With hearts full of shock and anticipation, Jean and her companions took their leave from Ningguang and returned to the guest quarters arranged by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Although Ningguang hadn't explicitly instructed them on whether they could speak of what they'd learned, Jean and the others understood well enough.
Now that the contract had been signed, Mondstadt and Liyue were bound together. Protecting Liyue's secrets was, in essence, protecting Mondstadt's own.
After seeing off Keqing, Hu Tao, and the others, Ningguang returned to her bedroom, intending to deal with some official matters before resting.
Yet, Ryen's somewhat overbearing reminder floated back into her mind.
She chuckled softly, her eyes glimmering with affection.
"What a domineering man…"
"But if I work late into the night again, I'll be out of sorts tomorrow. Ryen would probably be angry…"
Murmuring gently, she set the documents aside and walked toward her bed.
Her bed was large—something she had long been used to sleeping in alone.
But lately, seeing Ganyu glowing with energy each day, like a flower nourished by morning dew…
Ningguang began to feel that the bed had grown uncomfortable.
Too big. Missing a man's presence.
If…
If Ryen belonged to her, right now, he'd be waiting for her to rest together.
He'd hold her in his arms, tell her stories, and coax her into sleep.
She could nestle against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and fall into peaceful dreams.
As these thoughts drifted in, sleep became elusive once more.
Gazing silently at the ceiling for a long moment, she finally sat up, threw on a robe, and made her way to the edge of the Jade Chamber.
She looked down toward the small courtyard at the foot of Mt. Tianheng.
A faint, warm light still glowed from within.
She knew—Ganyu was probably curled up in Ryen's arms, listening to him whisper sweet nothings.
Ningguang very much wanted to switch places with her.
The wind blew hard through the skies, the night deep and the moon solitary.
She had been alone for the first half of her life—there was no reason she should remain lonely for the rest of it, watching over Liyue from a distance.
Even the chirping of cicadas in her ears seemed like Ganyu and Ryen laughing and playing.
Unconsciously, Ningguang gripped the railing tighter. After a long pause, she looked up at the moon.
The stars circled it, dazzling in their brilliance, a silver glow cascading like snow.
"There are so many stars surrounding the moon…"
She whispered, her gaze distant.
"You are the star closest to the moon—perhaps the brightest—but… it doesn't mean the others don't shine."
"How long can you keep him to yourself? Moonlight was always meant to illuminate the whole sky…"
After standing in silence for a while, Ningguang turned back toward her bedroom, eyes firm with resolve.
"Ganyu, everything I've ever set my sights on—I've never missed."
"That includes the man I desire."
"So what if I let you enjoy a little more time?"
"I am Ningguang of the Tianquan."
The lights of the Jade Chamber dimmed, leaving it to float quietly above the little house at the base of Mt. Tianheng—
Blocking out all traces of moonlight.
Inside that house, Ryen hadn't actually done anything with Ganyu.
To be precise—he hadn't had the chance.
Nahida had returned home bursting with energy and clung to Ryen, insisting he tell her a bedtime story.
Ryen could only smile helplessly and send Ganyu off to wait for him.
For some reason, Nahida was unusually unwilling to sleep. Even though her eyes were already drooping mid-story, she still clung tightly to Ryen's sleeve.
Fortunately, Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales still worked wonders on her.
Watching her drift off with a smile, Ryen couldn't help but grin.
So what if she'd lived for five hundred years?
She was still just a little loli.
Totally defenseless against a good bedtime story—she fell asleep the moment it got good.
And he hadn't even brought out his secret weapon: One Thousand and One Nights.
Quietly turning off the lights and closing the door behind him, Ryen returned to Ganyu's room.
Or rather, their master bedroom now.
Because these days, Ryen couldn't fall asleep unless Ganyu was in his arms.
Ganyu was peacefully resting against the pillow, reading Ryen's notebook.
Inside were his plans for the future development of the Minecraft world.
Ganyu was thinking hard about how she could help him.
But as soon as Ryen walked in, she gently set the notebook aside and looked at him with soft eyes.
"Did Nahida fall asleep?"
Ryen smiled wryly.
"Yeah, just now. Full of energy the moment she got home… What a child."
Hearing that, Ganyu blushed slightly, seeming to think of something, and muttered in mock annoyance:
"You're just like a child too, Ryen."
Ryen playfully pinched her nose and replied with a chuckle:
"That was a special kind of behavior—not the same as Nahida's. You could say… it's part of a couple's little game."
"C-Couple?!"
Ganyu turned her head slightly in delight but still obediently snuggled into Ryen's arms.
"Will Ryen marry me?"
"Of course. What kind of silly question is that?"
He tapped her gently on the forehead, then switched off the lights.
Perhaps touched by his words, Ganyu's heart raced as she turned over and began quietly loosening her robes.
"Ryen…"
In the darkness, her expressive eyes were full of meaning.
Raising an eyebrow, Ryen didn't hold back and whispered:
"Again? But didn't we just this afternoon…? Are you sure, Ganyu?"
"Hmm…"
Pouting without a word, Ganyu answered him with actions, not words.
She was Ganyu—a half-qilin, half-adeptus.
Her constitution was far from human.
Seeing how enthusiastic his girlfriend was, Ryen certainly wouldn't let her sincerity go to waste.
It was still early, after all. Even staying up all night wouldn't be a problem.
On the third floor of Xinyue Kiosk—
This was the place arranged for Jean and her companions to stay.
And in the dead stillness of the night—
None of them were asleep yet.
They sat in the designated meeting room, gathered together in silence.
There was confusion about the earth-shaking changes that had happened tonight.
There was also nervousness about the formal collaboration talks with Ningguang tomorrow.
Even Lumine was sitting upright with a stern expression—only Paimon, with her big heart, was still floating mid-air, sleeping soundly.
She was probably in a food coma.
After all, this little glutton had eaten a ton at the Jade Chamber, and when they returned, she made Xinyue Teahouse prepare a whole batch of desserts.
In her own words:
"Since we don't have to pay Mora, of course we should eat as much as we can for free!"
Lumine supported this sentiment. Emergency food should be fattened up a bit anyway.
No one knew how long the silence had lasted when Jean finally took a deep breath and quietly said:
"Lisa, earlier on the Jade Chamber, you said... that Mr. Ryen was actually the true mastermind behind all this."
"Ryen?"
Lumine turned to Lisa in confusion.
Lisa chuckled and shook her head.
"Looks like our little cutie didn't notice."
"That Ryen is actually... an outlander just like you."
Lumine's eyes widened as she stared at Lisa in shock.
Lisa clearly enjoyed seeing Lumine's surprised face, and teasingly added:
"And that little girl in his arms? That's Sumeru's Archon—Little Lucky Grass King, the God of Wisdom."
This time, Lumine couldn't sit still anymore.
She jumped to her feet, staring at Lisa in disbelief.
"Sister Lisa, are you saying... I met two gods tonight?! One was the ancient Geo Lord, and the other was the Little Lucky Grass King, the God of Wisdom?"
"And I... didn't even get the chance to ask about my brother?!"
Lisa nodded with a soft chuckle.
Lumine cried out in frustration,
"How could this happen!"
"Is it still possible for me to go find him now?"
Lisa twirled her hair lazily and said,
"I wouldn't recommend trying. He's already gone home. If you go now, you might get suppressed by the adepti."
Hearing this, Diluc's eyes flickered and he spoke softly:
"So, he's the one being guarded by the Qianyan Army and the adepti at Mt. Tianheng..."
Lisa nodded slightly.
Jean let out another sigh.
"Looks like we completely missed the real focus tonight… It'll be difficult to meet him again."
"Not necessarily."
A flicker of electricity flashed in Lisa's eyes.
Instantly, everyone turned to look at her.
But Lisa didn't say more. She stood up and stretched, yawning.
"A lady needs her sleep. I'm off to rest."
"As for Mr. Ryen… maybe during tomorrow's meeting with Ningguang, she'll bring him up herself."
Jean didn't understand.
If Ryen was truly the power behind Liyue, why would Ningguang bring him up willingly?
But Lisa gave her no chance to ask, and soon left the room.
Jean could only set aside her doubts for now and sighed,
"Alright… Let's go rest. We've got a tough battle ahead tomorrow."
Everyone nodded, lost in thought, and left one after another.
In Lisa's room—
She didn't go to sleep as she had said.
Thinking back on Ningguang's various tests and contracts tonight, it seemed more like an assessment.
If Lisa's guess was correct, Ningguang might soon present another contract.
And that contract would be her true goal.
The ones to sign it would likely be the Geo Lord and Barbatos—
Or perhaps… Ryen himself.
The curse's backlash made Lisa frown slightly, but she no longer felt urgent about it.
By tomorrow at the latest, she would obtain the means to lift the curse.
Right now, what mattered more was Ningguang's plan—
And Ryen's intentions.
"Hehe…"
Lisa chuckled mysteriously.
"A mysterious man is a woman's ultimate weakness…"
"Ryen? Ryen…"
As the last lights of Xinyue Teahouse dimmed,
The entire Liyue Harbor sank into silence.
The only sound left was the muffled cheer coming from a secluded courtyard at the foot of Mt. Tianheng…
The next morning.
As the sun rose, Liyue Harbor burst back to life.
Vendors filled the streets, and the Qianyan Army increased their patrols.
Being located in one of Liyue's busiest districts, Xinyue Teahouse gave Jean and her group a firsthand look at the city's vibrant morning.
Merchants in lavish robes crowded the streets, discussing trade deals.
Shops on either side offered luxury goods and services.
Passersby chattered animatedly.
This 3,700-year-old nation pulsed with energy that defied its age, while still maintaining its rich and profound history.
"What a wealthy and prosperous nation…"
Lumine mumbled quietly.
Jean gave a soft smile and replied,
"As the most developed port in Teyvat and its commercial capital, Liyue is also built on the principle of contracts, personally overseen by the Geo Lord himself."
"That's why merchants from across the continent love doing business here. Liyue Harbor has the most advanced economy in all of Teyvat."
She paused, a touch of wistfulness in her voice.
"In terms of strength, Liyue might also be the strongest…
Above, they have the Geo Lord and the adepti.
In the middle, they have Gnosis holders and disciples of the immortals.
Below, the Qianyan Army has received massive enhancements."
Her tone was calm, but Lisa and the others could hear the envy in her words.
While Mondstadt had its unique charm as the Northern Jewel, it clearly lagged behind the grandeur of Liyue.
Lisa patted Jean on the shoulder, just about to say something—
When suddenly, shouts rang out from the street below.
"Hurry! The Ministry of Civil Affairs is releasing materials into the market today!"
The entire street erupted into excitement.
~~----------------------
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