The next day.
Ye Xi left the Serenitea Pot and returned to the Qixing Mansion, just in time to meet Ningguang knocking at his door. He couldn't skip work today; he had to go to Yuehai Pavilion to serve as a patrol guard.
"Ye Xi, are you awake?" Ningguang called out, rapping on the door.
She had slept very well the night before. Without any strange noises to disturb her, she naturally assumed Ye Xi would be up early today.
Sure enough, footsteps soon echoed from inside the room. The door opened, and Ye Xi stepped out fully dressed. "Morning. Let's head to Yuehai Pavilion."
Because they were standing so close, Ningguang felt that strange attraction again. Her Elemental Power seemed to be urgently craving something. Suppressing the restlessness of her power, she smiled and said, "It seems last night was peaceful."
It was anything but peaceful...
Ye Xi's eyes held a hint of weariness that only comes after surviving a great storm. He had to admit, Yae Miko was too strong in every aspect; it was physically and mentally exhausting! Yet, despite the fatigue, he had enjoyed every second of it. Perhaps that was the charm of Yae Miko.
After leaving the Qixing Mansion with Ningguang and crossing the wooden bridge in front of the waterfall, they arrived at Yujing Terrace.
At that moment, a member of The Millelith was chatting with his comrades about what he had seen and heard the day before.
"Did you hear? Jiayi said that the personal guard Lady Ningguang brought back is actually a top-tier master!"
"Jiayi was patrolling the Qixing Mansion yesterday and found Lady Keqing confronting that Ye Xi."
"Lady Keqing had The Black Sword right at his throat, but the guy just flicked the tip of the blade with his finger, and the entire sword was instantly covered in Cryo! Can you believe it?"
"Lady Keqing was so shocked she even dropped her sword!"
The rumor immediately caused an uproar.
"What? For real? Lady Keqing was disarmed?"
"Can that Ye Xi really use Cryo?"
"How is that possible? He clearly doesn't have a Vision!"
"Is there really a way to use Elemental Power without a Vision?"
The crowd fell into a confused frenzy. The fact that one could not use Elemental Power without a Vision was an immutable law on the continent of Teyvat. No one could break that rule! Obtaining a Vision changed a person's entire life, which was why everyone craved one.
"It's absolutely true, brothers! The guys on patrol yesterday saw it with their own eyes! If you don't believe me, go ask them!"
The Millelith guards were filled with fanatical excitement. They were about to continue the gossip when they saw the silhouettes of Ningguang and Ye Xi approaching from a distance.
"Lady Ningguang!"
"Lord Ye Xi!"
Everyone saluted respectfully, but their eyes were fixed on Ye Xi, brimming with admiration.
Ningguang frowned slightly. The attention these Millelith soldiers were giving Ye Xi was clearly greater than what they gave her, the Tianquan. She, a member of the Liyue Qixing, was actually being overshadowed by a personal guard!
One after another, it's all because of Ye Xi.
The Yuheng, Ganyu, and now even The Millelith are acting like this.
At this rate, all of Liyue will become his followers!
The Millelith guards scanned Ye Xi intently, as if trying to uncover the secret of how he used Elemental Power. A man who could wield the elements without a Vision was blindingly radiant! It represented a possibilitythe possibility that ordinary mortals could also grasp Elemental Power!
Gods set the rules, and no one was supposed to defy them. But Ye Xi had done it! This meant his existence was something even the gods were powerless against.
Ye Xi was curious why these guards were suddenly so friendly, but he didn't give it much thought and followed Ningguang into Yuehai Pavilion.
Once Ye Xi's back disappeared through the entrance, the guards began whispering again.
"Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover! Lord Ye Xi is handsome and elegant, but who knew he could use elements without a Vision?"
"No wonder Lady Ningguang holds him in such high regard. That must be the reason!"
"I wasn't convinced before, but I am now. Defying the rules of the gods... he's amazing!"
"It seems we can never truly guess what the Tianquan is thinking!"
As the guards marveled, the one who had shared the news began to speculate further. His eyes lit up as if he had realized something. "I think Lady Ningguang discovered Lord Ye Xi's talent and wanted to recruit him. But Lord Ye Xi doesn't care for money or power, so her ladyship had to use a 'honey trap'!"
This statement immediately won the group's agreement.
"That makes sense! If Lord Ye Xi hadn't been smitten by her ladyship's beauty, why would he stay?"
"Honestly, Lady Ningguang is such a powerful woman. No one in Liyue is worthy of herexcept Lord Ye Xi!"
"A perfect match, truly."
"Only Lord Ye Xi could handle Lady Ningguang, after all, he's the man who can break the rules!"
...
Previously, they had felt a sense of jealousy, thinking Ye Xi was just an ordinary person who had somehow gained Ningguang's favor. Now they understood that some things were simply beyond the reach of envy.
After entering Yuehai Pavilion, Ningguang led Ye Xi to the Tianquan's office. When she found that the work she had left for Ganyu the previous night had seen no progress, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of powerlessness.
Liyue was at a critical juncture, and the secretaries were the lifeblood of the Liyue Qixing. If the most important secretary dropped the ball now, it would lead to a disaster.
Ningguang pondered how to get Ganyu back into the right state of mind. Her gaze soon settled on Ye Xi, who was brewing tea in the office.
The one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it!
Realizing this, Ningguang stood up and said, "Ye Xi, the workload at Yuehai Pavilion has been overwhelming lately, but for some reason, our secretary Ganyu has been distracted. Can you help me?"
"Help? How am I supposed to help?" Ye Xi was genuinely surprised.
[Even Ganyu is slacking off? How is that possible! She's one of the most hardworking people in Liyue! Why? Could it be because...]
Ye Xi suddenly understood. Last time, Ganyu had pulled him aside to ask if there was a way to eat without getting fat. Perhaps that was what was bothering her lately? But it shouldn't be enough to make her abandon her work...
Hearing Ye Xi's internal confusion, Ningguang sighed to herself.
It's because of you...
Ever since Ganyu met Ye Xi that day, she had been heart-strayed. Some of the dossiers she handled even had errors! However, Ningguang also felt that Ye Xi was the only one who could return Ganyu to normal.
"This matter is very important to me," Ningguang said again. "If you can cure Ganyu's 'heart sickness,' I will certainly reward you."
Ye Xi nodded. "Alright, I'll go take a look."
He left the Tianquan's office and headed upstairs. Ganyu's workspace was located in a very quiet area. Ye Xi knocked on the door, but there was no response. It was during working hours, which he found strange. According to the "setting," Ganyu worked nearly twenty hours a day. She should be in her office.
He turned the handle and found the door unlocked. Pushing it open gently, he saw an open window directly across from him. A breeze drifted into the room, rustling the documents on the desk.
And there, amidst a mountain of paperwork and scrolls, lay a blue-haired girl. Her long hair was uncharacteristically loose, spilling like silk. Through the gaps in her hair, he could see her fair back and delicate shoulders. She was using her arm as a pillow, deep in slumber.
The scene was as beautiful as a painting. Her breathing was soft, as faint as the wind, as if she had merged with the room itself. Ye Xi approached Ganyu quietly. As he got closer, he could see her lovely sleeping face.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes were closed. Her small nose sat above rosy lips; looking at her created a sudden urge to lean down and kiss her. She slept like a little kitten. Even though her white arms were marked with red imprints from the pressure of her head, she slept soundly.
Ye Xi hadn't intended to disturb her, but when his gaze landed on the two small horns on her head, he hesitated.
Touching Ganyu's horns was one of her most unique features! It was said that when Ganyu was small, she loved having her horns touched. Every night, if Cloud Retainer didn't rub her horns, she couldn't fall asleep.
So, what does it feel like to touch them? Ye Xi was curious. In his previous life, no one grew horns, so no one knew the sensation. But now that he was in Teyvat, didn't he have the chance? This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Just a quick touch... she shouldn't find out, right?
With a sense of daring, Ye Xi slowly reached out his hand, inching closer. Finally, he touched one of them. In that instant, a shiver ran through his entire body.
The horn was actually soft!
The "Qilin fleshy horn" was a real thing. The Qilin is a divine beast that brings auspiciousness. Its horns are meant for intimidation, never for aggression. All living things are awed by the sight of them, but because the Qilin never attacks others,
it has no need for hard, sharp horns. Thus, the horn felt incredibly soft to the touch. It was as tender and delicate as a young girl's hand. It was, quite frankly, addictive. Ye Xi couldn't bring himself to let go!
"Mmn..."
The sleeping girl felt someone touching her head and alertly opened her eyes. When she realized someone was rubbing her horns, her eyes widened in shock.
"Ye Xi!?"
"Eh!"
Ganyu scrambled backward, breaking free from Ye Xi's grasp. She covered her head with both hands, her face flushed with extreme shyness. Seeing her panicked expression, Ye Xi felt a pang of guilt. "Sorry, I was just curious."
[That felt so good, I wish I could just hold her and rub them forever! It's like petting a cat, I can't stop!]
Ganyu had been prepared to forgive Ye Xi, but after hearing his inner thoughts, she was both embarrassed and angry. Mostly embarrassed, though. Truthfully, as she was waking up, she had felt exceptionally safe. Being petted by Ye Xi gave her a sense of bliss. And hearing him praise her horns made her even more bashful.
"Please... please don't touch my horns..." Ganyu shrank her neck back, looking as if she were on the verge of tears.
Ye Xi felt like he was bullying her, and a thick sense of remorse filled his heart.
[How can I make it up to her...]
Suddenly, Ye Xi had an idea. Last night, he had successfully wished for Ganyu's Stella Fortuna!
He spoke up, "Ganyu, Ningguang told me you've been distracted lately. Is it because of that matter we talked about? If you want to be able to eat without getting fat, I have a way to temporarily solve that problem."
"Eh!?" Ganyu's shyness vanished instantly, her eyes going wide with longing. "Ye Xi, do you really have a way?"
The reason she had been distracted was indeed because she was thinking about food. she really wanted to eat Qingxin and Sea Ganoderma, but she was terrified of gaining weight. Since hearing his inner voice say there was a way to solve this,
she couldn't contain her excitement! Every moment, she was fantasizing about the day she could eat whatever she wanted. She even zoned out while working. Now that Ye Xi was confirming it, she was incredibly moved!
Ye Xi nodded and explained, "Actually, your constitution is like this because of your Qilin bloodline. We just need to find a way to suppress that bloodline."
Ganyu was surprised. Ye Xi had always seemed to know a lot about her, but she hadn't expected him to be so clear about the Qilin bloodline. His point made a lot of sense, however. Although she possessed adeptal energy, it wasn't capable of suppressing the bloodline itself.
"Ye Xi... do you have a way?" She looked at him with hope. Right now, he was the only one she could rely on!
Ye Xi gave a slight nod. "While it won't solve the problem permanently, it can temporarily suppress your Qilin bloodline."
The truth was that Ganyu gained weight because her Stella Fortuna couldn't keep her bloodline in check. By strengthening her Stella Fortuna, she could change her situation.
Of course, as time passed and she aged, the bloodline might regain the upper hand, and the problem would return. The issue would only be fully overcome once all six of her Stella Fortuna were lit.
With that, he pulled Ganyu's Stella FortunaDew-Drinkerfrom his spatial backpack. It was a glowing five-pointed star, looking exactly like a star from a fairy tale.
The moment Ye Xi produced the star, Ganyu felt an indescribable sense of kinship.
"This... this is..."
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