Chapter 434: Mirth

Gray hair, eyes lacking highlights, a face with little expression…

(It's her, the teacher.)

The ripple of Memory is stirred.

That night in Dongmu City, overrun by insect plague, that gray‑haired girl…

And A Xing looked at Yan Feng Qili, whose golden eyes still showed no ripple.

That face also triggered a vague Memory fragment—black clothing, expressionless, as if… had also dealt with something red?

But all details are gone, leaving only a label‑like vague impression: perhaps a person associated with spicy food.

The two, separated by a few empty tables, stared quietly at the unconscious Bai Hang lying beside a bowl of chili oil for about two or three seconds.

No surprise of a long‑awaited reunion, no sentiment of meeting an old friend.

Only a sort of time‑displaced confirmation, and after that, a swift, indifferent return to their own tracks.

Yan Feng Qili was the first to move.

His expressionless Mask on his face did not loosen at all, and he spoke in a steady voice:

"Welcome. Our specialty is Mapo Tofu. May I take your order?"

Xianzhou Luofu, early morning.

Sai Fei Er stretched a big lazy yawn, her silver cat ears twitched comfortably, and a matching Tail curled agilely behind her.

She wore loose pajamas, shuffled in slippers, yawned and walked out of the second‑floor room.

"Um… good morning, world… and my wallet…"

She mumbled vaguely, rubbing her sleepy blue eyes as she descended the stairs.

In the small living room on the first floor, Xi Tong was already drinking tea.

She had changed into a relatively homey deep‑purple dress today, simple in style but well‑tailored, making her miniature Heimu‑like delicate face appear even fairer.

Her hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, the violet inverted‑cross pupils calmly watching the virtual light screen unfolding in her hand, while the other hand held a steaming cup of clear tea.

"Morning, Xi Tong~"

Xi Tong heard the voice, slowly lifted her eyelids, her violet pupils focusing on Sai Fei Er, and responded in her steady tone: "Good morning, Ms. Sai Fei Er."

Sai Fei Er tilted her head, her cat ears turning toward Xi Tong: "Where's Bai Hang? Not up yet? That's not like her, meow."

At this hour normally, Bai Hang has usually already prepared breakfast.

Xi Tong lifted the tea cup and took a gentle sip.

She set the cup down, paused, then in that unchanged flat tone said: "Baiheng Miss currently has a temporary external Task and has temporarily left this place."

"Huh?"

Sai Fei Er's cat ears shot up straight, her blue pupils filled with surprise, "Task? Leaving? Why so sudden, didn't even tell me, meow?"

She pursed her lips, a bit displeased, her Tail no longer swayed, drooping listlessly at the chair edge.

Xi Tong did not answer immediately, but calmly shifted her gaze to the other side of the small coffee table.

There lay two servings of simple yet nutritionally balanced breakfast, steam curling.

Sai Fei Er followed her gaze, her eyes instantly brightened, that hint of displeasure instantly swept away by appetite.

"Wow! Breakfast!"

She, like a kitten that truly spots prey, "whoosh" darted over, lifted her own portion, tasted it eagerly, and squinted with Happiness, "Delicious, meow!"

But she was still clever; while eating, she glanced sideways at the still‑unhurried Xi Tong drinking tea, then looked again at the clearly two‑person breakfast on the table, her blue pupils flicking.

She swallowed the food, licked her mouth corner, and with a slightly sly smile said, "Xi Tong~ be honest, A Bai's temporary Task this time, isn't it that simple, meow?"

She absentmindedly fidgeted with the cat‑shaped ancient coin necklace hanging at her neck, "Feels… a bit mysterious."

Xi Tong set down the tea cup, her violet inverted‑cross pupils meeting Sai Fei Er's inquisitive gaze.

She was silent for two seconds, seeming to perform some internal verification, then began narrating in a reading tone:

"According to the encrypted message Baiheng Miss left last night, the origin of the Task is as follows: around midnight, a self‑proclaimed giant ceramic teacup from the Curious Tea Party Realm, eight feet tall, wearing a gentleman Top Hat, and able to speak, used spatial folding technology to infiltrate this residential area."

Sai Fei Er's fork froze mid‑air, cat ears perked high, mouth slightly open: "Gi‑giant talking teacup?!"

Xi Tong's expression remained unchanged as she continued in a news‑report tone: "The teacup claims its realm is under dual threat from sugar tyranny and lemon‑acid rebels, urgently needing a spice‑unfazed hero to retrieve the Eternal Sweet Core stolen by the rebel leader, the ruthless Shaved Ice King. Because Baiheng Miss accidentally splashed chili sauce into the teacup's hidden potted plant yesterday evening, she was deemed the destined one and forcibly conscripted via teacup kidnapping. Expected Task duration: TBD. Task reward: a pot of red tea whose flavor changes with mood, and a lifetime VIP status in the teacup realm."

Sai Fei Er: "........"

She stared blankly at Xi Tong, the other's solemn "report" expression paired with this wildly absurd "Task briefing" left her brain momentarily overwhelmed.

A few seconds later, she burst out laughing with a "pfft" sound, nearly spitting out the food.

"Hahaha! Xi Tong! You, you should write stories a bit better! A talking teacup, sugar tyranny… hahaha! This is even more outrageous than the scripts A Bai usually reads, meow!"

She laughed head over heels, Tail flailing wildly.

Xi Tong waited quietly for her laughter to end, her face still expressionless, and calmly added: "The reliability of the intelligence source, after preliminary system assessment, is below 5%. But Baiheng Miss's disappearance is a fact. In summary, her whereabouts are classified as an anomalous event, specific nature pending investigation."

Her tone remained as consistently steady as always, as if that whimsical fairy tale were unrelated to her.

Sai Fei Er wiped away the tears from her laugh, waved her hand: "Alright, alright, I know A Bai definitely had some serious matter that made her leave suddenly, you just can't say. Got it, got it, meow~"

She wore a "I get it, I get everything" expression.

She finished her breakfast in a few bites, patting her belly satisfied, then suddenly remembered something, rubbed her lower abdomen, and stretched her limbs again.

"By the way, Xi Tong,"

Sai Fei Er blinked her blue eyes, voice uncertain, "When I slept last night, and when I woke up this morning, I kept feeling like something… indescribable had been added inside me, meow. Warm and a bit weightless. Do you know what's going on?"

Xi Tong heard that, and countless micro‑flashes too fine for the naked eye flickered across her violet pupils.

She turned her head slightly, scanning Sai Fei Er up and down with a near‑"scan" focused gaze.

After a moment, the data stream ceased. Xi Tong lifted the tea cup again, announcing in her signature flat reading tone:

"Detection complete. Energy field analysis comparison finished. Conclusion: Congratulations, Ms. Sai Fei Er. You have successfully formed an initial link with a destiny, officially stepping into the realm of Destiny Walkers."

"Destiny… Walker?"

Sai Fei Er tilted her head, her cat ears confusedly folding into airplane ears, "What is that? What destiny am I linking to? Is it impressive, meow?"

A hint of anticipation lingered in her tone.

Xi Tong looked at her, his delicate yet lifeless face still expressionless, and said in a matter‑of‑fact tone, "According to feature matching, the destiny you are linking to is—Joy."

"Joy?"

Sai Fei Er repeated it, the Tail tip involuntarily perking up, "Sounds… pretty happy, impressive?"

Xi Tong did not directly judge its impressiveness, but Calmly explained, "That destiny emphasizes the experience and creation of fun. Its manifestations are varied, with the upper and lower limits fluctuating greatly. From an analysis of behavior pattern matching,"

She paused briefly, as if retrieving data, "…fits your personality traits well."

Sai Fei Er nodded as if half‑understood.

"Joy" is a word she likes; it sounds far more lighthearted and fun than "Preservation" or "Destruction."

As for whether it matches her personality…

She has always been someone who loves to seek fun, play pranks, and enjoy excitement and bustle!

Thinking that way, it does seem quite fitting!

"So will I become more impressive in the future? Like running faster, jumping higher, meow?"

She had already begun to daydream about the future.

"The power of destiny will gradually influence and enhance the traveler's related traits and abilities. Specific manifestations vary per individual and require personal exploration and practice,"

Xi Tong gave the standard answer.

"Got it! So it's self‑exploration! That's my specialty, meow!"

Sai Fei Er, brimming with vigor, clenched her fist, while the Tail behind her swayed cheerfully.

She finished the last bite of breakfast in a few mouthfuls, leapt from the chair, ran to the window, and pushed it open.

The morning air, scented with fresh plants, poured in; the sky was a deep blue, a rare fine day.

"Xi Tong~ The weather's so nice, I'm going out for a stroll! Let's see what fun my new Joy can bring me, meow~"

She turned back to Xi Tong, her face wearing an eager smile.

Xi Tong set down his teacup and gave a slight nod, "Feel free. Stay safe."

"Got it~"

Sai Fei Er waved, sprinting upstairs like a gust of wind, preparing to change into clothes convenient for movement.

In no time, she switched into that black, back‑exposed short top paired with a blue‑lined hood.

She adjusted the hood before the mirror, ensuring the silvery cat ears were properly concealed, leaving only her sly, lively blue eyes and a strand of dyed blue hair exposed.

"Off to adventure now~!"

She lightly leapt out the gate, her figure vanishing quickly into the morning streets, leaving behind a fading trail of footsteps and a faint, crisp jingle of a bell.