Chapter 10

Time passed in the blink of an eye, and several months had already gone by. Since Yan Shao had already told Elaino about his plans to return to China, she no longer mentioned buying a house. Instead, she would come over after class or on holidays to translate the manuscripts Yan Shao had written from English to French, and also help him tidy up the house.

During this period, due to Talis's frequent harassment, Yan Shao had no choice but to focus on filling the gaps in his stories—truly a case of digging his own hole and then filling it.

However, while he was working hard to fill these gaps, he started a new project...

*The Legend of Sword and Fairy*

Yan Shao had been in France for over a year. Whether it was his original science fiction novels or the works of famous authors from the future, the content was almost always related to Europe and America, with not a single story touching on China.

Elaino had also mentioned this to him, curious as to why he had never written a story about China.

This comment woke Yan Shao up. Because of his novels, he was now a well-known figure in Marseille, and he often encountered people asking for his autograph when he went out. This made him hesitant to leave his house. In this situation, wouldn't it be a good time to promote Chinese culture?

This was the reason he decided to write a novel about China.

And *The Legend of Sword and Fairy* seemed to be the most suitable choice.

After all, for people of Yan Shao's generation, the impact of the *The Legend of Sword and Fairy* series was immense. Even in the era when single-player games had declined, many people still remembered the game's plot...

Especially some of the popular storylines, and, of course, those damned mazes...

Although it was difficult for a group of French people to understand Chinese culture, thanks to the success of his previous novels, *The Legend of Sword and Fairy* also sold well. Elaino's classmates even came to ask Yan Shao about the subsequent plot, but he firmly rejected them, citing commercial confidentiality.

On the other hand, due to the success of those novels, an American publisher soon approached him, followed by publishers from Spain, Russia, and neighboring countries, who bought the rights to translate the books into their respective languages. This made Yan Shao a lot of money.

Currently, his net worth was around 130,000 to 140,000 francs, and he had an annual income of at least several tens of thousands of francs, which was expected to continue growing.

If he just wanted to be a wealthy man, he could live a comfortable life even without doing anything, thanks to the steady stream of royalties.

"Yan, what does 'descendants of Nüwa' mean?"

Holding the newly translated manuscript, Elaino, dressed in a long dress, walked over to Yan Shao's side.

Although she had translated many of Yan Shao's novels, this one was undoubtedly more challenging for her. After all, there was a significant difference in thinking between Europeans and Chinese, and *The Legend of Sword and Fairy* was written in Yan Shao's broken English, making it difficult to translate some of the terms.

So every time she encountered something difficult, Elaino would come to Yan Shao for help. After all, discussing it with him was more accurate and efficient than translating it alone. Yan Shao had already bought her a typewriter.

"Descendants of Nüwa, you mean..." He gestured for Elaino to sit on his lap, and after pulling her into his arms, he explained, "In Chinese mythology, there were no humans at first. Later, a goddess with a human head and snake body, named Nüwa..."

Leaning against Yan Shao, Elaino listened quietly to his explanation. Perhaps for her, coming to ask was just an excuse...

---

"Marseille, it's been a long time since I've been back..."

Stepping out of the carriage, a middle-aged man in military uniform sighed and looked at Talis standing beside him.

"By the way, I heard your publishing house found an outstanding writer, someone so talented that I heard about him even in Madagascar..."

"Yes..." Talis nodded stiffly. "I guess I was lucky. Otherwise, my publishing house might have gone bankrupt..."

"That's true, you were quite lucky..." The middle-aged man laughed heartily. "By the way, where's my daughter? How is Elaino? I haven't seen her for a long time since I went to Madagascar..." The middle-aged man's face showed a hint of nostalgia.

"Well..." Hearing the middle-aged man mention Elaino, Talis suddenly felt a bit guilty and spoke hesitantly. "You know, Elaino is almost 19, a grown woman. Where she goes is her own business, and I can't interfere too much..."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man's expression darkened.

"So, you don't know where she is now?"

"Cough, usually she should be at school, but today is Sunday, so she might be out with her friends..."

The middle-aged man's expression was still a bit stern, but it had clearly softened.

"It's been hard for you. When Elaino's mother passed away, I was in Madagascar, and the child had to be entrusted to you..."

Hearing this, Talis smiled.

"It's my duty, after all, I am her uncle..."

Talis genuinely cared for Elaino. After her mother passed away a few years ago, and her father, the middle-aged man, was serving in Madagascar, he had to entrust Elaino to Talis and his wife. The childless couple treated her almost like their own daughter.

Because they treated Elaino like their own daughter, despite feeling a bit guilty, Talis still asked tentatively.

"By the way, you didn't just come to visit Elaino, right?"

It wasn't surprising that Talis asked this, as he knew very well that the situation in Madagascar had never been stable.

Since 1895, when France occupied Madagascar and made it a colony, exiling the former Queen Ranavalona III to Algiers, the situation there had never been calm. Historically, the resistance in Madagascar was not quelled until 1905 by Joseph Simon Gallieni.

Elaino's father, the middle-aged man, had been sent to Madagascar with his troops in 1898.

Initially, due to his position, he could occasionally return to France, but after Elaino's mother passed away, the situation in Madagascar often fluctuated, and he rarely returned to France. Thus, his teenage daughter was entrusted to Talis's care.

This care lasted for over three years...

Although he noticed Talis's uneasy expression, Bertrand didn't pay much attention and just smiled.

"As you said, the girl is almost 19. I took this opportunity during my leave to come to Marseille and introduce her to some young men from my unit. This is my way of fulfilling my duties as a father..."

Hearing this, Talis's expression suddenly turned very grim.

"Shouldn't we consider Elaino's opinion? She's in university now, and she might have a boyfriend..."

Bertrand waved his hand. "Of course, but the young men I want to introduce are all excellent, there's no problem."

In fact, the young men he wanted to introduce were not just from his unit but also some young officers stationed in Madagascar.

Although the fighting in Madagascar was minor compared to the war that would come a decade later, the young men who had experienced combat were, in a sense, already men. In Bertrand's view, they were far superior to the 'boys' in Marseille who had never even smelled gunpowder. He was confident in the young men he wanted to introduce.

Seeing Bertrand's expression, Talis didn't say much, but he felt a bit regretful for introducing Elaino to Yan Shao as a translator.

Talis wasn't slow to react. He had noticed the relationship between Elaino and Yan Shao, but because the publishing house needed Yan Shao and he had no prejudice against him, he had taken a laissez-faire attitude. After all, Bertrand was a career military man, and Elaino had learned some martial arts from him when she was young. Despite being almost 10 centimeters shorter than Yan Shao, she could easily handle him. If not, he wouldn't have dared to send a grown woman to assist a man, especially since Elaino was known as the 'Flower of Marseille' in the local universities.

But now, trouble was coming...

Although he had no prejudice against people of color, Bertrand was a stubborn old man who had fought in various colonies. It was almost impossible for him to agree to their relationship.

"I need to keep him calm and then find a way to tell them the news..."

With this thought, Talis put on a smile and invited Bertrand to his publishing house.

He didn't think it was too early to arrange a marriage for Elaino at 18, as it was quite common in that era. For example, Magda Goebbels, the wife of 'Little Yellow' Goebbels, met her first husband, a German industrialist twice her age, when she was 17.

According to rumors, during a six-month car trip in the United States, Magda even met the nephew of President Hoover. When she divorced her husband, the young man traveled from the United States to Germany to propose to Magda, a true romantic...

---

In front of the typewriter, the unfinished manuscript had been thrown aside. While kissing Elaino, Yan Shao's hands had already explored her chest.

Since they had established their relationship a few months ago, such actions had become routine. However, they hadn't gone any further because Elaino always refused, which frustrated Yan Shao.

He had heard the theory that "when a woman says no, she means yes," and had tried to use some force, but quickly realized that Elaino's "no" meant only one thing: no...

He also painfully discovered that a 185 cm tall man couldn't beat a woman almost 10 cm shorter, which made him understand why Talis had been so confident in leaving such a beauty with him—because he couldn't beat her at all...

Just as Yan Shao and Elaino were still being intimate, a series of urgent knocks came from the door. Despite their reluctance, they separated.

"Go check it out..."

Elaino, blushing, adjusted her clothes and said to Yan Shao.

"Oh..."

With a heavy heart, Yan Shao walked to the door and opened it.

"Why are you here?"

Seeing it was Talis, Yan Shao was somewhat surprised.

Talis was someone Yan Shao liked, not just because he was Elaino's uncle. Although he was annoying when pushing for manuscripts, he rarely disturbed Yan Shao and Elaino, especially at this time. So, seeing Talis at the door, Yan Shao was genuinely surprised.

"Let's not talk about that, is Elaino here?"

Talis didn't answer Yan Shao's question but walked directly into the room.

Elaino, who had just adjusted her clothes, also came out and was surprised to see Talis.

"Uncle Talis, why are you here?"

"Why am I here? If I don't come now, it will be too late..." Talis was a shrewd man. Noticing the disheveled creases on Elaino's clothes and her unusually flushed face, and Yan Shao's resentful expression when he opened the door, he naturally guessed what they had been doing before he arrived. This only made him more worried.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Yan Shao was still confused, but Elaino, being more perceptive, noticed that Talis was different from usual. She put aside the coffee she was about to make and quickly asked, "Is there a problem with the publishing house?"

In Elaino's mind, the only thing that could make Talis so worried was the publishing house.

"If it were just the publishing house, it would be better..." Sighing, Talis didn't beat around the bush. "Your father is back!"

"My father?" Hearing this, Elaino's face showed a hint of surprise. After all, Bertrand had been away for years, and it was impossible for her not to miss him. But before her joy could fully show, panic replaced it.

Seeing Elaino's reaction, Talis sighed again. "Now you understand why I'm here, right..."

Hearing this, Elaino didn't say anything but joined him in worrying.

Seeing their expressions, Yan Shao was puzzled. He couldn't understand why Elaino's father's return would make them look like this.

"What's going on?"

Unable to bear the heavy atmosphere in the room, Yan Shao spoke up first.

"Let me explain..." Scratching his head, Talis said straightforwardly. "A few years ago, after the Second Madagascar War, my brother, Elaino's father, was ordered to clear out the resistance in Madagascar. Soon after, Elaino's mother passed away. Because Elaino's father couldn't return, he entrusted the 15-year-old Elaino to me..."

"Recently, with the resistance in Madagascar almost cleared, Bertrand finally applied to return to France and brought back a few young men from his unit, apparently to introduce them to Elaino..."

Hearing this, Yan Shao and Elaino's expressions became strange, but Yan Shao soon smiled.

"This is simple, I'll go to Elaino's father and propose!"

Looking at Elaino, he wanted to go through the proposal process, asking if she would marry him.

In his view, Elaino's father had no reason to refuse him. After all, he was no longer a poor, unknown young man but a famous person worldwide. He believed he was a match for Elaino.

But before he could speak, Talis shook his head with a bitter smile.

"If it were that simple, it would be better. How should I put it, my brother, well, he's not the kind of person you usually hate, but he's a stubborn old man. Getting him to agree to your relationship is probably harder than humans landing on the moon. If you really go to propose, things might get more complicated..."

Hearing this, Yan Shao frowned. The kind of person he hated the most, of course, was those who discriminated against people of color. In that era, such people were not uncommon, and for Europeans of that time, having such attitudes was not unreasonable.

"The news has been delivered..." Taking a green apple from the table, Talis walked to the door. "You'd better think of a solution. I'll go back and stall Bertrand, but I can only stall until tomorrow..."

---

"What should we do now?"

Elaino's face showed worry. Although she hadn't seen her father for years, she knew him well. She was clear that Bertrand would never agree to their relationship.

Yan Shao sat in a chair, thinking for a while before speaking.

"Is the situation really that bad?"

"Worse than you think..." Elaino said with a bitter smile.

"If that's the case..." Yan Shao rubbed his slightly stubbled chin. "Why don't we elope?"

"Elope?"

Elaino seemed startled, but Yan Shao stood in front of her.

"Yes, elope. Since your father will never agree to us being together, let's go to another country. I promise that one day we will return to this country with our heads held high..."

"How long will that take?"

"Well..." Yan Shao hesitated. He couldn't say it would take about 10 years, but this decision made him more determined.

Helping others was not as good as helping himself. Instead of supporting uncertain revolutionary parties, he would do it himself. Even if he failed, with the success of his novels, he and Elaino could live a comfortable life...

Not knowing Yan Shao's thoughts, Elaino saw his hesitation and smiled faintly.

"Never mind, I don't want you to lie to me. Since Uncle Talis can only stall until tomorrow, let's leave tonight..."

---

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