When he reached Ningguang's room, Xia Zhi knocked.
"Is that Mr. Xia?" came her voice from inside.
"Yes."
"Come in, the door's open."
"Alright."
Xia Zhi entered, taking in the room's extravagant décor—it was indeed the most luxurious suite in the Jade Chamber.
Ningguang stood up from a desk buried in documents and sighed.
"I'm exhausted these days."
"Got that much on your plate?"
"The Lantern Rite always comes with its own set of preparations. Add in end-of-year finances, new ventures, banks, the newspaper, the school—everything overlaps…"
"Sounds rough."
"I haven't had a proper massage in days, which hasn't helped my work efficiency at all… I envy you, Mr. Xia. You got to take half a month off. So when I heard Yelan was back, I dragged her along so we could both see you."
"Well, I wouldn't call it slacking…"
"And it's not just for the massage. I've got quite a few things to discuss with the school's principal."
"Understood."
Ningguang's room featured an enormous, plush bed.
She walked straight to it and flopped down.
"Come here, Mr. Xia."
"No rush."
Xia Zhi, ever the professional, first lit the incense.
A soft mist curled through the air, filling the room with an intoxicating scent—the atmosphere instantly mellowed.
He took out the essential oil and began the massage with practiced ease.
A contented smile bloomed across Ningguang's face.
"This is perfect..."
"Miss Ningguang."
"Mm?"
"Let's talk business."
"Can't we wait just a little longer…"
"How's the curriculum?"
"All printed. There should be extras too."
"And the teachers?"
"I've found them all."
"Where from?"
"Why not guess, Mr. Xia?"
"Well…"
Xia Zhi pondered for a moment.
"Yujing Terrace?"
"Mr. Xia actually guessed it right!"
"Didn't I?"
"How did you guess?"
"I was curious the other day, so I tried divination and figured it out."
"That's cheating!"
"Haha."
"It's Yujing Terrace. More precisely, it's the young ladies from the major families there."
"Oh?"
"Finding a large number of suitable teachers all at once isn't easy. First, they have to be literate, then they need patience, and most importantly, they must have a good temperament."
"True enough."
"After thinking it over again and again, only the young ladies from Yujing Terrace's noble families fit the bill."
"Would they be willing?"
"The reasons behind this are a bit complicated. In those powerful families, though there are exceptions like Miss Keqing becoming one of the Qixing, most young ladies, without a Vision, are simply sacrificed for political marriages. I made a pact with them: as long as they're willing to become teachers at the school, I'll support them."
"Their families will agree to that?"
"That comes down to the matter of interest exchange. Arranged marriages are ultimately about profit. If I can offer benefits greater than those of political marriages, then they won't mind. Coincidentally, thanks to your help, Mr. Xia, I suddenly have several new industries under my name—lip balm, hand cream, whitening cream, newspaper publishing, real estate…"
Ningguang narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone slow and deliberate.
"Liyue lacks talent, yet it's these major families who have it in abundance. If I want to develop these industries quickly, I'll need their assistance. And they also want a share in my enterprises. With that mutual need, those young ladies actually become the best bridge to connect both sides."
"Put simply, they're selling them to you, right?"
"You can put it that way. But really, it's a good thing for everyone involved."
"I guess that's true. Still, you shouldn't rush too much."
"It's just that the next stretch will be a bit busy; I need to seize this golden opportunity while it lasts. Mr. Xia, you probably don't know yet, right?"
"Hm?"
"The head of the Northland Bank and the Fatui Harbingers—they've all recently returned to Snezhnaya."
"Oh?"
"Apparently, the Eighth Harbinger—the Crimson Witch of Flames—recently died in Inazuma under Raiden Shogun's blade during a mission. So the others were recalled to attend her funeral."
"... So during this period, the Northland Bank's defenses are at their weakest."
"Exactly. Without the Harbingers overseeing things, the Northland Bank poses little threat. Taking advantage of the Lantern Rite, I plan to grow Liyue Bank substantially, stabilize the real estate sector, and also resolve the issues at Blackcliff Forge."
"Blackcliff Forge, huh."
"Yeah. Though the Feiyun Commerce Guild's mahjong orders have kept the forge workers busy for a while, mahjong sets are entertainment goods—they can't sustain a long-term demand. Once the market saturates or public interest fades, Blackcliff's workers will face unemployment again.
And there are major problems with the Chasm too. I've reviewed piles of files—from Azhdaha to the calamities of the Abyss, that place is a mess. So I thought, why not shift the focus elsewhere? If Liyue's real estate develops, more buildings will need to be constructed in the city, providing the Blackcliff workers with more stable jobs."
"Miss Ningguang, you really think far ahead."
"Well, it's part of holding this position. It's tiring, but seeing Liyue grow better and better under my management makes me proud."
"Mhm."
"By the way, the school should be finished in a few days, right?"
"Probably around the 17th."
"Everyone's working fast, inspired by you, Mr. Xia."
"That's just my cousin making things up."
"Will there be a completion ceremony?"
"Let's hold one."
"Then I'll take care of inviting the guests."
"Thank you."
"It's my duty. After all, I am the Vice Principal. Oh, by the way, Mr. Xia—have you contacted Miss Yun Jin?"
"Not yet."
"Miss Yun Jin has a new opera, doesn't she? At the last Jade Chamber banquet, I had her perform her latest piece, 'The Divine Damsel of Devastation', earning widespread acclaim.
For this ceremony, why not invite her to perform again? It would be perfect."
"Sounds good."
"Mr. Xia, you have a good relationship with Miss Yun Jin. If you ask her personally, she definitely won't refuse."
"Mhm. I'll reach out to her soon."
"Great."
----
"Yelan, Yelan…"
A familiar voice echoed by her ear, and someone was gently nudging her shoulder. Slowly, Yelan stirred from a deep, peaceful sleep.
The first thing she saw was Ningguang's elegant and generous figure, the ambient glow of bright lanterns flickering through the misty haze of white steam floating in the air.
"Ningguang… milady…"
A powerful sense of déjà vu washed over her.
Yelan blinked, her thoughts momentarily scattered. For a split second, she thought she'd been transported back to the time she soaked in the bathhouse of the Summer Shop.
That time too, she had been so exhausted she'd fallen asleep mid-massage, only to wake up and find herself gently placed in the bath by Mr. Xia.
"Falling asleep again? Looks like your trip to The Chasm really was tough this time."
"Again…"
"Last time you overdid it with the tea and ended up not sleeping for days."
"This time was more or less the same."
"Oh?"
"The underground was unpredictable and filled with danger—not exactly ideal for resting. I had to rely on tea Mr. Xia gave me just to stay alert enough to make it back this quickly."
"No wonder your dark circles were so heavy before. They're gone now—Mr. Xia's massage really works."
"It does. I feel like all the fatigue in my body has melted away. I'm completely recharged."
Yelan looked down, clenching and unclenching her fist, thoughtful.
It wasn't just that she'd recovered her strength—she could feel herself stronger than before.
That peculiar feeling of power surging, as though her strength had evolved in one leap, was just like the last time she'd bathed at the Summer Shop.
It must've been something Mr. Xia did while she slept.
Ningguang leaned against the side of the bath, observing her quietly.
"Now that your mission's done, take some real rest."
"I suppose I can afford a few lazy days."
"Just three more until the Lantern Rite. I've been looking forward to it."
"Hm? Looking forward? Is there something different about it this year?"
"The festival itself is about the same, but the commemorated adeptus is special this time—it's Shenhe. But what I'm really excited for is Mr. Xia's dinner invitation."
"…"
"Don't give me that look. It's not just me. Everyone's looking forward to it. Even the Adepti."
"…"
"You weren't around for the last day of the year, so you wouldn't know—Mr. Xia invited everyone over for dinner and made a dish called Gods' Temptation. Tch…"
"Gods' Temptation?"
"According to him, it's a refined version of Adeptus' Temptation. But if you ask me, the difference between the two is like night and day. Tch…"
"Ningguang, please have some decorum. Stop drooling."
"You have no idea how delicious it was! And it's insanely nourishing. Look at my skin! I've been working overtime for nearly half a month and it's still this smooth. Mr. Xia said it's because he used rare ingredients. Everyone loved it, but he said he can't make it often—only on special occasions. Tch…"
"…Then how do you know he'll make it again for the Lantern Rite?"
"Because of you, my dear Special Intelligence Officer."
"Me?"
Yelan blinked, startled.
"Last time during dinner, Mr. Xia specifically mentioned you. He sounded genuinely regretful."
Ningguang's smile turned sly.
"Now that you're back, knowing him, he'll absolutely make it again just for you."
"Not necessarily."
"Then let's bet. If you lose, I get half."
"…Not betting."
"One spoonful!"
"Still not betting!"
"Heh. Women."
"…"
Ningguang tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she leaned against the edge of the pool.
The room fell quiet.
Then she spoke softly, "When the Geo Archon vanished six months ago, Liyue really did fall into chaos."
Yelan recalled the event and shook her head. "It's all in the past now."
"Yeah. We got through it safely."
Ningguang nodded slightly, turning her head toward her companion.
"Yelan, did you know?"
"Know what?"
"I had my fortune told about love. The result said I'd meet someone next year."
"!?"
Yelan's expression froze, and she turned to look at her.
"You're getting married?"
"The fortune said I'd gain both wealth and romance."
"'Wealth and romance'... Didn't you say you weren't interested in any of your suitors?"
"I'm not. Not in the slightest."
"Then who…?"
Yelan's eyes widened, realization dawning.
"Wait a second… don't tell me…"
Ningguang smiled, but said nothing.
Yelan was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Who did your reading?"
"Mr. Xia."
"…?"
"And Moon Carver."
"They gave you the same result?"
"Exactly the same."
"I see…"
"By the way, remember that offer I mentioned about the Tianshu position? Have you given it any thought?"
"Let's talk about it later."
Yelan shook her head and closed her eyes.
Suddenly, she no longer felt like chatting.
---
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