"Alright, Shenhe~"
"From now on, even if you don't wear the red rope in the shop, you can still use the Red Rope Binding Technique," Luya said with a gentle smile.
"But… I might hurt someone…" Freed from the red rope, Shenhe's emotions slowly began to return. Her eyes glistened with tears.
"As for hurting others—you don't need to worry about that. In my shop, you don't have to fear harming anyone. You definitely won't hurt me, either." Seeing Shenhe's doubt, Luya repeated himself firmly.
Shenhe nodded, a shy blush creeping across her face. Luya was the first human she'd seen after removing the red rope, and she felt a budding fondness for him.
"In that case~ You can work with Ganyu from now on. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask her. In my shop, you're free to do whatever you want," Luya said, casually arranging Shenhe's duties, feeling secretly delighted.
Another helper—and a beautiful Adeptus at that. Luya, who hardly needed to work in the first place, would have even less to do from now on.
Ganyu, tidying up nearby, quickly walked over when she heard Luya's arrangements.
"Senior Ganyu…" Shenhe's face flushed as she greeted her.
Seeing Shenhe blush, Ganyu too turned slightly red.
Watching the two of them, Luya found himself sighing inwardly—the lilies of his homeland seemed ready to bloom once again.
"Alright, let's start by handling the closing work together. I'll teach you step by step," Ganyu said, gently taking Shenhe's hand to begin.
"Alright, Senior Ganyu." In that moment, Shenhe felt a long-lost warmth—an emotion born of human kindness…
...
Once everything in the shop was settled, Luya had nothing else to do except wait for closing time. He glanced outside—the sky was growing darker. Inwardly, he thought that Keqing must have finished her official duties by now. It was about time for her to come home.
At this moment, Luya looked every bit like a man waiting for his wife to return, standing by the door for Keqing.
Time passed, minute by minute. The customers were all gone. Even the employees sent out to sell scratch cards had returned long ago.
Then, Luya finally saw a familiar figure approaching.
"Hahaha, our busy lady is finally back~" Luya greeted her with a laugh.
"Still laughing? I've been busy for Liyue's sake, you know… I've handled both the site and the people you needed," Keqing replied calmly, her tone weary. It was obvious she had been running all over the city today.
Moved by her exhaustion, Luya felt a pang of concern.
"You must not have eaten yet, have you?" he asked.
"Of course not! I was too busy today and only grabbed a quick bite," Keqing sighed, walking inside.
As she entered, Luya closed the door behind her.
Click.
The door shut.
"I knew it—you skipped dinner again. You always forget to take care of yourself when you get busy. That won't do. No matter how busy you are, you still need to eat properly," Luya said naturally, taking Keqing's hand and leading her toward the kitchen. Even through her gloves, he could feel her warmth.
Since arriving in Teyvat, Luya had often been helped by both Keqing and Hu Tao. He and Keqing were close in age—Hu Tao being a bit younger. Before coming to Teyvat, Luya would often jokingly call both of them his wives~
After all, Teyvat had no rule against having more than one wife, and when the time came, Luya intended to collect them all!
This Teyvat he lived in wasn't merely a game world, so he would take things one step at a time…
...
Talking as they walked, Luya and Keqing soon reached the kitchen. Today, Luya had specifically told the kitchen staff to work overtime—all for the sake of preparing dinner for Keqing, to thank her properly.
Seeing the meal laid out for her, Keqing was deeply moved. As Lady Yuheng, she had always been incredibly busy—constantly traveling for Liyue's sake. She had little time for personal feelings; nevertheless, at this moment, Luya seemed so warm, confident, and bright.
He had also contributed so much to Liyue's progress.
Many of her friends had already married… but as for herself, Keqing had never thought about marriage. Work always consumed her time—how could she possibly think about romance?
Yet now, looking at Luya, she suddenly felt that falling in love might be a wonderful thing. A quiet contentment welled up inside her. She even thought to herself, If only everyone in Liyue could live freely and prosperously like this.
Soon, the Head Chef brought over a newly learned dish—Golden Shrimp Balls.
"Please enjoy your meal, Boss Lady~" the Head Chef said mischievously to Keqing.
"What do you mean, 'Boss Lady'…" Keqing's cheeks flushed, while the corners of her lips rose involuntarily.
Amused by her reaction, Luya leaned in and kissed her rosy cheek.
Keqing's face turned as red as a cooked shrimp.
"Ah—y-you…" Normally swift and decisive, Keqing now spoke in a flustered, soft voice.
Seeing that she didn't resist, Luya understood her feelings—if she didn't refuse, that meant she accepted~
"Boss, Boss Lady, please enjoy your meal~ I'll get back to cooking!" The Head Chef, perceptive as ever, smiled and retreated to the kitchen.
Once he was gone, Luya leaned forward and kissed Keqing's lips.
Keqing let out a soft, breathless laugh. "Hahaha~"
...
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