While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

Paimon got lost somewhere again and was dragged back by the scruff of his neck by Ying.

“You wouldn’t believe it,” Xu Chuan said dramatically as he sprinkled a handful of spices into the pot, “that guy Paimon could read north as south on a map. He led us around Wolfrun Territory three times, and in the end, Ying had to follow his footprints to find our way back.”

"Isn't she the guide?" Yura asked without looking up as she peeled potatoes.

"In theory, yes, but in reality, her main functions are feeding and giving directions."

"Then what can she do?"

“Emergency food,” Xu Chuan said seriously. “Besides, the team always needs a cute pet.”

Yura paused for a moment while peeling the potato, and finally couldn't help but smile.

She quickly regained her composure and continued peeling, but before she could retract her slight curve, Xu Chuan caught her in his peripheral vision.

A slight smile crept onto his lips as he turned to get the seasonings, leaving that fleeting moment of unspoken understanding in the smoky atmosphere of the stove.

As they were chatting, Xu Chuan suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, right," he said, without stopping his chopping.

"Have you and Amber discovered anything recently?"

Yura knew what he was asking.

The Lawrence family and the Fools’ Mission have recently become very close.

Schubert Lawrence, Yura's uncle.

He frequently visited the Fools' territory and met privately with their diplomats.

Yura's voice lowered, and her movements slowed down.

“We are still investigating. The Knights suspect that this was a conflict deliberately provoked by the Fools to plunge Mondstadt into chaos.”

"However, the Lawrence family's willingness to cooperate with the Fools suggests they likely have ulterior motives as well..."

Xu Chuan hummed in agreement.

Logically speaking, as a member of the Lawrence family, Yura should avoid any appearance of impropriety in this matter.

Her identity was too sensitive: a traitor to the Lawrence family and a Wave Knight of the Knights of Favonius. These two labels combined made her situation more awkward than anyone else's.

This is why Yura has to confront her family directly.

Confront what she has been avoiding, what is in her blood.

The kitchen was quiet for a while, with only the sound of spatulas turning over and the sizzling of ingredients on the stove.

Xu Chuan suddenly spoke up, half-jokingly saying, "Yura, have you ever thought about taking those clansmen who weren't swayed by the Lawrence family's so-called 'honor' and leaving Mondstadt?"

"Go to another country to develop your career, or go to a place where nobody knows the name Lawrence and start over."

"Let the Lawrence name be reborn elsewhere."

He said it so casually, like a suggestion he made offhand.

"Will not."

Her voice was soft, but firm.

“I won’t do that.”

Xu Chuan could probably guess the answer.

Yura chose to stay, not because she couldn't let go of that surname.

Instead, she wants to use her own methods to gradually wash away the stain left by her ancestors, even if the road is longer and more difficult than she imagined.

A silence fell between them, but it wasn't unpleasant.

If it were anyone else, Yura might have chosen to be evasive and unwilling to express her thoughts.

But when she was with Xu Chuan, she always felt a sense of security.

Chapter Fifty-Six: A Girl Craving Warmth

Soon, the kitchen became lively again.

The two of them busied themselves in the kitchen for quite a while, and the dishes they finally served were many times more lavish than what Yura usually ate by herself.

The broth was rich and flavorful, the potatoes were soft and tender, the vegetables were perfectly pan-fried to a caramelized perfection, and there was also a plate of fried eggs that didn't look very appealing, but tasted alright.

That was Yura's "masterpiece." After taking a bite, Xu Chuan reluctantly said that it was pretty good.

Yura glared at him with a look that said, "Your expression clearly tells you you're lying."

Yura's creation, the Raging Wave, was quite good and earned his approval.

The two sat facing each other, the candlesticks on the table casting a warm glow.

Halfway through the meal, Xu Chuan suddenly put down his chopsticks.

"By the way, do you remember when I said I'd be your accomplice in your 'revenge'?"

Yura paused for a moment as she picked up some food.

She looked up at him but didn't say anything.

“It was that day at the Cat's Tail Tavern,” Xu Chuan added. “You remember, right?”

"remember."

Yura's voice sounded somewhat muffled.

Of course she remembers.

That night, she drank quite a bit and said many things she wouldn't normally say.

Regarding the Lawrence family, the Mond people's attitude towards her, and the unspoken loneliness she hid behind her "grudges."

His final words, "I am your accomplice in revenge," struck a chord deep within her.

Even if it was just polite talk at the dinner table.

How much of what a man says after drinking can be taken seriously?

But Yura still secretly hoped that the person who said those words to her was different.

But she heard that Xu Chuan turned around and formed an adventure team with Ying, and the two of them even took on missions together and went out of the city, running around in the wilderness.

She kept it to herself, telling herself "I never expected anything anyway," but she couldn't suppress the disappointment.

"Do you think I've already forgotten?"

Xu Chuan looked at her with a slight smile on his lips.

It wasn't a joke; it was more like a gentle "I knew it all along" attitude.

Yura didn't speak, but the way she lowered her head and avoided eye contact gave her the answer.

He had seen Yura wielding her sword to slay enemies on the snowy mountain, and he had seen her drinking alone in the tavern.

Under the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, she walked expressionlessly through the long streets of Mondstadt.

But at this moment, the way she lowered her head and avoided his gaze allowed him to see the real Yura hidden beneath the armor.

A person who experiences both anticipation and disappointment.

An ordinary girl who was secretly happy because a casual remark she made was remembered.

Xu Chuan took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and put on a "serious" expression.

He straightened his back, raised his chin slightly, and spoke slowly and deliberately, with a hint of arrogance in his voice:

"I'll remember this grudge."

That tone and expression were exactly like someone else's.

Yura was stunned for a moment.

Then she realized that he was imitating her.

Learn her catchphrases, and imitate her expression and tone when she says, "I'll remember this grudge."

They imitated it quite well.

"You're copying me." Yura's voice was a little muffled, and a very faint blush rose on her cheeks, almost invisible in the candlelight.

“That’s called paying tribute,” Xu Chuan corrected earnestly.

"This is clearly copying me."

Yura glared at him, but there was no harm in her glare; it was more like she was trying to maintain the last bit of "majesty."

Xu Chuan felt as if she was being coquettish.

She picked up the glass in front of her and took a sip of water, using the rim of the glass to hide the barely suppressed smile on her lips.

The "holding a grudge" that Xu Chuan mentioned is completely different from the "holding a grudge" she usually talks about.

She said she "holds grudges" because it's a habit.

From the day she joined the Knights of Favonius, she learned to use those two words to deal with all malice.

Over time, "holding grudges" became her shield and her shell.

She used it to push away those who wanted to hurt her, and also to protect those who wanted to get close to her.

When Amber first spoke up for her, she said, "I'll remember this grudge."

Amber thought she was angry and hurriedly explained for a long time.

However, not everyone can understand this sentence.

Xu Chuan understood.

He understood it from the very beginning.

Yura's "grudge-holding" is not actually about seeking revenge on anyone.

Xu Chuan was simply telling her in a way that only the two of them understood.

I understand all the things you can't say.

Xu Chuan placed the last piece of meat into Youra's bowl, put down his chopsticks, and looked at her intently.

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was spoken firmly: "No matter what happens, I will stand by your side."

There were no grand pronouncements, no empty promises.

But it was precisely this ordinariness that made Yura feel exceptionally at ease.

Promises made easily are often easily forgotten.

Xu Chuan is someone who never makes promises lightly.

But once he says it, he will definitely do it.

If a certain kitten heard this, it would probably fly into a rage and berate Xu Chuan for not keeping his promise!

"Eat." Yura lowered her head, stuffed the meat in her bowl into her mouth, and mumbled the two words.

His voice was muffled, as if he was trying to cover something up.

Xu Chuan smiled and didn't expose her.

Night was falling.

The city of Mondstadt outside the window quieted down, and the distant clock tower struck eleven times, the sound drifting away on the night breeze.

One by one, the streetlights went out, leaving only a few scattered windows still letting in light, like stars fallen from the night sky.

Xu Chuan stood up from the table and stretched.

“It’s getting late,” he said, pushing the chair back into its place. “I’m going home now.”

He turned and walked towards the door, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

Then he heard the sound of chair legs moving on the floor, as if someone had hurriedly stood up.

"Xu Chuan".

Yura's voice came from behind.

Xu Chuan stopped and was about to turn around.