"It's your dad," Keqing whispered.
"Mm." Ryou slipped an arm around her and walked her toward the railing.
"Father!" Ryou called.
"Hm? What are you doing here?" His father looked genuinely surprised to see him. Then his gaze shifted to Keqing and Ganyu, and his expression tightened slightly.
"I took Keqing out to buy some clothes. We were supposed to hold the Rite of Descension today—yeah, it got postponed—but the Fatui have been showing up around Mt. Tianheng a lot lately. I didn't like the idea of leaving her alone, so I brought her over here."
His father studied him for a moment, then said quietly, "The Fatui have been moving all over the place lately—so messy it's hard to tell what they're even trying to do. But no matter how chaotic they look, a lot of their plans still point to the same place."
"Guyun Stone Forest?" Ryou asked.
His father's eyes narrowed. "How did you know it was Guyun Stone Forest?"
"A few days ago, Captain Beidou came by. She mentioned something happened out that way and suspected the Fatui were involved," Ryou explained softly. "If I had to guess, they're trying to use a god to attack Liyue Harbor… and force the Geo Archon to hand over the Gnosis."
"I've already told Ningguang. I trust her to handle it, so you don't need to worry." His father glanced at him again, then gave a short nod. "You've got sharp instincts. Not bad."
"And I've heard a few things about the Ministry of Civil Affairs on your end. If you're short on Mora, talk to Uncle Tian. He'll help you out."
"No need. I've always had enough for myself, and—" Ryou didn't get to finish before Keqing tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"…Fine." His father let it go, but his voice turned firm. "Just remember this: if you ever run into trouble, the family will always stand with you. Understood?"
"Yes, Father." Ryou nodded.
"Good. Go on, then." His father patted his shoulder and walked away.
Watching him leave stirred something in Ryou's chest. He took a few steps back toward the group, then stopped.
"Sorry you had to see that," Ryou said to Zhongli.
Zhongli shook his head, looking toward the docks instead. "I spoke with your father earlier. He cares about you—asked me a lot about you, actually. I can tell he's proud… and also a little helpless." Zhongli's gaze flicked back to Ryou. "I heard you don't want to inherit his seat among the Liyue Qixing?"
"My ambitions aren't there. Besides, I already recommended you to Uncle Tian as the next Liyue Qixing," Ryou said calmly.
Zhongli: ???
I'm already drowning at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and you want to throw the Qixing on top of that?
"Ahem." Zhongli coughed, face perfectly straight. "I'm not qualified to be one of the Liyue Qixing. Don't bring it up again. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is busy enough that I can barely keep my head above water as it is… so I'll take my leave."
He didn't wait for an answer. He turned and left in a hurry.
Keqing couldn't help laughing. "You scared Zhongli-san half to death. It's hard enough for him to work at the Ministry—don't go scaring him off!"
"It is kind of funny," Ganyu said, looking at Ryou. "So many people dream of being one of the Liyue Qixing, and you and Zhongli both want nothing to do with it."
"Being Qixing isn't exactly a blessing," Ryou said, pulling Keqing closer. "Look at Keqing—buried in paperwork all day, never even home. Now she's finally at home every day. That's way better. Not everyone is like Ningguang, dying to sit in that seat."
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Keqing hissed, her whole face burning—partly because he was teasing her on purpose, and partly because… well, the reason she hadn't been going to the Ministry lately was him.
You keep bullying me. How am I supposed to have the energy to work?
She shot him a furious look, then glanced at Ganyu, thinking fast.
If Ganyu helped… maybe—
"Let go of me," Keqing said.
"Alright, alright." Ryou released her.
The next second, Keqing grabbed Ganyu's arm and pulled her toward the side walkway, blocking Ryou from following. "You stay over there and look around for a bit. Ganyu and I need to talk about something important. Don't come over and eavesdrop. Got it?"
"…Fine," Ryou said, not pushing it.
Keqing led Ganyu a little farther, then looked back to make sure Ryou was still standing where he'd stopped.
"Ganyu-nee…" Keqing lowered her voice. "Do you… know any way to improve your stamina? Like, strengthen your body?"
"U-Um…" Ganyu hesitated. "Even if there was something, it wouldn't work overnight. Keqing… you two should maybe rein it in a little."
The image of Keqing's bruises flashed through Ganyu's mind, and heat rushed to her cheeks again. As her friend, she really was worried about Keqing's health.
And honestly… that worry made it harder not to think the wrong things.
If this were any other moment, Ganyu would've wanted to say, You should get someone to share the pressure—and I'd be perfect for the job.
But she couldn't. Not without blowing everything up.
"Oh…" Keqing sounded disappointed. She glanced toward Ryou, her thoughts already scrambling for another solution.
So there really isn't a way.
Maybe the only option… is asking Ganyu to help.
Ganyu spoke softly. "If this keeps going long-term, it's not good for you. You really should take care of yourself. And if you can't, then…"
"Then what?" Keqing asked quickly.
"N-Nothing." Ganyu forced a smile. "That kind of thing between husband and wife… I can't help much. I can treat you a few times, sure, but it's not a real solution."
She trailed off because Keqing's eyes looked wrong—red around the rims, like she was getting emotional.
"Oh… I see." Keqing had been half-expecting Ganyu to say, maybe you should let him find someone else.
If Ganyu had said it, Keqing was ready to seize the moment and invite her straight up.
Instead, Ganyu stopped just short of it.
Keqing tried to steady herself. "Forget my mess. You've been listening to me complain this whole time—it's only fair I ask about you." She hugged Ganyu's arm. "Do you have someone you like?"
"I do—" Ganyu blurted it out, then froze. "No, I mean—"
It came out so fast she barely had time to catch herself. And the second she saw Keqing's expression, panic hit her like a wave.
Did Keqing figure it out? Did she realize I like her husband?
"Ganyu-nee… you have someone?" Keqing looked genuinely shocked.
Ganyu rarely interacted with men. Keqing had heard there were people who pursued her, but when she ran through faces in her head, none of them felt right.
If it was someone she spent the most time with lately…
That would be Ryou.
Ryou had helped Ganyu more than once, and after the Ministry mess, Ganyu had been working at Yujing Terrace for a while—meaning she and Ryou had been seeing each other more than before.
So… Ganyu likes my husband?
That's… that's great!
He's clearly drawn to her, but he's never crossed the line. He keeps his distance… and when temptation hits, he runs back and takes it out on me instead.
How is that fair to me?!
"Ganyu-nee," Keqing leaned in closer, voice low and intent. "Who do you like?"
Ganyu's face flushed even redder, like the air itself had turned hot. There was no way she could tell Keqing the truth right now—not if she wanted to stay friends.
But what could she say?
Then she remembered something.
Yesterday… Keqing kissed her.
Ganyu grabbed that lifeline without thinking.
"…I like you," Ganyu said.
Keqing: ???
For a second, Keqing's brain just… stopped.
She'd been ready. If Ganyu said she liked Ryou—even if she lied and said "a friend" liked him—Keqing was prepared to help, to scheme, to push things along.
But this?
You like… me?
Keqing's face went scarlet. She pulled back a step, flustered. "D-Don't joke like that! We're friends! And… I'm married!"
"Married, huh?" Ganyu rolled her eyes. "Then why did you kiss me?"
"Ganyu-nee! If you don't want to say it, then don't—don't use that against me!" Keqing protested, but she didn't press the question again.
Still, her heart wouldn't calm down.
What if Ganyu really likes me?
Did that kiss actually… do something?
Oh no. This is completely my fault.
I tried to use that medicine to bring them closer, and instead Ryou dragged me into it… and now Ganyu's reacting to that kiss?
I wanted you to be my closest friend, and you ended up falling for me…?
Ganyu let out a quiet breath of relief when Keqing didn't keep digging. Thank the gods.
So Keqing suspects I like Ryou… is that why her eyes looked so strange?
Ganyu's chest tightened.
I've been getting too close to him lately.
Until I can convince Keqing… I can't let anything slip.
…
Ryou had no idea what Keqing and Ganyu were talking about. All he knew was that three notifications hit him in a row.
[Ding! Hand entering Darkened Mode!]
[Ding! Darkened Mode active. When you unleash a palm strike, there's a chance it becomes a "through-the-mountain shock strike." Target limit: up to nine people. Direction: unrestricted.]
Ryou stared at the reward, not sure whether to laugh or complain.
[Ryou]:"Direction: unrestricted"? What does that even mean?
[Hand]:Master, it means if you stand in the middle and throw out a palm strike, enemies in any direction might get hit—up to three palm strikes each.
[Face]:What the hell? That's shameless!
[Eyes]:Seriously. "Through-the-mountain" is supposed to hit someone behind one target. Yours is a full-on 360-degree beating.
[Ryou]:Shut up. I think Hand's idea is great. It deserves praise.
[Heart]:Master's skin is unbelievably thick.
[Face]:Who are you calling thick?!
[Kidney]:You're all incredible.
[Ryou]:Hand, explain something first. Why didn't you bring anything back last night?
[Hand]:Master, you can't blame me! Eyes said it saw that woman moving around Liyue Harbor. I didn't want to get caught!
[Eyes]:Master, that woman went to see Zhongli last night. Two unfamiliar men were with her.
[Ryou]:You're sure it was three people?
[Eyes]:Absolutely.
[Ryou]:Alright. I got it. All of you, stand down.
…
Ryou left the "organ consciousness" group chat, but Eyes' report still surprised him.
If it wasn't just Cloud Retainer… then there were two more.
That likely meant the other two adepti.
By rights, the mighty and illuminated adepti shouldn't all be showing up at once.
So why would three of them appear together now?
Could it be because of what's happening at Guyun Stone Forest?
"Ryou, why are you standing here alone?" a voice asked from beside him.
Ryou snapped back and saw Lumine and Paimon. "It's nothing. What are you two doing here?"
"We're helping investigate the Fatui," Paimon said. "Hey—Lumine's got a question. Right?"
"Yeah…" Lumine hesitated, then looked at Ryou. "Ryou, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"Paimon and I came to Liyue because we wanted to ask the Geo Archon something, but now…" Lumine explained a little, because she'd heard just how capable Ryou was. If anyone could point her in the right direction, it was him.
Ryou wasn't surprised. He rubbed his chin, thinking.
In the past, he never would've let Lumine just walk away. She was gorgeous, and if he had a chance, he'd have stolen a kiss without hesitation.
But now he was married to Keqing.
No matter how stubborn that old obsession was, he knew the truth: he and Lumine weren't going to happen. And sooner or later, Lumine would uncover everything anyway.
Better to do her a favor now.
"Come closer," Ryou said. "I'll tell you who you should look for."
"Okay!" Lumine's eyes lit up. She stepped right up to him.
Up close, Ryou caught a faint, unfamiliar scent on her—clean and strangely sweet, but hard to place.
He noticed Lumine's cheeks pink slightly, and he shoved the thought aside. Lowering his voice, he said, "Go find Zhongli…"
"Zhongli is…?" Lumine's eyes widened as it clicked. She turned to him, stunned.
But she was so close now—just a few centimeters away—that it looked like they were about to kiss.
Lumine's face went blazing red.
"Tabibito, shut your mouth! What do you think you're doing?!" a furious voice snapped.
[End of chapter]
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