Magical Girl's Knight Brother

Chapter 710: Enveloping

The night was as dark as ink, staining the Black City, which had survived the catastrophe.

The lights in the reconstruction area were sparse, and most areas were still shrouded in a weary gloom.

Tang Zijun wandered aimlessly along the familiar streets, wearing only her casual clothes stained with gunpowder and the smell of the sea.

The fierce battles of the past few days, the danger of devouring evil gods, and the immense pressure of overturning the rules of the world weighed on his spirit like an invisible mountain. Now that he had shed his armor, the deep-seated exhaustion he felt truly surged up.

His steps were unsteady, his thoughts drifting like tangled threads among fragments of wasteland blueprints, reversed passages, and whispers of the Old Ones, until his toes touched a loose stone slab, making a slight sound, which snapped him back to reality and made him look up.

Before her stood a familiar little house, its warm orange light filtering through the misty windows, casting a comforting glow in the cold night. This was... Tan Zhixin's home.

Tang Zijun stood there, completely unaware of how he had gotten there.

Reason told him he should leave; Tan Zhixin hadn't had a proper rest these past few days, and he shouldn't disturb her. But his feet felt rooted to the spot, and his weary body and mind instinctively longed for the warmth and tranquility behind that door. He hesitated, his fingertips unconsciously curling up slightly.

Just as he hesitated, almost turning to leave—

Squeak.

The wooden door was gently pulled open from the inside.

A warm yellow halo flowed out, outlining the slender figure as she stepped out the door.

Tan Zhixin was wearing a soft, light-colored, fitted nightgown with a knitted cardigan casually draped over her shoulders. Her long, black hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands falling down her cheeks.

She seemed to be holding a book in her hand, and obviously hadn't expected anyone to be standing outside the door. When she saw that it was Tang Zijun, she was clearly taken aback, and a hint of surprise flashed in her clear eyes, which was then replaced by a gentle and knowing expression.

"Tang Zijun?" Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, sounding especially soft in the quiet night. "Why are you acting so suspiciously? I thought it was Qin Nan."

'

"...Just passing by." Tang Zijun's voice was a little hoarse; even he himself felt that this reason was untenable.

Tan Zhixin's gaze swept quickly across his face, passing over the deep weariness between his brows, the faint dark circles under his eyes, and his dusty clothes.

She didn't ask any further questions, but simply stepped aside slightly, making way for the doorway. The warm light illuminated the living room behind her, revealing a corner of the fireplace with a small flame flickering. An open book sat on the single sofa beside her, and the air was filled with the faint aroma of tea and a comforting, homey atmosphere.

"Come in," she said calmly. "It's cold outside."

Tang Zijun's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He did not reject this silent acceptance and stepped into the warm glow.

The door closed gently behind him, shutting out the cold and noise outside.

The cabin was small, but it was decorated in a warm and tidy manner, with the firelight from the fireplace dancing and leaping on the walls.

Tan Zhixin gestured for Tang Zijun to sit down, then walked towards the small kitchenette in the corner. "What would you like to drink? Tea? Or hot water?"

"Hot water is fine, thank you." Tang Zijun sat down on the soft sofa, sinking into it, his tense nerves seemed to relax a little. He watched Tan Zhixin skillfully boiling water and rinsing cups in the kitchen, her movements quiet and smooth, like a tranquil oil painting.

Soon, a glass of steaming hot water was placed on the coffee table in front of him.

Tan Zhixin sat down on the single sofa next to him, picked up the book she had put down earlier, but did not open it, just quietly looked at him.

There were no unnecessary formalities, nor any probing into the details of the earth-shattering battle. The atmosphere between the two flowed naturally with a tacit understanding, familiarity, and tranquility that needed no words.

"Is the sea... calmer now?" Tan Zhixin asked softly, breaking the silence.

"Hmm." Tang Zijun picked up the hot water, the warmth seeping through the cup to her palm. "It's temporarily subsided, and the color is slowly returning to normal."

He took a sip of water, the warm liquid sliding down his dry throat, bringing a sense of relief.

"That's good." Tan Zhixin nodded, her gaze falling on the wrinkles between his brows. "You look very tired, more tired than after any battle."

Tang Zijun gave a wry smile, not denying it. He put down his cup, leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on his knees, and looked at the flickering firelight. "Yes, it's not just my body; my mind feels like it's filled with red-hot iron and cold mud."

He paused, as if organizing his thoughts, his voice low and slow.

"The plan is starting to take shape, and Scáthach's concerns have been addressed. Now it's up to the God of the Era to give me a surprise."

He didn't explain in detail, and Tan Zhixin tacitly refrained from asking further questions, simply listening quietly.

"Next, we need to try to open a door in the reflection of the dream world." Tang Zijun's fingertips unconsciously drew twisted lines on his knee. "To dump the filth accumulated in the dream world" into another place that "dealts in." He used an extremely crude but vivid metaphor.

Tan Zhixin frowned slightly. "A reversed world? I've heard about it, and it sounds...very risky?"

"Very large," Tang Zijun admitted frankly. He looked up at Tan Zhixin, the firelight flickering in his deep eyes. "Scáthach was worried it would attract something even more terrible, but... the wasteland blueprints gave us the possibility of making 'sieves' and 'locks.'"

His tone carried a resolute determination, as if he had nothing to lose. "This is the only way to fundamentally solve the problem, to deprive those twisted monsters of their habitat... and the only way out."

Tan Zhixin looked at him quietly. She could feel the heavy responsibility and immense pressure in Tang Zijun's words. He did not elaborate on the specific details of the risks, but his solemnity spoke volumes. She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

Tang Zijun looked at her with some confusion.

Tan Zhixin walked to the small cabinet next to the fireplace, took out a soft wool blanket, walked back, gently unfolded it, and then very naturally draped it over Tang Zijun's shoulders.

The blanket, carrying her body heat and faint fragrance, instantly enveloped Tang Zijun's tired body.

"Since it has to be done, then let's do it." Her voice remained calm, yet carried an unwavering determination and support. "You are Tang Zijun, you are the Wolf Riders, you will always find a way."

She bent down and picked up Tang Zijun's half-empty water glass. "The water's cold, let me pour you another hot one."

Just as she turned to walk towards the kitchen, a very soft yet incredibly clear voice drifted over, carrying a hint of subtle teasing and a deeper understanding.

"But next time... don't put so much pressure on yourself."

Tang Zijun was stunned, and then a relieved smile slowly crept onto the corners of his mouth.

He tightened the blanket around his shoulders; its soft touch and warmth seemed to truly dispel a chill from the depths of his soul.

The fire crackled in the stove, and the aroma of tea filled the cabin. In this rare haven of tranquility amidst the storm, the heavy plans, the cosmic crisis, and the whispers of evil gods seemed to be temporarily shut out.

Tan Zhixin's figure reappeared in the halo of light at the kitchen doorway, but the glass of water she was holding was no longer just ordinary water.

Amidst the rising steam, a warm and sweet aroma, a blend of milk and tea, silently permeated the small living room, instantly dispelling the smell of firewood from the fireplace and the gunpowder fumes seeping in from outside.

Tang Zijun looked up in surprise and saw that Tan Zhixin's cup contained a drink he remembered as familiar yet which seemed particularly luxurious in this world: milk tea.

With its rich tea color, silky milk foam, and even the tiny dark particles settling at the bottom of the cup, the existence of this cup of milk tea in this dream world of scarcity and uncertainty is a silent luxury.

"Have something sweet." Tan Zhixin walked up to him, handed him a warm cup, and smiled gently. "It'll make you feel better."

Tang Zijun took the cup in a daze. The warmth from his fingertips soothed his palm through the cup, and the sweet and warm aroma entered his nostrils, as if instantly melting the ice that had frozen his spirit. He looked down at the milk tea that was gently swaying in the cup, and then looked up at the woman in front of him who looked particularly gentle in the warm light. An indescribable warmth welled up from the bottom of his heart.

He took a sip as instructed. The warm, sweet liquid, with its milky aroma and slightly astringent black tea flavor, slid down his throat, dispelling the chill deep within his body and seemingly calming the cacophony of noise and heavy pressure in his mind. Sweetness, in this world filled with bitterness and turmoil, is so precious and possesses such healing power.

"Thanks....

'

Just then, the wool blanket draped over her shoulders stirred slightly, letting in a cool breeze. Tang Zijun instinctively turned her head—

Tan Zhixin had already gently lifted a corner of the blanket and slipped in naturally, sitting down next to him. Her shoulder rested lightly on his arm, and through the thin fabric, he could feel her soft touch and her faint, comforting fragrance.

This sudden, uninviting approach made Tang Zijun's body stiffen instantly.

Reason seemed to be reminding him to keep his distance, but the unreserved warmth and acceptance emanating from the milk tea in the cup, the blanket on her shoulder, and the body heat of her leaning against him, like the gentlest tide, instantly breached the dam he had tried to build.

He couldn't muster the strength to refuse; no, perhaps... deep down, he simply didn't want to refuse this precious warmth in a cold world.

The fire crackled softly, and the orange light danced and blended around the two of them. Tang Zijun's tense body gradually relaxed, allowing the soft blanket to wrap them in the same warm little world.

The conversation flowed naturally, no longer mentioning the filthy ocean, the claw marks that tore apart the galaxy, the crazy plans, or the distant wasteland universe.

They chatted about trivial things from all over the world.

Tan Zhixin mentioned that while she was clearing the ruins today, she found a cluster of pale purple flowers that were stubbornly blooming in the cracks of the rocks, with dewdrops still clinging to the petals. Tang Zijun then mentioned the comical expression on Alex's face after she accidentally collapsed half a wall when she landed, a mixture of annoyance and forced composure.

Tan Zhixin chuckled softly, recounting how Xiao Hui secretly stole the last berry she was preparing to make desserts, leading to Qin Nan chasing her all over the city. Tang Zijun also uncharacteristically relaxed and complained, saying that Tang Cao had somehow acquired a bunch of strange deep-sea specialties and tried to roast them, almost setting the makeshift kitchen on fire.

These trivial, everyday, and even somewhat childish and ridiculous moments were like the most effective magic potion, repairing Tang Zijun's mental exhaustion bit by bit. Tan Zhixin's voice was clear and gentle, with a smile on her face. Occasionally, when she turned her head to look at him, her eyes reflected the firelight and sparkled.

Tang Zijun looked at her face so close to hers, at the slight parting of her lips as she spoke, at the pure, unburdened smile and warmth in her eyes, and at the heaviness that had accumulated over the past few days, the coldness of killing, the inhumanity of devouring evil gods...

The great anxieties about the future... all seem to slowly dissolve and settle under this warm embrace.

An indescribable thrill, like a spark rising quietly in a furnace, burned intensely in his heart. When their eyes met, time seemed to thicken and slow down at that moment.

The firelight danced in Tan Zhixin's clear pupils, illuminating Tang Zijun's face, whose sharp edges were also softened by the firelight. The air between the two seemed to become warm and thin, filled with a kind of silent, long-accumulated power.

It's unclear who leaned forward slightly first.

Distance disappears in the audible breath.

The next moment—

Their lips touched gently and tentatively.

The touch was warm and slightly cool, carrying the faint sweetness of milk tea and the softness of the lips themselves. It was like an electric current instantly coursing through their limbs, or like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating silent yet surging ripples in their still world.

Tan Zhixin's eyelashes fluttered slightly like butterfly wings. She tilted her head back slightly, and her hand, which was under the blanket, unconsciously and gently grasped the hem of Tang Zijun's clothes.

The firelight in the fireplace flickered quietly, casting a gentle silhouette of the two people nestled under the wool blanket onto the wall, swaying softly with the dance of the flames.

Outside, the night was silent except for the occasional sound of patrolling footsteps. Inside, only the faint crackling of the flames and the two people's intertwined, slow, and gradually synchronized breathing could be heard.

The kiss wasn't intense; it even carried a hint of cautious probing and confirmation, yet it contained a power deeper than any language. It dispelled the chill deep within their souls, mended the invisible wounds left by the battle, and quietly carved out a small, warm, and solid island that belonged only to each other amidst a cosmic crisis and immense pressure.

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