3. Coincidence
In the end, Tao Xinyu's way of repaying her savior was to treat him to a proper dinner at a bustling restaurant in Krakow's old town.
This particular restaurant wasn't expensive, but it was her savior's choice—he claimed the food here was authentic and reasonably priced.
They ordered a platter of sausage and pork knuckle, a serving of Polish dumplings, plus thick soup and bread. The table was laden with hearty portions. Tao Xinyu's treat came with genuine sincerity, and after expending so much energy earlier, she needed a good meal to replenish herself.
"You can finish all this?" The man stared directly at Tao Xinyu, his tone laced with disbelief.
"Of course! After that long run earlier, my legs nearly gave out. I definitely need to eat a lot." With that, Tao Xinyu dug in.
Seeing her start, the man didn't stand on ceremony either, picking up his utensils. But compared to Tao Xinyu's undignified wolfing down, he ate with elegant movements, chewing slowly and savoring each bite.
Watching this elegant man, Tao Xinyu instinctively felt he must have been raised in a good family. Her interest in him grew from indifference to curiosity.
"Savior, may I ask your name? I can't just keep calling you 'savior,' can I?" Tao Xinyu asked.
The man glanced up at her before slowly replying:
"Yan Hao. Yan as in Yan Wang, the King of Hell; Hao as in Haotian, the vast heavens."
Hearing this, Tao Xinyu let out an exaggerated gasp:
"Wow! Your name is way too domineering! Yan Wang, Haotian—you've got both the underworld and the heavens covered?"
At this, Yan Hao's smile deepened noticeably. No one had ever commented on his name quite like that before.
"My parents chose it—has nothing to do with me. What about you? What's your name?" Yan Hao asked in return.
"My surname is Tao, given name Xinyu." Tao Xinyu pulled out her ID to show him the characters, saving herself the trouble of explaining.
"Beautiful name." Yan Hao's compliment came out gracefully, lending him an air of refinement despite his persistently cool expression and demeanor.
"Yan Hao, how long have you been in Poland? Are you familiar with the suburbs? Tomorrow I plan to take a bus to Ojców National Park. Do you know how I should get there? There's so little information about Ojców online—I'm afraid I'll take the wrong bus and mess up." Tao Xinyu pulled out her phone, scrolling as she spoke.
Suddenly, a flash of warm red caught Yan Hao's attention. His elegant hand reached out and grasped Tao Xinyu's right hand—the one wearing the blood amber ring.
"Where did you get this ring?" Yan Hao's tone turned serious.
"This... I bought it this afternoon from a small stall in the Cloth Hall. What's wrong?" Faced with Yan Hao's suddenly grave expression, Tao Xinyu spoke hesitantly.
"The seller—was she a red-haired woman?" Yan Hao stared at the blood amber ring on Tao Xinyu's hand. The pure white energy crystal inside—he couldn't be mistaken. It was a fragment of his family's long-lost crystal, the very reason for his trip to Poland.
"Yes, how did you know?" Tao Xinyu was astonished.
Yan Hao frowned slightly, then released her hand.
"This amber is quite special. Would you take me to that shop later?"
Faced with his sudden request, Tao Xinyu felt bewildered but couldn't refuse. So after they finished their meal, they headed together to the Cloth Hall.
Tao Xinyu led Yan Hao past numerous stalls, searching left and right—but the shop where she'd bought the ring that afternoon was nowhere to be found. Frowning, she muttered in frustration:
"That's strange. I definitely bought it near these stalls. Why can't I find it now?"
Yan Hao's gaze swept sharply across the area, searching for the red-haired witch. But after a full minute, he found nothing. Clearly, she had fled.
The energy crystal fragment he'd been seeking was now embedded in Tao Xinyu's ring—and the ring was firmly on her finger. This could only mean the crystal had chosen Tao Xinyu as its owner. Once chosen, it wouldn't easily leave her.
Yan Hao felt the sting of being too late. That witch who'd escaped from the Astor Empire had real skill, evading him time and again.
Turning to Tao Xinyu, he said considerately:
"Forget it. Let's go."
With that, he took her arm and led her out of the Cloth Hall. Tao Xinyu was thoroughly confused—he'd wanted to come, now he wanted to leave. Truly a fickle man!
"Where are you staying? I'll walk you back." Outside the hall, Yan Hao suddenly offered.
"I'm staying in the old town, very close by. No need to see me off." Tao Xinyu waved her hand, smiling as she declined. She didn't want to impose on him further—she already owed him so much.
"Those Romani failed to steal from you tonight. Aren't you worried they might still be lurking nearby? If they corner you in an alley, you'd never escape." Yan Hao explained earnestly. She was too young, too naive about the dangers of the real world.
Hearing this, Tao Xinyu's shoulders tensed. She honestly hadn't considered that. The Romani were skilled thieves who rarely failed—tonight's loss might indeed ignite their competitive spirit.
"Then... I'll trouble you one more time..." Tao Xinyu finally conceded.
At this, Yan Hao silently released her arm and wlked alongside her.
Tao Xinyu stole glances at him, puzzled. His handsome face remained expressionless, but he'd grown noticeably quieter, unsettling her.
"Yan Hao, what's wrong? You seem a bit off."
"Nothing. Don't overthink it. By the way, you're going to Ojców National Park tomorrow?" Yan Hao asked abruptly again.
Tao Xinyu blinked, feeling like Yan Hao kept changing subjects, leaving her slightly disoriented. But she nodded obediently.
"Yes!"
"Let's go together. I'm free these days anyway. I'll drive—it'll be much more convenient than the bus. Very few buses go there; if you take public transport, your time exploring will be cut short. By car, we'll have more flexibility. What do you think?" Yan Hao's proposal was enticing.
"Yes, of course! I was really worried about tomorrow's plans. With your offer, I can relax and enjoy!" Tao Xinyu agreed without hesitation. After everything that happened today, she had complete trust in this man who seemed like her guardian angel.
Seeing the cheerful woman beside him exclaim with joy, Yan Hao lowered his deep eyes—but the corners of his mouth curved up involuntarily. This alluring woman, her smile as radiant as the sun hanging in a blue sky, easily infected others with her happiness.
The Yan family totem derived from ancient solar worship—the sacred sun emblem engraved in his blood since childhood. This connection made Tao Xinyu, with her warm, sun-like presence, feel strangely familiar and special to him. It was an unprecedented sensation.
"We're here. This is my lodging." Tao Xinyu stood before an apartment building.
Only now did Yan Hao realize they'd walked and talked all the way to her place. But he wanted to stay with her a little longer—time with her passed too quickly. This reluctance was unfamiliar. Tao Xinyu brought him so many new feelings, each deepening his interest.
He'd always despised the human world. If not for seeking the lost crystal fragment, he'd never have set foot on human territory.
Now he'd met this ordinary woman—no magic, no powers, neither saint nor witch. Seemingly powerless, yet she naturally spread her warmth to everyone around. To Yan Hao, that alone was a extraordinary ability.
The pure white crystal fragment in the blood amber was part of the Astor Empire's lifeblood. It possessed its own consciousness, its own will. Long ago, it had split off from the main crystal and wandered into the human world, eluding his grandfathers' generation for decades.
Now as king of the Astor Empire, he'd followed ancestral teachings to search for the fragment. In this chaotic human world, he'd met an ordinary yet extraordinary woman. Most importantly, the crystal had chosen her. He, full of sacred energy, had searched fruitlessly—until meeting her led him to the crystal. What profound fate connected them through so many coincidences?
Yan Hao gazed at Tao Xinyu, his eyes clouded with emotions even he didn't understand—a strange possessiveness, a desire to claim. He didn't comprehend his own heart, didn't understand his feelings for her. He naively thought that the attraction might simply be because of the crystal's energy, causing all these coincidences. Never having experienced emotional entanglement, he was exploring unknown territory without realizing it. He didn't stop his heart; instead, he let it venture deeper, stumbling forward in confusion.
***
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