"Perhaps… that person fell in love at first sight?"
Beidou walked along the street towards Chihu Rock, the female crew member's words constantly repeating in her mind.
The more she thought, the more tangled her heart became.
But she couldn't shake off what was in her mind. No matter how she tried to distract herself, it would always return to that matter.
"How could it be? What love at first sight? I…" Beidou stopped in her tracks, looking at the distant harbor, muttering to herself.
Beidou had never considered matters of love and romance. In fact, it seemed no one dared to pursue Beidou, who was known as the Dragon King.
She had never experienced the feeling of her heart fluttering. Therefore, when the female crew member said the words "love at first sight," she instinctively wanted to refute it, but the words got stuck in her throat.
"No, no, how could I fall in love with a woman at first sight… Tsk, I can't think about this anymore." Beidou shook her head vigorously and continued walking.
Feeling somewhat depressed, she unconsciously walked to the front of Wanmin Restaurant.
Beidou had originally agreed with Xiangling to discuss foreign ingredients after she returned, but it was already very late when she returned from Ningguang's place, so this agreement was postponed until tomorrow.
But now…
Beidou looked at the bustling Wanmin Restaurant inside, hesitated for a moment, and finally walked in.
"Ah! Big Sister Beidou!" Xiangling, who was busy, immediately noticed Beidou and rushed to greet her.
"Good evening, Xiangling." Beidou's smile was a bit forced. Due to the troubles on her mind, it was really hard for her to act as usual.
Fortunately, Xiangling's attention wasn't entirely on Beidou, so she didn't notice Beidou's slight difference for a moment.
"Big Sister Beidou, please sit down quickly." Xiangling had been looking forward to Beidou's arrival for a long time, but she didn't expect the fleet to say that Beidou would return very late, and the ingredients might only be delivered tomorrow.
But what Xiangling cared about most wasn't really the ingredients; she had always been looking forward to Beidou bringing her news about Aether.
"Xiangling, I'll have the usual." Beidou found an empty seat and slowly sat down.
She wasn't actually hungry, and she didn't come to Wanmin Restaurant for dinner.
"I understand, Big Sister Beidou, please wait a moment." Xiangling nodded. Although she really wanted to hear about Aether from Beidou as soon as possible, her professional ethics were still intact.
No matter what, she had to serve Beidou's food first before talking about anything else.
Xiangling ran to the back kitchen to get busy. Not long after, she brought out several hot dishes.
It was already past the dinner rush, and for the few remaining customers, unless they specifically requested Xiangling to cook, Chef Mao alone was enough to handle them. So, Xiangling directly sat down opposite Beidou.
"Um, Big Sister Beidou, the matter I asked you about today…" Xiangling hesitantly began.
"Hmm, I came to tell you about that. Today at Qunyu Pavilion, I met that Damselette named Aether." Beidou nodded, taking out her portable wine flask from her waist.
Wanmin Restaurant certainly offered alcoholic beverages, but they didn't have Beidou's preferred taste.
"Then, how is he now?" Xiangling quickly asked.
"Ningguang treats him very well. He doesn't seem to have suffered any grievances," Beidou said simply.
"Is that so? That's good." Xiangling's face showed a smile.
She wasn't worried about Ningguang's attitude towards Aether, after all, Aether was so likable to women.
More than that, she was worried that Aether wouldn't adapt to the work at Qunyu Pavilion, and also… she was more concerned about the progress between Aether and Ningguang.
"Speaking of which, Xiangling, can you tell me about this friend of yours?" Beidou suddenly asked.
"Eh?" Xiangling was slightly startled, looking at Beidou with some surprise.
"How should I put it, you know I'm very good at judging people. That kid really suits my taste, and I want to make a friend!" Beidou said, feigning composure.
However, was she really just making a friend?
Only Beidou knew the answer to that.
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The next day, Qunyu Pavilion, Ningguang's reception room.
Another guest arrived today, and this guest was even more important. Ningguang had already brought Aether and was waiting early.
"Hmm? It's you?" The purple-haired Damselette looked at Aether with some surprise.
"Yuheng Lord still remembers me." Aether smiled at the Damselette in front of him.
She and Keqing had only met once, and although they talked a lot, they hadn't seen each other since.
She even thought Keqing had already forgotten her.
"Of course, I... no, I'm fine." Keqing didn't know why, but her cheeks seemed a little flushed. She stared at her for a moment, then slowly spoke again, "Where's Ningguang?"
"She's waiting for you inside."
"Mm, I see." Keqing took a deep breath and followed her into the room.
Today, he was here to discuss issues related to the land transaction deadline. No matter how curious he was about this Damselette, he still had to finish his work first.
"You're here." Ningguang looked up at Keqing, then her gaze fell on her.
"You, go rest first. Come back later."
"Okay." She nodded. She knew that the matter these two were discussing was very important, and she probably couldn't listen.
She turned and left decisively, nodding to Keqing and smiling before she left.
After she left the room, Keqing slowly turned to look at Ningguang.
"Why is she here with you?"
Although work was important, he finally couldn't help but ask Ningguang.
"You two know each other?" Ningguang raised an eyebrow, not answering Keqing's question, but asking in return.
"Not really. We met once." Keqing walked over and sat down.
"Before, she had just arrived in Liyue, and I happened to run into her, so we chatted for a bit."
Although what she and the other party talked about was quite rebellious in the eyes of Liyue people, Keqing generally wouldn't say such things to strangers.
That night, she didn't know what happened, but facing this Damselette, she unknowingly spoke her mind.
Fortunately, this Damselette didn't seem to take what she said too seriously, at least it wasn't spread all over Liyue Harbor.
"I see..." Ningguang nodded, her heart settling a little.
"She is one of the heroes who saved a neighboring country. The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius wrote to me entrusting me to take care of her. It just so happened that all my secretaries were busy, so I invited her to help out for a few days."
"Is that so?"
For some reason, Keqing always felt that Ningguang didn't tell him the truth.
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