Genshin Impact: I'm just a mortal

"Keqing?" Yu Xie noticed her preoccupied expression and took the initiative to speak.

His words startled Keqing slightly, causing her petite frame to tremble.

"W-What is it?"

"You came to see me, didn't you? What's the matter?" Yu Xie asked, taking a sip of tea.

"Um..." Keqing stole a glance at Kitsune Saiguu. As expected, having a third person present made it harder for her to say what was on her mind.

Kitsune Saiguu caught Keqing's subtle expressions, a faintly amused smile curling her lips. She stood up and said:

"I just remembered I have something else to attend to. I'll take my leave and let you two talk."

"Is that so? Take care on your way back," Yu Xie said, rising to see her off.

"There's no need for that," Kitsune Saiguu replied with a smile before turning to leave.

Outside, as she walked a short distance away, she turned back to glance at the house. Shaking her head with a quiet sigh, she mused,

"Yu Xie, you're quite popular, aren't you?"

Inside the room, Yu Xie and Keqing were now alone, seated at the table. Keqing held her teacup in her hands, her unease evident.

She might be the Yuheng of Liyue, but she was still a young woman.

At the moment, her emotions were complicated. She found herself in unfamiliar territory, unsure of how to act or even express herself.

"Keqing?" Yu Xie prompted gently.

"Ah!" Keqing snapped out of her thoughts. "I... I've been thinking about you a lot these past few days."

"Thinking about me?" Yu Xie was taken aback.

"Yes," Keqing nodded. "Whether I'm working or resting, I always find myself wondering: if it were you, how would you handle this situation?"

"..." Yu Xie was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Although I'm already the Yuheng, I still feel immature in many ways. There are so many things I don't do well enough," Keqing confessed. "When I learned about your past achievements, I couldn't help but admire you. As a mortal, you stood shoulder-to-shoulder with immortals, protecting Liyue in your own way."

Yu Xie listened in silence.

"I think the reason I keep thinking of you is that I see you as a role model," Keqing admitted with a faint smile. "I aspire to be like you. That's why... I wanted to ask: if you were still the Deputy General today, what would you do? Or, if you were in my position as the Yuheng, how would you approach things?"

The question left Yu Xie quiet for a moment.

He took the time to seriously ponder it.

Even though he had yet to recover his memories, the title of Deputy General, which he'd heard repeatedly, felt both familiar and distant to him.

If he were still the Deputy General today, what would he do?

As he thought about it, an image of Zhongli came to mind.

"Perhaps I'd follow a philosophy of 'governance through inaction.'"

"Governance through inaction?" Keqing echoed, intrigued.

"Yes." Yu Xie nodded. "Liyue is currently prosperous and peaceful, so there's no need for excessive intervention. Governance should follow natural principles—managing without forcing or interfering unnecessarily. Of course, it doesn't mean doing nothing but rather avoiding arbitrary or heavy-handed actions."

"Governance through non-action..." Keqing softly repeated, her tone thoughtful.

"Keqing, you're an excellent Yuheng. Don't pressure yourself too much—you're already doing very well," Yu Xie said with a gentle smile.

For a moment, Keqing was taken aback.

Since she became Yuheng, it seemed that only Yu Xie had ever said such words to her.

Warmth flowed through her heart. Being recognized by her role model was an immense encouragement to Keqing.

"Mm." Keqing smiled and nodded, her gaze falling on Yu Xie and lingering there for a long time.

At first, Yu Xie didn't think much of it. But after a while, with Keqing still looking at him, he began to feel that something was a bit off.

He glanced away, and after a moment, looked back to find Keqing's eyes still fixed on him, unwavering.

Keqing seemed entranced, completely unaware that she was staring at Yu Xie.

"...Keqing?" Yu Xie called.

"Huh?" Keqing suddenly snapped back to reality, finally realizing she'd been staring at Yu Xie the whole time. A blush quickly spread across her pretty face.

She immediately turned her head to the side and stood up abruptly.

"I-I still have work to finish, so I-I'll get going now!"

Before Yu Xie could respond, Keqing hurriedly left.

After walking a fair distance, Keqing stopped and looked back.

Placing a hand over her chest, she felt her heart racing within her chest.

Her mind flashed back to what Ningguang had said to her earlier.

"Could it be…? No, that's impossible," Keqing thought to herself.

......

After Keqing left, Yu Xie also planned to head out for a walk. Just then, two Millelith soldiers arrived.

The armored Millelith bowed respectfully to Yu Xie.

"Mr. Yu Xie, Lady Ningguang invites you to the Jade Chamber. She says there is an important matter to discuss."

Yu Xie was a bit puzzled.

Before long, he arrived at the Jade Chamber.

The view from the Jade Chamber remained as breathtaking as ever, overlooking the mountains like a painting.

Unlike his previous visit, every corner of the Jade Chamber felt different this time. Whether it was the Millelith or the maids, they all greeted Yu Xie with utmost respect, as if he were the master of the Jade Chamber.

Arriving at Ningguang's study, Yu Xie was about to knock when her familiar voice called out from inside.

"Come in, no need to knock."

Yu Xie hesitated briefly before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Ningguang stood by the window, her silvery-gold hair fluttering gently in the breeze, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance.

Her graceful figure was bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, accentuating her mature charm and elegance.

"Ningguang, what's the matter you wanted to discuss?" Yu Xie asked directly as he entered.

"Take a seat. Let's talk." Ningguang smiled warmly.

The two sat down on the sofa, the distance between them not too far.

Yu Xie caught the faint fragrance emanating from Ningguang and couldn't help but feel that there was something subtly different about her today compared to usual. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but she seemed even more beautiful and captivating than before.

The reason wasn't complicated. Before inviting Yu Xie, Ningguang had carefully groomed herself, though she had deliberately kept her efforts subtle to avoid making her intentions too obvious.

She had no other motive. Tianquan Ningguang simply wanted to present her best self in front of Yu Xie.

She couldn't deny that ever since Yu Xie had saved the Jade Chamber and defeated Osial, her perspective of him had undergone a subtle shift.

"How has your work been lately?" Ningguang asked gently.

"It's been okay," Yu Xie replied after a moment's pause. "Didn't you say there was an important matter to discuss? Why are we talking about my work?"

Ningguang chuckled softly. "I was just curious. If you're dissatisfied with your current work, there's no need for you to continue. I can provide financial support for you, as a token of gratitude for everything you've done for Liyue."

End of chapter

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