Chapter 335: Harmony

Only life.

When they reached the street corner, they saw that odd person.

The red hair was messy, and they wore silver armor dusted with grime that looked as if it had stepped out of a medieval play, speaking to a utility pole with a tone so affectionate it seemed like a confession.

…Even in this back‑alley, you still stand here, dedicating your life to the transmission of the lines! This silent endurance of wind and rain—ah, I feel it! It must be the signature of the goddess Iderila on this ordinary creation!

Weigong Qiesi's steps faltered, and they decided to go around to the other side of the street.

Dongmu City occasionally has such vagrants, most of whom are mentally unstable.

They might have been wary before—was it a disguise? What purpose? —but now, they are just an ordinary office worker.

Ordinary office workers don't meddle in idle matters.

They kept walking forward, leaving the red‑haired odd person behind.

After two turns, the outline of home appeared before them.

It was a two‑story house with a small yard, white fence, and a few sunflowers planted in the garden.

And in the corner of the yard—

A golden‑colored lion was crouching there.

It was called a lion, but its shape resembled a person wearing a realistic lion costume, only larger; its crouching posture was overly proper, and the golden mane glittered in the sunset.

Weigong Qiesi pushed open the Courtyard Guard.

"Al, I'm back."

"Lion" turned its head— it was a human‑like female face, emerald eyes, expression solemn, even bearing a knightly dignity.

She let out a low growl at Weigong: "Awo."

"Alright, alright."

Weigong smiled helplessly, "I'll add meat for you tonight."

"Lion"—Artoria Pendragon, the Courtyard Guard raised by the Weigong family—turned back satisfied and continued her duty of "Courtyard Guard".

Although she didn't understand why she did this, here everything made sense.

Weigong shook their head and pushed open the house door.

"I'm back—"

"Dad!"

A tiny white figure darted out of the living room and leapt into their arms.

Ilya tilted her little face upward, red eyes sparkling: "Welcome home!"

Weigong Qiesi bent down, lifted the daughter, and the day's fatigue seemed to vanish instantly.

They weighed the little one in their arms: "How was school today?"

"Great!" Ilya hugged his neck, "I got a perfect score on the math test! Black Tower teacher praised me!"

"Black Tower teacher?"

"Yeah! Our kindergarten's new teacher, super—awesome!"

Ilya gestured, "She has a tiny glowing mirror that can produce animation! And she knows everything, even the principal asks her questions!"

Weigong Qiesi smiled, rubbing the daughter's hair: "Then you should study hard with the teacher."

"Of course!"

Ilya puffed out her little chest proudly, then as if remembering something, "By the way, Dad, tomorrow's weekend, can I go find Sakura and Rin to play? They said there's a new puzzle at home!"

"As long as the homework is finished, you may."

"Yay!"

At that moment, Ailisi Feier poked her head out of the kitchen, silver hair tied back, wearing an apron printed with a little bear: "Qiesi back? Dinner will be ready soon. Ilya, don't cling to Dad; let him change clothes first."

"Okay~" Ilya obediently slid off Weigong and ran back to the living room to continue her homework.

Weigong Qiesi walked toward the kitchen and gently embraced his wife from behind: "Thank you for your hard work."

Ailisi Feier's face flushed slightly, and she nudged him lightly with a flour‑dusted elbow: "Stop fooling around, I'm making apple pie. By the way, there's something—"

She turned, lifted a huge transparent storage box from the counter, inside neatly stacked at least thirty golden apple pies emitting a cinnamon scent.

"These are the extra ones I made."

Ailisi Feier blinked, her jade eyes shining with gentle light, "Take them to the neighbors; they have many children, they should like them."

Weigong Qiesi looked at the huge box of "extra" apple pies—enough for a week for their family—and couldn't help but laugh.

He knew the wife's "extra" meant they were deliberately prepared for the neighbors.

Ailisi Feier was always like that, overly gentle.

"Alright, I'll go right now."

"I want to go too!" Ilya ran out of the living room, already wearing a little coat, "I also want to see Sakura and Rin!"

"Is the homework finished?" Ailisi Feier asked.

"Finished! And I want to take Al with me!"

Ilya ran to the window and waved at the lion in the yard, "Al! We're leaving!"

The golden lion rose slowly, its limbs moving with dignified steps to the doorway, crouched down, emerald eyes gazing at Ilya, Tail gently swaying.

Ailisi Feier sighed, "Fine, but Al must behave and not scare anyone."

"Al is very well‑behaved!"

Ilya said seriously, then added softly, "Sometimes she strikes a battle pose at passing birds… but never actually pounces!"

Weigong Qiesi smiled, shook their head, lifted the storage box, and held Ilya's hand with the other.

Ilya held Al's leash, and Al stepped along cooperatively.

The three of them walked out the Courtyard Guard toward the neighboring house.

On the street, Weigong Qiesi recalled the information about the neighbors.

Next door lived a pair of sisters; the elder was Chang Ye Yue, a student at Winterwood University, and the younger was San Yue Qi, who was attending high school.

It was said that their parents worked abroad and rarely returned.

The household also fostered two little girls—Ying and Lin—who were distant relatives of the sisters; because their father was hospitalized (apparently due to complications from a hip injury), they were temporarily placed here.

Weigong had only seen Chang Ye Yue a few times; she was a quiet, composed young woman, and her crimson eyes always left a strong impression.

San Yue Qi, on the other hand, was much more lively, and her pink hair was quite eye‑catching in Dongmu City.

Both little girls, Ying and Lin, were very well‑behaved, attended the same elementary school as Ilya, and often played together.

Arriving at the neighbor's door, Weigong Qiesi rang the doorbell.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Chang Ye Yue stood in the doorway, wearing a simple white shirt and a dark long skirt, her deep‑pink hair loosely tied at the back of her head.

Her crimson eyes flashed a polite smile upon seeing Weigong, but when her gaze fell on Al, the corner of her mouth clearly twitched.

"Good evening, Mr. Weigong." Chang Ye Yue's voice was Calm and gentle.

"Good evening, sorry to disturb you."

Weigong Qiesi lifted a food container, "My wife made some apple pies and asked me to bring them over."

"Thank you so much."

Chang Ye Yue took the box, stepped aside to let them in, "Please come in. Ilya is here to play with Ying and Lin as well, right?"

"Mm!"

Ilya nodded vigorously, then turned to Al and said, "Al, could you wait for us in the yard? I'll bring the apple pies out for you!"

The golden lion let out a low "Awo", reluctantly turned around twice in place, and finally crouched down, its emerald eyes fixed on the doorway like a golden statue.

The corner of Chang Ye Yue's mouth twitched again, but she maintained a perfect polite smile: "Um… your family's pet is quite special."

Weigong Qiesi gave a wry smile: "Yes, sometimes it can be rather headache‑inducing."

The two of them walked into the house.

The home's décor was very cozy; the living room was covered with a warm‑colored carpet, and several cute‑shaped cushions were piled on the sofa—one shaped like a train, another like a simplified space capsule.

A few bright‑colored paintings hung on the wall, clearly children's artwork.

"Ying! Lin! Ilya's here!" Chang Ye Yue called upstairs.