After the meal, Ye Xi went upstairs with Ningguang to see what exactly was wrong with Keqing.
The moment he pushed open the door, Ye Xi found Keqing sitting on the bed, still tucked under the covers, her little face deathly pale.
Seeing this, Ningguang's eyes filled with concern. "Keqing, and you still say you're fine? Are you hurt somewhere? Your face is all pale."
"Eh?!"
Keqing touched her own cheek and hurriedly shook her head. "N-no, it's nothing, I'm really fine!"
Her pale face wasn't from any injury—it was because she'd been frightened out of her wits.
Ye Xi felt a little puzzled. "Why do I keep getting the feeling that you're so nervous?"
"Tell me honestly—did you get hurt somewhere?"
Keqing swore up and down, "Master, I have two Eyes of God now—who could possibly hurt me!"
"It's really nothing~!"
Hidden under the covers, Xiangling held her breath, terrified that the slightest movement would give her away to Ye Xi and Ningguang.
But hearing Keqing say she had two Eyes of God, she couldn't help feeling a flutter of anticipation in her heart.
Ever since Keqing had shown off her two Eyes of God in front of her last time, she hadn't been able to stop fantasizing.
If she gave herself to Ye Xi, could she too, like Keqing, obtain a second Eye of God?
If it were really possible, what element would it be?
Though what she craved wasn't an Eye of God but Ye Xi himself, still—if everyone else had one and only she didn't, she'd feel left out.
Beside them.
Hearing Keqing's words, Ye Xi still felt uneasy.
So he stretched out his hand and activated a skill: [Intermediate Heal]
In an instant, a dazzling green light appeared on his hand.
Seeing this, both Keqing and Ningguang widened their eyes.
"Eh!? A healing technique!?"
Keqing had seen one before, back in the Avidya Forest.
At that time, it was Collei who used a healing technique to rescue an Akademiya scholar.
Only, back then, the green light Collei's healing technique gave off was just plain, pure light.
But now, within the light from Ye Xi's healing, there were even many tiny stars twinkling—at a glance it was clearly more impressive than Collei's healing technique!
Keqing had witnessed a healing technique being used before, so she was only slightly surprised.
But for Ningguang, this was the first time she'd ever seen it!
She had heard from Keqing before that Collei could use healing techniques, and that Collei's healing technique had even been taught by Ye Xi.
But these were all things she'd merely heard of—she had never witnessed them with her own eyes.
Hearing Keqing's words just now, she too couldn't help but marvel, "This... this is a healing technique!?"
Ye Xi nodded. "I heard from Collei—what you saw back then was only the [Basic Heal] that Collei used."
"What I'm using is [Intermediate Heal]."
Just hearing Ye Xi say this, Ningguang and Keqing were filled with astonishment.
People who could use healing techniques were exceedingly rare.
To have someone at your side who could use healing techniques meant you'd never have to worry about getting hurt for the rest of your life.
And if the healing technique were powerful enough, one might even go through life free of all calamity and illness.
Hearing the sounds beyond the covers, Xiangling was brimming with curiosity too.
She so badly wanted to poke her head out and look, but she didn't dare.
Under the gaze of the two beauties, Ye Xi changed the form of the green light. The radiance began to condense and compress, slowly turning into a thick, jade-like nectar.
That little dollop of salve gathered in his palm actually shimmered, with many resplendent golden-yellow stars within it.
"There—this is the healing technique turned into a healing salve."
"Keqing, take off your clothes—I'll help you apply some."
"Eh!?"
Hearing Ye Xi's words, Keqing's face instantly flushed crimson.
"T-take off my clothes!?"
She glanced at Ningguang, then thought of Xiangling under the covers.
Never mind how embarrassing it was in front of Ye Xi—with another pair of eyes and another pair of ears in the room, she felt like she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into!
What's more, the lights in the room were so bright—it was far too mortifying!
Seeing Keqing react so strongly, Ye Xi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "It's not like I haven't seen before—what are you being so shy about?"
Keqing's beautiful eyes were full of bashfulness as she shyly shook her head.
"Fine, fine, I'll dim the lights—that'll do, won't it?"
Saying this, Ye Xi switched on the desk lamp, turned its brightness low, and adjusted it to a warm, dim amber tone.
"Now you can't see clearly—hurry up and be good."
"Apply some of this healing salve and both new and old wounds will fade. Even scars left from the past can be removed."
"And it's very good for the skin too."
"If you don't apply it, I won't be at ease."
Keqing had been about to shake her head again, but in Ye Xi's eyes she saw that deep, profound concern and tenderness.
This feeling was like being cradled in someone's palm—warm and cozy.
She never imagined Ye Xi would care about her this much.
She experienced an overwhelmingly powerful sense of happiness at being Ye Xi's wife.
Were it not for Ningguang and Xiangling being present, she truly would have wanted to just let things take their natural course and pull Ye Xi into the covers!
"I... I understand."
Keqing took a deep breath, steeling herself completely, and then little by little undid the knots on her clothes.
Like parting the petals of a tender, dewy blossom, Keqing's pink, delicate shoulders, exquisite collarbones, and snow-white skin were gradually revealed.
She lay face-down on the covers and undid the last knot at her back, baring her smooth spine entirely.
Ye Xi couldn't help but use his [Forced Calm] skill—only then did he manage to keep his rationality.
So beautiful.
If one had to describe the scene, it was like a discerning gourmet with picky tastes watching a delicious king crab have its shell peeled away, revealing the fresh, succulent crab meat within.
It was simply mouth-watering.
Ye Xi dipped his fingers into some of the healing salve, spread it evenly across his palm, and then began applying it to Keqing's delicate skin.
The instant the salve touched her, Keqing felt an exquisitely refreshing coolness.
And everywhere Ye Xi's palm passed, it left a faint glow upon Keqing's tender skin.
That radiance would soon dissipate, sinking beneath the skin to nourish and repair it.
Though the lamplight was dim, Ningguang could clearly see some of the small scars on Keqing's back vanishing!
"What an amazing ability! It really can remove scars!"
Hearing Ningguang's exclamation, Keqing's eyes lit up too.
"Really? I can't see!"
In truth, Keqing used to get hurt often.
Because she governed the land of Liyue, she frequently had to travel out to all sorts of places across Liyue.
Along the way, encountering the Treasure Hoarders or monsters, danger was inevitable.
Over time, some wounds healed and were done with, while others left scars behind.
For instance, being wounded by a Hilichurl's elemental arrow, or being struck by a Whopperflower, and the like.
Though she took as good care of herself as she could, fine marks were inevitably left behind.
Who would have thought that with one gentle stroke from Ye Xi, they'd be wiped away!?
How miraculous!
Hidden to the side, Xiangling's heart filled with envy.
She wanted this salve too!
In fact, she was quite the rascal—in search of ingredients, she'd dash all over the mountains and forests.
The wounds on her body healed one after another, not to mention all the little scars!
She had originally thought that healing them in this lifetime was hopeless, and that Ye Xi would even find her distasteful.
Who would have thought that this difficult problem could be solved so easily in Ye Xi's hands!
She was so tempted!
If tonight's grand operation could succeed, wouldn't she be able to let herself run wild from now on!?
If she got hurt, she'd just come to Ye Xi for help—no need to be afraid at all!
Thinking of this, she was so curious that she couldn't help but secretly open a little gap to peek outside.
She saw Keqing's alluring, delicate figure appear right before her eyes.
Ye Xi was diligently wiping over every spot, his expression as if he were tenderly caring for a treasured object he couldn't bear to part with.
Just that earnest look alone was enough to make any girl's heart flutter!
Xiangling so envied Keqing, who could enjoy Ye Xi's care like this.
Ningguang smiled teasingly, "It's good to be young—such lovely skin."
"Keqing, see how much Master dotes on you?"
As she spoke, she gave Keqing's slender little frame a pat.
"Eh——!?"
Keqing instantly turned red, stammering, "Ningguang... you! Stop teasing me!"
Ningguang laughed out loud.
Before long, Ye Xi withdrew his hand. "There—now even if there were any wounds, they're all healed."
Keqing nodded with a flushed face. "Th-thank you, Master..."
"Mm."
Ye Xi felt reassured and was about to leave just like that.
But his gaze was drawn to the dinner tray beside them.
On the nightstand sat the tray Keqing had just brought up earlier.
Inside were two meat pies and a bowl of Sweet Madame.
The problem was that one of the meat pies had only been half eaten, while the other had a small bite taken out of it as well.
It was like one person using two drinking cups—so strange.
He asked suspiciously, "Keqing, did someone come here just now?"
"Eh!? N-no, no one!"
Keqing was startled. She'd thought she'd covered for Xiangling, but never expected the secret to suddenly slip out at the crucial moment.
Following Ye Xi's gaze, she saw the meat pies on the tray, and instantly panicked!
She'd actually forgotten about this matter!
...
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