Illusion.
Tarik was slightly surprised, and a buzzing sound echoed in his mind.
How could she be in Finland?
Impossible, it must be an illusion!
Was he too tired?
Or had he been lacking sleep recently?
Tarik closed his eyes and raised his hand to rub his slightly sore eye sockets. When he looked up at the crowd again, the pretty figure he had locked onto had already disappeared.
It really was an illusion.
Otherwise, how could he have seen Xia Qingyu, who was supposed to be in Z City, at the open-air market in Helsinki?
The girl beside him was also startled. Was it him?
The boy who had helped her in Kyoto.
What was his name again?
It seemed to be... Shi Xingwu?!
Was it him?
Was he also here to accompany Xia Qingyu for the competition?
This time, Xia Qingyu and Li Xiaozhong were also coming to Finland for the finals, and Shi Xingwu must have come with Xia Qingyu...
He must... like Xia Qingyu a lot...
Thinking of this, Lei Xirui lowered her head, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
Tarik and Lei Xirui simultaneously showed bitter expressions, and then simultaneously realized that someone else was beside them. They immediately looked up at each other and then both gave awkward smiles.
"Well, this is that monument," Tarik said casually, pointing at it and chuckling. "Actually, there's nothing much to see. Perhaps I've seen it too many times."
Lei Xirui smiled apologetically for her impoliteness. "It's quite nice."
Tarik was originally very busy. It was his third brother's sudden, unreasonable request that made Tarik put down his work to be his tour guide.
If she zoned out again, it would be too impolite.
Even if she was just pretending.
Lei Xirui forced herself to perk up, appearing very interested in everything around her, though inwardly she was so bored she wanted to go back.
As an introverted social anxiety sufferer, she just wanted to lock herself in her room and read, with no one disturbing her.
Tarik's face still held a gentle smile, but he was already thinking of leaving.
Seeing Lei Xirui's seemingly interested expression, he felt too embarrassed to mention returning, so he could only brace himself and say, "You can see the Helsinki Cathedral in about five or six minutes on foot. Shall we go together?"
"Okay," Lei Xirui nodded and walked towards the cathedral with Tarik.
The two walked side by side, occasionally exchanging glances and giving each other an awkward smile, then averting their gazes again, pretending to look at the scenery, all the while silently thinking to themselves: Ah... I really want to go back...
The green dome of Helsinki Cathedral was very striking. Its simple white exterior walls were solemn and majestic against the backdrop of the blue sky and white clouds.
"Come on, take a tourist photo for us~" Xia Qingtian said to Shi Xingwu, with her arm around Xia Qingyu's shoulders.
"Sure thing." Shi Xingwu immediately got busy. He had to admit, with the goddesses' and the goddess' sister's looks, they looked good no matter how they were photographed.
"Great shot~" Xia Qingtian couldn't help but praise, it was much better than Gu Yaoyang's close-up, guy-next-door shots from before.
"It's mainly because you're all so beautiful!" Shi Xingwu said with a chuckle.
"You're so good with words. I'll treat you to a big meal tonight," Xia Qingtian said, patting Shi Xingwu on the shoulder. "Let's take a picture together."
"Sure!" Shi Xingwu immediately agreed.
"Let me take it for you," Li Xiaozhong said, not really wanting to be photographed.
"What's the big deal? We're all out having fun together!" Shi Xingwu slung his arm around Li Xiaozhong's shoulder and said, "Let's take it together."
"Yes, I'll send it to your sister when it's done," Xia Qingtian said with a smile.
Upon hearing that it would be sent to Li Xiaoxiao, Li Xiaozhong's frown slowly relaxed. He thought for a moment, then reached up and smoothed his hair from his forehead.
"Let someone else take a picture for us," Xia Qingtian said, scanning around and pointing to a young couple with distinctly Asian hair colors who had just passed a turn. "Let that couple take a picture for us."
As soon as Xia Qingtian finished speaking, the young couple turned around and met Xia Qingtian's gaze.
Both parties were stunned.
"Xirui!" Xia Qingtian blinked, looking somewhat surprised.
Lei Xirui immediately greeted politely, "Long time no see, Sister Qingtian."
After greeting Xia Qingtian, Lei Xirui looked at Xia Qingyu and Shi Xingwu again, only to find that their gazes had moved past her and were fixed on the person behind her.
Lei Xirui followed their gaze and looked back, only to see that Tarik behind her was also looking shocked and taken aback.
"Huh? Nie Qingkong? What are you doing here!" Shi Xingwu was the first to recover, stepping forward and casually putting his arm around Tarik's shoulder. "You transferred schools so suddenly, I thought I'd never see you again! Right!"
Shi Xingwu said with a laugh, looking at Xia Qingyu and Li Xiaozhong for affirmation.
Li Xiaozhong had only just recovered and gave a dry chuckle, "Yes, meeting here is also fate."
After speaking, Li Xiaozhong looked at Xia Qingyu.
Xia Qingyu, noticing everyone's attention, merely curved her lips and shifted her gaze away.
They weren't that close to begin with.
Tarik had always thought it was his illusion before, but he never expected Xia Qingyu to actually come to Finland, right before his eyes.
However, Xia Qingyu's behavior also genuinely pained him.
With an upward curve of his lips, Tarik put on his usual smile and said, "It really is fate. Are you here for summer vacation?"
"We're here for the competition, the same one you participated in Kyoto before," Shi Xingwu said. "That one was a domestic competition, but this is a world competition. You don't know, the teacher was so disappointed after you left. You were supposed to be on the list."
"Ah!" Lei Xirui covered her mouth with one hand, also recognizing Tarik.
She had met him in Kyoto before, but at that time, her attention was on Xia Qingyu and Shi Xingwu, so she hadn't paid him much attention. This time, when her third brother asked him to be her tour guide, she had only thought he looked somewhat familiar.
"Hey? Isn't this Siri sister~" Shi Xingwu also recognized Lei Xirui.
After all, it was the first time he had actively comforted a girl, and it was a girl with such an interesting name.
Seeing that Shi Xingwu recognized her, Lei Xirui blushed shyly and smiled meekly, "Long time no see, thank you for your kindness last time."
"Wow... as expected of a young lady from an aristocratic academy." Shi Xingwu, seeing Lei Xirui like this, actually became a little shy, scratching the back of his head. "You're too kind, I'll take care of you again if there's a chance next time."
"..."
"..."
Li Xiaozhong and Xia Qingyu both turned their faces to the side.
As expected of Shi Xingwu, no matter where he was, he could embarrass himself so naturally.
He couldn't bear to watch.