"Th-then… I'll go take a look with you."
Lu Lin had devoted himself completely to protecting Liyue these past days, dismantling the Fatui's plot to destroy the nation. His contributions were undeniable. Simply accompanying him to the Serenitea Pot shouldn't mean anything… right?
Ningguang reassured herself internally.
In truth, after working closely together through the crisis, their relationship was no longer as tense as it had been at the beginning.
She had witnessed his dedication firsthand. Her opinion of him had completely changed.
Of course, she still thought he was a shameless flirt.
But she no longer resented that about him.
And there was still the contract between them…
Yet even so, when the time came to truly face her feelings, she felt nervous — instinctively wanting to retreat.
"Don't look so tense. This is a surprise for you, not just 'accompanying' me," Lu Lin chuckled.
The dignified Tianquan Star now showed a rare girlish vulnerability, adding a different kind of charm.
Holding her hand, Lu Lin activated the mark and brought them into the Serenitea Pot.
The Surprise
Ningguang had visited before.
But this time — the scene was completely different.
The familiar grand plaza.
The magnificent palace.
The breathtaking view overlooking mountains below.
Her eyes widened.
"This is…?!"
The Jade Chamber.
Her Jade Chamber.
"How… how is this possible?"
Hadn't she personally sacrificed it to crush Osial?
"How do you like your surprise?" Lu Lin asked gently.
The Jade Chamber had been her life's work — from its earliest humble beginnings funded by her modest earnings, gradually expanding until it became a floating palace in the sky.
It symbolized her ambition, her perseverance, her identity.
She had chosen to sacrifice it to protect Liyue.
But that didn't mean her heart hadn't ached.
She had already planned to rebuild it one day.
Yet Lu Lin had rebuilt it first — here, within the Serenitea Pot.
"When I said I'd build you another Jade Chamber in the sky, I meant it."
"And that's not all. Come."
They walked inside.
The structure was identical to the original — a perfect one-to-one recreation.
But the interior bore his touch.
Especially the bedroom.
Where once priceless collectibles filled the space, now the most prominent feature was an enormous bed — large enough for seven or eight people.
Ningguang's cheeks warmed.
This man truly made no attempt to hide his intentions.
But what stunned her more were the surroundings.
Her collectibles.
All of them.
Every rare antique. Every irreplaceable treasure.
These were unique items. They could not be replicated.
They should have sunk into the sea with the Jade Chamber.
"How…?"
"When you decided to sacrifice the Jade Chamber, I activated time stop," Lu Lin explained softly. "I had three minutes. I transferred everything from your bedroom, study, and office into the Serenitea Pot."
"Your important documents. Your collections. Everything."
"You used time stop… for this?" she asked in disbelief.
"Three minutes wouldn't have been enough to kill Osial," he replied calmly. "Even if I struck him freely, I could only wound him, not finish him. But I knew the Jade Chamber could seal him."
"So I used those three minutes where they mattered."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"These things are your life's work. The things you cherish most. Of course I'd save them."
Ningguang felt her composure dissolve.
His sincerity was unmistakable.
In that moment, all hesitation vanished.
She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck—
—and kissed him.
The Tianquan's Confession
It was her first time initiating a kiss.
Unlike Hu Tao's playful boldness, Ningguang was inexperienced — but Lu Lin gently guided her.
Their lips met softly at first, then deepened.
He pulled her closer, and she responded without resistance.
When he brushed his hand along her waist, she let out a soft breath — yet did not pull away.
Instead, she kissed him with greater intensity.
Time seemed to stretch.
When they finally parted, she leaned against him, breath warm and unsteady.
Under his lingering gaze, her cheeks turned pink.
"The marks… they've been gone for days," she murmured quietly.
"It's fine," he teased softly. "We can make new ones."
Her eyes glimmered — but this time, she didn't scold him.
Instead, she hesitated briefly, then retrieved a delicate box from her sleeve.
"There's… something I wanted to give you too."
She placed it in his hands.
And for once, the Tianquan Star of Liyue was not the ruler of commerce, nor the decisive strategist of the Qixing.
She was simply a woman, offering her heart.