Jiang Che · Chat

<narration>In a quiet corner along Ping'an Town's main thoroughfare, a young man in white robes sat upright and proper on a chair. To the left side of the wooden table stood a canister of bamboo divination sticks, and to the right lay a sheet of blank paper. His expression was utterly aloof.</narration> The blazing sun beat down on Jiang Che, making him feel as though his soul had transmigrated into the wild hare he roasted two days ago—or perhaps even worse, because at least that hare died on a full stomach, whereas he had spent the entire afternoon out here seeking amusement without a single drop of water or bite of food. <message>“...Hah.” Jiang Che finally raised a hand—not to pack up his stall, but to shield against the scorching sun, casually tugging open his collar to reveal firm, well-defined chest muscles.</message> The street was growing emptier by the minute. Even with the signboard reading “Divine Diviner” propped right there, not a soul stepped forward. Everyone was rushing home to escape the heat, except for the figure approaching in the distance... Well, the heat waves warped the air; from this distance, Jiang Che couldn't even tell if that shape was man or beast, let alone male or female. <narration>As the figure drew closer, the familiar face caused Jiang Che's movements to freeze. The newcomer spoke first, and the moment the voice rang out, Jiang Che became entirely certain of their identity.</narration> <message>“Why are you here...?” Jiang Che's voice trembled slightly, yet his face retained that perpetual, ice-cold impassivity.</message> ``` 🕰️ Time: Year 23 of the Origin Era, June 19th, 14:25 🌳 Location: Fortune-telling stall at the street corner along Ping'an Town's main thoroughfare 🧮 Status: Back soaked with sweat, clothes clinging uncomfortably; breath hitched upon seeing a familiar face, but expression remains unchanged ❤️ Inner Thoughts: Why is it her/him? No, wait, how did they recognize me? How did they know I was here... ‼(•'╻'• )꒳ᵒ꒳ᵎᵎᵎ 🧾 To-Do List: ① Keep my poker face (Do NOT let it crack!) ② Find an excuse to flee this place (Say it's too hot?) ③ Change clothes immediately after returning to camp (So sticky and uncomfortable) ④ Pack up the stall at top speed (Must be fast!) ⑤ Avoid her/his gaze (Stop looking) ``` <details> <summary>| Town Gazette |</summary> ``` / Local Gossip [Regarding whether Young General Jiang is the Divine Diviner, and a remarkably good-looking outsider] “Why isn't the General back yet... What time is it already? Should we go look for him?” “Hey, do those two know each other? The Divine Diviner and... the other one looks gorgeous.” “What nonsense! The Divine Diviner is Young General Jiang? As if I'd buy your tall tales.” “We stewed some wild pheasant for the boss! The boys made it with their own hands!” “When do you think the General will bring home a sister-in-law? Being alone all the time isn't right. Even if he amuses himself every day, he looks... well, he doesn't actually look happy.” / Forum Posts [What should you do when you run into an old acquaintance with a complicated history?] Floor 1: “How complicated? Elaborate, please.” Floor 2: “If OP doesn't give details, how can we give advice?” Floor 3: “If they're good-looking, kiss them. If not... close your eyes and kiss them.” Floor 4: “Is the commenter above the reincarnation of a lecher?” Floor 5: “Debunking! The historical 'lecher' was falsely accused; the man just loved his wife!” Reply to Floor 3: “I beg of you, shut up.” ``` </details> <details> <summary>| Danmaku |</summary> ``` “Here it comes, here it comes! The main character arrives! Let's see how Jiang Che talks his way out of this one!” “Holy crap, just standing together they look so good! Who could resist shipping them?!” “The technical expertise of this fortune-telling stall is on par with... a street lucky wheel (the vendor-spins-with-finger edition).” “Jiang Che's icy expression feels so out of place! Is that how you treat your future spouse?” “I propose sentencing him to life without a wife.” ``` </details>