Chapter 76 - 72 - Don't Just Go Drinking Other People's Things

Wende and the others were still unaware of what had transpired back at the Starskiff Haven. Under Miss Tingyun's guidance, the group found a transport vehicle unique to the Xianzhou, a skiff resembling a small wooden boat. The residents of the Xianzhou called it a "Starskiff." "This..." Gazing at the Starskiff before him, memories once again flashed through Wende's mind. A Starskiff, having escaped from a destroyed Xianzhou flagship, flew towards a distant planet... "Wende? What's wrong?" Seeing Wende staring blankly at the Starskiff, March asked with concern. Lately, Wende had been zoning out and staring at things from time to time... Could it be he'd caught some kind of syndrome, just like Stelle? Was this the legendary "a doctor cannot heal himself"? "Sorry, it just brought back some old memories," Wende said, shaking his head. "Aiya, this journey has been quite exhausting," Miss Tingyun said, stretching her slender waist. Her large tail behind her drooped, looking drained of all energy. "Uhm... I'm pretty sure we were the ones protecting you, weren't we? Weren't you just cheering us on from the sidelines?" March deadpanned, looking at Tingyun who seemed as tired as if she'd fought through numerous battles herself. "Aiya, cheering and offering moral support is very tiring, you know. I'm sure my dear benefactors wouldn't hold that against a little lady like me, right~?" Tingyun replied with foxy coyness. "Sigh... alright, alright. I really don't know what to do with you," March sighed, throwing her hands up in resignation, perfectly mimicking Wende's tone. Wende: "???" Tingyun: "???" Even though I don't know what just happened, I feel like I was somehow offended. They boarded the Starskiff, and with Tingyun at the controls, the group slowly began their journey towards the Starskiff Sea Central Hub she had mentioned. "Whoa, I didn't expect this. The boat doesn't look that big, but the space inside is quite large," March said with surprise, sitting down and observing the spacious interior as the scenery outside zipped backward. "Stelle..." Wende watched the restless Stelle with a calm expression, his arms crossed over his chest. "Oh..." Pouting, Stelle put down her fidgeting hands and obediently sat down beside Wende. "Sigh... I'm still not quite used to this," Welt said, pushing up his glasses, looking a little uncomfortable. The last time he'd had this peculiar feeling was probably with that group of students. "Huh... is there a problem? I think it's fine... Hey, is that a mini-fridge on this Starskiff? And it has drinks inside! Miss Tingyun! Can we have some?" March shouted to Tingyun, who was in the pilot's seat. "Uhm... this is a dedicated transport skiff. The drinks inside... they should be fine to drink, I think?" Tingyun replied, sounding uncertain. After all, she had never drunk anything from one of these skiffs before, and this vessel... wasn't hers. Hearing the hesitation in Tingyun's voice, March's hand, which was reaching for a drink, also paused. "On second thought, it's probably not a good idea to mess with other people's things..." March laughed awkwardly and moved to put the drink back in the mini-fridge. "Huh? Where'd the drink go?" Looking at her now-empty hand, March scratched her head in confusion. Slurp, slurp... She turned her head to see Stelle, a drink having appeared in her hand at some unknown moment. The corner of March's eye twitched... "Wende! Look at her!" Slurp, slurp... "Er... I think we should just let her drink it." Wende's gaze swept over the text on the beverage in Stelle's hand. His pre-transmigration memories told him it was best not to worry about this one. If she wants to drink it... let her drink it... "Huh... why are you spoiling her! Don't I deserve your sympathy too!" Little March put on a pitiful, aggrieved expression. Welt (gazing out the window): The scenery of the Xianzhou really is quite nice... "Here, we can share!" Stelle casually handed the drink to March. Wiping some white foam from the corner of her mouth, she gave March a big thumbs-up. "Hmph... who wants to drink something you've already drunk from..." March pursed her lips in disdain, but her body honestly took the drink from Stelle. She took a delicate sip of this "flavorful" Xianzhou beverage. "..." "..." "Sigh..." Wende sighed, walked over to March's side, and took the drink from her hand. He sealed it with its cap, put it back in the fridge, and then used a tissue from the skiff to wipe Little March's "tear-streaked face like pear blossoms in the rain." "Sob...呜呜..." "That's strange. Why are there so many Starskiffs flying towards Starskiff Haven?" Tingyun muttered to herself, gazing at several skiffs traveling in the opposite direction, completely failing to notice Little March, who was now sticking her head out the window behind her. "They are likely Cloud Knight reinforcements, right? The situation at Starskiff Haven is not looking optimistic," Welt analyzed calmly. "BLEURGH!!!" March projected a rainbow out of the window, just as another Starskiff was passing directly underneath theirs. Shplaaat... "Hmm? Is it raining?" the Cloud Knight piloting the Starskiff below asked in confusion. "AAGGGHH! WHAT IS THIS STUFF?!" the Cloud Knight screamed in terror upon seeing the rainbow splattered across his windscreen. He quickly activated the Starskiff's self-cleaning function, which proceeded to smear the rainbow evenly across the glass... "Waaaah, I'm never, ever drinking someone else's stuff again, sob... (sniffle)..." Little March sat in her seat, tears streaming down her face. The sour and stinky taste in her mouth was a constant assault on her delicate taste buds. "Sigh... so how on earth did you manage to drink it?" Wende looked at Stelle, whose expression was completely normal, and couldn't help but ask. "Hm? You just drink it normally, right?" Stelle tilted her head with a cute, clueless look. "Perhaps... and I'm just saying, perhaps... drinking Himeko's coffee twice might have a permanent effect on one's sense of taste," Welt analyzed seriously, his glasses glinting. "Hmm... that's not... impossible, I suppose..." Wende remarked with a sigh as he watched Stelle twist open the bottle of Fermented Mung Bean Soda and start chugging it down. "Sigh... I think I'll give up on my dream of eating delicious food on the Xianzhou..." March shook her head in despair. "Uh... March, there are actually many delicacies on the Xianzhou..." Welt offered as a reminder to the pessimistic girl. "That's right, dear benefactors. If you don't mind, after we leave the Sky-Faring Commission, this little lady would be honored to treat you all to a feast to express her gratitude. I wonder if my benefactors will have the time?" Tingyun stood up from the pilot's seat with a light chuckle and addressed the group. "AAAH! Aren't you flying the ship?! Why did you suddenly stand up!" March shrieked in terror. "Because... it has autopilot."