Shortly after Xu Zheng left, a very special guest arrived at Wanmin Hall.
"Yelan! You're here!" Xiangling beamed. "What would you like today?"
They'd known each other for a long time—Yelan was practically a VIP.
Yelan flipped through the menu lazily. "Is the new milk tea only available in sweet flavors?"
"Hehe, I knew you'd ask that!" Xiangling winked. "We've got chili milk tea now—mild, spicy, extra spicy, and the deadliest one: Death by Spice."
Yelan nodded. "I like the name. Give me a Death by Spice."
"Coming right up!"
Death by Spice was the nuclear option. Xiangling had crafted it as the ultimate test of heat tolerance. A normal person drinking it might actually drop dead on the spot and ascend into the afterlife, ghost pepper style.
Even chili lovers said it was insane.
But Yelan?
She downed half the cup in one go. Not a flinch. No reaction. Just casual sipping like it was lukewarm water.
Xiangling wasn't surprised.
Back when they first met, Yelan had chewed raw Jueyun chilis like they were potato chips. She was, hands down, the spiciest human Xiangling had ever seen.
Meanwhile…
As Ganyu walked away from Wanmin Hall, her mood was visibly sour.
Another rival?
How many more women were going to try and become little Xu Zheng's master?
Unbelievable.
And then, she remembered something. A certain light novel she once read during a moment of curiosity...
In that story, the solution to dealing with a flirty, unfaithful man was clear: lock him in a basement, chain him up, and make sure only you get to "discipline" him.
…A new world was calling to Ganyu.
Back in the present, Xu Zheng shivered violently.
Oh no. No no no no no.
His master was giving him that face.
That dark, possessive, yandere face.
"...Master?" he called out, voice trembling.
"Hm? What is it?" Ganyu blinked, expression instantly gentle.
Phew—
Crisis averted.
Xu Zheng exhaled slowly. For a second there, he thought she was going full psycho and planning to literally lock him up.
False alarm.
Probably.
Ganyu shook her head, dismissing her violent little fantasy... for now. But she made a mental note to go find that novel again—might need a deeper read later.
"Oh right, Master," Xu Zheng changed the topic fast. "Yanfei-jie invited you to lunch tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yep. Eula's leaving around noon. Yanfei wants to throw her a little farewell party."
"Alright. I'll go."
In Ganyu's mind, the image of Eula Lawrence appeared—strong, noble, and a little lonely.
Despite her roots, Eula had been a big help to Xu Zheng lately. She carried herself with the pride and grace her bloodline had long forgotten.
Ganyu had lived long enough to remember the old days, when the Lawrence family actually contributed to Mondstadt. They used to be rulers, sure—but not always tyrants.
"Should I bring a gift?" she asked.
Ganyu didn't usually attend social events like this. She felt a little unsure.
"Probably a good idea," Xu Zheng nodded.
"Hm… what about a pen Rex Lapis once used?"
"Uh... I think Eula might appreciate one from Barbatos more."
Ganyu's ahoge drooped in defeat. Picking gifts was hard.
Xu Zheng raised an eyebrow. "Want to hit the commercial district and pick something out together?"
Ganyu nodded. "Alright. I'll follow your lead."
Liyue's commercial street was packed.
But the moment people spotted Ganyu, they instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path.
It was respect. Everyone knew how much she'd done for Liyue.
Of course, Ganyu hated it.
It was exactly this kind of attention that made her avoid crowded places.
"Master, this is how people show they care," Xu Zheng said gently.
"I know, it's just…"
"Think of it this way," he said. "With so many people around, you're bound to get bumped into. And some folks here definitely haven't bathed in, like, a month."
Ganyu paused. That mental image hit her hard.
As a qilin—an immortal beast untouched by the mortal world—cleanliness was a sacred standard. She bathed constantly. She even forced Xu Zheng to bathe daily. Sometimes, she'd even help him scrub his back.
So yeah. The thought of month-old armpit stank?
Effective deterrent.
"Fair point," she muttered.
Xu Zheng, for his part, didn't like the crowd either. Too short to see anything. From his angle, all he got were waistlines and belts.
Suddenly, an idea sparked.
"Master," he asked, "what if you let me ride on your shoulders?"
"…What?"
"I'm too short. I can't even see the storefronts, let alone pick a gift. It'd be way easier if I were up high."
Ganyu hesitated.
That… actually made sense.
Still, she asked, "Did you ask Xiangling or Yanfei to do this for you?"
"Nope," Xu Zheng replied instantly. "I like your shoulders better."
Ganyu smiled to herself. Heh. I knew it. I'm his favorite.
His first time riding anyone goes to me.
She crouched down and let him climb up.
Xu Zheng hopped on with practiced ease. And naturally, his hands went straight to—
—the horns.
Ganyu's horns.
Firm. Smooth. Perfectly curved.
He gripped them without hesitation.
Hehe.
Was this about seeing store signs?
Of course not.
The real goal was always: Ride Master. Grab horns.
"Ugh—!"
Ganyu shuddered. The sensation traveled straight down her spine. Her ahoge swayed in distress.
From this height, Xu Zheng could finally see over the crowd. It had been ages since he had this kind of bird's-eye view—after all, he was in a child's body now.
But then he noticed her twitching ahoge.
And an evil idea struck.
Hey now, Master... you're the one tempting me.
He reached out a hand, trying to grab the wiggling little strand.
Ganyu's ahoge was surprisingly evasive. He tried again. And again.
Finally, he caught it.
And at that moment, Xu Zheng understood something deep, something profound.
His system was called the "Betray Your Masters System."
And right now?
He was literally riding his master.
Grabbing her horns.
Wasn't this half the goal already?