Conquer the other worlds with abandon, they've fallen in love with me!

The footsteps faded into the distance in the living room, finally being cut off by the sound of the door closing.

Arya sat on the bed and stared at the door for a few seconds.

A sense of panic instantly crept over them once they realized Lin Yu had left.

It felt as if a hand suddenly reached out from her chest and grabbed her heart.

Her breathing suddenly became rapid and shallow, and her fingers gripped the bed sheet.

At this moment, Arya didn't care about anything else; she just wanted to see Lin Yu one more time.

She then threw off the covers and got out of bed, her legs buckling so badly she almost knelt on the floor.

Her knee hit the edge of the bed, causing her to groan in pain, but she didn't care. She used the bedside table to stand up, her pajamas unbuttoned and revealing a white tank top underneath.

She didn't even have time to put on her shoes; barefoot on the floor, she limped to the window.

My feet were ice cold, my legs were sore, and every step I took sent a dull, aching pain through my inner thighs.

But she didn't stop; she practically lunged onto the windowsill.

She pushed open the window, and the wind rushed in, making her hair fly to both sides.

Downstairs, Lin Yu was walking on the stone-paved road at the entrance of the alley.

He took a few steps, then, as if sensing something, stopped, turned around, and looked up towards the window.

Arya leaned on the windowsill and smiled at him.

The smile was sweet and bright, revealing a hint of teeth, with eyes curved into crescents, just like usual, showing no sign of anything unusual.

"Lin Yu!" she called out, her voice drifting down from upstairs, carried away by the wind, but still reaching his ears clearly.

"Go home early, I'll be waiting for you."

Lin Yu stood in the morning light, backlit, so his expression wasn't very clear, but he smiled and waved to her.

He then turned around and walked into the shadows at the alley entrance, his figure disappearing into the gray-blue morning light.

Arya's smile remained etched on her lips as she gazed in that direction for a long time.

She only slowly withdrew her gaze when there was no further movement on that long road.

She closed the window, fastened the latch, paused for a moment with her fingers on the window frame, then slowly slid down to the floor with her back against the window, her bare feet touching the cold wooden floor.

She lowered her head, her hair falling down to cover half her face, her shoulders slightly hunched, like a puppet whose support had been removed, sitting there quietly and silently.

After a while, she pushed herself up from the ground, walked to the bedside, squatted down, and pulled open the bottom drawer of the bedside table.

There was a piece of clothing lying in the drawer.

It was a dark-colored outer robe, made of thick material with fine stitches.

The collar, cuffs, and hem of the robe were embroidered with subtle patterns, which Arya had stitched on herself, stitch by stitch. The patterns were intricate and exquisite.

The robe body is basically finished, with only the last few stitches on the cuffs and a small piece of lining on the inside of the collar left to be sewn.

She had originally planned to finish it today and then surprise Lin Yu that evening, but Lin Yu said he was going on a long trip, so she didn't want to rush into telling him about it.

It's just a pity that I can't share this joy with Lin Yu right away.

Arya felt that Lin Yu must have something very important to do this time, and it might be dangerous.

She made up her mind that if Lin Yu returned safely, she would give him the clothes.

If Lin Yu doesn't come back, she will commit suicide wearing this dress.

After spending so many days together, Lin Yu loved and cherished her, and she also regarded Lin Yu as her whole world. She wanted to give Lin Yu the most loyal and unwavering love.

......

When the sun rose, Lin Yu arrived at Holly's Trading Company.

There was no one at the door, but the laughter of girls could be heard from inside the hall, chattering like a nest of sparrows.

Lin Yu walked in, and the girls were gathered together looking at something.

Hearing footsteps, they all looked up.

"Mr. Lin Yu!"

The girl with braids was the first to stand up.

The others also stood up, some with their hands behind their backs, some with their heads down and lips pursed in a smile, their faces all flushed.

"Where's Holly?" Lin Yu asked.

"Upstairs." The girl with braids pointed to the stairs. "Sister Holly said you'd be coming today, and told us to wait."

Lin Yu nodded and walked towards the stairs.

The girls' hushed voices came from behind me.

"Mr. Lin Yu is really handsome..."

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"He just looked at me!"

"You're looking at me, okay?"

Lin Yu didn't turn around and went up to the second floor.

Holly's office door was open.

She was standing by the window, her back to the door, looking at something in her hand.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

Today I wore a pale yellow long dress with a silver brooch at the neckline, and my hair was styled in an updo, revealing the back of my neck.

"Mr. Lin Yu." She smiled and put the things she was holding back on the table. "I've been waiting for you."

Lin Yu went inside and sat down on a chair by the window.

Holly poured him a cup of tea, and as she handed it to him, she touched the back of his hand with her fingers before quickly withdrawing them.

"Have you gotten all the medicinal herbs?" Lin Yu asked, taking the teacup.

"Got it." Holly walked to the cabinet, took out a wooden box, and placed it on the table:

"My grandmother had saved quite a lot, and she had both of these. I took a little extra in case you didn't have enough."

Lin Yu opened the box and looked inside; both materials were in good condition.

Thanks.

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Holly sat down opposite him, her hands resting on her knees.

Lin Yu put the wooden box into his storage magic bag and took a sip of tea.

"I have already refined that batch of mind-awakening elixirs."

Holly's eyes lit up.

"They're stored at the farm in Holm Village." Lin Yu put down his teacup. "My storage bag is full, you'll have to go get them yourself."

"Homme Village?" Holly tilted her head. "Which farm?"

"To the west, past the wheat field, there's a house surrounded by a wooden fence. You'll see it when you get there. The owner of the farm is called Bell."

Holly nodded, took out a small notebook from the drawer, and wrote down the words carefully, stroke by stroke.

After finishing writing, she looked up at Lin Yu, her lips moved slightly, then closed again.

"What's wrong?" Lin Yu asked.

"No..." Holly lowered her eyes and rubbed her fingers on the edge of the notebook.

"Speak your mind."

Holly bit her lip: "I'll arrange for Liuli Chun and the others to all go to the manor today."

"Um."

"The house has been cleaned and furnished. I've checked every room, and they all have good natural light."

"Thanks a lot."

"It's not hard work." Holly shook her head, her fingers sliding from the edge of the notebook to the table, unconsciously drawing circles.

The office was silent for a few seconds.

Lin Yu leaned back in his chair and looked at her.

Holly's ears slowly turned red, from her earlobes to the tips, and they shone brightly in the morning light.

Her eyes were fixed on the table, her eyelashes drooping, and her breathing was a little heavier than before.

Lin Yu recalled how she had squatted beside him in this office three days ago.

She was like that then too, her face flushed, her fingers twisting the hem of her skirt, not daring to look at him.

"Holly," Lin Yu called to her.

"Hmm?" She looked up.

"What are you thinking about?"

Holly's face flushed red.

"No...I wasn't thinking about anything." She waved her hand, her movements a little flustered, almost knocking over the teacup on the table.

Lin Yu smiled and moved the chair forward half an inch.

The two got closer, close enough that they could smell her scent.

The fresh scent of soapberry mingles with the smell of paper and ink.

Holly's fingers gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.

"Mr. Lin Yu..." Her voice was tight and trembling slightly.

"Um."

"When...when are you leaving?"

"I'll be leaving in a bit."

"Oh." She nodded, pursed her lips, and then relaxed them.

The office fell silent again.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a bright area on the floor.

Dust particles floated in the light, slowly and very lightly.

Lin Yu looked at her.

Holly sat in the chair with her back straight, but her shoulders were slightly hunched, like a rabbit cornered against a wall.

Her chest heaved faster than before, and her pale yellow dress trembled gently with her breath.

"Holly," Lin Yu called her again.

"Hmm..." Her voice was muffled.

Why are you so nervous?

"I'm not nervous." She shook her head, but her voice betrayed her, sounding tight and hoarse.

Lin Yu reached out and placed his fingers on the back of her hand, which was resting on the table.

Holly's finger twitched, as if it had been burned.

But she didn't pull it back; she just let him hold it there, her fingers stiff and afraid to move.

"You helped me a lot last time," Lin Yu said.

Holly's breath hitched.

"This time..." Lin Yu's fingers slid down the back of her hand, hooking her fingertips together and gently holding them.

"Before you leave, could you please help me one last time?"