On the way out of the principal's office, Yun Manman glanced at the sulking figure walking in front of her with arms crossed. She took a few steps forward and tugged on Lu Qi's tail.
"Weren't you in the capital? Did you come to see the principal?"
It was only because the principal had seen them on the security cameras that they were called to the office. Lu Qi didn't look like he had come to see the principal.
Lu Qi, feeling her soft, delicate hand grab his tail, stumbled backward and involuntarily shuddered.
He irritably yanked his tail back. "What's with all this pulling and tugging?"
Then, sticking his neck out, he said, "Yes, I came to see the principal."
Yun Manman's ears drooped, looking very disappointed. "I thought you came to see me."
"So I can't touch your tail anymore? Was it also a lie when you said I could touch it whenever I wanted?"
The girl in front of him hung her head, her expression hidden, but her limp tail behind her looked quite dispirited.
She walked past Lu Qi slowly, saying, "I'm going to find Alice..."
Lu Qi scratched his head in frustration, trying to grab her hand at her side, but Yun Manman dodged him.
Yun Manman put her hands behind her back, saying disdainfully, "What's with all this pulling and tugging!"
Lu Qi felt like he had dug his own grave.
He caught up and grasped Yun Manman's hand tightly in his cool palm, leaning down to whisper in her fluffy ear:
"It's not appropriate to touch tails in public. I'll let you touch it when we get back, okay?"
The last syllable curled like a hook, making Yun Manman's ear tingle.
She asked again, "So who did you come to see?"
Lu Qi hesitated, but finally slumped his shoulders and admitted, "...I came to see you."
The cat girl's face immediately lit up with a smile, deep dimples appearing enchantingly on her cheeks. "Honest snakes get treats."
"Come on, I'll take you to eat some delicious flower cakes."
Lu Qi's expression softened, his crimson eyes brimming with affection. "Didn't you say you were going to find Alice?"
"Alice just sent me a message saying she'll be busy for a while longer and told me to go back first."
The little cat suddenly remembered her brother. "I think my brother went to the capital to find you? What will he do if you're here?"
"Oh, it's fine. Lan Yuxiang is there."
The voices of the young woman and man gradually faded in the corridor. Phoenix flower petals swirled down from above, dancing with the wind as they rolled into the distance, silent and beautiful.
At the Cultural and Tourism Department in the capital of Lanqi Country.
On the podium, the head of the Cultural and Tourism Department enthusiastically introduced various famous attractions and tourism-related plans in Lanqi Country. The wings on his back glowed brighter and brighter, showing how excited he was.
He appeared to be very passionate and ambitious.
In the audience, Yan Ye, who was listening drowsily and irritably, poked Lan Yuxiang beside him, who was listening very attentively. "Can I leave now?"
Lan Yuxiang, wearing glasses, kept his eyes on the screen while continuously taking notes on his tablet. "No, we have to stay until the end of this exchange meeting."
Yan Ye was on the verge of despair.
He came to find Lu Qi, not to attend meetings!
And where did that little Lu Qi run off to?!
Damn it!
Alice's coming-of-age ceremony was fast approaching.
On that day, the weather was as sunny as ever. Birds sang joyfully in the trees, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind seemed to be offering congratulations.
First, the sacred tree bestowed its blessings, then came the City Lord's daughter's coming-of-age ceremony. The elves in Linglan City were in extremely high spirits.
They spontaneously formed bands and dance troupes, singing and dancing on the lawn, creating a joyful and happy atmosphere.
On the hillside where violets swayed in full bloom, amid the blessings of nature and everyone present, the little fairy transformed into a graceful young woman.
Alice's pale golden curls cascaded down to her ankles, her purple eyes moist and lively, her oval face fair and delicate. The white hem of her dress was embroidered with violet flower patterns, exuding an elegant and beautiful aura.
The City Lord covered his tearful eyes, sobbing as he delivered his blessing: "May... may my daughter... be safe and happy, free as the wind, rushing like a river, tall and straight as a tree... wah wah..."
The City Lord's Wife maintained a dignified smile on her face while fiercely pinching the flesh at the City Lord's waist. "Stop crying, why is a burly man like you crying..."
The City Lord, sniffling, buried his face in his wife's neck. "My dear, I can't hold it back..."
"Our daughter has grown up, wah wah wah..."
The City Lord's Wife sighed and patted the City Lord's head helplessly. "Yes, our Alice has grown up."
The violets that had been carefully planted on the hillside over the years were carefully picked and distributed to every guest attending the ceremony.
The elves believed that these flowers, blessed by nature, would bring good luck to those who carried them.
After embracing her family, the now adult-sized Alice joined the dance, performing the elves' signature dance, the "Nature Waltz."
As the dance ended, Yan Ye rushed in front of all the male elves to reach Alice, took her hand, and performed a perfect gentleman's bow.
"Miss Alice, may I have the honor of dancing with you?"
Alice's eyes sparkled. She smiled radiantly and said, "Of course."
The City Lord sat at a distance, biting his handkerchief as he watched the perfectly matched couple. "I don't think they're a good match."
The City Lord's Wife took small bites of the cake Yun Manman had made. "I think Yan Ye is quite good. He's strong and capable, he'll definitely be able to protect our Alice well."
The elves' coming-of-age ceremony signified adulthood and also meant they could choose a mate.
The City Lord continued muttering, "It's not good enough, not good enough. He can't even fly..."
The City Lord's Wife scooped up a bite of cake and stuffed it into his chattering mouth. "Try it, it's delicious."
Silly man, how could a cat fly?
The cake was made by Yun Manman yesterday in Duoduo's kitchen.
She had planned early on to give Alice a cake on her coming-of-age day and had even brought the necessary tools from Kashida.
Yesterday, after thoroughly enjoying petting the snake's tail, Yun Manman, with the help of Lu Qi as her "skilled assistant," spent the entire afternoon making this two-tiered cake.
The cake filling used jasmine tea jelly and osmanthus tea jelly, which the elves loved, along with various fruits. The surface of the cake was decorated with purple cream, depicting blooming violets.
The entire cake was dreamlike and beautiful. The sweet but not cloying cream and cake base gave the whole cake a rich texture, perfectly complementing the fragrant flower tea.
The City Lord's Wife whispered, "Do you think there's a chance we could get Manman to open a dessert shop in Lanqi?"
"Such delicious desserts would be perfect for afternoon tea."
The City Lord took a sip of tea. "You can ask her."
The City Lord's Wife looked at Yun Manman playing happily with the little elves not far away, and Lu Qi standing beside her, staring at her unblinkingly. She sighed.
"Do you think any of our children could beat General Lu?"
"If Manman doesn't want to study here, it would be fine if she became part of our elf family too."
"I really like Manman, this child."
The City Lord suddenly choked on his tea and coughed violently. "Cough cough cough..."
After finally catching his breath, he looked at his wife in disbelief with wide eyes. "Are you serious?"
"You want to compete with Lu Qi for her??"
This is how we elementary school kids flirt (I'm sure)