"I'm sorry, Keqing."
"Leaving at five was something I had to do—it was never because I disliked you."
Realizing his mistake, Bai Ge put the transfer orders aside and immediately began to apologize.
Looking back at how he had treated Keqing all this time, Bai Ge realized just how self-centered he had been—and how he had viewed her through a biased lens.
That bias made him treat her with subtle condescension and indifference.
"I swear, I knew absolutely nothing about these two transfer orders beforehand. This was all a misunderstanding—I truly don't know where they came from."
"And for the hurt I caused you… I'm truly sorry."
His words were sincere, his expression serious, his gaze steady as he looked straight into Keqing's eyes.
Seeing him like this, Keqing's sharp, confrontational attitude finally softened.
"Really?" she asked, a little cautiously.
"Of course," Bai Ge said firmly. "I'm willing to put it in writing—let the Geo Lord bear witness. If I'm lying, may I suffer the punishment of being devoured by stone."
"So… it wasn't that you disliked me and wanted to transfer away? And your earlier behavior really was because you had no other choice?"
Keqing asked hesitantly.
But at this point, she already believed him nine-tenths of the way.
"That's right," Bai Ge nodded again.
"Good. Then let's write it down."
Keqing smiled brightly once more.
Then, gradually, that smile took on a dark, yandere edge.
"Well then, Bai Ge—I'm trusting that you didn't lie to me."
Nine-tenths belief wasn't ten-tenths. Not complete trust was the same as no trust at all.
To the people of Liyue, nothing was more trustworthy than a contract.
Bai Ge: "..."
So why was it that in TV dramas, male leads could win the heroine back just by swearing a few vows?
Fortunately, his name wasn't Bai Cheng, and this wasn't a lie—he was telling the truth.
Otherwise…
Thinking of that Cheng, Bai Ge shivered.
Looking at Keqing's increasingly yandere smile, he decisively began drafting the written pledge.
On this day, Year X, Month X of the Liyue Calendar, all words spoken by Bai Ge to Keqing are absolutely true.
This document is hereby written as proof.
Should any falsehood be found, the liar shall suffer the punishment of being devoured by stone.
Bai Ge signed and stamped the document.
Before the ink had even dried, Keqing snatched it from his hands and looked at it with delight.
Her joy was visible to the naked eye—she looked like a completely different person from before.
Bai Ge couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Girls really are incredibly changeable.
"Alright," Keqing said after admiring the document for a while.
"I'll more or less forgive you."
Then she looked at Bai Ge with bright, expectant eyes.
"But the rest… depends on how you perform."
"I understand, I understand," Bai Ge nodded quickly.
If apologies worked, who would still need the Millelith?
After apologizing, of course came compensation. He'd just follow the standard boyfriend appeasement routine. Bai Ge knew the drill.
"I happen to have tickets. Let me take you to the opera—Yun Jin's new play is debuting today."
Not long ago, The Secret Records of the Crimson Witch, co-developed by Bai Ge and Yun Jin, had just been completed.
"A new play?" Keqing's eyes lit up instantly.
To the people of Liyue, Yun Jin's performances were like Michael Jackson concerts back in the day.
Everyone wanted to be there.
"Let's go!"
Her mood restored, Keqing stepped forward with light, lively steps.
Bai Ge followed behind her—and silently signed in.
[Ding! Daily sign-in successful. Obtained: Guhua Sword Art.]
[Guhua Sword Art: Proficiency—Grandmaster]
Thanks to his exposure to ley line power, Bai Ge's daily sign-in rewards had been upgraded. Even things like sword arts could now appear occasionally.
Feeling the surge of new knowledge in his mind, Bai Ge sighed inwardly.
"For this sign-in… I really fought with brains and courage."
"Still—at least the result was good."
And just like that, the chief and deputy of the Yuheng Office both clocked out right at five that day.
Watching the two of them leave together—and seeing the unmistakable, lovestruck smile on Keqing's face—
Wang Pangzi, who had just been promoted to supervisor thanks to his competence, was utterly shocked.
"Holy crap, Bai Ge—you're something else."
"My novel hasn't even reached the emotional climax yet, and you've already scored? Impressive, impressive!"
For the first time, Wang Pangzi truly understood that reality was far stranger than fiction.
He immediately pulled out his treasured outline and began revising it.
But Bai Ge, of course, knew nothing about that.
At this moment, walking side by side with Keqing, the two of them passed through Liyue's streets and alleys, finally arriving outside Heyu Teahouse.
Because of Yun Jin's new play, the teahouse was packed to the brim—like the area outside a superstar's concert.
Countless people craned their necks, hoping to catch even a fragment of sound.
But the first performance of any new Yun Jin opera was invitation-only—ordinary people weren't allowed in.
For Bai Ge, however, that wasn't a problem at all.
Leading Keqing, the two parted the crowd and entered Heyu Teahouse amid waves of murmured discussion.