Chapter 40: Sunny Paris (1)

When you like someone, the best way to bring your hearts closer is to embark on a journey together.

To a far-off place.

Paris, France.

It is a place that cannot be accurately described by any elegant prose. At the same time, it is almost universally recognized as the most romantic city in the world.

The Seine, which flows through the entire city of Paris, sparkles like a shimmering blue silk ribbon inlaid with diamonds. Looking into the distance, thousands of ancient buildings reveal a unique artistic atmosphere, blending with the colossal Eiffel Tower to draw a romantic skyline. It is as if the city uses its picturesque beauty to narrate the profound history of this legendary place.

Often, imagery is more powerful than words. When you stand on the streets of Paris, you are struck by the city’s aura without the need for any verbal description. The humanities and arts, accumulated over hundreds of years, have long since merged into the blood and genes of Paris, deeply moving every newcomer.

Strolling through the streets, one frequently sees couples walking by, embracing. But even more alluring than the French perfume worn by the girls is the milky, nutty aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from the shops.

Laughter spills from cafés onto the cobblestone paths. A fashionably dressed lady walks a Yorkshire terrier, groomed just as exquisitely, past a shop window filled with colorful candies. One cannot help but pause and linger, capturing those beautiful little moments of life.

This city is always full of surprises, whether you are a resident, a regular, or a first-time visitor.

The sky is cloudless. It seems spring has arrived earlier than usual this year, and the sun is sending gentle messages to the passersby. Some say that human moods are closely connected to the energy of heaven and earth. When warmth arrives, people are more willing to open their hearts.

Hua Sheng and Mie Ying were currently on the streets of this ancient yet modern city. Wearing hoodies and far removed from their troubled lands, the expressions on their faces were noticeably more relaxed. At first glance, they were no different from ordinary tourists. To many passersby, they looked like a typical pair of international students.

They wandered through the streets of Paris in this relaxed manner, attempting to find clues about the Klin Magic School.

Hua Sheng conjured two mobile phones and gave one to Mie Ying, explaining, "This is the 'Mirror of Ruihua' of the mortal world. Keep it for emergencies."

After fiddling with the phone for a while, Mie Ying asked, "The mortal world actually has such powerful magical artifacts? Look, it says 'Airplane Mode' here. Why don't these mortals fly even though they hold this thing every day?"

"That... that's not because the phone can fly. It's something people turn on when they are on a plane."

Mie Ying nodded earnestly and began poking at the screen again. Suddenly, she let out an "Ah," which startled Hua Sheng.

"I’ve done my research! I want to buy balloons, I want to eat delicious food, and I want to drink that legendary coffee from the Left Bank of the Seine!"

Mie Ying repeated "this young lady" four times, waving her arms and acting as excited as a child who had just walked into an amusement park. Ignoring Hua Sheng’s reservations, she insisted on buying a bunch of pink, powder-blue, and light-green balloons from a street vendor.

Hua Sheng sighed and said, "The balloons are bought; let’s get down to business now!"

Mie Ying didn't seem satisfied yet. She replied firmly, "If you don't satisfy my wishes, my shoulder will start hurting, and I won't accompany you to find that whatever magic school!"

Hearing this, Hua Sheng’s heart softened. "Fine! What kind of food do you want to eat? French cuisine?"

"I want to eat chewing gum!"

"Huh? Chewing gum doesn't count as gourmet food, does it?"

"How is it not? I’ve never eaten it before!" Mie Ying said, toying with the balloon strings. "Shengpingning doesn't have chewing gum."

"Alright, alright! I'll go buy it for you."

Five minutes later, Mie Ying, holding a box of chewing gum, looked satisfied as she popped two pieces into her mouth.

"Chewing gum tastes great! It’s so sweet, delicious! By the way, I also want ice cream!"

"I'll buy you everything! Just hurry up and finish eating so we can get to work." While buying the gum, Hua Sheng had picked up a map of Paris and was walking forward, slightly distracted.

Mie Ying followed behind, muttering to herself, "Let me think, what else have I not eaten yet..." As she spoke, she threw another piece of gum into her mouth.

Sensing something was wrong, Hua Sheng suddenly stopped and asked with a strange expression, "Why do you keep eating chewing gum? One piece after another... Wait. Why is there no gum in your mouth?"

"I swallowed it, of course."

"What?" Hua Sheng shouted nervously. "You swallowed it all?"

"Isn't candy meant to be swallowed?" Mie Ying took two more pieces from the pack, ready to put them in her mouth.

Hua Sheng hurriedly snatched the gum from her hands. Looking at the freshly opened box, he saw that less than half remained!

He yelled in desperation, "Oh my goodness! Don't swallow it! Chewing gum is made of rubber; you can't swallow it! Spit it out!"

Mie Ying pouted and replied with a stubborn tone, "Rubber? It’s definitely banana-flavored. So what? I won't spit it out! If I swallowed it, it’s in my stomach, why should I spit it out?"

Hua Sheng jumped up and down in anxiety. He grabbed Mie Ying’s shoulders and shook her violently, shouting, "Oh my goodness! You absolutely cannot do that! If you end up in trouble, it would be a disaster. I wouldn't be able to pay off this sin even in my next life!"

Feeling dizzy, Mie Ying replied, "You... stop shaking me, you're making my head spin. I... I'm going to throw up!"

"Yes, yes! Throwing up is good! Hurry, spit it all out!"

"Ugh... ugh... so dizzy... ugh... I feel terrible... ugh..."

Mie Ying covered her mouth and ran to the riverside, beginning to retch violently into the Seine.

"Thank goodness she can still throw it up. As long as she spits it out, it’s fine," Hua Sheng said, patting her back while sighing in relief.

Mie Ying’s head hung over the water, her back arched like a shrimp. Perhaps because of the stomach cramps, she accidentally loosened her grip, and the large bunch of balloons drifted away into the sky.

Unable to lift her head, she pointed a finger at the sky behind her and gasped, "Balloon... ugh... Hua Sheng... my... ugh... balloons... hurry up and fly up to help me get them back... ugh..."

Hua Sheng frowned and said, "Oh! You silly girl, that's disgusting. Turn your face away! Forget about the balloons!"

"How dare you call me disgusting? I'll deal with you when I turn around... ugh, ugh, ugh..." Before she could finish, Mie Ying began retching again.

After she finished, Mie Ying leaned against the street wall for a while before finally recovering. The moment she stood up, she said to Hua Sheng, who was checking the map, "You owe me balloons!"

"What do you need those useless things for?"

Mie Ying was about to argue, but she spotted a shop window behind Hua Sheng. It was a streetwear store displaying various clothes, shoes, and skateboards.

"What is that thing?" Mie Ying asked, pointing at a red skateboard.

Hua Sheng glanced at it and replied, "A skateboard. It’s just a wooden board with four wheels; you step on it to glide forward."

Mie Ying tilted her head at the window and said, "So it’s like riding a cloud?"

Hua Sheng added, "Well... you could say it’s like flying close to the ground..."

"I want to play! I want to play!" Mie Ying suddenly grabbed Hua Sheng’s hand.

Hua Sheng said with concern, "But aren't you still injured?"

Mie Ying pointed at the window, refusing to leave. "I can do it! If you don't compensate me for the balloons, buy me this!"

"Sigh..."

After picking up a red Supreme skateboard and a pair of Nike AJ Chicago-colored sneakers, Mie Ying left the store, triumphantly wearing her new shoes and carrying the board.

She imitated the style of the local youth, transforming her hoodie into a white sweatshirt embroidered with the words "Academy of Mystic Arts," paired with denim shorts.

Then, Mie Ying pulled on Hua Sheng’s arm and asked, "Look, look! Can I practice mystic arts and tour Paris? Am I right or am I right?"

Hua Sheng nodded in praise. "Indeed, a little bit."

"Do I look pretty? Am I... what’s the word... trendy?"

"I guess so..."

"Shut up! How dare you say I’m not trendy!"

Hua Sheng could only agree, "Pretty, pretty! You’re so trendy!"

He thought for a moment and replied, "But we used magic to forge Euros for this shopping spree. Will this kind of behavior be looked down upon by other practitioners?"

Mie Ying lifted her chin and retorted, "So what? Do you think I don't know the history of the mortal world? Two hundred years ago, how many treasures did these foreigners move out of the Forbidden City? Even if I cleared out this entire street’s inventory, it wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket compared to what they took back then!"

This reply left Hua Sheng speechless.

But what surprised him even more was the change in Mie Ying since arriving in Paris—a level of surprise far exceeding the time she transformed into a Mie Meng bird. It was as if, overnight, Mie Ying had transformed from a celestial being of Shengpingning into a sporty girl who grew up in a modern city.

He knew Mie Ying hadn't traveled through time; she had simply moved to a different place.

Hua Sheng watched as Mie Ying hummed a tune while riding her skateboard, chewing gum and occasionally blowing a bubble. She looked just like an ordinary high school girl who had just finished classes.

Hua Sheng glanced at his own reflection in the shop window, looking exactly like a foolish older brother taking his spoiled younger sister out for a walk.

Yes, Mie Ying wasn't a girl from the Tang or Song dynasties. She was born in the same era as him and had lived through the same passage of time. The only difference was that Mie Ying was born in Shengpingning, while he was born in a city in the mortal world.

They both lived in the modern world; the only difference lay in their training in magic and their clothing habits.

"A celestial being in a hoodie, riding a skateboard... who would have thought she’d be this cute," Hua Sheng murmured softly.