The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness - Chapter 286



64. The Final Performance

“Training?”

No wonder she’s the protagonist, Feng Ao Tian; that level of diligence…

But as Mu En looked at the lively Liya standing in front of him, he inexplicably felt a strange sensation:

“At a time like this, she’s still abandoning you to immerse herself in training; that’s a bit unfair, isn’t it?”

Although the plot had changed due to his involvement, this challenge scene did not exist in the original story.

But now it was clearly a great opportunity for Ariel, that Feng Ao Tian protagonist, to show off and slap faces. Look, the poor, helpless childhood friend and the fierce villains are all ready for you; they’re just waiting for you to take the stage and perform the heroic rescue of the damsel in distress, striking each of those outstretched faces one by one…

Yet you’re actually training?

If this plot were written out, wouldn’t it be condemned by readers?

“Don’t you dare speak ill of Ariel!”

Liya’s adorable, puffy cheeks puffed up, then she lowered her head, tugging at her fingers and said:

“Ariel is working so hard for me!”

“……Alright, I’ll pretend I didn’t say anything.”

Since Liya didn’t feel there was anything wrong, Mu En naturally had no right to say anything.

He shrugged, looking at the girl in front of him, thinking about how he was still disliked by that fated Feng Ao Tian protagonist, with his favorability still in the negatives. He suddenly sighed:

“You and Ariel have such a good relationship.”

“Of course!”

Liya tilted her head back, revealing her swan-like, fair and smooth neck, and said with a hint of pride:

“We are the best childhood friends!”

“Is that so?”

Mu En couldn’t help but chuckle.

Although later on, the old matchmaker Ariel would begin to take action, the pure friendship that truly belonged to girls, which blossomed in Liya’s eyes, was indeed something beautiful.

With this emotional foundation, the wall between them was likely as solid as a copper wall and iron bastion; even the Foolish Old Man digging it would be of no use.

“Do you want to continue playing?”

Suppressing those inappropriate thoughts, Mu En asked with a smile.

“I…”

Liya hesitated for a moment, “I think I want to rest for a while.”

“Then come sit over here.”

Mu En patted the space beside him, moving over a bit, generously vacating half of the bench.

“Mm.”

Liya did not refuse, her hands smoothing the hem of her skirt across her gracefully curved hips as she quietly sat down at the other end of the bench.

But even though it was called the “other end,” this bench placed by the path was not particularly wide, and there was probably just a person’s gap between them.

Mu En could still smell the delightful fragrance emanating from the girl beside him, reminiscent of a baby’s scent.

The warm winter sun filtered through the branches, weaving a net that enveloped the two of them.

Unknowingly, the girl who had initially been extremely wary of him no longer minded sharing the same bench.

Even…

“Have you not been resting well lately?”

Mu En looked at the slight fatigue in Liya’s eyes and wondered, “The list has already been confirmed, so why are you still struggling so much?”

“No… I’m not struggling.”

Liya said softly, “I’m just… a bit nervous lately.”

“I see…”

It must be because they were about to go to the Holy City.

Even with Ariel’s help, for Liya, the upcoming Holy Baptism ceremony would still be one of the most important events in her life, so feeling nervous was only natural.

It felt reminiscent of the college entrance examination in a past life.

No, for Liya, that Holy Baptism ceremony was far more important and much more difficult than the college entrance examination.

“And… and.”

“Mm?”

“Those who want to challenge me are a bit annoying.”

In the soft glow of the sunlight, Mu En saw Lia puffing up her cheeks again, revealing her little displeasure.

It was a very childish gesture, or rather an expression; Lia only showed this face when she accidentally revealed her innermost thoughts. Mu En had only seen it a few times, but it didn’t come off as immature; instead, it was simply very endearing.

Like a squirrel that’s busy eating, it always evokes an irresistible urge to poke at it.

…No, no, he had to control his intermittently twitching hand. If he really poked her, after he had finally managed to lower the girl’s defenses, Lia would probably build a sturdy wall between them again, looking at him with a transformed gaze.

Mu En restrained his hand, which was crazily eager to unleash its wild power, and suggested with a smile:

“Then you can take this opportunity to rest well. With me around, no one will bother you.”

“……”

Lia suddenly turned her head, staring intently at Mu En, her lovely big eyes blinking, and deep within her gaze, there seemed to be ripples spreading.

“You’re not planning to do something to me while I’m asleep, are you?”

“What do you think?”

“Hmph.”

Lia suddenly turned her head again, but she didn’t refuse.

She gently slipped off her white deerskin boots, revealing her delicate little feet to the air. A gust of cold wind blew, causing her ten tiny, bun-like toes to curl up for a moment, before she quickly tucked them back into her long skirt.

Lia hugged her knees with both hands, burying her small face between her legs, curling up on the bench. Her hair fell naturally, covering her profile. This bundled-up appearance reminded Mu En of a ginger cat napping by the fireplace.

Returning to the earlier topic, now Lia could even completely let down her guard and take a nap beside him.

After all, they had been together for a month.

Mu En smiled and withdrew his gaze, leaning back against the lounge chair and closing his eyes.

He wasn’t sleeping, nor was he sinking into the black book for cultivation; after all, he had promised the girl to look after her, and it would be quite rude to lose focus at such a moment.

He was merely resting his eyes.

Since he arrived in this world, this was one of the rare moments of… wasting time.

But listening to the sound of melting snow around him, and the gradually even breathing of the girl beside him, Mu En felt that this was not a waste at all.

After all, having a beauty by his side was the greatest comfort for the soul and spirit.

Thus, his heart gradually calmed down.

…

He didn’t know how long it had been, only seeing a faint glow of sunset spilling over the gradually thinning white snow.

Mu En heard the soft sound of fabric brushing against each other beside him.

Lia lifted her head from between her legs, her delicate little face showing a hint of confusion and drowsiness, her hair sticking to the corner of her mouth, her gaze still a bit dazed.

“Awake?”

Mu En asked with a smile:

“How did you sleep?”

“I…”

Liya’s little face flushed for a moment as she quickly shoved her small feet back into her deerskin boots, hurriedly stood up to smooth out the wrinkles in her clothes, and tidied her hair. Only after ensuring there was nothing embarrassing about her did she let out a sigh of relief:

“I didn’t do anything strange just now, did I?”

“Strange actions… are you talking about the sleep talking you did earlier?”

“Sleep… talking?”

Liya immediately tensed up:

“What… what did I say?”

“You said…”

Mu’en straightened his face, mimicking Liya’s tone, and said with utmost seriousness:

“Mu’en, you’re so handsome… especially that golden hair… it’s simply irresistible…”

“Wha… what?”

Liya’s face turned crimson all the way to her neck.

She actually said such embarrassing things in her sleep, but how could that be? Although Mu’en was indeed a bit handsome, it wouldn’t be…

At that moment, Liya finally noticed the glimmer of amusement in Mu’en’s eyes.

Only then did she realize that Mu’en was just joking.

“You’re… so mean!”

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With tears in her eyes, Liya said resentfully. She looked around but couldn’t find anything handy, and in the end, she pulled out her violin:

“How could you do this?”

“Wait, wait! Liya, stop, stop!”

Seeing that Liya was genuinely about to smash something, Mu’en immediately looked terrified and tried to calm her down:

“I was wrong! I was wrong, put the violin down, down!”

“…”

“We still have to perform next, you can’t just play for me empty-handed!”

“Hmph…”

Hearing the word “perform,” Liya slowly put down her violin, but still shot Mu’en a fierce glare, muttering:

“You really are a bad person.”

“…”

Mu’en’s mouth twitched, and he let out a sigh of relief. Indeed, one shouldn’t joke around with this future saintess; she was far too easy to provoke.

Although it is quite lovely.

“Then I will begin to play.”

Liya took a deep breath, lifting her violin, the tumultuous emotions within her gradually calming.

Yet, looking at Mu’en, who she had only spent a brief month with, her feelings remained complex.

This guy always managed to make her act out of character, doing things that were in stark contrast to the “Saintess” path she aspired to pursue.

Sometimes she wondered, if this continued, would even the goddess herself come to despise this shameless version of her?

But thankfully, all of this was about to come to an end.

Tomorrow they would set off for the Holy City. Although they would still travel together for a short while, once they reached the Holy City, they would embark on two entirely different paths.

He was the son of a duke from the Leopold Empire.

She was a candidate for the Saintess of the Church of Life.

Perhaps they were like two parallel lines, destined never to intersect again.

“Tomorrow we depart for the Holy City, so this is my last performance for you, dear employer,” Liya gently reminded.

“I know.”

Mu’en immediately shifted into audience mode, sitting straighter than ever, smiling as he said:

“Please begin, my esteemed musician. I will listen as attentively as always.”

“Alright.”

Liya smiled in return and drew her bow across the strings.

The melodious music began to flow.

Since it was her final performance, Liya held nothing back, pouring her most sincere emotions and heartfelt techniques into the notes that blossomed from her fingertips.

After a brief, comfortable pause earlier, her mental state had reached its peak over the past month.

This time, she consciously reined in all the divine light that might unconsciously escape her.

Yet, simply listening to this pure music, Mu’en’s surroundings became brighter than ever before.

Like a sea, shimmering with light.

In this forest, where only the two of them existed.

The notes mingled with the winter sun, the white snow, and the gentle breeze, elevating Mu’en’s very soul, guiding him toward that endless realm of light.

Then, alongside the sounds of breathing and heartbeat, he counted down the moments of this “final” curtain call.