"All right, break time's over. I should get back to work."
Jean set down her teacup and stood up.
"Mr. Xia, I'll excuse myself."
Xia Zhi nodded. "In that case, I'll take a stroll outside. I don't want to bother Captain Jean while she's busy with official duties."
Jean immediately waved her hands. "Oh, no, Mr. Xia, please don't trouble yourself. Your eyesight isn't convenient right now—if you go out without someone to accompany you, you might run into trouble… Especially these past few days, Mondstadt has had a lot of visitors from out of town. It's really safer if you just wait here for everyone to come back."
Xia Zhi smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Captain Jean. But even though I can't see, I'm not at the point where I need someone holding my hand just to walk a few steps."
Jean shook her head. "That's not what I meant, Mr. Xia. You're a guest, and I'm the host. If I let you go out alone, wouldn't that make me a negligent host?"
Xia Zhi tilted his head. "So, what are you suggesting, Captain Jean?"
Jean said, "Please stay here in the office and keep having tea."
"Won't that distract you?" Xia Zhi asked.
Jean looked at him. "If you go out, I'll be worrying about you the whole time. I won't be able to focus on my work anyway."
Xia Zhi chuckled. "Captain Jean, you're just too conscientious. Should I say, you really are the model knight… All right then, I'll stay here and keep you company."
Jean smiled too. "Okay."
She walked back to her desk, picked up the stack of paperwork she had set on the floor earlier, and placed it back on the desk.
Then she sat down and resumed her work, pen in hand.
The fatigue in her body had already been relieved by the massage, and the mental exhaustion had vanished thanks to the calming incense.
On top of that, the cup of [Silver Dew] she'd just drunk seemed to have cleared her mind and sharpened her memory. Her thoughts were flowing, everything crisp and lucid.
Jean felt better than she had in ages. Even the piles of complicated paperwork no longer seemed so daunting.
Her productivity had more than doubled.
Turns out, working nonstop really wasn't the way to go.
Taking proper breaks and keeping yourself in a good state—that was actually the fastest way to meet your goals, better than burning the midnight oil.
Jean bent over her desk, writing quickly and fluidly.
Occasionally, she'd glance up at Xia Zhi quietly drinking tea in the distance.
That calm, composed figure, savoring his tea, was like a picturesque scene all on its own.
She found herself briefly dazed before lowering her head to continue working.
Honestly, it was just that Xia Zhi's charm was a little too high.
Xia Zhi, on the other hand, didn't mind Jean sneaking glances at him from time to time.
He didn't find quietly drinking tea alone boring at all. He opened his system interface and browsed the [Shop] leisurely, seeing if there was anything worth buying.
Mainly, he focused on the Platinum and Diamond tiers.
The stuff above that was incredibly tempting, sure—but there was no way he could afford any of it yet. No point torturing himself.
So the two of them stayed like that, each absorbed in their own tasks.
At one point, Xia Zhi suddenly heard Jean let out a soft sigh.
Through his God's Eye, he looked over and saw Jean frowning down at a sheet of paper, looking troubled and conflicted.
Curious, Xia Zhi glanced at the document.
Ah. It was an annoying administrative problem—tedious and hard to handle.
No wonder Jean was stuck, racking her brain over how to solve it.
She was still too young.
Her own abilities were certainly strong, she worked hard, and she was naturally talented. But when it came to real-world work experience, she was still lacking.
Xia Zhi had learned a skill from Ganyu once.
That was something Ganyu had accumulated over thousands of years of processing massive volumes of governmental paperwork.
With that skill, Xia Zhi could handle administrative documents just like Ganyu—efficiently, tirelessly, and with total proficiency. For him, the issue Jean was stuck on wasn't even a real problem.
He only needed to glance at it to come up with a perfect solution in his mind.
Of course, just because he knew the answer didn't mean he could say it out loud.
After all, he was blind—how would he explain knowing exactly what was written on her paper?
Besides, this was Mondstadt's internal matter. As an outsider from Liyue, it wasn't his place to interfere.
Xia Zhi silently withdrew his gaze and continued browsing the [Shop].
Another ten minutes passed.
He peeked at Jean again, and to his surprise, she was still holding that same piece of paper, stuck on the same problem.
This girl… Seems like she's fallen into a mental rut.
Maybe it was also because the effects of the [Silver Dew] tea had worn off.
After all, she'd been working for almost an hour now.
The sudden drop-off in the tea's boost probably threw her off balance a bit, making her thinking sluggish.
Xia Zhi glanced at the teapot on the table.
That little gadget from Cloud Retainer had heat-preserving functions, so the tea was still warm.
From his inventory, Xia Zhi took out two small cakes.
The same cream cakes he'd given Xia Lin to eat back in Dragonspine—perfect for travelers to carry along for quick energy, but also fitting as a light snack for morning tea.
He placed the two cakes on the table and called toward the desk, "Captain Jean, you've been working for a while. How about coming over for some tea?"
Jean blinked, her attention snapping away from the paper in her hand.
She looked over at Xia Zhi and the two cakes that had suddenly appeared on the table.
She'd been stressing over this problem for more than ten minutes, and she was definitely starting to feel anxious and restless.
Maybe taking a break for tea would be better than continuing to stew over it.
Not to mention—the cake looked really good. Of course, that wasn't the point. The point was she actually was a bit thirsty.
Jean put down the paper and smiled. "All right, thank you, Mr. Xia."
She stood up and couldn't help stretching her arms and shoulders a little.
After sitting for too long, a good stretch always felt so nice.
It was a little habit she'd picked up since becoming acting Grand Master.
Usually, when there was no one else in the office, she didn't care about appearances.
But just after she finished the stretch, she suddenly remembered—oh right, Mr. Xia is still here.
She quickly lowered her arms and glanced at Xia Zhi.
Xia Zhi was calmly pouring tea, his expression completely natural, as if he hadn't noticed her little moment at all.
Oh, right—Mr. Xia can't see…
Then it's fine.
Jean relaxed again.
"Captain Jean, the tea's ready."
"Mm."
Jean smiled, walked over, and sat down at the tea table.
She picked up the cup and took a sip. The tea's clear, refreshing flavor made her mind feel sharper once more.
Then she picked up the small plate, scooped up a bite of cake with the spoon, and tasted it. The creamy texture and sweet flavor made her feel indescribably happy.
"How is it, Captain Jean?" Xia Zhi asked.
"It's delicious! Where did you buy this cake?"
Even someone like Jean couldn't resist asking about it. For girls, sweets really did have a special power.
"I didn't buy it. I made it myself."
"Huh?"
Jean blinked, looking down at the delicate little cake on her plate.
"This… You made this yourself, Mr. Xia?"
"Mm. Just because I can't see doesn't mean I can't do things well."
Xia Zhi's words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
It reminded Jean of how he'd mentioned wanting to go for a walk earlier.
Thinking back, he really must have meant it. And clearly, he wasn't worried about getting into trouble at all. Maybe she'd been overly concerned.
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "Mr. Xia, you're amazing."
Xia Zhi smiled. "Thank you, Captain Jean. I'm glad you like it—I was worried it might be too rich for your taste."
"No, no, the texture is perfect. It melts in your mouth, and the bit of mint inside is brilliant."
"You noticed that? Captain Jean, do you bake too?"
"I used to, but it's been a long time…"
"Captain Jean is not only a master swordswoman but also skilled at homemaking? That's impressive."
"Well, my family was strict when I was little…"
The two of them chatted happily.
Jean soon finished the cake, setting down her spoon a bit reluctantly before picking up her teacup and drinking the rest of the tea.
"Thank you for the treat, Mr. Xia. I'll get back to work now."
"Mm. Good luck."
"I will!"
Jean returned to her desk.
She picked up the piece of paper again.
With the [Silver Dew]'s effect refreshed, the problem that had her stuck just moments ago suddenly seemed simple and clear.
Turns out, burying your head in work really isn't the best way.
Taking breaks and having snacks actually helps you finish faster than brute-forcing your way through.
Jean picked up her pen and wrote down the solution. After she finished, she looked up at Xia Zhi, sitting not far away, and for some reason felt incredibly at ease.
Jean went back to work; Xia Zhi kept browsing the [Shop].
The two of them stayed quietly immersed in their own tasks.
Another hour passed. There was a soft knock at the door.
Jean looked up and called out, "Who is it?"
"It's me, Captain Jean!"
A lively, familiar voice came from outside.
It was Amber.
She'd been acting as gliding examiner today, so now that she was back, the gliding exam must have gone smoothly.
Jean glanced at Xia Zhi. He, too, had lifted his head and was looking toward the door.
Jean withdrew her gaze and said, "Come in."
The door opened.
Amber came in, followed by Ganyu and Xia Ci.
"Captain Jean, are you feeling better?"
"I'm fine now."
Amber ran up to Jean, carefully examining her.
She saw that Jean's complexion was healthy and glowing, as if she'd been refreshed from the inside out—none of the exhaustion from before remained.
Amber let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. If you collapsed, Captain, the Knights would be a total mess without you."
Jean smiled and shook her head. "Don't say that. Everyone in the Knights is capable—they'd do just fine."
"No way, Captain Jean is Captain Jean…"
Amber looked at Xia Zhi and said seriously, "Thank you so much for helping today, Mr. Xia!"
Xia Zhi waved a hand. "It was nothing, Miss Amber. How did the gliding exam go?"
"Everyone passed! Especially Miss Xianyun—she actually broke our record for fastest completion!"
"Really?"
Xia Zhi wasn't surprised.
That was Cloud Retainer, after all. With thousands of years of flying experience, even if she didn't use her wings, she'd still have a huge advantage over mortals. Breaking a speed record was nothing for her.
Mountain Shaper might be able to compete with her in speed. Oh, and Xiao the Vigilant Yaksha too and also wields Anemo.
As for Venti… well, comparing him would be cheating.
"And the gliding licenses?" Xia Zhi asked.
Amber nodded. "I've handed them all out! When the gliding competition happens in a few days, everyone can just go sign up."
"Perfect. Thank you all for your hard work today."
Jean quickly added, "No, no, I should be the one thanking you."
Xia Zhi stood up, collecting the tea set and tidying the table. "It's getting late. We'll take our leave."
"Take care, everyone."
"Captain Jean, please remember to take care of yourself. Don't overwork."
"I will."
"And try to cut down on coffee, too."
"Mm."
Xia Zhi and the others left. Amber followed them out.
The office was quiet again, leaving only Jean behind.
She stood at her desk, staring at the now-empty tea table, a little dazed. Then she silently sat back down and continued working.
After a while, Jean felt a bit thirsty.
She reached for her teacup without thinking—only to grasp at empty air.
She looked up and realized her cup wasn't where she usually placed it.
Oh, right. She'd been lying on the desk getting a massage earlier, and everything had been moved underneath the table.
But when she brought her things back, she hadn't seen her cup.
So where did it go?
Jean turned toward the tea table.
Her cup was sitting there quietly.
How did it end up over there?
She remembered feeling sleepy this morning, drinking a cup of coffee just before Mr. Xia arrived.
Then she recalled what Xia Zhi had said before leaving:
"And try to cut down on coffee, too."
No wonder he said that.
Jean walked over, picked up the cup.
There was still a little bit of coffee left at the bottom.
On the table were her usual teapot, coffee, and tea canisters.
She poured some hot water into the cup to rinse it out.
Following Mr. Xia's advice, she decided to skip the coffee and have some black tea instead.
She picked up the tea canister.
It felt heavier than usual.
Opening it, she found a small extra container inside.
Green tea, with a familiar fragrance.
[Silver Dew].
Jean lowered her head and chuckled softly.
So this was… a gift?
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