At that moment, on the large ship not far away, a streak of lightning suddenly flashed.
A figure appeared before Jiang Yan and Ganyu almost instantly.
Jiang Yan raised a hand and pulled Ganyu behind him.
When he saw the familiar purple braid, he smiled and said to Raiden Ei,
"You came, Ei."
Ei said nothing. Her eyes remained fixed on Jiang Yan the entire time.
Meanwhile, Ganyu quietly stepped aside, leaving space for them.
Just as she had said—
Jiang Yan needed to face these matters head-on.
Ei and Jiang Yan looked at each other for a long while.
After some time, Ei finally spoke.
"How long do you plan to keep running away?"
"I..."
Jiang Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.
The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
At that moment, worried that Ei might do something rash, Raiden Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu hurried over as well.
"S-Sorry! Ei speaks very directly, please don't mind her!"
Makoto quickly apologized as she pulled Ei away.
This was too embarrassing!
Ei had actually said something like that outright!
Ei still wanted to struggle free, but when she saw the pleading looks in Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu's eyes, she ultimately quieted down and allowed herself to be led away like a puppet on strings.
"I'm not running anymore."
At that moment, Jiang Yan's clear voice entered the ears of all three women.
Makoto, Ei, and Kitsune Saiguu all trembled at the same time.
"W-What did you say?"
Makoto turned around, afraid that what she had heard was merely an illusion.
Jiang Yan let out a soft breath and smiled at them.
"I'm not running anymore. Just as you can see."
"Aren't I standing right here in front of you now?"
The three women stood frozen in place like statues as they stared at Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
"Well... how should I put this."
"I'm sorry. Because of my own personal reasons, I kept avoiding my feelings toward you all."
"But things can't keep going on like this forever."
"I can't just keep avoiding it forever, right?"
Perhaps Jiang Yan was simply someone who tangled himself up when it came to emotions.
He did have feelings for Makoto and the others—he had simply been avoiding them all this time.
Because he didn't want Ganyu to be hurt.
And in the end, that only made both sides unhappy.
Maybe this was what people called being... foolish.
If Ganyu hadn't been so understanding—if she hadn't understood Jiang Yan's feelings for others—she could have selfishly kept him entirely to herself.
But in the end, she still gave him a push, forcing him to face his feelings and confront his own heart.
Because just as Jiang Yan cared deeply about her feelings, Ganyu cared just as deeply about his.
Listening to Jiang Yan's confession, especially when she heard him admit that he was willing to accept their feelings, Makoto could no longer hold herself back.
She threw herself into Jiang Yan's arms and quietly sobbed.
Only heaven knew the torment she had endured over these hundreds of years.
Back in Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago, she had realized the feelings in her own heart and had spent centuries trying for this moment.
And today, she had finally received an answer.
Sometimes even she herself felt it wasn't worth it.
After all, Jiang Yan and Ganyu already had such a good relationship. Inserting herself between them would only damage their happiness.
But no matter what, she could never stop herself from pursuing an answer she had almost no hope of obtaining.
The moment Makoto's soft body embraced him, Jiang Yan's entire body stiffened.
He raised a hand, lowered it, then raised it again.
But before he could react further, Ei and Kitsune Saiguu also threw themselves into his arms.
Even Kitsune Saiguu's upright fox ears drooped weakly to the sides as her body trembled.
Jiang Yan froze for a long while—or perhaps only a moment—before finally placing his hand gently atop Makoto's head and softly stroking it.
"I'm sorry for making you wait so long..."
His gentle voice sounded beside their ears.
"It wasn't long at all. It was worth it."
Makoto lightly shook her head, her reddened eyes gazing at Jiang Yan.
"My, my~ What a touching scene."
"You're making me tear up over here."
Beside Ganyu, a pink-haired fox woman hugged her arm while grinning mischievously.
"You..."
Ganyu helplessly smiled as she gently patted Yae Miko's head.
"Hmph~ That bad man suddenly becoming so brave this time—surely Sister Ganyu deserves a lot of the credit for that, right?"
Yae Miko smiled brightly at Ganyu.
"Ah Yan has always been someone who gets tangled up emotionally."
Ganyu replied calmly.
"Sometimes you just need to give him a little push."
"And besides..."
For some reason, Ganyu's face suddenly flushed red.
Ever since she became pregnant, Jiang Yan no longer dared touch her.
He was afraid of hurting the baby in her womb.
Every night while lying in bed, Jiang Yan would stare straight at Ganyu before silently going to the bathroom to take a cold shower.
Although Ganyu always helped him relieve himself with her hands—or other parts of her body—it was still only a drop in the bucket.
Lately... even she herself was starting to feel unable to handle him alone anymore.
She really needed some help...
Ganyu's cheeks reddened further, and she no longer dared continue that train of thought.
"Hm? Could it be..."
Seeing Ganyu suddenly blush for no reason, Yae Miko immediately revealed a sly grin.
"Could it be Sister Ganyu is thinking about something naughty~?"
Yae Miko whispered teasingly into Ganyu's ear, her tone incredibly soft.
"Miko!"
Hearing such shameless teasing, Ganyu's beautiful face instantly turned bright red as she lightly smacked Miko.
Jiang Yan also noticed the little interaction between Ganyu and Yae Miko.
The moment he saw that mischievous fox, his teeth started itching.
He would bet anything that Yae Miko had said something to Ganyu, which was why Ganyu had become so determined.
Seriously. Even after saving Kitsune Saiguu, he still hadn't managed to stop this pink fox from becoming such a menace.
"Alright, Ganyu's still over there."
Jiang Yan softly reminded the three women still curled up in his arms.
The instant he mentioned Ganyu's name, Makoto, Ei, and Kitsune Saiguu all trembled simultaneously.
They quickly stepped away from Jiang Yan's embrace and hurriedly straightened their appearances.
Each of them looked somewhat nervous.
Seeing their nervous expressions, Jiang Yan couldn't help laughing.
"No need to worry. This time, you should actually thank Ganyu."
Ei tilted her head in confusion.
But Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu both nodded in agreement.
Only the dense Ei failed to realize why Jiang Yan was able to stand here and accept them.
Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu both felt deeply grateful toward Ganyu.
From the moment Ganyu stood beside Jiang Yan while he accepted their feelings, they understood.
The reason Jiang Yan was finally willing to face the feelings he had avoided for centuries—
was because Ganyu had been quietly pushing him forward all along.
Soon, Jiang Yan brought the three women over to Ganyu.
"Oh? Isn't this Miko? When did you sneak down here?"
Jiang Yan smiled at Yae Miko.
Especially when he said "Miko," his tone became noticeably heavier.
The moment Yae Miko heard that tone, her body shivered.
She awkwardly smiled at him.
"My, my~ You all looked like you were having such a heartfelt conversation. I simply couldn't bear to interrupt."
As she spoke, she tightened her grip around Ganyu's arm even further.
The meaning was obvious.
I have backup, so watch yourself!
"Alright now, Jiang Yan, why are you scaring her?"
Ganyu smiled at Jiang Yan before turning toward Makoto and the others behind him.
With a gentle smile, she asked,
"Did everything get resolved?"
Jiang Yan nodded.
But before he could say another word, Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu stepped forward and hugged Ganyu from both sides.
Kitsune Saiguu even directly shoved Yae Miko aside to make room.
Yae Miko stared at Kitsune Saiguu in disbelief.
Amazing.
So noble.
You pushed me aside for your other girlfriends!
She was heartbroken—the kind of heartbreak that couldn't be fixed without at least ten plates of fried tofu.
"You don't have to be like this."
Seeing Makoto and Kitsune Saiguu acting so cautiously, Ganyu gently smiled and shook her head.
She patted their hands softly and said,
"From now on, we're sisters. I'm younger, so you can simply call me little sister."
Ganyu didn't put on airs just because she came first.
Instead, she warmly addressed them as sisters.
That alone soothed much of the uneasiness in Makoto and the others' hearts.
Ganyu's gentleness was not something anyone could easily resist.
Very quickly, the four women blended together perfectly.
In fact, Jiang Yan couldn't even get a word in anymore.
Jiang Yan: ???
So...
I'm being ignored?
I'm seriously being ignored?
Huh???
Meanwhile, Yae Miko stood beside him with the exact same neglected expression.
"My~ They really forgot the old favorites once they found new ones~"
Yae Miko sighed dramatically while looking at the four women acting inseparably close.
"Tell me about it..."
Jiang Yan sighed as well.
"Sigh..." ×2
After chatting for a while at the harbor, Jiang Yan and Ganyu brought Makoto, Yae Miko, and the others back home.
The three little ones had gone off to study, so the house was empty.
However, after four women plus Yae Miko entered the house, Jiang Yan suddenly felt that the place had become rather cramped.
Originally, he had built this home simply for himself and Ganyu to live together.
Looks like he'd need to build another house.
Though this time, he didn't plan to build near the harbor anymore.
While the scenery there was beautiful, the occasional ship horns might disturb Ganyu's sleep now that she was pregnant.
In truth, Jiang Yan had long planned that after retirement, he would bring Ganyu back to Qingce Village to live.
After all, in a sense, Qingce Village was where he and Ganyu had first lived together.
Retiring there in the future would also feel nostalgic.
Not only that, but after years of development, Qingce Village had gradually become exactly like it was in the original storyline—
A retirement paradise.
Perfect for settling down after retiring.
And Jiang Yan still owned a house right in the center of Qingce Village.
That's right.
The house he built there thousands of years ago still hadn't been demolished.
When the time came, he could simply renovate and expand it into something much larger than their current home.
Yep.
That settled it.
"Ah Yan, if Ei and I wanted to step down from the position of Electro Archon, who do you think would be the most suitable successor?"
After chatting for a while, Makoto suddenly asked Jiang Yan.
Now that Jiang Yan had finally acknowledged his feelings for her, Makoto's tone had also become much more intimate.
Women newly in love really were different.
The usually gentle and wise Raiden Makoto was now actually considering how to resign from her position as Archon.
"Mmm~ I think Miko would be perfect."
Jiang Yan smiled toward Yae Miko sitting nearby.
"Huh? In your dreams."
Miko immediately refused.
There was no way she wanted to inherit the position of Electro Archon.
Handling endless government affairs every day?
She wouldn't even have time to read light novels anymore!
Absolutely not!
Still, if they seriously considered who should inherit the position, Yae Miko probably was the best candidate.
"Hehe, but there's no rush. It's not like I can't go visit you all in Inazuma."
Jiang Yan smiled at Makoto and the others.
Hearing this, Makoto nodded and didn't bring up stepping down again.
"In a few days, Ganyu and I will go visit Inazuma for a while. If I remember correctly, the Irodori Festival should be starting soon, right?"
Lately, little Ayaka had been constantly sending him letters saying the festival was about to begin and inviting him to bring Ganyu and the three little ones to visit her home.
It had been quite a long time since Jiang Yan last visited Inazuma anyway.
This was the perfect opportunity to spend time sightseeing there properly with Makoto and the others.
And he could also help Ganyu relax and enjoy herself.
What could be better than that?
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