He had already gone blind as soon as he arrived in Genshin Impact.

But if she absolutely had to choose one over the other, she would choose the second one.

Because the first one, although it seems very close to me, feels very far away, ethereal and illusory.

She could only look up at him, only follow behind him, hoping that he would turn around and look at her, that she could touch him.

But the second one, I can feel that he is right beside me. I no longer need to look up at him. Every time I turn around, I can see a big boy smiling at me.

Now I can stand beside him, holding his hand, and I don't have to be afraid that I will never catch up with him again.

Thinking this, a sense of attachment arose spontaneously, and Columbia relaxed and leaned her whole body against his back, feeling the sense of security brought by his body temperature.

Then, subconsciously, he spoke softly.

"No, I'll never catch up with you again..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Di's tense body suddenly relaxed. He could feel the deep attachment and unease in those words, so he responded softly in a comforting tone.

"Don't worry, I'll stop and wait for you."

After saying that, he reached out and gently patted Columbia's hand on his shoulder, as if to say, "Don't worry, I won't let you fall behind again."

Hearing the response from the person she loved, Columbia felt incredibly happy. Her usually composed and elegant face flushed, and her eyes sparkled, making her even more charming.

"Um……."

Columbia responded softly and then fell silent, burying her face in Wu Di's back, silently hiding her shyness.

I originally intended to play a prank, but I ended up feeling embarrassed and a little awkward myself.

However, it is clear that Columbia's blatant actions have attracted the attention of others.

While Columbia was still enjoying Wu Di's body heat and scent, she sensed two figures. When she opened her eyes, oh, it was her two best friends.

"You guys seem really hot."

"Let's get involved too!"

Then Wu Di was surrounded by three people, attacked from both sides, and ambushed from all sides.

For a moment, Wu Di felt that even moving his arms was difficult, but he didn't dislike it. Feeling the body temperature of the three people, a sense of security arose spontaneously.

Meanwhile, Yae no Miko, who was used to such sights, subconsciously glanced at Kamisato Ayaka opposite her and saw the envy in her eyes.

The current relationship between Ayaka Kamisato and Wu Di is more than friends but less than lovers, so there is a sufficient distance between them.

As for why Ayaka Kamisato developed such a high level of affection for Wu Di after only a few days of getting to know each other.

Because she was initially influenced by "admiration" and "curiosity," she had been interested in the legends and stories of the gods and immortals of Liyue since childhood.

Then she learned that there really was a hermit who came to Inatsume, and that the hermit's deeds were so amazing that they were widely circulated in Liyue. Therefore, Ayaka Kamisato believed it without a doubt, and her curiosity reached its peak.

Therefore, when Ayaka Kamisato learns about the contributions her idol made to Inatsume and finally meets her "idol," her admiration outweighs her liking.

Especially after seeing that the temperament of their "idol" was almost identical to the ethereal quality they had imagined, their liking for them increased even more.

Moreover, after spending these few days together, I also learned about my "idol's" gentle and kind personality, which is another plus.

But they were just friends.

A while later, Ayaka Kamisato left. Because of the fireworks festival, she had much less time to spend at Narukami Shrine, but she felt it was worth it to fulfill Wu Di's promise.

Chapter 169 Self-taught

—Day 3—Festival Begins—Ayaka Kamisato's Turn

After nearly two days of intense and rapid preparations, the celebration is ready and can begin as dusk approaches.

The fireworks display, the highlight of the event, will be held at specific times.

Originally, the Kamisato family, especially Kamisato Ayaka and Kamisato, who were in charge of planning, did not have time to attend, because they needed to ensure that the entire festival would proceed smoothly.

However, at the urging of her brother and Thomas, Ayaka Kamisato participated in the fireworks festival.

"Ayaka, you should attend this celebration. After all, isn't there a wish you've always wanted to fulfill?"

"Young Miss, please feel free to attend. We can handle the celebration arrangements properly."

Looking at her two most trusted family members, Ayaka Kamisato felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She smiled and said something.

“I understand, brother, Thomas.”

After saying that, he couldn't wait to go back to his room to prepare, leaving behind two big men with gratified looks on their faces, who smiled at each other.

So, in order for their younger sister to have a happy celebration, the two older brothers need to step up their game.

After returning to her room, Ayaka Kamisato was momentarily overwhelmed by the choice of kimono style, unsure whether to opt for a simpler one or a more elaborate one.

After much thought, I decided to choose something simpler, as it suits my personality, since I'm not one to dress up in a flashy way.

I was told it was a light blue kimono adorned with snowflakes and other flowers; it looked simple yet highlighted the wearer's noble status.

After making her decision, Ayaka Kamisato took off her clothes, put on the kimono, and then checked herself in the mirror to see if there was anything wrong with her.

After checking, she tied her hair up and then used a hairpin with light blue flower decorations to secure the bundled hair.

This makes me look much more refreshed.

Ayaka Kamisato checked her current outfit in the mirror again. It looked harmonious and pleasing to the eye, with nothing out of place. Then she began to apply her red makeup.

She was already very beautiful without makeup, and with just a little light makeup, her beauty was enhanced even more.

"Alright, that's about it."

Setting down what she was holding, Ayaka Kamisato checked her overall outfit one last time and then nodded in approval.

The reason she takes every step so seriously is because Ayaka Kamisato wants to show the boy her best self.

Because she knew that the boy would leave Inazuma and return to Liyue in two days, and as the eldest daughter of the Kamisato family, she naturally couldn't just go with him.

(well.)

Thinking about this, Ayaka Kamisato felt somewhat helpless, but she believed that they would meet again someday.

With this in mind, Ayaka Kamisato was filled with motivation. She checked the time and, finding it was about right, took the fox mask from the table and left the room.

When she arrived at the entrance of the Kamisato Mansion, she heard familiar laughter and chatter, and a feeling of joy welled up inside her.

Could it be...?

Before I could even react, my body had already moved to the doorway and I saw a familiar face.

The girl smiled unconsciously, and with a calm yet somewhat hurried pace, she arrived beside the person she had been longing for, and spoke with a smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"It's alright, we just arrived recently."

"Also, Ayaka, you are very beautiful now."

These words brought out Ayaka Kamisato's brightest smile. Everything she had prepared so carefully was to gain Wu Di's approval, which made the little devil inside her chuckle with joy.

However, she still responded to Wu Di's praise in a calm tone, but she couldn't stop smiling.

"Thank you."

Then he was pulled away by Tenri and Barbara. After all, they had played together for so long and had already accepted this new friend.

……

The group chatted and laughed as they arrived at the venue for the celebration. They arrived relatively early, and there weren't many people yet, so they decided to take the opportunity to explore the area.

Because of their lively personalities, Tenri and Barbara went a little crazy with fun, and then they dragged Columbia away with them.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ayaka Kamisato stayed by Wu Di's side at all times, enjoying this hard-won time alone.

Because of the fox mask on her face, she did not attract attention. On the contrary, since both of them were wearing fox masks, people would think they were a couple who came to the festival together.

For some reason, Ayaka Kamisato somewhat enjoyed the way others looked at her, and then silently slowed her pace by half a step.

Only in this way could he observe Wu Di closely beside him.

Because of the mask, I couldn't see his face, only his profile, but that's not the point.

A couple was walking towards them, chatting and laughing. Instinctively, the girl looked at the couple and their posture.

The woman clung affectionately to the man's arm, both wearing happy smiles, making them appear very loving to onlookers.

The girl lowered her head and looked at Wu Di's naturally hanging hand, which was slender but not bony, and looked to feel very good.

Influenced by the couple she had just seen, a longing welled up deep within the girl's heart; she wanted to hold his hand, just like the couple she had just seen.

but.

She didn't dare.

Their relationship hasn't reached that point yet.

Thinking this, the girl began to feel disappointed, and her attention was not focused, so she did not see a small pothole by the roadside.

A moment later, Ayaka Kamisato suddenly felt herself lose her balance. Although she managed to adjust herself in time and stand firmly on the ground, she felt a sharp pain in her ankle.

In that instant, she lost her balance and fell to the side, thinking that she was probably going to fall pretty badly this time.

The next moment, Ayaka Kamisato was ready, but suddenly felt someone wrap their arms around her waist.

Opening his eyes, he saw a familiar face—it was Wu Di. His timely reaction had saved him from suffering.

Now, even through the mask, Ayaka Kamisato could feel Wu Di's caring expression, and an indescribable sense of happiness welled up within her.

Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?

These words of concern reminded Ayaka Kamisato of her ankle; she probably twisted it.

With Wu Di's help, Ayaka Kamisato stood up straight again and looked at her ankle, which was red and swollen and was throbbing with pain.

This minor injury would have been easily treated with ice elemental magic and wouldn't have been a big deal.

But for some reason, in front of Wu Di, my heart began to become vulnerable, and I wanted to act coquettishly towards him. Thinking this, I spoke in a pitiful tone.

"It looks like I've injured my ankle. It hurts a lot, and I can't walk."

"I see. I understand. Let's find a place to deal with it first."

"Come on up first, I'll carry you."

These words were like heavenly music to the girl's ears. Then, seeing Wu Di squatting down in front of her, the girl couldn't wait to climb onto his back.