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墨書 Inktalez
"Eh? Little Flower, what is this?"
That day, while I was playfully rolling around with A-Qing as usual, she accidentally discovered the necklace around my neck and curiously pulled it out from under my clothes to take a closer look.
"It's a transparent crystal? So beautiful! Where did it come from?" A-Qing admired the pendant in her hand.
"Uh? This...," I hesitated for a moment and casually replied, "It's a gift from my master." I then deftly took the pendant back from her hands and tucked it back into my clothes.
This heart-shaped necklace had been with me since my time in the real world. I originally intended to use it to attract romantic interest, but it seemed to have no effect at all—perhaps because it was just a cheap trinket.
However, now that I had taken on a new identity in this world, for some reason, it still remained with me. Since I was used to wearing it, I didn't pay much attention to it; if A-Qing hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten its existence.
"It feels really precious! Does it have any special meaning?"
"Um..." Looking into her eager eyes, I quickly thought of something and said, "I remember my master mentioning that if I'm fortunate enough to encounter someone I like during this journey, I could use this as a token to bind us together..."
"What? Your master actually lets you go out and find a partner?" A-Qing's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait! How old are you?!"
How old? That was a question I couldn't really answer. Moreover, there was no relevant information in my identity profile. What should I do now... I couldn't possibly state my actual age, could I?
"Um... Sorry, I'm not quite sure. After all, the flow of time in the illusion is different from here..." I suddenly felt a bit flustered.
"Didn't your master ever tell you? How do you all calculate your age?" A-Qing asked.
"Uh... My master said that the passage of time itself doesn't hold much significance; after all, life experiences will naturally reflect on one's appearance. Therefore, it's sufficient to judge by looks without needing to delve deeper. If one requires a specific number, just go by what you believe. So..." I tilted my head and thought for a moment before smiling and saying, "If I'm required to be independent and strong, then let's say I'm thirty! After all, one should stand firm at thirty!" In any case, whatever problems arose could always be attributed to the system.
A-Qing was left completely dumbfounded.
"What are you talking about?! Thirty? Cut that in half! At most, fifteen!"
"The 'thirty' in 'thirty and standing' refers to establishing a family and career, not self-reliance. Your understanding is flawed," Song Lan interjected, unable to hold back. "As for self-identification, I believe you've misunderstood Master's meaning. If we're judging by appearance, then I agree with A-Qing—you look no more than a teenager."
"Did you hear that? Even Master Song agrees with me! You’re fifteen!" A-Qing said triumphantly.
"...At least I should count as eighteen?" It’s great to pretend to be younger, but pretending to be too young seems quite inconvenient!
"Impossible! At most, fifteen!"
"But..."
"In any case, I say you're fifteen!" A-Qing insisted domineeringly.
...Is this age something we can bargain over?
After a moment of silence, I shrugged in resignation.
"Okay, fine. I'm fifteen." Arguing about this is pointless anyway.
But... I sneaked a glance at my status bar—ding! It really did update! Fifteen years old, the matter settled.
"...Mian Fei, can I borrow a look at that pendant of yours?" Song Lan suddenly asked.
"Huh? Oh, sure." I was taken aback for a moment but quickly reached for the necklace and pulled it out from under my clothes. "Here."
Song Lan didn’t reach out to touch it; instead, he examined it from a distance, his brow furrowing slightly.
"This crystal is quite rare; it must be a precious item... Has the Master mentioned to you who this should be entrusted to?"
"Well... because I accidentally chipped this pendant, it's not suitable for gifting anymore, so I've decided to keep it for myself." I didn't answer his question directly and instead pointed at the heart-shaped missing piece.
After all, what I just said was a lie; this isn't some token of affection, and I have no intention of giving it to anyone. Moreover, it's just a worthless trinket that isn't fit for gifting.
Since this topic is awkward no matter how I approach it, I might as well skip over it!
Wait! Hold on... I glanced nervously at my identity panel—wow! That was quick; it's already been updated!
...Hmm, okay, I think I understand. It seems that as long as I want to shift the blame onto the system, it will unconditionally incorporate that into the settings and throw the blame back at me, right?
So... is it too late to take that back now?
"Ah, it really is missing a piece; you must be quite careless," A-Qing said as she leaned in for a closer look, revealing a regretful expression.
"Even so, it doesn't diminish its inherent value. Regardless, if you ever intend to gift this in the future, remember to think carefully and never give it away lightly, understood?" Song Lan said earnestly.
"Uh... I'm definitely not going to give it to anyone, so please don't worry about that," I reiterated my stance.
"Heh, you can't say that for sure. After all, you're someone who tends to open your heart to those who treat you well. Who knows? One day a charming rogue might come along and sweet-talk you with a piece of candy, and before you know it, you'll be swept away!" A-Qing teased.
Hearing this, I stared wide-eyed at her in disbelief. Wait, are you talking about me? Are you really talking about me?!
"Pfft! I'm not that foolish! Besides, if anyone's going to be swayed by a mere piece of candy, it should be you!" I shot back defiantly.
"A-Qing is just worried that you're inexperienced and might be deceived by superficial kindness. After all, this world is quite treacherous and people's hearts are not what they used to be. It's always better to be cautious... If one day you truly meet someone you like, make sure to confirm their sincerity before entrusting them with this token, do you understand?"
"Even Xiao Xingchen has spoken up. How gullible do they think I am?"
"That's right! Anyway, when it comes to judging people, remember to keep your eyes wide open. Don't just spill your heart out because someone gives you a little kindness, understand?" A-Qing said seriously.
This topic was really getting off track...
After a moment of shock, I quickly nodded in understanding.
"Yes, I get it." I slowly raised my hand to unfasten the necklace and held it out in front of the astonished Song Lan. "Speaking of those who truly care for me, it seems there is only Master Song. Therefore, please allow me to present this item to you, Daoist!"
Song Lan was taken aback by my sudden gesture for quite a while, then sighed deeply and raised his whisk to give me a light tap on the head.
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"Ouch!" I cried out in pain, covering my head. "Was that wrong again?"
Seeing this, Xiao Xingchen shook his head helplessly and chuckled.
"It seems this topic is still a bit too early for you. In any case, just keep the pendant with you and don't lose it."
"Honestly... I was just joking! If you don't want it, then fine; there's no need to get so angry! I already said I wouldn't give it away, so why don't you believe me..." I couldn't help but grumble as I put the necklace back around my neck and tucked it into my clothes.
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