Even someone like Cynthia would need some time to deal with a whole group of Onix, and Song Lan currently didn't have enough contribution points.
After chatting nonsense with this group of dumb county friends for a while, Song Lan exited the county group chat.
Although he had convinced Ningguang and Keqing, if he wanted them to both contribute money and effort, Roman would still need to come up with a proposal convincing enough to win their full trust.
Besides, Uncle Tian had arranged a blind date for him—if he dared not show up, Uncle Tian might very well take him apart himself.
But just thinking about the women Uncle Tian had introduced him to in the past made Song Lan feel a headache coming on again.
> "Ganyu, I remember you're still single, right?"
> "Huh?!"
Ganyu, who was organizing some documents, froze at his question. Her cheeks flushed red as she turned to look at Song Lan.
> "Song Lan, you... you're not saying..."
> "Exactly, Ganyu! Other than you, I honestly can't think of anyone else I could ask!"
Uncle Tian's daughter, Huixin, was nearly forty, and naturally, the women in his social circle weren't young either.
Just remembering the photos Uncle Tian had shown him last time—most of them divorced with two kids—gave Song Lan the chills.
For the sake of his future, Song Lan decided to find someone to pretend to be his girlfriend.
Even though he had met many women in the three years since arriving in this world, as he said in the county group chat, most were professional relationships. The only person close enough for him to make such a request was Ganyu.
> "But... Song Lan, I... I'm not mentally prepared for this!"
Ganyu did have strong feelings for Song Lan.
Although he had only been in this world for three years, he had already earned the admiration of the Geo Archon, and even defeated her chatterbox master in mechanical arts.
In Ganyu's over two-thousand-year life, Song Lan was easily the most outstanding man she had ever met.
And he often cared about her. Ever since Song Lan became Tian Shu Star, her workload had decreased by half.
However, Ganyu wasn't as open as her mother. Even though she had always liked Song Lan, she had never dared confess.
Seeing that he seemed to be confessing, Ganyu's mind went blank—she panicked and ran away without thinking.
> "Did I... just get rejected?"
Defeated, Song Lan watched her fleeing figure.
He thought their relationship, if not quite lovers, was at least close. But to think she wouldn't even agree to pretend to be his girlfriend...
> "Guess I really was just imagining things—her liking me must've been one of the three great illusions in life."
If even Ganyu wasn't willing, no one else would be.
And after being rejected once, Song Lan felt almost emotionally crippled. If it happened again, he might as well become a total shut-in.
Sighing helplessly, Song Lan gave up on the idea of faking a girlfriend and headed obediently to Liuli Pavilion next door.
> "I'll just play along a bit... I'll say I already have someone I like."
---
> "You brat! Do you know what time it is? I thought you'd forgotten again!"
As soon as he entered the private room, Uncle Tian smacked him hard on the head.
Having treated Song Lan like a son over the past three years, Uncle Tian didn't hold back. Song Lan clutched his head in pain.
> "Uncle Tian, I am the Tian Shu Star. I've got work to do. It wasn't easy freeing up time to come!"
> "I was the Tian Shu Star too, remember? You think I don't know how much work that involves?"
> "Yeah, but back then, you dumped all your work on Yelan and those internal spies. Now Yelan's in the Chasm, and the spies were all arrested. I'm doing everything myself. It's not the same."
> "Alright, enough talking. Sit down—your date will be here any minute!"
Uncle Tian felt a bit embarrassed thinking of his own "operations" before retiring, so he coughed and changed the subject.
> "Uncle Tian... Can I ask which widow I'm meeting this time?"
> "That was just a joke. Did you really think I'd introduce you to a widow?"
> "She's the student of an old friend of mine—a noblewoman from Mondstadt and a member of the Knights of Favonius. Your cousin Huixin often works with her. She's a bit sharp-tongued, but she's a good kid."
Even though Lu Xun didn't exist in this world, the theory of contrast did.
Uncle Tian knew that if he introduced someone good at the start, Song Lan would reject her. So first, he showed him divorced single mothers with kids, letting him lower his expectations.
Then when he finally met the real match, she would seem far better by comparison—and with Uncle Tian's praise, everything would go smoothly.
> "Hmm?"
Hearing Uncle Tian's description, Song Lan felt relieved—but also had a strange sense of déjà vu.
There were only two women in Mondstadt who were nobles and Knights of Favonius: one was the acting grandmaster Jean, and the other...
> "Uncle Tian, you don't mean..."
Yes, Song Lan not only knew this vengeful tsundere, he knew her well.
When he first arrived in this world, he had worked with Huixin for a while in Dragonspine, where he met this same Knight from Mondstadt.
Because he treated her without bias and often made pastries with her, they quickly became friends.
At the time, he thought they might become a couple. But after an accident and a misunderstanding, he was reassigned to Liyue Harbor, and they never met again.
Though he wrote her letters, she never replied.
Realizing this blind date was with that very girl, Song Lan felt nervous.
Before he could finish his thoughts, the door opened—and two figures, one blue and one red, stepped inside.
> "Um... Eula, long time no see..."
> "You!! Song Lan—you dare show your face?! Die