"Excuse me, please let me through!"
At the port, Keqing, holding the nearly unconscious Nahida tightly, hurried through the crowd.
The girl's scorching fever made Keqing even more anxious.
"Just hold on a little longer, okay?"
She looked at Nahida in her arms, her face full of worry.
Qin Yu had only left for a moment, and her sister had already gotten into such a state!
"Qin... Yu..."
During the jostling, Nahida's eyes fluttered open slightly. In her daze, she reached out a small hand.
As if trying to grasp a familiar person.
The one who created this body and gave her freedom...
Her sun, Qin Yu.
"Where are you...?"
The newly sprouted green seedling yearned for sunlight.
But alas, the boy with the warm smile was nowhere to be seen.
Nahida's gaze dimmed.
Yes, she had actively shielded her mental world.
Qin Yu couldn't possibly sense her changes.
He must be very happy right now.
Had he met someone he cherished?
"..."
A gentle smile appeared on Nahida's small face.
That was good.
Nahida could endure it alone.
After all, she had been doing so for hundreds of years.
Qin Yu had only temporarily left, it was fine.
It was fine...
Nahida tried to convince herself.
But...
Having embraced the sun, how could she bear to return to darkness?
Nahida widened her eyes, which had subtly become moist.
So strange.
Her nose felt sore, and her vision blurred.
And this feeling of reluctance, it was so painful.
What was happening to her?
"Think more about your brother Qin Yu."
"If he saw you like this, he would definitely worry!"
Keqing's voice suddenly rang out.
"Qin Yu... brother."
Nahida murmured, her hazy consciousness clearing a little.
Yes, she couldn't be this fragile anymore.
She was no longer alone.
She had a responsibility to shoulder.
And she had fortunately found her cherished sun.
*Boom!*
Suddenly, it was as if thunder echoed in her ears.
Nahida's small mouth parted slightly.
"This is?"
Her eyes suddenly burst with brilliance.
It was the power Qin Yu had left behind, responding to her!
Nahida clenched her small fist.
"I still want to help brother Qin Yu."
If she couldn't even control the power left by the Great Tree King...
How could she keep the sun by her side?
"Nahida?"
Keqing instinctively stopped.
She suddenly realized that Nahida's fever had returned to normal.
What was this...
"Sister Keqing, I, I'm fine now."
Nahida's small mouth parted, and she tilted her face up, breathing lightly.
A blush still lingered on her slightly pale face.
The life force left by the Great Tree King had been preliminarily controlled by her.
With the assistance of Qin Yu's power, the forces of Electro, Dendro, and Dream were once again balanced.
Nahida's sun had protected her once more.
She instinctively touched the hair by her ear.
There, two green leaves had fully unfurled.
And a third leaf had begun to sprout.
"No, I'm taking you to see a doctor."
Keqing frowned, hugging her and continuing towards the city.
The situation just now had truly frightened her.
Keqing, exhibiting her maternal instincts, decided to prevent any further accidents.
"It's not necessary, Sister Keqing."
Nahida wriggled her small body, wanting to go back.
"Qin Yu left a message, I know where to find him."
Keqing smiled slightly, suddenly explaining.
She could probably guess that Nahida wanted to stay at the port and wait for Qin Yu to return.
This child was truly close to Qin Yu.
Keqing's intuition was always accurate and reliable.
She figured that when Nahida grew a little older, she wouldn't cling to Qin Yu so much.
Indeed, the white-haired loli in her arms stopped moving and became obedient.
"Really?"
Nahida's eyes brightened, her small face full of expectation.
Even though not much time had passed.
Her longing for Qin Yu was growing stronger.
"Yes, I'll take you to the designated spot to wait for him."
Keqing smiled and carried her away from the port.
...
Shortly after the two left.
Suddenly, a furtive figure emerged from the bushes.
It was a girl in a pure white cloak, revealing golden hair.
She blinked her clear big eyes, moving cautiously.
After all, there were patrolling samurai in the distance.
"I heard a god appeared just now, where was it?"
The golden-haired girl pondered in secret.
"Paimon, I'm so hungry!"
The white floating spirit, Paimon, clung to Lumine's chest and said weakly.
She was so hungry she couldn't even fly.
"Paimon, I'm hungry too."
Lumine murmured, suddenly lifting Paimon slightly.
You know what I mean, right?
The way she looked with a faint glow made Paimon tremble.
"You, you, you, you! Wait a minute!"
Paimon struggled.
She didn't want to be eaten by this big idiot Lumine!
"Shhh—"
Lumine quickly covered Paimon's mouth and made a shushing gesture.
She almost got discovered by the samurai!
"Wuwuwu."
Little Paimon nodded tearfully.
"I think I just saw Aqing."
Lumine said softly, her eyes shining with an unusual light.
Those cat ears, those black stockings... No, no.
Shaking off strange thoughts, Lumine's gaze became serious.
Most importantly, Aqing is a rich woman!
Lumine was completely broke.
That's right, after the shipwreck, she was destitute.
So...
Rich woman, hungry, food.
"Lumine, stop daydreaming."
Paimon pouted and hit her lightly.
She had just been rescued by someone.
"Yeah, that gentle young lady was also very kind."
Lumine instantly switched her target to another rich woman.
This time it was Hiiragi Chisato, although she already had a fiancé.
Thinking about it this way, Aqing was still better.
After all, she didn't have a boyfriend yet.
"Lumine! That's enough!"
"Alright, then I guess we'll have to eat Sunset Fruits."
Lumine offered the only fruit, freshly picked.
"Lumine, aren't you eating?"
"You eat it, I'm not hungry."
Paimon took it, her little face content.
Lumine was indeed her best companion!
"Lumine, what do we do next, work?"
"Working is impossible, absolutely impossible."
Lumine placed her hands on her hips, having already thought of a brilliant plan.
"Take on commissions?" Paimon asked with anticipation.
Was the legendary adventurer finally going to make a name for herself in Inazuma?
Lumine nodded.
"My specialty is robbing... cough, apprehending rogue Treasure Hoarders!"
...
Inazuma City, a street corner tea stall.
"Alas, I am ashamed."
The wandering samurai sighed, shaking his head.
Beside him lay a Kitain Cross.
It was Kaedehara Kazuha, a good friend of Qin Yu's.
"Brother Qin Yu, I'm sorry."
Kazuha sighed softly, his heart heavy.
He recalled the expressions of Miss Kamisato Ayaka and Hiiragi Chisato on that day.
He knew he had said something he shouldn't have.
"Give me another chance, and I will never do that again."
Kazuha said softly.
Just then...
"Hello, could you please tell me where the Yashiro Commission is?"
A girl carrying a white-haired loli walked past, asking politely.
"?"
Kazuha looked up at Keqing and was slightly taken aback.
A Liyue person?
His gaze then fell upon the white-haired loli.
The wind today was quite boisterous.
He heard a familiar voice carried by the wind.
"This child."
Kazuha slowly stood up, his heart filled with shock.
An aura that belonged to Qin Yu...
She must be Qin Yu's daughter!
"?"
Nahida blinked her innocent big eyes.
Kazuha faced Keqing and bowed with great respect.
"Sister-in-law."