Wanmin Restaurant.
Diners came and went, savoring the delicious food while all casting glances toward Ningguang and Keqing in the corner.
For such important personages as the Liyue Qixing to appear right among everyone and dine together — it drew an attention beyond all description.
When Xiangling came out carrying the piping-hot, delicious dishes, she discovered her own father standing before Ningguang and the others, wearing an ingratiating smile.
He seemed to be discussing something or other.
Drawing a little closer, she caught her father's voice.
"...My Xiangling is especially obedient and sensible!"
"This girl's reached a marriageable age too, though she's never had anyone she's set her heart on."
"All this time, she's just been circling around the stove! Hahahaha..."
These words, landing in Xiangling's ears, instantly made her flush crimson to the tips of her ears!
What kind of topic could possibly lead to talk like this!?
This was plainly like — arranging a marriage for his own daughter!
At the thought of it, Xiangling's whole face filled with shame.
She hurriedly called out loudly: "The food's ready, the food's ready!"
Her voice was loud, cutting Chef Mao off directly.
Just as Chef Mao was about to open his mouth again, Xiangling grabbed her own father's sleeve and complained: "Dad! Didn't you say you were going out to buy groceries!"
"All right, all right, there are still dishes to make in the back kitchen — so many customers are waiting!"
With that, she tugged Chef Mao away with all her strength, leaving Ye Xi's presence.
This scene left Ye Xi feeling rather caught between laughter and tears.
Still, since the delicious dishes were on the table, it was time to dig in.
Those diners off to the side had all caught Chef Mao's meaning.
In an instant, a wave of whispering swept through the main hall.
"Did you hear that? From the way Chef Mao was introducing Xiangling, he wants to marry his daughter off!"
"Chef Mao usually looks so honest and simple, but who'd have thought he was quite the sly one — seizing this chance to marry off his daughter, he's obviously hoping Xiangling can latch onto a powerful backer!"
"Get out of here, what do you know? A while back that Master Ye Xi came to Wanmin Restaurant for a meal, and back then he and our cook Xiangling were making eyes at each other — they were on awfully good terms!"
"That's right, that's right! As I recall, he even brought gifts!"
"If you ask me, the reason he came to Wanmin Restaurant in the first place was that he'd taken a fancy to Cook Xiangling!"
"So that's how it is! Then Chef Mao really does have a stroke of luck — if he really marries his daughter off to him, won't Wanmin Restaurant go on to surpass Liuli Pavilion and Xinyue Kiosk?"
"Those young fellows still pining after Cook Xiangling are going to be heartbroken!"
"..."
The diners in the eatery could be said to know Chef Mao's intentions perfectly well.
Every one of them envied Chef Mao for being able to marry his daughter into a good family.
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Chef Mao, dragged back into the kitchen, felt rather like he was watching iron fail to become steel.
"You girl, what did you drag me to the back kitchen for?"
"I was just about to put in a good word for you, and didn't you go and ruin it! You girl!"
Xiangling was a flush of shame and indignation: "Aiya, Dad! Talking like that will scare Ye Xi off!"
They'd only met a few times, known each other barely two days — where's the sense in letting a parent talk to someone like that, right off the bat?
How embarrassing!
Hearing this, Chef Mao wasn't the least bit angry; on the contrary, his face filled with delighted surprise, and he hurriedly pressed: "So you're saying — you don't deny having feelings for that Master Ye Xi?"
In truth, ordinarily he wouldn't be in such a hurry to marry off his daughter.
No matter what, he'd want to take a look at the other party's character and temperament.
But Ye Xi was different.
If Ye Xi's character were poor, would the dignified Ningguang of the Liyue Qixing be willing to associate with him?
Ningguang's eye for judging people was famous throughout Liyue.
Only a useful person could enter Ningguang's discerning sight.
And not only could Ye Xi travel alongside Ningguang, Ningguang was even willing to come to a small eatery like Wanmin Restaurant to dine with Ye Xi!
One look and you could tell their relationship was no ordinary one.
With Ningguang as a guarantee of this sort, Ye Xi absolutely couldn't be a bad sort!
Pressed like this, Xiangling's face filled with a rosy flush, and she hurriedly gave a dry cough.
"Ahem, ahem... I-I do not!"
"Anyway, Dad, don't you fret over it! I'm begging you!"
Hearing his daughter say this, Chef Mao let out a sigh: "You — you're no easy lamp to keep lit!"
"If I don't put in a few extra good words for you, how are you going to win someone's affection?"
"Ah! Dad! How can you talk about me like that!"
Xiangling felt rather wronged in that moment, but on closer thought, her father had indeed just called her well-behaved and sensible.
But the truth of it?
She was forever bandaging herself up every couple of days, going out to gather ingredients and getting herself covered in injuries all over.
At home she got scolded day in and day out, her dad and mom saying she was too wild, that she wasn't endearing.
Chef Mao folded his arms and shook his head again and again: "As if I wouldn't know what you're like?"
"Out and about in the world, you can't be so willful!"
"You've finally got someone you fancy, so of course I've got to help you scheme it out a bit!"
"Relying on a girl like you to take the initiative — when would your mom and I ever get to hold a grandchild?"
Xiangling lowered her head and obediently took her scolding.
Father and daughter went on chattering away in the back kitchen.
...
Meanwhile, outside.
Ye Xi, while savoring the delicious food, was lavishing praise on Xiangling's culinary skill.
To be honest, he'd already made up his mind to take Xiangling home with him.
Xiangling's little feelings were quite obvious.
On top of that, Madame Ping had said before that Xiangling already harbored a fondness for him.
This pretty little beauty delivered right to his door — what reason was there not to take her?
If he wanted to, he could simply lay his cards on the table with Xiangling directly.
But the problem was, the way he saw Xiangling looking so wavering and uncertain, she was like an easily-startled little rabbit.
If she got frightened, it might have the opposite effect.
Better to let this little girl think it over herself, and come to him once she'd figured it out.
In any case, he wasn't lacking a day or two.
After the meal, Ye Xi was mulling over what he had to do in the afternoon.
At this moment, Ningguang suddenly spoke up: "Master Ye Xi, let's head back to Yuehai Pavilion — there's some official business to discuss!"
"Official business?"
Come to think of it, all sorts of construction projects were about to break ground, so there were surely plenty of matters to handle.
So he nodded and said: "All right then, let's head back to Yuehai Pavilion first."
"You're all going to Yuehai Pavilion?"
Hearing this, Beidou explained: "In that case, Ningguang, Master Ye Xi, I'll head back to the ship first."
"I still need to pass down the orders about the fleet's changes today."
"Besides, by custom, every time we return from a voyage we hold a three-day victory feast."
"Once I'm done with my work, I'll follow that portal and head straight to the Jade Chamber to find you all."
She'd only just returned from her voyage to Inazuma today, the ship loaded with all sorts of sea goods and Inazuma specialties.
The loading and unloading of this cargo, as well as arranging the crew's leave, all required her to oversee things in person.
It would take a whole afternoon at the very least.
Speaking of which, Ye Xi remembered his promise with Yae Miko.
He was to make a trip to Inazuma tomorrow, and since it had been agreed, he couldn't go back on his word.
Originally he'd planned to go by ship, but even using a cruiser it would take a full day.
So he came up with a new plan.
He'd have Beidou and the others sail the ship to Inazuma, and then he'd cross over through the portal.
That way, Beidou would have to set off tomorrow.
He called Beidou to stop and laid out his plan to go to Inazuma tomorrow.
"...Uh, sure, understood."
Beidou nodded: "Then I'll send someone shortly to get in touch with the Liyue commerce guilds."
"As they say, a ship doesn't sail empty, so naturally tomorrow's voyage can't leave out the merchant goods to be delivered to Inazuma."
"For this matter, I can go discuss it with that Miss Miko from just now."
Each round trip of this ship was no easy thing, so there was a principle.
And that was: under no circumstances could the ship sail empty.
On the way to Inazuma, there had to be goods to sell in Inazuma; on the way back to Liyue, there had to be goods to buy back to Liyue..
The ship could never be empty, or else it was a waste.
Ye Xi pondered for a moment, then asked: "You've all just gotten back from a run — if you leave again tomorrow, won't it make the people under you unhappy?"
He'd said before that he wouldn't treat the people of the Southern Cross fleet unfairly.
If, on the very first day of taking over the Southern Cross fleet, he made people work overtime, it would inevitably make him seem like some kind of bloodsucker.
"How could that be!?"
Beidou laughed heartily and waved her hand: "Master, more runs means more money earned!"
"What's more, with the ship you gave us, we'll be back again in just two days!"
"It's safe, it's fast, and conditions aboard are this good too!"
"Calling it a sailing run — anyone who didn't know better would think we were off on vacation!"
"You just rest easy! Just now there were even some of the boys clamoring to ride this big ship out for a run right away!"
Beidou wasn't exaggerating in the slightest.
For sailing folk like them, getting the cruiser Ye Xi had given was like obtaining a new treasure!
They couldn't wait to give it a try!
"Mm, then go make the arrangements."
After Beidou left, Ye Xi turned his head to look toward Keqing.
Discovering that Keqing was murmuring secret whispers in Xiangling's ear, he couldn't help asking: "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing! There's nothing at all!"
"We absolutely were not talking about anything bad!"
Keqing and Xiangling both had a furtive, mysterious air about them, plainly plotting something.
This kind of confessing-without-being-asked phrasing was very off!
Ye Xi sized up the two of them with a suspicious look.
Watched by Ye Xi like this, both little beauties looked rather guilty.
But Ye Xi didn't press further.
In fact, Keqing was setting a time to meet with Xiangling that evening.
This matter naturally couldn't be let known to Ye Xi, or there'd be no surprise to speak of.
Once they'd finished, Ye Xi headed back home along with Ningguang and the others.
...
Yuehai Pavilion.
The moment she got back, Ningguang slipped into work mode.
She spoke: "Keqing, Ganyu, go ask the rest of the Qixing and the Eight Trades."
"See how the preliminary preparations for the construction projects are coming along."
Hearing Ningguang's words, Keqing and Ganyu nodded.
Once they had left, Ningguang took Ye Xi with her into the office that belonged to her.
Baiwen and the few other secretaries had all gone off to investigate along with Keqing and Ganyu.
The few remaining little secretaries were just about to follow Ningguang into the office, when, to their surprise, the main door suddenly swung shut.
With a click.
The door was locked.
This left them quite astonished.
"I'm not seeing things, am I? Lady Ningguang actually went into the study with Master Ye Xi, and even locked the door!"
"Heavens, this is the first I've ever heard of such a thing! Since when did Lady Ningguang get so close with Master Ye Xi?"
"Do you think — could they already have..."
"More than their relationship, what I'm really curious about is what they're secretly doing in there right now!"
"Ooh~ you're so wicked! Where's your mind wandering off to? How could that possibly be!"
"..."
The little secretaries chattered on meaningfully, murmuring over the gossip about Ningguang and Ye Xi.
And inside the study.
Seeing Ningguang wearing such a clearly purposeful look, Ye Xi couldn't help but smile with amusement: "Didn't you say it was official business?"
"It is official business."
Ningguang sat down on Ye Xi's lap with a smile, and said with utter seriousness: "But if I'm asking you to handle official business, shouldn't I curry a little favor with you first?"
"Otherwise, how would you go about it willingly and gladly..."
"Mm~!"
Ye Xi reached over and wrapped an arm around Ningguang's slender, willowy waist, nodding in satisfaction:
"You really do understand — truly worthy of being Lady Tianquan."
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