Ye Xi's shoulder was a bit firm, but very warm.
Ningguang gazed at the boy's face so close to her own, and couldn't help but feel that relying on Ye Xi like this was somewhat immature.
"So what if it's immature."
She thought to herself, closing her eyes to savor this rare sense of security.
Ye Xi was stunned.
He was only saying it casually. Who would have thought Ningguang would actually lean against him!
But this feeling was really not bad!
The woman's body was soft, and a gentle fragrance washed over him, accompanied by a faint warmth that left him feeling refreshed and relaxed.
"Liyue really is so big..."
Ningguang suddenly let out a sigh, speaking with deep emotion.
Ye Xi looked down at Ningguang, his gaze locking onto a certain spot as he murmured, "Yes, it really is big..."
Hearing Ye Xi's response, Ningguang was hazy with alcohol, yet she still hadn't forgotten her goal of keeping him by her side.
Taking advantage of the moment, she brought it up. "The bigger it is, the harder it is to control. Yet, it cannot be left ignored. The burden on the shoulders of the Liyue Qixing will only grow heavier. So, are you willing to help me?"
Ye Xi almost nodded subconsciously.
The bigger it was, the harder it indeed was to control, and a heavier burden would indeed be harder to carry.
None of this was wrong.
It was just that his thoughts had gone off in a crooked direction.
Slash, slash, slash!
He severed all those stray thoughts from his mind.
At a time like this, he couldn't be blamed for letting his mind wander in that direction.
A lone man and woman sharing a room, even feeding each other wine.
Only a saint wouldn't have wild thoughts!
He quietly mused to himself.
[Looking at it this way, Ningguang's figure really is spectacular.]
[It feels like there isn't much of a difference compared to Beidou's.]
Hearing Ye Xi's inner thoughts, Ningguang was highly surprised.
They were clearly discussing the affairs of Liyue, so how did they suddenly jump to her figure?
She raised her head to glance at Ye Xi, only to find his gaze focused intently on a certain area. Instantly, her pretty face flushed red, and she sat up straight.
"Cough..."
She cleared her throat, pulling the topic back. "We were supposed to be listening to your drunken confessions. How did it turn into you questioning me?"
Ye Xi withdrew his gaze and played dumb. Seeing this, Ningguang furrowed her brows and asked, "Are you drunk right now? I'm going to ask you some questions!"
"Who asks like that?" Ye Xi looked utterly speechless, but seeing the mock annoyance in Ningguang's eyes, he changed his tune. "Drunk, drunk. I'm drunk right now. Ask away, I'll tell nothing but the truth."
Though Ye Xi said this, he was quite speechless in his heart.
This was simply ridiculous.
People who are drunk usually insist they are sober.
Yet, Ningguang actually seemed to believe him.
"Since you're drunk, answer me: who is better, Beidou or me?"
Ningguang deliberately straightened her posture, making her curvaceous silhouette instantly much more pronounced.
Not expecting to return to this question, Ye Xi had no choice but to size her up carefully.
The woman's platinum-blonde hair was pinned up by a black-and-gold hairpin.
Below her pale neck lay a sweep of snowy white skin, and her collar was patterned with golden phoenixes.
Her waist was adorned with dark gold fan-shaped decorations, and her slender waist was so delicate it could be held in one hand.
The slit of her cheongsam revealed long, beautiful legs, and on her fair left leg, there was a red tattoo.
Quiet as a delicate flower reflected in the water, moving like a slender willow swaying in the wind [1].
What a peerless and beautiful woman.
His eyes were filled with admiration.
However, staring at a girl so intently felt a bit awkward.
The key point was that he had been forced into it!
After looking for a moment, he spoke the truth, "I think you're about the same as Big Sis."
Ningguang furrowed her brows, clearly not getting the answer she wanted.
"How can you see clearly from so far away?"
With that, Ningguang reached out her jade-like arms and wrapped them around Ye Xi's neck. "Come closer, so you can see clearly."
Ye Xi was startled by Ningguang's sudden movement. He hadn't expected her to suddenly become so proactive.
She seemed to have grown much bolder due to the alcohol.
Ningguang's heart was thumping wildly, and she felt a faint thrill of excitement and anticipation!
At the same time, the elemental energy throughout her body was cheering and leaping for joy!
This was the first time she had been so close to a member of the opposite sex, let alone such a handsome young man. The emotions she had suppressed for over twenty years erupted.
A wondrous thought sprang up in her mind.
She wanted to say something like, "Let big sister teach you a few things..." to Ye Xi. However, she managed to keep her senses, asking, "Well? Can you tell now?"
Ye Xi nodded.
"And the answer?" She was eager to know the result.
Ye Xi pondered for a moment and said solemnly, "As expected, you are still a bit better."
Hearing this answer, Ningguang finally let go of Ye Xi. Her already flushed face became even redder. "That's more like it."
She felt her own endurance was reaching its limit as well.
She probably couldn't hold an embrace like that for even a minute.
This wondrous feeling of a racing heart was completely unprecedented.
If this was what falling in love with someone felt like, she seemed to already be in love with this feeling!
[I finally passed.]
[Now you can let me go back, right?]
Ye Xi breathed a sigh of relief.
Hearing Ye Xi's inner thoughts, Ningguang felt a bit disgruntled.
Was being with her really that unpleasant?
In all of Liyue, who knew how many wealthy young masters yearned to be with her.
Yet, Ye Xi was probably the only one who found it to be a torment!
She let out a sigh, then suddenly remembered something. Blushing, she said, "There's one more thing. Is there no new outfit for me? I want one too."
She would absolutely never say such words to anyone other than Ye Xi!
It was far too embarrassing!
It was just like acting spoiled!
Only in front of Ye Xi could she display such a feminine side.
At least, Ye Xi had already witnessed it.
While no one else had!
In any case, Ye Xi's actual age was older than her own, so acting a bit spoiled toward an older person wasn't entirely unacceptable.
She barely managed to convince herself with this logic.
Hearing Ningguang's words, Ye Xi was somewhat surprised.
For some reason, he felt that Ningguang's attitude toward him seemed to have undergone a subtle shift.
Before, Ningguang gave off a strong, condescending impression.
But now, she was clearly compliant and even considerate of his feelings.
He wanted to test his hypothesis a little.
Thus, he pointed at the flask to the side, a hint of expectation in his gaze. "Pour me a cup of wine, and I'll give it to you."
If it were the usual Ningguang, hearing such a request would definitely earn him a cold glare.
Yet, upon hearing this, Ningguang's face lit up with surprise instead, her small hand picking up the flask to pour a cup.
[So obedient?]
[Is this really Ningguang?]
Ye Xi felt incredibly thrilled, as if he had tamed a proud, overbearing female CEO from his previous life into the gentle, submissive way he wanted!
Pushing his luck, he pointed to his own lips.
If he constantly added conditions like this normally, Ningguang would definitely give him a beating.
However, Ningguang, who heard Ye Xi's inner thoughts, only blushed. Holding the cup, she brought it over to him just like before.
This kind of experience was simply deeply satisfying.
Ningguang was one of the Liyue Qixing, the ruler of Liyue!
And now, she was actually being so obedient to him.
He nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, alright. I'll pick one out for you."
He held Ningguang's soft hand and began to calculate.
Ningguang lowered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed, but the boy's palm was incredibly warm, and that warmth felt very real.
'I never thought there would come a day when I would rely so much on a man so much younger than me.'
'He's like a boy, yet also like an older brother...'
Ningguang suddenly felt a sense of happiness, because only Ye Xi could provide what she wanted!
Someone she could rely on, who was also young and handsome.
'Could it be that the heavens saw me all alone, so they brought Ye Xi to my side?'
She felt a surge of excitement in her heart.
In truth, it wasn't just that she wanted the clothes; she also felt a sense of imbalance in her heart.
Keqing and the others all had them, yet she was the only one left out.
She simply couldn't let that go.
At this moment, Ye Xi was wondering whether he should use Primogems to buy Orchid's Evening Gown from the limited-time shop.
Or perhaps use the remaining Primogems from last time to make a wish.
He still had 6,240 Primogems left.
Just as he was thinking, an ethereal voice echoed in his mind.
[The limited-time shop flash sale event has begun!]
[Congratulations! You have obtained flash sale eligibility for the entire shop!]
Overjoyed, Ye Xi checked the limited-time shop.
To his surprise, both Orchid's Evening Gown and Opulent Splendor in the shop now displayed "0 Primogem Flash Sale."
This was truly a case of perfect timing.
With a thought, he purchased both outfits directly into his spatial inventory.
[Congratulations on obtaining Orchid's Evening Gown - Ningguang]
[Outfit being delivered, please check...]
[Congratulations on obtaining Opulent Splendor - Keqing]
[Outfit being delivered, please check...]
Opening his eyes, he retrieved the newly acquired Orchid's Evening Gown.
This was a five-star custom gown exclusive to Ningguang!
"Do you like this one?"
Ye Xi felt he didn't even need to ask. The answer was plain to see in Ningguang's candid eyes.
She absolutely adored this outfit!
Ningguang took the gown, unfolded it, and held it up against herself. Her eyes were already brimming with affection.
"I want to try it on."
With that, Ningguang stepped into the adjoining changing room.
This changing room had no door, only a sheer curtain.
Yet Ningguang didn't seem to mind. Once she entered, the rustling sound of fabric soon followed.
Ye Xi felt his mind beginning to wander uncontrollably.
In truth, if he were just a bit bolder and drew back the curtain, he could see Ningguang currently changing.
Slash, slash, slash—
Ye Xi shook his head, suppressing the stray thoughts in his heart.
Inside, Ningguang was also in a bit of a flurry as she changed.
She discovered that there was actually a trace of excitement and anticipation in her heart.
Before long, she finished changing into the new outfit.
Parting the curtain, she stepped out.
Ye Xi's eyes lit up.
[What a striking outfit...]
[Ningguang without her detached sleeves and nail guards is just like Keqing without her sheer stockings.]
[What's the point of hiding such wonderful skin? It should be shown off like this.]
He surveyed the beauty before him with an admiring gaze.
This orchid gown was quite novel in style.
Wearing this outfit, Ningguang lost a bit of her traditional charm but gained a touch of modern fashion.
If there really were a banquet, Ningguang wearing this outfit would absolutely be the most dazzling presence there!
He clapped his hands and nodded. "Very beautiful, and it suits you perfectly. Your hair looks best when it's let down."
Hearing this, Ningguang's face reddened slightly. "Then I'll keep my hair let down from now on..."
"How does the outfit feel?"
Five-star outfits all came with special stat boosts.
Their attribute values were much stronger than those of four-star outfits.
Ningguang's expression was a bit strange. After thinking for a moment, she still had no answer. "I can't really feel anything different."
Ye Xi smiled. "This five-star gown can boost your cognitive abilities, making you think much faster."
With Ye Xi's reminder, Ningguang finally realized it.
"It seems that is indeed the case. My train of thought is much quicker than before, and even the lightheadedness from drinking earlier has completely vanished!"
This sensation was incredibly magical.
However, once her sobriety was restored, recalling her words and actions with Ye Xi just now, the sense of embarrassment in her heart seemed to multiply several times over.
If Beidou ever found out about these things, she would definitely tease her mercilessly!
At this thought, she hugged Ye Xi's arm and asked in a quiet, timid voice, "Ye Xi, tonight's matters... can you please not tell anyone else?"
Ye Xi saw right through Ningguang's thoughts and said with a smile, "Don't worry, this is a secret between just the two of us."
Blushing, Ningguang said, "Let's drink together like this again in the future. Whenever I'm troubled, I hope to have you by my side."
"Then you'll have to drink a bit less, or else I'm afraid you'll act spoiled and unruly with me."
Ye Xi was only joking, but he hadn't expected Ningguang to look up at him. "In that case, it seems I should drink even more."
Ye Xi: ???
......
After leaving Ningguang, Ye Xi returned to his Serenitea Pot.
At this moment, in the courtyard hot spring, there was a pink-furred fox.
Her snowy-white back was turned toward him, and a tail was splashing water on the surface.
"Miko, I'm back."
Hearing Ye Xi's voice, Yae Miko put down the light novel in her hand and looked over.
"Xi, quite a few vixens visited the house today, didn't they?"
The jealousy in her tone floated over even from afar.
[Aren't you the vixen here? After all, you're the only actual fox...]
Ye Xi couldn't help but complain in his heart.
Wasn't Yae Miko exactly a little fox spirit herself?
Hearing Ye Xi's inner thoughts, Yae Miko stuck her tongue out. "Confess truthfully, or else I won't let you sleep tonight~"
"Cough, cough..."
Ye Xi briefly explained today's events.
Yae Miko let out a sigh. "So, which little vixen's clothing is this?"
"Clothing?"
Only when Ye Xi saw the purple garment Yae Miko had pulled out to the side did he remember. When Keqing came to soak in the hot spring today, she hadn't taken this back with her.
Seeing Yae Miko's pouting expression in the hot spring, Ye Xi smiled and said, "Jealous?"
"Mm, I'm jealous!"
The way Yae Miko suddenly acted spoiled was incredibly cute.
Ye Xi hadn't expected Yae Miko to admit it so frankly.
"Can this outfit make up for it then?"
He pulled out the prepared "Four-Star Outfit: Caring Nurse."
This was something he had specifically kept for Yae Miko.
He felt only she was the most suited for it.
Seeing the outfit, Yae Miko suddenly gave a sly smile. "Is this what they call uniform temptation?"
Ye Xi was instantly full of question marks.
[How does this smug fox know that phrase?]
[Did I write it in my novel?]
Yae Miko slowly climbed out of the hot spring, shaking the water off her tail. In a soft, seductive voice, she said:
"Then let me put it on, and give you some proper healing~"
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