"This ring," Furina said, her tone casual but her eyes sparkling, "was a gift from Richard."
Although Ningguang had already suspected as much, hearing it confirmed from Furina's own lips still made her chest tighten ever so slightly.
That man, perfect in nearly every way, had one fatal flaw: he was too good at attracting women's affection. It was… troublesome.
And the worst part? Ningguang had no right to complain. She knew her current status, just a friend and student. After over ten years without seeing each other, a certain distance had inevitably formed between them.
That distance wasn't unbridgeable, of course, but it would take time to close. And for now, Furina was far closer to Richard than she was.
Furina was right about one thing: the advantage was hers, and it was a significant one.
Still, Ningguang had never been one to yield easily. I've always been good at finding opportunities where there seem to be none, she thought calmly.
Even so, facing Furina's almost boastful tone, Ningguang knew what she should do, show polite envy, play humble, and let Furina's guard drop.
But… some things are easier said than done.
"Oh? So Mr. Richard gave that to you, and you wear it on your left ring finger?" Ningguang's smile was flawless. "Could it be that he's already proposed to you?"
It was a deliberate provocation. If it were truly an engagement, Richard should also have a matching ring.
But Ningguang had seen no such thing on his hand. Clearly, their relationship hadn't reached that stage yet.
By her judgment, Furina and Richard were not yet lovers, at most, they'd crossed the boundary of ordinary friendship. To put it simply, they were so close they could tell each other anything.
And that phrase, tell each other anything, carried real weight. Among adults, few relationships ever reached such openness. Everyone carried secrets they could share with no one. If even a few of those secrets could be spoken aloud between two people, that bond was extraordinary.
It meant Furina and Richard's relationship had already transcended "friendship" and was quietly moving toward something deeper.
"No, no proposal," Furina replied easily, not bothering to use such a flimsy lie to try to scare her rival off.
She knew if she claimed it was an engagement ring, Ningguang wouldn't retreat. Instead, she'd assume Furina was bluffing out of insecurity, and then go on the offensive.
Just imagining that outcome gave Furina a headache. She absently brushed the ring with her thumb and said, "Though, this ring did cause quite a stir when I first received it."
"Yes, I recall hearing about that," Ningguang nodded, her voice calm but curious. "It was all over the newspapers, even the Steambird ran a report on it, didn't they?"
Furina gave a slightly embarrassed smile. "Yes. I actually tried to avoid suspicion and moved it to another finger, but Richard thought that made things look more suspicious. So… he personally helped me put it back on my left ring finger."
The moment those words, personally, put back, left ring finger, left her lips, even Ningguang, master of composure that she was, couldn't help a tiny twitch at the corner of her eye.
She had underestimated Furina. The woman had set the trap perfectly.
So this entire invitation to the opera… had been a banquet with hidden daggers.
"Well," Ningguang said lightly, unfastening her shawl, "it seems Mr. Richard does care deeply for Lady Furina."
Her elegant neck shimmered under the theater lights, and as she adjusted the shawl, a dark brown cord slipped into view, bearing a gleaming golden jade pendant.
She folded the shawl neatly beside her seat, then moved as if to tuck the pendant back into her gown.
Furina's rational mind told her to stay silent, but her instincts screamed that the pendant was important.
Just before Ningguang hid it completely, Furina couldn't help blurting out, "Ningguang, that jade pendant of yours…"
Ningguang paused. Then, seeing Furina's curious expression, she explained with serene nonchalance, "Mr. Richard gave it to me some time ago, right before the sea demon incident. He said it would protect me. In the end, I didn't need it, and he never took it back, so I've kept it with me."
She paused, then added, with deliberate grace, "Would you like to see it?"
"N-no, that's fine," Furina said quickly, suppressing the urge to reach out.
Inside, though, jealousy welled up like bitter wine.
So… she had a ring, and Ningguang had a jade pendant.
In Liyue, jade pendants were more than mere ornaments, they carried blessings, warded off evil, and symbolized safety and affection. Because of their auspicious meaning, they were also commonly exchanged between lovers as tokens of commitment.
Of course, Furina knew Richard likely hadn't meant it that way. But then again, her ring hadn't been a proposal either.
In a way, Richard had been perfectly fair. A jade for protection, a ring for blessing. Equal gifts… equal distance.
Ningguang, seeing Furina fall silent, quietly tucked the pendant back under her collar.
The air between them grew tense, the ring and pendant both casting silent sparks in the small box.
Thankfully, the musical on stage began, and the lively performance filled the air again, easing the atmosphere slightly.
Neither woman spoke during the first act, each maintaining proper decorum. Yet under that calm surface, the tension was palpable.
During the intermission, Furina, ever the courteous host, made small talk again, though this time steering far clear of any mention of Richard.
She'd realized something important: empty displays of possession wouldn't shake Ningguang. Unless Richard himself declared in front of her that Furina was his girlfriend, nothing she said or showed would truly deter her.
Even if Furina somehow became Richard's lover first, if he hesitated, even once, Ningguang wouldn't back down.
The more she learned about Ningguang, the more Furina understood: this woman was formidable.
Not in arrogance, but in ability.
After discovering Ningguang's love of tea, Furina had researched everything she could about her, her history, her rise, her mindset. The more she read, the more she realized just how dangerous her rival truly was.
To rise from humble beginnings to the apex of Liyue's commerce within twenty short years, transforming from a mere street vendor into one of the most powerful figures in the nation, required brilliance beyond measure. Her control over human psychology was nothing short of terrifying.
In a sense, Furina thought, Ningguang and Richard were the same kind of people, both unnervingly perceptive, both impossible to read.
For ordinary people, standing before them was like laying open a book in one's own study, they could flip through any page they wished.
Still, Furina took comfort in one fact: time was on her side.
No matter how cunning Ningguang was, she could only stay in Fontaine for two weeks. Richard, bound by the Primordial Sea research, couldn't possibly leave with her.
So as long as Furina made sure Ningguang found no opportunity during those two weeks, her "Richard Defense Operation" would be a complete success.
Offense wasn't her strength, but defense? That she could manage.
She made up her mind.
For the next few days, she would not leave Richard's side. Even if she had to attend a trial, she'd leave trusted allies, Lynette or Clorinde, by his side, just in case.
Better the meat rot in the pot than be stolen by some prowling tigress or cunning fox!
"Eat," Shenhe said softly, placing a piece of meat into Richard's bowl. Beneath it was already a small mountain of food.
"Don't just feed me, eat some yourself," Richard said helplessly.
"Alright." Shenhe obediently picked up a piece of meat, chewed, swallowed, and immediately went to serve him another.
Richard sighed. He glanced pleadingly at Cloud Retainer, but the adeptus merely poked at her ribs in silence, ignoring him.
"I've raised Shenhe since she was little," Cloud Retainer said finally, her tone deceptively calm. "Yet she's never once served me food."
Richard could almost taste the vinegar in the air.
He looked at Shenhe, who was watching him expectantly, and resigned himself to eating everything she gave him.
By the end of the meal, nearly the entire table had vanished into his stomach. Thank the stars he wasn't an ordinary man, or he'd have exploded on the spot.
He made a mental note: 'Next time we eat out, we're going to a Fontaine restaurant, not a Liyue one.'
"So," Richard said after wiping his mouth, "to suppress her fate, you used a red-string soul-binding technique. But it has side effects, slowly numbing her emotions?"
"Indeed," Cloud Retainer replied. "Shenhe is not a true adeptus. If this continues, she'll eventually lose all emotion, becoming a mere puppet."
Her tone softened. "As much as I hate to admit it… you are 'special' to her. Even I rarely see her show such emotion. Yet one meal with you, and she's already livelier than she's been in a month."
Richard frowned. "Livelier? She still looks the same to me, expressionless."
Cloud Retainer tapped her chopsticks. "You didn't notice? Her lips curl up by 0.1 degrees when she looks at you. Her blink rate increases by 0.05 seconds. And most importantly, she's never once served me food."
Richard groaned. "You make it sound like I'm some kind of walking love potion."
"Are you not?" Cloud Retainer shot back, jerking her chin toward a nearby table. "You know those two girls, don't you?"
Richard turned, and froze.
Across the restaurant sat two very familiar figures. One hid behind a newspaper, but her cat ears gave her away instantly: Lynette.
And sitting opposite her, broad shoulders, unmistakable curves, was Clorinde.
'What were they doing here?'
Cloud Retainer's voice was sharp. "What else could they be doing? You think two Fontaine natives suddenly developed a craving for Liyue cuisine and decided to drink coffee in a Liyue-themed restaurant together?"
Noticing his stare, Lynette slowly lowered the newspaper. After a moment's hesitation, she forced an awkwardly cheerful smile.
Her expression all but said: Oh my, what a coincidence! Fancy meeting you here, haha…
Richard buried his face in his hand. 'What an awful actress.'
'0 points.'
Turning back, he met Cloud Retainer's knowing gaze and muttered, "Let's just say… our cultural exchange program is going very well."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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