"Alright... but won't Mr. Zhongli be accompanying us this time?"
"Mmm, I have some reasons for not being able to appear openly. I'll have to trouble you all to handle this."
Zhongli nodded, as he had other matters to attend to.
"Lumine, Paimon, I won't be accompanying you either this time..."
Feng Yi chimed in, stating he needed to use this time to visit some of Liyue's beauties.
"Why is Feng Yi saying that too? Lumine, it's just you and me then! Don't worry, Paimon can be quite reliable sometimes!" Paimon declared, hands on her hips. It seemed she was the only one Lumine could count on in crucial moments!
The group bid farewell here and went their separate ways.
Feng Yi first headed to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and found Ganyu, who was engrossed in her work.
"Feng Yi, you're back?!"
A look of pleasant surprise flashed across Ganyu's tired face.
Following the assassination attempt on the Geo Archon, an overwhelming amount of work had piled up, pushing the entire Ministry of Civil Affairs into overdrive. She hadn't even had time to drink water.
"Mmm, you've been working hard. Take a break for a bit."
Feng Yi came up behind Ganyu, gently kneading her shoulders and neck to relieve the fatigue from sitting for so long.
"It's fine. With the Archon's assassination, at this critical juncture, it's not just me; all the Qixing must remain vigilant and cannot afford any slack," Ganyu replied with a smile, shaking her head. Although she had heard about the Archon's assassination and indeed saw the Archon's 'corpse' in the Golden House, she couldn't believe the Archon was truly dead.
While it was possible someone could kill the Archon, the Archon would never be without any power to resist. If such a thing had truly happened, it wouldn't just be the Jade Chamber, but potentially the entirety of Liyue that would be destroyed by the aftershocks of the battle.
"Then continue your work. I'll help you with a massage."
Feng Yi, knowing Ganyu's personality well, didn't press the matter further and continued to massage her to help her relax.
Before long, Ganyu stretched with a yawn, a wave of sleepiness washing over her. She couldn't help but want to take a nap.
Only when Feng Yi was around did she feel so relaxed.
"If you're sleepy, go ahead and sleep. There's always more work to be done."
Feng Yi directly picked Ganyu up and placed her on the bed in the study, tucking her in with a quilt. Ganyu relished this feeling, and under Feng Yi's care, she soon fell into a deep sleep.
When she finally woke up, the sky was already painted with breathtaking sunset hues. She had slept the entire afternoon away. Although she felt a pang of guilt about neglecting her work, it had been incredibly comfortable, and she felt completely rejuvenated.
"Awake? Come and eat something. I asked the kitchen to make you some congee."
Feng Yi brought dinner to the bedside and spoon-fed Ganyu. As she ate, Ganyu expressed her desire for rice porridge, which Feng Yi readily accommodated, feeding her until she was full. After Ganyu finished eating, Feng Yi grinned slyly. It was his turn for dinner, wasn't it?
Reunion is sweeter than a wedding night, and the two had endless stories to share.
...
A thousand words omitted here.
After their joyful reunion, Feng Yi employed aphrodisiacs, golden bear paws, and the Water of Life, yet Ganyu still seemed to desire more. One had to admit, the Qilin's immortal body was terrifyingly powerful!
It wasn't until the sky grew dark that Feng Yi finally left the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Following the information he had been given earlier, Feng Yi found the inn where Lumine and Paimon were staying. Lumine and Paimon had just finished bathing and were excitedly recounting the day's events in the bedroom.
"Feng Yi, you'll never guess what Lumine and I did this afternoon!"
Seeing Feng Yi enter, Paimon said with a mysterious air.
"What did you do?"
Feng Yi thought: I must play along with your performance. Although he had a hunch, he feigned curiosity.
"Heh heh, Lumine and I helped an adeptus 'maintain' her artifact this afternoon!"
Paimon chuckled smugly. She felt incredibly accomplished. Although she hadn't personally done the work, she had cheered Lumine on.
Just as she was about to boast to Feng Yi, she suddenly realized that Feng Yi also possessed an artifact called the 'Serenitea Pot.' Didn't that mean Feng Yi also knew an adeptus and had a very good relationship with them? Paimon immediately lost the desire to show off.
"An adeptus?"
"Yes, that Granny Hu is an adeptus. Do you know her, Feng Yi?"
Paimon flew back to Lumine's side and asked Feng Yi curiously.
"I do. My Serenitea Pot was given to me by Granny Hu."
Feng Yi smiled slightly. He was planning to send Yuanbao to Granny Hu in a few days to help look after the child. During this time, Yuanbao had asked the realm's spirit to build an amusement park inside the Serenitea Pot, and he and Qiqi were having a blast. This couldn't go on! A childhood without schooling was an incomplete childhood. He planned to send Yuanbao to Granny Hu to learn some basic humanities and cultivation arts.
Upon hearing Feng Yi's words, Paimon's face showed an expression of "as expected." Feng Yi truly had a good relationship with the adepti. With this connection, wouldn't Feng Yi be able to walk freely throughout Liyue?
Feng Yi thought: Isn't this thinking too small? The Tianquan Star and the Yuheng Star among the Qixing are already on my side...
The group chatted for a while longer, and as it grew late, it was time to sleep. With Paimon in the room, it was inconvenient for Feng Yi and Lumine to be intimate. Feng Yi decided that tomorrow he absolutely had to buy a large courtyard and prepare a separate room for Paimon. Paimon was overjoyed to hear this news; she would finally have her own little room!
The night passed without incident. The next day, after a simple breakfast, Feng Yi and Lumine, carrying the 'Dustless Bell' borrowed from Granny Hu, met Zhongli at the Jade Chamber plaza.
"Excellent, this is indeed the 'Dustless Bell'... Mmm, it's been kept in good condition. Let's also place the incense paste we made earlier."
Seeing Zhongli's contemplative expression, Paimon felt that this Mr. Zhongli must also be an adeptus.
"Oh, right, that old lady asked us to pass on a message to you."
Paimon almost forgot and then tried her best to imitate Granny Hu's tone:
"If you have time, you're welcome to come over for tea. I don't have much, but I do have a teapot."
Feng Yi couldn't help but chuckle. Paimon might not be good at anything else, but she had a talent for imitating others. She had captured Granny Hu's aged tone quite well.
"Hahaha, that tone doesn't really suit you, but her teapot is indeed excellent. It's perfect for brewing tea. I'll naturally visit her with some fine tea when the time is right."
Zhongli was also amused by Paimon's tone.
Paimon thought: Could he be brewing tea with the Serenitea Pot? It's full of cobwebs in there, so the tea would taste like spider tea. Adepti have such unique tastes...
"So, what's the next preparation for the ritual?"
"Mmm, the next item... we're going to buy kites."
"Kites?! Is Zhongli taking us to play with kites? Is this considered... a break?"
Upon hearing about kites, Paimon's spirits immediately lifted.
"Hahaha, it's not like that. Although kites are children's toys, in Liyue's various rituals, they also have other symbolic meanings..."
Zhongli thought: It's not for you to play with, it's for offerings to the Geo Archon, which is me!