honor as the Hall Master of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that we won't let such a monstrous person get away with this!"
"...If you're referring to my husband, it's futile. No one in this world can control him. Forget it; just help me choose a package instead."
Kiana sighed dejectedly, her gaze hollow and face weary—mainly due to a nightmare last night, coupled with Zeke's absence these days, which left her unusually unsettled and resulted in poor sleep quality.
Hu Tao abruptly stood up.
"Liyue is a nation bound by Covenant, protected above by our Emperor, safeguarded below by thousands of loyal and righteous warriors, and watched over by immortals. How could we tolerate such deranged behavior?!?"
"Ah, it's hard to explain. He's just too powerful; saying too much might put you at risk as well. Anyway, no need for any trouble, Hall Master. Just prepare a meal package for me... Don't worry about the cost; he hasn't been stingy with money when it comes to that."
"Don't be afraid! I'm familiar with both Jade Capital Terrace and the Seven Stars; we'll definitely save you!" Hu Tao's eyes blazed with determination, her sense of justice igniting within her.
Tears began to glisten in Kiana's eyes as she held onto Hu Tao's small hands, tearfully saying:
"Manager Hu Tao, you truly are such a kind person..."
"It's nothing. Such horrifying circumstances would move anyone. So please, tell me, who is your husband?"
"Well... let's not dwell on it. My husband detests defiance more than anything—those who oppose him usually meet tragic ends, and I've witnessed far too many instances. I don't want to burden you, Manager Hu Tao. Please, stop asking, and allow me to quietly wait for his return."
"Miss Kiana!"
Hu Tao anxiously stamped her feet but couldn't bear to press further seeing Kiana's despondent demeanor.
After a long moment, Hu Tao reluctantly gave up and sat down. She composed herself, suppressing her righteous indignation. Witnessing Kiana's pitiful, sorrowful appearance, she decided to change the subject:
"Miss Kiana, look behind you—there are so many fireflies... How peculiar; it shouldn't be firefly season right now."
Forcing a smile, Hu Tao pointed over Kiana's shoulder.
"Fire...flies?"
Kiana's anguished expression froze instantly. Slowly, as if her neck were stuck like a malfunctioning machine, she turned to glance behind her.
Indeed, numerous flickering lights resembling fireflies filled the air.
However, just as Kiana turned to observe them, the drifting points of light abruptly halted. Within half a second, they vanished without a trace.
Kiana shuddered violently.
"Huh? They're gone? Were they not fireflies after all?" Hu Tao blinked, surprised.
Mechanically, Kiana turned back towards Hu Tao. Two streams of hot tears flowed down her face like wide noodles, as she firmly gripped Hu Tao's shoulders with both hands and pleaded tearfully:
"Hall Master, give me your most expensive package immediately—I'll pay right now!"
"Eh?!?"
"Hmph!"
"What happened? Did Big Sister Kiana get herself into trouble again?" Wendy casually asked from the romantic starlit balcony, clad in light undergarments that accentuated her enchanting figure bathed in moonlight. Leaning against the railing and sipping juice, she seemed unperturbed by the situation.
Zeke didn't reply verbally; instead, he reached out with his large hand to vigorously tousle Wendy's hair, which shimmered with hints of jade amidst its dark hue.
"Aiya! You messed up my freshly blow-dried hair! I'm not happy about you going to Liyue to lecture Big Sister Kiana either, but why take it out on me?"
Wendy, holding her juice in one hand and shielding her hair with the other, took a few steps aside to evade Zeke's mischievous grasp.
As Zeke glanced at his hand, relishing the soft sensation, his disgruntled expression gradually softened.
Seeing this, Wendy grew infuriated and swiftly kicked him.
"Stupid Zeke, take this kick!"
"Snap!"
Her ankle was promptly caught.
With a gentle tug from Zeke, Wendy landed on the ground with her legs spread wide apart. She puffed out her cheeks indignantly, glaring at him fiercely.
"Ha! How many times now? Still not tired of making your own life miserable?"
"Ahhh! I can't take it anymore! Why must you always be so infuriating, you rascal?! Forget you—I'm going to bed!"
Wendy sprang up and rushed inside, narrowly missing Seele as she emerged carrying a fruit platter.
Seele watched Wendy retreat indoors before approaching Zeke. Setting down the fruit platter on a nearby table, she placed her hands on her hips, her small face clearly disapproving. "Big Bro Zeke, there you go bullying Wendy again!"
"...It just comes too naturally; didn't even realize."
"What do you mean 'too natural'?!" Seele protested, puffing her cheeks. Then, with a mix of exasperation and amusement, she shook her head.
She gazed at the star-studded sky above, then looked back at Zeke:
"Big Bro Zeke, you really need to reflect on your behavior! Wendy is usually such a gentle girl; it's all because you keep bullying her that she gets so easily agitated around you. You shouldn't treat her like this!"
"Well, can I bully you instead?" Zeke asked with a straight face, lifting his hand and playfully tousling Seele's hair.
"Ah... That tickles... My hair's all messed up now! Big Bro Zeke!!!"
Once again, Seele placed her hands on her hips, puffing out her fair, chubby cheeks to express her annoyance—yet her adorable appearance rendered it utterly ineffective.
Zeke let go of her hair, the corners of his lips slightly curling upwards.
"You should get some rest early. I've heard the Great Snowy Mountains to the west are quite magnificent; we'll go hiking tomorrow."
"Okay, goodnight, Big Bro Zeke—wait, no! Big Bro Zeke, you really need to think about your actions; don't keep bullying girls like this!" Seele unconsciously reverted to her soft, sweet tone but quickly regained her composure, scolding Zeke indignantly.
Her voice raised several pitches but still lacked any real intimidation, sounding more like a fluffy kitten puffing up its fur—cute and harmless.
Zeke gently pinched Seele's soft cheeks before turning around and heading back inside.
Watching Zeke's departing figure, Seele touched her face, pouting unhappily.
"Seriously, Big Bro Zeke didn't even touch his fruit!" she muttered.
With a wave of her Creation ability, she covered the fruit platter to preserve its freshness.
Then, gazing at the fruits, she stifled a giggle behind her hand.
It was typical for Zeke to tease them, as always. However, except with Big Sister Kiana and their close-knit group, Zeke had been cautiously maintaining distance from other girls around him lately. The fact that he could interact so intimately and carefree with them, just like when they were younger, wasn't it a sign that Zeke was gradually accepting them?
This thought brought a mix of bashfulness and joy to Seele, who smiled warmly as she carried the fruit platter back indoors.
Thud!
Suddenly, a small bottle dropped near her feet. Seele paused, looked down, and instantly felt steam rising from her head.
Remember this ultimate move! If progress stalls, slip it into dinner one night—but make sure everyone shares the meal, not just Zeke. It'll increase your chances of success. Seele, Bronya and I can only help you this far; the rest is up to you! Good luck! ThumbsUp.JPG!
The memory from their last moments together suddenly resurfaced in Seele's mind. Hastily, she stuffed the bottle back into her pajama pocket. Looking around furtively, ensuring no one had seen her, she hurriedly dashed back to her room with her head down, as if fearing discovery for some grave wrongdoing.