I swear I WANT these chapters to be shorter...

FirstWinterLight: Yup, it's all about being a team player vs. doing something for personal profit first. Don't even need to guess which one is our protag. The Jade Chamber is going to end up as the final boss, with how many problems it causes him...
Guest: Depending on how long a future chapter ends up, 3-4 more chapters until the first real smut. I have a handful planned, and will give warnings prior.
ASM769476: Yes it is! Even better, there's still two more.

Second warning, and last planned one for a while as not to annoy: This is a work of fiction, brought to you solely by ideas. Actions taken by the main character are immoral and illegal, and are not endorsed by the author. Do not read if you dislike the subject matter, and enjoy/create the things you would like to experience. Thank you.

For the first time since leaving Fontaine, the weather's actually not prestine. It's honestly pretty cruddy, the grey sky seems to just oppress Liyue with a heavy sigh. Man… hopefully it doesn't rain, I would rather not meet Ganyu soaked to my skin, thanks.

"What's up? Your food will get cold."

Of course, said 'oppression' doesn't even seem to exist around Xiangling, who's sitting on the opposite side of the table we've set up again, eating her eggs happily. A yellow Wanmin apron snugly fastened around her waist reminds me where we are- behind the restaurant.

It also reminds me of just how unique this situation is; eating breakfast outside with someone who really should be working right now… I still can't believe Chef Mao isn't watching us… unless…

"Eat your food, now."

"I'm just worried it'll rain soon, alright?" I… don't like the rain.

"Don't worry then, it won't~ We wouldn't be out here if it was, trust me." I can believe Xiangling not liking the rain either actually, but probably for some very childish reason of 'Rain puts out my campfires!' or somesuch. Nothing dissolving-related… But if the local says it won't, then… I focus back on my order for today, a Grilled Ham Sandwich. Oh right, speaking of orders.

"Right, here's the Mora…"

"Thank you~" Xiangling responses with her signature smile- only for a moment, and then she pops. "Oh right! I have something for you too~"

Oh? "You do know staff don't pay their customers back, right?"

"Duh! Just close your eyes and hold out your hand dummy!"

Unlike this request at the Jade Chamber, I have no issue with doing that here- still can't help but roll my eyes at her name calling though. Whatever. I listen to her orders and hold out my arm, palm up.

"I'm going to put something in your hand. See if you can figure out what it is without looking~"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." She really is treating this like a game huh? Should I act honored? Humored? If we were actually inside the restaurant, this would be about the part where i would begin to feel embarrassed from people probably look in my direction. Being behind Wanmin with only Xiangling though, I have nothing to fear.

…Unless there's a flash of light and Kamera shutter, then I swear to the Archons I'll strangle this girl- Ok, wait, I feel something.

"I wonder whattt iiit is~? Should be familiar!"

Ignoring the peanut gallery, my fingers go to work. Whatever she put there, it's small enough to fit in just one hand. Hm…it's square-shaped - no, rectangular. The edges of whatever this is aren't sharp though, plus it isn't very tall either with quickly my fingers can run to the top. Actually, when I touch the side of it, I feel dozens of individual sheets, like I'm flipping through pages of a book. …A notebook? Nah, she said familiar…so what does Xiangling know about me? Not much to be honest, mainly just that I'm a magician- oh.

"…Is this a deck of cards?"

"Ding! Ding! Ding! You got it!"

Sight returns a blink later and sure enough, a brand spanking new deck lies in my hand. The most noticeable thing here is the shiny material on the back of the top card, golden coloring clearly just an imitation of the real thing. Although, considering I'm looking at the Joker card, I think they knew what they were doing.

"You bought these… for me?"

"Duh!" Xiangling's smile is almost literally blinding. "Yesterday you said that your old deck was ruined and I knew you would get another one eventually. So I had to act fast, beat ya to the punch!"

"…Didn't have to do this, you know…" Um, why is it so hard to talk…?

"Phooey! They weren't much, don't worry~ Plus if I can see you preform a magic trick with them now, it was totally worth it~ This is what friends are for."

You throw out that word too casually, you know… Yet I can hardly stand to voice that, so I continue my intense staredown at the 54 new cards. "Well I still can't perform just now, I'll need to get used to these." A-A magician's sense of touch is arguably their most important one, I'll have you know. Totally!

"No worries, whenever you're able- hm?" She gets confused as she sees me slam the deck down on our table, cut it in two, and begin to shuffle.

"I said I can't do tricks, but there's nothing stopping us from a friendly card game. Right?"

"Alright! Fair warning: I'm better than you might think!"

"You've got any sixes?"
"Nope!"
I draw a card.

"Any threes?'
"No"
She draws a card.

"Any Kings?"
She pouts, and flips me one. After displaying the pair on my side, I follow it up with a question about twos, but no dice.

"Do you have annny….eights?"
The reverse happens, as I slide the number of infinity to her- however she merely adds it to her hand of cards, third from the right. Smiling like a kid in a candy store all the while. So that's her plan, is it?

"Any sevens?"
"None." She takes another card, and pouts this time.

"Do you have any fours Xiangling?"
"Nope~"

"Do you have any threes now?"
"Still no." She laughs and draws another card- before following up with another chuckle. The card she just picked and one from her hand- both are displayed to be threes. Lucky.

"Aces?" She tosses me another point…but still lacks a six. I draw a card…and have to discreetly look again to make sure of my good fortune. Now to hope she misses her one chance…

"Jacks?"
"Nope."
Well that's game.

"Xiangling. Do you have any eights? Book, by the way."

"Whaaa-?! Oh come on…!"

I should probably explain what game we're playing. Of course, it is the simple matching one, that I'm frankly convinced everybody beyond the age of three could understand. So to add just a little more strategy to this, I proposed a rule. Pairs of numbers are worth just one point as always, but if you obtain all four suits- the term of which is 'book', apparently - of a number at once, it's worth a whopping 5 points. To balance this, you must specify a book call, or else you lose a turn. But ultimately, it's classic risk-reward; Will you play it safe and just go for basic pairs, or risk your opponent stealing your hand for glory's sake?! The choice is yours!

…I'm sure there are issues with this addition somewhere, but ehhhh… it's all just for fun anyway. Xiangling was clearly going for all four eights, but I snagged the last one. And now she's removing three cards from her hand, cutely pouting all the while.

"You know, if you tried to hide the placement of the card better, maybe I wouldn't have been so quick. Placing the third eight in the third-to-last spot and all~" I lightly prod. "Then again, your poker face is kind of…."

"I know, I know! Geez, Xingqiu tells me the same thing!" She complains, finishing the card transfer. "It's just hard! Deceiving my pals!' Earnest to a fault, huh?

"Well, given that I win with this round with this, I could use your help putting the deck back together? Do you mind?"

"Sure~ Leave it to me!" Xiangling starts grabbing cards. I do the same of course- while making sure to pocket one card hidden from her view.

"And there we go!"

"Ah this was fun, thanks for playing with me Xiangling." Huh, that weird tightness in my chest is gone- thank god for that, I don't want anything strange going on for tonight.

"Hehe, you're welcome."

"Although, I think I only counted 53 cards- Can you check my math?"

"What? Let me see that." While she does that on the table, I peer down one of my sleeves- and see one of the two Joker cards. A pretty disgusting coincidence I must say; I was just reaching for whichever one I could get.

Alright, slide it back into my palm…curl up the corners to prevent it from sticking out between my thumb and index… and make sure I keep all my fingers together. And there; the card can only be seen from my perspective. The fundamentals of this trick have practically melted into my brain by this point… now what should I do?

"What the heck…? Oh, where is it?" Xiangling grumbles disappointingly, finished counting and reaching the same 'short by one' conclusion I did. Right after, she starts to check underneath the table, giving me all the opportunity I want. Slide in a pocket, put it on her head, anything really. As much as I would revel in her embarrassment, something is telling me to hold back from slipping it in between her clothes. So it's decided; I calmly glide my hand over the obvious chef and let my muscles relax, allowing the Joker card to flutter down to her blue field of hair.

"Stand up, it could've fallen under you." I say, sitting back down.

"Good idea- Huh?" Gravity does my work here, as the card gently falls right in front of her. She looks at it for a second, before leering at me with a knowing smile.

"Had a feeling~"

"Catching on eh? Slights of hand are as natural as breathing to me."

"I'm not sure if this counts as a trick though, so can I see another? Or, or! Better yet, can you teach-?"

"Xiangling…!"

Both of our necks swivel around to this new voice, calling out her name from back by the street. Well, 'new' for today, because the follow-up of 'Where are you?', in that adult way means-

"Crud! I was here too long!" Xiangling dashes out of her seat, maneuvering her way through Wanmin and the other building with grace. "Daddy! I'm right here~"

From here on, I can only hear the Mao's conversation.

"Ah, there you are~ We have the breakfast rush to handle- Gouba's waiting for us. What were you doing here-"

"Hm? What's wrong Dad?"

"…Please do not tell me you were with that Fontainian. Again."

"Dad…! You worry too much, he's a nice guy-"

And their voices become too muffled, presumably from entering Wanmin. Guess there's nothing to do now… is what I want to say, until standing up reminds me that Xiangling didn't take these foldable chairs or table in her haste. Ugh. At least taking care of this mess allows me to finally map out the area. It goes like this:

Wanmin Restaurant is sandwiched between two other buildings. I haven't seen literally anybody use them, so we'll just call them buildings A and B, with A being closer to a bridge leading out of town and B being closer to the Adventurer's Guild, harbor, and the 'cheap and tasty chop SUEY' old woman. There's also a stall with some produce next to building A. I don't think that matters to me; but it does flow nicely into the next topic.

Behind Wanmin, where I am, there are four paths to get here. The first way to do this is going behind said stall and Building A. Path 2 is the one Xiangling just took- an alley between Wanmin and the same building - and will spit you out right next to the restaurant's entrance. These two routes are pretty much mirrored for the latter half. You know, going between Building B and Wanmin for the third, and behind Building B and other shops for the fourth.

Alright, I guess if you keep going back, there's technically five ways since this entire part of Liyue is on elevated terrain. But you would to be one hell of a mountain climber or have the ability to freaking fly to approach from there. Disregard it. The only other thing of note here is a rather impressive tree, not the tallest but pretty wide. While taking care of the table, I got curious and stood behind it- yup, provides a great way to see two of the 'paths' here if you hide well. Not that it's of much importance though, a hypnotized Ganyu wouldn't react if I were to surprise her anyway.

But speaking of, I kind of made a minor oversight last night. Typically when I make someone go somewhere at a specific time, i like to add 'If I'm not there when you arrive, wait a few minutes'. It just relieves pressure, not having to be exact. I didn't this time though, so I'll have to remind myself to leave the hotel early.

With everything ready to go and table chair combo leaning against Wanmin, I take one last look towards the back. Tonight…it WILL mark a turning point…! A major step forward to completing my objective… the excitement in the air is liable to make me burst!

Perhaps I was wishing for a little TOO much of the stuff.

The rest of the day passes strangely, almost too slow and too fast at the same time. Aside from brief lunch and dinner visits to Xiangling, I don't do anything else, not even leaving my room. To pass the time, I actually practice my tricks for Lantern Rite, primarily by using Xiangling's deck- wasn't completely making shit up, I do need the practice! But it still feels a bit weird to tell the truth, using a deck bought for me and all… Never thought I'd be on the receiving end of such a gift…

She's a good person.

Moving through the near-silent Liyue streets, however, makes me wish I could accurately sum up her friends so succinctly. Hu Tao was a real wacko, joking about death and cutting people in half and all that, and while I didn't get to know Yanfei at all, anybody who clearly doesn't mind hanging with a weird funeral parlor director is probably just as wild. Hmm, I wonder how those two even met, and what they're doing now. After all, I know Keqing- Xiangling's other friend she got me involved with - is currently working her ass off, especially as she's about to be minus one Ganyu. Oh yeah, hopefully Chef Mao and Gouba have locked themselves out of their house for the night! That'd be funny. Wonder what they'd do if they knew I was here~

Back in the location that's about to make me a very happy man, I make good use of the tree from earlier by sitting behind it and focusing my ears. As soon as I hear footsteps, it's go time…! Just like the harbor~

…I DO wish I brought my normal watch though. The pocketwatch is amazing, but it can not tell time. So instead I have to-

:thud: :thud: :Thud: :Thud: :THUD: :THUD:

Do nothing and celebrate. How punctual she is~!

A blue-haired goddess descends from her castle in the heavens themselves! Making all who even lay eyes on have their spirits ease, their hearts sing melodious tunes, and their pants feel inexplicably suffocating! In awe of their angel's absolutely perfect pace of steps and divine figure allowing this, may her followers do nothing but watch, utterly enraptured and hanging on to every breath their savior may make!

…..Ok, that's more than enough gawking. I just can't help myself, it's unbelievable to have success in front of me like this, getting closer with every second…! And yet everything about this is a reminder that this wasn't just a thing that happened, but a thing I made happen.

Ganyu's hallowed eyes, her zombified walk, her face stripped of any thought! I did this. All thanks to me.

She stops moving not long after. I peek at her from the tree - smiling wide while moving to her position. This is yet another sign of how far I've come. As of this moment, she's completed her job- being behind Wanmin at midnight. Indeed, if she was put under for the first time to take this stroll, she would be waking up right now, and very confused.

"Ganyu, can you hear me?" But it's not her first time- or mine.

"Yes… Master…" The exact same breathy tone as before, devoid of emotion.

"Excellent. Did anything of note happen on your way here?"

"No Master… everything was normal." People probably saw her walk by, like shopkeepers, but that's fine. I wouldn't have told her to be sneaky anyway.

"Good… you deserve a reward for coming all this way, so late~ Look straight ahead."

"Yes Master."

"Now, do you see… this watch? How it moves so perfectly, so elegantly?"

"Yes Master…"

"Doesn't it make you happy, seeing something so perfect….? So warm, so, content, so relaxed?"

"Y-Yes… M-Master…"

Yup, this is the perfect time to strength my hold even further. Not only to prevent Ganyu from waking up in the middle of tonight, but also if I keep this up, it won't be long until I can start influencing her without needing to put her under first! And that will allow me to do SO much more, and not just in the fucking dead of night in the shadows either…! Ah, but I shouldn't get too lost in thought, especially when there is a lot I can do anyway! And speaking of…

SNAP

…..

SNAP

To the untrained eye, it'd look like I just 'reset' Ganyu, the way she slumps forward, eyes closed- only to undo that with the second snap. But I know that she'll be even more receptive to commands now, limiting the amount of time I'll have to wait for her to carry out my words.

In fact, let's test that theory first with some questions! One of the smartest ladies in the region, it'd be a shame not to use it right- especially since there HAS been something I've been wondering for the longest time.

"Ganyu, I'm going to ask you if certain people have Visions. If so, tell me what element and what weapon they have."

"Yes Master."

Let's start with an obvious one. "Do you have a Vision?"

In response, Ganyu reaches down to her hip and grabs something- something light-blue- and reveals to me a second later. With a very distinct symbol in its' center, there's honestly only one thing this could be.

"Yes Master. I have a Cryo Vision-" Suddenly a flash of light appears from Ganyu's other hand, lasting only a nanosecond. "And I use bows to fight." Yup, the blue-white weapon in her hand is definitely a bow… sheesh, how was I not sure of this already? If anybody I've met deserves a Vision, it's Ganyu.

"What about Keqing?" I ask, though I already know half the answer. Ganyu's bow disappears as she begins-

"She does. She's an Electro wielder who uses swords." Wow. I'm really glad I played cautious around her, one misstep and I'd be an inch from a blade?! I feel very sweaty.

"What about Xiang-"

"…? Master?"

No, that doesn't feel right… "How about Chef Mao? Does he have a Vision?"

"He does not." HA! Suck it jackass! The gods don't approve of you either~

"Does this…Shenhe person have one?" I think I'll ask about her later, but for now stick to a topic at a time.

"Yes Master, she has a Cryo Vision as well and wields a polearm." Okay, I'm definitely asking about her.

"Hu Tao?"
"Pyro polearm."

"Yanfei?"
"Pyro catalyst."

"Me?"

"…Ah, I do not know. Master, do you have a Vision?"

"N-No…"

"I see."

Well damn, I just bummed myself out. I was hoping to catch her off-guard and cause something funny… oof. Regaining my composure, there has been something else I've been wondering about…

"Hey Ganyu? Are Hu Tao and Yanfei in a relationship?"

"I do not know Master."

Unsurprising really. Even if they were, I don't see a funeral parlor or a lawyer telling a government official their private lives unless they have to. Doesn't seem like Ganyu here is friends with either of them anyway.

"Is anyone I asked about in a relationship then?"

"Chef Mao was, Master."

"….Pffffft- snnnrk!"

Ok, I'll admit it, I laughed here. Too focused on the potential of Ganyu or Keqing getting me into trouble, that I didn't even the obvious bit- of course Chef Mao had a relationship with someone; he has a freaking daughter for crying out loud~! He literally went through all of the steps years and years ago! Ahhhh…that's funny.

(Though imagine if Ganyu had answered with 'nobody' to my question. I probably- no, definitely- wouldn't have given it a second thought. And then months later, I could see myself randomly reflecting on her not saying 'Chef Mao'… Woo boy, what a hell of a twist that would have been!)

"You know what, Shenhe can wait. Ganyu, tell me more about this. Who is the unlucky lady that ended up stuck with the absolute pig Chef Mao?"

"A woman by the name of Xueyuan."

"Ok then. Tell me about her."

"Yes Master. Xueyuan was an adventurer, working for the guild like many others. She was a bit…"

"Difficult?" Like mother, like daughter-

"Reckless, Master. The Guild couldn't even pay her sometimes for "completed" commissions, and to say the Ministry of Civil Affairs had its' hands full with her would be an underestimate. For example, back then The Chasm was to be heavily guarded at all times- yet that never stopped Xueyuan from trying to explore the area. And not even for selfish reasons, a desire for recognition, parental approval, or monetary gain. Xueyuan did it all because she loved exploring and seeing new locations."

"Of course, all this trouble made her particularly infamous around Liyue."

"Let me guess what happened next." I take over. "One day, she stopped off by a restaurant for some food before another adventure- a day that would change her life forever! Because at Wanmin Restaurant, she happened to meet the one, the only, the despicable Chef Mao….!"

"More or less Master, you're correct. However do remember that back then there was no Wanmin Restaurant and there was no 'Chef Mao'. There was just a food stall run by an eager young adult known as-

"Let's not." My arm shoots out, stopping her. "I already have a brain cell dedicated to the name Chef Mao, and I'm not getting that one back. I have no desire to learn his real name, so just stick with Chef Mao ok?"

"As you wish Master." God I love hearing that from her. "She and Chef Mao got along extremely well. In fact, it's said that her desire for adventure could only be surpassed by her insatiable hunger for Chef Mao's food. After years of friendship, they wed- a marriage that was blessed not only by their friends, but the adepti as well. Though, her new life did nothing to change who Xueyuan was… Those nine months were said to be pure torture for her, as she was unable to travel."

"Huh? What nine months-" …Oh, I'm an idiot. "So…is she off on another adventure right now then?"

Ganyu's mouth curls downward ever-so-slightly. …Shit. "She's gone Master."

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"We all agree that, by now, Ms. Xueyuan has moved on to the next world."

Ah. Xiangling… "Wait, you said 'we'?"

"…It was about fifteen years ago. Ms. Xueyuan told Chef Mao that she received a commission- to investigate Mare Jivari."

"What? What the fuck…?"

"You don't know Master? Mare Jivari is said-"

"Of course I know what that place is!" If anything, I'm more surprised that anyone from Liyue knows, but I guess she's an exception with her status. Mare Jivari is part of Natlan- the next region over from Fontaine- and is one of the most dangerous locations in the fucking world! It's said to be SO rough, that the wind itself abandoned the place centuries ago; there's literally no wind whatsoever. "And yet, Xiangling's mom went there? Why!? And why would the Adventurer's Guild even give her this commission?! Liyue is fucking nowhere close to Natlan!"

"It didn't exist Master."

"Pardon?"

"A few days after Xueyuan left, Chef Mao got worried and contacted the Adventurer's Guild for more details about the commission. Only, there was no such record of any request related to Mare Jivari, or anything similar. We began to wonder if there might be any related criminal activity, perhaps a ransom was demanded, forcing Xueyuan to lie to her husband. The Millelith assembled themselves in short order, and set off to find her."

"…I'm guessing it proved fruitless."

"Correct Master. They found nothing belonging to Xueyan at all, no matter how long they searched. Eventually they were forced to come back empty handed sans a note, Chef Mao was given the news, and the mystery was forced to come to a close."

"I see…" Musing for a second, my vision goes right back up to Ganyu. "Ah, one more thing."

"Yes Master-?"

SNAP

My hands catch the full brunt of a Ganyu falling forward, so close into my chest…. But I just look ahead unamused.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You dumb adeptus~ When I said to tell me about Xiangling's mother, I was expecting a simple story of wholesome romantic escapades to get me in the mood, not a fucking tragedy about why Chef Mao is completely alone. Now that you've killed the atmosphere- again! - how the hell are you going to make it up to me, huh?"

No response. Obviously.

Ganyu remains fast asleep, eyelids shut tight. No matter.

"Huh? What was that? Oh, Ganyu, you truly do know how to correct mistakes!"

SNAP

"Go behind that tree and take off all your clothes. Toss them into the nearby grass. Then, stand in front of me."

"Yes…. Master…"

I try to resist any kind of urge to do something I'll regret. I'm a full-fledged adult; not a prepubescent teenager learning about 'boobies' for the first time! C'mon man- after all my hard work, all of the effort put into this moment, I can wait a few more tantalizingly long seconds! No, I will do this - easily too!

But then I see Ganyu skin-tight top flutter in the sky before settling down next to the tree's soil… and I'm sorry, it takes all my effort just to not peek right there…! An arm shoots out to the corner of Wanmin, gripping the building with enough strength to turn my fingers black and purple. A series of very unmanly noises escape from me in the form of mutters and hushed breaths- all the while more and more articles of clothing enter my field of vision. Ganyu's gloves… Ganyu's sleeves… Ganyu's weird skirt-thingy…Ganyu's footwear…! All just tempt me more and more. I have no choice. I HAVE to turn away….

I realize too late that's pointless. A moment of silence occurs- before being crushed- just like the grass beneath Ganyu's feet. A crumble, a violent rustle that only grows louder with each repeat…! In a moment, she's going to be DIRECTLY behind me, as naked as she was the day she was born…! My heart is beating a million times a minute, muting everything else.

Or so I think. But then it hits me. No it didn't, nothing was muted- there's just nothing else active. Nothing moving… Ganyu is here. I just need to turn around to prove it.

…..

Holy. Fuck.

Where do I even fucking start with this…?

…She's beautiful. Utterly beautiful. So damn enchanting, just by standing there, that I can feel my jaw pretty much plummet. The sharp black-and-red horns complement her signature light-blue hair extremely well, along with the empty purple eyes I can feel myself getting lost in…. Heh, ironic, huh?

But let's not kid ourselves: the real prize lies below. One so fucking special, it comes in a pair~ 'Shapely' seems like the most appropriate word. Contrary to what I thought before, Ganyu definitely is bigger than most- especially apparent as they melt into the adeptus' smooth skin - but that's still ok! More than alright actually- it's excellent~! Her body not being traditionally 'perfect' IS perfect!- it'll just mean more for me! Just imagining how they'll feel in my hands, as I knead and bend the supple skin…! On top of this, a pair of red cherries stand proud, not quite plump just yet, but practically budding right before my eyes! I can't even begin to fathom how delectable, how rich!, the incoming milky sensation will be... A taste of pure heaven, to be sure…! Not even the highest-quality dessert in all of Fontaine will compare, I am absolutely positive of that!

Though, this entire time, I've been solely focusing on Ganyu's upper half… but after fucking craning my view off her chest - with great difficulty might I add - and going even lower, I see that I've been neglecting another treasure right under my nose… How in the actual world does an overworked secretary that rarely goes outside have such a deadly combination of hips, butt, and legs?! -They're so wide, so plush, and the legs have just the right amount of meat on them- slim, but not toothpicks, y'know? Not to mention, I can't see so much as an unsightly bump on any of them- they're literally perfect…!

She's literally perfect. Damn it…! I just want to grab this beauty and slam her against the wall, bend her over the railing, pin her on the tree! Do SOMETHING…!

"G-Ganyu…?"

"Yes Master?"

"Nobody is nearby r-right…?"

"Correct Master."

"Good…keep an ear out for that…" My speech may be all over the place, but my body feels strangely relaxed- well, ignoring the fact that my pants are about one nudge away from exploding. Forgetting that, every move is controlled, fully intent to make up for my failure at the docks... Of course a different state of dress leads to another action…

"….Onhh~"

Ganyu's muffled whine is just adorable, and I didn't even know she could do that really… a thought that doesn't really reach as my hand continues to explore paradise. So this is what her ass feels like, it absolutely wasn't just for show…! So bulky… it's Impossible to fully grasp with only one hand…! It just feels too fantastic for words! I'll try though~ Every roll of plump flesh between my fingers confirms it, her skin is just buttery smooth, and my constant light squeezes produces the same strained groan as before. A reward!

They are quick heavenly noises, appetizing enough for me to want- and happily indulge- in their repeat performances. The mutters and moans from both of us melt into one long breath. With how I'm encouraged to keep going, my other hand begins to creep downward to the zippers of my pants-

Only to be slapped away by reflex, both my hands now fully off Ganyu.

Phew… that was dangerous! I can't completely lose myself to pleasure now, she WILL wake up if I push this too much… However unlike previous times of me getting blocked from my desire, I look at Ganyu with nothing but happiness in my heart~ I am literally so close! There is no light in her purple eyes, no unnatural twitches of her sexy body, nothing to even hint at the fact that she's on the verge of stirring~ Even after my 'exploration' of her rump, even after standing naked outside at midnight for who-knows-how long exactly- nothing! This is fantastic, yes, but it's also just what I needed. Physical, tangible evidence that I am actually achieving something after all this time. And nobody knows it~ Not here, not in Fontaine, nowhere! Nobody knows that I have almost fully hypnotized one of Liyue's icons, that I have her literal ass in my hand-

…

Where the fuck is Ganyu…?!

…Ohh, there she is…! Right by the entrance to…Wanmin Rest..raun…t…

A quick check to confirm I am indeed fully dressed, then I book it, sliding right up the alley. What the hell is going on? Ganyu is still starch naked, so this is incredibly dangerous…!

"Ganyu! What are you doing?!"

"Master, I can sense someone coming in this direction." Her finger points back the way I came from, so my eyes follow-

…

"AARRRHH!"

My fist slams into Wanmin as hard as possible! …Big mistake. The building just cackles right back, crunching my knuckles.

"Master! Are you okay?"

"Ganyu." I say, not looking back from my glorious view of a stone wall. "That purple hair. Who is that?!"

"Keqing, Master."

"And why is she here…?"

"Presumably looking for me Master."

"And why the FUCK? is she doing that?!" Another strike at Wanmin. "I specifically ordered her not to!"

"Ningguang may have requested my presence."

"…Who the fuck is Ningguang?!"

"The Tianquan, Master."

…I don't know what that is, and more to the point, it is absolutely not relevant. This is a major crisis…! Keqing is no doubt going to be pointed here! And it's not like I could approach her; she'd be way too suspicious of the sheer coincidence.. can I deal with her from a distance then?

Wait a minute…

"Ganyu, as soon as Keqing passes by that empty stall, shoot her with your arrows."

"I will not do that Master."

"You-! What do you-" Actually wait, that makes sense. I can barely play with her body now, no way can I start changing her morals. Fucking…! Ok, so that plan's out- and, oh yeah, Keqing has a Vision too! A woman with a sword that she can summon at anytime is coming to my location! All for the purpose of taking Ganyu away from me…!

If I could just get the drop on her though…!

"Ganyu follow me! Now!"

"Yes Master."

Back behind Wanmin, our view of Keqing is completely blocked, so I've gotta be fast.

"Ganyu, you won't shoot Keqing right?"

"Correct Master."

"Ok then. Can you shoot… the Vision off her neck?"

….

"Ganyu!"

"M-Master…I….I think-" Yup, I'm really pushing the limits of what I can get away with here. Time to throw her a bone.

"You know, if you aim well, you'll be able to knock it off without hurting her. I believe you can do this!"

"…Master…?"

"No time! Ganyu, can you make something…big and obvious?" Vision holders are incredible, so if we can just lure Keqing here…!

"Yes Master." No hesitation, huh? Does she already know what to do?

"On my signal, do it, whatever you can think of…then sneak around the building and shoot…! Keqing will turn around and see you, and I'll take over from there~"

Please, please, let all my hypnosis sessions win out! If she doesn't fire, I'm absolutely DONE. Ganyu isn't even giving me her usual confirmation…

Sadly this is all we have time for. I walk extremely carefully to the corner of 'Building A', listening as hard as I can for footsteps hitting the ground. And sure enough, it's only about ten more seconds-

*Thump* *Thump*

"Now…!" I yell back in a hushed whisper, dashing to the tree- and seeing Ganyu nod. What will she do…?

"All hail!"

I never could have expected this… without hesitation, she creates a light-blue sphere, tossing it up into the sky. A beacon would've been Impressive enough- not to mention situationally perfect - but then it freaking expands to about twice the size. And just to top it off, huge icicles materialize from the sphere and begin raining down on the area.

It's impossible to organize my thoughts- I'm trapped between 'Do Visions really make this shit possible?' and 'What the hell Ganyu?!' and 'Holy fuck it's freezing now!' But all that is superseded by-

"Ganyu?" Keqing's voice. Followed by extremely close footsteps. There's nothing I can do here besides hide behind the tree, and pray the hypnosis wins out.

"Ganyu? Is that you…?"
Please…!

"Ningguang said we had a meeting, you know."
Please!

I take a peek from where I am, and see a flash of purple amidst the still-falling ice.

Time's up.
…..I-I failed.

"Enough procrastinating, let's go bac- Augh?!"

…That cry- and that little clinking noise right after… it can only mean-?!

"Hey, who just did tha-! …Ganyu?! What are you doing there, I thought- wait, WHY are you naked?!"

Now! Now now now! Faster than I've ever moved before, I whirl out of the tree's shadow, and immediately sprint over to Wanmin's side, my hand already snaking down to my pocket. Keqing is at her most vulnerable…! By the time she turns back around...!

…You know something? I was really off today. Really, horrifically off. Do not underestimate anyone, that's good advice. I underestimated Keqing here. And rounding the corner to get a full view of her and Ganyu confirms that, as the first thing I see is the ex-Vision holder's sharp red eyes, freezing me to the spot… I really thought that just because she didn't have the power of the gods with her, raw reflexes wouldn't kick in. Stupid.

"You too?! What is going on?!" I believe this is the first time I have been the victim of such obvious disapproval- well, not counting Chef Mao. All the 'you will have a higher opinion of me's in the world wasn't going to change her glare here, it's just too obvious something isn't normal. A naked co-worker behind her, a Fontaine magician in front… it's only a matter of seconds until she gets inappropriate thoughts.

"Oh my Archons…! What did you do to Ganyu?!" And there we go- I can't even finish that thought, as Keqing lunges forward, grabbing my collar. Forget the Vision, this lady is stupidly quick!

"Now, Keqing, calm down-"

"I assure you I am very calm. But if you do not explain what is going on in the next five seconds, this is going to be an international incident."

"Ulp-!"

"Five. Four. Three. Two."

"…G-Ganyu, grab her wrists… please!"

"Understood Master."

"Huh? M-Maste-…Ah-! What the-?!"

That cry serves as a prelude to my shirt being Keqing-free, as her arms are quickly forced backwards. Then, in a move I wasn't expecting, Ganyu drives Keqing to her knees…although it looks like that was a surprise to all of us.

"O-ow! G-Ganyu…what are- Urk!- you doing?!"

"Ke… Keqing…."

Oh I think the fuck not~ "I suggest you worry less about Ganyu, and more about yourself…!" Just like that, her attention- and visible anger- are back on me.

"I will ask you one final time; What did you do. To her?" Tch, even from her bound position, she's still talking like she in control?! Whatever… I crouch down to match.

"Do you remember what… this is?"

Keqing's face crinkles upon my movement. "That's a watch. I've never seen it before- what does this have to do with anything?"

"Oh I think it'll become clear in a second."

"…Excuse me? What does that-"

"Ssshhh…" Silencing her for just a moment, I take advantage- and promptly start swinging my favorite weapon in the world once again. "Just sit there, and watch the watch go back and forth… and back and forth… Feeling very relaxed Keqing."

"You need to stop playing these ridiculous games. This is a serious situation, stop that and focus…!"

"Oh? Magic isn't a game Keqing. And I'm always deadly serious."

"Mm-hm. I don't care what you say…! You WILL answer me!" She doesn't even realize it yet, but her eyes have started to lazily follow the watch…

"Fine, fine, I'l talk. Ganyu was just like you, you know… stressed beyond belief. Yawning. Constantly tired. That was, until. she learned how to relax. And it was all thanks to this. Oh, and me, of course!"

"W-What are you talking about…? And stop swinging that…ugh, infernal watch!" She tries to lunge forward, but is still held back by Ganyu.

"It's true you know. You were actually so happy to see it happen. You told me yourself, 'Ganyu works the hardest of any of us' or something like that anyway. Ganyu felt the same way about you actually- it was quite funny."

"Ganyu…?"

"Not to mention, as you put it so elegantly, if the watch could work on Ganyu, it could help a whole lot of other people…! I mean, it even worked on you!"

"S-stop…swinging that…!"

"And why the fuck should I." Answering her question with a sudden glare catches Keqing off guard. "Nothing is binding your head, you can just look away."

"…Nggh…! …Eergh!"

"You CAN look away, can't you?"

"N-no….why…can't….."

"Huh. Fascinating~" Seeing purple hair following my hand motions religiously makes me smirk. Time to move to the back half, I increase the distance covered in each swing. "You are getting sleepy Keqing…"

"Wh..at…? No I'm….i am not…"

"Not what?"

"i'm n-not…! G-getting….slee….slheep….py…."

"Your eyelids are getting heavy Keqing…so very….veeeery… heavy…"

"Ve…ruuuhh….he….vvvvyyy…"

"You just want to- hm?"

On the edge of my vision, an unexpected moment- Ganyu flops onto Keqing's shoulder, not moving. Is she helping? Fighting back? Well no, it's the same situation as the Jade Chamber- she caught a glimpse of the swings and got ensnared. Quite funny, and a helpful way to end this.

"Ganyu feels nice, right? Falling asleep in a co-worker's arms…you're lucky Keqing~"

"Gan…yu… h-hel….."

"Sssshhh…Ganyu will take good care of you… isn't that right Ganyu…?"

"Yes… Master…"

There we go- that sweet whisper in the Yuheng's ears hit her just right, darkened red eyes rolling up helplessly. Without further ado-

SNAP

Keqing's body loses the little fire it had left. Once again, both she and Ganyu lie similarly, primed for action.

Although, considering we're all in an alley with not much room to maneuver… let's fix that, why don't we?

"Alright, so how often do you meet with this 'Ningguang'?"

"About once a week. However as Lantern Rite approaches, meetings have occurred in greater frequency."

"Even after midnight?"

"Without anyone overhearing, yes."

"But she.isn't your boss, right?"

"Not technically. But these meetings are extremely important. Ningguang is a very shrewd leader."

"Understood…" Musing, I take yet another lap around the tree. "Arrgh, what should I do…?"

"If I may Master, send me and Keqing back to the Jade Chamber now. That'll keep any suspicion off you."

"Problem with that. The two of us can't keep moving back and forth between there- especially me. How many times can I visit the Jade Chamber before the… Millelith, right?- before they get permanently suspicious?" Me rubbing Ganyu's 'invite' in their face definitely did not help here…

I take a seat (more like a collapse) onto the ground. I am so freaking tired- yet, not so tired that I can't enjoy this view in front of me. Lying against the back of Wanmin, side by side, are the soulless Keqing and Ganyu. The intense gaze of the former is now just an eerie, vacant stare into nothing, dark red orbs no less alluring than usual if I'm being honest. Her breathing is light, simple inhales and exhales in time with her co-worker. Speaking of which, Ganyu is back to being "fully" dressed. Tragic.

"We need to address the biggest problem: Location! Even if I could go to the Jade Chamber whenever I want, it's not easy to get to. We also can't do it here every time, where else…?"

If I'm honest, I have no idea. All of the places Xiangling took me towards were denied yesterday (or well, two days ago), and that's not changing now. All that leaves is my hotel room, which is an obvious no.

"Ganyu, where do you live? In the harbor?"

"No Master. My home is closer to the mountains in the north."

Fuck. That's no good. Well then, here goes nothing….

"Keqing, where do you live?"

"At the Yuehai Pavilion."

"….I don't know where that is."
"Go to Bubu Pharmacy, take the stairs nearby up to-"
"Stop. Stop. Stop." She gets the memo after a little explaining. "Ganyu, is this 'Pavilion' in the city?"

"Yes Master."

"I assume it's less-guarded than the Jade Chamber?"

"Correct Master."

Well… we have a winner~ There's just one thing though, as my gaze washes over the purple-haired Electro-holder once more. If we're going to be using Keqing's home as a base of sorts, then it's far past time for me to make a real decision regarding her. I've been solely focused on Ganyu… do I really want to double up now?

It isn't even a question. Keqing's attitude and aggression gives her a very different vibe compared to Ganyu, but it is still no less satisfying to hypnotize a person like her. Plus… she's sexy.

"Welcome to the group Keqing~"
"Thank you."

Alright, now to just solve the Ningguang question…hmm….
Well, if the two of them have a meeting now, they probably should go back, as Ganyu said…
And we'll be using Keqing's house from now on (hopefully), so I have to make these two bring that up to Ningguang. Ah, not today, of course…
Considering the importance of Lantern Rite here, as how festivals are generally a time for family and friends… maybe I could use that angle?

Make it so the two of them feel an urge to be closer to Liyue as Lantern Rite approaches. Literally, as well as metaphorically.

…But this plan is going to rely on Keqing, who seems to be the more direct one of the two. And she's little more than a zombie currently, it's going to take a few more sessions before she can have an argument while hypnotized. Luckily, based on our first encounter at Wanmin, she appears to be a little more "free" than Ganyu.

"Keqing, in two days, meet me by the Adventurer's Guild around dinnertime, and take me to your house. Ganyu, just go about your duties as normal." I can leave her alone for a bit, we have to let this situation settle down anyway. "But if anyone asks, say you were just… thinking tonight. Keep it vague."

"Yes."
"Yes Master~"

"Good! Enjoy your meeting!" With that, the two women stand up and leave the area…at long last. I, on the other hand, melt against the tree. So fucking tired…

And before I can even try to recap tonight's events, my senses shut off and I fall asleep.

….Until Chef Mao arrives at the crack of dawn and begins whacking my head with a broom.

Funny: As of Version 4.4, Shenhe gets a job- at Wanmin Restaurant! Hilarious, and would be extremely convenient. However this will not be mirrored in this fic.