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⌜ VALUE ⌟
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"Jing Yuan of the Cloud Knights! Please stop moving your head!"
"Apologies sir!"
He screamed with honesty, as if in the training field. Though his face was a stark contrast with that serious tone of his, showing an embarrassed Jing Yuan. Luckily the man was much more lenient as he continues to take his measurements with a grumpy face.
Can he blame himself? he was somewhat bored at just staying in one place, apparently by the old man, Jing Yuan nearly slept almost a whopping three times despite having not a single recollection of the humorous matter. Though the other Cloud Knights who were waiting in line to be next all testified albeit awkwardly thanks the man's ranting.
Ah... now that he recollected some parts of the day...he should immediately visit you right after you've finished your work, he did leave you quite early to have your break alone. Maybe not the first time, but Jing Yuan should still do something! If even he's bored, then why not you?
"L—Lady Jingliu!?"
The mention of his master immediately made his head bolt to the direction of the panicked voice, multiple Cloud Knights made their short bow to the credible lady. He had the urge to bow too as the disciple of the famed lady but before he can do so his head was forcefully swayed back to the front, his eyes meeting the grumpy man who looked fed up with his shenanigans.
"Sorry! And greetings master!"
"So, it was true..."
Jingliu murmured as she watched on the two with amusements, the cloud knights in the background who was too afraid of approaching and neither talking immediately backed away and returning to the respective line.
"Well, greetings to you too Jing Yuan... and..."
Jing Yuan was forced to stay still like a stone, limiting his eyesight to simply look directly to a dull wall, though from the corners of his eyes he can barely see his beloved master looking at the man who was measuring the young lass.
"Liming."
"Jing Yuan, how come you only chose to take measurements now?"
He paused for a moment, the chimes of jewelry ringing softly in his ear as Jingliu crosses her arms and the loud scratch of writing on the paper leaving a nice complementary to add as he recollected the memory of his reasoning.
"Well... the higher-ups said this was the only time slot they could've given me!"
"I see..."
An awkward atmosphere permeated in the air as the weak murmurs of fellow Cloud Knights behind him creeps behind his back, the stare of the daring master an absolute wrathful in the emotion of intimidation, and the continuous sound of the paper being scratched as the quill left its mark gave a taunt to this terrible moment.
"Alright! We're done— Next!"
He sighed of relief and wasted no chance to flee, immediately approaching Jingliu with a smile slowly creeping up his face. But before Jing Yuan could reach her, she began walking at a slow pace, reaching the edges of the place to where the quiet rest, though Jing Yuan couldn't get the memo and still fast walked to her with loud steps.
"Master, what made you come here in the first place?"
"I had a talk with General Teng Xiao, we ended a topic and shifted to another, and it eventually led to you. From his word he said you were busy right here at this hour, taking measurements. So out of curiosity I arrived to answer my curiosity."
General Teng Xiao...
Jing Yuan has indeed exchanged words with the valor, but Jing Yuan didn't expect he'd still be under the General's radar even after months later since that exchange... well, the Xianzhou wouldn't consider it a long period anyway...
He stared at Jingliu who looked afar the blue sky, her strawberry red eyes loss within this sea of clouds. She took a moment before looking back at Jing Yuan.
"I would've thought you would change the hour of your schedule otherwise you would still be within the delves of the alchemy commission borders, watching over the sea that is guarded by the high elder as you exchange drinks and fight a multitude of rounds of starchess with your beloved alchemy commissioner."
His breath hitched at the mere mention of you, he wasted no time to respond in return.
"I didn't want to object to the higher ups, it was of fair time yes, but the thing is that I'm concerned about..."
"About...?"
Your behavior. He didn't want to admit it out loud as he looked down, perplexed in the nitty gritty of decision making.
For the past week or more, he'd notice the odd shift in your behavior. Though not the first this happened, in all cases you had confess to be under stress of a specific patient or an untimely death and he'd help you move on yet in this case you had kept silent about the issue you were facing. Would he say he was overreacting? no way! Spacing out more... less to no conversation... multitude of pauses in game due to headaches, heck, even you drank less tea than the usual number of cups you'd down.
"Keeping secrets won't always solve the problem Jing Yuan."
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"You see! I can't be going crazy because of all the training... right Master?"
"..."
For some reason, Jingliu dragged him elsewhere to a much more silent spot with not a single soul in sight, it may be terrifying to see a bunch of unoccupied chairs but to him it was the norm, to the point it even alleviated him to the best... and to spill everything about your demeanor. He glanced at Jingliu who stared silently at the youngling before she eventually left out a sigh.
"You are not insane Jing Yuan."
"I want to help... it's just that this situation isn't something I've ever come across yet!"
She crossed her arms as she leaned back at the chair, judging him.
"Take a day off tomorrow. That friend of yours will do no better as days pass."
Jing Yuan's face lit up out of gladness, then a pool of curiosity mixed in as his master rose up from the chair.
"Why..."
Wordless to ask his sentence trails off. He fiddled with the small folds of his Cloud Knight uniform trying to keep the conversation afloat, yet his eyes slowly ascend as he watched Jingliu's glove slide over the table before retreating and turning around just like her body.
Jing Yuan looked at Jingliu who was already staring at him with resolution.
"Because you value that relationship."
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⌜ REMEDIES DIARY ⌟
I have to admit a slowburn probably isn't for everyone which is why this story is probably a drag for others (┬┬﹏┬┬) I sincerely apologize but yeah that's my story writing at its purest. Anyways I got Aventurine!! (I was already guaranteed 🧍)
