Gu Chen said leisurely, "Now that the crisis outside Teyvat has been resolved, I also took the liberty of rewriting Teyvat's fate… Sister doesn't need to worry about so much anymore. The weight on your heart can finally be lifted. Now that you've relaxed, shouldn't you start thinking about… other things?"
Furina froze, her face burning as she kept her head lowered.
Was this silly little brother… hinting at something?!
Knowing that everything was now safe had already eased her mind greatly—but hearing that second half…
It was impossible not to overthink it!!
Furina's thoughts turned chaotic, and she couldn't squeeze out a single word.
At some point, Gu Chen had already sat down by the tea table. He poured himself a cup of black tea, took a sip, and teased, "Why are you just standing there, Sister?"
Only then did Furina snap back to her senses. Barefoot, she walked over and sat down beside him. She wanted to say something, but the atmosphere made it hard to even begin.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Gu Chen asked with a smile, holding his teacup.
Furina fidgeted with her fingers and said softly, "You feel… different today."
"Oh?" Gu Chen raised a brow. "Well, after resolving a major threat, of course I'm in a good mood. If we scale it down, it's like you no longer having to worry about Fontaine's problems. Don't tell me you're not happy?"
"I see…"
Furina finally understood what he meant.
With everything now at ease, her mind began to wander.
She was a god—and a clever one at that.
Truthfully, she had realized long ago that she might already be caught in something like a whirlpool of emotions… but she had never resisted it.
She thought back to the beginning—when she had just taken up the mantle of Hydro Archon, pondering solutions deep beneath the sea. Then, by chance, she discovered an anomaly deep within the Primordial Seawater… and found her "silly little brother," newly born, eyes not yet open.
At first, it was like raising a little pet. Then a child. Watching him grow little by little…
At some point, she even felt like she had become a mother—what was that about?
Furina rubbed her cheeks, lightly patting them to clear her thoughts.
At the beginning, she didn't dare imagine anything beyond that. The gap between them was like heaven and earth—like a planet compared to a grain of sand… completely unequal.
But this "little brat" had clung to her since childhood. As time went on, he became more and more bold, and his occasional foolishness made it hard to associate him with some grand reincarnation of an ancient sovereign. That overwhelming sense of disparity gradually blurred.
After centuries together… Furina found that this kind of life wasn't bad at all.
But today… it was all too sudden!
She hadn't prepared herself at all!
Her first instinct wasn't to reject him—but to hurriedly build mental defenses.
After all, aside from not officially defining their relationship—and not crossing certain final lines—the way they lived together already resembled that of a couple…
The only obstacle left… was her own mindset.
She glanced up slightly. Gu Chen was stroking his chin, seemingly lost in thought.
"What are you thinking about now?" she asked, almost unconsciously.
"Hm?" Gu Chen snapped out of it. "Oh, I was thinking about what to eat tonight."
"That's it?!" Furina's eyes widened.
"Yeah. What else would I be thinking about?" He nodded, then added meaningfully, "What do you think I should be thinking about right now, Sister?"
Furina froze for a moment, then her face flushed red. She lightly smacked him. "You brat, always bullying your sister!"
"Injustice, my lady!" Gu Chen raised his hands in surrender.
"Hmph~ What do you want to eat? I'll go buy groceries and have Neuvillette cook tonight," Furina said as she stood up.
Gu Chen leaned back into his chair, the afternoon sunlight illuminating Furina's faint blush. After a moment's thought, he said, "I'm not picky. Anything is fine—your call, Sister."
Furina wasn't surprised by that answer. She turned and headed out.
Outside the manor, Furina spotted Neuvillette standing on a slope in the distance, hands behind his back. Nearby, the Traveler was crouched down, whispering excitedly to a recently awakened—and still confused—Paimon.
Seeing Furina come out, all three looked surprised.
Neuvillette frowned slightly. "Why is she coming out?"
Furina walked over. "I'm going to buy groceries. You're cooking tonight."
"Understood," Neuvillette nodded, glancing at the Traveler.
The Traveler blinked, immediately catching the hint. Remembering Neuvillette's earlier words, she quickly said, "I was just about to head back to the Court of Fontaine. Let's go together!"
"Alright," Furina agreed.
With Paimon tagging along—clearly bursting with curiosity but unsure whether to speak—the group set off together.
As they walked, the Traveler felt that she had grown fairly close to Furina during this time.
After quickly organizing her thoughts, she cautiously probed, "You and Mr. Chen… you really seem like a couple."
"Hm?" Furina blinked, then nodded. "A lot of people think that. But actually… we're not."
The Traveler and Paimon exchanged a glance.
Not… yet?
That phrasing said everything. She didn't reject the idea—in fact, she leaned toward it.
"So what do you think?" the Traveler asked gently.
Furina gradually realized what was happening. She stopped walking, turned, and looked at her. "You're quite the gossip, aren't you?"
"I'm a witness!" the Traveler declared proudly. "Witnessing is what I do! These are all life experiences—more experience means deeper insight in the future!"
Furina rolled her eyes.
That sounded reasonable… but wasn't it just gossip in disguise?
Still, she didn't mind. Instead, she sighed. "Maybe it's just… I've gotten used to this life. Like how people hesitate to leave their comfort zone."
"Then think of it as jumping into an even better one," the Traveler urged earnestly.
"If it were me, I'd seriously consider whether this might be the only chance in my life."
Paimon nodded vigorously. "Yeah! If you miss it, you miss it forever!"
The Traveler's expression suddenly turned reflective, like someone who had seen it all. "People have to pursue what they believe is right—and the person they believe is right. Sometimes, if you turn away, you lose it forever. One day, you'll look back and regret it for the rest of your life."
Furina's lashes trembled as she stared at the Traveler.
It felt like she was being subtly… brainwashed.
Then it clicked.
"Neuvillette put you up to this, didn't he?"
The Traveler smiled awkwardly.
"No need," Furina shook her head. "I understand all that."
"In the end, it's just that I've gotten used to things as they are. Like not wanting to step out of a comfort zone."
"But… if what's ahead is an even better one, then I should gather the courage to step forward."
"Go for it!" Paimon clenched her tiny fist.
The Traveler nodded repeatedly. "Yes! Take him down tonight!"
Fueled by their encouragement, Furina felt a surge of boldness. She nodded firmly.
"Alright—tonight, I'll take him down!"
That afternoon, the Traveler and Furina even came up with a "plan."
In the evening, they would celebrate the resolution of the crisis. And what's a celebration without some drinks?
Whether they could get Gu Chen drunk didn't matter—the atmosphere did.
Then, after dinner, Neuvillette would escort the Traveler and Paimon back to the Court of Fontaine under the excuse that it was unsafe at night.
That would leave only Gu Chen and Furina alone at home.
At that point—conditions perfect, mood perfect, atmosphere perfect—whatever happened next… would be out of the Traveler's hands.
Though still shy, after all the chanting and encouragement, Furina's confidence skyrocketed.
Evening.
Gu Chen lounged like a lord, waiting.
Furina bustled about, though it was unclear what exactly she was busy with—only that she avoided interacting with him.
The Traveler and Paimon helped Neuvillette in the kitchen, subtly conveying their plan.
Neuvillette wasn't sure if it would work—but since it had been proposed, it was worth trying.
Soon, dinner was served.
Paimon was still a little afraid of Gu Chen, but she worked hard to pour him drink after drink.
"Ahem!"
Furina cleared her throat, raised her glass, her fair face serious under the moonlight.
"To celebrating Teyvat escaping disaster—cheers!"
"Cheers," Neuvillette echoed.
"Cheers," Gu Chen agreed.
The cups were drained, and Paimon eagerly refilled them.
As they ate and drank—
"Mr. Chen, my admiration for the Ancient Sovereign flows like an endless river—this toast is to you!" the Traveler declared.
"Alright."
"Mr. Chen, without you, Teyvat would be doomed—this toast is to you!"
"Alright."
"Mr. Chen—"
"…Alright."
By the end of the meal—
"It's getting late. We should head back—please excuse us!" the Traveler said, face flushed.
"There are plenty of rooms here. Stay the night," Gu Chen offered.
"No…" the Traveler sighed. "Paimon… she needs her own bed."
Gu Chen glanced at Paimon.
She stiffened, then nodded frantically. "Yes! It took me days to get used to my bed in Fontaine!"
Before Gu Chen could reply, Neuvillette stood. "It's unsafe at night. I'll escort them back."
"Okay!"
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
Gu Chen watched the three leave, slightly stunned.
Turning back—
Furina's face was flushed red.
Gu Chen lowered his gaze to the wine in his cup, then smiled knowingly. "So this was Sister's plan?"
"Huh?!"
Furina panicked. Exposed already?!
Before she could react—
An arm slipped around her from behind, pulling her into his embrace.
As she fell into his arms, her heart raced wildly.
Turning her head, she found his chin resting on her shoulder.
"Wine isn't intoxicating…" he murmured softly, "but Sister… you're far more so."
Her heart pounded like it might burst. Her face burned.
Her mind went blank as his hand began to wander, unfamiliar sensations flooding her senses.
"Mm… you brat…"
"Not here…"
"Got it~"
With a smile in his eyes, Gu Chen lifted her into his arms.
"Then let's go inside."
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