"Bang—bang bang—"
The rapid, insistent knocking jolted Shenhe awake only moments after she'd fallen asleep.
She didn't bother tidying her slightly disheveled clothes. Frowning faintly, she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Normally expressionless, she now carried the barest hint of irritation.
Disturbing someone's sleep was wrong.
If the person outside didn't apologize, Shenhe wouldn't mind pressing their head to the ground and knocking it three times in return.
"Miss Shenhe, are you asleep?"
—If you are, then wake up and go back to sleep.
The trace of irritation vanished instantly.
Ji Ming was a good person. He wouldn't disturb her without reason. Being woken up by him was fine.
"I haven't rested yet," she replied calmly. "Is something the matter, Ji Ming?"
Seeing her messy hair and clothes, Ji Ming smiled politely and stepped aside, allowing her to see behind him.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," he said. "But your master and your senior sister have already come knocking."
Cloud Retainer had taken on human form. The bearing of an adeptus was no exaggeration—even from a distance, her presence carried undeniable authority.
That said, she only appeared aloof toward mortals. In truth, she cared deeply for the people of Liyue. When it came to Ji Ming—the child of an old friend—she'd shed any immortal pretense, nagging like a concerned elder.
She was likely the same with Ganyu and Shenhe.
Ji Ming felt honored… but he wasn't ready to see her as family. After all, he'd never known his parents had an adeptus friend. Their simple funeral had been handled by him alone.
"Shenhe," Cloud Retainer called out, "why are you still standing there? This is your senior sister, Ganyu. I've mentioned her before."
Ganyu blinked. Seeing Shenhe remain silent, she assumed her junior sister was simply shy and spoke up first.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ganyu. I work as a secretary for the Liyue Qixing at Yuehai Pavilion. I've trained under Master since childhood."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Shenhe."
As expected, their personalities didn't quite align. Shenhe offered nothing beyond her name, making Ganyu wonder if she'd somehow made a poor first impression.
Ganyu glanced at Cloud Retainer—who showed no intention of stepping in—then looked toward Ji Ming, who was clearly enjoying the show.
Don't look at me like that, he thought. You're thousands of years old—why are you still this cute?
Unable to resist, Ji Ming stepped in to help.
"Miss Shenhe," he prompted gently, "won't you invite your master and senior sister inside to sit?"
"…Of course." Shenhe nodded. "Master, Senior Sister—please come in and sit. Ji Ming as well… there's no need for you to find another place to rest tonight. You may stay here. I don't mind."
Oh no.
Why did the conversation suddenly swing this way?!
Sure enough, Ganyu froze mid-step and turned to Ji Ming with a serious look.
"Mr. Ji Ming… didn't I meet you under the stone arch bridge?"
Shenhe wasn't foolish—far from it. Her perception was sharper than most. She quickly pieced things together and stepped forward, blocking Ji Ming's escape route as she stared straight into his eyes.
"Ji Ming. Why did you intend to sleep under the bridge?"
"…I am actually a cultivator who hides among the common folk," Ji Ming said solemnly. "Sleeping under bridges is merely one of my training methods."
Shenhe tilted her head slightly, expression blank.
"Are you trying to deceive me?"
Girl—why did it suddenly feel so heavy in here?!
Struggling against the sudden pressure weighing down on him, Ji Ming sighed.
"Alright, alright. I just wanted to squeeze out a bit more mora. Wangsheng's footing the bill anyway—might as well make full use of it. Don't misunderstand—Mr. Zhongli told me to give you the best living conditions. As for myself, I don't really matter."
So… he wasn't trying to deceive her.
Shenhe's face remained unchanged, but the memory of her father tricking her into the depths of a cave as a child surfaced—then slowly settled. The strange pressure dissipated.
Cloud Retainer watched from the side, smiling faintly, as if she'd just witnessed a minor quarrel between juniors. Only then did she speak.
"You've only just met, yet you already get along so well. This one has a splendid idea."
Oh no.
A ideas person?
Back in the Old Nine Gates, the boss had been a legendary ideas man—constantly cooking up terrible schemes. In the end, he nearly dragged the entire group into prison.
…Well. Everyone except Ninth Gate was already in there.
Ji Ming complained inwardly.
Shenhe looked to her master. Ganyu, ever cooperative, asked softly, "May I ask what you have in mind, Master?"
"This one has decided to take Ji Ming as a disciple," Cloud Retainer announced. "He is the child of an old friend. This one failed to notice that my friend had passed, allowing her child to wander Liyue for ten years."
It sounded like compensation born of guilt.
Ji Ming didn't need it.
He didn't resent his parents' old friend for failing to notice sooner. The past was past—both of them should move forward.
"Please allow me to refuse," Ji Ming said calmly. "Though I have no parents, I still have ties in Liyue Harbor. I cannot abandon the mortal world to cultivate with you."
Living in the mountains for years, eating bland—if not outright bitter—herbs every day?
No thank you.
Besides, eight sworn brothers were still waiting in prison. One day, they'd rise together again.
Cloud Retainer frowned, arms crossed, then finally sighed.
"This one has no intention of taking you back to Jueyun Karst. You will remain in Liyue Harbor. Ganyu can look after you. But—you must acknowledge this one as your master."
"…Why?"
Was he secretly some cultivation prodigy? Impossible. He was a street con—this kind of plot twist was far too cliché.
Cloud Retainer delivered the finishing blow.
"When you were first born, this one held you in my arms. Your parents wished for this one to take you as a disciple. Would you refuse their final wish?"
"…I withdraw my refusal."
"You won't change how you address this one?"
"…Master, please accept this disciple's bow."
Ji Ming was surprisingly easygoing. He didn't have to leave Liyue anyway—acknowledging a master didn't really cost him anything.
And besides…
Ganyu was also her disciple.
Which meant—
"Alright! I'll fix my address!" Ji Ming said brightly. "Senior Sister Ganyu, please take care of me from now on!"
Cloud Retainer: "?"
So the little brat agreed just for Ganyu?!
She considered it for a moment… then let it go. If Ganyu was willing, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Both were children of old friends—becoming closer could even be seen as fate.
Ganyu smiled gently and nodded.
"Mm. Please take care of me as well. If you ever face difficulties, don't hesitate to tell me."
Amazing.
Senior Sister Ganyu is the best.
Sorry, brothers—I'm defecting from the Old Nine Gates to the Liyue government.
Shenhe stepped forward, concise as ever.
"Ji Ming. What about me?"
Ji Ming understood instantly.
"Senior Sister Shenhe. Please take care of me as well."
"…Good," she replied.
"Junior Brother Ji Ming."