"This person is the man Lady Ningguang specifically requested to see."
Ganyu had only spoken a single, simple sentence, yet it plunged everyone present into silence, though the scene quickly grew noisy again.
Everyone's attention instantly focused on Orion, who hadn't expected Ningguang to invite him so quickly.
The Millelith naturally recognized Ganyu immediately. They immediately performed a military salute: "Yes! Lady Ganyu, we will escort these people away first!"
"Mm." Ganyu merely nodded lightly, keeping her gaze on Shenhe for a moment before disappearing from sight.
Orion noticed Ganyu's final look and immediately realized why Ganyu had specifically appeared at this moment.
If she were merely notifying him, she could have done so when fewer people were around. Appearing here specifically likely had only two reasons.
The first was naturally to help him out of the situation, and in doing so, convey that the Qixing held goodwill toward him.
As for the second point, it was likely because of Shenhe. Ganyu most likely knew Shenhe but hadn't formally met her before. By mentioning in front of so many people that Tianquan seemed to value him greatly, if this news spread through the streets, presumably no one would be foolish enough to seek trouble with Shenhe easily.
The summons from Tianquan was probably just a pretense.
The proof was that Ganyu had come specifically to inform him about the Tianquan's summons, yet she hadn't mentioned the time, the location, or how the meeting would take place!
Orion smiled and shook his head: "Yare yare, what a good older sister, worrying so much about her younger sister!"
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Leaving Wanmin Restaurant, Orion walked along the road with Shenhe.
Orion wanted Shenhe to integrate into the bustle of the city lights faster, so he subconsciously led her toward crowded areas, passing through markets. Whenever Shenhe's eyes lingered on something for a little while, Orion would buy it and give it to her.
There weren't many items: a string of candied haws, a bag of small pastries, and a wooden hairpin.
The wooden hairpin was entirely black, but the end was carved into the shape of a cloud, decorated with small white flowers and a soaring white immortal crane.
Seeking out elements related to one's own name in objects, and feeling a sense of closeness toward things associated with oneself—this is a common psychology among most children.
Orion figured Shenhe was probably interested in this less-than-perfectly crafted item due to similar reasoning.
Taking the hairpin from the shopkeeper's hand, Orion personally placed it on Shenhe, then leaned in to observe her expression. Well, at least the right half of her face remained expressionless.
What he didn't see was the corner of Shenhe's mouth on the other side curving up by five pixels.
The sky gradually changed from orange-red to blue, deepening from light to dark as night was about to fall.
Orion escorted Shenhe to the location of the inn. Shenhe looked at the inn before her, then turned back to look at Orion. It was incredible; after several days of commuting alone, just one day of being accompanied made Shenhe feel reluctant to return to her previous solitude.
Orion stood still, watching Shenhe walk up the steps one by one. On the last step, she suddenly paused, turned back towards him, and gently waved.
It looked like she was bidding farewell to a lively day, returning once more to her personal solitude.
Orion didn't wave back. Under Shenhe's curious gaze, he walked up the steps one by one, and on the last step, he grabbed Shenhe's hand and walked into the hotel lobby.
"Boss," Orion said to the proprietor behind the counter, "We're checking out."
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"Is this why you've tricked yet another young woman into coming home with you?"
The Miliastra Wonderland Hall had practically become a gathering place for everyone.
Orion was currently facing the 'three-person interrogation' led by Lumine, Paimon, and Eula.
That's right, Eula had arrived, and not just Eula; Jean and Lisa had also come and were currently sitting nearby, drinking the tea Noelle had brewed.
Clearly, those two were more concerned about whether the little maid from Mondstadt had changed than they were about what Orion had done.
Just moments ago, Orion had granted Shenhe entry access and brought her into the Odd Realm Hall.
Rarely, Skirk—perhaps seeing something in Shenhe—was visibly quite attentive toward this "younger sister" who was a head taller than herself.
She even personally took Shenhe to choose a bedroom.
As the two ice beauties left together, Orion was immediately cornered by Lumine and the others.
Facing the three-person interrogation, Orion pointed at Paimon and asked, "Seriously, Paimon, those two are one thing, but what are you doing here?"
But Paimon didn't answer. Eula slapped his hand away: "Hmph, a man's words cannot be trusted. Paimon, go!"
"Roger that, Frostblade Knight Captain!" Little Paimon saluted, then immediately flew over to Orion: "Hahahahaha! Orion, don't dodge! Let me sniff out exactly how many kinds of women's scents you have on you!"
Before Orion could push her away, Paimon was already clinging to him and sniffing.
Cold sweat immediately broke out on Orion. He knew that Paimon could always sniff out strange information from him; honestly, he was starting to get scared.
Sure enough, Paimon quickly reached a conclusion: "I smell it!
First is Shenhe! He interacted with Shenhe this morning!
Next is the scent of plum blossoms! After that, he encountered a girl who carried the fragrance of plum blossoms!
The subsequent scents have mixed together, but that cannot stop the Great Paimon from distinguishing them!
Let me sniff—I've got it!
The top note is the smell of a morgue,
The middle note is the scent of meat mixed with scallions, ginger, and garlic,
And the base note is the smell of spicy hot pot. The soup base contains scallions, ginger, garlic, and human—huh?"
"""Ah?!"""
As soon as Paimon finished speaking, the entire room erupted.
Everyone looked at Orion with expressions of horror.
Orion also reacted. The plum blossom scent was undoubtedly referring to Hu Tao, but what on earth were those later smells? Why did it sound like he was a Liyue Ghoul?
The next second, everyone burst into chaos.
"Master! You—have you finally been unable to suppress your true nature as a cosmic monster?!"
"Orion, you... things from the morgue... that place is dirty, you can't eat that!"
"Little guy, even so, using hot pot to cook... that is still too much."
"We must hold reverence for life! Wait, have you been hiding the matter of the curse from us?"
"That's right, the daughter of the Gunnhildr family is correct! It's highly abnormal for a human to eat that, but if you're a werewolf, it seems much more reasonable... How dare you hide this from us?! I will remember this debt!!!"
Facing the group of girls suddenly closing in on him, Orion instinctively backed away: "Wait, you've misunderstood. No, I haven't turned into a werewolf.
I don't eat dead people, ahhhhh!!!"
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