At the entrance of the Grand Bazaar
Luo Qing's heart was a tangled mess of emotions like never before.
Facing the two dazzling figures before him, he found himself at a loss for how to respond. Turning his head slightly, he cast a glance at Lumine and Paimon, the apparent culprits, standing off to the side and refusing to approach.
Across from him, Ganyu stood with a shy, somewhat awkward demeanor, her eyes soft yet filled with unease. Beside her, Shenhe gripped her polearm tightly, her brow furrowed as if she were far from pleased.
The two groups stood there in silence.
Though the sounds of street vendors hawking their goods and passersby's conversations filled the air, to Luo Qing, the world had never felt so still.
"Luo Qing, it's been... a while," Ganyu finally broke the silence, her voice soft and gentle but tinged with a trace of melancholy.
For some reason, seeing Luo Qing holding another woman's hand so intimately—like an old married couple—left her with an inexplicable hollow feeling, as if something precious had been stolen from her.
"It has been a while," Luo Qing replied politely. But before he could say more, Shenhe raised her polearm and, in an instant, pointed it directly at his face.
"Luo Qing, who is she?" Shenhe demanded coldly, her voice loud and commanding enough to draw the attention of nearby passersby.
The sight of two stunning women confronting a man in the street, one with a weapon, caused a ripple of excitement among onlookers.
What a spectacle!
"Luo Qing, you asked me to live with you in Liyue, and I did. Why did you leave without saying a word?" Shenhe demanded. "Even Senior Sister has been waiting for you to return, yet you…"
The flood of questions quickly helped the gathered onlookers piece the story together.
So, this Luo Qing guy had apparently wooed both of these sisters back in Liyue, then ghosted them, leaving them pining for him.
And now, here he was, sweet-talking another woman—so much so that they'd even kissed!
What a scumbag.
Seeing the three breathtaking women standing there, many of the nearby men couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy and indignation.
Each of these women was a stunning beauty—how had Luo Qing managed to juggle three of them?
This guy is the worst.
[+1 Frustration Points from Luo Qing]
Casting a glance at the crowd of rubberneckers, Luo Qing's frustration only deepened. In a calm but firm tone, he said, "All of you, go about your business and forget everything you've seen here."
At his words, the bystanders' eyes suddenly went blank for a moment. Then, as if nothing had happened, they each returned to their tasks, ceasing to pay attention to Luo Qing's group.
"Shenhe, listen to me—" Luo Qing began, but the woman by his side interrupted him.
"Let me handle this," she said.
"Huh?" Luo Qing was momentarily stunned, but before he could process her words, she had released his wrist and stepped forward.
Replacing Luo Qing, the woman now stood calmly before Shenhe's polearm.
"Well, what's meant to come will come," she murmured to herself as she looked at the two icy sisters from Liyue.
Shenhe tightened her grip on her weapon. "Who are you?" she demanded coldly. For reasons she didn't fully understand, she felt hostility toward any woman who shared such intimacy with Luo Qing—except her Senior Sister.
"Who am I?" The woman chuckled softly, brushing a hand across her face.
In the next moment, her features began to shift before their very eyes—her bones and eyes morphing into an entirely new visage.
Ganyu, Lumine, and Paimon all widened their eyes in shock.
Ganyu was especially stunned. The transformed face bore a striking resemblance to the Electro Archon of Inazuma.
"You're..."
"Allow me to introduce myself," the woman said with a faint smile. Her presence suddenly exuded an undeniable aura of authority, causing Shenhe's polearm to tremble slightly.
"My name is Raiden Makoto. Or, if you prefer, you may call me Baal."
Her words sent shockwaves through Lumine and Paimon, who knew the truth.
Makoto... wasn't she supposed to have perished five hundred years ago in Khaenri'ah?
How could she suddenly be alive—and so intimately close to Luo Qing that they looked like a married couple?
"I've heard a lot about you two from Luo Qing," Makoto continued, her voice warm but with a subtle undertone that felt like a claim of sovereignty. "He said you're dear friends of his from Liyue. Why don't you join us at our home for dinner tonight?"
Home?
Both Ganyu and Shenhe were struck by her choice of words.
Luo Qing... when did he become yours?!
While Ganyu nervously bit her lip, too overwhelmed by Makoto's presence to respond, Shenhe refused to back down. Raising her polearm again, she demanded, "What is your relationship with Luo Qing?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Makoto said, smiling as she gently pushed Shenhe's weapon aside with a finger.
Looking Shenhe in the eye, she asked softly, "You like Luo Qing too, don't you?"
"I…" Shenhe's cheeks flushed a deep red, and her voice faltered.
Seizing the moment, Makoto leaned in close and whispered into her ear, "If you keep being so forceful, you'll only make things harder for Luo Qing. He might even start to lose his affection for you."
"..."
"Why not listen to me? Put the weapon down, alright?"
Without waiting for a response, Makoto raised her hand and gently pressed Shenhe's polearm downward.
"Much better," Makoto said with a radiant smile before turning to Ganyu. "Ganyu, dear, it's been such a long time! Tonight, we must catch up properly, alright?"
"You..."
Makoto's words and tone stirred something deep in Ganyu's memories—reminders of the Archons' gatherings long ago.
"Come now," Makoto said warmly, taking both Shenhe's and Ganyu's hands. "See that giant fish on Luo Qing's back? That's dinner. Whatever questions you have, we can discuss them over a good meal, alright?"
Makoto's infectious charm left the two women no room to refuse. After exchanging glances, Ganyu nodded hesitantly. "Then... we'll trouble you for tonight."
"Wonderful!" Makoto beamed.
She turned toward Lumine and Paimon, her gaze suddenly tinged with complexity. "You two should join us as well. What do you think?"
"Uh…" Lumine and Paimon froze, clearly caught off guard.
"W-We have other things to take care of!" Paimon stammered, gulping nervously.
"Y-Yeah, maybe next time. Enjoy that fish without us!"
---
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