Xia Zhi thought for a moment, then pulled out his phone and sent a message to the group chat.
Making instant noodles this morning. Who wants some?
He'd barely sent it when replies flooded in.
Miss Ningguang.
Miss Keqing.
Captain Jean.
Eula…
Even Collei chimed in saying she wanted some.
"Looks like everyone's run out."
Xia Zhi nodded and called out, "Xiangling."
Xiangling answered right away. "Master!"
"I'm planning to make instant noodles this morning."
"You want me to help knead the dough?"
"No. Your cooking's already at a master level. This time, I want you to actually make instant noodles with me."
"You mean…?"
"Yes. As for the flavors—do whatever you want. Make as many kinds as you like."
"Master, you mean any flavor?"
"Of course. I trust your creativity."
"Yes, Master!"
Xiangling practically sparkled with excitement.
Then Yae Miko watched as Xiangling pulled a bunch of bizarre ingredients out of her space ring:
A giant bucket of slime condensate.
A jar of lizard tails soaked in salt-water solution.
A long string of de-winged crystalflies.
A multicolored pack of mushrooms…
Miko slowly turned her eyes away.
She didn't doubt Xiangling's cooking.
After all, the shrine had been flooded with visitors lately, all drawn by how insanely good the cafeteria food was.
But after seeing those ingredients, she suddenly had zero interest in trying Xiangling's instant noodles.
"Mr. Xia."
"Yeah?"
"Please make extra classic braised beef flavor."
"Alright, alright. Go wait outside."
"No. I'm staying here to watch."
"You're not worried I'll start using weird ingredients like Xiangling, are you?"
"Absolutely not!"
Miko raised her phone with righteous dignity.
"I'm just recording a tutorial for Ei so you won't have to teach her again later."
---
"Mr. Xia, this isn't ordinary flour, is it?"
"No. This is Golden Wheat."
"No wonder the color looks so gorgeous. What about this one?"
Yae Miko said she was recording a video, and she was recording.
She just talked too much, standing beside Xia Zhi and asking nonstop out of sheer curiosity.
Xia Zhi kept kneading the dough while patiently answering her.
"Miko, haven't you been busy lately?"
"I was, a few days ago. Mostly chasing down Urakusai's whereabouts. But I finished everything yesterday, so I'm free today."
"And the Summer Festival preparations?"
"That can wait. I'll deal with it once the Kamisato young lady brings me the updated festival plans."
"I see."
Miko's expression softened into a smile. "Is Mr. Xia looking forward to the Summer Festival?"
"Kind of."
"Don't worry. Ever since I became the guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, I've presided over hundreds of Summer Festivals…"
"Hundreds…? Even the most interesting festival must get boring after that many."
"Exactly."
Miko nodded, her expression tinged with nostalgia.
When she'd first taken the position she'd long admired, everything felt fresh.
But as she watched generation after generation of shrine maidens come and go, life began losing its color.
That was the trouble of being a great youkai.
It was also why she founded Yae Publishing House in Inazuma City.
When life's too long, you've got to make your own fun.
"Have you ever thought about traveling somewhere else?" Xia Zhi asked.
"Of course I have. But with Ei shut away in seclusion for so long, someone had to keep an eye on Inazuma. If I didn't watch over it, who would?"
"And after that? Haven't you ever wanted to see the world outside?"
"After that…" Miko narrowed her foxlike eyes, smiling in a sultry, teasing way. "Mr. Xia, are you inviting me to join your team?"
"If you want to join, I'd welcome you anytime. And if you don't, you can wander by yourself. With your strength, any of the seven nations is within reach."
"I'll think about it."
---
Shrine corridor.
Xia Ci sat lazily on a bench, watching the sky.
A dark raincloud drifted slowly in from the sea.
"Looks like it's going to rain."
She lowered her gaze and murmured, "Perfect weather for slacking off."
She unlocked her phone and tapped on her best friend Xia Zhen's icon.
Tsk.
She'd thought about messaging her, but changed her mind and instead tapped Nahida's icon.
"You there?"
"?"
"Chat with your big sister."
"?"
"So, your sister has a friend. She…"
--
Sumeru, House of Daena.
Nahida stared at the message from her big sister, falling silent.
After a while, she finally replied:
"That friend you're talking about… is it actually you?"
"What do you think?"
Definitely not.
If her sister had been doing something even mildly stimulating last night, Nahida would've felt it through their shared connection.
Which meant it really was one of her sister's friends.
Was it Xia Zhen?
But why bring it up to me out of nowhere?
Is she… venting her feelings?
But she was the one who didn't go.
And no one stopped her.
Wait...
Is Sis holding back because of me?
Is she hinting that she wants to know how I really feel?
If I don't object… is she planning to visit our cousin tonight?
Nahida lowered her head, frowning softly as she sank into deep thought.
---
Xia Ci watched the silent chat window, her lips curling into an amused smile.
Nahida was definitely spiraling right now.
She wasn't in any hurry regarding her cousin.
Unlike her best friend Xia Zhen, whose relationship with Xia Zhi would stay in the "ambiguous crush" stage unless she took the final step, Xia Ci's situation was different.
Because of the Intertwined Fate, she and Xia Zhi had been close from the very beginning.
Considering Nahida and the mind-link between them, Xia Ci had her own plans.
"Just wait a little longer… I'll be back in Sumeru soon…"
Xia Ci closed the chat and opened a blank note file.
"Now, let's start a new novel. Cousin's Forbidden Love."
----
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