The spacious villa's living room, with bright floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting green trees and flowerbeds, felt serene and elegant.
But the atmosphere was… off.
Where only Paimon should've been, there were suddenly two more people—Ningguang and Keqing—and the air between them was weird.
Ningguang sat on the sofa, legs crossed elegantly, sipping coffee. Her red eyes smiled teasingly at Keqing.
The purple cat-head sat opposite, little fists clenched, glaring at Ningguang.
Paimon, stuck between them, was clawing at her hair in distress.
"You're finally back…"
Seeing Ken and the others, Paimon looked like she'd found salvation, darting behind him.
She'd been sad about not going to the con—and then, not long after, Ningguang appeared on Blue Star, and seconds later Keqing stepped out of the portal.
In fact, ever since Ningguang decided to deal with the Northland Bank, she'd occasionally come to Blue Star to recharge, gradually establishing an invitation contract with Ken and gaining free access.
But Keqing had never received an invitation to come to Blue Star.
The purple cat-head was a little sour about that. With Ningguang's occasional verbal jabs, she was grinding her teeth.
So today, when Ningguang came over, Keqing, who happened to be passing Ningguang's office at Yuehai Pavilion, followed without thinking.
And then…
"Then Miss Ningguang told Miss Keqing to make hotpot, and Miss Keqing has been glaring like this ever since… It's been half an hour. The pressure on me in the middle was immense."
Paimon looked like she might cry.
Missing the con was bad enough—then she had to watch two Liyue Qixing face off, keeping her from even watching We Bare Bears.
"…"
Ken fell silent, glanced at Keqing's kitty-cat pout, then at the unruffled Ningguang, and finally understood why they didn't get along.
Not just differences in ideals.
Mostly personality.
Ningguang is smooth, worldly, and handles all people and matters with a calm smile. Even if displeased, she won't show it.
Keqing is the opposite.
She's straightforward and forthright—says what she thinks, does what she wants, never beats around the bush. A paragon of a modern straight-shooting woman.
A straight shooter versus a consummate diplomat—it's like punching cotton. No wonder it rankles.
"Paimon, how about you go next door and call Zhongli?" Ken said lazily. "Have him judge who's better at staring contests—the Tianquan or the Yuheng."
Ningguang: "…"
Keqing: "…"
Keqing now knew Zhongli was the Geo Archon. Hearing that, she broke character instantly.
Ningguang shot Ken a plaintive look.
He really knew how to stir the pot—even bringing their god in as referee?
Disrespecting the divine!
"Hmph."
Keqing snorted first, pink eyes a touch aggrieved. "It's not my fault. Ningguang kept bringing up Kuh-ching. And it's my first time on Blue Star—I don't know much."
That still stung—Ningguang could come and go freely to Blue Star; she had only just got an entry ticket, and by piggybacking on Ningguang no less.
"But Sister Keqing is Kuh-ching, isn't she?"
Before Ken could speak, Yaoyao scratched her head in confusion.
She'd seen someone cosplaying Keqing selling food to make money. Wasn't that Keqing's hidden talent?
"Pfft…"
Ningguang spluttered into her coffee. "Mm, Yaoyao's right. Keqing is the Kuh-ching. She's just too tsundere to admit it. Keqing, even Yaoyao knows—still going to hide it?"
"Yaoyao, w-what are you talking about?" Keqing looked at her in mortified anger.
"It's true… Sister Keqing, wait a sec, I'll pull up the video," Yaoyao said.
She found her con recording and hit play.
Soon, the audio of a Keqing coser selling food came from the phone, accompanied by the soul-of-the-cook wok-flipping. The ever-composed Ningguang laughed till her shoulders shook.
Keqing's fair face flushed scarlet. Watching the video, her little fists clenched hard.
The person didn't look or shape up like her, but the getup clearly mimicked her. And selling food? She can't cook at all!
"I really can't make cook!"
Keqing pouted stubbornly, like she couldn't wash the yellow river off.
Why do people on Blue Star keep calling her Kuh-ching?
"Looks like Keqing really can't cook…" Lumine mused. "Then let me teach you some Blue Star basics."
Lumine and Keqing were on good terms, and seeing Keqing distressed, she was happy to help.
It sounds easy to explain, but for Keqing, it's hard to grasp quickly.
She doesn't know the internet, doesn't know Genshin the game… and doesn't get second-creation memes.
So Lumine decided to give her a crash course on Blue Star.
"Alright. Thank you."
Keqing looked at Lumine gratefully.
She's decisive in Liyue because she knows it well and is devoted to it.
But thrust into Blue Star, everything felt unfamiliar. Keqing was a bit anxious inside; Lumine teaching her was the best.
Once she got it, she'd go back to sparring with Ningguang.
…
"What brings you to Blue Star suddenly?"
After Lumine took Keqing away, and Yaoyao and Klee followed, Ken looked to Ningguang.
Compared to the others, Ningguang was the very image of an elegant mature woman.
That aura flowed from the bone-deep charm of maturity.
A charm aged like fine wine—rich and lingering.
"With everything expedited, the Liyue Bank will be fully established in a few days. I came to thank you, and think on how to lure out Beisht."
Ningguang smiled meaningfully.
In the game, Beisht was lured out by the newly rebuilt Jade Chamber. The re-sealing of Osial was because Ningguang sacrificed the Chamber to smash him back into his seal.
So seeing the Jade Chamber would anger Beisht. Rebuilding it provoked him to appear.
But now the Chamber still stands.
And it was Ken who killed Osial.
"If you want my help, just say it." Ken sipped tea. "If the price is right, I won't say no."
Beisht is a latent threat to Liyue Harbor—especially for maritime trade. Stirring up the sea means lost merchant ships.
But the vast ocean makes him hard to track. Even if found, fighting him at sea is worse than on home turf. Best to lure him.
Ningguang chuckled. "What price do you want?"
"Something realistic," Ken said pointedly—don't try the 'I'll offer myself' line.
Ningguang sighed. "Hard to find a price that catches your eye… How about letting your daughter enjoy some fish-blasting again? If not, bring that great adventurer along too."
There'd be ocean pollution anyway—inevitable without divine power. They'd rely on firepower. Even if Klee didn't blast, they'd shell the area.
But their shells aren't as strong as Klee's bombs. Better to let the little one have fun and help them out.
"You even dare call Alice?" Ken looked at her. Truly Liyue's richest—bold.
Offering that price… she must not know just how… unconventional Alice is.
"I trust that lady keeps to agreed terms," Ningguang blinked, expectant.
"This, discuss with Klee," Ken said. "If you want her as combat power, just say it. No need to hide behind fish-blasting. She has to agree herself."
If Klee wanted to, he'd be happy. Blasting fish is her favorite thing.
All he'd need to do is show up in the right place to draw in Beisht who hates him—not much of a favor.
Ningguang's smile bloomed. "Even easier, then."
…
An hour later, the food delivery arrived, and Keqing and the others came out of the study.
After a one-hour crash course, Keqing had grasped the basic survival skills for Blue Star.
At least she now understood the Genshin game and the Kuh-ching nickname.
Turns out it's because her name is sound of a cash register.
With Lumine's help, she tried playing herself in-game,
But as Yuheng, she's not that weak!
Keqing felt Blue Star harbored malice against her. And since all these nicknames were indirectly tied to Ken, she was even more annoyed.
Hmph!
Deliberately made her character so weak, making players mock her—she needed buffs.
"Now you get it, Kuh-ching?"
Ningguang sat at the table in high spirits.
She had just reached a deal with little Klee to let her blast fish again—Klee happily agreed.
Seeing Keqing's dawning comprehension, Ningguang asked sweetly.
However, instead of blowing up as usual, Keqing tilted her chin with tsundere pride. "Heh… Four-star, at best."
"…"
Silence.
No one expected Keqing to clap back so logically.
Ningguang raised a brow. "That's without the Jade Chamber. With it, I should be six stars, right?"
She'd seen that star meme on Facebook—someone posted the Osial fight, and the comments said with the Jade Chamber, she's six stars.
No one at the table objected.
Sometimes, the power of spending really is unbeatable.
With the Jade Chamber, Ningguang is indeed six stars.
"Heh…" Keqing scoffed. "Four stars."
"Even as a four-star, in-game I'm the Tianquan—the richest in Teyvat. Strange title or not, it's true."
"Heh… four stars."
Ningguang: "…"
Ken: "…"
Watching Keqing, arms crossed and chin high, everyone struggled not to laugh.
Rare to see the serious Yuheng look like this. Her tsundere side usually stayed buried.
Ningguang stayed unruffled. Even at a loss for words, she calmly ate her lunch.
Seeing her not take the bait, Keqing lost interest and turned to Ken. "Can you buff Keqing a little? I'm not weak."
"Mm? I never said you were. In the game you're five-star," Ken said blandly.
"But… but even as a five-star, the damage is kinda scratchy," Keqing said, voice unconsciously slipping into a girlish whine. "Buff Keqing, please."
"You really want that?"
"Yes. I really do."
Ken gave her a meaningful look. The Yuheng truly strove to be strong—even in a game.
Seeing the purple cat-head's expectant look, Ken suddenly smiled. "Alright. Stay and make dinner."
Keqing: "???"