"Yelan, Yelan..."
A familiar voice echoed in her ears, and Yelan gradually woke from a deep, peaceful sleep, feeling someone gently nudging her.
The first thing she saw was Ningguang's elegant and generous figure, with white mist floating in the air.
"Lady... Ningguang?"
Yelan rubbed her eyes, feeling a dampness, and realized she was soaking in the hot water of the bathhouse.
Huh?
Wasn't I... lying in the back room, getting a massage from Mr. Xia? Then... I must have fallen asleep because the massage was so comfortable... Someone must have carried me here...
"What's wrong? Still not fully awake?" Ningguang looked at her slightly dazed expression, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "This side of you is quite rare. It's almost... cute."
Yelan was momentarily stunned, then cupped some hot water from the pool and splashed it on her face, washing away the remnants of sleep.
Her sleep quality had always been poor.
Even when she wasn't on a mission, even when she slept in a room heavily guarded by the Millelith, her sleep was shallow.
She had to use Earplugs to get a decent rest.
Wiping her face, Yelan looked at Ningguang again and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Don't you know? As long as there's nothing urgent, I come to Mr. Xia's shop every afternoon. I'm here now because I just finished my massage."
"So it's already this late? I slept for so long..."
"You've been slacking off this afternoon, and I caught you."
"Slacking off? I've already handled almost half a month's worth of work in the past few days. I can rest for a while now."
Ningguang chuckled softly.
"You really didn't sleep for days and nights?"
"Yes."
"That tea is that effective?"
"Too effective."
"Haha, Mr. Xia just told me about your situation during the massage. Zhu Zi and the others said your dark circles were really bad, but now I can't see them at all."
"Mr. Xia already helped me get rid of them."
"By the way, how does it feel to lose in the finals?"
"...Didn't you experience Miss Ganyu's terrifying luck this morning?"
"True, I was eliminated by her in the preliminaries. There was no fighting back."
The two women soaked in the pool, chatting and laughing, their tone as familiar and natural as old friends.
After a while, Ningguang turned to Yelan.
"Uncle Tian mentioned you again today."
"Oh?"
"Because of the incident with Zhi Yi, he was poisoned. Although Baizhu detoxified him in time and he's not in danger, the toxins weren't completely removed, and he's been left with some lingering effects. Plus, he's getting older, so he's been feeling more and more overwhelmed by his duties."
"So, he wants to retire again?"
"Yes."
"Weren't there three candidates last time? Zhi Yi didn't work out, but there were two others, Qianwei and Mingbo, right?"
"Uncle Tian has carefully assessed those two as well. Qianwei has remarkable insight, but he's arrogant and very stubborn. He's also not very considerate of the people around him. Mingbo is steady and meticulous, but he's not good with words and comes across as weak in communication. Both of them are good, but they still need some time to mature. Uncle Tian said that in his heart, you're the most suitable candidate."
"Tch..."
"You're used to working in the shadows and planning from behind the scenes. Don't you think you have the potential to be the Tianquan Star?"
"Actually, Uncle Tian already brought this up with me last time, and I didn't agree. He's probably gone to you this time because he thinks I'm your person and is worried you wouldn't want to let me go."
"Our relationship isn't just that of a superior and subordinate. I have no intention of forcing you to stay. With the absence of divine guidance in Liyue, the role of the Seven Stars is indispensable. We truly need someone like you as the Tianquan."
"..."
"I know you enjoy the thrill of walking on the edge of danger, and becoming a Star would mean you can't risk yourself so easily anymore. But I hope you'll give this some serious thought."
"...Alright, I'll think about it carefully."
Ningguang nodded, then narrowed her eyes.
"Getting a massage and soaking in a bath like this is really comfortable. It feels like all the fatigue of the day has melted away."
"You're rich. You could build a bathhouse like this in the Jade Chamber."
"The bathhouse isn't the point. A hot bath is just a bonus. The real treat would be if we could get Mr. Xia to come to the Jade Chamber."
"True."
"Mr. Xia said he'd give me a box of that tea later. I'm a bit curious to try the energized state you described after drinking so much of it."
"Highly recommended."
"Just kidding. After your experience, I think I'll pass."
The two chatted for a while longer, until Baishi, wrapped in a towel and slightly blushing, walked in from outside.
"Lady Ningguang."
"Finished your massage?"
"Yes."
"Come down and soak for a bit."
"Mm..."
"Mr. Xia is going to cook later, so we can soak a while longer."
"You two enjoy. I've been soaking all afternoon, so I'll head out first."
"Alright."
Yelan stood up from the pool, revealing her flawless, unblemished figure.
After rinsing off briefly, Yelan dried herself and took out clean clothes from the bracelet on her wrist. As she was about to change, she noticed Ningguang leaning on the edge of the pool, watching her with a smile.
This woman, so rude.
Under Ningguang's gaze, Yelan confidently put on her new clothes.
"You really like wearing leather, don't you?"
"Leather is practical and efficient for work."
"Then why do you always wear that cloak?"
"It's my trophy."
"Fair enough."
Stepping out of the bathhouse, the sky outside was already beginning to darken. Yelan gazed into the distance, feeling as if her vision had improved slightly.
The aroma of cooking wafted from the kitchen.
Yelan walked in and saw Xia Zhi busy at the stove.
"Mr. Xia."
"Miss Yelan, you're awake?"
"Yes."
"How are you feeling now?"
"Very relaxed. My body and mind feel completely refreshed."
"That's good. Don't drink too much tea next time."
"I know. I accidentally fell asleep during the massage earlier. I'm not sure who carried me to the bath, but I'd like to thank them..."
"Oh, that was me."
"Ah? It was you, Mr. Xia?"
"Yes. After I finished the massage, I tried calling you, but you didn't respond. You seemed to be sleeping soundly, so I didn't want to disturb you. But you were covered in essential oil, and it would've been inconvenient to put clothes on you. Plus, the weather's cold, and you might've caught a chill if I just left you with a towel. So, I thought it'd be better to let you soak in the bath. It's warm there."
"I see. Thank you, Mr. Xia."
"It's nothing."
"By the way, I haven't paid for today's massage yet..."
"Don't worry about it. Lady Ningguang already covered it for you."
"Oh."
"Miss Yelan, why don't you go sit in the front for a bit? Dinner will be ready soon."
"Alright."
Yelan glanced at Xia Zhi, then quietly walked out of the kitchen. She saw everyone still playing mahjong, and they greeted her with smiles.
Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace.
It felt like... being at home.
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