On the eve of the Lantern Rite, every household was adorned with colorful lanterns and decorations, and the harbor was brimming with the unique festive atmosphere.
"It's all gone by in the blink of an eye. Another year is coming to an end," Keqing remarked beside her. Qin Yu nodded in agreement.
"Still, I'm really looking forward to it," Qin Yu said with a smile.
Keqing returned the smile. "Me too. It's been so long since we've celebrated the Lantern Rite together like this."
Evaluation: D
After all, they had experienced such a traumatic event in their childhood.
Reuniting after so many years and spending the Lantern Rite together... just thinking about it made Qin Yu's heart flutter with anticipation.
Even before the official festivities began, Qin Yu was already brimming with excitement.
"But even though we won't be working overtime unless it's absolutely necessary, we still need to fulfill our duties properly," Keqing reminded her.
Qin Yu felt like she'd been doused with cold water. She sighed, "I know."
The more Qin Yu looked forward to her days off, the more she struggled to muster the energy to work.
Seeing her sigh, Keqing took her hand.
"Cheer up! Let's just finish our work early, and we'll have even more time to play, right?" Keqing encouraged.
Qin Yu murmured, "Mm-hmm."
She knew the logic was sound, but she was just being stubborn.
Still, she only ever acted this way around Keqing and the others.
"I get it, but if you could encourage me more, Keqing, maybe I'd become even more efficient," Qin Yu joked.
Keqing pondered, "Encourage you more?"
How should I encourage her?
Encouragement from a superior to a subordinate wouldn't work, because they were essentially childhood friends and lovers.
Childhood friends and lovers... Keqing's face flushed slightly, and she pulled Qin Yu into a brief hug.
Let's give it our all together— Keqing was about to say, but she realized it sounded too formal.
Never one for beating around the bush or crafting eloquent phrases, she decided to speak straight from the heart:
"Let's make this Lantern Rite one we'll always remember."
Evaluation: C-
Qin Yu's chest and face flushed warmly, and she murmured a vague agreement, "Okay..."
Shortly after returning to Yujing Terrace, Ganyu approached her.
"I need to report something to the Qixing," Ganyu said.
"What is it?"
"Well, it's like this..."
Ganyu explained the situation in broad strokes.
In essence, a distinguished foreign guest wished to host a music festival in Liyue.
This guest was none other than Dvorak, the organizer of Fontaine's renowned Iridescence Tour, a major musical event.
Qin Yu had heard of the Iridescence Tour before. After all, Ningguang paid attention not only to Liyue's affairs but also to developments abroad.
While the Iridescence Tour was reportedly quite impressive, holding it during the Lantern Rite seemed... unexpected.
Qin Yu asked, "During this time?"
"Yes, the Iridescence Tour aims to expand its reach by hosting festivals in every nation," Ganyu explained. "With the Lantern Rite approaching, Mr. Dvorak intends to seize this opportunity to raise awareness of the Iridescence Tour and promote music."
Keqing's eyes lit up. "This proposal is quite novel! A music festival... the Lantern Rite has never included such an element before. And as a festival for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, we can't simply repeat the same traditions every year."
I knew Keqing would say that.
Ganyu paused, then added, "Madame Ping... Streetward Rambler, and Lumine have all approved the Iridescence Tour."
Even the Adepti have approved it? Qin Yu thought, surprised.
But Madame Ping had always been quite down-to-earth and open-minded, so upon reflection, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
Qin Yu asked, "What's the specific plan?"
"It's already been drafted," Ganyu replied, handing the proposal to Keqing. Keqing examined it carefully for a while before passing it to Qin Yu, asking for her thoughts.
The Lantern Rite was a festival for all of Liyue, and every year, it had to be spectacular, lively, and strive to satisfy everyone. To achieve this, they had to adopt a conservative approach. Even Fontaine's renowned music festival couldn't dominate the event; that would be like letting the guests steal the show from the hosts.
Ganyu's proposal was concise and clear: continue with the original plan, but add a nighttime performance by the Iridescence Tour as the grand finale.
A finale performed by people from outside Liyue?
Qin Yu voiced her concerns, "Keqing, have you looked into this Iridescence Tour?"
"I've only heard of them briefly," Keqing said, shaking her head. "They're not well-known in Liyue."
"Are you sure it's a good idea to make them the grand finale?"
"That's what we need to investigate further," Keqing nodded.
That's the right approach, Qin Yu thought.
Not just others—she herself was eagerly anticipating the Lantern Rite. Every detail required thorough and careful review.
Keqing continued, "The proposal seems viable on paper, but we still need to discuss the specifics with the other Qixing members. The meeting's about to start. Let's head over."
An hour later, after extensive discussion, the Iridescence Tour proposal was officially approved.
Keqing would represent the Qixing in assisting with the organization of this new performance, while Ningguang planned to personally lead a delegation of Liyue's most talented musicians to assess the tour's rehearsal performance quality.
"Alright, let's inform them," Keqing said, leading Ganyu and Qin Yu outside.
As they stepped out, Qin Yu immediately noticed Lumine, Paimon, and a middle-aged man dressed in foreign attire, carrying an instrument resembling a guitar on his back.
This must be Dvorak.
"Lumine, Paimon, and Mr. Dvorak, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Please call me Keqing. Time is of the essence, so let's get straight to the conclusion everyone's been waiting for—the Qixing have approved the proposal."
After this brief explanation, Dvorak's face lit up with excitement.
"Oh, it actually passed! That's unexpected. We've failed so many times before, I never thought this time..."
Dvorak let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, I'll call everyone back to prepare properly. We need to deliver a flawless performance for Lady Tianquan's review."
Qin Yu smiled faintly. "Lady Ningguang's standards are notoriously strict. I hope you all put in your best effort. I'd love to hear such a grand musical spectacle myself."
Dvorak nodded earnestly. "Of course."
Paimon exclaimed in surprise, "Is Ningguang really that picky about this kind of thing?"
"Lady Ningguang has always held extremely high standards for matters of great value, such as art and culture."
Though when it comes to food, she's surprisingly unparticular—and she actually dislikes overly extravagant dishes.
"Ah, speaking of which..."
Ganyu suddenly remembered something.
"You mentioned a story about your ancestors earlier, but I didn't expect you'd forget it after getting so engrossed in writing your proposal," Ganyu said, looking slightly embarrassed.
A story?
Qin Yu's interest piqued. "What story?" she asked.
"Let me tell it! Let me tell it!" Paimon volunteered eagerly, raising her hand.
Lumine sighed, "Why are you so excited?"
"I'm a master storyteller, you know! It goes like this..." Paimon cleared her throat.
"One day, Dvorak's ancestor was walking along when he accidentally slipped and fell into the water. I bet he was thinking about something delicious, or he wouldn't have been so careless!"
"He was starving, but all he swallowed was water. Just when he thought he was going to drown from overeating water—whoosh!"
"Someone saved him," Qin Yu interjected.
"How did you know?!" Paimon exclaimed in surprise.
"I can actually see what happened in the past!" Qin Yu said with a smile.
"Uwaa! Then... then you must have seen me sneaking Lumine's desserts too?!" Paimon covered her face in dismay.
Lumine facepalmed and sighed.
Keqing smiled faintly. "That's what we call a self-incriminating admission. Qin Yu was just teasing you. If Dvorak's ancestor had died, who would the Dvorak you met even be?"
Paimon looked bewildered. "Dvorak's ancestor? Did we travel through time?"
What is even going on anymore?
Keqing sighed. "Then who are we?"
"You're Qin Yu, Keqing, and Ganyu's ancestors?"
Even Qin Yu was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to respond to Paimon's wild speculation.
Keqing stared in disbelief. "Paimon, are you even thinking straight? There's no way that's possible! Besides, Ganyu's age could make her our ancestors' ancestor!"
"Ah... hmm, strictly speaking, you're right about the age," Ganyu replied, glancing frequently at Qin Yu.
Her age was indeed vastly greater than Qin Yu's. Though she hadn't cared much about it before, now that Qin Yu was calling her "Sister," Ganyu couldn't help but feel self-conscious.
Can sisters who are thousands of years apart in age still be considered sisters...? Ganyu found herself inexplicably troubled by this thought.
Sensing Ganyu's gaze, Qin Yu tilted her head in confusion.
Why is she looking at me like that?
"What's wrong, Sister Ganyu?"
Sister Ganyu. Hearing this title, Ganyu's face lit up with delight, and she smiled gently.
"Nothing at all."
This is for the best, Ganyu thought. I shouldn't dwell on anything else.
Evaluation: D (Ganyu)
Ha?
Qin Yu grew even more bewildered, still clueless about what was going on. But seeing Ganyu's improved mood, she lost interest in pressing the matter.
"Someone rescued him. Then what happened?" Keqing finally steered the conversation back on track.
Lumine explained to Paimon, "When he fell into the water, he heard the most beautiful celestial music he'd ever heard in his life. When he came to, he was already on the shore."
"And standing nearby was a woman with an otherworldly aura."
"He tried to chase after her to thank her, but he couldn't catch up. In the end, he could only bow in gratitude to the back of his savior."
Paimon chimed in, "After he returned home, he learned to play musical instruments and traveled the land like a wandering minstrel."
"Later, the story was embellished. People began to believe his savior was a fairy, and it became a minor legend in Fontaine called 'The Lady Overlooking the Lake.'"
So that's how it went.
Qin Yu had a pretty good idea who could pull something like that off.
"It must have been an Adeptus, right?"
Ganyu nodded in agreement. "When I first heard the story, that's what I thought too. I even wondered if it was Cloud Retainer who saved him, but—"
She hesitated before continuing, "If Cloud Retainer had saved him, she wouldn't have done it like that."
"I agree," Qin Yu replied.
After all, it's Cloud Retainer we're talking about.
"Maybe it was like a crane snatching a fish—a swift swoop that sent Dvorak's ancestor crashing to the ground. Afterward, no trace of the rescuer remained, only a voice echoing from the sky:
Be more careful in the future. Avoid placing yourself in danger again."
Dvorak exclaimed in surprise, "An Adeptus? Could the legends of Liyue truly be real?"
"Rex Lapis used to appear in person every year," Qin Yu added.
"I see... If it was an Adeptus, then perhaps there's still hope. For others, this story is a legend, but for me, it's a family history."
Dvorak continued, "Driven by a desire to trace my family's past, I sought out the descendants of this woman. But after searching for so long, this half-a-lifetime's obsession remains unfulfilled, with no leads to guide me."
Qin Yu sympathized, "That's truly..."
"Then I went to the church in Mondstadt to pray, hoping the Anemo Archon would guide me. A gust of wind blew a leaf against the Stone Gate, and a kind Mondstadt resident told me that the wind was guiding me to Liyue."
Sounds like a scam, I thought.
Keqing said earnestly, "Don't be swayed by such claims in the future. You could be swindled out of your entire fortune."
Ganyu nodded. "Beware of scams."
Dvorak scratched his head. "I know, I know, but I'm truly at my wit's end. And if it's an Adeptus... a commoner like me probably wouldn't even get to meet them, right?"
"Not necessarily," Ganyu replied. "You're trying to find the Adeptus who saved your ancestor, aren't you? If so, I might have some ways to help."
Qin Yu asked, "Sister Ganyu, you want to help?"
"Yes, I'm interested in this matter too... but I'd like to finish my current work first before addressing it."
"Then I'll help too!" Qin Yu said with a smile.
Ganyu couldn't hide her delight. "Really? Is that okay?" she asked eagerly.
Evaluation: C- (Ganyu)
"Of course! Since it's after work, right? That way I'll have time too, and I want to help Sister Ganyu."
"Thank you, Qin Yu. It's always best with you here," If only Ganyu could say something like that later, Qin Yu thought wistfully.
Sometimes, she just wanted to be a little spoiled. Of course, she would never voice such a sentiment.
Evaluation: C+ (Ganyu)
Ganyu nodded firmly. "Thank you. I'll resolve my work within two days."
Keqing, still nursing a tinge of jealousy from their earlier conversation, raised an eyebrow at Ganyu's statement.
"Two days? I thought you had a mountain of work. Can you really finish it all in that time?" she asked.
"If I don't sleep, I should be able to manage," Ganyu replied.
Qin Yu immediately interjected, "Absolutely not!"
Keqing nodded in agreement. "Exactly. No matter what, you need to rest. Here's what we'll do: Qin Yu, you go help Ganyu, and I'll handle things here at the Iridescence Tour."
Realizing once again how much Keqing had matured, no longer the workaholic obsessed with efficiency, Qin Yu couldn't help but feel moved.
"Are you sure you can manage?" Qin Yu asked.
Keqing flashed a confident smile. "Who do you think you're asking? Of course I can manage. Don't worry."
True, Keqing always delivers perfect results.
"What about us?" Paimon pointed to herself.
"You two should just enjoy the Lantern Rite to the fullest. Do whatever you want, but if you ask me, you should definitely spend time with family and friends and have a proper celebration."
Keqing smiled at Qin Yu. "Right?"
"Mm-hmm!" Qin Yu nodded in understanding and agreement.
Evaluation: C+ (Keqing)
Just as they were about to disperse and tackle their respective tasks, Keqing called Qin Yu aside and led her to a secluded corner where no one could overhear them.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yu asked, puzzled.
Why did she bring me to a place like this? What does she want...? Is she thinking of doing that outside?! No, no, absolutely not!
Keqing quickly dispelled Qin Yu's wild thoughts.
Keqing cleared her throat. "Qin Yu, you'll be working with Ganyu from now on. I have my own tasks to attend to as well."
"Ah, okay..." Qin Yu remained somewhat confused.
"What I mean is... if you could just give me a little encouragement, that would be wonderful," Keqing stammered, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.
Wait, this sounds familiar... Ah, I said something like that before.
But back then, it was just a joke. This time, Keqing seemed to be almost... pouting.
Qin Yu's face flushed slightly. After a soft murmur of agreement, she leaned in and gave Keqing a quick peck.
Evaluation: B
Keqing shyly fiddled with her ponytail. "Thank you. I'm feeling motivated now."
"Mm..."
Still feeling a bit unsatisfied, Qin Yu cupped Keqing's face and pressed their lips together again.
Evaluation: A-
"Qin Yu..." Keqing murmured.
Qin Yu whispered, "If you ever lose motivation, just come to me. I'll encourage you. Let's both finish our work properly and then spend this long-awaited Lantern Rite together."
Evaluation: A+
Long time no see.
Keqing's eyes warmed slightly as she replied, "Of course."