The sun rose from the sea surface, accompanied by several flying seagulls.
The sunlight scattered across the sea of flowers, creating a scene of incomparable beauty.
"This beautiful sunrise reminds me of the faces of old friends."
"The sun will continue to rise as always... it won't stop."
Ei looked at the slowly rising sun and said with emotion.
"The most important person in my heart."
"I have countless things I want to say to you. How wonderful it would be if you could always stay by my side."
Ei turned around, placing one hand over her chest, looking at Qiu Bai in front of her with slightly evasive eyes as she spoke.
The swing swayed gently in the wind, stirring up a red petal that blew across Ei chest.
Looking at Qiu Bai in front of her, many figures flashed through her mind.
Now, only Qiu Bai and Miko remained among those figures.
"This couldn't be a confession, could it?"
"Even if it's not, what she's saying is far too obvious."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Bai stared blankly at Ei in front of him.
Under Qiu Bai gaze, Ei unconsciously lowered her head.
Avoiding Qiu Bai eyes.
Qiu Bai expression was quite complex.
He had no memories, which meant he had no past feelings.
The person he was now was no longer the shut-in he once was.
With his divine nature and the composure gained from decades of walking the mortal world, how could he easily remain by her side?
"Ei, I need to walk through the mortal world to recover my past memories."
"Then I'll help you recover your memories. Always staying by your side would be somewhat inconvenient."
Qiu Bai coughed lightly upon hearing this, then looked at Ei in front of him and said with a gentle laugh.
"Is that so..."
Upon hearing this, Ei lowered her head in disappointment.
"However, accompanying you on occasional outings."
"That I can still manage."
Qiu Bai looked at the disappointed Ei and said with a smile.
"Really?"
Ei raised her head, looking at Qiu Bai gentle and handsome face, and a smile appeared on her cute face as well.
"Of course it's true. Besides, the Lantern Rite is in a couple of days."
"When you come to Liyue then, you can also see what Liyue Harbor is like now."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looked at Ei in front of him, and said with a smile.
"The Lantern Rite?"
"I'll definitely go. When the time comes, could you accompany me to properly enjoy this festival?"
Ei looked at Qiu Bai in front of her and asked with a gentle laugh.
"I'm preparing to go back now, Qiu Bai."
"My important person, see you in Liyue Harbor."
After Ei finished speaking, she was about to transform into lightning and fly toward Inazuma City.
"Wait, Ei."
"Take this."
Qiu Bai saw Ei about to leave and quickly called out to her.
Then he held a photograph in his hand, showing Qiu Bai and Ei standing together on the mountain peak, watching the sunrise.
"This is what taking a picture means."
"It can capture a moment and preserve it on this."
Qiu Bai looked at Ei in front of him and said with a smile.
He had just used his system space to buy a camera for 100,000 Mora.
Using his divine power to control it, he had flown it behind them in the air to take the shot.
"Taking a picture..."
"So that's what it means—capturing that moment and preserving it on this?"
"Taking a picture, does it mean you want to keep me?"
Ei looked at the photograph in her hand, then looked at Qiu Bai in front of her with slightly evasive eyes as she asked.
"I..."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Bai slapped his forehead.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
But thinking about it carefully, Ei was quite cute—a bit naive and sweet.
Then let it be as she wished.
"Haha..."
"Roughly, that's what it means."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looked at the adorable Ei in front of him, and couldn't help but laugh.
"Mm..."
Ei placed one hand over her heart, gently closing her eyes.
She felt a warm current flowing from her heart.
This feeling was an experience she had never had before.
"My important person."
"Until we meet again."
After Ei finished speaking, she transformed into lightning and shot toward Inazuma City like a meteor.
"Mm..."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looked at where Ei had disappeared, and pondered for a while.
Then he shook his head and disappeared as well.
On the other side, at the Grand Narukami Shrine.
"Oh my~ What a tiring task. These two gods go shopping."
"And they leave me to deal with this trouble."
Yae Miko looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her and said resentfully.
"Hehe~ But it was really too interesting."
"The dignified Shogun, when she went shopping in the city, was like some country girl visiting from the countryside."
Yae Miko placed one hand over her chest, looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her, and said with a smile.
"And Ei expressions, as you described them."
"Like a little girl who doesn't know how to fall in love. It's really too amusing."
Yae Miko opened her eyes, looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her, and waved her hand.
"Fall in love?"
"Do gods fall in love?"
Paimon looked at Yae Miko in front of her, spread her hands, and asked.
"I don't think so."
"You and I both know Qiu Bai personality—he's a bit like an old man."
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her, placed her hands on her hips, and spoke.
"Uh..."
"And Ei—getting her to understand what love is would probably be very difficult."
Paimon held her head, saying somewhat oddly.
Getting Ei to understand what love was would probably take a few hundred years before she could grasp what love meant.
"And Qiu Bai, with that composed demeanor of his."
"He probably just sees Ei as a good friend."
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her and nodded.
"Oh my~"
"I was just speaking casually, and you two started a whole discussion."
Yae Miko looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her and said dismissively.
"As for Ei..."
"Getting her to develop romantic feelings—that really would be quite difficult."
Yae Miko turned around, looked at the Sacred Sakura in front of her, and murmured.
"Qiu Bai goes without saying—he sees me as a junior."
"How could he possibly see Ei, whose thoughts are somewhat simple, as an equal?"
Yae Miko turned around, looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her, and spread her hands.
"Since the matter is resolved, you can take the Shogun letter."
"And return to Inazuma City."
Yae Miko looked at Lumine and Paimon in front of her and handed over the Shogun letter.
On the other side.
Ei had already returned to Inazuma City.
Looking at the pedestrians around her and the morning scene of Inazuma, she couldn't help but feel somewhat emotional.
The pedestrians on the road were all very surprised when they saw her.
Suddenly, the photograph in Ei hand began to emit light.
Ei looked at the photograph in her hand with some confusion.
"Ei, there's a surprise."
"On your way back to Tenshukaku, you might encounter something. Pay attention to your surroundings."
Qiu Bai voice came from the photograph.
Ei was slightly stunned, then looked around and walked slowly toward Tenshukaku.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in her line of sight.
It was a woman wearing a long red dress, dressed in red and white shrine maiden attire.
Snow-white hair, with white fox ears on her head.
She held an oil-paper umbrella and was walking slowly forward among the many pedestrians.
"Uh..."
Ei looked at this figure, her pupils suddenly contracting.
Her arms dropped, the photograph clutched tightly in her hand, and she just stared blankly at that retreating figure.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)