"Heh heh heh, even though I arrived late, I caught just the right moment. Lin Ze didn't explain it clearly, so I bet most people besides me have no idea what caused Ganyu's sudden outburst, right?"
Inside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's warehouse, Hu Tao, still flipping through ancient texts, wore a mischievous grin.
She had arrived late but witnessed Ganyu's explosive moment perfectly.
After enjoying the spectacle, she left without getting involved.
After all, her original goal was simply to ensure Lin Ze kept the entertaining Diary Replica around.
Now that Ganyu had achieved that, there was no need for her to stay any longer, right?
She still needed to examine the remaining ancient texts for records about Qiqi.
"Lin Ze-sensei's strength is truly formidable," Raiden Ei murmured softly within the Plane of Euthymia.
Even the System, a being of such immense power, couldn't resist Lin Ze's casual manipulation of its rules.
Her decision to meet Lin Ze and seek his wisdom on the concept of eternity had been the right one.
"As expected of Lin Ze-sensei," Nahida marveled, though her expression quickly turned melancholic.
Now trapped here, she felt a newfound curiosity about Lin Ze, but she couldn't leave.
Lan Naluo had already gone to Liyue, but... he hadn't found Lin Ze yet.
She wanted to ask Lin Ze what kind of god he considered worthy.
The Diary Replica's replies and Lin Ze's sarcastic announcements stirred waves of resentment in the hearts of those who possessed it.
Unaware of all this, Lin Ze sat on his bed, wrestling with his thoughts.
This time, the System had dared to eavesdrop on his inner thoughts. Enraged, he had seized control of it.
Now, should he let Zhongli or Zhongli (female incarnation) also obtain the Diary Replica?
Lin Ze was torn.
After seizing control of the System, Lin Ze had obtained the list of Diary Replica holders.
They were all familiar figures to him, even those from Snezhnaya, Natlan, and Fontaine—characters he had heard of and remembered.
The Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, La Signora, and others—without exception, they were all girls.
Although Zhongli claimed gods had no gender and even created a female incarnation, Lin Ze remained conflicted. After all, Zhongli's identity as the Guest Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had left an indelible impression on him.
Lin Ze simply couldn't bring himself to see Zhongli's female incarnation, Zhongli, as a separate, independent woman.
Knowing that the Diary Replicas could only be held by girls, Lin Ze had many thoughts.
His biggest idea was to ensure all Replica holders remained female.
This would maintain the status quo, allowing him to continue teasing others under the guise of guessing their identities.
Plus, he could finally speak more freely.
But if Zhongli also obtained a Diary Replica...
It wasn't about the burden of carrying it; it was just psychologically awkward.
After careful consideration, Lin Ze decided to stick with the original plan for now.
After all, he hadn't disabled the System's recruitment function.
He'd leave it to chance. The System's original rules only recruited females. If the System recognized Zhongli's incarnation as female, he'd have no grounds to object and would simply need to be more discreet in the future.
With his thoughts clear, Lin Ze climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, Lin Ze's mind was at peace.
On the other hand, Ganyu's thoughts were anything but clear.
Ganyu had finally snapped out of her strange daze, but she still covered her face, her cheeks flushed crimson to the tips of her ears.
*Oh heavens, what did I say?*
*I can never face anyone again.*
"M-Master... I'd like to return to the mountains for a while."
Before Cloud Retainer or the others could even speak, the mortified Ganyu blurted out her request to temporarily withdraw to Jueyun Pass.
As for her contract with the Lord Emperor, she would inform him herself.
After working so diligently for so long, surely taking a brief respite wouldn't be a problem?
"Very well. That was our intention all along.
Yanfei will accompany you to Jueyun Pass this time. Madam Ping has already gone to fetch her.
Madam Ping will escort Yanfei to Jueyun Pass later. You should pack your things now and return with this immortal."
Normally, given Cloud Retainer's witty and somewhat haughty personality, she wouldn't have simply taken Ganyu away.
However, Madam Ping had already spoken to Cloud Retainer beforehand, instructing her to leave with Ganyu once she had recovered.
This explained the sudden maturity and understanding Cloud Retainer displayed, which Ganyu found surprising.
Gratefully glancing at Cloud Retainer, Ganyu's latent potential erupted. Leaving behind a trail of afterimages, she vanished from the Jade Chamber.
Watching Ganyu's hasty departure, Cloud Retainer shook her head with a sigh.
"Why such a rush? Very well, this immortal shall depart as well."
As Cloud Retainer left, Keqing listlessly turned to Ningguang beside her.
"Ningguang, do you think I've been a terrible friend?
After working with Ganyu for so long, even sharing late-night meals together, I thought we were close.
Yet I never noticed what was troubling her."
"What's this? Ganyu's emotional outburst has shaken you too?" Ningguang studied Keqing with a knowing gaze.
This was a critical time, and Keqing couldn't afford to falter. If she did, the General Affairs Bureau would likely descend into chaos for a while!
Everyone knew the invaluable contributions of Keqing and Ganyu, the self-proclaimed "overtime duo"!
*I should try to reassure her.*
"You heard Ganyu's words earlier. She's always felt that her half-adeptus status creates a barrier, preventing her from fully integrating into human society. She probably feels the same about fitting in with the adepti.
Moreover, Ganyu has been working as the Seven Stars' secretary in Liyue for a very long time. She's watched familiar faces grow up, marry, have children, age, and eventually return to the earth."
"In such circumstances, Keqing, do you think Ganyu would ever confide in us about her inner struggles? After all, from her perspective, even the closest relationships will eventually fade into dust after a century, only to bring sorrow.
You're arguably the Seven Stars member throughout history who has the closest relationship with Ganyu."
Hearing Ningguang's words, Keqing sighed softly.
She understood all this perfectly well, but... she still couldn't quite accept it.
Her best friend had suddenly revealed such a profound emotional burden, and she hadn't noticed a single sign of it before. Anyone would struggle to process such a revelation.
"Keqing, I know you're feeling overwhelmed right now. Why don't you go back and rest for a while?"
"Adjust your mindset. If you really need to, you can visit Jueyun Pass as well.
We'll have others oversee the General Affairs Bureau while you're gone. But as the Jade Chamber Star, you can't stay in Jueyun Pass indefinitely.
At most, a month."
........
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(End of Chapter)