The sun dipped low in the west, and a soft crimson hue spread across Gu Chen's white robe.
The day was drawing to an end; dusk had come.
Although little Ganyu was an adeptal beast, even she had her limits. After frolicking in the sea of flowers for so long, her energy was fading, and her eyelids drooped with drowsy reluctance.
She yawned, rubbing her eyes as she looked longingly at the endless blossoms. "Master, can we come back and play here again sometime?"
"As long as we have time, we can come whenever you like," Gu Chen said with a smile, plucking the twig that had gotten tangled in her hair. "It's getting late. You're still growing—time to head back and rest."
"Mm-hmm!"
Ganyu nodded eagerly and stretched out her little arms.
Gu Chen crouched down and lifted her up, letting her sit comfortably in the crook of his arm.
"Master, who takes care of this flower field?" she asked sleepily as she rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Lady Guizhong," Gu Chen replied with a smile as he carried her back. "She loves this place. When she isn't studying strange new mechanisms, she's here tending to her flowers."
"Wow, so Master knows Lady Guizhong really well!" Ganyu blinked curiously, then beamed. "Then it'll only get prettier with her looking after it!"
Gu Chen chuckled and nodded.
Then—growl~
"Master, I'm hungry…"
The little qilin rubbed her soft belly, her face scrunching in distress.
"You still know what hunger feels like? If we'd stayed any longer, we'd have missed dinner!" Gu Chen laughed, carrying her back toward Guili Assembly.
After spending some time there, Gu Chen noticed how much Ganyu liked staying in Guili. So he decided to remain there for a longer while.
With his abilities, traveling between Guili Assembly and Jueyun Karst—a journey of several thousand li—took no more than half a day. If anything required his attention there, he could easily return.
[Liuyun the Windborne]: I just realized something—if Gu Chen keeps feeding her like this, won't Ganyu weigh hundreds of jin when she grows up? (Paimon shocked emoji)
[Ganyu]: (flustered) Hundreds of jin?! I–I don't even dare imagine that!
[Paimon]: Gu Chen, stop spoiling her so much! (Tighnari knocking the blackboard)
[Kaeya]: Or maybe that's just the type Gu Chen likes? (smirking)
[Gu Chen]: Don't talk nonsense. Ganyu's half-adeptus—she won't have a problem with her weight, and losing it would be easy if she wanted to.
[Venti]: Isn't the fattest one actually Azhdaha? (laughing)
[Azhdaha]: Do you even know the difference between sturdy and fat? I seriously question your sense of perception! (Raiden Shogun threatening emoji)
[Gu Chen]: "We once shared wine beneath the osmanthus tree—but alas, my old friend has grown so round…" (Hu Tao laughing emoji)
[Zhongli]: From a rational perspective… quite fitting. (nods)
[Azhdaha]: Stop deflecting! We were talking about Ganyu! (Hu Tao teasing emoji)
[Keqing]: From what I've seen, Ganyu's figure is perfectly fine.
[Liuyun]: Or perhaps… she became so conscious of her figure because of that incident with the beast she accidentally choked? (Paimon shocked emoji)
[Furina]: Oh~ I see.
[Yae Miko]: That explains it! No wonder she eats so little whenever I invite her to dinner. Ganyu, you should stop holding back—eat all you want! (mischievous grin)
[Ganyu]: No! I really shouldn't! (desperate headshake)
[Paimon]: Don't worry, Gu Chen won't mind! (Hu Tao laughing emoji)
[Ganyu]: That makes it worse!
[Paimon]: She's definitely panicking now. (sly face)
[Kaeya]: With three other women already ahead of her, of course she feels the pressure. (Zhongli smirk emoji)
[Zhongli]: Statistically speaking, that would indeed create a sense of crisis. (nods)
[Ganyu]: I am not competing with anyone!
[Lumine]: Ah… I used to say that too. Then I stopped fighting fate. (Yaoyao shrug emoji)
Lumine gave Ganyu a knowing look—ah, the naivety of youth. Did the poor girl really think she could escape her destiny?
"Gu Chen," Lumine suddenly said.
"Hm?"
He was happily scrolling through messages when she called, making him blink in confusion.
"Be honest—aside from legs, do you also like Ganyu's horns?" Lumine asked, a teasing smile curving her lips.
Gu Chen scratched his head.
…Was it that obvious?
"Never mind, no need to answer. I understand." Lumine waved a hand, her golden eyes glinting mischievously. "We'll talk about this later. I'll buy some… things for next time."
At that, Gu Chen suddenly recalled how, in Raiden Ei's video episode, Lumine had once cosplayed a gentle big sister, giving him quite the pleasant surprise.
Now she wanted to try a non-human look?
Perfect.
Ah, big wife really did understand him best.
"You're amazing, Lumine~" Gu Chen said with a grin.
"Ugh, you and that smug face!" Lumine smacked him lightly, then added with a giggle, "But I am the best, right?"
"…I refuse to answer that." Gu Chen immediately went on alert.
"Hmph!"
Lumine puffed her cheeks and turned away. Of course, she knew—this man was a master of balance, always keeping his three partners in a delicate, almost miraculous harmony.
Half of why the "back courtyard" hadn't caught fire yet was his credit alone.
"So which do you like better?" she leaned close with a mischievous gleam. "Horns… or tails?"
"Both!" Gu Chen said with absolute seriousness.
"Figures." Lumine nodded and left, satisfied.
Paimon clicked her tongue twice. "Wow… Lumine's really changed. Is this the power of love?"
"…When did you get here?" Gu Chen blinked.
He was certain this little floating creature had some supernatural gossip sense—appearing out of thin air at every juicy moment.
"I just came by! Oh, and I brought you milk tea." She handed him a cup proudly.
"Not bad, at least you've got a conscience," Gu Chen said, taking it. Then, smirking, "People change, you know. The reason may vary, but in Lumine's case—it's definitely because of me."
Two years passed in Guili Assembly.
By now, everyone knew the gentle Swordmaster True Monarch—and the little half-adeptus girl who could eat medicinal herbs by the handful.
The locals were simple folk: whoever treated them kindly, they treated the same.
Gu Chen rarely bought anything himself; the villagers constantly brought gifts to his home. Refusing wasn't an option—their goodwill was too genuine.
It made him helpless, but also deeply touched. Everything he'd done felt worth it.
"Ganyu! Time to go!"
"I'm coming~!"
She stuffed a handful of Qingxin flowers into her mouth, mumbled something incoherent, then shoved another handful into her pocket before running over on short legs.
Gu Chen patted her head, a faint sigh in his heart.
A mix of human and adeptus blood truly made for something extraordinary—years had passed, and she still hadn't grown much. Longevity had its quirks.
"Where are we going today, Master?" Ganyu asked between bites.
"There's a nearby village," Gu Chen said. "A few people there have been bitten by what they think are poisonous insects—but from their wounds, I suspect a demon's work instead. Either way, I'll take a look."
"Oh~ So Master's going to heal people—or subdue demons if needed?" she asked brightly.
"Exactly."
She followed him obediently, nibbling petals all the way.
When they arrived, the villagers greeted them warmly.
After examining the patients, Gu Chen confirmed his suspicion—it was indeed a malevolent spirit.
It was Ganyu's first time accompanying him on an exorcism. Now that she was older, Gu Chen believed it was time for her to learn.
Rather than being scared, she was brimming with excitement. Her master was, after all, a mighty immortal who could slay gods.
When Gu Chen found the demon's hiding place and flicked his fingers, countless sword lights flashed, shredding the creature instantly—Ganyu's eyes went wide with pure awe.
Master's amazing!
"Master, I want to learn that too!" she cried, tugging at his sleeve.
"It's tough training," Gu Chen warned, smiling.
"Ganyu's not afraid of hardship!" she said earnestly, puffing her chest. "I'll work super hard!"
"Good. I'll teach you later."
After leaving instructions with the villagers, Gu Chen and Ganyu departed.
Training began soon after.
Gu Chen crafted a wooden sword for her and started teaching her immortal arts and swordsmanship.
To his surprise, Ganyu showed great talent in cultivation—she mastered the basics within half a month.
"Even I took half a year when I started," Gu Chen said, genuinely impressed. "You're really something, Ganyu."
"Hehe~"
His praise made her blush with pride—until he added dryly, "But my junior sister once learned it in three days."
Ganyu wilted instantly.
Her immortal studies went smoothly—but the sword practice… not so much.
At first, she couldn't even hold the sword for long before her arms grew sore. She stubbornly persisted, but soon exhaustion overtook her, and she'd have to stop.
Swordsmanship might look effortless and elegant, but mastery began with grueling basics.
One afternoon, after yet another training session, Ganyu collapsed into Gu Chen's arms and burst into tears.
"Waaah…"
Gu Chen could only laugh. "Go rest, little one."
"Mm…"
She nodded, curling up against his chest and quickly drifting into sleep under the gentle warmth of the sun.
Looking down at her peaceful face, Gu Chen stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Clearly not suited for sword cultivation… Then what would fit her better?"
He mused for a long while but found no answer.
Finally, he smiled. "No need to rush. She's still young—there's time."
[Sangonomiya Kokomi]: It does seem a difficult decision. By the way, what weapon does the real Ganyu use?
[Ganyu]: A bow.
[Childe]: A bow, huh? Good choice—though it's my worst weapon. (Kaveh scratching head)
[Gu Chen]: Excuses already? (laughs)
[Childe]: Hey!
[Zhongli]: From a logical standpoint, a sword does seem out of place for Ganyu.
[Keqing]: Agreed. I can't imagine her with a sword—she's always been the archer type.
[Paimon]: But Gu Chen looked so cool with his sword! (sparkling eyes)
[Gu Chen]: Let's be honest—who doesn't want to be a sword immortal, roaming the world carefree and awesome beyond words? (proud emoji)
[Kaeya]: We one-hand sword users are basically born stylish. (Zhongli smirk emoji)
[Gu Chen]: That's a fact I can endorse.
[Ayato]: Hard to disagree. (sips tea)
[Albedo]: Indeed.
[Alhaitham]: As it should be.
[Xingqiu]: I've dreamed of wandering the world with my sword since I was a child!
Gu Chen didn't rush Ganyu into choosing a weapon. He told her to think about it carefully first.
One day, a visitor came to their door.
"Master Gu! Are you home?"
The caller was an elderly man, cheerful and spry—the most respected elder in the nearby villages.
"What brings you here?" Gu Chen asked.
"Well, two young ones in the village are getting married! They were hoping you'd come join the celebration. The kids didn't dare invite you themselves, so they sent this old man!"
"Haha, I've got nothing pressing today. I'll come along for the food, then."
"Excellent!" the elder said happily, then turned to Ganyu. "Come along, little one—there'll be good food!"
"Coming!"
Ganyu scampered over.
As they walked, she tilted her head curiously. "Grandpa, what does 'getting married' mean?"
"Ah—marriage," the old man mused. He thought for a moment, then smiled kindly. "It means two people who love each other decide to live together."
"Two people who love each other live together?" Ganyu blinked, then brightened. "Then… does that mean Master and I are married too?"
"Eh?"
Gu Chen froze mid-step, barely suppressing a laugh.
The old man's eyes went wide. After a long pause, he waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! Master Gu is your teacher! You can't marry your teacher!"
"You can't?" Ganyu asked, tilting her head, genuinely confused.
"Well… er…" The elder scratched his head awkwardly. "Maybe for you immortals it's different, but among us mortals, that'd cause quite a stir!"
Gu Chen could only sigh helplessly—
This disciple of his was getting far too good at saying things that made people's hearts skip a beat.
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