Genshin Impact: I, the Winter's Executor, am forced to work.

At first, I was startled by the coldness of the unknown liquid in the other person's hand.

However, the relaxation brought by a girl's firm fingers pressing on your shoulder is quite different from simply soaking in a hot spring.

"...If you were soaking in this hot water with an iced drink, that would be the ultimate weapon."

He said something on a whim.

“That won’t do.” Tatiana frowned.

"W-what's wrong?"

"When soaking in a hot spring, one should first immerse oneself in a low-temperature environment before moving to a high-temperature environment. Did you and the young master come here in the first place?"

"...Yes, yes." Qin Ye suddenly had a feeling that he had done something wrong.

"In this respect, you have already failed to achieve the best effects of hot springs. If you then drink iced beverages, it will be even more likely to affect your body's meridians."

"So...I see."

Hearing Tatiana's worried words, Qin Ye nodded mechanically.

"so..."

The girl took out her mixing tools from the mirror, spread them on the ground beside the hot spring, knelt on the bottom of the pool, and began mixing the ingredients like a juggler.

"When soaking in hot springs, it's also important to stay hydrated. To help you feel refreshed, I'll prepare a refreshing drink for you using mint and other ingredients. I hope you'll enjoy it."

"...Would we carry something like this with us when we go out?"

The girl tossed two mixing cups into the air, where they fell in a crisscross pattern. She caught them one after the other with her hands, spinning the metal cups in her fingers like she was twirling a pen.

"I just happened to bring it with me, thinking it might come in handy sometime. Would Lady Columbia like a cup as well?"

"Either is fine." Columbia carefully observed the other person's smooth and fluid movements, feeling a sense of admiration.

I want to learn...

"Speaking of which... Qin, could you sing a song?" The girl's tone was once again filled with anticipation.

Tatiana's hand trembled, and she quickly caught the container that was about to slip.

I almost got excited.

"I remember you made the same request when we went out together in Liyue?"

"Ah."

Did I used to really enjoy singing?

The girl's expression suddenly turned serious: "What did Thor say to you?"

Qin Ye raised the arm that was resting beside her and gently stroked the top of her head: "No, it's just a guess. Anyone would be curious about such things, even me."

At this point, the man hummed a tune that the girl used to sing, and he remembered it perfectly until the very end.

"Whether it's the Rock King, the Empress, or the Clown, these people all have their own purposes. To me, you are the only person among those who know the truth that I can almost completely trust."

Columbia hummed twice and sat in Qin Ye's lap: "Although, I'm very happy that you said that."

Her small head rested on the man's chest, and she frowned: "But not yet."

"I understand." Qin Ye didn't intend to pry any further.

"Ah."

However, the girl did not expect that since the other party had already realized something, he did not continue to ask questions.

"Didn't you say before that you were doing this for my own good? Then there's no need for me to keep asking." Qin Ye shrugged.

"Yes, other people's recounted memories are just stories."

Is that so?

That is to say, even if she tells me everything, it's not something I personally experienced, so even if I know it, it will only be like listening to someone else's story.

That's true. Even though I've guessed so much about the truth, I can't recall a single clue. Even if I were told, I'd probably still not remember, and it would only hold me back.

Tatiana took out a cocktail spoon that was longer than her forearm, stirred the colorful drink, and used a shaking method that Qin Ye couldn't understand at all before pouring it into the wine glass in front of her.

The beverage liquid naturally separates into seven different color levels.

"Please, both of you."

"..."

I don't know what to say, but you're making me, the executive officer, seem useless.

Although some of my certificates were ones I didn't have time to forge myself... no, I should say the certificates I didn't have time to study for were all obtained by you impersonating me and taking the exams for me.

But I really didn't expect you to have learned all of this.

He silently drank the beverage in one gulp.

"Hmm... why do I feel like I can imagine what it tastes like?"

Tatiana raised the corners of her mouth, seemingly quite pleased to hear such words: "You didn't..."

She covered her mouth at the right moment.

Oh no, I almost let it slip.

She glanced at him discreetly and found that Qin Ye's gaze was unusually gentle: "It's alright, please continue."

I see... Brother Qin Ye already knows I know.

“I had thought that I might be able to help you recover with some pungent smells, but in fact, those tests all failed.”

The girl placed her hand on her chest: "So I changed my approach, trying to create a drink that evokes associations in your mind by exploring the different sensations it produces in your throat and stomach. It's still being tested."

She smiled and said, "So far... it seems to be working well."

Qin Ye waved to the hardworking and ambitious girl, gesturing for her to sit closer.

"I..."

"You can't soak in the hot spring for too long, or you'll miss your chance," the man interrupted the other's polite words.

"Then...excuse me."

(next door)

D'Artagnan and Scaramucci stood in the center of the hot spring, their hands clasped tightly together, both drenched in sweat.

"You bastard, you should just relax in the hot springs..." the soldier said through gritted teeth, his cheeks flushed.

"If you hadn't provoked me, would I have fought with you? Huh?"

The young master took a difficult step, only to be pushed back down again.

The skirmishers had the upper hand due to their superior physical attributes, but they were held firmly in place by brute force.

"You just wait, whoever gets out of the hot springs first today will be the CEO's number one useless piece of trash."

"That suits me perfectly; I can stay there until noon tomorrow."

"Then I can stay up until tomorrow night."

"I can soak until the morning after tomorrow."

"I can..."

The sun had already set. Qin Ye had a big meal with the two women at Wuyou Pavilion, then stared blankly at the ceiling.

"what happened?"

"Brother Qin Ye?"

Two questions came at the same time.

"Hiss... I feel like I've forgotten something important."

Oh well, I'll remember it sooner or later.

Chapter 125 (Bonus): "A Fool's Play on a Winter Night"

(To reiterate, this content is not fundamentally related to the main storyline; it's more of an "what if" scenario. Many readers have expressed a desire to see it, and since I'm about to return to winter, I'm writing it now.)

An ethereal melody drifted from the Winter Palace as the Hellfire Butterfly swayed precariously against the raging wind and snow.

Inside the palace, an old man with a half-face mask was hidden in the shadows. Outside the chessboard in front of him, two black chess pieces lay silently on the table.

“The wise think they know everything, but we understand the morality behind those foolish acts.” A hoarse yet firm voice slowly came from his mouth.

The white pieces knocked down the black pieces, and the Heart of the Wind God and the Heart of the Thunder God shone brightly on the chessboard.

"In a battle, there are no such things as sacrificing pieces."

He raised his long, gloved hand to welcome the Flame Butterfly that flew in from outside the window, as if sighing, or perhaps welcoming its return.

"Because for this game of chess, checkmate is not the end."

"La la la~ la la la~"

The melody suddenly turned sorrowful, and a touch of frost gradually soaked the flags in the palace.

It was a rare occasion for all twelve executives to gather together in Winter's End; the last time they were summoned had been an eternity ago.

The young woman, Columbia, and the fool, Dionysus, dressed in the coats of the Fools, stand side by side before the ice coffin, bowing slightly in mourning.

And Colombia's singing did not stop.

"We gather here today to commemorate our good companions."

[Rooster] Puccinila placed his hands on his cane and expressed his grief in the deepest voice.

His expression changed accordingly, his brows furrowed, and he shook his head slightly: "Her sacrifice is worthy of a full half-day work stoppage to commemorate her for the entire winter."

A short, slightly sarcastic laugh flashed by.

[The Rich] Pantalone clasped his hands together, adorned with black gloves and rings, his smile never fading.

"In just half a day, everyone said that the Northern Bank's operations were filled with blood, tears, and wailing."

His expression rarely revealed a hint of melancholy, as if it were a mixture of mourning and helplessness, or perhaps mockery and heartache.

“But Mayor, your values ​​are even more distorted than mine as a banker.”