"Good morning, Miss Nilu."
"Good morning, Mr. Afshin. Your shop looks lively today."
"Nilu, I made some rice cakes this morning. Want to try one?"
"No thank you, Mr. Jut. I already had a good breakfast at home."
"Miss Nilu, you seem to be in a wonderful mood today."
"That's because I'll be performing on stage later! Don't forget to come watch, Mr. Husang."
"..."
Nilu greeted the residents of the Grand Bazaar with a bright, radiant smile. Her smile was always so infectious that just seeing it could lift anyone's spirits.
But…
"Miss Nilu does seem especially cheerful today," murmured some of the townsfolk after she passed by.
Nilu skipped lightly toward the Zubayr Theater. As soon as she stepped through the door, she ran into Master Zubayr, who had been standing watch.
Originally, Master Zubayr had wanted to pull her aside and encourage her to keep her spirits up—after all, she had seemed distracted in recent performances. But the moment he saw the brightness in her smile, he froze for a second.
"Nilu, you seem to be in good spirits today. Did something nice happen?"
"Mm… I guess you could say that!"
She replied hastily, then darted off to her dressing room, hiding her face as it flushed a deep red.
In truth, she wasn't as energetic as she looked. She had barely slept at all last night.
That morning, she had spent a long time in front of the mirror, carefully applying makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes.
The reason she felt so full of energy despite the sleepless night was because the Lesser Lord Kusanali had appeared in her dream and told her—Yilan would be coming to see her performance today!
After hearing this, she had grinned foolishly all night long.
She'd rolled around on the bed clutching her pillow, daydreaming, kicking the covers off, and flopping around like a fish out of water. She never stopped moving.
Nilu, Nilu, calm down. Don't get your hopes too high. Don't be too nervous. Maybe it was just a normal dream… maybe everything that happened in the dream was just wishful thinking?
No!
It had to be true. After all, it was the Dendro Archon herself who appeared in the dream!
Still… when I see Yilan again, I mustn't get too excited. I have to stay calm and composed.
After all, we've made peace. We're no longer tangled in a complicated relationship—we've started to fall in love!
But then… how are people supposed to act when they're in their first love?
Nilu pondered and pondered, and then, as if realizing something, her face turned bright red. Steam practically poured from her head as she thumped it against the dressing table.
Unfortunately, her forehead didn't quite meet the table. Instead, her horns bumped into it first. She lost her balance entirely and flopped onto her back like a startled deer.
At that exact moment, a voice came from the dressing room door, which had somehow opened without her noticing.
"So this is how you usually prepare in the dressing room, Nilu…"
"Of course not!!"
Nilu reflexively shouted back—then froze. That voice—
"Aaaaaaaah!! Yilan—?!"
She let out a wail of despair.
How should one describe the situation? That kind of shame. That overwhelming embarrassment. That soul-crushing urge to just curl into a ball and roll away.
"Why are you here?!" Nilu stammered.
"I'm here to remind you to get ready for the performance," Yilan replied.
Today, he had dressed like a proper scholar from Sumeru. His appearance was exactly the same as in her simulation dream.
"Why you, though?! Get out—now!"
Nilu jumped up and, using both her hands and the tips of her horns, shoved hard against Yilan's chest.
She pushed him out, slammed the door shut… and only then did it hit her—
Wait, did I really just meet Yilan like that? And we talked like it was nothing?
Leaning against the door, she broke into laughter.
"Nilu, Nilu, you idiot… You overthink everything, but when it finally happens, it's so simple."
But even if it was simple, when he smiled at her like that, her heart still skipped a beat.
Was this what being in love felt like?
After quickly freshening up, Nilu stepped onto the stage to perform.
Unlike when she first started, she was now the most beloved star in the entire Grand Bazaar—and even all of Sumeru. Whenever she performed, the Zubayr Theater would be packed to the rafters.
And yet, among the crowd, she spotted Yilan immediately.
To her, Yilan stood out like a glowing firefly on a summer night, or a lone snow bear in winter.
He smiled at her, and she winked playfully in return.
Suddenly, several audience members near Yilan clutched their noses and fell over, shouting things like, "Nilu just smiled at me!"
Yilan shrugged. She giggled.
Then, he blinked at her and—out of thin air—a musical instrument appeared in his hands, one unlike anything from this world.
As he gently strummed its strings, patches of grass and flowers blossomed across the stage.
As though connected by a silent bond, Nilu instantly understood what he meant. The Hydro Vision at her waist glowed with soft blue light.
At the moment his voice rang out and the strings hummed, she began to dance, her body flowing with the rhythm and water.
"The world feels so empty without you
It's hard to breathe without you
You're irreplaceable in my heart
I only hope to see your smile again
I just hope you'll look at me once more
Each glance of yours makes my heart race
But now… you're walking away
And I'm still trapped in the moment you left
You've grown so distant
Even after breaking my heart
I'm still reliving the day you disappeared
I still miss you every day
You're a part of me I can't let go
Now I feel so lost
Maybe I'm stronger than I thought—
Because I still love you deeply"
There were countless people in the Zubayr Theater that day.
But at that moment, there were only two people.
A boy under the stage, singing a heartfelt love song.
A girl on the stage, dancing for him.
Her dance stirred the water, and waves rippled across the floor. She floated like a butterfly, every step leaving behind droplets that mingled with the sprouting grass.
Through her dance, she poured out her love. She imagined. She expressed. And under the gasps of the audience, the seeds blooming beneath her toes blossomed into Padisarahs—the sacred flower of romance and longing.
"Nilu's dance today was the most beautiful I've ever seen… But why does my heart feel so sore?!"
The audience let out a chorus of wails and pitiful dog-whines.
And then, as Yilan's final note faded—
The girl who had promised herself she'd stay calm and composed suddenly leapt off the stage.
Amid the cries of the crowd, she grinned wide and threw herself into Yilan's waiting arms.
He caught her effortlessly, spun her around, and asked with a soft smile:
"This is the song I wrote for you. Did you like it, Nilu?"
"Yes!"
Pressed so close to him, Nilu felt like she was about to faint from happiness. She cried out at the top of her lungs:
"Yilan! I like you! I really, really like you!"
***
Nilou was picked up by Yilan and spun around in the air a few times, before he held her tightly in his arms.
This was not the false embrace from the dream before—Yilan's real embrace was far warmer.
His chest was broad, and he smelled wonderful. The moment she had longed for had finally come true. Now, Nilou only wanted to drown in Yilan's arms.
At this moment, she was like an ostrich, burying her head into Yilan's chest and ignoring everything happening in the outside world.
Because of this, she didn't notice that when she truly threw herself into his embrace, the expressions of many fans who had come to see her performance began to change.
So-called fans often don't want their idols to be in a romantic relationship—this is true in both the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional world.
So even though Yilan and Nilou looked like a perfect match, they had no intention of offering their blessings. Instead, they gradually gathered around the couple with unfriendly looks on their faces.
"Hey, who is this guy? I don't think I've seen him before."
"He's dressed all fancy… is he some kind of scammer?"
"That's right. Handsome men are always unreliable. Guys like him are the most dangerous!"
"Hey you, let go of Nilou!"
"..."
If this were one of those light novels, the next plot beat would be the hero grabbing the heroine's hand and fleeing the theater, right?
Unfortunately for them, Yilan was not the cowardly protagonist of a light novel.
"Nilou."
He called her name softly.
"Mm?"
Nilou responded, looking up at him with a flushed smile. Her eyes were full of emotions that couldn't be put into words. She seemed warm and soft like a little bird, yet the sight of her stirred something fiery and tender at the same time.
That feeling made Yilan feel truly at ease. He lifted Nilou's chin gently with one hand and kissed her soft, cherry-like lips with passion.
"——"
All the murmuring voices that had condemned Yilan fell silent in an instant.
The crowd stared in astonishment at Miss Nilou—their goddess of purity and grace. Under this man's intense kiss, not only did she not resist, but she responded just as enthusiastically. Before thousands of witnesses, she kissed him back without hesitation.
They had originally assumed the two were merely infatuated. After all, there had never been any public mention of Nilou dating anyone before.
They believed that if they exerted a little pressure, maybe that man would back off—just another pretty face with no substance.
But now it seemed that this wasn't a budding attraction. This looked like long-standing love!
For a moment, countless hearts in the crowd felt as though they had been shattered. Hands flew to their chests as they felt something inside break.
A couple of minutes later, Yilan finally let go of the breathless Nilou, holding the now limp girl in his arms as he stared at the audience with a clear sense of provocation.
Most of them retreated in defeat. The few who still refused to give up felt a chill run down their spines the moment they met Yilan's gaze, and they lost the courage to make trouble.
At that moment, Sheikh Zubayr, the manager of the Zubayr Theater, pushed his way through the crowd.
He first glanced at Nilou, still nestled happily in Yilan's arms, then glared at Yilan and said sternly:
"I know why Nilou was so upset a few days ago—it was because of you. You're not worthy of her at all! But since Nilou chose you herself, I have no say in it. Just know this—if you ever hurt her, everyone in the Zubayr Theater will come after you!"
Yilan raised an eyebrow at that.
Right now, he was practically the de facto ruler of Inazuma and Sumeru, with heavy influence in Liyue and Mondstadt as well. He was also a genuine Archon-level being.
He didn't look down on others because of this, and was more than willing to treat people equally—but still, there's an old saying:
When a superior treats an inferior with respect, it's called humility. But when an inferior tries to act equal to a superior, it's called overstepping.
"Are you Nilou's father? Or her mother? Do I need your approval to date her?"
Yilan replied indifferently, not at all like those timid protagonists who tremble despite their strength.
If the man had truly been Nilou's parent, Yilan would have bowed in respect. After all, honoring one's elders is a virtue—and there's no shame in bowing to your future in-laws.
But Zubayr…
When the audience had started getting rowdy earlier, Yilan had seen this man standing by and doing nothing.
Clearly, he'd wanted to use the crowd's pressure to break them apart.
Naturally, Yilan didn't have a good opinion of someone like that.
"You—!"
Zubayr was so furious that his beard puffed up. He looked like he was about to pick a fight.
Thankfully, Nilou came to her senses at that moment. After some gentle coaxing, she managed to calm Zubayr down and send him away.
—Good thing he left gracefully. Otherwise, with his build, Yilan's "bang bang" combo might've embedded him into the stage like a nail.
Afterward, Yilan followed Nilou to her lounge.
As one of the top performers at the Zubayr Theater, Nilou not only had her own dressing room, but also a private lounge.
Sometimes after a late-night performance or celebration, she'd sleep there instead of going home.
Nilou asked Yilan to sit on the bed, then sat beside him. Deeply in love, she leaned into his arms, enjoying the closeness while looking up at him with bright eyes.
"Don't be angry, Yilan. Mr. Zubayr really isn't a bad person. He probably just misunderstands you. Once I explain things, I'm sure he'll come around."
"You don't think I'm a problem?" Yilan asked, smiling.
Nilou shook her head sweetly. "Of course not! Yilan is perfect!"
Yilan laughed.
He didn't expect Nilou to be not only a little foolish, but also completely love-struck.
Still, for Nilou's sake, he decided he would do his best to get along with everyone in the Zubayr Theater.
He leaned down and playfully kissed her on the nose. The girl then closed her eyes and tilted her head toward him, clearly hoping for another kiss.
After a passionate kiss, the girl's skin flushed pink.
She nestled softly into Yilan's arms and suddenly whispered, "Yilan, let me help you."
"Hm?"
At first, Yilan didn't process Nilou's words.
Noticing his confusion, Nilou blushed and clarified, "Before and after my performances, you always asked me to... do that kind of thing for you..."
"Ah…"
Now Yilan remembered. He had indulged in such whims during the previous simulation run, back when he'd still misunderstood Nilou. He'd been… rather unrestrained at the time.
But…
"Now that we've cleared up the misunderstanding, I don't want to force you into anything uncomfortable," Yilan said gently.
"I might've felt a little wronged before, but not anymore! After all, Yilan is my lover now!"
With a coy blush, Nilou pressed closer, her breath warm against his ear as she murmured, "Truthfully… I really enjoy doing that kind of thing with Yilan, too…"
Yilan studied her in silence.
It was true—studies even suggested women derived greater pleasure from such acts than men. Yet his past lovers had always been too shy to admit it. Only Nilou dared to voice her desires so openly.
As fans knew, Nilou and Lillia from League of Legends shared a voice actor. One of Lillia's in-game lines echoed Nilou's philosophy perfectly:
"Live to your heart's content, love to your heart's content!"
Perhaps that was Nilou's approach to life. Her simplicity let her embrace it with unfiltered passion, unafraid to declare what she loved.
But should he perpetuate those old, wicked habits?
—The answer, obviously, was yes.
In one swift motion, Yilan pinned Nilou to the bed, gazing down at her exhilarated expression. "Today," he growled, "I'm not just tasting you… I'm devouring you whole."