Once she realized it had all been a misunderstanding, Keqing felt deeply embarrassed.
She suddenly discovered that she'd been corrupted!
The old her would never have let her mind leap to so many things.
But now, of all things, those few snatches of conversation had sent her thoughts running wild!
She wasn't as innocent as she used to be!
Ye Xi gave Keqing's kitty-cat head a pat, then got ready to set up the portal here.
Just at that moment, Beidou and Ningguang happened to come strolling over.
Seeing the door open and everyone gathered inside, Beidou walked right in.
Praising it all the while: "Master Ye Xi, this ship is just too amazing!"
"I thought the inside of the ship would be pitch dark, but I never imagined it'd be this bright everywhere!"
"Truly remarkable!"
Below the deck of the Alcor, in fact, it was extremely dim.
Normally there was open-flame lighting, but it was rarely used.
Because a wooden ship catches fire all too easily.
And once a fire breaks out at sea, the outcome is absolutely catastrophic.
So most of what they kept aboard for light was Lampgrass gathered over in Mondstadt.
This grass glows; though it isn't all that bright, it's at least enough to make out the rooms and the corridors.
Which meant that the bigger the ship, the darker and damper it grew down below.
She'd assumed that a ship even larger than the Alcor would be utterly black below deck — but instead it was exceptionally bright.
There was lighting everywhere, bright as broad daylight!
Ye Xi was about to explain when Beidou spoke up: "Hahaha, no need to trouble yourself with explanations, Master!"
"Ningguang already told me — these are electric lights."
"This ship is simply too wonderful! Big and spacious, with so many rooms!"
At this point, Keqing chimed in: "And it's very easy to get lost!"
"Hahahaha."
Beidou laughed and said: "The Yuheng Star doesn't board ships often, so it's only natural you're not used to it."
"But for seafaring folk like us, it won't take long at all to find our way around!"
In short, Beidou had only one point to make.
And that was: it was completely worth it.
This ship had simply taken root in the very hearts of sailors like them.
The conditions aboard were excellent, and its cargo capacity was enormous, too.
From now on, putting out to sea would surely earn them far more than before!
Ye Xi nodded as a matter of course.
This was the dimensional-reduction strike of a modern vessel!
"Alright, I've heard all this so many times my ears have grown calluses."
He changed the subject: "You've come at just the right time. I'm planning to open a portal in your captain's quarters, linking it to my Serenitea Pot."
"That way, it'll be convenient for us to stay in contact."
Hearing Ye Xi's words, Beidou was instantly struck with wonder.
"The Serenitea Pot and a portal? What's that!"
Beidou wasn't the only one curious — even Ganyu and Yae Miko were taken aback.
Taken literally, they understood the words well enough, of course.
It was just — could such a thing really be done?
"Once I've set it up, you'll know."
Ye Xi looked the place over.
These captain's quarters were, put plainly, where the captain usually stayed.
The captain was either up on the island, directing the helmsman and the rest of the crew, or in the captain's quarters, sipping tea and slacking off.
And in this spacious, well-lit room, there was a door with a lock.
What it connected to was the captain's resting bedchamber.
Since it was to be connected to the Serenitea Pot, this door naturally ought to be kept a little more hidden.
If it were placed in the captain's quarters, then wouldn't anyone who came along be able to walk right in?
If it was to be installed, it had to go in the little room within.
So he pushed open the bedchamber door and used the [Space Portal] skill on one of the walls.
The next instant, a door handle suddenly appeared on the wall.
Then an entire door materialized out of thin air.
This trick left Beidou utterly astonished.
"This... how did you conjure it up?"
Ye Xi couldn't be bothered to explain, and simply said: "This room — apart from you, no one else may enter."
"You're to give that order to everyone."
Hearing this, Beidou looked exasperated: "Master, this is going to be my bedchamber. How could I possibly let anyone else in?"
"It's not like I've got a man!"
That remark actually reminded Ye Xi of something.
Right.
This place would be Beidou's bedchamber.
So when he came over, wouldn't he end up seeing plenty of things he shouldn't?
Never mind.
He'd worry about that later.
The door was installed already, anyway.
Taking it down and putting it back up was such a hassle!
"Since it's already installed, let me take you through it."
As he spoke, he pulled open the space door.
Behind it lay a blurry, mirror-like surface, like the face of water — utterly marvelous to behold.
Ningguang, Keqing and the others were already old hands at this, so they boldly passed through the door and stepped inside.
Beidou was amazed, but followed them in nonetheless.
"Ganyu, Miko, you two go in and have a look as well."
At Ye Xi's invitation, Yae Miko poked her head in curiously, only to find a small room inside, like a corridor.
This was because Ye Xi had connected the cruiser's portal to the portal at Liyue Harbor.
And so a new little space had formed here.
From it, one could choose to go to the Jade Chamber, or to the Serenitea Pot.
Stepping out through the Serenitea Pot's door, beneath one's feet lay a stretch of lush green lawn.
And following the line of the bluestone path, a small Western-style house came into view.
"Goodness! This is just too incredible!?"
Beidou was struck dumb by the scene before her.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that stepping through that door would actually bring her to another world!
Ningguang spoke up: "Just now you should have seen the door marked [Jade Chamber]."
"Step out through that one, and you'll arrive at the Jade Chamber."
"From then on, once you've put out to sea, you can come back to find me anytime."
"Of course — only for proper business. If it's drinking and playing chess, I'm very busy."
At this, Beidou shrugged: "If I wanted a drink, wouldn't it be better to come here and drink with Master Ye Xi?"
"Where's the fun in drinking with you? You can't manage two cups before you're done for!"
"You—!"
Ningguang let out a helpless sigh.
She was truly at her wits' end with this rule-flouting captain...
She'd meant well, and ended up scorned for it!
"What? Afraid I'll steal your man?"
Beidou roared with laughter, earning a roll of the eyes from Ningguang.
Beside them, Ganyu softly marveled: "So you've moved house — and this Realm has been done up so wonderfully!"
As one of the Adepti, Ganyu naturally knew all about Adeptal abodes.
So the moment she stepped inside, she knew this was Madame Ping's Serenitea Pot.
She'd just never expected that Ye Xi would have decorated the Realm within this Serenitea Pot so beautifully!
Keqing wore a smug look: "Not bad, right?"
"I stayed here last night, and I slept so comfortably!"
"Naturally."
Ganyu explained: "This place is wreathed in Adeptal aura. When mortals come inside, their bodies undergo certain changes."
"Living here long-term is wonderful for everyone's health!"
"Prolonging one's years, nourishing the body, and the like."
Hearing this from Ganyu, Ningguang's lovely eyes filled with astonishment: "To think it has such an effect too?"
To be honest, she had originally intended to go on living in the Jade Chamber.
But after hearing Ganyu say this, she immediately had a mind to move house!
She even wanted to stay inside for the rest of her life and never come out!
Ganyu nodded: "Mm, because everything within the Serenitea Pot is wrought from condensed Adeptal Energy."
"Sister Ganyu, what about youkai?"
Yae Miko's heart was itching too.
Indeed, youkai also have very long lifespans.
She had lived over five hundred years and was still just a little youkai.
But a long lifespan didn't mean she could live on forever.
Even a youkai frets about matters of beauty.
Back in Inazuma, to take care of her skin, she would often go to the [Akisa Bathhouse] to soak in the hot springs.
Hearing Ganyu say all this, even she was rather tempted!
Ganyu replied: "Of course. For youkai, Adeptal Energy is even better than youkai power."
At this, Yae Miko turned to look back at Ye Xi.
"Master~ I can move in too, right? Riiight~"
Watching the fox put on such a coquettish display, Ye Xi's heart softened.
"If you're willing to..."
"Wonderful~"
Before Ye Xi could finish, Yae Miko snatched the words right out of his mouth.
Just as she was speaking, a figure suddenly poked out into the courtyard.
"Miko!?"
Paimon had heard the voices outside and curiously took a look, never expecting to see Yae Miko here!
"Eh? Isn't this little Paimon?"
"If you're here, then that means — the little one's here too?"
Before the words had even faded, Lumine stood up, clutching a watermelon.
"Well, well, little one, long time no see~"
Yae Miko was somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected even Lumine to be in Ye Xi's home.
Appearing here meant that... even Lumine had been carried home by Ye Xi!
The moment Lumine saw it was Yae Miko, her eyes lit up at once: "Oh~ if it isn't the Lady Yae Miko, possessed of both wisdom and beauty~"
"What a sweet little mouth you have, little one~"
....
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