When my name was still “Yue Bi Rou” and I still lived in the Western City, I would never have thought there’d be a day I’d set foot in Ye Zhi, especially not as an enemy.
The Western City is my homeland. If there hadn’t been any incidents I would have stayed there forever –
I had already been doing so for a long, long time now. I had met many people, even if our relationships weren’t necessarily amiable.
Back then, the name I used publicly was Yue Bi Rou. That was a name I gave myself, as I loved Ye Zhi’s style. My way of life was relatively free. No one really paid much attention to me. The only thing was that everything became boring. Only new tasks could catch my interest, so when the Western City sent their elite troops to seize New Residents, I would occasionally follow as a form of entertainment of sorts.
Because I disliked fame and being pointed at on the streets, I always wore a mask for all announced events like New Resident seizures. This way, even if I walked the streets and sang a song, others wouldn’t rush up for my autograph. The most they’d do was probably take an extra glance at the pretty girl nearby.
The troops from Ye Zhi differed each time, and I only followed them on occasion, so I never met him until that particular day.
Within Ye Zhi’s black-haired crowd, that person shone. I’d never seen any man so handsome. Looking back, maybe it’s because I had gotten too used to Western men that an Eastern face felt fresher? No matter, because nothing could change the fact that he’s strikingly fine. The black hair looked well-maintained and his dreamy, slightly smiling face instantly set my heart beating faster. I even noticed his tassel was pure black. A handsome and strong man…
…At that time, I must have stared blankly for a very long time as I didn’t come to my senses until after the fight had started.
When I recollected myself, his eyes coincidentally met mine. I unconsciously broke into a dumb smile. Unfortunately, I was wearing a mask so I couldn’t smile at him while revealing my actual appearance. He seemed to find this interesting though. Light of unknown purpose sparked from between his fingers, and in a moment he appeared near me, his eyes still fixated on me.
My companions thought he was going to harm me and hurriedly stepped in to block him, but he swept them off with a gesture. He then smiled while opening his mouth. Because of the noise in the background and the distance between us, I couldn’t hear him well, but I read his lips.
“Name?”
This was what he asked. He spoke using the Western City’s language, which was a pleasant surprise. While I fawned over how even his lips were charming, I didn’t forget to answer his question.
“Yue Bi Rou.”
He grinned and blew me a kiss, then returned to the battle and continued cornering my people with his.
Naturally, we lost that battle – I only cared about staring at him from beginning to end and completely failed to help out. I felt a little like a double-crossing traitor, but no one said anything that put me down and only cursed Ye Zhi’s men for trying to harass me… To be honest, I felt rather happy. I just regretted that I had forgotten to ask for his name when I knew he understood the Western City’s language.
I thought of him for the few days afterwards. In order to increase my chances of meeting him again, I diligently helped out in captures, but he didn’t seem to come often. I was slightly disappointed, but I did get to see him a couple times. He looked very happy to see me as well and would wave, call out to me, wink, or whistle. Later on, he stopped fighting altogether and waved at me some place nearby. Only until the people from Ye Zhi lugged him back to the teleportation portal did he wave a reluctant goodbye. I wondered what the people on his side thought of this, but he seemed to be someone of rather high social status, so it shouldn’t have been a problem, maybe?
I felt like I was in love, and I had once thought I’d never have any luck with this kind of thing. There were so many men in Ye Zhi. Why did I only find him attractive? I mean, he was really handsome, so much that I fell in love at first sight.
Some people greatly disapproved of my struggling feelings. They said he was always weird and had greeted others in the past, anyone he found interest in. I wasn’t the only one. He was just playing.
That’s all right. At least he was friendly, and my mood had improved because of his actions.
That’s why I thought of going to Ye Zhi to find him when a string of events cast away my reason to stay in the Western City.
We couldn’t chat or do anything in the battlefield, and everyone left very quickly every time. I just felt really empty.
Without much thinking, I easily made the decision – for him, I would go to Ye Zhi. Reaching Ye Zhi wasn’t difficult. The problem lay in getting in and finding him, since I didn’t even know his name at this point.
On appearance alone, I doubted that I’d automatically be thought of as someone from the Western City. While capturing people, Ye Zhi had also seized Westerners. I only had to pretend to be a New Resident. Luckily no one had seen my face under the mask, so there’s no danger in anyone revealing my identity. What’s rather troublesome was how Ye Zhi, like the Western City, marked their residents. Marks responded to one another. I had no mark and looked nothing like a Natural Resident of the Eastern City, which would have easily made me suspicious.
I knew infiltrating Ye Zhi would be difficult, but I wanted to see him. I really wanted to see him.
Creating a temporary mark was something I could manage, so I caught a New Resident and used magic to replicate his information. After asking him a few questions, I tweaked his memories and got him to lead me into Ye Zhi and settle me in. In an attempt to know more people, I started attending school. There was still no sign of him anywhere.
The Wushu Combat class teacher was evil, to actually make every new student die. I was not a New Resident and thus couldn’t regenerate, so naturally I wasn’t killed off by them. This was easy enough to take care of. After the teacher finished his explanation, I immediately put on a frightened expression, sobbing immensely while hugging his feet. I begged using what I considered my sweetest tone of voice. Not long passed before the teacher let out a cough and stopped everyone, mentioning how killing a beautiful girl was a crime and that they should just obediently go to class.
Everything in Ye Zhi was a marvel to me, but all this failed to charm me without his presence.
A counterfeit mark couldn’t be maintained for long, and anyone with a sharper pair of eyes would have easily seen through it. I didn’t know whether I should determine a deadline for myself and leave when the time comes or face everything that comes up until the day I find him. Ultimately, I chose the latter option. I had come so far already. I’d at least have to speak with him a little so all my time and effort wouldn’t have been utterly wasted.
It was on Chen Yue Jie when I finally saw him.
Following my roommates out to enjoy the festivities, I immediately caught sight of him in the carriage. He was still that handsome, that intoxicating. When I elatedly clutched my roommate’s arm and asked her who he was, I finally found out his name… Yin Shi.
One of Eastern City’s Five Attendants and the rector of Shufa Xuan. What a person.
After learning how to use the communication charms at school, I cheated by pairing it with magic. Now I’d only need his name to talk with him. I was moved. Even if I couldn’t predict what his attitude towards me would be like or if he’d capture me as a spy after knowing my identity, I still made an excuse in the evening to sneak out to a more stranded area, “borrowed” a communication charm from someone, and eagerly tried to connect with him.
“Hello, who is this…?”
His voice rang up, sounding even better than I had imagined.
Of course, he was using the Eastern City’s language now, but I had taken special measures to teach myself the language when I first arrived, so communicating was no problem.
“Ah– I can finally hear your voice. We can finally talk. I’m so touched–“
And that was my first sentence. How embarrassing.
“…? Is something the matter?”
He voice was filled with suspicion. I was absolutely thrilled but continued with more care.
“I came here to find you. I’m… a certain female magician from the Western City.”
I didn’t know how to introduce myself. Not one of my identities could be told to others. After hearing my response, he quickly reacted.
“I know now. You’re… Yue Bi Rou?”
He was actually able to call out my name right out way. My heartbeat quickened again.
“Mm, but I’m simply Bi Rou now. You still remember my name?”
“Yeah, I love pretty Western girls the most. Why did you come to Eastern City to play?”
My face flushed upon his mention of pretty girls.
“I wanted to talk with you. I’ll talk with you and then… I’ll go back.”
“Ah, why do you have to go back? Stay.”
“But…”
“Just stay, I’ll take care of you. Don’t return to Luo Yue. I’ll miss you.”
Because he hoped for me to stay, I wavered. The problem was, returning was still the better option, probably?
“The mark on my body is fake. Sooner or later, I’ll be found out. I can’t stay. I’m really happy that I was able to talk to you as it is.”
That was a lie. I wanted to see him.
“Don’t worry about the mark. Where are you?”
I paused for a moment and told him my location. Presently, he appeared.
He entered, glowing under the moonlight. He was riding a really strange moshou no one else would have used as transportation. In my eyes, though, he looked even more suave this way. Well, I guess I’d mindlessly put a rose-colored shine on anything he did.
He widened his eyes after seeing me, apparently happy.
“Heavens! Xiao Rou! You’re beautiful! You actually came to the Eastern City just for me. I feel honored!”
I felt my face completely redden. How could he say something so embarrassing?
With a wave, he placed a real mark on me. I couldn’t even see clearly what exactly it was he did.
“Xiao Rou, are you staying? I really would take care of you. No matter what it is, as long as you need it, just find me. I’ll show up right away. Trust me.”
I nodded ferociously, only a step away from saying, “I’ll believe anything that comes out of your mouth.” After meeting him, I had already started wanting more. After meeting him, I didn’t want to leave at all.
“That’s great. So you’re staying then? Then I won’t be so lonely from now on. Ah, are you free right now? Let’s go on a date.”
Eh eh eh eh! A date! Now?
I wanted to scream. If it’s a date, I, I still want to go back and dress up for a good three hours or so and beautify myself before going with him, you know!
But, a date? On this moshou?
I froze slightly. The beast’s path looked dreadfully haphazard when he rode in. That didn’t look like an inviting ride others would want to try out.
This also meant I could wrap my arms tightly around him, but… a date should be a bit more romantic, a bit more romantic you know!
“I agreed to eat dinner with my roommates, so I don’t think I can.”
“Ah, is that so?”
He looked a little disappointed.
“Then I’ll eat with you?”
Eh–
You’re the rector of Shufa Xuan! You’re going to follow a girl into her room and eat dinner?
N-no! What if he charmed my roommates too?
There’s no way I’m sharing the guy I like!
“Ah, someone’s looking for me, hold on.”
His communication charm lit up. After he picked it up and spoke into it a little, his face fell.
“Eh—? Ling Shi, don’t bother me. Xiao Rou is more important—Who’s Xiao Rou? My Xiao Rou, you know. From now on you have to obey her, okay? And you have to help her out when she calls. I’ve already decided, I’m not going back—What? Ying’s mad? All right all right, I’ll be on my way…”
Honestly, I didn’t listen carefully to what he said, but that “my Xiao Rou” made my heart thump one large beat. But, I also heard two names of particular interest in his dialogue.
Ling Shi? I remembered them interacting quite often that morning. She was even prettier than me.
Ying? Is that the Queen?
What’s his relationship with them?
“Xiao Rou, I’m sorry. Ying’s looking for me. I gotta go. Just contact me if you need anything, okay? Chat with me even if there’s nothing. You must, okay?”
He then let out an “ah” again, said “Wait for me here,” and rode that strange moshou off somewhere. Very quickly he returned, handing me a communication charm of very good quality and a light-green tassel.
“That charm and tassel weren’t yours, right? These are for you. I’ve already configured the settings. I’ll be going now.”
He really did leave in a hurry. Muttering some kind of spell, his whole person along with that moshou disappeared. If not for the communication charm in my hand, I’d have thought the whole thing was a dream.
I had two thoughts then.
One, he was even better-looking up close, so good-looking he’d make people faint.
Two, my love has a hope of blossoming now? But he seems to have other women around?
The following day, I hid in a place where no one would hear me and talked to him all day long. Although the topics were confusing and I still found what he said peculiar, it’s okay. It was totally okay, because I liked him. Whether it’s the strange parts of him or the normal parts, I liked them all. To me, everything about him exuded charm.
And that’s how I decided to settle in Ye Zhi. Hm, I need to see myself as a resident of the Eastern City now, so I need to stop calling it Ye Zhi.
As for the Western City and what to do when I meet the people there again, I’ll leave that for later.
If I’m to stay, I’m going to live well and move forward. Well, I should raise my rank then, or I won’t be a good match for him, will I? It’s not like I can keep my rank from the Western City.
After discussing with my roommates, I found that they also wanted to raise their rankings. As a result, we researched for places to train and decided to go tomorrow afternoon, after school.
Murdering and skinning chickens, here we come!
For my rank! And my love!
…Then again, I need to learn more about my rivals as well.
Next: Character Profiles (Fan Tong Version)
Previous: Chapter 6: Don’t forget you’re a student even after break
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Translator: Nuddle
Proofreaders: Sherry
