Kael immediately recognized the voice as Keqing's.
He carried the freshly prepared dishes out of the kitchen, and the moment he stepped into the dining area, he saw Keqing standing frozen in shock. Her gaze was fixed on Klee, who sat at the table with perfect posture, waiting quietly for her meal.
Keqing's expression twisted with all sorts of complicated emotions. She bit her lower lip, hesitated, then suddenly dropped into a crouch in front of Klee as if she'd made a huge decision.
"Hello. You're Klee, right? I'm Keqing. From now on, if you ever need anything, you can come to me. I'll look after you properly…"
Kael noticed Xiangling grinning way too happily on the side and instantly understood. She'd definitely played a prank on Keqing again.
He sighed. "Keqing, she's a kid I met in Mondstadt. Just a child."
"Huh?"
Keqing lifted her head in confusion. When she saw Xiangling snickering behind her, realization hit her all at once.
A flash of embarrassment crossed her eyes before she regained her usual composure.
Keqing always approached things meticulously, thinking through every detail. The only reason she believed Xiangling so easily today was because she'd panicked the moment she heard the words Kael's daughter.
Her mind had gone blank.
And to make things worse…
This little girl really did have a few features that resembled Kael.
Keqing stared at their matching brows and eyes, lost in thought.
"Keqing, want to eat with us?"
Kael's voice pulled her back.
She blinked, then nodded. "Alright."
---
Klee stuffed food into her mouth with both hands, her cheeks puffed out like a tiny hamster.
"Boar King Brother, it's sho good… mff… @#%…"
Kael wiped her messy mouth with a handkerchief. "Finish chewing before you talk."
Keqing's eyes widened, stunned.
This was her first time tasting Kael's cooking.
She had been raised in a wealthy household and had eaten every famous dish in Liyue since she was young.
But Kael's cooking put even Xinyue Kiosk and Liuli Pavilion to shame.
She couldn't help speeding up her chopsticks.
Before long, she and Klee had wiped every plate clean.
Once Klee was full and energized, she hopped out of her seat immediately.
She grabbed Kael's arm with both hands and pulled as if she were trying to win a tug-of-war. "Boar King Brother! Klee's done eating! Let's go have fun!!"
For someone so small, her strength was shocking. She nearly yanked Kael straight to the ground.
He steadied himself, helpless. "Slow down. We've got plenty of time."
Keqing stood as well when she heard Klee's excitement. She looked at Kael.
"You're planning to walk around Liyue? I'm free this afternoon. Could I join you?"
Not long ago, Keqing had been in a dangerous mental state, making one extreme decision after another against the Fatui.
But after meeting Kael, her hatred had finally softened. She had slowly regained her clearheaded, rational temperament.
And once she recovered enough to look back at the actions she had taken during that unstable period, she felt terrified.
If Kael hadn't appeared when he did, she would've ruined plans the Liyue Qixing had been preparing in secret for a long time and would've undermined Rex Lapis's ideals.
She would've become Liyue's sinner.
To make up for those reckless mistakes, Keqing had been working herself to the bone ever since, often working overtime until dawn.
She finally managed to free up one afternoon—specifically to come see Kael.
Even with a little third wheel around, she still wanted to spend more time with him.
She was exhausted, emotionally and mentally. She needed Kael's presence to recharge.
Kael agreed without hesitation.
He and Keqing took Klee out for a stroll around Liyue City.
Klee, curious as always, found everything new and exciting. Liyue was full of things she'd never seen in Mondstadt.
"Wow! What's this? It's so shiny and pretty!"
"That's Cor Lapis," Keqing said gently. She turned to the shopkeeper. "Please wrap this one for me."
"Wow! This one smells so good! It must taste amazing!"
"Boss, I'll take one."
"This! And this! And this one too!"
"Boss, ten of these."
"And…"
"…boss…"
Kael grabbed Keqing's hand just as she reached into her pouch again. "Keqing, you've already bought her plenty."
Keqing had grown up surrounded by wealth. Spending money wasn't something she needed to think about.
The moment Klee pointed at something, Keqing paid for it without hesitation.
Kael was now holding an enormous pile of bags—every one of them gifts Keqing had bought for Klee.
There were enough items that he could barely carry everything.
"Klee rarely gets to visit Liyue. Let her bring some souvenirs home. And it's not that much Mora."
Keqing spoke with the confidence of someone who absolutely had too much money.
Now that she knew Kael and Klee weren't actually father and daughter, she wasn't embarrassed anymore.
But she genuinely liked Klee.
Klee was bright, adorable, and pure. And honestly… the more Keqing looked at her face, the more she saw Kael in her features.
Every time she saw that resemblance, Keqing's heart softened instantly. She couldn't stop herself from spoiling her.
Kael shook his head. Keqing was going to spoil this kid rotten.
Especially a troublemaker like Klee—she would absolutely take full advantage of Keqing's kindness.
"Alright. We've seen most of Liyue already. Let's go to Heyu Tea House."
Heyu Tea House had storytellers. People in Liyue loved coming here to drink tea and listen to tales—something Mondstadt didn't have.
And children loved stories.
Perfect place to bring Klee.
---
Heyu Tea House sat on the second floor above Xinyue Kiosk.
The three of them climbed the stairs together.
Before they even reached the top, they saw the outdoor platform packed shoulder to shoulder. The crowd was so large it spilled onto the staircase.
Keqing froze for a moment, then quickly understood.
"Today must be the day Miss Yun performs at Heyu Tea House."