Hearing Eula's words, Amber paused for a moment, and at once turned her gaze toward the red-faced Eula.
At the same time, her eyes brimmed with playful amusement.
"Hee! Hee! Hee!"
"Eula, why would you ask such a thing~?"
"Eh!?"
Seeing the mischievous grin all over Amber's face, Eula was instantly thrown into a bit of a fluster: "It-It's nothing."
But how could Amber let the matter rest?
Giggling, she pressed on: "Eula, why do you want me to tell you in advance, hmm?"
"I... it's nothing... it's just..."
Faced with Amber's question, Eula stammered for the longest time, unable to get out a single coherent sentence.
At this point, how could Amber possibly fail to see through it!?
Her understanding of Eula was just as deep as her understanding of Collei!
The fact that Eula was now wearing such a coy, bashful look clearly meant that she, too, had started harboring little thoughts of her own!
It was just that this little thought was, for now, only a little thought—there was still that tiny sliver of uncertainty to it.
In all likelihood, Eula wanted to consult her opinion first!
She couldn't resist putting on a deliberate, murmuring tone: "Yes, Eula, you've reminded me."
"I feel that Master Ye Xi is actually pretty great too—why not just go with him?"
"Entrusting yourself to a fine big brother like that would surely be very happy~"
"Eh!?"
Eula hadn't expected Amber to say such a thing, and hastily blurted, "Really? Amber! Are you sure?"
Amber suddenly broke into a teasing smile and said with a grin, "Eula, are you really this concerned about this matter?"
"Ahem, ahem, ahem...."
Eula hurriedly twisted her head to one side, stuttering, "You... you're my very best friend, so... of course I have to ask a lot of questions!"
"Oh~ so that's how it is~!"
"Amber, you——! You're teasing me!"
Eula had completely seen through it now—Amber was doing this on purpose.
This look of hers plainly showed she'd seen straight through Eula's heart, and was now poking fun at her!
She huffed indignantly, "I'm not talking to you anymore!"
"Hmph! This grudge, I'm marking it down!"
With that, Eula, her face full of embarrassment, followed Xiangling and the others out of the hot spring.
Amber couldn't help bursting into a fit of belly laughter.
Still, Eula's words had indeed reminded her of something.
That's right.
Should she stay, or not?
Everyone here was so harmonious and kind; living together was lively and full of fun.
Eating together every day, playing around together, soaking in the hot spring together.
How happy that was!
Lisa had already arrived now, and their vacation was about to end—they were getting ready to head back to Mondstadt.
Once that happened, she'd probably never get the chance to come here again and experience such a wonderful life, would she?
Amber lifted her head, gazing at the bright stars in the sky, her heart full of hesitation.
Though it had only been a few days, she felt she'd already grown used to living here.
Living together with everyone here.
What's more, she'd been observing Collei all along, and observing Ye Xi.
She'd discovered that Collei truly was very happy!
Especially when she was together with Ye Xi—that sweetness radiating from a young girl was utterly natural and unforced.
Over these days of getting along, she'd gradually come to feel more and more envious of Collei.
Every day, coming home, she could throw herself into the arms of a fine big brother.
Act spoiled, pour out everything that had happened that day, vent her feelings, get kissed and hugged.
That feeling—how wonderful!
Most crucially, Ye Xi's doting on his wives was plain for all to see.
This feeling of being pampered to the skies by a fine big brother—what girl wouldn't want it?
In truth, at times she would feel an impulse too.
And that was: to stay!
To be together with Ye Xi, together with Collei.
If she really were going to stay, then the time left for her to make her choice wasn't much.
"Amber, what are you spacing out for!"
Hearing Collei's voice, Amber hurriedly answered, "Oh~ coming!"
She shook her head, casting off the stray thoughts.
'Forget it—I'll just leave it to the arrangements of fate...'
In the end, she decided to let nature take its course.
.....
After changing into her clothes in the dressing room, Xiangling hid among the girls and, little by little, made her way into the house.
At this moment, Ye Xi was holding Dehya by her slender waist, drinking with Beidou, Alusha, and the others.
He hadn't noticed in the slightest the girls coming in through the back door.
And just like that, Xiangling successfully went upstairs.
Led by Keqing, she made it into Ye Xi's bedroom.
As for the other girls, they secretly spread word of this matter around.
Klee had already been coaxed off to sleep by Lisa.
Amber and Collei used all sorts of excuses to call the other girls out one by one.
Ayexia, Setaria, Nahida....
They were each called out, one after another.
Upon hearing about Xiangling's situation, everyone was quite astonished.
"Xiangling's here?"
"You mean she's already inside our home!?"
Ayexia and Setaria couldn't help but exclaim.
Beside them, Nahida, while hugging the Arlecchino cat, nodded and said, "So that's how it is—I never imagined your plan would be so meticulous. How interesting!"
"Even the Dendro Archon says so?"
Off to the side, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata said with a smile, "Ye Xi is sure to feel pleasantly surprised when the time comes, isn't he? After all... everyone has put so much care into preparing it."
Before long, Dunyarzad found out too.
She quietly pulled the drinking Dehya aside and told her about the matter.
"Oh~ is that the little chef Keqing mentioned? I'm so looking forward to the delicacies she'll cook!"
Gradually, all the girls came to know about it.
Over on Beidou's side, it was Ningguang who told her.
Hearing Ningguang's whispered words, Beidou's eyes filled with admiration: "I never imagined that girl Xiangling would have such guts!"
"To think she'd come spend the night after just a few words."
"If her dad Chef Mao found out, I wonder how he'd feel about it?"
Hearing this, Ningguang grew a little curious too; she recalled that Chef Mao's control over Xiangling wasn't exactly lax, either.
Just what kind of excuse had Xiangling come up with to slip out of the house?
On the other side.
Ye Xi, who was drinking, felt more and more that something was off.
He kept having the sense that his wives were always sneaking glances his way.
How strange!
Could it be that the girls, who hadn't been properly doted on for several days, just couldn't hold back anymore?
Did they want to all come at once!?
Just as he was puzzling over it, Nahida walked into the middle of the parlor and clapped her hands: "Everyone, it's time to rest. If you don't sleep properly, you'll wither away just like a mushroom scorched by a Pyro elemental."
Ye Xi's face was full of confusion: "Isn't it only nine o'clock? This early?"
Ordinarily, Nahida always acted like the household's guardian, urging everyone to sleep early and rise early.
It was just that today was unusually early.
Ye Xi had assumed the girls had no intention of sleeping, but to his surprise, a chorus of agreement reached his ears.
"Amber, we still have to go into the forest tomorrow—get some rest early!"
"Mm! Eula, stop dawdling, time for bed~"
"Yawn—tomorrow I still have to go to the Akademiya and research a new topic with Layla. Setaria, I'm going to sleep first!"
"Wait a moment, I'll come too!"
The girls went upstairs one after another, exactly as if they'd all agreed on it beforehand.
"Dehya, surely you're not going to bed early too?"
Ye Xi stroked Dehya's slender waist, planning to sleep holding Dehya in his arms tonight.
But Dehya giggled: "Master, I'm going to soak in the hot spring first, and then head back to the room to rest with the young miss!"
With that, she planted a fierce kiss on Ye Xi's cheek and left, following Dunyarzad and Alusha.
Beidou yawned as well: "Tomorrow morning I still have to go supervise the loading of cargo. Miko, you come along too—get to sleep early!"
"Mm~! Tonight I'll be together with the little one again, so I'm afraid I'll have a hard time sleeping~"
Lumine's eyes lit up; hugging Yae Miko's waist, she followed along with a beaming smile.
In the blink of an eye, the parlor was utterly empty, leaving only Ye Xi all by himself.
"Wh-what's going on here?"
Ye Xi was left thoroughly bewildered.
Still, since everyone was turning in early, he might as well rest early too.
He set down his wine cup, freshened up a bit, and then returned to his own room.
.....
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