Night fell.
Xu Zheng was back home, ready to take stock of his recent gains.
Thanks to the chaos of launching Yuning Milk Tea, he hadn't rolled the gacha in days.
Eleven, to be exact.
By doing all his daily missions, that meant he had stockpiled around 660 Primogems. Add in side quests, favorability boosts, and system rewards... and the grand total came to 1020.
Just enough for six-and-a-half pulls.
And now came the existential dilemma of every gacha addict.
Wait to save up for a full ten-roll?
Or... gamble now and feel that sweet, sweet serotonin hit?
Honestly, the urge was hitting hard tonight.
As he wrestled with this inner demon, Ganyu walked in, carrying today's batch of fresh coconut milk.
The milky fragrance immediately yanked Xu Zheng's gaze to her—not because of the smell, but because damn, Ganyu looked extra edible tonight. Her cheeks were red again. Cute with a side of something sinful.
"Master," he began with the solemnity of a philosopher, "let's say, hypothetically, I have six cups of coconut milk. Should I save up until I have ten, or just chug them all now for maximum pleasure?"
Ganyu blinked, brain buffering.
Why would anyone ever save six cups of coconut milk?
Xu Zheng never saved. He drank on the spot. Fresh.
If there were six in the fridge... there could only be one explanation.
Overproduction.
Her face flushed bright pink.
Still, a master had a duty to respond seriously to her disciple's moral quandaries.
After a pause, she said softly, "You don't need to save them. Coconut milk tastes best when it's fresh. If you run out... just let me know. I... I'll make more for you."
Xu Zheng suddenly reached enlightenment.
This was it. The Dao of Pulling. Don't wait, don't hoard. Live in the moment.
Also: Always ask Ganyu for more coconut milk.
But more importantly, he was hit with an even deeper realization—
Fresh coconut milk... How do I make it the freshest?
A mystery for another day.
"System, I'm rolling."
He pointed his little hand.
White light.
Hm. Posture must've been off.
New pose. Finger guns.
White again.
Yoga squat.
Still white.
"Thank you, System. Thank you, Teyvat. Thank you, Mihoyo—"
Nothing but light.
He chugged half a cup of coconut milk in rage.
And hit purple.
Just as he was about to cuss out the algorithm, he froze.
"Holy shit! I am the Chosen One!"
Name: Ice Elemental Affinity
Quality: 4-Star (Purple)
Description: Significantly boosts affinity with Cryo energy. Maximizes ice power for minimal stamina.
Note: I had a friend once. He had a Cryo Vision... but a Pyro-based body. Together, they achieved the ancient tragedy of 1 + 1 < 0.5.
Xu Zheng hit "claim."
A whirlwind of icy power exploded in the room.
Tiny particles of Cryo energy orbited him like snowflakes on speed, drilling into his skin and blood.
His whole body flushed warm.
This... felt kinda good.
Just then, the door burst open.
Ganyu stood at the entrance with the face of someone trying to smile through a heart attack.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Who's this toddler in the eye of the ice storm?
She could feel the elements getting yanked toward Xu Zheng's body like he was some kind of Cryo magnet. Her inner sirens screamed danger.
Instinctively, she reached for the feather-shaped talisman glowing white and blue in her sleeve.
A gift from Cloud Retainer.
If she activated it, her master would immediately sense her location and even talk to her briefly—once. It was a single-use item.
Xu Zheng, still mid-whirlwind, spotted her.
Bro, in novels, doesn't the MC always transform in secret? Why the hell is there an audience now?
Clearly, I am not the protagonist.
He opened his eyes. "Master, I'm fine."
Ganyu relaxed... slightly. She hesitated, then slipped the feather back into her robe.
She didn't speak, only stared like a hawk, ready to spring if he even twitched wrong.
Eventually, the storm quieted.
The icy tornado faded. Calm returned.
"I'm fine," Xu Zheng repeated, brushing snowflakes off his tiny arms. "All done."
Ganyu had a dozen questions, but in the end, only one sentence came out:
"That's good."
"Wait, really? You're not gonna ask what just happened?"
She rolled her eyes. "You're just gonna say it's some race memory or bloodline thing again, aren't you?"
"Uhhh... yeah."
That was his exact plan.
"…It's a bloodline awakening."
Ganyu sighed.
Of course it is.
Every weird phenomenon in the past week? All chalked up to "racial quirks" from a species no one could seem to identify in any known Teyvat encyclopedia.
Xu Zheng decided to change the subject.
"Master, was that a feather you had in your hand?"
"This one?" She pulled it back out.
It shimmered with soft white and icy blue light.
Xu Zheng blinked.
Wait a minute. That looks like the customer service hotline of a certain sassy immortal.
"Master... did your master give you that?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "Cloud Retainer. One-time use—location tracking and temporary call connection."
Xu Zheng's brain short-circuited.
So every time Ganyu uses one of these... Cloud Retainer literally plucks a new feather off her own body?
...So theoretically...
If Ganyu keeps using them...
One day we might witness a completely bald Cloud Retainer.
A naked, featherless bird.
The image hit Xu Zheng like a divine prank.
He turned to Ganyu slowly, eyes sparkling with mischief.