Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

The heart emitted a faint glow, its gentle light seeping into Ying's skin, where she could still see the inscription:

[Eighth Promise: Before sunset, we must go home for dinner with Ying.]

But the sun has already set thirty times.

It's late tonight.

Qiqi looked out the window, and seemed to notice something. Her eyes suddenly moved. She jumped off the stool, and walked barefoot on the wooden board, making a pattering sound.

"Qiqi, don't walk barefoot on the ground," Ying nagged instinctively, "You'll catch a cold—"

She was stunned.

Suddenly, Ying heard a sound: the creaking of the wooden door, the wind and rain blowing in from outside, the clear tinkling of the wind chimes, and the rustling of the sycamore leaves...

She stood up and subconsciously looked towards the door, which had already been opened.

Rainwater was still dripping from the boy's cheek, pattering at the entrance. His light-colored long hair was wet, like that of a cat with wet fur. He lowered his head, and Qiqi tried her best to stand on tiptoe and hug him tightly.

—On a rainy night between spring and summer, Qingnuoyan pushed open the door of the wooden house, bringing with him a body covered in wind and rain.

"I..." His chest felt empty, still devoid of a 'heart', but for some reason, he felt a slight touch of heart, a faint warmth. He subconsciously stroked Qiqi's head, moved his lips, but didn't know what to say.

He raised his head and looked at Ying, only to find that Ying was also looking at him.

His face was reflected in his bright golden eyes.

“I…” Qing Nuoyan said, “I’m back.”

Ying's lips moved, but she didn't speak. Qing Nuoyan didn't know what was slowly flickering in her eyes... Maybe she was angry. She really had to be angry. He hadn't kept his promise, and he had hurt her time and time again. Qing Nuoyan knew the mistakes he had made.

Perhaps it's anger.

Ying certainly has reason to be angry.

He overexerted himself again, he almost died again, and his heart shattered into pieces again... He said he would go home before dusk, but now dusk has passed... He broke his promise again.

Ying stared at Qing Nuoyan. She had so much to say, but the words caught in her throat, and she couldn't speak. She just gazed at Qing Nuoyan for a long while before finally saying:

"It's wet."

"What...?" Qing Nuoyan didn't understand.

“Your hair is wet.” Ying stared at Qing Nuoyan’s long, light-colored hair, which was still dripping wet. “You’ll catch a cold. I told you, bring an umbrella on rainy days.”

These were the first words spoken after their reunion.

She didn't blame her, she just said, "Your hair is wet."

Just like their first reunion in this life, which was also on a rainy night, Ying said to him, "Your hair is wet."

"I'm sorry..." Qing Nuoyan said like a well-behaved cat, "I'm sorry."

"sorry."

Qing Nuoyan lowered his head. He was still very weak and leaned against the door frame with great difficulty, trying to support his body. He swayed and said, "I'm sorry."

"I'm late again."

"Whether it's because my hair is wet or something else, I'm sorry... I made you worry again."

Ying stared at him, "...Where did you come from?"

"Ouzou Mountain."

Mount Ozang is very high and far away. The last time they climbed Mount Ozang, it took them most of the day. It was raining outside, and Qingnuoyan dragged his body back from the mountain in the rain, but he was still late.

That idiot.

-

A gentle breeze, carrying warmth, softly brushed against his hair. Qing Nuoyan sat quietly in his chair, while Ying stood behind him, her slender, white fingertips tracing through his long hair, evaporating the damp droplets.

The firelight from the fireplace illuminated their faces.

In front of Qingnuoyan was a reheated meal, its slightly intoxicating aroma mingling with the lingering scent of the bamboo house. Paimon sat to his left, hands on his hips, uttering strange words like "Hehehe, you rascal..."

Qiqi had been clinging to him ever since he entered the room, refusing to let go no matter what. Fortunately, Qing Nuoyan put her on his lap.

Outside, a light rain falls, a sign of the approaching spring and summer. After this rain, spring will come to an end, and the height of summer will be just around the corner.

Neither he nor Ying spoke; they simply listened to the sound of rain pattering on the banana leaves outside the window, quietly waiting for this moment to pass.

Qing Nuoyan noticed Ying's fingers slowly stop. He felt the girl's fingertips tremble slightly, pausing for a long time. Qing Nuoyan wanted to turn around, but heard the girl behind him say, "Don't look at me. Don't look at me like this..."

From the moment Qing Nuoyan entered the room, or rather, from the moment Qing Nuoyan disappeared, Ying remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened.

...until this very moment.

"...Stay quiet."

"Just stay still..."

"Let me lean on it for a while."

Slender, warm hands wrapped around his shoulders as Ying hugged him from behind. They were very close, and Qing Nuoyan could feel her moist, warm breath.

The early summer rain slanted through the window frame between them, and the firelight from the fireplace spread out, enveloping them in a warm glow that seemed to melt them both. Qing Nuoyan could feel Ying's fingers gripping his shoulders tightly, her nails digging into his flesh, refusing to let go.

We will never be apart, no matter what.

“I thought you would never come back,” Ying whispered in his ear.

"...sorry."

"Qing Nuoyan, you're a bastard."

"I'm an idiot."

"The most complete bastard in the world."

"sorry."

"Is all you can say 'sorry'?"

"Well... thank you."

"Why do I have to say thank you again... I didn't do anything."

"Thank you for saving my life."

“I did nothing—I didn’t save your life.”

Why say thank you...? Qingnuoyan didn't know either.

Some people are enough to save a person simply by existing, simply by still living in this world.

“Because…” Qing Nuoyan hesitated, “Because you are here, I was able to come back. Because I know someone is still waiting for me, I dare not die or go crazy, and that’s why I was able to come back…”

Qing Nuoyan raised her eyes and stared intently at Ying, her face reflected in her eyes. "I want to live for someone. I never want to die for someone again."

The fluorescent light was reflected deep within his pupils.

Qing Nuoyan noticed that Ying's eyes moved, as if something crystalline was dancing within them. She lowered her head, and tears finally streamed down her cheeks and dripped onto the floor.

"I'm sorry... I made you cry."

"...You..." Ying paused, her voice choked with emotion, "...all you can say is 'I'm sorry'?"

"Then... thank you... thank you for waiting for me, thank you for crying for me."

The rain in late spring was drizzling.

half an hour.

"Fool."

Ying raised her head and smiled. The bright firelight reflected in her tear stains. Her smile carried a bright sadness, just like the light rain of late spring outside the window. "Idiot."

Qing Nuoyan's eyes widened slightly as he realized that his collar was being pulled. Miss Ying's face was very close to his, their breaths mingling, and her cool lips touched his warm skin.

It felt like eternity.

The rain of late spring is drizzling, but after tonight, it will be the height of summer.

-

PS1: The opening paragraph is taken from the original text of Genshin Impact.

PS2: A new timeline has been announced! To reiterate, the timeline and settings have been significantly adjusted compared to the original work, and the characters can be considered completely different.

Three thousand years ago, an unnamed girl from Mondstadt — three thousand to two thousand four hundred years ago, a floating house in Liyue — two thousand four hundred years ago, a boy from Sumeru — ? — one thousand years ago to the first half of five hundred years ago, the sword of the end of light in Kanria — the young wolf of Mondstadt — the second half of five hundred years ago to the present (after the destruction of Kanria), Qingye Thunder — Qingye Wind Whisper — Qingnuo Rock.

PS3: Next, I'll talk about my plans for the future.

After Liyue, I will write the next part of Inazuma.

Incidentally, it's necessary to explain the past with Ying and others, but this time the writing method is not to proceed with two timelines simultaneously. The End of Light Sword died completely, and did not leave behind any promises or filth, so Qing Nuoyan does not need to complete it.

Oh... The only promise we made was to travel in Teyvat.

The second part of Inazuma is Kiyono Iwa's own story.

The entire story of Canria may be presented as a side story after the series concludes.

After finishing the second part of Inazuma, the next chapter will be Sumeru. Some of the foreshadowing for Sumeru has already been laid in Liyue, so I have a good idea of ​​how to write it. Then I will prepare to write the final chapter. I don't plan to write a very long book. I estimate the word count will be around 700,000 words, with a fluctuation of 100,000 words.

This book is more than half finished, and most of the plot holes have been filled, as you can see from the timeline. Only one question mark remains.

Chapter 113 The Collapse of the Nation and the Lady, Liya and Ying 2.5

"Hello."

—The puppet named "The Collapse of the Nation" is so authentic.

He calmly gazed at his colleague in front of him.

Why did you come?

【Miss】

Guo Beng disliked women, or rather, there were few people in the world he didn't dislike. Similarly, he disliked the executor sent to Inazuma City because he knew that this would hinder his plans.

He had no intention of building the Evil Eye Factory in Inazuma—this was a strange obsession of his.

The Evil Eye experiment would bring new contamination. That old man died while purifying filth. Although Guobang disliked Inazuma, he did not want to taint the old man's death in this way.