"Boss, time for breakfast~"
With a knock and Mei's soft call, Mo Li and Himeko woke at the same time. Their eyes met. Himeko's lips curved. "Well? Nervous?"
"What's there to be nervous about?" Mo Li stood, pulled on a robe, and headed for the door.
"Don't say I'm here," Himeko whispered.
A little puzzled, he still nodded. Probably just shy…
He opened the door to find Mei in an apron, tall and tidy, the same braided ponytail as yesterday. With the apron, she looked… very "wife next door."
"Morning, Mei. You all start first—I'll be right there."
"Mm." Mei nodded. "Did you… see Himeko?"
Mo Li: "…"
I just woke up—why ask me? Did she guess something?
"Himeko's not in her room?"
"I went to call her. No response." Mei's gaze drifted, almost unconsciously, toward Mo Li's room.
Mo Li: "…"
So she has guessed. If she figured it out herself, that's not on me.
Still, he followed Himeko's lead. "She probably overdid it last night. Might be sleeping it off."
"Mm…" Mei nodded. "Then go wash up quickly."
"On it~"
Back inside, Mo Li changed fast. Himeko lay still in bed, playing dead. He smiled. "I'll have Rita save you a breakfast. Sleep a little more."
A drowsy "mm" floated out.
"Take it easy these two days."
"I'm not that fragile." Himeko smiled. "Go on."
Mo Li leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Then I won't disturb Mrs. Sleepy."
After he left, Himeko rolled over, burritoed herself in the blanket, and wriggled like a happy worm. She could be a breezy big sis most days, and said she didn't care how Mo Li treated her… but that couple-ish morning kiss still sent her heart racing.
"Nice~" she murmured, then dressed quickly and slipped back to her own room like a cat burglar.
…
By the time Mo Li reached the dining room, the girls were already gathered. Only Kiana still looked adorably groggy. Naturally, everyone asked where Himeko was.
Helpless, Mo Li recycled the "she drank too much" line for the table.
"She was drinking again last night?"
"Eden and I were smashed and we're fine now~"
Mo Li waved it off. "Let's eat first. We'll save Himeko a portion."
"Finally we can dig in!" Kiana woke up in an instant.
Mo Li chuckled. "Told you not to wait for me."
…
Breakfast wrapped amid easy chatter, and everyone drifted back to their posts. Elysia had already spirited Hu Tao and the other little gremlins off to who-knows-where.
Mo Li picked up a breakfast tray and returned to his room, only to find it empty—Himeko had slipped out. When he stepped back into the hall, he bumped into Mei again. Her cheeks colored when she saw the tray.
"Boss… is that for Himeko?"
"…Yeah. I just forgot to grab something."
On a thought, Mo Li handed her the tray. "Mei, could you take this over for me?"
Mei took it on reflex and—feet already moving—headed straight for Mo Li's door.
"Wrong room," Mo Li coughed, catching her sleeve. "Himeko's is this one."
Mei's brain finally caught up. She glanced at Mo Li's door, then at Himeko's, then back. "Himeko… isn't… ah—" Realization hit; she ducked her head. "Sorry… I mixed them up."
She shuffled to Himeko's door and knocked. "Himeko, are you awake?"
To her surprise, the door swung open at once. Himeko beamed, took the tray like it was the most natural thing in the world, and even winked. "Thanks~"
Then, as if just noticing Mo Li, she feigned surprise. "Morning, Boss. You just up, too?" She lifted the tray. "Want to eat with me?"
Mo Li was now sure Mei knew something. But if Himeko didn't want to go public, he'd play along. "I've eaten."
"Too bad~" Himeko laughed, then hooked an arm around the flustered Mei and tugged her in. "Boss, I'm borrowing Mei for a bit, okay?"
Mo Li: "…"
Such dangerous phrasing.
"You'll have to ask Mei—and Kiana—about that," he deadpanned, and headed back to tidy last night's "battlefield."
Inside, Himeko closed the door and smiled. "You noticed, didn't you?"
Mei's cheeks pinked. She nodded.
"It was my idea to keep it quiet," Himeko said.
"Why… keep it secret?"
"I know you like that guy." Himeko's tone was gentle. "I told you yesterday: I'm not here to snatch him away. When you girls don't need him, I'll borrow him for a bit~"
She tilted her head, teasing. "Mei doesn't mind, right?"
Mei shook her head… then realized that was wrong… so she nodded… which was also wrong. She finally mumbled, "I'm not—I don't… Do as you like…"
Himeko let her squirm, eyes smiling. That only made Mei even redder.
"If there's nothing else, I'll… go to work."
"Just one thing," Himeko said, leaning close to whisper a few words in her ear.
Mei's blush exploded from pink to crimson.
"Hahaha~" Himeko covered her mouth, delighted. "Do what you think is best. I won't meddle."
"Anyway…" A little honey slipped into her smile. "I'm already… satisfied."
…
Mo Li finished cleaning up soon after Mei left Himeko's room. The two met again in the corridor. One glance at him and Mei's freshly cooled cheeks warmed right back up. The office incident, and now Himeko's whispered "advice," flashed through her mind. Her eyes flicked, traitorously, to his lower abdomen.
"Did Himeko tease you?" Mo Li asked, amused.
Mei shook her head, lips sealed.
Seeing her bow her head like a scolded wife made his fingers itch to ruffle her hair. That "madam" outfit plus the shy look really did make one want to bully her—Ahem.
"Alright, I'm heading to set up the preview stream stage. If you need me, find me there."
He beat a retreat—not from Mei, but from the risk of her fainting again. The Spring Festival event for Genshin was locked; now it was all about building it out with the girls. Honkai Impact 3rd only needed new story plus a side chapter; the holiday event he'd just swapped in from the System, so not too heavy a lift. With barely half a month to go, speed mattered.
The studio actually got busy for once, and the girls didn't hate it—if anything, it felt good. Saving the Girl wasn't forgotten, but all attention tilted to the Spring Festival update, and that was that.
…
Time slipped by in productive bustle.
Finally, the long-awaited 1.3 Preview Livestream arrived. Year-end. Students on winter break. Penguin's new-game promo kept squeezing out toothpaste, but—aware of MiHuyou's timing—they wisely avoided collision, focusing on their own apps.
8:00 p.m., all the major platforms.
The official MiHuyou channel swelled with viewers. The screen showed a single festive poster: Ganyu and Keqing in elegant cheongsams, smiling as they held up a pair of Spring Festival couplets. Snowflakes drifted; the orchestral "Liyue" theme filled the air.
Not the New Year yet—but the New Year feeling was already here.
[Open the doors—it's eight o'clock!!]
[It's New Year, it's New Year~~]
[Otto come out and take your beating!]
[Spring Festival patch—surely Otto owes us at least a ten-pull?]
[Small thinking. First Lantern Rite ever—make it a selectable five-star!]
[Topple Genshin, Honkai forever!]
The chat barrage roared to life.
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