"So..."
"Can I wake up now?"
Su Ran lifted his head and looked at Tingyun.
"I think it's better if Benefactor stays drunk."
"Otherwise..."
"I'm afraid I won't be able to let myself go."
Tingyun gently laid Su Ran down on her bed.
As for how many people had seen them together on the way home, she no longer cared.
If they saw them, then so be it.
At the very least, everyone would know that this man belonged to her, preventing certain shameless women from getting any ideas.
Of course, that didn't include Yukong.
After all, Yukong was her respected senior.
After running all over the Luofu, March 7th and Stelle still failed to find any trace of Su Ran.
The result left them utterly baffled.
"Did we eat too much?"
"Maybe that's why we couldn't run fast enough..."
Rubbing her bulging stomach, Stelle let out a satisfied burp.
Exercise immediately after eating really wasn't a good idea...
Fortunately, she was a Stellaron.
"So where did they go?"
March was even more depressed.
She had wanted to snap a few embarrassing photos of Su Ran and send them to Asta.
Watching a Genius make a fool of himself— that would've been priceless.
Instead, they had completely lost him.
"...Do you think General Jing Yuan tricked us?"
March considered the tiny possibility.
But...what reason would Jing Yuan have to deceive them?
None, really.
After all, they had helped the Luofu.
Surely the General wouldn't repay kindness with deceit.
Of course, Jing Yuan wasn't repaying kindness with deceit.
He was merely helping two people who cared for each other.
As for whether they truly cared for one another...
If Tingyun had no feelings, she never would've hurriedly dragged Su Ran home.
And if Su Ran had been unwilling, he would've never let her take him there.
Wasn't that exactly what mutual affection looked like?
"Yanqing."
"Let's head back."
"We'll wait for tomorrow's good news."
...Good news?
Yanqing had absolutely no idea what the General meant, but followed him back all the same.
The next morning, after washing up and carefully preparing her appearance, Tingyun happily made her way to the Sky-Faring Commission to resume work.
Although the sun wasn't especially bright, her mood certainly was.
Today, Yukong wasn't the only senior official present.
Jing Yuan had come as well.
The moment he saw Tingyun, he offered his congratulations.
"Congratulations, Miss Tingyun."
"It's wonderful to see you return safely to the Luofu."
Yukong had already seen her yesterday, so she wasn't nearly as emotional as before.
"Shouldn't you rest for a few more days?"
"You only returned yesterday."
Even long-life species needed time to recover.
Especially after what Tingyun had gone through.
"Before returning to the Luofu, I had already spent several days resting at Benefactor's arrangements."
"It's time for me to return to work."
Although she had spent the previous night...
rather occupied...she had already rested for many days beforehand.
She felt it was time to get back to work.
Otherwise, she worried that someone else might take her position as a Sky-Faring Commission envoy.
After being away for so long, she dearly missed her official seal of office.
"...Well..."
"Perhaps you should continue resting a little longer."
"There isn't much work for the Commission at the moment."
After all, Yukong couldn't exactly tell her that everyone was still busy recovering the possessions sent off during her own funeral.
"Lady Yukong..."
"What do you mean by that?"
"...Have you already found someone to replace me?"
Tingyun's heart skipped a beat.
Surely...they hadn't hired someone new after only a few days?
"...This..."
Yukong looked thoroughly conflicted.
Although everything had indeed started because of Su Ran, even without his misleading words, she had never believed an ordinary Foxian could survive after being targeted by a Lord Ravager.
She had accepted Tingyun's death long ago.
Who could have anticipated that she would simply come back alive?
"Please don't worry, Miss Tingyun."
"No one has replaced you as an envoy."
"It's simply that circumstances have changed."
"It would be a waste of your talents to keep you in that position."
Jing Yuan smoothly stepped in to ease the awkwardness.
Although Tingyun looked perfectly healthy, the faint dark circles beneath her eyes hadn't escaped his notice.
It was obvious she had exerted herself rather thoroughly last night.
Having her continue running all over the Luofu as an envoy hardly seemed appropriate.
"My intention..."
"...is for Miss Tingyun to oversee the Luofu's commercial affairs from now on."
It was an outright promotion.
From the chief representative of the Whistling Flames Merchant Guild, to the person overseeing the Luofu's entire commercial operation.
That was an enormous leap.
Who else survived a disaster and immediately received such a promotion afterward?
"...General."
"Won't that make it difficult to satisfy public opinion?"
Yukong couldn't understand Jing Yuan's decision.
She knew Tingyun was capable.
But ability was one thing.
Age was another.
Foxian lived much shorter lives than the Xianzhou natives.
Even though Tingyun was considered mature among Foxian, she was still very young compared to the long-lived.
"You needn't worry about that, Helmswoman Yukong."
"After all..."
"Standing behind Miss Tingyun are not only you and me..."
"...but also Mr. Su Ran."
The news had already exploded across the Interastral Network.
The people of the Xianzhou loved gossip.
Late last night, Tingyun openly taking Su Ran home had already caused quite the sensation.
Rumors spread in every direction, though most of them were progressing exactly as Jing Yuan had hoped.
"...Very well."
The moment Su Ran's name came up, Yukong relaxed.
With someone like him backing Tingyun, what danger could she possibly face?
Especially since Su Ran wasn't merely an Emanator of Erudition and the Luofu's benefactor.
He possessed something even more significant.
A method to cure mara.
That fact alone was enough to prevent the Xianzhou natives from speaking against him.
"...How is he?"
The mention of Su Ran made Yukong think of him.
She wasn't worried that Tingyun's revenge had endangered him.
She was simply curious about how he was doing.
"Please don't worry, Lady Yukong."
"Benefactor is perfectly fine."
"He's merely sleeping in."
Tingyun smiled sweetly.
"That's good."
Yukong nodded in relief.
As expected, Tingyun still knew where to draw the line.
Jing Yuan, meanwhile, could only sigh inwardly as he listened to the two of them.
Yukong was clearly the elder.
So why...was she being completely fooled by someone so much younger?
"...General?"
"Why the sigh?"
Yukong looked at him in confusion.
Surely General Jing Yuan wasn't unhappy that Su Ran was doing well?
He couldn't possibly be that petty.
"...Ahem."
"I was merely thinking about all the matters awaiting my attention on the Luofu."
"It made me feel a little tired, that's all."
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