"Hmm… huh?"
'Half of the Jade Chamber belongs to Richard?!'
Furina snapped her head toward Richard in shock. How had she never heard him mention such a thing?
To that, Richard only wanted to say: I didn't want it, she insisted on giving it to me.
Of course, he couldn't actually say that aloud, so instead he replied calmly,
"That was just a joke from years ago. It doesn't really count."
Ningguang's tone, however, was anything but playful.
"It does count. Not just the Jade Chamber, half of all my businesses belong to him. A merchant stands on the foundation of trust. Are you implying I should go back on my word? Or are you saying you look down on me?"
Ningguang wasn't joking in the slightest. Forget giving him half her business, she'd give him half her life if he asked.
"Ningguang…" Richard sighed helplessly.
Meanwhile, Furina was still reeling. Half of the Jade Chamber's profits? Ningguang was Liyue's wealthiest person, so wouldn't that make Richard also Liyue's richest man?
But why would Ningguang give him half her fortune? Just because he's handsome?
Unable to contain herself, Furina asked, "Why would you give Richard half your wealth? That can't be a small amount, right?"
"It's indeed no small sum," Ningguang replied, "but compared to the help he once gave me, it's nothing at all."
"Even without me, you'd have made a name for yourself quickly," Richard said. "I just taught you a few things about business."
Richard could feel Ningguang starting her "emotional blackmail" again, but hers was of a higher class. It wasn't guilt-tripping, it was debt-tripping: magnifying his kindness, then using the excuse of gratitude to get closer to him, peppered with lavish generosity.
If it were anyone else, they would've already fallen head over heels for her by now.
"There's no love or hate without reason," Ningguang continued softly. "For me back then, just being taught how to make money was a kindness as great as rebirth."
Only those who've truly known poverty understand how precious money is, and how invaluable it is when someone teaches you how to earn it.
In truth, many who apprentice under a master must give away 70% or more of their profits. Yet Richard never took a single coin, not even when Ningguang offered a 50-50 split as a joke. That wasn't just mentorship, it was practically parental.
In a way, Richard didn't walk away empty-handed. He gained Ningguang's heart, a feeling refined over more than a decade, now more precious than gold.
Had he taken the money and left, Ningguang might have been grateful, but she certainly wouldn't be this eager to "serve herself up on a platter."
Sometimes, the most expensive things in the world… are the ones given for free.
When Furina heard Ningguang say "a kindness as great as rebirth," she nearly froze.
'Wait, you too?!'
Of the five people at the table, excluding herself and Richard, two were his admirers!
And she'd been happily drinking with them, and she was the one who arranged the dinner!
'So… did I just help my rivals get closer to him?'
The thought hit Furina like lightning, but she quickly denied it.
After all, she hadn't known Ningguang and Shenhe had feelings for Richard. The ignorant are innocent! And even if she hadn't invited him, they probably would've sought him out anyway.
Still… she couldn't help but feel angry!
The little Furina in her mind was now stomping her feet in frustration.
Outwardly, though, she kept her composure; after all, she'd been Fontaine's Archon for years and had mastered the art of hiding her emotions. Still, Ningguang soon picked up on her subtle change in tone, the sudden politeness, the deliberate distance, like she was silently saying: We're rivals. Let's not get too friendly.
Ningguang didn't mind; this sort of thing was bound to come out sooner or later.
"It's getting late. I should get going," Furina said, glancing at the time.
If she hadn't realized Ningguang's feelings for Richard, she might have chatted until midnight, but now she couldn't stand another minute of it.
Just the thought of helping her love rivals was enough to make her skin crawl.
Shenhe, at least, had stayed quiet after that "whatever you eat, I'll eat too" line earlier.
But Ningguang… Ningguang was different. Furina couldn't deny it; the woman radiated effortless charm. Even she, a woman herself, found Ningguang's poise and grace almost infuriating.
And though she wasn't as curvy as Shenhe or Clorinde, Ningguang's figure was still perfectly elegant. Add to that her immense wealth, and Furina, who wasn't exactly ignorant of human relationships, knew this combination of beauty, power, and money was practically divine-tier lethal.
"Indeed, it's getting late," Ningguang said sweetly. "Miss Furina, if you have business, don't let us keep you. Richard, are you free later? Perhaps you could come by my place in Fontaine for tea, it's just a short walk from the Palais Mermonia."
Richard hesitated, then noticed Furina staring at him with eyes that clearly said: If you say yes, I'll cry right here.
"…Better not," Richard said finally. "You've had a long day. Get some rest."
Immediately, Furina's tense expression softened, and her hand unconsciously loosened around the ring she'd been clutching.
It was like watching a housewife relax after her husband turned down a flirty invitation from his boss.
Ningguang wasn't disappointed, though. She smiled.
"You're right. Another time, then."
'Another time, my foot!' Furina cursed inwardly.
'Tea? At night? Please, you're not drinking tea, you're drinking him!'
Still… maybe she could try that approach herself someday: invite Richard to dinner after work, then bring him home for "tea and conversation."
....
The next day, the Liyue Cultural Delegation officially arrived in Fontaine. The streets were full of colorful decorations and free interactive exhibits, attracting massive crowds of curious Fontainians.
Say what you will about Fontaine's bureaucracy being slower than a snail, but when it came to public events, the nation's efficiency and presentation were world-class.
Richard suspected this had something to do with Furina's habit of throwing festivals every other month; the local event departments had become extremely experienced.
As they say, practice makes perfect.
And while Fontaine's government was a mess, its people's love for art and entertainment was unmatched. From nobles to merchants, everyone had a keen sense of aesthetics. Culturally, Fontaine, Liyue, and Mondstadt were the entertainment powerhouses of Teyvat.
Other nations? Either in civil strife, meddling in divine affairs, or purging the arts altogether.
Furina should have been in high spirits, but she wasn't.
Because she was facing a powerful new enemy: Ningguang.
So serious was the threat that she gathered Lynette and Clorinde for a "counterstrategy meeting."
When a common enemy appears, alliances form naturally.
Clorinde, however, didn't seem to take the matter seriously and kept getting distracted, earning multiple stern glares from Furina.
"Clorinde, can't you focus for once?"
"Easy for you to say," Clorinde sighed, gesturing to the pile of documents before her. "You're saying that from a nice, light workload."
With the cultural festival underway, City Hall was drowning in coordination work, and as the city's chief liaison, Clorinde was at the center of it all.
Meanwhile, Furina was leisurely holding "strategy meetings."
All thanks to her overworked secretary, Clorinde, Model Employee of Fontaine.
'I really shouldn't have agreed to help Richard that day…'
"I did try helping you with your workload!" Furina protested weakly.
"Furina, that helped create even more paperwork," Clorinde deadpanned, pointing to a stack of revisions.
Furina: "…"
Work aside, she wanted them to focus.
But Clorinde wasn't worried at all.
"If Richard were that easy to sway," she said, "I'd already be living the dream, waking up to abs, falling asleep to pecs."
"If he really gets lured away to Liyue, you'll regret it!" Furina huffed.
"Then I'll just move to Liyue," Clorinde thought silently. "With my skill and Richard's influence, I could easily land a top position there."
Out loud, she merely smiled.
"Then what do you suggest, Lady Furina?"
"We could intimidate her, show her that Richard's already taken," Clorinde said slyly.
"We're in a civilized society! I can't just threaten her with divine might!" Furina retorted.
Besides, they'd soon be in formal cooperation with Liyue; starting a godly turf war wasn't exactly diplomatic.
"You misunderstand," Clorinde smirked. "Not with power, with presence. Subtly remind her of your connection. Mention your ring. Tell her who bought your dress…"
She went on and on, outlining an entire psychological warfare plan that left Furina wide-eyed.
"Such a fierce mind…" Furina whispered. "Whose general are you?!"
'Oh, right. Mine.'
A plan so cunning it could strike fear into any rival's heart.
A true masterpiece of emotional warfare.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu