The Lantern Rite had ended, yet Liyue Harbor remained vibrant. The festival decorations were still up, as though the celebration wasn't over at all. Nevertheless, a new day had begun.
Morning in Liyue Harbor was bustling with life. Fishermen cast their nets, merchants set up their stalls, and shops opened one after another.
...
Today, Luya's shop opened early as well.
"Hahaha, good morning everyone."
At this hour, there weren't many people outside his store yet; regardless, Luya opened the doors anyway. The moment he did—he saw Ganyu standing at his doorway!?
Luya blinked in confusion. The Lantern Rite Duel Tournament was over. As the secretary of Yuehai Pavilion, shouldn't Ganyu be working at Yujing Terrace? Why was she here?
In Liyue, the common folk admired the grandeur of Yujing Terrace, though they knew little about its inner workings. They understood that the Liyue Qixing were leaders controlling the city's lifeblood, yet they never saw how each policy decision was built upon mountains of data. They saw how new ordinances reshaped the marketplace each year, but not how those rules were distilled from endless meetings into precise texts.
As Yuehai Pavilion's secretary, Ganyu carried countless burdens unseen by the world. Even if they knew her position, few could picture her quietly enjoying breakfast at dawn on the docks. Yet before sunrise, she would always return to Yujing Terrace, fulfilling the contract she had made three thousand years ago with Rex Lapis.
So why was Ganyu standing before his shop this early in the morning instead of working at the Pavilion? And Keqing wasn't around either—so this couldn't have been her doing.
Luya quickly asked, "Miss Ganyu? Why aren't you at work?"
At his question, Ganyu shyly turned aside, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Last night, the Emperor appeared in my dream… He said that from today onward, my contract with him has changed. From now on, I will work for you. My salary will be paid by Liyue. He told me to assist the shopkeeper and help your card shop grow strong. This is 300 million Mora. Please accept it!"
Hearing this, Luya blinked, then grinned inwardly. Zhongli truly was dependable—sending him a heaven-sent employee! Rex Lapis, Morax… truly remarkable.
...
With someone as capable as Ganyu to assist, Luya was elated. And it wasn't just him—Ganyu herself looked genuinely happy. This new role, directly interacting with the people of Liyue Harbor, delighted her. After yesterday's Duel Tournament, her bond with Liyue's citizens had deepened. She was no longer the lonely qilin watching clouds from Jueyun Karst, nor the half-adeptus alien to mortal life—but a brand-new card shop clerk.
"Then, from now on… please take care of me, Shopkeeper!"
Ganyu handed him the deposit slip for 300 million Mora—likely her entire savings. Seeing her eyes shine with determination, Luya felt a pang of tenderness. Yet he knew that work itself brought Ganyu joy, so he said nothing more. Having such a capable half-qilin adeptus working for him was truly a blessing.
Ganyu stepped inside and went straight to the counter, immediately starting work. With her on duty, more and more customers entered the shop. Luya soon realized he didn't need to do anything at all—Ganyu's efficiency left him astonished.
With nothing to occupy him, Luya found himself simply watching his beautiful new clerk at work. It dawned on him—Ganyu was not only working for free, but had even brought 300 million Mora! As her employer, he really ought to show some appreciation.
He pondered what he could give her. Then he remembered that yesterday, in the system shop, he had purchased two [Random Theme Decks] worth 30 million Mora each. Perfect—he could gift one to Ganyu and auction off the other. After all, she had brought him 300 million Mora and free labor; a token of gratitude was only fair.
Just as Luya was about to present the gift, Xianyun arrived at the shop!
Ganyu, spotting her, gasped, "Cloud… Cloud Retainer?!"
Luya followed her gaze and saw Xianyun adjusting her red-rimmed glasses. Hearing Ganyu's exclamation, Xianyun said nothing.
"It's been so long since I've seen you in human form…" Ganyu said softly.
Xianyun shook her head. "You're mistaken. This one is not Cloud Retainer—just a passing ordinary person."
Ganyu tilted her head, confused. "Eh?"
Seeing that she had been recognized instantly, Xianyun sighed and dropped the act. "Ahem… that was just a little test. I didn't expect you'd still recognize me at a glance after all this time."
Ganyu looked puzzled, as if to say—Why wouldn't I? She murmured, "Recognizing you… is only natural…"
Xianyun smiled faintly. "Indeed. That said, I didn't expect to find you working here! Still, wherever you work, remember to rest. Even with an adeptal body, overwork harms your foundation. Sigh… seeing you so capable now makes me emotional. When you were little, you couldn't even sleep through a nightmare without this one holding you…"
"W-wait—Cloud Retainer!" Ganyu stammered, flustered. Terrified she might reveal more childhood stories, she waved her hands in panic.
Seeing her distress, Xianyun chuckled and stopped. She had come for one purpose—to study these ingenious machines and finally surpass Guizhong in mechanical arts! To make her yield!
Xianyun truly was a woman who had to be the best at everything.
Her arrival couldn't have been more timely for Luya. He had planned to ask Zhongli to find Xianyun to help develop the [Portable Game Console]—and now she was here!
Luya immediately produced the [Portable Game Console Blueprints] and spread them out before her. The moment the plans unfolded, Xianyun's eyes lit up like stars, filled with fascination.
When Luya withdrew the papers, she burst out, "Shopkeeper, please let me study these blueprints!"
...
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