"Shui, could you choose one for me?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, pick something that goes well with Dull Harmony."
Once Emily gave consent, Shui quickly swept his gaze over the items on display. He looked for the prettiest one he could find with abilities that harmonised well with Dull Harmony, and eventually his eyes stopped on a pair of pink teardrop earrings.
"What about those?" he asked while pointing at it.
The earrings had also interested Emily since apparently wearing them would improve her eyesight and concentration as well as the range and sensitivity of her spiritual sense. She had hesitated because there were other options that tempted her just as much, but since Shui chose it, she didn't reject his advice.
As Emily took up the earrings, Shui offered to pay for them since he chose them, but she refused and stuck to their earlier agreement.
Emily cheerily brought the pair of earrings to the counter to pay for them, but that was where her cheer ended. When she heard the price for the earrings, her face froze, but quicker than Shui could notice, she stopped her shock from showing. A part of her wondered if she should have taken Shui's offer to pay for it, but it wasn't as if she couldn't afford it, using a sizeable portion of her funds, that is.
As she took a glimpse at the satisfied expression on Shui's face, Emily hardened her heart and paid for it. Then, before they left the store, she put on the earrings and asked Shui how they looked, and naturally he answered, "Mhmm. Without a doubt, you're absolutely adorable!"
After going around a few stores targeted at cultivators, though they didn't buy anything else, Emily finally felt fulfilled and reined in her urges. She decided it was time to head back to the inn and settle the issues that had bothered her, but Shui mentioned a concern that she couldn't brush off.
"Are you sure you want to go back there? You still don't know if your own room is safe."
It was something she didn't want to think about, but he was right. If she went back to the inn like this, she probably wouldn't be able to relax in the slightest.
"Do you think I should move to another inn? But where?"
She would feel better in a new inn, but if it was on the same level as the one she was moving out of, then it would still be hard to rest peacefully at night.
"Have you forgotten? You can come to the Myriad Flower Lodge. You're now an official tier 3 array master after all."
[So you were just dressing her up before the meal? Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to heal you.]
A certain spirit, who made a terrible joke that Shui couldn't bother to acknowledge, shook her head with a wry smile.
When Emily heard 'Myriad Flower Lodge', she recalled that she had solved the puzzle required for entry and had the right to stay at that prestigious inn. However, she couldn't agree so easily.
"That's a good idea, but..."
Seeing Emily hesitate, Shui asked, "Is there a problem? If you want, I could pay for you."
"No. I'll admit I didn't plan on staying in such a luxurious inn while preparing for the Array Master Minor Ranking evaluation, but I can handle the cost. In fact, it might be better this way."
"Great. Let's go to the inn then."
"Actually, I should tell Senior Adrian first. Will you be fine going back without me?"
Shui had acted fine during their outing, but his appearance was still sickly, so Emily was concerned about him. Shui considered persuading her into following him to Myriad Flower Lodge before seeking Adrian, but he changed his mind.
"I'll just go with you. It's harder to avoid trouble looking like this."
Emily nodded in understanding, and the two went to her inn to find Adrian and to get a refund for the rest of her stay. When they arrived at the inn, the staff said Adrian had left some time ago and they didn't know when he would be back. Since Adrian wasn't here, Shui persuaded Emily to follow him back to Myriad Flower Lodge after she got her refund.
Since his spiritual sense was limited, Alia informed him that Emily was being watched. The ones watching didn't seem hostile, but that could change at any moment.
Adrian had apparently laid the groundwork, so it didn't take long for Emily to get her money back. The two then went to Myriad Flower Lodge by tram. Emily was still fascinated by the tram system, but Shui's injuries ached with every vibration, so he could hardly be as immersed.
Since she didn't use the key last time, Emily had to solve the puzzle again. Even though the puzzle was different, she solved it easily. She and Shui then entered the inn and went to the receptionist, where Emily asked for the price range of the basic rooms that she could stay in.
'?!'
Similar to Shui, she was shocked by the prices, but they weren't much higher than she had heard. She would be able to pay for a few days, but she would have to get work to stay for longer. Shui knew that she might have trouble paying for a room, so he offered to help pay for it, but Emily was firm on not taking any more favours from him, at least for today.
After discussing with the receptionist, Emily chose a room one level lower in quality compared to the Twilight Primrose Suite that Shui stayed in. While Emily settled the payment for the room, Shui sensed a familiar presence approaching, so he turned around to face her.
"Finally back, are we?"
As soon as he turned to face Alicia, Shui noticed the sharpness in her eyes. There was resentment, as well as a hidden relief, which perplexed him.
"I suppose, but I don't recall agreeing to a curfew." Shui replied.
His spirit partner was much more perceptive and shook her head as she noticed Shui's folly.
"Hmph. I suppose, you're right. When you return and how you're doing, is none of my concern."
"Alicia?"
As Alicia turned around and left the scene, Shui could tell that his words had caused unexpected damage, but as for why, he had no clue. Everyone else, on the other hand, could easily see the issue, and their scornful gazes stung.
"Shui..."
Having even Emily give him that gaze was especially hurtful, so he had to defend himself.
"I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just being casual."
"Shui, how would you feel if, when we met, I was obviously injured but I gave some sarcastic remark when you greeted me?"
"I..."
Finally realising where he had gone wrong, Shui didn't know what to say. He had treated Alicia as an acquaintance or business partner, but even if the positions were reversed, he would have also felt dejected if she deflected his concern.
[I get too close and they avoid me. I keep my boundaries and I end up hurting them. Girls are really too complicated.]
[I think your brain is too dull to human relationships, but I suppose I can't expect a little boy like you to have much experience.]
This time, he had no words to refute Alia.
"What should I do?"
"That's something for you to figure out. Think about it long and hard. You never know which conversation will be your last."
Emily left those heavy words before departing. Figuring his room would be better for thinking than the lobby, Shui also left.