At the dining table, the dishes this time were still made by Cloud Retainer using that mechanical cooking divine machine.
It was just that because her arrival hadn't been anticipated, all the dishes on the table were vegetarian.
However, that didn't really matter. Aether wasn't that picky about food, and besides, even vegetarian dishes made with this Adeptal Stove were incredibly delicious.
The only problem was that the atmosphere at the table was a bit subdued.
Ganyu and Aether sat together, while Cloud Retainer sat opposite them.
This was Cloud Retainer's doing.
Originally, there were only two chairs, but Cloud Retainer added another one, deliberately sitting on the chair further away and placing the new chair next to the other one.
This directly resulted in Aether and Ganyu sitting very close. Aether was fine, but Ganyu's cheeks were flushed red, and she kept her head down, not saying a word.
"Alright, don't just stare, hurry and eat," Cloud Retainer said with a slight smile, seeing Ganyu's reaction.
"Mm." Both of them nodded, picked up their chopsticks, and began to eat.
Cloud Retainer's place never had rules about not speaking while eating or sleeping, so when the two remained silent, she took the initiative to find a topic.
"Speaking of which, Aether, you don't know the story of Ganyu when she was a child, do you? How about I tell you?"
"Cough, cough, cough--Cloud Retainer!" Ganyu almost choked, coughing a few times and looking at Cloud Retainer with a flushed face.
"Haha... What's there to hide? She was so cute when she was little, I'm sure Aether would love to know."
"This... indeed." Aether looked at Ganyu's slightly pleading eyes beside him, and after much hesitation, still nodded.
Although he felt a little bad for Ganyu, he was genuinely curious.
Seeing this, Ganyu could only close her eyes in despair, then bury her head in her food, not planning to listen.
"Do you know, the thing Ganyu loved most as a child was having someone stroke the horns on her head. Back then, when I looked after her, she would always make me stroke her horns before she could fall asleep."
"Ooh~" Aether let out a small gasp, and his gaze involuntarily shifted to the pair of black and red, goat-like horns on Ganyu's head.
Actually, the first time they met, Aether really wanted to touch them, but he never had the chance to ask.
"Little Ganyu was also chubby back then. When she followed me up the mountain, if she stumbled even a little, she would tumble all the way down to the foot of the mountain."
"I see, so that's why Ganyu controls her figure so much..." Aether nodded. Looking at her now, Ganyu's figure was excellent and didn't seem to need much control.
Perhaps it was because she was too chubby as a child, leaving a psychological shadow?
"Yes, during the God War, it was precisely because she was as plump as a ball that she got stuck in the esophagus of a beast, ultimately subduing the opponent with ease," Cloud Retainer nodded, saying with a hint of nostalgia.
This incident was considered a 'fine tale' among the Adepti.
"Uh, it's a bit hard to imagine." Aether's mouth twitched slightly. How fat did Ganyu have to be to get stuck in a giant beast's esophagus?
Or was it that Ganyu actually had another form, and Cloud Retainer was referring to Ganyu in her qilin form when she said 'fat'?
After all, it was a giant beast; no matter how fat a human form was, it couldn't possibly get stuck in its esophagus, right?
"And, and..."
"True Monarch!" Ganyu suddenly spoke, interrupting Cloud Retainer, who was getting more and more excited.
"I'm full."
Ganyu put down her bowl and chopsticks, then pushed the door open and walked out without looking back.
"Hmm... Is she angry?" Cloud Retainer pondered for a moment, then asked Aether.
"That goes without saying," Aether said helplessly.
Although he was also very engrossed in listening, and he was the one who actively asked to hear it.
But if Cloud Retainer couldn't stop once she started, that was no longer his problem.
"Oh dear, oh dear, when I get old and reminisce about the past, I just can't stop talking." Cloud Retainer sighed, but this was good too.
"Since it's just the two of us left, then..." Cloud Retainer waved her hand.
Aether only felt himself suddenly being held down in the chair by an invisible pressure, unable to move.
Then, his clothes inexplicably began to come off, one by one.
"Now, let this immortal feed you well." Cloud Retainer slowly rose and walked to Ganyu's previous seat, sitting down.
"N-Next time I come here to eat, can I please keep my clothes on...?" Aether swallowed, saying weakly.
"That wouldn't be convenient," Cloud Retainer said, slowly leaning closer to Aether's ear.
"After dinner, go see Ganyu and comfort her."
Cloud Retainer's fingers caressed Aether's cheek for a moment, then slowly moved downwards.
At some point, the same small toy as last time appeared in her hand again.
Of course, this time it was an improved version; the last one was no longer very effective on Aether.
"Also, tell her that Liyue Harbor still needs her, and I also plan to move to Liyue Harbor in the future. Use whatever means necessary, I believe you can do it."
"Mm... Understood, I, I know." Aether said, forcing himself, as he was here for this very reason.
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A moment later, Aether found Ganyu in a certain part of Jueyun Karst, following Cloud Retainer's guidance.
"Ganyu."
Hearing Aether's voice, Ganyu slowly turned around.
She noticed that Aether's clothes were a bit disheveled at the moment, and a lingering flush still colored his cheeks.
In fact, it seemed as if the scent on Aether's body had become even more intense.
Ganyu's small nose twitched, greedily sniffing the air.
Soon, she snapped back to reality, quickly shook her head, and lowered it.
Aether found Ganyu's strange actions a bit odd for a moment, but he didn't ask further.
He was the first to apologize: "I'm sorry..."
"It's nothing, it's not Miss Aether's fault, Cloud Retainer is always like that..." Ganyu sighed helplessly.
Actually, she was almost immune to it by now, and shouldn't have reacted so strongly.
However, this time Cloud Retainer was telling embarrassing stories about her childhood in front of Aether.
For some reason, she especially didn't want Aether to know about her past embarrassing moments.
It was as if she didn't want to show her past less-than-perfect side to someone important.
Important person... Miss Aether...
Ganyu didn't know why, but she had equated Aether with an important person in her heart.
"Um, is it convenient to talk? I have something I want to tell you." Aether rubbed his head. The Adeptal mechanism Cloud Retainer had placed on him made him feel a little uncomfortable.
Fortunately, Ganyu probably hadn't noticed anything unusual yet.
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