"We're here, Xianyun— The Yuehai Pavilion!"
The wooden architecture before them was modest and unassuming, yet the characters "Yuehai Pavilion" hanging above the entrance commanded attention and made people stop in their tracks.
And right there at the entrance stood Ganyu, engaged in conversation over official matters.
"Huh? Xianyun?"
Shajin turned to find that Xianyun had halted a fair distance away from the pavilion.
Scratching his head, he walked over to her.
"Didn't you say you wanted to visit Ganyu? Why are you stopping all the way back here?"
Xianyun responded earnestly.
"I'll stay here for now. You go on ahead by yourself."
Shajin looked puzzled.
Xianyun waved her hand.
"Hmph. If I were to walk in with great fanfare, that child would definitely drop her work, pretend to be leisurely, and then work overtime to catch up later."
"I don't want to trouble her. I'll just watch from afar. You can ask her how she's been for me."
The corner of Shajin's mouth twitched.
His dreamy pupils glinted mischievously.
"Say, Xianyun… has Ganyu ever seen your human form before?"
Xianyun shook her head.
"I may have tested it in secret once or twice, but this is my first time meeting her like this."
"I see…"
A strange smile spread across Shajin's face.
"Hey, Xianyun—wanna make a bet?"
Xianyun crossed her arms, intrigued.
"Oh? What are we betting on?"
"Whether Ganyu can recognize you at a glance. I say she can."
Xianyun smirked with confidence. "Hmph. Even Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper might not see through my transformation technique. I'll wager she can't. What's the stake?"
Shajin grinned like a fox.
"Hehe… how about the loser has to grant the winner one request—as long as it doesn't cross any lines?"
Xianyun stroked her chin, considering.
"Agreed."
"Hey Shajin—what brings you here? And… Cloud Retainer?"
Ganyu's sudden appearance behind them instantly froze the air.
Then, her calm voice broke the silence.
"What are you two doing here? And to see you here, Cloud Retainer… in human form, no less."
There was a flicker of surprise and joy in her tone.
Xianyun coughed lightly, trying to cover her nerves.
"You've mistaken me. I am not Cloud Retainer. Just a humble passerby."
Her voice sounded strained despite her best effort to stay composed.
But Ganyu wasn't fooled in the slightest. Tilting her head, she gave Xianyun a curious look.
Panic rose in Xianyun's chest—had her bluff already failed?
Or more accurately… had it never worked to begin with?
She quickly cleared her throat and tried to salvage the situation.
"Ahem. That was merely a small test. I didn't expect you to recognize me at first glance, even though you've never seen this form."
Ganyu's expression grew even more puzzled, as if she were pondering something deeply.
After a pause, she finally spoke.
"Why wouldn't I recognize you? You're like the bedding I sleep under every day—so familiar it's impossible to mistake."
Xianyun froze, momentarily at a loss for words.
The air turned thick with awkwardness, a silence hanging so heavy it was nearly tangible.
"Uh… recognizing Cloud Retainer… is only natural…"
Ganyu stammered, trying to ease the tension, but her words didn't help much.
The entire scene was so awkward it was almost laughable.
Xianyun nodded slightly, speaking with a hint of reflection.
"Indeed… I failed to consider that. You are right."
"I go by Xianyun now, as I walk among mortals."
She offered a gentle smile and continued.
"I only wanted to check in on you, not to disturb. Let's chat briefly today, and when you're resting, we'll catch up properly."
Meanwhile, Shajin was covering his mouth, trying not to burst out laughing.
He whispered, "Hehe… looks like I won the bet~"
Then he waved enthusiastically at Ganyu.
"Hey Ganyu, we came to see you~ Are you still busy?"
Ganyu shook her head gently and smiled.
"Work isn't too heavy today. Since Cloud Retainer rarely visits Liyue Harbor, allow me to treat you to some local cuisine."
Xianyun's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
"That sounds good. Let's eat and chat, then."
Shajin had no objections. The three headed toward the Liuli Pavilion.
…
Shenhe rubbed her hands together.
"Really? But I've heard that competition is all about scheming and undercutting…"
Paimon puffed out her chest.
"We don't need any of that! We're gonna win fair and square!"
Shenhe nodded, signaling she understood.
"The Sunset Vermillionite, the Wonder Core, and the Adepti Sigil… Let's go in that order. First, the Sunset Vermillionite…"
She thought for a moment, then spoke.
"I have a lead on the Sunset Vermillionite."
"There was once an adeptus named Sea Gazer, who was very close to Mountain Shaper."
"Though she's long since passed, her domain still contains many rare treasures. I remember the Sunset Vermillionite was one of them."
Paimon clapped excitedly, then hesitated.
"That's great! But… would that be disrespectful to the adepti?"
Shenhe shook her head.
"No."
"From what I know, Sea Gazer was open-minded. Even if she were still alive, she wouldn't fuss over something like this."
"The only thing we must be cautious of is that adepti domains often have defensive mechanisms."
"It's been abandoned for years—there could be monsters and dark spirits inside. Be careful."
Lumine nodded.
"No time to waste—let's go!"
…
In a private room at Liuli Pavilion.
The three of them were enjoying a slow, quiet meal.
Occasionally, they chatted between bites.
"I know you're busy with work, but you must still make time to rest. Even with your adeptus blood, overwork can damage your core," Xianyun said gently, with genuine concern.
"I know, Cloud Retainer."
Ganyu nodded quietly. After being away so long, even her nagging felt strangely comforting.
"But… Cloud Retainer, what were you and Shajin talking about earlier? I thought I heard you two betting on something…"
Xianyun's whole body tensed.
Oh no—I forgot about that!
Shajin chuckled.
"Nothing much~ Just that Xianyun owes me a favor now~"
_
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