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Shen Xiu sat in Nie Li's dorm, her figure silhouetted against the window as she dried her hair with a towel, her eyes occasionally darting outside. 

Despite the calm of the room, her mind was far from peaceful, always alert to the possibility of prying eyes from the Snow Wind Family. 

"The Snow Wind Family has one of the largest spy networks in Glory City. Who knows if they've really backed off?" she thought. Yet, deep down, she knew that even if they were still watching, their hands were tied for the moment.

The reason behind her agreement to Nie Li's audacious plan was clear in her mind. She understood that the elder was likely onto Nie Li's talents as an array maker. 

If the Snow Wind Family believed Nie Li and she were in a relationship, it might deter them from taking drastic actions. 

As much as it pained her to admit, the Snow Wind Family had its codes of honor, unlike... Shen Xiu's thoughts trailed off as she hesitated to complete the thought, acknowledging the darker actions of her own Sacred Family.

Just then, Nie Li burst into the room, carrying the Book of Fire and Snow, along with a pile of array scrolls and ink bottles. 

"Okay, I got everything we need. Let's start with the new array," he announced, laying out the materials on the floor.

"I think firstly, we can break down both the original and the plagiarized version to see which components both scribes used in creating their respective circuits. Then, we can use that as a foundation to start making our own," Nie Li suggested, full of enthusiasm for the task ahead.

Shen Xiu, however, seemed distant, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance. 

"Can't you do it on your own?" she asked, her tone betraying a touch of hesitance.

Nie Li paused, looking up at her. 

To anyone else, Shen Xiu's behavior might seem like the typical laziness or arrogance expected of a noble. 

But Nie Li saw through the facade. 

He knew her better than that. 

He had read her description.

"She doesn't want to mess this up. Even if she's proud of her skills as a scribe, her family's honor comes first. That's why she's leaving the heavy lifting to me, the better scribe," Nie Li thought.

[ Select from the Following ]

[ Option 1- I can't do this without you. ]

[ Option 2- Shen Xiu, is that really what you want? ] 

As Nie Li considered the options before him, he understood their origin from the mission "Betrayal and Love." 

Both options seemed promising, offering Shen Xiu some form of inspiration. However, Option 1 caught his attention more due to its romantic inclination. 

Thus, he chose Option 1.

"I can't do this without you," Nie Li said, his voice carrying a sincerity that took Shen Xiu by surprise.

"But—" Shen Xiu started, only to be cut off as time itself had stopped in that moment.

[ Select from the following ]

[ Option 1- 'Buts' are for pooping ]

[ Option 2- Silence ] 

Nie Li couldn't help but choose Option 1, seizing the moment to lighten the mood. As Shen Xiu tried to voice her concerns, he quickly interjected, "'Buts' are for pooping." The room fell silent as he struggled to keep a straight face, the corners of his mouth twitching in a barely contained effort to suppress his laughter.

Shen Xiu, initially taken aback by his unexpected humor, let out a chuckle. "Did I ever tell you that you have a unique way with words?" she said, her tone laced with amusement. The ice between them seemed to melt away as she continued, "Okay, what can I help with?"

Puffing out her chest, Shen Xiu accepted Nie Li's request with a newfound pride. It wasn't the kind of pride that stemmed from her noble lineage, but a genuine confidence that was far more valuable. Nie Li's words had inadvertently provided her with a boost

In the following hours, Nie Li and Shen Xiu found themselves immersed in a task that demanded both their skills and cooperation. Despite Nie Li taking the lead, it was their combined effort that brought the new array into existence. 

The name might not have been the pinnacle of creativity, as it simply fused their names, but it held a special meaning.

"Xiu Li," when put together, translates to "to repair," a fitting name since they were repairing a plagiarized array of the Sacred Family... together.

Nie Li laid out the draft foundation for the Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst Array, his hands moving with practiced ease as he drew the initial circuits on parchment.

Shen Xiu, poring over the designs, pointed out, "This circuit here, it's too compact. If we expand it and integrate a spiral flow, it can increase the array's energy efficiency." 

Nie Li paused, considering her advice. He realized she was right; adjusting the circuit as Shen Xiu proposed would indeed enhance the array's potential. 

Together, they reworked the design.

As they placed the final rune into the array, Shen Xiu stepped back to admire their work. The array glowed softly, its light casting warm shadows across their faces. 

As Shen Xiu observed Nie Li deeply focused on the intricate details of the array, a thought crossed her mind, "Let me reward you for your attempts." 

The distance between their hands seemed like a gap that needed bridging. With a swift movement, she reached out and grabbed his hand, a bit too hastily, perhaps with a bit more force than intended.

Nie Li, caught off guard, turned towards Shen Xiu, their hands awkwardly entwined. The grip was tight, uncomfortably so, and a wince of pain flashed across his face. Realizing her mistake, Shen Xiu quickly released his hand, her eyes darting away from his and fixating on the flame array before them. Her shoulders tensed, and she fidgeted slightly, a clear sign of her discomfort and guilt over the unintended roughness.

The moment was charged with an unspoken tension until Nie Li reached out, gently taking Shen Xiu's hand in his own. She looked up, her apology halted by his question. "What should we name this array?"

The suggestion of calling it the Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst Array brought a tentative smile to Shen Xiu's face, her grip cautious this time, mindful of their earlier interaction. 

"Xiu Li's Scarlet Sunburst array."

Nie Li couldn't help but snort at the suggestion. 

"Xiu from Shen Xiu and Li from Nie Li. When we write them together, Xiu Li, which means 'To repair.' The plagiarized array repaired by us; Poetic, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Shen Xiu murmured, her voice soft, a hint of something deeper lurking beneath her words.

"What's wrong?" Nie Li inquired, sensing her sudden shift in mood.

"I'm scared about what to do next," Shen Xiu confessed, her vulnerability surfacing.

"Why?" Nie Li asked, genuinely curious, his gaze inviting her to share her worries.

Shen Xiu's gaze locked with Nie Li's as she unveiled her concern. "The Sacred Family is fragmented into many factions ever since the Patriarch secluded himself for training. I'm worried our array will fall into the hands of those more powerful," she confided, the weight of her words heavy with the fear of losing their hard-earned creation.

"Is that all?" Nie Li responded, a chuckle escaping him, his demeanor unexpectedly calm in the face of her anxiety.

Shen Xiu's expression shifted to one of annoyance, taken aback by his nonchalant attitude. Pulling her hand away, she insisted, "I am serious!"

Nie Li met her frustration with a relaxed smile, undisturbed by the gravity of the situation she described. 

"Let me give you a plan then."

[ Simulation System Initiated ]

[ Input: Player's Desire - "Perfect Plan to help Shen Xiu in her situation." ]

[ Process: Generating Simulated Plans for Resolution ]

  - [ Analyzing... ]

  - [ Progress: 1% ]

  - [ Progress: 2% ]

  - [ Progress: 10% ]

  - [ Progress: 50% ]

  - [ Progress: 60% ]

  - [ Progress: 80% ]

  - [ Progress: 100% ]

[ Analysis Complete ]

[ Result: Options for Plan Execution ]

.....

[ Hours Later ] 

[ Shen Xiu's apartment ] 

As Shen Yue stormed into his aunt's room, his anger was palpable. Shen Xiu, busy packing her bags, looked up to see her nephew's demanding figure. 

"Where are you going?" Shen Yue asked with a tone that carried more entitlement than inquiry.

"I'm heading back to the main family. I have matters to attend to," Shen Xiu replied, dismissing his tone with a wave of her hand, her mood still good despite her nephew's tone.

"Is it because of Nie Li?" Shen Yue pressed, a sneer forming on his lips. 

At the mention of Nie Li's name, Shen Xiu's actions halted, and she turned to face her nephew, her expression darkening.

"Oh, you thought I didn't know about your boy toy," Shen Yue taunted, the disdain in his voice clear as day.

Shen Xiu's patience snapped. 

"What about it?" she responded, her voice now laced with a dangerous edge.

But Shen Yue, oblivious to the warning signs, continued, "Ha, you really are out of the loop, huh? The rumors about you two having sex in class. I don't see what you see in that that trash—"

He couldn't finish his sentence. 

Shen Xiu's hand struck him with a force that sent him crashing through the wall. Shen Yue lay on the ground, his face a mess of blood and swelling. The side of his face where Shen Xiu had hit him was grotesquely distorted, his jaw visibly dislocated, the skin split open to reveal a deep, angry red that was quickly turning purple with bruising.

As Shen Yue's initial anger gave way to fear, he scrambled to get away from Shen Xiu, who advanced on him with a cold snort. She delivered a piece of chilling advice as she grabbed his shirt, pulling him up to face her despite his injuries. 

"What I do with my life, who I am with, who I have fun with, is none of your concern," she stated, her grip tightening around his throat, emphasizing each word with a squeeze.

Transforming into her demon spirit form, Shen Xiu underscored her point, her disdain only growing as she noticed Shen Yue had soiled himself in fear. 

With a look of utter disgust, she tossed him aside like a rag doll.

"Stay in your lane, nephew. Is that clear?" she demanded without even looking at him, returning to her packing.

"Yes," came Shen Yue's weak reply, the fear evident in his voice.

"I'll be back in a week. I expect these rumors to have died down by then. And try not to trouble my Nie Li," Shen Xiu warned as she left the room, leaving Shen Yue on the floor, his mind racing with shock and a newfound sense of wariness toward Nie Li. 

"Who the hell are you, Nie Li?!"

....

[ Author's Note: I changed the previous chapter. I removed Shen Xiu kissing Nie Li's forehead and replaced it with her saying thanks as a visible indication of their relationship improving. The kiss was nice, but it felt too abrupt, so I changed it to Shen Xiu saying thanks as a parallel to the chapter 55 where Shen Xiu thanked Nie Li but denied it. This time, she didn't deny it and then tried to paint the Snow Wind Family as spying, portraying them as the bad guys. I hope this change is better. I added the handholding in this chapter, scandalous, I know, but the context is Shen Xiu thinking she should reward Nie Li as she is aware of his courting attempts. The handholding isn't out of love, but they are getting closer as Shen Xiu had hurt her nephew for insulting Nie Li. 

Give me your thoughts on that moment. 

Should I upload 2 chapters on Saturday, or 1 tomorrow and 1 on Saturday? You decide. ]