Xiangling: "It's so sour!"
Inside the Treasure Hoarder camp.
"...Chief Instructor, that's the situation."
A squad leader reported the circumstances respectfully. They had temporarily occupied the camp as a resting point. His men were currently busy shattering ice sculptures to rescue the Treasure Hoarders trapped inside; otherwise, those bandits would surely freeze to death.
Some were responsible for the rescue, while others were busy tying the prisoners up. The problem was that these Treasure Hoarders were completely paralyzed, and they had to send people back to Yujing Terrace to fetch stretchers. Without them, even hauling the bandits back would be a Herculean effort.
During this time, the Chief Instructor ordered an interrogation of the awakened Treasure Hoarders to understand what had happened.
The Chief Instructor was visibly shocked by the report. "Is that really what the Treasure Hoarders said?"
"Lady Yuheng has a guardian by her side who can whip up winds of pure frost!"
"Beside Lady Yuheng... isn't that the Ye Xi hired by Lady Tianquan?"
"Could it be him?" The Chief Instructor stroked his beard, falling into deep thought.
The squad leader continued to supplement the report. "Chief Instructor, every Treasure Hoarder who has woken up is terrified of that man's horrific strength. In their words, he is like a devil. Lightning has no effect on him, and even Cryo potion bottles shattered against his body without causing a single scratch!"
The surrounding soldiers began to whisper among themselves.
"How is that possible? To be hit by potion bottles and remain unscathed? Is Lord Ye Xi made of stone?"
"I heard the Treasure Hoarders say that the guardian beside Lady Keqing can use many different elements!"
"Impossible. Lord Ye Xi doesn't have a Vision. We saw with our own eyes that his strength is attributed to Cryo!"
"No one can use two elements unless they are a Fatui Harbinger!"
"Lady Ningguang would never allow a Fatui Harbinger to stay by her side. That is beyond doubt. Therefore, Lord Ye Xi's identity must be extraordinary!"
While they were discussing, someone suddenly offered a new perspective.
"Is it possible... that Lord Ye Xi is an Adeptus from Jueyun Karst?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Chief Instructor's eyes lit up.
"You're right! An Adeptus's methods transcend the boundaries of elemental power. That must be Adeptal Energy! This Ye Xi is likely an Adeptus, which is why Lady Ningguang arranged for him to be at her side!"
Everything suddenly clicked for the crowd. It made perfect sense.
Expressions of awe washed over them. "To think Lord Ye Xi is actually an Adeptus!"
"Liyue feels so much safer with an Adeptus guarding it."
"No wonder he could wipe out those Treasure Hoarders so easily!"
Their respect for Ye Xi instantly transformed into profound reverence.
Meanwhile, the man they were deifying was currently walking with Ganyu through the streets of Liyue Harbor.
It was midday.
The streets of Liyue Harbor were exceptionally bustling! Diners were everywhere, and many dignitaries were seen entering and exiting Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion. The entire street was a sea of people.
However, all eyes were currently focused on the two of them.
"Look, what kind of outfit is that?"
"What beautiful clothes."
"The person is beautiful, and the dress is even more so!"
"I really want to go up and ask where she bought that dress!"
Voices buzzed on both sides of the street. Ganyu, the center of all this attention, kept her head lowered in shyness. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and she didn't dare look anyone in the eye.
Just then, she heard a voice in her heart.
[With clothes like these, she won't feel lonely even while being the center of attention.]
Ganyu looked up in surprise at Ye Xi, only to find him looking back at her. After a few seconds of eye contact, she lowered her head again, her face burning. Her heart raced.
'How... how did he know?'
For Ganyu, there was no place she truly belonged. She was a half-Adeptus, neither fully human nor fully Adeptal. The human side of her blood made her linger in the splendor of the lantern markets, while her Adeptal nature made her yearn for the seclusion of the mountains and the Realm Within.
The loneliness of Liyue Harbor was more profound than that of Jueyun Karst. Watching the clouds in Jueyun Karst was merely the loneliness of one person. Walking through the crowds of Liyue was the loneliness of a non-human entity in a human world.
She had always felt alone. Even her master, Cloud Retainer, couldn't truly understand.
But Ye Xi could.
Ganyu was deeply moved. Ye Xi had gifted her such beautiful clothes specifically so that more people would notice her. Indeed, when one is held in the gaze of others, that sense of being ignored and isolated vanishes.
She was just a bit shy...
"Ganyu, the stolen goods Keqing and I brought back are in the Realm Within. After we finish eating, I'll take you there to catalog them."
Ye Xi gave a brief summary of the morning's events. That Mora and those antiques weren't his, and he didn't care for them anyway.
[Uh... there really is a lot of treasure, though.]
[There must be at least several million Mora.]
[That's equivalent to several years of my savings! Sigh...]
Hearing these inner thoughts, Ganyu covered her mouth to hide a small smile. She nodded and placed her hand over her chest, praising him sincerely. "Ye Xi, the virtue of returning lost property is perfectly embodied in you. I'm sure the owners will be very grateful. You are wonderful, truly selfless. I admire your lack of greed."
"If it weren't for your Serenitea Pot, these lost items might never have been recovered."
Hearing Ganyu's soft, gentle voice, Ye Xi took a deep breath to calm his rising emotions.
[To hear such praise, I'd be willing to pay a million Mora out of my own pocket!]
[Yeah, it's worth it. Totally worth it.]
Ye Xi was glad he hadn't pocketed even a single coin. The feeling of doing a good deed and being praised by a gentle older sister was simply too good!
After stabilizing his emotions, he nodded calmly. "I'm very gratified to hear you say that."
Ganyu turned her head slightly, her face blooming into a deep crimson.
'Does he really like being praised that much...?'
'I could praise him every day from now on...'
She hadn't expected her words to bring him so much joy. To her, it felt like an honor. She was just a secretary, someone whose words usually carried little weight. Yet, Ye Xi valued her so much that it filled her heart with warmth. Her once lonely and desolate heart felt as though it had moved closer to a radiant sun.
Passersby were giggling secretly.
"Look, that girl's face is so red."
"Out on a date with her boyfriend and still so shy?"
"Pure girls are like that; they blush at just a word or two. It's so sweet!"
"I wish I had a girlfriend that beautiful!"
"That dress is stunning!"
Hearing the whispers of the crowd, Ganyu's heart throbbed.
'Boyfriend...'
'Date...'
She shook her head to dispel the embarrassing thoughts and whispered, "I didn't realize you had obtained a Realm Within. I'd love to see how you designed it."
Listening to her soft murmurs, Ye Xi felt a stir of excitement. He really wanted to go into the Serenitea Pot right now.
"After we eat."
As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance of Wanmin Restaurant. Vibrant shouts echoed from inside.
"Today's Stir-Fried Fish Noodles are served in large portions! Guaranteed to fill you up!"
"Come try our new experimental dish for freeSlime Slide Mushroom!"
Xiangling's voice rang out as diners streamed in and out.
"Xiangling, one order of Stir-Fried Fish Noodles, please. But forget about that Slime Slide Mushroom."
"Same here!"
"Me too! One order of the noodles!"
Xiangling sighed, though she didn't let it dampen her spirits. She replied enthusiastically, "Coming right up! Stir-Fried Fish Noodles on the table in a jiffy!"
Chef Mao was busy in the kitchen. When Ye Xi and Ganyu walked in, Xiangling ran over happily.
"Ye Xi, you're here!"
"Ganyu... your clothes are so pretty."
She was thrilled to see Ye Xi, but seeing Ganyu there made her feel a little bit of jealousy.
Ganyu smiled and waved. "Hello, Xiangling."
Ganyu wasn't sure what Xiangling was thinking, but she felt a bit awkward facing her. She wanted to spend time with Ye Xi, but she knew Xiangling liked him very much. She felt a bit like a woman who had stolen someone else's husband.
Ye Xi didn't notice the tension between the two girls. He was more concerned about Xiangling's work.
"Xiangling, how is the plan going? If you go to Inazuma every day, can Chef Mao handle the restaurant?"
He was referring to her becoming Raiden Ei's cooking instructor. He didn't actually care if Raiden Ei learned to cook; he just felt that having a girl as cheerful as Xiangling around would help the Shogun open up and become more outgoing.
Xiangling nodded. "I talked to my dad. Since the restaurant isn't busy in the afternoons, I have plenty of free time between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM. He was very quick to give me the time off."
In truth, she had lied to Ye Xi. When she first told her father she wanted to go out every day, he had flatly refused. Chef Mao was worried she was just going to cause trouble! She was at a marriageable age; if she spent all day running wild and coming home covered in dirt, what would happen if Ye Xi lost interest? Who would like a girl who crawled through bushes looking for lizards?
But as soon as Xiangling mentioned it was for Ye Xi, he had agreed instantly.
Xiangling felt helpless. Her father looked as if he wished she wouldn't even come home at night if she was with Ye Xi. He acted like he expected her to disappear for a few days and come back ready to have a baby.
Ye Xi smiled. "Good. We'll head out after lunch. I have gifts for youmany gifts. Look forward to it."
"Eh!?"
"Gi... Gifts!"
Xiangling's anticipation soared. She had been a bit frustrated because not a single order of Slime Slide Mushroom had sold today, but hearing about gifts from Ye Xi made her worries vanish instantly.
"Great! Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll make it myself!" Xiangling made a motion as if rolling up her sleeves, and although she didn't have any, her morale was through the roof.
Ye Xi couldn't help but chuckle.
The nearby diners lowered their voices and began to gossip.
"That must be Chef Mao's son-in-law! He's really something!"
"Indeed, he's quite handsome!"
"Nonsense, for Chef Mao to marry off his beloved daughter, the man has to be special."
"Tsk tsk, cooking for him personally. It looks like we'll only be eating Chef Mao's cooking from now on!"
"Ah, what a loss for our taste buds!"
"A loss? Want a portion of Slime Slide Mushroom?"
"No, no, no..."
"In a sense, being the son-in-law isn't easy. Passing the taste-testing stage must be brutal."
"True. But with a wife that cute, you'd probably drink poison if she asked you to!"
"Dalang, it's time for your medicine?"
"..."
While the customers were gossiping, Chef Mao came out to serve a dish. Hearing them suggest that his cooking was a "loss" compared to his daughter's, he slammed the plate down with a loud thud.
"Are you saying my cooking isn't as good as my daughter's?"
Everyone could tell he was joking, but they hurried to defend themselves. "Not at all! You're the master chef and her father. Your skills are obviously superior, right?"
"Right, right! Chef Mao's cooking is the best!"
Chef Mao gave a smug grin. "Heh? My cooking actually isn't as good as my daughter's. Since you can't eat hers, you're stuck with mine. If you want a taste of my daughter's craft, do you really think you have that kind of luck?"
After saying that, he burst into laughter.
"You daughter-obsessed old man."
"Shameless!"
"Old Mao is getting more arrogant by the day. He finds one good son-in-law and starts floating."
"Hahahaha..."
Back at the table, Ganyu was able to eat to her heart's content because Ye Xi had helped her unlock her Stella Fortuna. Ye Xi took the initiative to order for her.
"Enough, that's enough..."
"Ye Xi! Stop it!"
Ganyu was red-faced, secretly tapping Ye Xi's shoulder to tell him to stop ordering. She did want to eat more, but... if he ordered this much, it would attract way too much attention! If everyone found out that a girl like her ate this much, where would she hide her face?
Ye Xi laughed. "I'm just kidding. But..." He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You can eat as much as you want. Just say I'm the one eating it."
Ganyu felt her cheeks burning even hotter. To eat so much and then let Ye Xi take the blame... how embarrassing...
"But... you still don't need to order that much..." she murmured, her voice thick with shame.
Ye Xi said earnestly, "Don't worry, you won't get fat. Besides, with your figure, being a little bit plumper would look even better."
Ganyu turned her head away, unable to look at him. "I'll... I'll listen to you."
She finally gave in.
Ye Xi looked at Xiangling. "I'll leave it to you then. I'm looking forward to your skills."
Xiangling watched Ye Xi and Ganyu's intimate interaction, her heart feeling incredibly sour. However, she quickly thought of a way to punish him.
"Don't worry, I'll give it my all!" she said brightly. "But Ye Xi, you have to help me test a new dish!"
"Slime Slide Mushroom!"
Ye Xi froze on the spot.
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