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Early morning in the Exalting Sanctum.
The sounds of fireworks and firecrackers were not particularly dense, yet they rang out intermittently without ever truly ceasing.
The ripples in the roadside pool had only just settled when soundwaves swept across the surface again, stirring new patterns.
The nearby residents who had stayed up all night were rather displeased, but those emotions quickly vanished—because their friends and family were about to drag them out of their warm blankets and into the grand tide of celebration.
Sylvester pushed open his shop door as usual and stretched lazily.
The streets of Exalting Sanctum were growing ever more lively, filled with Outworlders of all shapes and appearances sightseeing and frolicking about.
"The opening ceremony of the Wardance Ceremony is starting so soon, huh."
As expected of one of the Xianzhou Luofu's major tournaments and festival days, it had attracted an uncountable number of Outworlders.
He rubbed his chin and smiled. "Maybe I can ride this wave and boost my sales a bit."
After waves of customers threw down fortunes only to end up clutching a completely useless green Curio and weeping bitterly, or staring blankly at an empty white trash can, or—worse yet—being plagued with misfortune from a black trash can, quite a few had cured themselves of their impulsive spending habits.
Ha. But those were minor issues. The trash cans were still in short supply, so there was no need for him to deliberately expand his market.
Sylvester shook his head, then checked the time before glancing toward the neighboring storefront.
"Why hasn't Qingque come to work yet? With all this noise today, even someone who pulled an all-nighter shouldn't be able to sleep."
Still, he had no habit of barging into a lady's bedroom, so he turned back into the shop and officially began the day's business.
He had just turned around when a sharp screech of brakes rang out behind him, then quickly fell silent.
A starskiff had come to a steady stop at the entrance.
The door slid open.
Qingque floated down unsteadily, legs weak and wobbling, while Feixiao followed behind her, smiling helplessly as she supported Qingque into the shop.
Looking at Qingque—limp like overcooked noodles—Sylvester handed her a cup of tea once she sat down.
"What happened to you?"
"Did you marathon Celestial Jade all night and finally play yourself straight into the Alchemy Commission's ICU, and you've just been discharged after emergency treatment?"
Faced with Sylvester's half-joking concern, Qingque let out a long sigh and forced a bitter smile. "Ha, if that were the case, at least I'd feel like I earned it."
Feixiao, hearing that, also laughed—but unlike her usual hearty roar, she only chuckled awkwardly, clearly trying to restrain herself.
Sylvester looked at the two women, completely baffled.
"Did Fu Xuan dump extra work on you again?"
"Don't tell me Jing Yuan really stepped down and Fu Xuan directly passed the position of Master Diviner to you?"
Other than that, it was hard to imagine what could possibly reduce Qingque to this state.
"Uh… it's not that bad."
Qingque pouted. After drinking half the cup of tea and recovering a bit of spirit, she couldn't help pouring out her grievances.
"The reason I'm like this is because of the pill you guys gave Haha the day before yesterday."
"That 'blindly believing everything anyone says for a whole day' side effect? It's a complete disaster, okay?!"
Sylvester frowned. What could possibly have gone wrong with that?
"That one already had the mildest side effects."
Qingque's little face drooped dramatically. "But what if I tell you that when Haha had just woken up and was still groggy, the clinic next door happened to have a long-separated father and son doing a DNA test?"
"Hm?" Sylvester's expression tightened. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.
Hiss—
No way…
Qingque bit her lip. "After getting the confirmed result, that old father got so emotional he shouted, 'I am your father!'"
Her lips trembled as she mimicked the final five words, unable to bear repeating them properly.
"Then the father and son hugged each other and cried, and the crowd watching started congratulating them. What a heartwarming human comedy—filial devotion restored, suffering finally over."
"Mm…"
Sylvester pondered briefly, forcibly keeping his expression composed.
But the curiosity sparkling in his eyes was impossible to hide. He leaned forward eagerly. "And then? What did Haha do?"
Qingque shot him a glare and said indignantly, "And then?"
"Then Haha suddenly sat bolt upright in bed like she was experiencing a final flash of vitality, jumped out barefoot, sprinted out of the ward, and slid on her knees right up to the old man."
"She grabbed his leg and shouted 'Dad!' on the spot."
"The sound? Absolutely heart-wrenching. Sincere beyond words."
"Oh~" Sylvester let out a low sigh, unconsciously sitting up straighter, his gaze filled with solemn admiration.
As expected of the incarnation of the Aeon of Elation. Wherever she went, bizarre stories followed, as though even fate itself conspired to assist her.
With a flick of destiny's hand, Haha had been shoved straight into a blissful fire pit.
Feixiao, hearing Qingque recount the scene, struggled even harder to contain herself.
She turned away, covering her mouth. Her snow-white ears trembled slightly, and her legs nearly buckled inward from suppressed laughter.
"Sigh."
Qingque lamented in frustration, "Now look at this. The old man just wanted to find his son—who knew he'd suddenly gain both a son and a daughter?"
"Children at his knees, filial joy fulfilled. Truly congratulations."
Sylvester nodded rapidly in agreement. "Mm-hmm, congratulations indeed, congratulations indeed."
Of course it was worth congratulating.
He almost wanted to send a direct message to Aha's true body.
Hello? Is this Aha?
Got good news for you—you've gained a child!
"Congratulate what?!" Qingque exploded. "It's infuriating, not congratulatory!"
"If the Joyseeker finds out, is Luofu even going to survive?!"
"I spent the entire day yesterday at the Divination Commission trying every possible way to restore Haha to normal."
"I practically turned the entire archives upside down. The Matrix of Prescience Ultima crashed several times from over-calculation!"
She fumed, "That stupid pill worked way too well. Our best logicians failed to talk her out of it—and one of them almost got persuaded into accepting her as a sworn elder sister!"
Oh? That happened too?
"So how did you finally solve it?" Sylvester asked, studying her.
Surely, she hadn't just come back for breakfast before heading off for another round.
"Sigh." Qingque lowered her head. "With the [Cognitive Seal]. We tried it at first, but it didn't work."
"But who would've thought? Once the drug's effect expired, using it again worked instantly!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Sylvester smiled faintly.
Everything had been resolved smoothly.
"Good?!"
Qingque's face was the picture of tragic injustice. If not for dignity, she might've rolled on the floor already.
Stamping her foot dramatically, she wailed, "The problem's solved, sure—but didn't that mean my two days and two nights of staying up were completely wasted?!"
"If it was that simple, I should've just stayed home and played Celestial Jade instead of rushing back to the Divination Commission!"
Qingque fussed and fumed, pitiful beyond measure.
While expressing appropriate sympathy, Sylvester keenly caught onto something.
"Wait a second. Didn't Haha only wake up yesterday morning? At most, you pulled one all-nighter."
"Uh… about that…"
Caught red-handed, Qingque instantly deflated.
She laughed awkwardly. "Actually… I'd already stayed up the entire previous night too."
Oh.
Sylvester understood.
So, she had been about to sleep after staying up all night gaming, got dragged into overtime work, then discovered the overtime was pointless—and that's why she was this furious?
Realizing that, Sylvester couldn't help but laugh.
Qingque struggled indignantly. "Hey! Hey! What are you laughing at? Is it that funny? Don't laugh!"
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