When the morning sun filtered into the room, Ganyu stirred awake in a daze.
Keyn was still fast asleep, lulled by the refreshing, faintly sweet fragrance that clung to her—like the scent of Qingxin blossoms.
The first thing Ganyu saw upon opening her eyes was Keyn's face.
At this moment, he was curled up, his face resting close to hers, the corners of his lips faintly curved as if he were smiling in a dream.
Freshly awake, Ganyu didn't overthink it. Instead, she felt a rare warmth—an unfamiliar sense of leisure that she found herself… liking.
Glancing out the window, she noticed movement at the Jade Chamber as staff prepared to begin their daily duties.
But she was reluctant to leave the warmth of the soft bed—and the presence of Keyn, whose company alone had lightened her heart.
"Perhaps… being late just once wouldn't be such a terrible thing," she thought to herself.
Carefully, Ganyu shifted closer, trying to embrace Keyn without waking him.
Unexpectedly, as she moved near, Keyn breathed in her scent more deeply, and his sleep seemed to grow even more peaceful.
A small smile touched Ganyu's lips.
"I never saw you sleep so soundly when I stayed at your place… Is it that being here with me lets you dream sweeter dreams?"
That thought alone made sharing her bed with him feel worthwhile.
So she wrapped her arms around him once more, and the two drifted back into a gentle nap.
Within his dream, Keyn never imagined that Ganyu was truly lying beside him in reality.
The fragrance of Qingxin lingered in his nose, and in his sleep, he thought he was savoring delicious food—drooling slightly onto Ganyu's clothes.
Not long after, Ganyu awoke again, startled by the damp, sticky feeling on her outfit.
It hadn't revealed anything indecent, but the sensation was uncomfortable all the same.
She gently pushed Keyn aside and retrieved a fresh set of clothes from the wardrobe.
Just as she began to slip off her bodysuit, Keyn stirred. The loss of her fragrance pulled him out of slumber, and his consciousness returned.
Groggy, he rubbed his nose and blinked—only to be greeted by the sight of Ganyu's flawless back, her icy-blue hair cascading down as her outfit slid from her shoulders.
Without thinking, the words slipped out:
"…Beautiful as a painting."
Ganyu froze. Her face flushed crimson as she turned sharply, scolding him in a whisper, "D-Don't look!"
Fortunately, much of her figure was hidden beneath the curtain of her long hair. Otherwise, Keyn would have truly disrespected her today.
Flustered, Ganyu realized how unprepared she had been.
So long consumed by work, she had never imagined someone else would one day be in her room with her. She hadn't set aside a private changing space, nor thought to take precautions—certainly not expecting Keyn to wake at such a moment.
Keyn, still dazed, could only stare. After so many days together, this was the first time he'd ever seen such an unguarded side of her.
But he also knew: this was not something he should have seen.
His mind spun with nervous thoughts of what punishment might await him—yet another thought sneaked in: How could I ever propose to Ganyu now?
His silly grin was plain for all to see.
Ganyu, however, said nothing. She slipped into a blind corner, changed quickly, then emerged holding her discarded clothes, modestly shielding herself with them.
Her cheeks were redder than freshly picked tomatoes.
Head lowered, hands fidgeting, she whispered timidly, "K-Keyn… forget what you just saw."
But Keyn, still dazed by her shy appearance, barely heard her. His mind was already picturing the scene of marrying Ganyu.
He only managed a dreamy, irrelevant response:
"…I do."
Ganyu's blush deepened. She misunderstood his words as acknowledgment and nodded faintly.
"Mm… good. Then you'll forget. I'm… going to work now.
"Thank you, Keyn. With your company last night, I managed to review so many case files. And… it's been a long time since I had such a good dream."
She dropped her clothes into the laundry basket, freshened herself up, and gathered the files from the night before.
Before leaving, she opened the door and glanced back at him still sitting in a daze.
Her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"Then… I'll head to work first."
Only after she was gone did Keyn's mind slowly return. He had already imagined their wedding in his head—and now, with no trace of Ganyu in the room, he felt a pang of emptiness.
"…Hah, it really was just my fantasy."
Seeing the sunlight rise higher outside the window, he realized it was nearly time to meet with Keqing.
Before leaving, he stepped into Ganyu's bathroom, half-expecting a girl's private space filled with skincare and cosmetics.
Instead, he found only the bare essentials.
Surprised, he murmured, "So Ganyu truly is naturally beautiful… She doesn't even bother with makeup, or perhaps she simply has no time.
"If she lived like an ordinary girl—with a normal schedule, appearing before others more often… would suitors be lining up from Liyue Harbor all the way to the open sea?"
To be able to work and spend time alongside her—perhaps that was already an unexpected blessing.
Meanwhile, Ganyu's efficiency at the Jade Chamber was markedly improved, thanks to the restful night she'd enjoyed.
Focused on her tasks, she quietly hoped she might finish early and spend more time with Keyn again that evening.
Noticing her diligence, Ningguang approached, hesitating before speaking.
"Ganyu. Yesterday, Captain Beidou mentioned Keyn to me. She said Inazuma has business she'd like him to handle.
"It's been some time since he last traveled abroad. I want him to go maintain those connections and help expand Liyue's foreign trade.
"When you see him this evening, could you ask if he's willing?"
Ganyu's bright mood dimmed slightly, but she nodded.
"…Alright. I'll pass the message."
Her gaze drifted back to the pile of case files, her thoughts unsettled.
We just celebrated the Lantern Rite… and already it feels like work has swept us away again.
Last night, I finally had a chance to talk with him—will that chance vanish so quickly?
Her mind flickered to the weekend appointment they'd agreed on.
Should I tell him… or should I cancel for his sake?
Distracted, her pace of work slowed.
At that moment, Keyn, freshly washed and ready to meet Keqing, stepped out of Ganyu's quarters. By coincidence, he crossed paths with Ningguang in the corridor.
Ningguang paused, a little surprised to see him at the Jade Chamber in broad daylight.
Keyn greeted her with a nod, but she stopped him.
"Keyn, it's rare to see you here during working hours. I actually have something for you.
"Yesterday, Beidou requested your company on a business trip to Inazuma. She said you could also take the chance to meet your acquaintances there. What do you think?"
At once, Keyn's eyes lit up.
"Really? An official trip? Expenses fully covered?"
Ningguang gave a faint smile. "Naturally. But in return, you'll need to negotiate some trade matters—between the Yae Publishing House and Wanwen Bookhouse, among other responsibilities."
"Alright, I'll go!" Keyn agreed readily.
After all, he had just shared a bed with Ganyu the night before—and he could hardly wait to run off and boast to Yae Miko about it.
Thus, without Ganyu's knowledge, Keyn accepted Ningguang's commission for the Inazuma business trip.