"Sigh…"
Looking at the large spread of dishes before him, Wende couldn't help but sigh. Faced with the two girls' expectant gazes and Tingyun waiting on him at the side, Wende felt a wave of exhaustion.
"Hey! We cooked these dishes for you ourselves! Hurry up and try them!"
March 7th excitedly scooped up a spoonful of a dish she had personally made, her eyes full of anticipation as she looked at the troubled Wende.
"Er…"
Little Wende cast a desperate, pleading look at Tingyun. He… should he just cook something for himself? Could the food March and Stelle made… even be eaten?
"Hehe, there's no need to worry, Benefactor. I gave the two of them a little guidance, and I've already tasted it in the kitchen. It's definitely fine!"
Seeing Wende's cute and pitiful expression, Tingyun couldn't help but open her folding fan to hide the corners of her lips, which had begun to curl into an inexplicable smile, as she spoke softly.
"Really?"
Wende was still a bit hesitant, but seeing the eager looks on their faces… Fine. Since Miss Tingyun was vouching for it, it probably wouldn't be too terrible, right?
Taking the spoon from March, and ignoring her vaguely disappointed expression, little Wende took a deep breath and tasted a bite of her cooking.
"Mm… it's good."
Wende gave March an affirmative nod. He then glanced at Stelle, who had been standing beside him for a while now, holding her own spoon, and his mouth twitched.
"Here open wide"
"I can really do it myself…"
Seeing Stelle's expectant look, Wende helplessly swallowed his words and had no choice but to open his mouth slightly.
"Hehe~"
Stelle, looking very satisfied, placed her spoon into little Wende's mouth. Watching him chew seriously, an unknown flame ignited deep within her heart.
"Waaah! Why won't you let me feed you!"
March pouted, then ran behind little Wende and started acting spoiled.
"Alright, alright, you too…"
Wende gave a perfunctory nod. Looking at March, who had walked to his side beaming with joy, he complained internally.
Did I get smaller, or did you guys? Aren't you supposed to be the ones spoiling me?
Still, under Tingyun's guidance, the dishes made by these two culinary dunces were now edible. Although the taste was average, it was a good start. Yes… after the Xianzhou affair is over, he would teach them how to cook! Then he could slack off once in a while!
So thought little Wende as he was gently lifted into Tingyun's arms, leaning against her while being fed by the other two.
---o---
After a simple breakfast, Stelle and March were called away by Welt for a small meeting. The gist of it was that Wende was currently very fragile and could not continue the Trailblazing journey. Furthermore, his condition was unique, and it would be best for him to remain here to recuperate.
The previous night, General Jing Yuan had also made his promise. He would be responsible for protecting Wende's safety and would officially sign an alliance agreement between the Xianzhou and the Astral Express. From then on, no matter where the Astral Express traveled, as long as it was within the jurisdiction of the Xianzhou Alliance, any request for aid, provided it was reasonable, would be unconditionally granted.
This was the result of discussions between Jing Yuan, the other Xianzhou ships, and the Marshal. Originally, the alliance between the Astral Express and the Xianzhou would not have reached such a level, but the Express just so happened to have a certain Doctor Wende on board… To remove the karma of undeath and grant the people of the Xianzhou a true "death"… this was far too important for the Xianzhou.
One of the more hawkish Xianzhou ships even wanted to bring Wende over to serve as their "hidden power source," but unsurprisingly, the proposal was unanimously rejected by everyone else.
"So, that is to say, I'm not needed for what comes next?"
Little Wende stared blankly at Stelle and March. Had he been forcefully banned by the main story quest?
"That's right. You just focus on getting better here, Wende. Miss Tingyun and little Doctor Bailu will take good care of you. Plus, the General has specially assigned a squad of Cloud Knights to be at your command!" March said with a bit of exaggeration, making a small gesture with her hand.
"Is that so…"
Feeling the minuscule amount of Yin-Yang energy left in his body, Wende gave another helpless smile. What was going on? Why had he been so helpless so many times today?
His Yin-Yang power was severely depleted. To quickly replenish it and return to his normal size would take at least a month or two. As for his original power of [Abundance]… great, he had become a gender-bent version of Bailu, just missing the big tail and little dragon horns!
"Rest assured, Benefactor. That Emanator of Destruction was injured by you, so she likely won't be able to possess anyone else for a while. The Master Diviner has already observed her fleeing to the Scalegorge Waterscape. With the General himself on the scene, her fate is sealed!" Tingyun said with a smile as she stroked little Wende's head.
"Mhm, mhm! So, don't you worry, Wende!"
Watching Tingyun's actions with a hint of jealousy, March turned her gaze back to Wende and nodded at him.
"Pat, pat~"
Stelle went straight for it, messily ruffling Wende's hair, only to have her mischievous little hand slapped away by Tingyun, who wore a "kindly" smile. Stelle looked at the numb-faced little Wende with tears welling in her pained eyes.
"Benefactor Wende is still recovering from a serious condition. Benefactor Stelle needs to exercise a little restraint~" Tingyun, who was holding little Wende, said to Stelle with a beaming smile.
Heh, I'm numb to it…
Wende, currently powerless to resist, thought to himself. He had now become a lamb for the slaughter, unable to even struggle out of Tingyun's embrace…
Fine, I'll just consider this a vacation. A chance to experience what it's like when Dan Heng goes offline!
Wait a minute. Where was Dan Heng?
Little Wende suddenly frowned, remembering a problem he had forgotten…
The scene he saw on the livestream of the dragon-form Dan Heng parting the sea… surely that wouldn't happen without him, right?!
This is bad! miHoYo! You're truly despicable! To forcefully take me offline just for Dan Heng's banner!
So thought Wende, who was entirely responsible for his own predicament.
"Here, Benefactor, ah~"
Tingyun very gently brought a spoon to Wende's lips.
Gazing into Tingyun's jade-green eyes, which were practically overflowing with tenderness, Wende suddenly felt… that maybe this wasn't so bad…
Trading his power temporarily in exchange for a little fox maiden… This was a good deal! He wondered if the players would be moved to tears by this and spend a ton of cash because he had saved their waifu.