Life in Liyue settled back into its comfortable rhythm, the anxieties of Mondstadt and the Fatui pushed to the back of Ren's mind by the reassurances of an ancient god. His days were a pleasant mix of Cryo training with Ganyu, quiet work on new, fledgling ideas, and the simple joy of living in the bustling, vibrant city.
About a month after the delegation's return, the now-familiar glow of the communication sigil brought news from the mountains.
"The prototype is complete," Xianyun's voice announced, crisp and laced with the deep, resonant satisfaction of a successful inventor. "The thermal efficiency is optimal, and the condensation issue has been resolved. I am preparing for transport."
A few days later, she arrived, not alone. As before, Shenhe was with her, her silver hair and icy demeanor a stark, beautiful contrast to the warm, humid air of the Harbor. And in her arms, carried with an effortless, steady grace, was their new creation.
The refrigerator was a marvel of adeptal and human engineering. It was a tall, upright box, slightly larger than the heater, crafted from a pale, almost white wood and reinforced with polished metal. It had a single, sturdy door with a heavy latch. It was a piece of functional, minimalist art.
Shenhe placed it in a designated corner of the main room, and Xianyun, with the precision of a master craftsman, made the final connections and slotted a fresh, brilliantly blue Cryo crystal into its insulated port. With a low, almost silent hum, the machine came to life.
There was no outward display of power, no flow of warmth, only a profound, internal stillness.
"We should inform Lady Ningguang," Ganyu suggested, already reaching for a fresh sheet of parchment to draft a formal message.
"There will be no need," a calm, familiar voice said from the open doorway.
Ningguang stood there, flanked by two of her secretaries, a knowing, anticipatory smile on her face. She had not waited for a formal summons. Her intelligence network, which had clearly been keeping a close eye on the adepti's movements since the Sandrone incident, had likely informed her of Xianyun's arrival the moment she'd left the slopes of Mt. Aocang.
"Cloud Retainer," she greeted, her amber eyes sparkling with interest. "I had a feeling a new marvel was about to be unveiled. May I?"
"Of course, Tianquan," Xianyun replied, stepping aside to grant her access to the new device.
Ningguang approached the refrigerator, her sharp, analytical gaze taking in every detail of its construction. She ran a hand over the smooth, cool wood, her expression one of deep, professional appreciation.
Ren and Xianyun took turns explaining the principles, a familiar but exciting routine. Xianyun detailed the technical aspects of the cryo energy transference and the new ceramic composite that prevented frost buildup. Ren, in his simple, clear terms, explained the practical application.
"It keeps the inside very, very cold," he said, pulling open the heavy, insulated door. A wave of crisp, frosty air, smelling of clean ice, washed out into the warm room. The interior was lined with a smooth, metallic surface, with several shelves for storage. "You can put food in here. Fresh fish from the wharf, meat, vegetables, even milk. It will keep them from spoiling for a very long time. It's like a little piece of Dragonspine, but without the wind."
To demonstrate, Ganyu, who had come prepared, placed a fresh, juicy Sunsettia and a small bottle of milk inside.
Ningguang was captivated. Her mind, ever the strategist and economist, was already racing, calculating the immense, society-altering implications of this new technology. This was not just a machine of comfort, like the heater. This was a machine of preservation, of logistics, of health.
It would revolutionize the food industry. Perishable goods could be transported over longer distances. Restaurants could store ingredients for weeks instead of days, reducing waste and cost. Families could buy food in larger quantities, saving time and mora. It would impact medicine, allowing for the stable, long-term storage of delicate herbal remedies. It was a quantum leap in the quality of life for the entire nation.
"Incredible," Ningguang breathed, her usual composed demeanor giving way to a look of genuine, undisguised awe. "Absolutely revolutionary."
The negotiation, if it could even be called that, was swift and seamless. The terms were the same: the blueprint was a gift, the Qixing would handle production, and the final product must be made affordable and accessible to all. The contract was a mirror image of their first agreement, a contract of cold to match their contract of warmth.
Ningguang took the new, meticulously drawn blueprint from Xianyun's hands, holding it with the reverence one would accord a sacred text. "The new factory is already exceeding production quotas for the heater," she said, her mind already shifting into logistical overdrive. "I will have a new wing commissioned immediately for the 'refrigerator'. The people of Liyue… they will not know how to thank you."
She looked from the divine, brilliant adeptus to the impossible, genius child, her expression one of profound, sincere gratitude. "You two are changing the very fabric of life in this nation, one invention at a time. Liyue is in your debt."
With the blueprint in her possession, Ningguang took her leave, her mind already buzzing with plans and projections.
As the door slid shut behind her, a comfortable, triumphant silence settled over the room. The heater hummed warmly in one corner, and the refrigerator hummed coolly in another. They stood like two silent, powerful sentinels, the twin pillars of a new era of comfort and convenience. Ren stood between them, a small boy who had fallen from another world, now a quiet, humble architect of a better future for this one.