The warm, gentle heat of the now-permanent fixture in their living room greeted Ren as he stepped back into the house. The air was cozy, a stark contrast to the crisp evening breeze that was beginning to sweep through the harbor. He found Ganyu in the main room, not buried in scrolls as she often was, but simply sitting on a cushion, a cup of steaming tea in her hands, her gaze soft as she watched the koi drift lazily in the garden pond. She was waiting for him.
"Ren, you're back," she said, her face lighting up with her now-customary, radiant smile. "Did you have a good walk? I was starting to worry."
Ren walked over and sat beside her, the seriousness of his recent encounter still clinging to him. Ganyu immediately sensed the shift in his mood. Her smile softened into a look of gentle concern.
"What is it? Did something happen?" she asked, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder.
Ren took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I met someone," he began. "Lady Ningguang."
Ganyu's eyes widened, and a flicker of something—surprise, anxiety, perhaps a hint of protective jealousy—passed across her face. "Oh? She… she sought you out?"
"She was by the Xinyue Kiosk," Ren explained. "She was very polite. We just talked for a little while." He decided to omit the part about her admitting her impatience; there was no need to cause any friction for his big sister.
"I see," Ganyu said, her voice a little strained. She was trying to process the fact that the most powerful, and busiest, woman in Liyue had taken the time to personally seek out and speak with her little brother.
Ren knew he had to explain the rest quickly, to frame it in a way she would understand and support. "Big sister, she asked me some questions, and I asked her one, too. I asked her what she cared about more, mora or the people."
Ganyu's breath hitched. That was a bold, almost dangerous question to ask the Tianquan. She waited, her heart thumping, to hear his report of the answer.
Ren relayed Ningguang's reply, her metaphor of the two-sided golden coin, almost verbatim. As he spoke, he saw the tension in Ganyu's shoulders begin to relax. She knew her employer better than anyone. She recognized the core philosophy, the unwavering, pragmatic devotion to Liyue's prosperity and its people's well-being that underpinned all of Ningguang's ruthless business dealings. The answer was genuine. The answer was her.
"So," Ren continued, seeing that he had her understanding, "I decided to take a chance. I told her that Master and I had an invention. One that could help a lot with the comfort of the people. And I asked for a meeting to discuss it with her."
Ganyu's hand, which was still on his shoulder, tightened slightly. "A meeting? With the Tianquan? Ren, that's… that's a very formal process. Usually, proposals are submitted through several layers of administration…"
"She gave me one," Ren said simply. "For tomorrow morning. In her office. In the Jade Chamber."
The statement hung in the air, stunning Ganyu into silence. She stared at him, her mind struggling to reconcile the image of her sweet, adorable little brother with the idea of someone who could, in a single, casual conversation, secure a private audience with the leader of the Qixing on less than a day's notice. It was a feat that seasoned merchants and powerful foreign dignitaries struggled to achieve in a month.
Finally, she found her voice. "Ren… that's… incredible. But… shouldn't we discuss this with Master first? This is her project, too. To present it without her approval…" She was thinking of protocol, of the respect owed to an adeptus.
"I know," Ren said, his expression earnest. He looked down at his hands, adopting the persona of a child who had perhaps acted a little too impulsively but with the best of intentions. "And I thought about that. But the opportunity… it was right there. She was listening. I thought… I thought I should take it. I'm not going to promise anything or sign any contracts."
He looked up at her, his glowing azure eyes wide and sincere. "I'm just going to present the idea. I'll show her my new blueprint for the heater. I'll explain how it works. And I'll tell her that if the Qixing is interested in helping us produce it for the people, then they will need to speak with my Master, Cloud Retainer, to discuss the… the nitty gritty stuff." He used the formal word, to show he was thinking seriously.
"I'm just opening the door for them," he finished softly. "Master is the one who will decide if they can walk through it. Is… is that okay?"
The logic was flawless. He wasn't overstepping his bounds; he was acting as a brilliant, proactive emissary. He was creating an opportunity for his Master, not circumventing her authority. He had thought it all through, not with the impulsiveness of a child, but with the careful consideration of a strategist.
All of Ganyu's reservations melted away, replaced by a wave of overwhelming pride. Her little brother was not just cute and kind; he was brilliant. He was brave. He was standing up to speak with the most powerful people in the nation, not for himself, but for an idea that could help everyone.
She pulled him into a gentle, warm hug, her cheek resting against the top of his head. "Yes, Ren," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "That is more than okay. It's perfect. Master will understand. She will be so, so proud of you."
She held him for a long moment, the warmth from the heater filling the room around them. She had worried about him being weak and defenseless in a dangerous world, had mobilized guards to watch over him. But she was beginning to understand. Ren's strength wasn't physical. It was in his mind, his impossible knowledge. It was in his heart, his simple, profound desire to bring comfort to others. And that, she realized, was a power greater and more world-changing than any Vision.