Chapter Sixteen: The Gentle Youth

“Humph~~”

Little Paimon proudly stood on the sofa, hands on her hips, her small head held high, wearing an expression of triumphant delight, as if announcing her victory to the whole world.

“See? I told you! Ling Feng and I will make up soon. We’ll always be the best partners!”

Ying couldn’t bear to look at her smug face, so she pursed her lips and deliberately turned away, refusing to respond.

Although she had long anticipated that Ling Feng and Paimon’s relationship would eventually improve, she hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. It left a sour feeling in her heart.

Why couldn’t her relationship with Feng develop this fast?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the sofa, Kong watched the change between the two on the holographic screen, his lips twitching.

Paimon and Boss Feng’s relationship had indeed shifted, but the way it happened...

To be won over so simply by a piece of grilled meat—one could only say, that’s Paimon for you.

At the same time, Kong couldn’t help but admire Boss Feng’s character, which remained as gentle as ever.

He treasured every bit of kindness around him, even when deep down he knew the other might be pretending, even when he was aware that beneath the false facade lay a deadly dagger.

Yet, until the other truly revealed their true colors, he still chose to believe that within their feigned kindness, there might be at least a glimmer of sincerity.

As long as they hadn’t taken action to hurt him, he was willing to leave them a way out.

“By the way, when did Boss Feng get a little sister? I’ve never seen her before.”

Kong’s question instantly snapped Ying back to reality.

Right, in their memories, they had never seen nor heard Ling Feng mention having a sister.

“Paimon, do you know what’s going on?” Ying asked the little Paimon.

But when she looked at Paimon, she found her also hearing Kong’s words but now staring blankly upward, lost in thought, her expression a bit... odd?

“No, no, don’t ask me, Paimon knows nothing.”

Sensing the gazes of both Kong and Ying fixed on her, little Paimon, like a kitten caught on the tail, hurriedly denied everything three times, her eyes darting nervously, as if trying desperately to hide something.

However, her flustered demeanor was an open confession.

Already feeling a bit irritated by Paimon’s earlier arrogance, Ying’s eyes instantly turned sharp. She reached out, grabbed Paimon, and lifted her up to her face.

Staring fiercely into those evasive little eyes, Ying threatened, “Paimon, if you don’t tell me, you’re not getting any fried chicken this month.”

Paimon: !!!

Paimon panicked: “No, no, please don’t!” (╯°Д°)╯

Ying: “Then speak up quickly.” (▼ヘ▼#)

Paimon: “I, I...” QAQ

Ying: “If you don’t say anything, the promise to take you to see Feng by the end of this month is off.” (▼皿▼#)

Paimon: “Eh!! No, please don’t! Wuwu, I’ll tell you, I will, wuwu~” ε(┬┬﹏┬┬)3

Seeing Paimon give in, Ying finally set her down.

“Spill it!” (〝▼皿▼)

---

“Wuwu, Ying, Ying is so mean...” ╥﹏╥

“Hmm?~~” (▼へ▼メ)

“Wuwu~”ヽ(。>д

After Ying’s mixture of coaxing, scolding, and threatening, the pitiful Paimon couldn’t hold on any longer and reluctantly revealed the truth.

“Don’t blame Paimon, it’s not Paimon’s fault, it’s not Paimon’s doing, don’t blame Paimon...”

She kept muttering, as if praying devoutly or comforting herself.

After a long while, finally mentally prepared, Paimon confessed to the others.

“Actually...”

Kong: ???

Ying: !!!

Upon hearing Paimon’s revelation, both Kong and Ying felt their heads spin, momentarily dazed.

Kong, barely able to contain his shock, said, “Paimon, are you saying that Boss Feng created a feminized avatar of himself just to ensure that we could complete our journey through Teyvat smoothly?”

“Wuwu~ yes, that’s right.”

Little Paimon lay on the sofa, eyes vacant, looking utterly defeated.

She felt utterly doomed. Thinking about how Ling Feng would react if he found out she had leaked this secret, she saw nothing but darkness in her future, as if she were already witnessing her tragic end.

(Ah, life is over. Paimon is dead.jpg)

However, at this moment, Kong and Ying no longer cared about this now overshadowed little Paimon.

Kong involuntarily pictured a feminized image of Ling Feng’s face in his mind. The next instant, his eyes widened sharply, and he shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake something off.

Hiss, can’t think about it, can’t think about it!!

Afraid that his sexual orientation might be influenced, Kong forced himself to stop the mental image.

But when he glanced at Ying beside him, he froze, instinctively shifting back a little, putting some distance between them.

What the heck, Ying, what’s with that expression? Can you wipe the drool off the corner of your mouth?

At this moment, Ying (๑´ㅂ`๑) was like, “Hehe, female version of Feng, hehe, hehe, slurp…”

Kong: ...

Noticing Kong’s movement and gaze, Ying snapped back to reality.

Realizing her earlier lapse, she quickly wiped away the drool with lightning speed, then fixed her expression and glared fiercely at Kong.

Ying: “So, what exactly did you just see, huh?” (▼へ▼メ)

Kong (shaking his head desperately): “N-no, I didn’t see anything.” (╯°Д°)╯

If he dared to say one more word now, he’d probably be in serious trouble!

However, Ying had no interest in arguing with him any longer. Her gaze slowly shifted back to the holographic screen, her eyes burning with passion...

---

【Ahhh, my husband is so gentle, I love him so much~】

【He really is a very gentle boy! Just because little Paimon gave him a helping hand, he was willing to take the risk and help her. A bit foolish, but also kind of adorable!】

【Yeah, even though Paimon’s help was totally useless and unnecessary.】

【Not a wise choice—people like that often suffer in real life!】

【But you have to admit, it’s often these “unwise” people who truly attract others. And we often genuinely want to be friends with them. That’s something people who always stay “wise” can never do.】

【Well said, I agree. Often, what’s called “knowing better” is just being overly calculating about gains and losses.】

【Hmm! I guess that’s the trade-off. I also prefer boys like that, but I know I can never be like him...】

---

In the video, once little Paimon realized the boy was cold on the outside but warm-hearted inside and wouldn’t truly harm her, she quickly caught up to him.

Then, cautiously trying to get closer, seeing no particular reaction from him, Paimon completely relaxed and, regardless of whether he paid her any attention, started chatting away.

To this little creature who unwittingly approached him, the boy only looked a bit speechless but didn’t make any effort to drive her away.

Since he couldn’t bear to ignore her, he decided to be straightforward and bring this little one along to a place with other people.

Thus, from that moment on, the boy, softened for a brief time, and the naturally outgoing little mascot began to grow closer, little by little.

Over the next few days, the boy, tacitly accepting the little flying companion following him, occasionally exchanged a few words with her.

Through their talks, the boy gained a preliminary understanding of some basic information about this world.

Strangely enough, Paimon had completely forgotten her own past, but she clearly remembered these commonplace facts, especially the various creatures inhabiting this land.

Paimon also finally learned the boy’s name—Chen.

Chen and Xi—these were the names of him and his sister.

---

“So you mean you came drifting here from beyond the world?”

“But when you tried to leave and head to the next world...”

“A strange god blocked your path?”

...

Familiar dialogue, familiar Sky Island battle—this might truly be called the “place where the dream began.”

Only this time, the scene of the conversation had changed.

“How many years ago was that?” In a cave shrouded by nightfall, the boy Chen gently stirred the firewood in the campfire with a stick, his voice calm and measured. “I don’t know, but I’ll find a way to uncover the truth of what happened back then.”

The flickering flames reflected in Chen’s dark eyes, as if illuminating the resolve within his heart.