Chapter 476: Bumping Into Someone

Fu Xuan sat on that wide general's chair, her pink long hair neatly hanging by her shoulders, pink eyes fixed on the document before her, her brows slightly furrowed.

This is her three hours as Acting General.

In those three hours, she handled seventeen departmental reports, approved twenty‑four orders, received six visiting diplomatic envoys, and even found time to simulate the Exhaustive Observation Formation three times—of course, the last one was her personal hobby and not official business.

Logically, everything was under control.

But her mood now was not very good.

The reason was simple—

She glanced sideways.

Qingque was sitting behind a low table in the corner, a document‑like thing spread out before her.

Yet her eyes were not on the document at all; they darted around, glancing at the ceiling carvings, then at the cloud‑riders flying outside the window, then lowering her head to pretend to turn pages, and then furtively slipping her hand into her sleeve…

Fu Xuan clearly saw her pull a... mahjong tile from her sleeve?

The tile spun once on her fingertip, then was quietly slipped back in.

Fu Xuan: "……"

She took a deep breath.

"Qingque."

"Here!"

Qingque instantly sat up straight, both hands pressing on the document before her, a most sincere smile plastered on her face: "What orders does the General have? I am earnestly studying this about—uh—about…"

She lowered her head to glance at the paper, which read "Sixth Supplementary Explanation on the Maintenance by the Department of Earth Balance."

"—About the supplementary explanation!"

She continued, speaking rapidly, "I have already read to page three, deeply grasped its importance, and…"

Fu Xuan raised her hand, halting her endless rambling.

"I never said you were slacking off."

Qingque blinked.

"Oh."

She obediently used Shut Up (Cocktail Technique), but her eyes read "Then why call me?"

Fu Xuan sighed helplessly.

"I have a Task for you."

Qingque's eyes lit up instantly.

Task! A task is great!

A task means we can go out!

Going out means we don't have to stay cooped up in Shen Ce Fu reading those obscure documents!

Going out means—

"Go to the inn."

Fu Xuan said, "Bring the two distinguished guests from the Starry Sky Train here. I need to discuss some matters with them."

Qingque's mouth corner already began to lift.

"The gray‑haired lady, and the gentleman with glasses."

Fu Xuan added, "You should know the location."

"Got it, got it!" Qingque already stood up, speed as if sprung by a spring, "I'll go right now! Task will be completed!"

She turned and ran outward.

"Qingque!"

Qingque's steps suddenly halted.

Fu Xuan's voice came from behind, carrying a hint of Warning:

"Don't think about playing cards."

Qingque's silhouette visibly stiffened.

"…Got it, got it!" she shouted without turning her head, "Am I that kind of person! Grand Diviner, rest assured!"

Then she darted out.

Fu Xuan watched the disappearing silhouette, couldn't help but sigh again.

(Yes, you are that kind of person.)

She massaged her brow and looked back at the document on the table.

(One by one… none are worry‑free.)

She thought through clenched teeth.

(Jing Yuan sleeps soundly, dumping all the rotten messes onto me…)

(And Qingque, slacking and playing cards all day, I don't even know if she can finish the task…)

(Sigh.)

Sunlight outside the window streamed into Shen Ce Fu, sprinkling on her pink hair, giving her a somewhat solitary majesty.

If one ignores the fact that she is cursing in her mind.

Xinghe and Walther walked along the streets of Changletian.

This was their second day arriving at Xianzhou Luofu.

According to the plan, they were to first visit Shen Ce Fu to see General Jingyuan, but yesterday Jing Yuan said "Official duties are busy, discuss tomorrow," so the two decided to stroll around this legendary Xianzhou again.

On both sides of the street stood antiquated, elegant buildings, with upturned eaves, interlocking brackets, carved beams and painted rafters.

Various shops lined up densely.

Pedestrians brushed shoulders, there were Fox People with Fox Ears, Chi Ming Tribe members with horns on their heads, soldiers dressed in Cloud Cavalry uniforms, and merchants from Wai Yu.

Xing looked around curiously, glancing east and west.

She was especially interested in these people with animal ears.

On the train she had seen the human ears of that San Yue Qi fellow, and had also seen the ordinary ears of Dan Heng, but after arriving at Xianzhou, the whole street was filled with Fox Ears and dragon horns, dazzling her.

"Yang Shu,"

she suddenly spoke, "Why do the people on Xianzhou all have ears?"

Walther pushed up his glasses: "These are the distinctive races of the Xianzhou Alliance. Fox People are born with Fox Ears, Chi Ming Tribe have dragon horns, and these are innate traits. It's just like people from Beloberg don't have them—just a different racial difference."

"Oh." Xing nodded, looking thoughtful.

She was about to say something when, suddenly—

"Bang."

She ran into a person.

To be precise, a person suddenly leapt out from the side and collided with her.

"Ouch—!"

The person let out an exaggerated shout, fell backward, and sprawled on the ground.

Xing froze in place.

She lowered her head to look at the person on the ground.

It was a young girl.

Her short silver‑white hair was tied into playful double braids, with a few stray strands hanging at her cheeks.

On top of her head stood a pair of black cat ears, the tips shimmering with a faint blue glow, now trembling slightly with her movements.

A fluffy black cat tail trailed behind her, its tip also dyed blue, sweeping across the ground.

She wore a black‑and‑gold bodysuit, over which she had a blue‑and‑gold cat‑ear hood.

At this moment she lay on the ground, one hand covering her forehead, the other bracing the floor, her face full of a "It hurts so much" expression.

But her eyes…

Those light‑blue, slanted eyes were now curved like a crescent, the outer corners slightly upturned, hiding a hint of mischievous sparkle.

She was secretly watching Xing's reaction.

Xing's eyebrows twitched slightly.

(Is this acting... a bit fake?)

"Ouch... that hurts so much..."

The girl on the ground began to moan, her voice deliberately weak, "It hit me so hard... feels like my bones are falling apart..."

As she spoke, she furtively glanced at Xing from the corner of her eye.

Xing: "........"

Walther heard the commotion and walked over from behind.

"What's wrong, Xing?"

He saw the girl on the ground and was slightly startled.

"I ran into someone," Xing replied succinctly.

"Hey, you uncle!"

The girl on the ground immediately turned her gaze to Walther, her voice even more plaintive, "You judge this! I was walking peacefully, and this gray‑haired miss suddenly collided with me! You knocked me like this! I'm just a little girl, unfamiliar with this place, and no one cares when I'm hit..."

As she spoke, a few tears even welled up at the corner of her eye.

Walther: "..."