Otherworldly Companions: Every Handsome Man is Extraordinary

Jiang Yu toyed with the olive-green bird in her hand. It was carved from a single piece of olive-green gemstone the size of a fist, and it was incredibly lifelike. The bird tilted its head, looking playful as if it were thinking about something. Its eyes were made of two crystal-clear yellow crystals, which inexplicably reminded people of Lin Yi's golden hair.

Such a luxurious and exquisite gift is indeed in line with Lin Yi's consistent aesthetic. Thinking of those gold chests that were given as wedding gifts... well, okay, they are in line with the consistent aesthetic of Lin Yi's family.

Lin Yi is coming back soon. It's been several months since we last met. I wonder if Lin Yi has changed in any way, and what it will be like when we meet again.

Jiang Yu got up very early and checked the dishes, decorations, guest seating, and banquet procedures repeatedly before she felt at ease and waited quietly for Lin Yi to return.

Lin Yi arrived right on time, just as he had sent someone to inform him in the afternoon. Jiang Yu stood on the castle terrace and saw the gates open in the distance. A group of people rode in on griffins, their heads held high and striding in. The griffins were just as imposing on land as they were in the air, and even with their wings folded, they were still majestic.

The leading man wore gleaming silver armor, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight, but it wasn't as striking as his blond hair. He wore a crimson cloak, its golden sash billowing in the wind, a breathtaking sight. Despite the long absence, his face remained radiant, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. Jiang Yu felt relieved; it seemed Lin Yi had been doing well these past few months.

Lin Yi hurried along the way, and only when he entered the house did his anxiety ease slightly. He looked up and saw the person he had been longing for standing on the terrace, smiling at him. He felt a surge of emotion in his chest and could no longer care about anything else. He hurriedly ordered his attendants to go down and rest, and then impatiently urged the griffin beneath him to spread its wings and fly straight to the castle terrace.

When a griffin takes off, it is very imposing, always letting out a long cry. It stands upright, spreads its magnificent and broad wings, and then instantly rises to a very high altitude before descending to fly steadily. However, when it lands, it is very quiet and steady. It finds a spot and lands steadily without making a sound, quietly folding its feathers, just like a reserved gentleman.

Lin Yi's griffin had just landed not far from Jiang Yu when the general in the bright red cloak was already in front of her. Before Jiang Yu could even react, she was caught in the blink of an eye and fell into the dusty embrace of the general.

"Xiao Yu! Xiao Yu! I missed you so much!" Lin Yi's eyes were overflowing with joy. He hugged her tightly, and the hard armor made Jiang Yu's whole body ache.

"Okay, okay, I miss you too, but Yi, are you going to strangle me as soon as you come back?" Jiang Yu was extremely helpless and could only gently pat the armor on Lin Yi's arm.

"Ah, let me see quickly, did my armor hurt you?" Lin Yi quickly loosened his grip, but still gently held Jiang Yu's arms with both hands, keeping her in front of him. "It's all my fault, I just couldn't control myself. Let me see if it's red, and whether you need to find a doctor to apply medicine for you."

"It's not that exaggerated!" Jiang Yu said, laughing and crying at the same time. "You must be very tired from the journey back. Qingyin said that you must have been traveling the whole way to get back so quickly. Go wash up and change your clothes. You must be feeling really heavy in these clothes. I've had some of your favorite snacks prepared for you to eat first. We've also prepared a grand banquet for you tonight. I've invited all the prominent families in the county."

Lin Yi was overwhelmed by the sudden surprise. He understood that the purpose of the banquet was to formally introduce him to everyone. It was as if his long-standing, seemingly unrecognized identity had suddenly been acknowledged. This was undoubtedly a reassurance, giving his heart, which had been hanging in the air day and night on the border, an unprecedented encouragement.

So he became bolder. Lin Yi's eyes suddenly became incredibly affectionate. He abruptly lowered his head and gently kissed Jiang Yu's lips. Before Jiang Yu could resist, he quickly stuck out his tongue and licked her lips. After tasting the sweetness, he quickly withdrew, smiling at Jiang Yu's embarrassed and helpless expression. He then slipped away, saying, "Xiao Yu, you're the best. I'll go tidy up first, and then I'll come find you."

Fan Qingyin stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the intimacy between the two through the glass. He kept telling himself this was perfectly normal, but the slight upturn of his lips still faded, his expression remaining unchanged. In his mind, he recalled the unexpected and brief kiss he had shared with Xiao Yu earlier. He saw Jiang Yu, still standing there, lightly stamp her foot, seemingly annoyed, her cheeks flushed. Her feelings for Lin Yi… absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Fan Qingyin walked out and stopped not far from Jiang Yu, without getting closer. Jiang Yu turned around when she heard the sound.

Fan Qingyin had changed into a more formal dress for the banquet today. His attire consisted mostly of long robes, which was also his usual style. The moon-white brocade robe had a row of short tassel-style sea-blue teardrop gemstones hanging diagonally on the left shoulder. The delicate decorations were extremely romantic, and they shimmered softly in the afternoon sunlight.

When Jiang Yu saw Fan Qingyin, she walked towards him. Fan Qingyin found that he liked the way Jiang Yu looked as she approached him. When she looked at him, she always had a warm expression, which was different from her usual relaxed and friendly smile when she treated others. This made him believe in Jiang Yu's feelings for him. He was not a person who demanded intense emotions, so this was enough.

“I saw Yi come back,” Fan Qingyin said gently.

"Yes, he went to wash up and change first." Jiang Yu walked up to Fan Qingyin. "Qingyin, you look really good in this outfit."

"Thank you," Fan Qingyin smiled even more gently. "I've already asked the kitchen to bring the snacks to the table. Let's go there and wait for Yi. He can have some snacks when he comes downstairs."

"You're always so thoughtful." The two chatted and laughed as they walked to the restaurant and sat down at the table. A moment later, they saw Lin Yi rushing down the stairs in a flurry. Jiang Yu chuckled in response, "I don't think you're that much slower even without riding a griffin, Yi."

Suppressing the slight displeasure at seeing the two chatting and laughing together harmoniously, Lin Yi smiled and greeted Fan Qingyin simply before walking over to sit down on Jiang Yu's other side. Jiang Yu then moved all the delicious food in front of Lin Yi: "I really envy you. You've been training every day under the sun and wind for the past few months, but your skin hasn't gotten any darker. You've actually lost some weight, though. Make sure you catch up while you're resting at home."

"For the first time, I really feel that being a military officer is not good. Being away from home for so long has made me truly understand the feeling of missing home day and night. Look how good Qingyin is. It's just that there's no way to inherit the family business." Lin Yi said with emotion after taking a couple of bites of pastry.

"Eat up, eating won't shut you up. Even though Qingyin is at home, she's busy every day, leaving early and returning late." Jiang Yu saw that Fan Qingyin just smiled and took a sip of water without saying anything, so she couldn't help but say a few words in her defense.

Lin Yi's eyelids twitched, and he turned his head. Sure enough, he saw that Fan Qingyin's lips, which had been raised by three points, had risen even more. He couldn't help but say, "Xiao Yu, I just got back. Do you have to defend him so directly in front of me?"

Jiang Yu stood there, unsure how to respond, but Fan Qingyin calmly changed the subject: "Tonight's banquet was specially arranged for you by Xiao Yu. She wants to introduce you to everyone. Prestigious noble families will be attending, so you should prepare well."

“Well, although I’m at the border, I know that Xiaoyu has been busy with a lot of things lately. She’s done many things that only an excellent lord would do, and she’s done them very well. She even took the time to prepare such a grand banquet for me. I’m really touched.” Lin Yi took Jiang Yu’s hand and pressed it against his heart. “It’s just a pity that my vacation time is always so short. I can only stay for one or two weeks. I really want to stay by your side forever.”

"Do you think being a general is so easy? Every job has its own responsibilities. It's thanks to generals like you leading your legions to deter and restrain each other on the border that the three great empires have maintained such stability for so long. It would be so much better if there were no wars." Jiang Yu looked at Lin Yi and couldn't imagine what this handsome, sunny, and charming young man was like when he was managing a legion.