"…Eh?! You really are the Yuheng!"
Hu Tao had been too focused on Cael earlier to look carefully at the woman sitting across from him.
Only now did she finally recognize her.
Keqing stood up and spoke calmly,
"Director, please don't misunderstand. I came today to thank Mr. Cael for assisting us in apprehending the Fatui."
"At the time, Mr. Cael faced three elite Fatui members alone, along with other Fatui soldiers. Because of his actions, we were able to capture multiple suspects."
"That is why I came here today."
Hearing this explanation, Hu Tao froze.
Beside her, Cael silently gave Keqing a mental thumbs-up.
Keqing smiled politely.
"My business here is concluded. I won't disturb the two of you any further."
She nodded to both of them and left.
Hu Tao remained standing there, lost in thought.
Cael watched as she quietly put away the Staff of Homa, then smiled faintly.
"Director Hu," he said teasingly,
"why can't I bring another woman back? There's no such rule at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, is there?"
"W—!"
Hu Tao's body stiffened, her face instantly turning red.
She hadn't thought that far—she'd just felt irritated and acted on impulse.
Now that he pointed it out, she realized how unreasonable she'd been.
"Yeah… why am I angry about that?" she muttered internally.
"This is completely unbecoming of the Director of Wangsheng!"
Her cheeks puffed up as embarrassment turned into frustration.
"You know…" Cael stepped closer, his gaze meeting her flower-shaped pupils.
That alone startled Hu Tao.
"Y-You—what are you doing?" she blurted out.
Cael smiled lightly.
"You tell me—Director. Could it be that… you like me?"
"!!"
Hu Tao jolted as if struck by lightning.
Her mouth opened, ready to deny it—
But Cael cut in first.
"Hahaha, just kidding."
"Wow, Director, you're really bad at this."
He gently flicked her forehead, grinning.
"…Eh?"
The words she'd been about to say got stuck in her throat.
Realizing she'd been played, Hu Tao instantly exploded.
"You're thinking too much!" she shouted.
"As if I would ever like you! Never in this lifetime!"
She shoved Cael away and stormed back to her room.
"Wait—Hu Tao!" Cael panicked.
But—
BANG!
The door slammed shut in his face.
"…Crap. I went too far."
Now it was Cael's turn to be at a loss.
Upstairs, Zhongli watched the scene unfold.
He sighed helplessly.
"This fellow really hasn't changed in five hundred years," Zhongli murmured.
"Still completely clueless about a woman's heart."
That said—
Zhongli himself wasn't much better.
His straight-laced nature had once been reinforced by stone itself.
If not for Cael back then, Zhongli might never have realized Guizhong's feelings at all.
...
Cael stood outside Hu Tao's door, his hand raised hesitantly.
After struggling internally for a long while, he finally knocked.
"Hu Tao…"
A long silence followed.
Then a quiet voice came from inside.
"…Go away."
But Cael didn't leave.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
"I was wrong."
"…Wrong about what?" Hu Tao asked from inside.
"I shouldn't have teased the greatest Director—one who possesses both beauty and wisdom," Cael replied sincerely.
"…."
Silence again.
Cael didn't move an inch.
He knew he was at fault.
Words were often the sharpest weapons—and the speaker didn't always realize the damage they caused.
If he didn't apologize properly now, there would be a rift between them.
That was the last thing he wanted.
So he waited.
And waited.
Even Zhongli, watching from afar with a teacup in hand, nodded in approval.
Finally—
Click.
The door opened slightly.
"Come in," Hu Tao said calmly.
Cael swallowed and gently pushed the door open.
Hu Tao sat on her bed.
Her brown-red hair had come loose, falling over her shoulders. Her shoes lay kicked into a corner.
She was clearly still upset.
Cael felt awkward—it was his first time entering a girl's room.
"I don't want to forgive you," Hu Tao said, hugging her knees and glaring at him.
"I'm sorry," Cael replied earnestly.
"Then… what can I do for you to forgive me?"
Hu Tao raised three fingers.
"Three conditions."
Three conditions?
As long as they weren't excessive…
Cael nodded without hesitation.
"No problem."
"First," Hu Tao said firmly,
"don't call me 'Director' anymore. Call me Hu Tao."
"Okay."
"Second—spend less time with Zhongli. I'm afraid you'll learn bad habits."
"Okay."
Somewhere nearby, Zhongli nearly choked on his tea.
Even doing nothing, I get blamed…
"Third," Hu Tao continued,
"you're not allowed to bring other women into Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
"…Unless it's for legitimate business—and even then, you need my approval!"
"…Huh?"
That condition was… oddly specific.
"You don't agree?" Hu Tao glared at him.
"No! I agree!" Cael answered immediately.
The conditions were simple—and not unreasonable.
Seeing him comply so easily, Hu Tao felt secretly pleased.
He was listening to her.
Yielding.
She liked that feeling.
But she didn't dare push too far—if she did, he might start to dislike her.
"…Why am I even worried about that…?" Hu Tao thought.
Then it hit her.
He's in my room.
I just let a guy into my room for the first time—
Her face instantly burned.
"A-Alright! You can go now! I forgive you!" she blurted out.
Cael let out a relieved breath.
"To make it up to you," he said with a smile,
"I'll cook tonight."
Then he left, leaving Hu Tao alone in utter chaos.
She brushed her hair back and flopped onto the bed with a thud.
"…This is weird."
When she recalled how Cael had stared straight into her eyes earlier, her heart started pounding uncontrollably.
Then she remembered his words.
Do I really… like him?
His gentle, clean-cut face appeared in her mind.
"He just plays with me every day… helps promote business… always looks for me first when something fun happens… and loves teasing me…"
She hugged her pillow.
"That jerk…"
"…He's really bad."
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