"Still eating?" Keqing shot Ryou a look. "Ganyu's here."
Ryou shrugged and kept eating at his usual pace. "Go greet her."
"You…" Keqing wanted to say more, but didn't. She got up and went outside to meet Ganyu.
Lately, she'd been dying to see Ganyu. The pressure Ryou put on her was… intense. Every time, she ended up completely overwhelmed. She was getting used to it, slowly, but over time it still scared her.
Keqing really wanted Ganyu to help her.
And since Ryou seemed to have some feelings for Ganyu too, Keqing figured she might as well press the advantage and reel Ganyu in. She also wanted Ganyu to treat her injuries again.
"Keqing, am I interrupting?" Ganyu walked up with a smile.
After going home yesterday, she'd already made up her mind—she was going to get closer to Keqing. If their relationship reached the right point, she was sure she could persuade her.
And at a glance, Ganyu could tell Keqing was swollen.
After days of this, she couldn't help admiring Keqing. She was also genuinely shocked by Ryou's terrifying stamina.
If Keqing didn't have a Vision, someone else probably wouldn't even be able to get out of bed.
"What are you saying?" Keqing forced a smile. "Yesterday… was a misunderstanding."
"Today I actually wanted to come find you… and ask you to help me."
Her voice dropped near the end. Even though Ganyu had treated her before, it was still embarrassing to say out loud.
"That's nothing," Ganyu said gently. "You and I are like sisters. Why make a big deal out of it?"
"Mm!" Keqing brightened.
Still… something felt a little off. Ganyu was being unusually warm today.
"Ganyu," Keqing asked carefully, "is everything alright at Yujing Terrace today?"
"Yeah," Ganyu said. "Ryou helped me finish all my paperwork yesterday, so I'm free today. I came to check on you."
"And… I want to go shopping with you."
"Also, today was supposed to be the—" She stopped herself. "Never mind. Let's just go out and shop."
She'd nearly said the Rite of Descension, but it had been postponed.
"Shopping?" Keqing nodded. "Perfect. We can go together."
"Though Ryou's a little worried. He says he wants to take me to Yujing Terrace to have a look."
"He heard the Fatui might be up to something."
"The Fatui…" Ganyu lowered her voice. "The Northland Bank staff still haven't been released."
"Even though the whole 'La Signora' situation caused a huge uproar in Liyue Harbor, the Northland Bank still has deep roots. If we keep holding them for too long, that could become a problem."
"The Ministry of Civil Affairs is using La Signora as an excuse, but… one of the Liyue Qixing is already willing to let them go."
"The Fatui can get a member of the Qixing to step in?" Keqing looked genuinely surprised. "That's a lot of influence."
"It's… complicated." Ganyu shook her head slightly. "Lady Ningguang is still investigating. We'll have to see what they decide."
"But I think Ryou's concern is valid. Today would've been the Rite of Descension. Even with the postponement, a lot of people will still gather. Better to be cautious."
Ganyu glanced toward the hall. "Where is he?"
"He's inside, eating," Keqing said with a smile. "Once he's done, we'll head out."
Keqing led her into the main hall. The moment Ganyu stepped in, she saw Ryou sitting at the table, eating.
Ganyu blinked at him—quietly signaling that she'd handle Keqing.
She was confident. Her relationship with Keqing had always been good. They often went shopping or had tea together. Ganyu had always felt they were similar in a lot of ways, so getting along had been easy.
Before, she'd been afraid of being found out, but now the rumors around Yujing Terrace were mostly about her and Keqing anyway.
If she waited a little longer, then spoke to Keqing properly, it would work. It had to.
Ryou noticed her little expression and coughed. "Ganyu's here. Did you need something?"
"She's coming shopping with me," Keqing said, sitting down beside him. Then she turned to Ganyu. "Want to sit and eat a little?"
"No," Ganyu said. Then her expression turned serious. "But Keqing, you need to be careful."
After what Ryou had warned her about yesterday… safety mattered. In the future, Ryou would be her husband, and Keqing was her close friend. She couldn't afford to take this lightly.
"Careful?" Keqing frowned. "What's wrong, Ganyu?"
"Didn't you tell her yesterday?" Ganyu looked at Ryou.
Ryou shook his head.
"Huh?" Ganyu blinked, confused.
"Yesterday, Ryou figured out that the Fatui drugged us," Ganyu said, her voice firmer now. "And it was that kind of drug."
"I'm worried that this time it was that… but next time it could be poison. That would be much worse."
"The Fa… Fatui?" Keqing froze. She didn't dare say too much, afraid they might notice something.
"Exactly," Ryou said calmly, setting his teacup down. "I suspect the Fatui slipped something into our food to make us do something reckless."
"Then they'd stir up trouble, seize the opportunity, and use it to attack the Ministry of Civil Affairs—forcing us, under pressure, to release the Northland Bank staff."
"La Signora could leave because she's a Fatui Harbinger. Publicly, she wasn't 'Northland Bank staff,' so letting her go didn't cause much trouble."
"But the people from the bank? That's a different story."
He looked at Keqing, his voice softening.
"I didn't bring it up because I didn't want you overthinking it. I didn't want you to worry."
Keqing didn't know what to say.
Because she was the one who drugged the food.
But in a strange way, she didn't need to explain herself anymore. If Ryou could pin it on the Fatui, then she could relax.
And yesterday's mess suddenly came with a convenient excuse.
Keqing cleared her throat. "That's right. The Fatui are the worst."
Ryou put his chopsticks down. "I'm basically done. I'll have the butler clear the table later."
He glanced at Ganyu. "Did you go to Yujing Terrace today?"
"Oh—did you see Zhongli over there?" Ryou asked.
"Zhongli-san?" Ganyu nodded. "I think he's already there."
"He's been really busy lately. Honestly, it's hard to believe."
"In my impression, Zhongli-san is always relaxed. But after joining the Ministry of Civil Affairs, he's suddenly busy all the time."
Keqing: ???
My husband really is that bold?
So I haven't been working for nothing after all. No wonder Ganyu came so early—so it wasn't for me at all. She came for my husband.
Ganyu's face tightened as she continued, clearly annoyed. "Also, you know how many transfer requests I got today?"
"There were fifteen on my desk last night. And today there were twenty more."
"That's thirty-five requests to transfer to the Ministry of Civil Affairs."
Yujing Terrace already had a heavy workload. People might want to transfer out sometimes, sure, but the pay at Yujing Terrace wasn't low at all.
Then Ryou introduced his little 'benefit,' and suddenly everyone's heart was tempted. Now they all wanted to run to the Ministry.
Ganyu had been getting a headache over it.
The Ministry had a fixed headcount. Transfers weren't impossible, but Yujing Terrace still needed staffing. If the replacements weren't good enough, she'd have to reshuffle and retrain people. And hiring for Yujing Terrace took time.
Worst of all, the Ministry staff didn't want to leave.
It was a mess to handle.
Keqing rubbed her forehead, speechless.
Of course. I really can't expect anything from my husband.
He's a block of wood.
I actually thought he'd finally figured things out and took advantage of Ganyu.
But Keqing also hadn't expected so many people at Yujing Terrace to want to transfer to the Ministry.
Yujing Terrace's pay was around thirty to forty percent higher. That wasn't a small difference.
People struggled to get into Yujing Terrace… and now they all wanted to leave?
Ryou sighed and spread his hands. "You can't blame me for that."
He stood up and led them out into the courtyard. He sat down, set the teapot in front of him, and calmly infused it with energy.
The moment Ganyu sensed it, her eyes lit up. "Th-This… how do you have 'adepti tea'?"
"This feels just like the tea the adepti have… no, it's even richer than theirs."
"Is it really that good?" Keqing took a sip.
The warmth spread through her, and she immediately felt more comfortable.
She looked at Ryou, surprised. "This tea is different from what we usually drink. It's sweet and smooth."
"It doesn't taste like the tea we have at home. What is it?"
"And… 'adepti tea'?" Keqing blinked. "Is it the kind grown in Chenyu Vale?"
"No." Ganyu smiled and explained. "When I say 'adepti tea,' I mean real adepti tea."
"There's an adeptus in Chenyu Vale who grows it, but the yearly yield is small. Even the adepti don't have much."
"She doesn't really like tea, but whenever I go back, she'll prepare some for me anyway. That's why I recognize it."
"Even if she doesn't drink it, she treats those leaves like treasure."
Ganyu lifted her cup and drank it in one go. "Delicious. Drinking tea like this is pure enjoyment."
Ryou refilled both cups and said evenly, "It's not that. The leaves are ordinary. It's my hand that's doing the work."
He glanced toward the butler. "Bring some tea leaves."
"Yes, Master." The butler bowed and went to fetch them.
A moment later, he returned and placed the leaves on the table.
Ryou smiled. "Take a look. What do you think?"
Ganyu leaned in and examined the leaves closely. Then she said, "This is Springwater Tea—high-grade leaves from Qingce Village. There isn't much produced each year."
"It's good tea. But compared to true adepti tea, there's still a gap."
"Ganyu, you really know tea," Keqing said, impressed. "I don't."
"These were actually brought by my mother-in-law a couple days ago. She stopped by and left some behind."
"I'm not clueless about tea, but I'm not that knowledgeable either."
"I see." Ganyu nodded.
"You said it's ordinary tea and not as good as adepti tea," Ryou said. "Alright then. Now watch."
He brushed his hand over the leaves, infusing them with that same energy.
Ganyu stared, stunned. "Now it's… just like adepti tea. No—better."
"It was just normal leaves. Your hand… how is that possible?"
"Believe it now?" Ryou smiled.
"I do." Ganyu nodded seriously.
Keqing laughed, proud. "My husband is amazing."
Ryou set the leaves in front of Ganyu. "Take them back. When you have time, brew some."
"Your work burns through your focus. This will help."
"Ah… I…" Ganyu hesitated, then glanced at Keqing.
Keqing was only smiling, so Ganyu finally accepted the leaves.
"Alright." Ryou took another sip and checked the light outside. "One more cup, then we head out."
"Mm. I'll go change." Keqing stood up, then gave Ryou a look.
Ryou just stared back, confused.
Keqing's eye twitched. She glared at him.
This blockhead really doesn't understand anything.
Still fuming, Keqing marched into the room.
The moment Keqing was gone, Ganyu leaned closer to Ryou. "Keqing and I are very close. We're best friends."
"Give me a little time. I'll convince her."
"And when I do… you'll marry me."
"Cough—cough!" Ryou nearly choked.
He hadn't expected her to say something like that in his own home.
"You okay?" Ganyu patted his back.
"I'm fine." Ryou forced the words out. "I… I understand."
He didn't even know what to say anymore.
Ganyu felt different now—bolder, more daring.
"Ganyu, you—mmph!"
Ryou didn't even have time to react. Ganyu tilted her head and kissed him quickly, then sat back down like nothing happened.
Ryou: ???
You're doing this openly in my house now?!
[End of chapter]
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