Sitting at a table in Wanmin Restaurant, Ye Xi felt as though he were sitting on a bed of needles.
Every customer in the restaurant had their eyes glued to his side of the room.
"He's here, he's here! The son-in-law is about to test a new dish!"
"Tsk, tsk. Just another day in the life of a married couple."
"If you ask me, this young lad is going to file for divorce the moment he takes a bite!"
"Don't even mention it. That Slime-frescoed Mushroom... it's truly indescribable!"
"Let's see how the son-in-law passes this trial!"
"..."
The atmosphere inside Wanmin Restaurant was exceptionally lively. Some had even rushed over specifically to watch the spectacle after hearing the news.
Ye Xi looked at the bowl brimming with Slime-frescoed Mushroom, his heart anything but steady.
[Is this the Slime-frescoed Mushroom that even Chongyun doesn't dare touch?]
[Is this actually edible?]
In truth, the texture of Slime Condensate was very strange. Those who could handle it, could handle it; those who couldn't, couldn't.
The last time Ye Xi had eaten Slime Condensate was... well, the last time. If he had to describe it, it was a bit like "clean and hygienic" aloe vera juice.
Ugh...
So, the Slime-frescoed Mushroom before him was essentially mushrooms soaked in aloe juice. To put it mildly, eating it required a massive amount of resolve.
Hearing Ye Xi's inner voice, Xiangling felt a mix of smugness and a tiny bit of irritation.
'This bad guy is actually questioning whether it's edible!'
'Of course it's edible!'
Despite her thoughts, seeing Ye Xi look so distressed gave her a secret sense of satisfaction.
'This is what you get for fooling around with so many pretty girls. Eat up, eat up! If you say it tastes bad, I'm never talking to you again!'
Ye Xi glanced at Ganyu beside him. Her eyes were darting away, filled with a visible dread for the bowl of Slime-frescoed Mushroom sitting on the table.
Even Ganyu was afraid!
Ye Xi cleared his throat. "Xiangling, do I... do I really have to eat this?"
"You absolutely have to eat it," Xiangling replied, picking up the bowl with a giggle that made her look like a little demon queen. "I made so much today, but not a single customer ordered it. I'm very discouraged."
"Besides, you promised Madame Ping that you would protect me."
"So, helping me through my troubles is also part of our Contract~"
"Come on, come on. I'll feed it to you. Open wideah"
As she spoke, Xiangling scooped up a spoonful and moved it toward Ye Xi's mouth with a beaming smile.
Normally, Xiangling looked incredibly adorable like this. The problem was that the "food" was practically inedible! In Ye Xi's eyes, he felt like Dalang being forced to take his medicine by his wife!
Furthermore, he didn't recall anything in the Contract about having to be a test subject for new recipes!
Seeing this scene, some of the diners burst into laughter while others watched with envy.
"Feeded by Xiangling herself? That's pure bliss!"
"Even if it were poison, I'd drink it!"
"Dammit, I'm so jealous!"
"They look just like a couple in the honeymoon phase, feeding each other at the table. So sweet!"
"Hahaha, look at the pain on the son-in-law's face!"
"Dalang, just drink it up~"
"The son-in-law has it rough! I feel for him!"
"..."
The restaurant was filled with the sounds of good-natured heckling. By now, the spoon was at his lips; Ye Xi had no way to retreat.
[To hell with it!]
Closing his eyes, Ye Xi opened his mouth. All eyes were on him, waiting for his reaction.
Ye Xi felt the cool substance enter his mouth. However, the sensation he had anticipated didn't occur.
[Huh? It actually seems... not bad?]
The texture of Slime Condensate was different from aloe juice. Aloe juice felt like a cup of slimy mucushonestly quite revolting. But Slime Condensate had a texture more akin to jelly. It was firm and congealed.
He had expected a slimy mess, but it was surprisingly refreshing.
The flavor of the mushrooms wasn't that of common city-bought mushrooms either. These had been gathered from the deep mountain forests; they were exceptionally savory and lacked any lingering taste of dirt.
Overall, it was like jelly-tossed mushrooms. The taste was quite acceptable.
After swallowing, he nodded. "It's actually alright."
Hearing this answer, the crowd in Wanmin Restaurant let out a collective sigh of admiration, exactly as expected.
"Wow, what a performance! As expected of our son-in-law!"
"He actually looks like he genuinely enjoys it. That's some incredible dedication!"
"Even if it tasted like garbage, he'd say it was delicious!"
"With that kind of willpower, no wonder he managed to marry Xiangling. An ordinary man couldn't handle it!"
"Impressive indeed!"
"..."
Hearing the crowd's comments, Xiangling wasn't angry. She could hear Ye Xi's true thoughts! This answer was the absolute truth!
Xiangling felt a wave of happiness wash over her.
'As expected of the man I like! His tastes are just like mine! I knew it was delicious!'
She felt that she had chosen correctly.
At that moment, Chef Mao, who had been watching from the background, stepped forward. He had been observing Ye Xi's reaction closely.
How should he put it? Beyond feeling bad for the lad, he felt nothing but sympathy. He had tried this Slime-frescoed Mushroom before, and the resulting stomach ache had almost sent him to Bubu Pharmacy.
Thus, seeing Ye Xi's seamless "acting" throughout the entire ordeal, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect.
He walked over to Xiangling, patted her on the shoulder, and sighed. "Daughter, if you meet a man willing to eat your Slime-frescoed Mushroom, just marry him! That is true love!"
"Dad! Whatwhat are you saying!"
Xiangling felt her face flush. She was shy and began to fidget. Even though she knew Ye Xi intended to marry her, they hadn't "broken through the paper window" of their relationship in public yet! Hearing it said so bluntly was mortifying!
Chef Mao wore the expression of a man entrusting his child to another as he looked at Ye Xi. "Ye Xi, my Xiangling is quite a handful! I'll have to count on you to look after her from now on."
Xiangling bit her lip in embarrassment. "Dad, how can you say that about me!"
Chef Mao crossed his arms and huffed. "Do you think I don't know what you're like? You can't just act on every whim in the future. You should learn from Ye Xi's reliability."
Ye Xi smiled and nodded. "Rest assured, I will take care of her."
Chef Mao let out a booming laugh. "With those words, my heart is at ease. Eat well, drink well! Eat up, eat up!"
Finally, the little drama came to an end, and the onlookers began to disperse, whispering among themselves.
"Looks like the deal is sealed!"
"Xiangling is getting married. My silly boy never stood a chance!"
"It won't be long before Chef Mao throws a wedding banquet. We'll all have to come and crash the feast!"
"Right, right!"
"..."
As the spectators trickled out of Wanmin Restaurant, Ganyu, who had been suppressing her appetite for a long time, finally felt safe enough to taste the food before her.
"Mmm this Qingxin tastes wonderful"
She felt that these familiar dishes tasted even better than before! Even though she was letting her appetite roam free, Ganyu still ate with perfect elegance. Watching her eat was a feast for the eyes for Ye Xi.
[This Qingxin is clearly so bitter, how can it be good...]
[Sigh, in a sense, Ganyu really is a girl who can 'eat bitterness' (endure hardship).]
On one hand, there was her tireless dedication to her work; on the other, she literally ate bitter things!
Hearing Ye Xi's thoughts, Ganyu smiled inwardly. She was a Qilin, after all!
Drinking only Sweet Dew, eating only Fine Grain. Moving with grace and ritual, never falling into a snare.
Even the Qingxin that everyone else disliked had a unique flavor to her.
Soon, the dishes on the table were wiped clean. Ganyu patted her belly contentedly. This long-lost feeling of being full was pure bliss! and this happiness had been given to her by Ye Xi.
If she could eat her fill every day, the exhaustion of her work would likely vanish instantly.
By now, the number of customers in Wanmin Restaurant had thinned out. Ye Xi planned to head back to the Qixing Estate first to ensure the Serenitea Pot wouldn't be taken again.
"Dad, we're heading out now!"
Chef Mao emerged from the kitchen. "Go on then! Have a good time with Ye Xi, and make sure you teach him your culinary skills properly!"
"I know!"
Xiangling leaned toward Ye Xi and whispered with a giggle, "I told Dad I was going to teach a 'young lady' how to cook. If he knew it was the Raiden Shogun, he'd probably die of fright, wouldn't he?"
"I don't think so," Ye Xi replied with a faint smile. "If you actually manage to teach Ei one day, I'll have her come to Wanmin Restaurant and let Chef Mao be the judge to see if her cooking passes!"
"Eh!? If my Dad found out, he wouldn't dare judge her!"
Xiangling said it, but there was a spark of anticipation in her eyes. "I get it now!"
"When the time comes, I'll bring the Shogun back. If Dad says it doesn't taste good and gives her a scolding, and then finds out who she is... his expression will be priceless!"
Ye Xi laughed. "You really are your father's 'precious little heart-warmer,' aren't you?"
"Stop it~ You make it sound like I'm your daughter!"
Hearing the mischievous laughter from Xiangling and Ye Xi, Ganyu smiled behind her hand. These conversations were so full of joy.
Did she still feel lonely?
No!
Not anymore!
Ganyu felt incredibly happy. Previously, she felt she didn't fit in with humans, nor did she fit in with the Adepti. But now, she felt she could. At the very least, she could fit into Ye Xi's home.
With such a cute and lively girl around, the house would always be bustling. That loneliness within the sea of people would never return!
Xiangling, seeing Ganyu smiling, felt she was much easier to talk to than Yae Miko, so she proactively approached her.
"Ganyu, you have such a beautiful smile!"
"Eh!?" Ganyu's face turned red. It was her first time receiving such enthusiastic praise from another girl.
Xiangling chuckled. "I used to see you coming to Wanmin Restaurant to eat. You were always alone, sitting in the corner. So, whenever I served you, I'd secretly sneak in two extra scoops for you. I didn't expect you to finish it all every time."
"Two extra scoops!?" Ganyu's eyes widened in surprise.
Didn't that mean she ate a huge amount?!
Ye Xi gave Xiangling a light tap on the head. "That's a bit impolite to say, isn't it? Ganyu has the blood of a Qilin; she's a half-adeptus. It's only natural she eats more because of her lineage."
"Eh!? An Adeptus!?" Xiangling's eyes nearly popped out of her head in shock.
She looked at Ganyu as if she were discovering a new continent, scrutinizing her carefully. She had heard many stories about the Adepti but had never seen one. In her imagination, Adepti were massive, mythical beasts like dragons or tigers.
Like Rex Lapis, who was a dragon!
Ganyu felt shy under the gaze and replied, "It wasn't impolite. Xiangling meant well, you shouldn't bully her."
Xiangling reached a conclusion: "Aside from the horns on your head, you don't seem any different from the rest of us."
Those words took Ganyu by surprise.
"No different from anyone else..."
In the past, whenever people learned of her identity, they would treat her with distant respect. Human lives were short, so they always drew a line between themselves and the Adepti.
No one had ever said what Xiangling just said. In an instant, Ganyu grew very fond of this energetic young girl.
Ye Xi could only shake his head helplessly. Should he say Xiangling had a natural talent for flirting? She had charmed Ganyu with just a few words.
"Then Ganyu must be very old. Shouldn't I call you..."
"Just call me big sister!" Ganyu quickly cut her off, fearing Xiangling might blurt out some terrifyingly formal title.
"Ganyu-jie!" Xiangling chirped with a grin. "I'll cook for you from now on! You can eat as much as you want, no problem!"
Ganyu felt a warmth spread through her heart. She began to imagine heartwarming sceneseveryone living together, eating their fill during lunch without worrying about the judgments of others.
It would be true happiness!
Seeing them get along so well made Ye Xi feel very satisfied. During their conversation, they arrived at the Qixing Estate.
"WowYe Xi, you live in the Qixing Estate!" Xiangling was full of envy. This was where the top leaders of Liyue resided.
Ye Xi nodded. "I live right next to the Tianquan, Ningguang. Come on, I'll take you inside to have a look!"
Xiangling shrugged. Ye Xi had been attracting girls for a while now; she was starting to get used to it. Still, getting to see the inside of the Qixing Estate was a major eye-opener.
Ganyu had lived here for countless years and was long accustomed to it. Seeing Xiangling's curiosity at every turn made her smile.
Upon entering Ningguang's manor, Ye Xi led the two of them into his private quarters.
[Bringing two beautiful girls back to my bedroom... this feeling is quite a thrill!]
Ye Xi had a few wicked thoughts. Hearing his inner voice, both girls blushed simultaneously.
Ye Xi took out the Serenitea Pot and placed it on the table. Here, he didn't have to worry about the wind blowing the pot away. On second thought, the Serenitea Pot was actually quite dangerous. If someone threw the pot into the ocean, wouldn't he drown the moment he came out?
In the future, he'd have to make sure he entered the Serenitea Pot from a secure location!
"Xiangling, let's go home."
"Okay~" Xiangling giggled.
Home. The Serenitea Pot was her and Ye Xi's home!
Hearing this, Ganyu suddenly felt a pang of envy. A question popped into her mind. Where was her home? Jueyun Karst? Liyue Harbor? No, neither felt right!
She didn't have a home!
But now, she wanted one. She looked at the side of Ye Xi's face, her gaze full of longing.
'What will our future home look like?'
Ye Xi uncapped the pot, and the surrounding environment shifted instantly.
Before them... hot springs, pavilions, and a small western-style house appeared in their line of sight. Ganyu looked at this warm place filled with sunlight, her eyes trembling slightly with wonder.
At that moment, Xiangling let out a cry of amazement from beside him.
"Ye Xi! So many Mora! There's so, so many!"
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