Warm morning light crept through the gaps in the simple inn window curtains in Liyue Harbor, sweeping over Yelan's sleeping face. She opened her eyes slowly, her consciousness immediately becoming fully alert as usual.
But this morning, there was a different vibration in the air. There was a mission, but not for the Tianquan or the Adventurers' Guild. This was a personal mission.
Today was the day her order—a very unusual order—had to be completed.
She got up immediately, her morning routine performed with practiced efficiency: a quick cold shower to refresh her mind, then choosing her clothes.
Not her usual striking and elegant attire, but a simple hanfu in a faded sea-blue color with faint vine patterns. She wore a thin veil that partially covered her deep blue hair. She had to be in disguise.
News about Yelan, the elusive 'Ministry of Civil Affairs', getting married? That would be uncontrollable gossip fuel in Liyue Harbor, drawing unwanted attention, especially considering her fiancé's status being so… different from most men in this world.
After ensuring her disguise was sufficient, she left the inn and navigated the already busy streets of Liyue Harbor. Her steps were light yet sure, heading towards a jewelry store famous in certain circles for its discretion and quality: Mixing Jewelry Store.
A small bell chimed as the door opened. The woman behind the counter, Xingxi, immediately greeted her with a polite salesperson's smile. "Welcome! How can I help you in this store? We sell various quality jewelry and gems."
Yelan didn't speak much. She pulled out a small slip of paper from her sleeve, along with a pouch full of Mora, and placed them on the counter. "The wedding rings. The order from two days ago."
Xingxi looked at the slip and the Mora pouch, her professional smile turning into a warmer, understanding one. She recognized the customer's tone and demeanor despite the disguise. "Ah, of course. Please wait a moment."
She bowed, opened a locked drawer under the counter, and brought out a small, simply yet finely carved wooden box.
Yelan took the box. Her usually steady fingers felt slightly tremulous as she opened the clasp. Inside, on dark blue velvet padding, lay two rings.
The rings were made of pure silver with a matte finish, not flashy but elegant.
In the center of each ring, a perfectly cut teardrop-shaped gemstone was embedded. The gemstone's color was a deep sapphire blue, almost transparent, reflecting light softly. A color exactly like Ryu's eyes.
Yelan took a quiet breath, a feeling of relief and something else—perhaps nervousness—lingering in her chest. She nodded at Xingxi, carefully closed the box, and stored it in a secure pocket within her robe. Without another word, she turned and left the store, leaving Xingxi smiling to herself with a wave.
---
High above in the Jade Chamber, Ningguang stood near her panoramic window, looking down towards Liyue Harbor below. In her hand was a brief report from one of her 'eyes'. Her usually diplomatic smile now curved into one full of curiosity.
"Yelan…" she murmured, her voice mingling with the rustle of paper. "Acting unusually lately. Frequently going to Qingce Village, and now… ordering wedding rings?" Her sharp eyes gleamed.
"She wouldn't be interested in an ordinary man with her cold demeanor. There must be something intriguing."
She placed the report on her expansive work desk. "A man from Qingce Village… The injured foreign young man found some time ago?" Her phenomenal memory pieced information together.
"Very interesting. Yelan didn't just save him, but also… bound him to her?"
Ningguang chuckled softly, her voice like the jingle of Mora. "Alright, Yelan. Play your game. But remember, in Liyue, nothing can completely hide from the eyes of the Tianquan. I will be watching… with great interest."
---
The journey back to Qingce Village felt both faster and slower to Yelan. Her thoughts and feelings were in turmoil. She tried to analyze the situation as usual: this marriage was a logical solution to secure Ryu, erase the debt, and give her legal control. It all made sense.
But why was her heart beating erratically while holding the ring box? Why did the thought of the wedding ceremony, of living together afterwards—something she had always considered a shackle for someone like her—now feel… different?
And there was something else. Something even harder for logic to control: a curiosity about things she had always avoided. Gossip about marital relationships, about intimacy.
As an intelligence operative living in the shadows, she had always kept away from such bonds. But now, she stood at its threshold. And strangely, there was a hint of anticipation amidst all the nervousness.
Upon arriving in Qingce Village, the fresh mountain air seemed to both calm and worsen her restlessness. She walked towards Granny Ruoxin's house. There, the old woman was standing on the porch, her wise eyes watching the farmers working in the terraced fields.
"Granny Ruoxin," Yelan greeted, her voice striving to be flat and calm.
Ruoxin turned, her warm smile immediately easing some of Yelan's tension. "Yelan. You're back?"
"Yes. How is he? Can he walk properly now?"
"He can. He's tried walking a little inside the house. But he's not allowed outside yet. Not time." Ruoxin looked at Yelan carefully.
"The two of you, will you live here afterwards, or…?"
Yelan shook her head. "He wants to see Teyvat. To adventure."
Ruoxin chuckled, her voice like the rustle of dry leaves. "Young people… It's very rare for a man to have such courage and desire. Most prefer protection and stability."
She looked deeply at Yelan. "Take good care of him, Yelan. Perhaps this is indeed the fate that brought him to you. And…" her voice lowered to a whisper, "conduct the marriage soon. With his unique face and existence, I'm sure many women will desire him later."
Yelan felt her spine stiffen. She slipped her hand into her pocket, gripping the small wooden box tightly. Her voice came out, low and full of ironclad conviction: "If other women want him, they'll have to step over me first."
Granny Ruoxin saw the fire in Yelan's eyes, a fiercely protective determination. She nodded, satisfied. "Today. Stay here with him until tomorrow. Spend time with him here."
Yelan nodded. "Thank you, Granny Ruoxin. I… have prepared everything."
With a heart slightly calmer after speaking with Ruoxin, Yelan opened the door to Ryu's room.
The young man was sitting in a chair by the window, looking at the village activities below with a calm and awestruck expression. The morning sunlight shone on his face, highlighting his jawline and sparkling blue eyes.
When Ryu turned and saw her, a sincere smile immediately bloomed on his face. "Good morning, Yelan."
"Good morning," Yelan replied, approaching him. She felt a strange warmth surging in her chest seeing Ryu's smile. "I… have something for you."
Ryu looked curious. "Oh? What is it?"
Yelan felt her tongue was a bit stiff. "Close your eyes first."
Ryu frowned, but complied. His blue eyes closed, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly. Yelan could see the pulse in Ryu's neck beating faster.
'He's nervous too,' Yelan thought, and that somehow made her feel a little better.
With hands that now felt hyper-aware of every movement, Yelan took the ring box from her pocket. She opened it, taking out the larger ring—the one for Ryu. Then, with great care, she held Ryu's right hand. It felt warm, and slightly sweaty.
Yelan slid the ring onto Ryu's ring finger. The cool silver metal touched his skin. She felt Ryu gasp, but his hand didn't pull away.
"Now," Yelan whispered, her voice sounding softer than she had planned, "open your eyes."
Ryu opened his eyes slowly. First, he looked at Yelan's face, then his gaze dropped to his own hand. There, on his ring finger, glimmered a silver ring with a blue gemstone reflecting the color of his own eyes. As he looked closer, he could see his name—"Ryu"—finely engraved on the inside of the band.
Then, he looked at Yelan's hand. On her left ring finger, glimmered a similar ring.
The reality hit Ryu like a wave. This was real. Truly real. He was going to get married. To Yelan. In Teyvat.
Not in a luxurious apartment with hundreds of guests invited by his father. Not with a complex marriage contract only discussing business mergers. But here, in a beautiful remote village, with a woman who saved his life, who gave him a choice, and who now gave him a ring.
Memories from his previous life overflowed: the loneliness in the large apartment, Sora's worried sighs, his father's empty gaze through video calls, and finally, the deeper loneliness as his life slipped away in the burning car. Then, his new life full of pain, uncertainty, and now… a bond.
Unstoppable tears streamed down his cheeks. Not tears of sadness, but an overflow of mixed emotions: painful gratitude, longing for the life that was lost, and hope for this strange new life.
He wanted to shout to Sora, 'Look! I'm marrying Yelan!' He wanted to tell his father, perhaps for the first time, that he had found someone.
Yelan saw the tears, and her nervousness turned into concern. With an instinctive movement that even surprised herself, she raised her hand and gently wiped the tears from Ryu's cheek. "Did… I push you too hard?" she asked, her voice almost sounding fragile.
Ryu shook his head vigorously, tears still flowing. "No," he whispered, his voice hoarse.
"Not at all. This… this is the first time in my life—both in the old world and here—that I feel… I have something truly my own. Before we adventure… we start with this." He looked at the ring on his hand, then into Yelan's eyes. "Thank you."
Those words, spoken with such honest vulnerability, melted the last of Yelan's defensive walls. Without thinking, she leaned down and hugged Ryu tightly. This wasn't a strategic hug or an ordinary comforting embrace. This was a hug filled with unspoken vows.
Ryu, startled for a moment, then relaxed into the embrace. He felt Yelan's warmth and strength, and her distinctive scent—a mix of Qingxin flowers and something sharp like lightning.
"Don't worry," Yelan whispered near his ear, her voice firm and full of conviction. "I will protect you. In our adventures to come, in our marriage… I will protect you."
In that embrace, with a new ring on his finger and promises in the air, Ryu knew his life in Teyvat had just entered a completely new chapter.
It was no longer just about surviving or fulfilling a dream of becoming the Traveler. This was about building something. Together with someone.
And for the first time in his new life, Ryu felt he was not alone.