Chapter 332 - Imminent Reunion

The journey back was peaceful, starting with a series of jumps across the vast wilderness of Fuha.

For Yuzu the process was as simple as stepping through each portal that Soong conjured up, then finding a place to sit while the Astromancer-for-hire prepared for the next jump.

“Do the portals take a lot out of you?” Yuzu asked after the fourth jump.

“We could go faster if you’re in a rush, miss.” Soong replied, “But certainly I prefer a short rest between each link. The distance we are traversing is quite far, after all.”

Out of curiousity Yuzu played with Fate Cycling, trying to urge Soong to make the trip with haste. The request was accepted with only the slightest hesitation.

After a few cycles in the potential future she ascertained that their trip would take two or three hours at a leisure pace, and about five minutes if he really pushed it— His comment in that timeline was that normal;y they’d have to be escaping a “disaster of cataclysmic proportion” for him to actually go that hard. In that future, Soong begrudgingly made use of several small blue crystals to augment his powers.

“I’m not in a rush.” Yuzu smiled.

Two hours later Yuzu stepped out onto a grassy plateau overlooking a landscape of rolling green hills. In the distance a herd of fluffy white sheep was being watched over by a pair of shepherd boys. A vast blue sky stretched out above.

Kumin. I’m back home. Yuzu inhaled a breath of fresh late summer air, feeling the heat of the sun on her face. The contrast between the grey, dismal wastelands and the southern Kumin pasture lands was so sharp, Yuzu almost felt like she had entered a dream.

Even Soong seemed in better spirits once they were back in NianXing. The energy was better here, he said, and portals were easier to make.

Almost too quickly, Yuzu was standing on a familiar cobblestone road looking down on a lazy river that wound through a quiet residential street. The white-washed houses with pronounced timber framing seemed to shine in the mid-afternoon sun. Windowsill gardens were blooming with colourful flowers, passersby in formal clothing greeted each other pleasantly on the path as they went about their day.

A familiar jingle caught Yuzu’s ear, carried by a soft breeze. Bells hung on a door for a shop with a large front window. A sign above with the words “Lucky Pawn Shop” carved in wood and painted in black.

She took a breath, only then realizing that she’d been subconsciously holding it. Her heart was beating prominently in her chest.

Home.

Soong seemed to notice the importance of the moment and stood silently to the side. Yuzu paid him no mind.

She was home.

Not only that, but it was exactly as she remembered. It seemed silly to think that— she’d only been gone for two months— but still, she had worried that perhaps things had changed. After all, the last sight she’d had of Noga City was of a bloody reincarnation ritual and a giant stag god emerging in the plaza before a stormy Tye-Ann Cathedral.

Yuzu reached out to the tapestry of fate, reading the story told by the golden strings.

Perhaps the neighborhood looked the same, but had changed beneath the surface— was her thought. But no, the Noga City before her was the same peaceful city that she had grown up in. Lord Noga had handled the events that stemmed from the Night of the Living Vines and Prince Deka’s reincarnation attempts, and returned the city back to normal.

Then, with hesitation, she reached out to the golden strings inside Lucky Pawn Shop below, inside her home.

Xiang was there, minding the shop. His loud voice booming and intimidating the customers. It seemed quieter than she had left it, the shelves a little emptier. The hours of the shop had changed, open only a few days a week now. The other half of the week he spent at the lumberyard, Yuzu learned while listening in on the various conversations throughout the afternoon.

Of course. Yuzu realized. He doesn’t have me to watch the shop anymore.

Xiang himself was nearly exactly the same. Sun-tanned, wearing a vest and shirt, his large, muscular build looming over the shop in his intimidating way. He was perhaps dressed slightly better than normal. His beard was trimmed neat and short. A formal suit coat was hanging up on the door behind him.

Perhaps he had somewhere important to go that night?

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Yuzu frowned as she noted the absence of the other member of her family. Zwei’s silver string was nowhere to be seen. He had joined a secret society, one which Yuzu helped— and hindered— during the blood eclipse. She had tried to keep hold of his string but had lost it once she fell into the white world.

Now, who knew where he was, or what he was doing?

Xiang has been alone, all this time. Yuzu noted with a hint of guilt. I didn’t even have a chance to tell him I was okay.

But now she was back. Not only that, she was rich. With thirty gold pieces her family would not want for money. They could even probably move to a prestigious neighborhood like Whitehare Crescent and hire servants and maids. If they ever ran into trouble or financial issues her fate powers could easily solve those problems.

And I could just be careful, only using my powers when necessary. Yuzu nodded. No more tangling myself with ancient gods, no more pretending to be a deity. The only people who know my secret are Char Char and Li Ru… I’m sure they’d understand and leave me alone.

And the only god who knew her true identity was the God of Pre-Eminent Wisdom, who had promised her a secret return to her life.

All she had to do was walk down the path and go through the door.

Give Xiang the surprise of his life.

Finally take a long, hot bath and wear clean clothes and take care of the shop again and banish the word ‘Exalted’ forever from her life.

~

Just as Yuzu was about to thank Soong for his help, a golden string twirled into existence in front of her. The smoky string passed by her, casually traveling down the path.

It paused briefly in front of the pawn shop, then entered.

Yuzu read the upcoming future on the strings.

~

She had long black hair that shone brown in the early evening sun. Long eyelashes, pale skin that indicated a life indoors. She was tall with a delicate frame, dressed in a dark blue dress with a light yellow shawl that covered her shoulders.

Yuzu had never seen her before, but the way she entered the shop indicated that she was familiar with it. From her jewelry and the purse clutched in her hands, she did not appear to be a customer. When she entered the shop Xiang was serving the last customer in the shop. She caught Xiang’s eye and smiled at him.

To Yuzu’s surprise he blushed and nearly stumbled over his words with the customer.

Yuzu didn’t know what to think as she continued to watch the strings, her brain not parsing the interaction.

The woman idly browsed the shop even as the last customer left. She purposefully let herself be absorbed examining a small wooden sculpture, letting Xiang come out to greet her.

He straightened his vest and discreetly checked his hair in a mirror before leaving the safety of the counter.

“Good evening, Diana.” He cleared his throat, “Something, um, catch your eye?”

She smiled warmly as she turned to him, gesturing to the figure in her hand, “This is one of yours, isn’t it?”

“Ah. Yes.” He nodded, scratching his head, “It’s not for sale— Just a decoration, you know. To fill out the shelf.”

“You’re too modest, I think you could sell it for quite a lot.” Diana replied.

“I just do it for fun, you know—“

“Well just think how amazing they’d be if you really dedicated yourself to it, then. This one here is lovely, I bet if I displayed it on my desk I could find a buyer for it in a week.”

“You tease me.” Xiang snatched the statue away, laughing nervously.

“This is a figure of the White Maiden, right?” Diana asked, not looking perturbed by Xiang’s rude action, “They’re so popular right now, the markets are full of them, but yours are way better.”

“It’s not—“ Xiang shook his head, hesitating, “And anyways, I couldn’t.”

He placed the figurine at its original position on the shelf, adjusting it so that it looked toward the counter.

He’s so nervous and fidgety. Why is he acting so strange? Is this really Xiang? Yuzu’s eyebrows knit in confusion. She’d never seen her brother act in a way that wasn’t loud and abrasive before.

“Okay.” Diana smiled, “I can see this one means a lot to you. But really, I think you’ve got talent. I showed my father one you did of a boar, he keeps it in his study.”

“I told you to throw that away.” Xiang protested.

“Yes, well, you know how my father is. He brags that such a piece could only be made from wood from his lumber yard. He told me if you’re open for a commission, he has a bigger piece in mind.”

Xiang’s face grew red as he was about to protest loudly, but Diana put her finger on his lips. Yuzu’s eyes widened as she saw her brother deflate under the woman’s touch.

“Just… think about it, okay?” Diana smiled, “Anyways, we had better leave soon or we’ll miss the play.”

“Yes, I’m ready.” Xiang said, quickly walking to the back of the store and picking up his suit jacket. He threw it on as he followed Diana out of the store, flipping the sign to ‘closed’.

“You really couldn’t find someone else to accompany you?” Xiang asked, as he locked the door, “I’m surprised.”

“I tried, but it turns out everyone else was preoccupied.” Diana sighed. She had stepped out onto the road, looking across the sparkling river with a satisfied smile that didn’t match her tone.

“I don’t know much about plays.” Xiang said.

“Then you’ll have a lovely experience tonight.” She replied.

Xiang checked his hair in the store window, swallowing nervously as he started walking up the road, “Well, let’s go, then.”

In his nervousness he didn’t extend his hand. He started down the road with an unnaturally stiff gait as Diana walked by his side at a distance that wasn’t too close or far.

Yuzu watched with wide eyes as their future images passed by the spot that she was standing at.

Wait. Where did you meet this woman? She’s clearly playing with you! Yuzu protested inwardly. Xiang, don’t you realize what’s going on?

Yuzu frowned, finding that her hands were clenched at her sides.

I leave for two months and this is what happens? My idiot older brother who had never had a romantic interest in his life was clearly being led on. And this woman was obviously from an upper class family. Why would she be interested in a clueless sun-burnt bum like Xiang?

But that future hasn’t yet happened. Yuzu’s lips pressed together in a thin line. It looks like I arrived just in time.

The fate of a simple non-Exalted woman wouldn’t be a problem for her. It would only take an effortless flick of her fingers, and then she could return home and life would return to normal.

She reached out to the smoky golden string that was starting to materialize and grasped it between her fingers.

Don’t worry, Xiang, I’m here for you.

Hmph! Who does she think she is?