At the same time, in the Jade Chamber—
A subordinate reported respectfully:
"…After that, Miss Ganyu brought Mr. Yi Chen back to her residence on Yujing Terrace."
Crack.
The expensive jade pipe in Ningguang's hand fractured slightly.
Her composed expression vanished, frost spreading across her beautiful face. Even the air seemed colder.
You've got to be kidding me.
She knew Ganyu felt unusually protective toward Yi Chen.
But Ganyu—the workaholic, socially anxious, painfully shy Ganyu—
inviting a man she'd just met to live with her?!
This was completely outside Ningguang's expectations.
A colossal miscalculation.
She'd planned everything—except Ganyu's sudden, irrational bravery.
I should've brought him to the Jade Chamber myself.
Now—
Her carefully laid plan had been stolen by someone else.
She exhaled sharply.
Without Yi Chen around, the Jade Chamber felt… too quiet.
Even a little lonely.
She crushed the thought instantly.
This is just frustration over a failed plan.
Her smile turned sharp.
"The game," she murmured, "has only just begun."
At Ganyu's home.
Yi Chen sat stiffly on the sofa, back straight, hands neatly on his knees, eyes wandering anywhere but at Ganyu.
Even he got shy being alone in a girl's home.
Ganyu returned with tea, amused by his awkwardness.
She set the cup down gently.
"Have some tea… relax. Treat this like your own home."
She sat at a respectful distance.
Yi Chen glanced at her, then stared intensely at the tea.
After a moment, he looked up seriously.
"Thank you, Ganyu. Really."
"…And when you visit Mondstadt someday, you can stay at my place too! It's big—still being renovated—but Eula will help clean! She's super reliable!"
Ganyu laughed softly.
"Alright. It's a promise."
Yi Chen relaxed at last, sipping the tea.
It tasted gentle. Comforting. Like her.
A warm silence settled.
Trying to ease the awkwardness, Ganyu blurted out—
"Um… would you like to take a shower? You were out all day…"
The moment she realized how it sounded—
Her face went red.
I—what did I just say?!
Yi Chen paused, sniffed himself thoughtfully.
"…Yeah. I did sweat a bit. Thank you."
He accepted it innocently.
Ganyu hurried him to the bathroom and shut the door, heart racing.
Hearing the water run, she spotted his jacket on the sofa.
She picked it up instinctively—
Then froze.
No. Absolutely not.
She marched to the laundry basket and shoved it in.
"Just helping with laundry. Normal. Very normal."
Her ears stayed red for a long time.
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