Late at night, Feng Yi and Hu Tao returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor residence.
It was a familiar place, a familiar room.
As usual, Hu Tao, holding a pillow, quietly slipped into Feng Yi's room and burrowed into his blankets.
"Hu Tao, you don't need to take off your panties..."
Feng Yi stopped Hu Tao, who was about to remove her panties. This little girl truly gave him a headache.
"I will!"
Hu Tao refused to listen, challenging him to do something about it if he could!
Feng Yi reluctantly conceded. He prioritized sleep, and within three seconds, snores began to fill the air.
Hu Tao chuckled, pecked Feng Yi's cheek, and then, holding his arm, drifted off to dreamland.
Nothing eventful happened that night.
The next day, Feng Yi, with a freshly washed Hu Tao, arrived at the teahouse they used to frequent.
Zhongli was already waiting at a vacant table.
"Boss, we can have the steamed buns now!"
Seeing Feng Yi arrive, Zhongli nodded to the boss beside him.
"Coming right up!"
The boss delivered thirty baskets of steamed buns to the table. Seeing their major customer, who had been missing for half a year, reappear, he couldn't help but shed tears of joy.
His overdue mortgage payments finally had a glimmer of hope!
"Mr. Feng Yi, you've finally returned. I've missed you (and your wallet) so much! All the oily tea today is on me. Drink as much as you want!"
The boss said, wiping away tears.
"Then thank you, boss. Bring ten pots of oily tea to start with to whet my appetite!"
Feng Yi, afraid of overwhelming the boss by ordering too much at once, controlled his appetite and ordered a small portion to taste.
Boss: *cough cough* Uh... actually, you've already overwhelmed me...
By the end of breakfast, both guests and host were delighted. Feng Yi alone drank 50 pots of oily tea.
Seeing that someone else was paying, Zhongli also unusually ate an extra basket of steamed buns and had 3 pots of oily tea.
After Feng Yi and the others left, the teahouse owner hid behind the door, slapping himself and muttering, "Look at my mouth, I've worked for nothing today!"
The teahouse owner resolved to earn double the money back from Feng Yi tomorrow.
Hu Tao went with Zhongli to handle affairs at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, while Feng Yi bought a Slime Jelly Milk Tea from Wanmin Restaurant and then, as if by habit, headed to Yuehai Pavilion.
*Knock knock~*
"Ahem, is Wang Xiaomei here?"
Feng Yi arrived at Ganyu's study, gently knocked on the door, and offered a gentle smile to Ganyu, who was working.
"Wang Xiaomei? Who is that? Sir, you've come to the wrong place... Ah, Feng Yi!"
Ganyu, engrossed in her work, instinctively replied to the person looking for Wang Xiaomei.
But that familiar voice instantly awakened memories of that person.
Looking up, standing at the door, smiling at her, was none other than the Feng Yi she had been longing for.
"Feng Yi, when did you get back? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Ganyu put down her work, quickly walked over to Feng Yi, and then threw herself into his arms.
Ganyu held Feng Yi tightly, as if wanting to meld him into her very being and never part again.
During the six months Feng Yi was away, she often met him in her dreams, but after the brief dreams ended, a deeper loneliness and longing would set in.
Ganyu would often take out the gifts Feng Yi had given her, reminiscing and praying for his safety and well-being.
"I just got back last night. It was late, and I didn't want to disturb your rest, so I came first thing this morning!"
Feng Yi... told Ganyu of his longing and concern.
"I... I missed you so much~"
"Ganyu, me too!"
Feng Yi held Ganyu and led her to the bed in the study, expressing their deepest affection in the most primal way.
[The sun is long, the breeze is warm, a good embrace.
....................]
.................... Ganyu was quite exhausted and was settled on the bed by Feng Yi to rest well.
"Are you hungry? I brought you a cup of Jelly Milk Tea from Wanmin Restaurant. Fill your tummy first!"
Feng Yi brought the Slime Jelly Milk Tea to the bedside and said to the tired Ganyu.
"I want you to feed me..."
Ganyu said, her face slightly flushed.
Feng Yi understood. She wanted to drink the milk tea from someone's mouth.
With Feng Yi's help, Ganyu quickly finished the full cup of milk tea.
A few drops of milk tea spilled on Ganyu, and Feng Yi, in the spirit of never wasting and providing complete service, licked them all clean for her.
After spending some time embracing Ganyu, Feng Yi prepared to leave, letting Ganyu rest well.
"Be good, put your work aside for now and take care of yourself!"
"Mhmm~"
Ganyu obediently agreed to Feng Yi's instructions.
But as soon as Feng Yi left, she couldn't control her work drive, threw on a coat, and returned to her desk...
Feng Yi left Yuehai Pavilion and wandered aimlessly through the familiar streets.
As he walked, he found himself in front of the entrance to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
"Who are you? What business do you have at the Ministry of Civil Affairs? Do you have an appointment or a pass?"
A new-faced guard, holding a spear, blocked Feng Yi.
He was a recent transfer from the border and didn't recognize Feng Yi's status or his relationship with the Liyue Qixing.
Out of duty, he stopped Feng Yi to question him.
"I'm here to see Keqing of the Liyue Qixing. An appointment? I don't think so. A pass? I don't think so either..."
Feng Yi was troubled, as he had neither of the things the guard mentioned.
"Can you please inform Keqing for me? Just tell her Feng Yi is here to see her!"
It was the guard's job to check incoming personnel, and Feng Yi found it reasonable for him to be stopped.
After all, he hadn't been here for half a year, so it was normal for the guards here not to recognize him.
"I'm sorry, Madam Keqing is very busy and cannot be disturbed unnecessarily. Please come back after you have successfully made an appointment..."
The guard said with a serious expression. There were always many people who used various excuses to try and meet Madam Keqing. If he were to inform Madam Keqing for everyone, how could Madam Keqing get any work done?
Therefore, an appointment or a pass was a necessary means to filter out idle individuals.
"Look at this..."
Feng Yi was about to take out the family token Keqing had given him previously as proof of his identity, but before he could finish speaking, he saw another Millelith soldier approach, scold the guard first, and then invite Feng Yi in.
"I apologize, Mr. Feng Yi. He's new and doesn't recognize you. I will discipline him. Please go inside first, Mr. Feng Yi..."
This Millelith soldier looked familiar. It was the one who had witnessed Feng Yi and Keqing embracing and bidding farewell. Unexpectedly, he had now been promoted to a squad leader. (His weapon had been replaced with the halberd used by Millelith officers.)