hotmtlnovel Chapter 20: On the Eve of Parting
Chapter 20: On the Eve of Parting
"Boss! Slow down!"
A delicate shout came from behind, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps; it was Na'er.
For some reason, Na'er has been sticking to Yu Chen's side all this time, almost inseparable from him.
When Yu Chen went to Mangtian Studio to forge, she would wait at the door of that old building before Yu Chen got off work, either holding wildflowers picked from the roadside or clutching some trinkets she had gotten from who-knows-where.
Afterwards, the two would often wander around places like snack shops and food streets until it got dark before going home.
Na'er caught up, panting, her face flushed from running, and she was still clutching a half-eaten lollipop in her hand—she had begged Yu Chen to buy it for her when they passed by the convenience store.
"Who told you to eat so slowly, like a little snail?" Yu Chen didn't stop walking, but a smile played on his lips.
"Hmph! It's all because someone was dawdling in the studio, and I didn't get to eat my fill!" Na'er puffed out her cheeks, looking like a ruffled little squirrel, and said angrily.
"Tell me! Did you secretly hide money from me again today? That lump of iron Teacher Mangtian gave you looks pretty good! It's shiny and golden, it must be worth a lot of money, right?"
As she spoke, she stealthily reached out to snatch the silver from Yu Chen's hand, her movements so practiced that one might suspect she had received special training.
Yu Chen, quick as a flash, grabbed her small hand and said with a smirk, "I'm not happy about it."
"This is refined silver, not a lump of iron. And this is not for sale! As for my secret stash of money... I was originally planning to keep some, but someone just ate two lollipops and wanted a third. That's too much of an expense, so I think we should just forget about it."
"You!" Na'er was furious, waving her little fists as if to punch him.
"You miserly boss! I'm going to team up with Tang Wulin to isolate you! Who told you to bully me!"
"Go ahead, and let him see how you were sneaking a bite of his fried chicken," Yu Chen retorted calmly, his tone slightly teasing.
"I remember someone confidently saying, 'I'll only try a small bite,' but then half of it was gone in one bite."
Na'er deflated instantly like a punctured balloon, muttering under her breath, "...Who told him to eat so slowly, like a tortoise?"
Yu Chen raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Then why don't you try it for me?"
"Because you never let me 'try' your things, boss!" Na'er said matter-of-factly, a hint of grievance in her purple eyes.
"Last time I wanted to 'try' your beef jerky, you chased me for three blocks!"
The two bickered as they walked through familiar streets. The streetlights gradually came on, casting a dim, yellowish glow on the cobblestones.
Yu Chen noticed that although Na'er was sharp-tongued, she always held tightly to the hem of his clothes with one hand, as if she was afraid of losing him.
This sense of dependence has become particularly pronounced in the last few days, making him feel vaguely uneasy.
Back home, I pushed open the familiar wooden door, and the familiar furnishings came into view.
Although the place wasn't large, the two of them kept it clean and tidy. Some forging tools were hanging on the walls, and various trinkets collected by Na'er were piled up in the corner—colorful pebbles, oddly shaped seashells, and small animals woven from straw.
Dinner was as lavish as ever. Even though he didn't have much money, Yu Chen felt he couldn't go hungry. Therefore, he was never stingy when it came to food, always managing to prepare a nutritionally balanced meal within his limited budget.
As usual, Yu Chen picked out a third of the meat on the table and gave it to Na'er.
"Eat more, you're still growing, don't be so listless all the time." Yu Chen said, serving her food while switching into "fatherly" mode.
Normally, Na'er would have already lost her temper, because what Yu Chen was doing meant, "I've already given you what's yours, so the rest is mine."
Na'er's response was simple—she shoved all the vegetables at Yu Chen and said matter-of-factly, "Boss, you're the one who needs to eat more vegetables. Staring at the stove all day will make you get a sore throat!"
However, Na'er was acting strangely today.
She usually eats like she's in a battle, devouring everything in a flash, but today she was poking around in her bowl with her chopsticks, not touching the braised pork in front of her, which was almost cold.
Those amethyst eyes, which usually sparkled with cunning, now seemed unfocused, staring blankly at the darkening sky outside the window.
Yu Chen paused, his hand still holding the food.
This girl is usually like a firecracker, ready to explode at any moment. When has she ever been so quiet?
"What's wrong?" Yu Chen put down his chopsticks and reached out to feel her forehead. "Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?"
Na'er instinctively dodged his hand, shook her head, and whispered, "No...no."
She looked up at Yu Chen's face, which was full of concern, and a hint of struggle and confusion flashed in her eyes.
"Wait, is Na'er's memory about to return?"
Yu Chen was startled, and the thought flashed through his mind. Nearly two years of being together, nearly two years of peaceful life, had made him almost forget that this little firecracker would one day leave.
Because Yu Chen knew that even if she kept these things in her heart every day, it wouldn't change the fact that she would eventually leave—in the original story, Na'er would eventually regain her memories and return to her original identity and position.
Instead of living in worry and depression every day, it's better to forget about it and happily enjoy the present moment.
Therefore, Yu Chen did not immediately think about Na'er regaining her memories.
"However, although it's unclear when Na'er left in the original story, it certainly wasn't this early."
"Is it because of the influence of my dragon blood aura over the past two years? Or was this the original timeline?"
Looking at Na'er's dazed expression, he felt a mix of emotions: "This little brat, is she planning to regain her memories and then pack her bags and leave?"
Thinking back on the past two years, he had cooked for her, bought her candy, and endured her occasional pranks—smearing honey on his forging hammer to attract ants, secretly replacing his collection of rare metals with similar-shaped stones, tickling his nose with a feather while he was meditating… all sorts of “crimes” were still vivid in his mind.
Now that the child is grown up, he wants to fly away, and Yu Chen feels a mix of emotions. It's not that he's heartbroken about the expenses, but rather that he's reluctant to part with this precious friendship.
In the world of Douluo Continent, it's incredibly difficult to find someone you can completely trust and rely on. Especially for a transmigrator like him who carries a secret.
"Boss..."
Na'er suddenly spoke, her voice trembling slightly.
"Um?"
"I... I've been feeling like my mind is a mess lately, like lots of images are flashing through my head..." Na'er frowned, seemingly trying hard to suppress something, "But I'm afraid... afraid of forgetting the present..."
Yu Chen understood, but he remained expressionless, instead playfully tapping her head lightly: "Why are you thinking so much? Have you been listening to too many of those ghost stories I've been telling you lately?"
"No, that's not true!"
Na'er covered her head and subconsciously retorted, but her momentum clearly weakened.
She knew Yu Chen was deliberately changing the subject, but this made her feel at ease—at least, the boss was still the boss and hadn't distanced himself from her because of her strange behavior.