Chapter 8: Ayexia Becomes a Member of Khaenri'ah
*Ye Family Courtyard.*
"Excuse me, is this the residence of Master Ye Xi?"
Hearing the question from outside, Ye Xi was puzzled.
Could it be an official from the Sacred Order? After all, the Ye Family Courtyard had just been built, so maybe there were still some formalities to follow.
Ye Xi stepped out and said, "I am Ye Xi. How may I help you?"
"Eh—?!"
"You... you're Master Ye Xi!?"
Ayexia looked up, staring at the muscular man in front of her, who was half a head taller than her. She even forgot to breathe for a moment.
It was the first time she had seen a man more handsome than the Scribe Al Haitham!
In the Sacred Order, Al Haitham was the object of admiration for countless female scholars. But Al Haitham was so distant and unapproachable that it broke many hearts, including Ayexia's.
She used to fantasize that if she ever married, it would be to someone like Al Haitham. But the moment she saw Ye Xi, she realized her fantasy had changed!
The man standing before her was several times more attractive than Al Haitham!
She could feel an air of superiority emanating from Ye Xi—an aristocratic demeanor that was clearly different from ordinary people. Most importantly, Ye Xi had an approachable aura, unlike the cold distance she felt from others!
If she were to give a score, it would be 100 points!
"Yes, I'm Ye Xi."
"Lose… lose…"
"Lose?"
Seeing Ayexia staring blankly, wide-eyed, Ye Xi waved a hand in front of her.
"Oh! But… but…"
"Didn't they say that Master Ye Xi is an old monster who has lived for over five hundred years?!"
Ayexia's face was full of surprise, but she had already confirmed Ye Xi's identity.
Because of the starry eyes—unique to the people of Khaenri'ah!
It was simply astonishing!
But she still couldn't help but be shocked because the Ye Xi standing before her was nothing like the mad old man she had heard about!
Suddenly, Ayexia snapped back to reality.
Calling him an old monster in front of him was outrageous!
She hurriedly apologized: "I'm… I'm sorry, Master Ye Xi! I didn't expect you to be so young…"
"You must have… experienced many years!"
"But your body is so well-maintained, how did you do it?"
Ayexia not only enjoyed studying the self-regulating mechanisms of Khaenri'ah but also dabbled in research on the longevity of the people of Khaenri'ah.
Seeing a living Khaenri'ahn right in front of her, her academic curiosity was instantly sparked.
Ye Xi sighed and began to speak eloquently: "I condensed my blood with the snow water from Mondstadt's Snowy Mountain, replaced my bones with the river stones of Liyue, and reforged my body with the fruits of Sumeru's forest."
"Wow—"
Ayexia's eyes widened, filled with little stars. "Is that true!?"
"False."
Ayexia: …
She had thought she had a new research topic, but Ye Xi's response immediately deflated her enthusiasm.
However, she couldn't help but laugh, lowering her head and murmuring, "I hate that~"
"Alright, come inside."
Ye Xi stepped aside, letting Ayexia into the courtyard.
The stark contrast between her expectations and reality had greatly improved Ayexia's mood.
She had thought Ye Xi was an old monster but found out he was a handsome young man. The emotional ups and downs were difficult to control.
When they reached the main hall, Ayexia was taken aback by the grandeur of the place.
Coming from a humble background, she was shocked to see such a mansion.
But she quickly composed herself, bowed to Ye Xi, and introduced herself: "Master Ye Xi, my name is Ayexia, and I am a junior scholar from the Miaolun School of the Sacred Order."
"I heard about the commission from the Adventurers' Guild and found my way here."
"Could you give me a chance?"
Ayexia silently prayed that Ye Xi would accept her request. Now, she only hoped Ye Xi would take a liking to her.
After all, that scoundrel Karati couldn't compare to Ye Xi!
If Ye Xi didn't accept her, she'd have to return to the Sacred Order and submit to that awful mentor!
If it came to that, she'd rather die!
Ye Xi was different.
If it weren't for the need for Mora to fund her academic research, she'd willingly follow Ye Xi without asking for any Mora!
Ye Xi was young, handsome, and funny. What woman wouldn't say yes!?
After hearing Ayexia's words, Ye Xi couldn't help but be curious: "I didn't put the address on the commission. How did you find it?"
"That was simple."
Ayexia explained: "You're a stranger here and needed a foothold when you came to Sumeru City. I went to the inns in the city and found that you hadn't booked a room, which meant you must have bought a property in Sumeru. Considering your wealth, it had to be a large residence, and there aren't many new courtyards in the city. All I had to do was ask around."
Ye Xi nodded. "Ayexia, you're very clever and beautiful. But aren't you concerned about the Void announcement?"
Ayexia shook her head. "I'm a scholar, and I'm here to study the habits of the Khaenri'ahns and why their descendants turn into monsters. Perhaps this will provide valuable research material for my future work on He Bantu."
This answer made Ye Xi frown.
She was treating his offspring like research subjects! Scholars, when absorbed in research, really did become lunatics.
But Ye Xi didn't mind.
"Ayexia, I accept you as a member of Khaenri'ah."
"This is your dowry."
With a wave of Ye Xi's hand, several heavy bags of Mora appeared on the mahogany coffee table.
Ayexia's eyes widened immediately at the sight.
She had completely forgotten where the Mora had come from; all her attention was fixed on the bags in front of her!
Fifteen million Mora!
This was the first time in her life she had seen so much money!
…
That night.
After bathing, Ayexia meticulously cleaned every inch of her body. Timidly, she opened the door to the bedroom and slipped under the covers.
"Master, I want to investigate the habits of the Khaenri'ahns."
"Ask."
"Do you need to sleep?"
"…Yes."
"When you eat dundun peaches, do you eat the pit?"
"…No."
"Do you have any special abilities, like breathing underwater…?"
"Ayexia, the people of Khaenri'ah are still human."
"Oh…"
"So, Master, your body really has been around for five hundred years? Is it really as strong as it looks?"
"Ayexia, I'll give you a chance, you can find out for yourself..."
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