[The Gold's Precision]
The night was heavy with dew. Gu Xingyu sat by the window, unable to sleep, her mind a swirl of Luo Ye's stubborn protection and Cang Yuan's candid confession.
— Knock, knock.
A short, steady knock. She opened the door to find Lin Lie.
"I apologize for the late hour," he said, his voice calm despite the wind-messed hair over his brow. He stepped inside, noticing the wine and tea on the table. "Someone was here?"
"I couldn't sleep," she replied softly. "Neither could they."
Lin Lie didn't pry. He handed her a small wooden box containing a delicately carved Gold-Yao pendant. "This is a Yao-Anchor. Your body absorbs too much conflicting energy from us. Wear this; it will stabilize your breath. I've tuned it specifically for you."
Xingyu looked at the gift, then at him. "You've been... watching me?"
"Not to monitor you," Lin Lie said steadily. "But because you are you. I see you worrying for us late at night; I see you biting your lip in secret while pretending everything is fine. I couldn't just stand by." He paused, his gaze deep. "I'm not good at words. I prefer fixing things. But since meeting you, I've realized some things can't be dismantled with logic. Some attachments... cannot be repaired once broken. If I told you I care for you—not because of fate, but simply because I want you to be well—would it be too late?"
Xingyu felt a pang in her chest. Lin Lie was like gold—steady, solid, and sharp only to protect. "You aren't late, Lin Lie... I just can't give you an answer yet."
"Then wait until you are ready," he said, turning to leave. At the door, he stopped. "Xingyu. If the day comes when you must choose who stays and who goes... you don't have to say a word. I will know."
[The Earth's Silence]
Outside, hidden in the bamboo shadows, Li Yan stood like a statue. He had seen them all—Sang Qi's medicine, Luo Ye's fire, Cang Yuan's grace, and Lin Lie's precision.
He gripped his fists until his knuckles turned white. He felt a bitter ache in his chest. He wasn't charming like Cang Yuan, or heated like Luo Ye, or brilliant like Lin Lie. He was just a blunt, silent man of Earth. A shadow behind her. Would she eventually forget me? he wondered. Among these shining stars, am I just a dull backdrop?
Suddenly, a soft breeze brushed past him. He turned to find Xingyu standing right there. She didn't ask questions; she simply reached out and took his clenched fist in her warm hands.
"You've been here the whole time, haven't you?" she whispered.
Li Yan froze. He couldn't speak.
"I know you're always there," she said, looking up at him with unwavering tenderness. "Even if you don't speak, I remember your care. You won't be forgotten."
The words hit him like a stone dropped into a still pool. His throat tightened. "I... I will always be here," he rasped. "As long as you look back, I'll be there."
Xingyu smiled, her hand still holding his. "I know."
[The Night's Conclusion]
"Hey now, holding hands for that long? Isn't that a bit much?"
Cang Yuan appeared from behind a pillar, leaning lazily with a smirk. "Who knew this big rock was more popular than me? I haven't even held her hand yet!"
Li Yan let go instantly, embarrassed. Xingyu tilted her head at Cang Yuan. "That's because you only try to steal a touch; you never wait for me to reach back."
Cang Yuan choked on his own laugh. "Ouch. I suppose I should reflect on that tonight."
The tension broke. Xingyu turned back to her room, her steps light but firm. Behind her, one man watched in silence, while the other teased. She now carried the weight of each of them in her heart—a weight she never intended to treat lightly.
Leaning against her window, she sighed with a wry smile. "With all of you... how am I supposed to sleep? How am I supposed to choose?"