When We Meet Again, She's Pregnant - Chapter 6

Yang Xiyan thought she was done for, her head hanging so low it was pitiful. Yet, after a long while with no reaction from the other person, she cautiously lifted her gaze, relieved that she hadn’t been recognized.

“The Sky Ball World Cup? I don’t really follow sports much, but I know about Saisiya. His aerial passing skills are absolutely world-class. He’s probably the biggest dark horse in this tournament.” Liu Ying chatted casually with the passengers while keeping an eye on the girl who had been sneaking glances at her.

Who would’ve thought that just one night after their last encounter, they’d run into each other again? Even with the mask, the girl’s expressions were just as easy to read as before. Truly exactly her type.

Liu Ying didn’t deny it.

“Yeah, yeah! I think so too. His last goal was absolutely stunning!” The burly man enthusiastically engaged in the conversation about the match.

The World Cup? Yang Xiyan couldn’t help but glance at the man beside her, then at the woman called Xia Qiu. She never expected her to keep up with such a topic.

Liu Ying stretched lazily before abruptly changing the subject. “Hey, big guy, I’d like to see the scenery over there. Mind if we switch seats?”

The blond man happily nodded. “Of course, no problem!”

Liu Ying quickly grabbed her milk tea and swapped seats with him. On the surface, it was just a simple exchange, but Yang Xiyan beside her stiffened slightly, was she going to sit next to her?

As soon as Liu Ying settled into her new seat, a wave of intoxicating fragrance wafted over. Pretending not to recognize her, she curled her lips into a playful smile. “Hey, Tiger Girl, mind if I ask you something?”

She’s talking to me! Wait—Tiger Girl? What’s that supposed to mean? And that smirk of hers is terrifying! Yang Xiyan suppressed her panic and steadied her voice. “Wh-what is it?”

“Ahhh!!”

“Whoa!!!”

Suddenly, screams erupted around them.

“Whoa, that’s… that’s a pack of Frostfire Lions! They’re huge—ah! They’re coming this way! We’re doomed!”

“BOOM!!!”

The ground shook violently as horrified shrieks exploded through the air. The entire sightseeing vehicle flipped over, sending passengers tumbling and crashing into each other from the momentum.

Yang Xiyan was terrified. All she heard was a deafening roar before the world spun around her. Then, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, a familiar embrace. When she opened her eyes, she was met with a pair of smiling eyes.

Screams of panic filled the overturned vehicle. Yang Xiyan nearly shrieked too, but a delicate finger pressed against her lips, silencing her. “Rule number one for magic students: Stay calm in emergencies. No screaming.”

Yang Xiyan’s pretty face flushed crimson instantly.

Taking a deep breath to steady her pounding heart, she finally noticed that the sightseeing vehicle had flipped over. Everyone was piled together, groaning in pain except for her and Xia Qiu, who floated mid-air, held securely in the woman’s embrace. Their bodies pressed close, their breaths mingling with each other’s scent.

Her heart raced uncontrollably.

“Mmm…” Yang Xiyan’s cheeks burned red. She wanted to say thank you, but Xia Qiu was staring at her face, unblinking, as if mesmerized. Sure, she knew she was somewhat good-looking, but was it really okay to stare like that? And from this close?

Liu Ying realized she was being rude and gently set her down, scanning the surroundings. All she saw were groaning, injured passengers.

“Did anyone get hurt? I’m a healing water mage,” Yang Xiyan called out anxiously as soon as she finished hugging, eager to help with the rescue. The tour guide and driver had also regained consciousness and began checking for injuries and calling for assistance.

It turned out that a white lion as large as an ox had suddenly rammed into them. Fortunately, the sightseeing vehicle was equipped with an extremely strong defensive barrier. Otherwise, ordinary tempered glass would have been shattered instantly. Even so, the impact had flipped the vehicle over.

Surprisingly, no one inside the vehicle was injured, not even a scratch. The only thing left was a lingering sense of fear and shock.

“ROAR!!” The sudden roar of the beast turned everyone in the vehicle pale with terror, trembling uncontrollably. Some even screamed in fright. Yang Xiyan, who had been helping an elderly woman up, also paled, but as a mage, she forced herself to stay calm and worked with the tour guide to reassure everyone.

The driver, covered in dust, scrambled up from the huddled crowd, his face tense and serious. He rushed to the central control panel and pressed a few buttons, immediately strengthening the vehicle’s barrier. A series of mechanical creaks echoed as the seats’ armrests visibly retracted into the vehicle’s interior, and the original ceiling reformed where the seats had been—like flipping an egg, leaving everything exactly the same.

“Everyone, please return to your seats quickly,” the driver exhaled in relief, cooperating with the tour guide to calm and guide the passengers. Yang Xiyan also pitched in, reassuring them, “Don’t be afraid. I—I’m a mage. There’s nothing to fear, nothing at all.”

At the word “mage,” the panicked crowd instantly quieted, all eyes turning to Yang Xiyan. She was not only beautiful and kind but also exuded an aura of safety.

People noticed the newly emerged seats and quickly settled back into them. The earlier chaos subsided, returning to the initial state, though everyone remained silent. The tremors outside hadn’t lessened, and through the transparent glass, they could see a massive pride of lions passing by.

The tour guide also chimed in to comfort them, “Everyone, please stay calm. Iceflame Lions are C-rank magical beasts known as sixth-tier pack creatures in ancient times. Their king rarely reaches the seventh tier. They’re named for their ice attribute that can also burn.”

Perhaps the accident had been too sudden, as even the tour guide sounded flustered: “But… but there’s no need to panic. The barrier on this vehicle can withstand attacks from even A-rank beasts. These B-rank creatures are human-bred, weaker than their wild counterparts, and their magic cores are regularly drained by staff using crystal condensers, so they don’t have much magic left inside.”

Hearing this, even the tense Yang Xiyan sighed in relief. Truthfully, she stood no chance against the beasts outside. She had only spoken up to steady everyone’s nerves.

With a composed smile, she said, “Stay calm, everyone. Is anyone in the vehicle injured? I’m a healing mage and can treat minor wounds.”

Perhaps because no one was hurt, combined with the warmth of her smile and the tour guide’s reassurances, the crowd gradually settled down, staring blankly at her in the center.

Seeing no further issues, Yang Xiyan quickly found a seat, wiping the sweat from her forehead and exhaling deeply. She then turned to ask the maid beside her if she was alright. Only after the maid confirmed she was unharmed did Yang Xiyan finally let go of the tension gripping her heart.

“Such a pretty face. What a shame to hide it behind a mask.” A pale hand suddenly reached out, patting her trembling shoulder, startling her into a frozen expression.

Liu Ying sat beside her; her smiling eyes locked onto hers.

“Thank you!” Yang Xiyan took the mask Liu Ying had picked up, only to realize everyone was staring at her especially the woman next to her. That unreadable gaze made her shy and flustered. Nervously, she placed the mask on her folded legs, not daring to meet her eyes.

“With such a beautiful and powerful mage here, there’s no need to fear. The lion pride won’t come back,” Liu Ying reassured the crowd with a wave, instantly calming them. The tour guide and driver seized the moment to contact headquarters about the malfunction.

“It’s alright, everyone, don’t panic.”

“Yeah, we have the mage with us.”

“Nothing bad will happen.”

“She’s so stunning. I knew she’d be gorgeous even with the mask, but I didn’t expect her to be this breathtaking.”

“Mhm, truly beautiful.”

“Like an angel, kind and radiant.”

“And she looks so young! Whoever marries her must’ve done something incredible in a past life.”

The fear-stricken crowd quickly shifted their attention to Yang Xiyan, drawn either by her beauty or the sense of security she provided.

In this era, mages were revered as mysterious yet mighty guardians, protectors of humanity for millennia, heroes people idolized and admired. Especially in the wilderness, the presence of a mage could instantly become the anchor of hope.

Yet Yang Xiyan didn’t feel like that anchor at all. Her gaze kept flickering toward Xia Qiu. It was strange. How had a crash of that magnitude caused zero injuries, not even a scratch? And this woman had steadied her effortlessly.

Was it her doing?

But in just seconds… Could she be an A-rank or even AA-rank? Unbelievable, they were the same age!

Yang Xiyan stole another glance, only to meet those smiling eyes again. Startled, she whipped her head away, sitting stiffly like a timid little rabbit.

Liu Ying stifled a laugh. This girl was far more adorable than she’d imagined nothing like what Xia Lingxi had described.

Just then, the tour guide approached to update everyone: “Please remain calm. The vehicle’s propulsion system is damaged, but thankfully, the magical defenses are intact. We’ve contacted headquarters; help should arrive in about ten minutes.”

Ten minutes—quick, yet agonizingly slow.

Yang Xiyan tried to soothe the crowd when suddenly, the ground trembled. Dozens of pleading eyes turned to her, but in her panic, she tugged at Liu Ying’s sleeve instead.

Everyone saw her as their pillar of strength, but only she knew the woman beside her was far more capable. Though she couldn’t gauge her power, it had to be leagues above her own. So when the quake hit, her first thought was of her.

But in her fluster, she lost balance as the vehicle jolted, sending her tumbling.

Luckily, Liu Ying reacted swiftly, pulling her into her arms. A soothing, floral scent enveloped her, and as she felt the girl’s delicate frame and the brave face she tried to maintain, her heart began pounding wildly.

Was this what they called a crush?

“That commotion must be from the Babakar Giant Elephant, used to scare off the lion pride,” Liu Ying said as she helped Yang Xiyan up, seating her on her lap, then whispered a quiet reminder in her ear. Yang Xiyan quickly reassured everyone as well.

While waiting, Liu Ying introduced herself—of course, she wouldn’t use her real name claiming she was from a school near Tian Xingzi, all to steady the group’s morale.

As time passed, rescue finally arrived.

“Look, it’s the Babakar Giant Elephant! So big! It’s enormous!” A super-sized elephant, five times larger than an ordinary one, walked slowly, its ears like giant fans, each step causing the ground to tremble.

The lion pride fled at the sight of the giant elephant.

Liu Ying watched the massive creature and smiled faintly. “Among creatures of the same rank, the Babakar Giant Elephant is the natural counter to Frostflame Lions. Their terrifying size and innate resistance to both ice and fire make them completely untouchable for the Frostflame pride. Sending the Babakar Giant Elephant first is a great way to handle a rampaging Frostflame Lion group.”

Yang Xiyan nodded in agreement, but just as her nerves began to settle, she realized she was still sitting in Liu Ying’s embrace, her back pressed entirely against Liu Ying’s chest, her waist seemingly held though Liu Ying didn’t seem to dare actually embrace her. Instead, she kept her hands politely at Yang Xiyan’s sides, as if preventing her from leaning further in.

A few strands of hair tickled Liu Ying’s nose, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance unique to a young girl, stirring an impulse to pull her close, kiss her, and breathe her in. But she restrained herself.

Women shouldn’t be too intimate, best not to act like a rogue.

Yang Xiyan finally noticed the situation, her delicate face flushing crimson as she abruptly stood up. But the unstable ground from the tremors made her stumble back, only for Liu Ying to rise and catch her, amused as she gazed at Yang Xiyan’s slightly reddened, stunning face. “Stand steady.”

Yang Xiyan’s face burned even hotter as she hurried back to her seat, readjusting her mask and nodding in thanks.

Undoubtedly, a blushing Yang Xiyan was even more beautiful than usual. Hiding such a sight felt almost a shame. Even though their bodies had separated, her heart still pounded wildly in her chest.

Taking a closer look at Yang Xiyan, her floral dress gave her an air of innocent youth different from last night’s pure, princess-like demeanor. Though the mask concealed her face, the dress perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Her snow-white hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of her skirt, an endearing sight.

“What kind of mage are you, to be so physically weak?” Liu Ying asked with a teasing gaze. What was the deal with this girl? She seemed so easy to pursue; why had Future Liu Ying failed to win her over?

The rescue team arrived alongside the Babakar Giant Elephant. Cheers erupted as people moved from the sightseeing vehicle to another, while officials began investigating the incident. Liu Ying and Yang Xiyan followed the transfer.

Perhaps having calmed down, Yang Xiyan finally answered, “I’m a pure water-element mage, I don’t train my physique. Um… were you the one who saved everyone earlier? Thank you! And for last night too, thank you!”

“No need for thanks,” Liu Ying replied with a smile. “You’re quite adorable, you know.” Without waiting for a reaction, she walked away.