As Lin Mo slowly lifted his head, Ganyu's beautiful eyes remained gently closed, her lashes fluttering ever so slightly. That kiss, laced with the delicate aroma of tea, lingered on her lips, leaving her with a faint, wistful aftertaste.
"Ganyu," he murmured, his voice soft, "we have all the time in the world to head to bed."
True to form, his fingers drifted up to gently knead the sensitive tips of her horns. Ganyu eased her eyes open, her gaze shimmering with shy affection as she gave a small nod.
A thought suddenly struck him, and he tilted his head curiously. "By the way, the order to post those missing person notices—was that Keqing and Yanfei's doing?"
Ganyu nodded, her voice steady but laced with concern. "It was mostly because you didn't show up at the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Lady Keqing was beside herself with worry."
"I see... So they're probably waiting for me at the Jade Chamber right now?" Lin Mo ventured, brow furrowed.
Ganyu shook her head, a soft smile touching her lips as she explained. "A knight named Eula Lawrence was absolutely convinced nothing had happened to you. She convinced Lady Keqing and Lady Yanfei to take the others sightseeing around Liyue Harbor instead."
Lin Mo blinked, caught off guard.
Well...
I am pretty strong, after all.
But could his wives and little ones really relax without him around? Liyue without him there—would they truly enjoy themselves?
He pressed on, his tone gentle. "If they're all out having fun, then why are you pulling an all-nighter?"
"I... I saw your portrait on the missing person notice," Ganyu admitted, her words trailing off. "It brought back that old sense of longing, the kind that tugs at the soul. I couldn't settle, so..."
She trailed off again, her cheeks flushing as she dipped her head. "I thought if I kept busy, I could push the memories of you aside."
"Ganyu..."
Guilt twisted in Lin Mo's chest like a quiet ache. In the next breath, he pulled her close once more, enveloping her in his arms.
"Don't worry," he whispered against her hair. "I'm not going anywhere this time. And from now on, you won't have to bury yourself in work just to keep the missing you at bay."
"Mm... I believe you, my lord," Ganyu replied, nestling into his embrace with a nod. She was the picture of docility.
She'd waited an eternity for this simple hold. The thought that she could finally set aside the endless tasks that had staved off her yearning for him—it filled her with quiet relief. Lifting her gaze, she ventured shyly, "Lord Lin Mo... could I resign as the Qixing's secretary? To stay by your side?"
"Mm... Let me think on that." Lin Mo paused, weighing it carefully.
Without Ganyu, would the story's main thread unravel?
It seemed not.
The worst-case scenario? Liyue's progress might slow a touch. But with Keqing at the helm, armed with those dream-forged insights and reforms, the nation would thrive all the same.
The real snag was introducing it to the others. How to explain away a devoted secretary like Ganyu quitting her post on a whim—just to trail after him? That could ignite a full-blown storm of jealousy.
"You hang in there a bit longer," he decided at last. "I'll be heading to Inazuma soon enough. We can talk resignation then."
At minimum, she had to stick it out until the Jade Chamber crisis wrapped up. What if her absence left them short-handed against the Fatui saboteurs gunning for the Geo Archon's legacy?
"Mm, whatever you say, Lord Lin Mo~" Ganyu nodded, ever compliant.
Gods, she was too sweet for her own good.
Lin Mo felt a surge of tenderness. After three millennia of quiet hardships and slights, Ganyu deserved the world. He'd spend the rest of his days making it up to her.
His eyes drifted downward, toward the glow of Wanmin Restaurant below. "Caught you peeking at their kitchen earlier. Hungry?"
He grinned. "It's late, though—not ideal for a midnight feast~"
Ganyu's face bloomed pink, her embarrassment plain as day.
"Rare reunion like this—no holding back." Ignoring any protest, Lin Mo slipped across to Wanmin and placed his order: a bowl of Pearl, Jade, and White Jade Soup, alongside the legendary Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, rich enough to tempt even the immortals.
Moments later, he returned to the teahouse's second floor, trays in hand. "Chef Mao threw in some extra Qingxin just for you—your favorite from the mountaintops." He passed her the utensils with a wink. "Dig in and see what you think."
Ganyu's eyes softened at the sight of the soup, a wave of warmth washing over her. He still remembered—her love for simple vegetarian fare, the wild Qingxin blooms that dotted the peaks like stars.
But then her gaze fell on the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and her expression faltered, a flicker of unease crossing her features.
"Something wrong?" Lin Mo leaned in, concern softening his smile. "Too rich for your taste? I can grab something lighter if you want."
She shook her head at once, voice small. "It smells amazing... I do want it. But... it's so fattening."
"Fattening? One meal won't do a thing."
He waved it off with easy assurance.
"My lord~ That's exactly what you used to say~"
Ganyu's cheeks puffed out in a rare pout. "Back when I was little, you'd stuff me with treats every day. That's how I ended up so chubby!"
"A little extra curve never hurt anyone." Lin Mo shrugged, utterly unperturbed.
After all, it wasn't his figure on the line.
"But... you always said you preferred a graceful, slender build."
Her words dwindled to a whisper, heavy with old insecurities.
Lin Mo's heart clenched at the confession. All these years, she'd starved herself of indulgences out of fear he'd turn away—sticking to greens, sometimes just a handful of Qingxin to tide her over. Three thousand years of it.
"For old times' sake, just this once—no repeats. Deal?"
To seal it, he plucked a plump shrimp from the stew and held it to her lips. The savory steam curled up, coaxing an involuntary gulp from her throat.
"You promise, then, my lord...?"
"I do. Vegetarian next time."
His smile was all the encouragement she needed. With a tentative nibble, she claimed the morsel from his chopsticks.
"Good?" he asked, eyes twinkling.
"Mm..."
She nodded, joy lighting her face without fanfare. Yet the way she cupped her cheeks betrayed her—lost in the decadent harmony of shrimp and braised offal melting on her tongue.
"Three thousand years... and it's my first bite of meat. I'm so happy." unspoken hung the truth: fed to her by his hand.
"Silly girl..."
Pity tugged at him anew. The epicurean in her, starved for flavor's sake alone—it was a quiet tragedy.
Beneath the moon's gentle glow, they might have been any lovers stealing a late-night moment. Lin Mo picked at the meats with care, ladled broth with steady hands, feeding her bite by tender bite.
Ganyu teetered on the edge of protest a dozen times—"Lord Lin Mo, I can manage"—but the warmth of his attentiveness held her tongue. She savored it, every second.
Half an hour slipped by.
"So full... My lord, I pack on weight so easily." Ganyu cradled her softly rounded belly, a shadow of regret dimming her glow.
In her bliss, she'd missed it entirely: Lin Mo hadn't touched a morsel. The whole vat of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall had vanished into her, unawares, while he'd sipped just a modest bowl of soup.
"You're too much, my lord."
"You go on your diet, and here I am, stuffed to bursting..."
She looked up at him with wide, wounded eyes, visions of rejection already haunting her thoughts.
"I ate earlier," he soothed, his palm grazing her horns in lazy circles.
"There now—stomach full. Time to head home?"
"Mm... Lady Ningguang's still buried in work at the Jade Chamber, dealing with the Archon's 'assassination'..."
Sorrow creased Ganyu's brow at the mention. Rex Lapis was the pillar of reverence for every adeptus in Liyue.
Lin Mo couldn't stomach seeing her grieve another loss. Leaning close, he breathed against her ear, "Secret for your ears only: it's all a grand scheme he cooked up himself."
"Eh? How?"
Her shock was adorably unguarded.
"Shh—not a word." He grinned. "Give it time, and you'll catch him feasting with the adepti atop Mt. Aozang like old times~"
"That's wonderful."
Relief sparked in her eyes like fireflies. No more futile toil at the Jade Chamber for her.
Emboldened, she murmured, head bowed, "Lord Lin Mo... where are you staying?"
"Hm... Good question."
He realized it then—no quarters lined up in Liyue.
"Bee lined with crises all day; haven't sorted a place to crash."
"Would you... come back to Yuehai Pavilion with me?" The offer tumbled out haltingly, her fidgeting fingers betraying a heart full of nerves.
Yuehai Pavilion served as the Qixing's bustling hub for work and rest—everyone from the core staff bunked there, Keqing included. Only Ningguang held court from her floating palace.
"Sure, why not? But... where do I sleep?"
Lin Mo's tease came with a roguish quirk of his lips.
"You take the bed, my lord... I'll make do on the floor..."
She couldn't meet his eyes, flushing crimson as she latched onto his sleeve and tugged him along the path to Yuehai Pavilion.
They arrived swiftly, slipping into Ganyu's private quarters. It was Lin Mo's first glimpse inside.
"Huh. Odd."
He paused in the doorway, brow arched.
"My lord? Everything alright?" Ganyu glanced back, puzzled.
"Aren't the rumors always going on about your collection of Archon figurines? Where are they?"
"Archon figurines?" She blinked, genuinely baffled.
But then, mortification hit like a wave. Blushing furiously, she flung up a hand to shield his view. "Lord Lin Mo, please—turn around! I need to straighten up..."
Her panic only fueled his intrigue.
"Straighten up? Keeping secrets from me?" Laughing lightly, he caught her slender wrist and struck a match to the bedside candle.
Warm light flooded the room. Ganyu ducked her head, mortified.
But Lin Mo's eyes widened, drinking in the sight.
The walls brimmed with portraits: him, mid-sword dance, captured in fluid strokes of ink and color. It wasn't just the walls—the nightstand bore a tender scene of him reclining on Mt. Aozang's slopes, a tiny qilin curled beside him.
And there, by the bookshelf: figurines, yes. But no Rex Lapis idols from tavern tales. These were him—clumsy, lopsided clay effigies, unmistakably Ganyu's handiwork, stitches of devotion in every uneven curve.
"Ganyu..."
The room's quiet devotion hit him like a thunderclap. Her feelings ran deeper than he'd ever dreamed—raw, unwavering, etched into every corner of her world.
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T/N:
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