Keqing hadn't really considered going directly to ask the Adeptus, because, in terms of status, Yu Xie was a mortal, and she herself was also a mortal. The distance between two mortals was much smaller than the gap between a mortal and an Adeptus, so the first person she thought to ask was Yu Xie.
And if she were to go directly to ask the Adeptus… would that be a bit disrespectful to the Adeptus?
But Keqing's nature was always serious, so after hearing Yu Xie's suggestion, she began to carefully think about how she should approach Xianyun.
Seeing this side of Keqing, Yu Xie couldn't help but smile slightly.
In a way, Keqing's seriousness was rather endearing.
"Alright, this matter can wait. But it's getting late now, I should head back." Yu Xie said. "If Miss Keqing has time, how about joining me for dinner?"
Keqing hesitated for a moment. "Maybe another day. I still have some work left unfinished today."
"Being diligent with your work is a good thing, but don't forget to take care of yourself and get some rest. After all, your health is the foundation of everything."
"…Mm, I will." Keqing responded with a slight hesitation.
Lately, it seemed that many people had been saying the same thing to her—work is important, but don't forget to rest.
This simple piece of advice was something Keqing obviously understood, but whenever there was unfinished work, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Now, after learning more about Yu Xie's story, examples like his only fueled her desire to become better. She had to make herself more worthy of the title of "Yuheng Star."
"Don't just say it, but then keep burying yourself in work without resting. I don't want to see the Yuheng Star worn out because of overwork." Yu Xie seemed to have seen through Keqing's thoughts and said before leaving, "See you later."
With that, Yu Xie turned and left.
Keqing watched his figure as it slowly faded into the distance, lingering in her sight for a long while.
"Maybe I should find a way to balance work and rest… and take a break for myself sometime." After a long pause, Keqing smiled lightly and muttered to herself.
.....
In the evening, when Yu Xie returned to his residence, he found Xianyun and Shenhe waiting at his doorstep.
It seemed like they had been waiting for a while.
"Xianyun, Shenhe, what are you two doing here?" Yu Xie asked as he approached his front door.
"Waiting for you to return," Xianyun replied. "There's something I want to discuss with you."
"Why didn't you use some magic or methods to contact me, like the spells you're good at? That way, you wouldn't have to wait here all this time."
"It's not something urgent, and besides, I didn't want to disturb your normal life." Xianyun smiled gently.
Upon hearing this, Yu Xie smiled and relaxed, taking out his key to open the door.
"Come in. If there's something you need to discuss, let's talk inside."
Once inside, Xianyun took a look around the room.
It was simply decorated.
"Yu Xie, how about I help you renovate this place sometime? I'll cover the Mora." Xianyun suggested.
"No need, I'm fine with how it is now." Yu Xie walked over to the table and picked up the teapot. "Would you like some tea? I'll brew a fresh pot."
"That sounds good. It's been a long time since I've had tea made by you." Xianyun smiled lightly, as if recalling old memories.
Before long, Yu Xie had brewed the tea, and the three of them sat at the table, the fragrance of the tea filling the air.
Xianyun picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
"The flavor lingers. As expected, it's your tea."
Shenhe also took a sip from her cup. "Delicious. It tastes better than the usual tea."
"It's probably due to the tea leaves. It's not really about me." Yu Xie took a sip himself. "Alright, Xianyun, didn't you say you had something to tell me?"
"Mm." Xianyun nodded. "Do you have time in the next few days?"
"As an adventurer, my schedule is pretty flexible. If it's something important, I can rearrange my plans." Yu Xie replied.
"It's not really urgent, actually. It's just that Ge Cheng and Gui Zhong suggested that we all go to Dihua Marsh tomorrow for a trip." Xianyun said.
A thought flashed through Yu Xie's mind—the parting words from Gui Zhong earlier today: "See you at Dihua Marsh tomorrow."
So that's what she meant.
Dihua Marsh had beautiful scenery, and it also housed the largest inn in all of Liyue—Wangshu Inn. It was indeed a great place to visit.
Yu Xie had never been there before, so this would be a wonderful opportunity to go with everyone.
"Sounds good. Let's go to Dihua Marsh together."
"Isn't work a concern?" Xianyun asked, looking slightly worried.
"Don't worry, the adventurer's work schedule is very flexible."
"...Alright, then it's settled." Xianyun nodded, then stood up, as if preparing to leave. "Well, that's all I wanted to discuss. Shenhe, let's go back."
From the moment Yu Xie saw Xianyun, he'd felt that she might still be feeling shy about what happened the previous night. It seemed like she was a bit embarrassed to face him.
Now, she was about to leave right after discussing everything, which only confirmed his thoughts.
He immediately spoke up to stop her. "Wait, Xianyun. Last time, I said that if you had time to come over, I'd host you and cook you a nice meal. There's no better time than today. How about it?"
"Today..." Xianyun hesitated.
The image of her kissing Yu Xie on the forehead the previous night kept flashing through her mind. Since earlier, she had been doing her best to hide her bashfulness.
Although she could remain as calm as still water no matter what happened in front of others, in front of Yu Xie, she completely lost control of her emotions.
She had lived for thousands of years, yet she still felt like a young girl just beginning to experience love. Was this even reasonable? Xianyun questioned herself.
But then, she quickly realized—she really was like a young girl just beginning to fall in love!
"Master?" At this moment, Shenhe asked, "What's wrong? You seem a bit off. Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, I'm fine." Xianyun quickly composed herself. "If that's the case, then let's do it your way, Yu Xie."
"Alright, then. You two take a seat, and I'll go prepare dinner." Yu Xie smiled and got up to head to the kitchen.
Once Yu Xie had left the hall, Shenhe glanced at Xianyun, still feeling that something was a little off.
"Master, your face seems a bit flushed. Are you sure you're alright?"
"Shenhe, the weather's getting warmer. It's just the heat causing my face to redden. It's perfectly normal, nothing to worry about." Xianyun explained.
"I see..." Shenhe nodded thoughtfully.
Her master was an Adeptus, so if Xianyun said it was normal, there must be a reason behind it. It couldn't just be a casual comment.
But… Shenhe didn't think the temperature had risen enough to cause such a flush.
Time passed slowly, the sun gradually sinking below the horizon, and the stars began to twinkle.
Yu Xie had prepared a large table of dishes. Though they might not have been as exquisite as Xiangling's cooking, they still had their own unique qualities.
The meal brought back many memories of the past in Gui Li Assembly for Xianyun.
Scenes from those old days flashed through her mind one by one as she looked at Yu Xie. At that moment, it seemed as though the only person who mattered in her gaze was Yu Xie himself.
End of chapter
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