**Chapter 45: Wedding Invitations Sent to Liyue**
Columbina, who had been bickering loudly just moments before, suddenly fell silent, a faint smile curving her lips as if she had hatched another scheme.
Jingchen blinked in surprise. *Why did Columbina suddenly go quiet?* he wondered, asking softly, "Hmm? Aya, what's wrong?"
Columbina chuckled. *If Yae Miko dares to announce her marriage to Jingchen so grandly, let her arrogance be her downfall.*
"Tell Yae Miko to use the Raiden Shogun's Heart as the betrothal gift," she instructed. "Then I'll crash the wedding and steal you away."
Jingchen frowned. *This plot is ridiculous! If Columbina came to steal me away, I'd follow her without hesitation. But... wouldn't that be too...?*
"This... Aya, maybe we should just find a way to leave Inazuma and let La Signora and Scaramouche handle this?"
Columbina pouted, her voice brimming with indignation.
"No way! I won't swallow this insult. That wretched fox dares to announce her engagement to you to the world? Then I'll crash the wedding and humiliate her publicly! That's settled, Achen. No arguing!"
*How could Columbina come up with such an absurd, reckless plan?*
*Sigh... she seems determined. Maybe I should just go along with it for now.*
Columbina suddenly stood on tiptoe, her ruby eyes fixed intently on Jingchen.
"Aya... what's wrong?!"
"Don't move. Let Aya use your eyes to look in the mirror."
"Huh?! Are you copying Airi again?"
Columbina crossed her arms, pouting.
"What? Is that not allowed? I told you not to move. Just let me use your eyes to look in the mirror."
Jingchen leaned closer, basking in Columbina's warm, smiling gaze, feeling as if bathed in a spring breeze.
Columbina gripped Jingchen's hand tightly and nestled against him.
"Achen, don't ever let that sly fox deceive you!!"
"Of course not. I wouldn't believe nine out of ten things that sly fox says."
Columbina covered her mouth, her smile widening. A girl who loves to laugh always shines so brightly, her true self flawless.
Perhaps influenced by Jingchen and Airi, the girl who had once been numb and indifferent to everything and everyone had become so real, so dreamlike and ethereal.
Columbina traced words on Jingchen's palm with her ring finger:
"No matter how long the road ahead, whether it's filled with thorns or raging storms, Aya will always be by your side.
I'll walk with you through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, gaze at the starry skies with you, and laugh with you as we journey through world after world."
Jingchen hugged Columbina tightly. He vowed to never betray this girl, no matter what.
***
Within Liyue's Moonsea Pavilion, the air crackled with terrifying frost, thunder, and a rain of rock.
The other workers in the pavilion felt as if they were suffocating under the oppressive atmosphere.
On the dais, Ningguang, Ganyu, and Keqing stared grimly at the wedding invitations in their hands.
Tianshuxing and the other Seven Stars quietly withdrew, caught in the crossfire of this inexplicable storm.
Ningguang's priceless jade pipe "accidentally" slipped from her fingers, shattering into two pieces on the floor. The fury between her brows had reached a critical point.
Suddenly, she burst into a harsh, mocking laugh—a twisted expression of rage.
"Oh my, Jingchen is so thoughtful! Sending us wedding invitations? Is this for his ceremony with Columbina in Inazuma? Yuhengxing, Ganyu, why don't you open yours and take a look?"
Yuheng's face darkened, her entire body crackling with terrifying lightning. It was as if the Raiden Shogun herself had descended. Even the Raiden Shogun would have been stunned by the sheer power of this girl's thunderous energy.
"Heh, Ningguang, you open it yourself. These frivolous affairs will only disrupt my work schedule."
In recent days, Ganyu had found herself growing increasingly jealous of Columbina.
This was especially true under Keqing's influence, as she worked tirelessly day and night, even during brief breaks.
In her rare moments of leisure, Ganyu would listen to Keqing's endless complaints about Jingchen and her profound regret for rejecting his confession.
Gradually, Ganyu realized she was just like Keqing, repeatedly watching Jingchen's retreating figure.
Witnessing his every interaction with Columbina, even the gentle and virtuous Ganyu began to yearn for change.
Striving to calm her emotions, Ganyu spoke with her usual gentle and considerate tone:
"Then, Keqing, Ningguang, let's open this wedding invitation and take a look, shall we?"
Ningguang and Keqing simultaneously closed their eyes, arms crossed, as they listened to Ganyu read the invitation aloud:
To the esteemed Yuheng, Tianquan, and Secretary-General of the Seven Stars of Liyue,
On the thirteenth day of this month, October 15th,
"Jingchen and I will be holding a wedding ceremony. We hope you will arrive promptly at the Grand Narukami Shrine."
Signed,
Yae Miko
Jingchen
Ningguang and Keqing exchanged shocked glances, snatching the wedding invitation from Ganyu's hand to scrutinize the signatures.
*Could it really be Yae Miko?! The fox from Inazuma's Grand Narukami Shrine? Not the Fatui Harbinger, Columbina?!*
Keqing turned to Ningguang, her face etched with confusion.
"Ningguang, this signature seems off. Could it mean Yae Miko wrote the invitation, but the wedding is between Columbina and Jingchen?"
"Wedding invitations usually bear the names of the couple. And this is Yae Miko's Grand Narukami Shrine... Jingchen... Could it be...?"
The two women's expressions darkened further.
Ganyu stepped forward, her voice firm.
"My Junior Brother isn't that kind of person! There must be some misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding?! Ganyu, seeing is believing. We happen to have a day off that day. Let's go to Inazuma and see for ourselves."
"This... Alright... I'll go with you."
***
On Mount Aocang, Cloud Retainer was tending to Ying and Paimon, who had narrowly escaped death from poisoning.
Beside her stood Shenhe and Changmeng, the long-lived snake sister, now in human form.
Cloud Retainer sighed. "Changmeng, your poison is truly excessive. Even with my Immortal Power and Immortal Medicine combined, I could barely stabilize their snake venom."
Changmeng pouted, her voice dripping with resentment. "I was just sleeping on the rock, basking in the sun, waiting for you to return, old lady. Then Ying kicked me for no reason! And Paimon threw me! Of course I had to give them a piece of my mind after waking up! Besides, I never hold grudges overnight."
Cloud Retainer shook her head helplessly. She understood that this little green snake had been guarding this spot daily, hoping to learn Jingchen's whereabouts from her and go find him. But Columbina was already by his side.
*Ah, poor little green snake.*
A small fox trotted up to Cloud Retainer's feet, a wedding invitation clutched in its jaws. After a series of sharp yips, it turned and darted away.
Cloud Retainer tried to pick up the invitation with her wing, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't manage it.
Changmeng quickly stepped forward and handed the invitation to Cloud Retainer.
Cloud Retainer glanced at it briefly. *A wedding invitation?!*
It must be from Columbina and her beloved disciple, Jingchen.
........
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(End of Chapter)