Ye Xi: "Call me whatever you like."
Ye Xi: "Wifey?"
"Where are Ningguang and Big Sis Beidou?"
Seeing Keqing return alone, Ye Xi was a bit surprised.
[Three went out, but only one came back. Did those two fall into the toilet or something?]
The irritation Keqing felt from being left behind by Ningguang vanished instantly.
Hearing him say that is actually quite therapeutic!
Keqing giggled, then composed herself. "They suddenly mentioned they had business to attend to and went off to keep busy."
Ye Xi scrutinized the girl beside him. "Then why did you come back?"
"I... I am your little maid..." Keqing stammered, her face turning crimson. She forced the words out and immediately hung her head in shame.
She had no choice. She had to stay by Ye Xi's side to gather more intel, and neither Ningguang nor Beidou had a plausible excuse to stay. Since she had brought this upon herself earlier by agreeing to be his little maid, the reason was perfectly valid.
Thus, Ningguang and Beidou had unanimously decided she should be the one to "squat" by Ye Xi's side.
The real problem was that she had just returned to Liyue Harbor and hadn't even eaten dinner yet!
Ye Xi found her behavior amusing. He hadn't expected Keqing to take it so seriously, and he didn't have the heart to keep teasing her. "Alright, I was just joking with you. As expected of the Yuheng, you are incredibly diligent."
Keqing immediately tilted her chin up. "Of course. I am one of the Liyue Qixing; I keep my word."
Just as she finished speaking, her stomach let out a long, audible growl.
Gurgle...
In an instant, her pride evaporated.
How humiliating! My stomach growls the moment I finish talking. My dignity is in the gutters!
Keqing felt like she wanted to sink into the ground.
Ye Xi's gaze drifted toward Keqing's midriff, where that flat belly seemed to be sounding an alarm.
[As expected of Keqing. Just like Ganyu, even their timing for getting hungry is perfectly synced!]
[The Ganyu & Keqing Combo truly lives up to its name.]
Hearing this, Keqing felt a bit bewildered.
What "Ganyu & Keqing Combo"?
Just like Ganyu?
Had Ye Xi already met Ganyu?
Had Ganyu been hungry back then too?
If that were the case, she felt slightly less embarrassed. If someone else had lost face in the same way before, she wasn't alone.
Ye Xi sighed and offered an invitation. "Follow me. I'll treat you to some gourmet food."
"No need... I couldn't possibly..." Keqing waved her hands frantically. She didn't want to trouble him further. She felt she had already caused Ye Xi enough trouble today!
However, Ye Xi acted as if it were no big deal. He smiled and said, "To be modest, my skills are quite good. I can make you some Golden Shrimp Balls."
He had obtained the recipe earlier and hadn't had a chance to try making them yet.
"Golden Shrimp Balls!?"
Keqing's eyes lit up, and she practically started drooling! They were her absolute favorite!
Seeing her reaction, Ye Xi asked knowingly, "Do you want some?"
"Yes!"
Keqing answered without a second thought, but then, realizing she might look undignified, she quickly explained, "Reasonably speaking, one shouldn't have such greed for food, but those delicious Golden Shrimp Balls... they are simply unforgettable."
"Even just eating one satisfies the taste buds and sweeps away all the accumulated stress."
"If you want to thank me for being your little maid for a day, then use Golden Shrimp Balls."
Ye Xi couldn't help but chuckle as he nodded.
[This girl, acting all tsundere.]
[If you want to eat, just say so.]
Keqing blushed and followed behind him. If Ye Xi really could make Golden Shrimp Balls, she definitely wanted to taste them!
Ye Xi led Keqing back to his room and took out the Serenitea Pot.
"What is this?" Keqing asked curiously.
Coming from a prestigious family, she had an eye for treasures, but she couldn't make heads or tails of this pot. It looked like a rare gem, yet its specific origin was a mystery.
Ye Xi smiled. "You'll know once you go in."
"Go in?!"
Before she could finish being surprised, Ye Xi opened the lid. In an instant, both of them were transported into the Adeptus Arts: Realm Within.
A familiar hot spring and corridor appeared before her eyes.
"Thisthis is a Realm Within!? This is an Adeptus method!"
Keqing was shocked. She hadn't expected Ye Xi to possess such a treasure!
Inside the realm, it was still daytime.
Ye Xi looked at Keqing playfully. "Little maid, come give me a hand."
Keqing blushed again but didn't know how to refuse. She obediently followed him.
Ye Xi took some fresh shrimp from the cellar and gave her instructions. "Peel these shrimp, then wash these potatoes."
Don't be fooled by Keqing's high status as one of the Liyue Qixing; she actually knew how to do everything. Whenever she believed a task was valuable, she would handle it personally.
Once, to draft a plan for improving workers' conditions, she went to the site and lived as a laborer for two full months. It was hard to imagine this high-ranking girl had pulled carts in The Chasm, pounded earth with the workers at the South Wharf, and served tables in a small restaurant.
Because of those experiences, she was quite versatile. She quickly finished the tasks Ye Xi assigned.
When she turned around, she saw that Ye Xi had somehow prepared several pigeons. He was processing them with incredible speed, his knife work so skillful he looked like a professional chef!
This caught Keqing by surprise. She thought his claim of being "skilled" just meant he could cook basic meals, but he was actually this good. His knife techniques were dazzling!
Clap.
Ye Xi set the knife aside and created a Geo Construct grill.
Keqing stared blankly. Wait, so Ye Xi's other elemental power is Geo?
Before she could finish her thought, Ye Xi pointed a finger, and a flame ignited in the furnace.
"You... how can you use Pyro as well?"
Ye Xi smiled but didn't answer. He skewered the pigeons and placed them directly onto the furnace to roast. On the other side, he began making the Golden Shrimp Balls at the stove.
Starch, potatoes, and shrimp. Soon, the golden shrimp balls were ready. The aroma was rich and thick, making Keqing drool.
"Whoa! This looks even better than the food at Wangshu Inn!"
Ye Xi laughed. "Thanks for the compliment."
[This girl is acting exactly like a child.]
[Though if I think about it, she basically is one. She's only eighteen, and apparently, she still has a habit of buying plushies.]
[Becoming one of the Liyue Qixing at this age and working so much overtime every day... it's not easy.]
In his previous life, Ye Xi had been pushing thirty, so he was mentally much more mature. Looking at Keqing's personality, he felt like he was looking at a younger sister.
Hearing Ye Xi's inner thoughts, Keqing's face flushed. She suddenly realized she had been acting a bit childishly today and quickly cleared her throat. "I didn't expect you to be such a great cook at your age."
To Keqing, Ye Xi looked like a youth of sixteen or seventeen.
He's clearly younger than me, yet he calls me a child! Preposterous!
And how does he know so much about me?! He even knows about my habit of buying plushies. I always buy those in secret!
No, no, I'm totally out of sorts today!
Keqing shook her head. She felt like ever since she met Ye Xi, she had completely lost her composure. She wanted to be firm with him, but because of the misunderstanding earlier, she felt like she owed him. Plus, hearing his inner voice made her trust him instinctively. She even wanted to be friends with him.
Perhaps it was because being with someone so transparent was relaxing. There was no need for schemes or constant vigilance.
"Alright, they've cooled down a bit. Give them a try."
Ye Xi plated the Golden Shrimp Balls and placed them in front of Keqing.
"Then I won't be polite."
Keqing sat on a stone stool and impatiently picked one up, taking a small bite. Beneath the golden, crispy skin was tender, white shrimp meat. It was still steaming, nearly burning her mouth. But the rich fragrance was so intense that she couldn't stop, even if it was hot!
"Mmm~ I feel like all the day's fatigue is just disappearing..."
As she spoke, she puffed out her cheeks and blew on a shrimp ball until the heat dissipated. Then, she swallowed it in one go.
"So satisfied~"
While Keqing was savoring the flavor, Ye Xi's thoughts drifted into her mind.
[They really are a bunch of cute ones.]
[Like little cats. It makes me want to keep feeding them.]
C-Cats!?
Blushing, Keqing looked away, not daring to meet Ye Xi's eyes. However, she still wasn't full. Ignoring his gaze, she reached for another shrimp ball.
[Even more like a cat now. A cat stealing shrimp balls.]
Keqing wanted to find a crack in the floor to crawl into, but she was quickly won over again by the deliciousness of the food.
I just got back today anyway, and I have no work. I'll just treat today as a rest day!
I'll be busy tomorrow, and I'll definitely return to my usual state then. I'll just indulge myself a little today!
With that thought, she felt much better.
As Ye Xi controlled the heat of the roasting pigeons, he asked, "By the way, Keqing, you said earlier that you'd guide me in survival skills and adventuring, right?"
Keqing swallowed a shrimp ball and nodded. "That's right. It's part of my job. I'll be very strict, so you'd better be mentally prepared."
The corner of Ye Xi's mouth curled up. "Then you're my master. Can I call you Master Ke?"
"Eh?"
Keqing was puzzled, but she nodded reflexively. "If you want... do as you like. You can call me whatever you want."
[If I can call her whatever I want, should I call her 'wifey' too...]
[Nah, calling her Master Ke is more romantic!]
W-Wifey!?
Keqing felt a surge of shame explode from the top of her head.
What is this guy thinking?
He clearly has Ningguang already, yet he's thinking about other women! What a playboy!
Still, wanting to marry me after only meeting once... I guess I really am quite charming...
Though shy, she felt a small flicker of secret joy. As for whether she actually wanted that, she didn't. They had just met, after all. After teaching him some survival skills, they might never meet again.
She just felt that being with Ye Xi meant eating delicious Golden Shrimp Balls and felt very relaxing. Being with someone whose heart was an open book was inherently comfortable. At least she didn't have to worry about him having ill intentions.
He's a good friend, but definitely not a lover, Keqing told herself.
"Master Ke, try dipping the Golden Shrimp Balls in this."
Ye Xi brought over some homemade ketchup and placed it on the stone table. Generally speaking, crispy fried foods went perfectly with tomato sauce.
Keqing looked at the bright red sauce with curiosity. She pinched a shrimp ball, dipped it, and put it in her mouth. Her eyes widened with surprise!
"This... what kind of deliciousness is this!?"
"What is this dipping sauce? Where can I buy it!?"
She savored the sweet and sour flavor that cut right through the greasiness. She felt incredibly happy! Eating too many Golden Shrimp Balls could get oily, but this sauce provided a refreshing contrast. She wished she could have this sauce every time she ate them!
Ye Xi laughed. "This is called tomato ketchup. Only I can make it; it's not for sale."
"You invented it?!"
Keqing was stunned. Didn't that mean she could only eat this sauce when she was with Ye Xi?!
If only I could eat this every day!
How happy would that be!
Ye Xi didn't stay idle; he ate some food to fill his own stomach as well. After all, he hadn't eaten anything since having lunch with Yae Miko at the Xinyue Kiosk.
Once the pigeons were roasted, Ye Xi shared some with Keqing.
"Hmm, the heat on this pigeon is perfect, and the meat isn't dry. But I still prefer the shrimp balls!" Keqing judged after a bite.
[Getting picky now, are we? Next time I won't make you shrimp balls and see if you eat anything else!]
"I... I think the pigeon is actually really good too!" Keqing added hastily, terrified she might lose out on future shrimp balls.
Sigh, I am the dignified Yuheng. Since when have I been so easily controlled by another?
Keqing felt a wave of self-reflection.
Ye Xi nodded with satisfaction. "That's more like it. I wasn't going to make them for you anymore, but seeing your change of heart, I'll cook for you again in the future."
"Ye Xi, you're the best!" Keqing said, trying to get on his good side.
Leading Keqing by the nose like this gave Ye Xi a great sense of accomplishment.
Tsundere? Tamed and obedient!
After they were full, Ye Xi sent Keqing out of the Serenitea Pot.
"Ah, is it that late already? I have to go back!"
Seeing the full moon high in the sky, Keqing realized it was already around ten at night.
"I won't see you off then. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow!"
Keqing waved goodbye but didn't head home. Instead, she went to the Yuehai Pavilion.
In the Tianquan's Office, Ningguang was managing several tasks. She and Beidou were currently waiting for news from Keqing.
Seeing Keqing knock and enter, Ningguang asked urgently, "Keqing, how did it go? Did you find out anything?"
Keqing thought for a moment, her mind filled with the taste of the Golden Shrimp Balls. A satisfied expression appeared on her face. "The Golden Shrimp Balls were delicious!"
"Golden Shrimp Balls?"
Ningguang and Beidou looked at each other, completely confused.
Ningguang asked again, "And what else?"
"The tomato ketchup was good too..." Keqing added honestly.
Ningguang facepalmed immediately. "It's over. The Yuheng is a lost cause..."
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