Original God Zhongli BG Xiao Qinglong traveled through time

Chapter 432: The Island Breeze and the Painter's Eye

The island port awoke in the morning light, the sea shimmering with golden sparkles and a forest of masts. Unlike the rugged grandeur of the Southern Cross Fleet, the merchant ship "Poetry" from Mondstadt appeared more delicate and graceful. Its pristine white sails were painted with wind patterns, and even the sea breeze seemed to carry the sweet fragrance of Cecilia flowers.

Paimon stood on tiptoe and peered from a distance, his little hand pointing at the increasingly clear silhouette of the ship: "Here they come! It's Albedo! And Klee!"

Ying's eyes also sparkled with a smile. She turned to look at her companion beside her—Xingqiu was nervously straightening the collar of his Tianshuibi shirt. He whispered to Lin Huan, "Sister Huanhuan, is my hair okay?"

Lin Huan smiled and reached out to brush away the non-existent dust from his shoulders. His movements were gentle and gentle: "Very good. Our Teacher Zhenyu is very graceful."

Tevarin had her hair tied into an elegant blue-green bun, its crystal scales casting a soft glow in the morning sun. Only when the sea breeze blew past would the dragon's tail unconsciously tangle with her hair, revealing a touch of unusual agility.

Wendy fished out an apple from somewhere, leaned against the pier's pile, and took a bite. Her emerald eyes curved into crescents. "Oh my! This is a historic meeting! Mondstadt's finest painter and Liyue's youngest chivalrous novelist—"

Before he could finish his words, a red figure rushed down the gangway like a small cannonball.

"Honorary Knight Sister! Paimon! And... and a glowing sister!" Klee opened her sparkling eyes wide, her gaze immediately drawn to the "hair accessory" on Lin Huan's temples. She moved closer curiously, "This blue gem moves!"

Tevarin froze instantly, his pupils constricted, and the entire dragon shrank deep into Lin Huan's bun.

"Keli, be polite." A calm and gentle voice came from behind.

Albedo slowly walked down the gangway. He was dressed in simple travel clothes, his blond hair gleaming like molten platinum in the morning light. His lake-green eyes swept calmly over the crowd, pausing briefly on Wendy before settling on Lin Huan—more precisely, on the unusual blue-green hair on her temples.

The artist's gaze was like the most precise measuring instrument, filled with pure curiosity and inquiry. He nodded slightly, his tone humble and distant, "It's been a long time since we last met, Honorable Knight, Paimon. Thank you for coming to greet me."

His gaze turned to Lin Huan and Xing Qiu again, with just the right amount of inquiry.

"This is Liyue's Zhenyu teacher, Xingqiu," Ying introduced at the right moment. "This is Miss Lin Huan, our... dear friend."

Xingqiu stepped forward, performing the ceremony gracefully and smoothly, displaying the demeanor of a young master from an aristocratic family. "I've long heard of Teacher Bai Ke. It's a great honor to meet you today."

Albedo responded with standard courtesy, but his gaze once again flickered across Lin Huan's temples. This time, his gaze lingered a moment longer. It wasn't a scrutiny, but rather a certain...artist's instinct. He saw the subtle refraction of light on the scales, the subtle rise and fall of something not inanimate, a breathlike movement.

"Ms. Lin Huan." Albedo bowed slightly, a subtle note of deliberation in his tone. "Your... hair ornament is very unique. Its sheen and shape are unlike anything I've ever seen before."

Lin Huan felt the momentary tension in Tevarin's hair. Her expression remained unchanged as she raised her hand, lightly brushing Tevarin's cool scales with her fingertips, a small, soothing gesture.

"It's just a little gift from a friend in Mond," she said, her voice as gentle as usual, with a hint of a smile, "and they said it complements the local customs of Inazuma."

Wendy immediately replied with a smile, plucking the strings of her guitar, and a few lively notes flowed out. "That's right! It's the latest trend in Mondstadt, the 'breathing gem'! Albedo, you spend all day in the lab and studio, you can't even keep up with the trend!"

This gag made Xingqiu unable to help but cover his lips with his fan, and a helpless smile flashed in Ying's eyes.

Albedo's gaze flickered between Wendy's brilliant smile and Lin Huan's serene profile, a flicker of understanding flashing through the depths of his lake-green eyes. He didn't question further, merely nodding slightly, his understanding hidden beneath a layer of politeness. "I see. Teyvat's creations truly do offer a constant source of surprises."

Klee's attention had long been drawn elsewhere. She pulled Paimon aside and excitedly recounted the dolphins and bioluminescent jellyfish they had seen during their voyage. Xingqiu also engaged in a conversation with Albedo, ranging from Mondstadt's artistic style to Liyue's landscapes. The atmosphere quickly became harmonious and lively.

During this process, Albedo's gaze would occasionally drift back to Lin Huan. He saw the elder sister's gentleness and indulgence in her eyes as she listened to Xingqiu speak; he saw the unspoken tacit understanding between her and Ying when they exchanged glances; he also saw the "hair ornament" on her temples, which would adjust its position when she turned her head, gently hooking its tail around a strand of restless hair.

His painter's instincts allowed him to capture these unusual details, but his scholar's restraint and cultivation forced him to remain silent. He simply took in the images—the Liyue youth's slightly dependent demeanor, the bard's seemingly casual yet protective words, the serene yet undeniable aura of the azure-clad woman, the vibrant blue in her hair—as if quietly spreading out a canvas within his heart.

"Well, I'll trouble you all for the rest of the journey." Albedo said finally, his eyes sweeping over everyone calmly, as if those subtle observations just now had never happened.

Wendy immediately raised her hand, smiling brightly. "Don't worry! We're here with the 'Zhenyu-sensei Autographed Emergency Team' and we'll make sure you feel right at home!"

Xingqiu's face instantly turned red again, and he protested softly, "Mr. Poet!"

The corners of Lin Huan's lips curved slightly, and Tevarin moved his hand gently beside her temples, as if he was also smiling silently.

The morning light grew brighter, casting a long shadow across the dock. The painter and the Spark Knight from Mondstadt were thus woven into a warm and wondrous web woven by Liyue's immortals, the Wind God, the Wind Dragon, and travelers. The sea breeze blew, bringing with it the scent of distant lands and stirring the blue-green hair in Lin Huan's hair, a secret of the wind.