He changed Tiwat

Ke Qing, however, was filled with suspicion. Han Fulai and Ning Guang, those two, were practically cunning, yet they were now saying they didn't know how to deal with the counterfeit money incident? I don't believe it! Mr. Han definitely has his methods. As for what Ning Guang is up to, humph, I'm not so easily fooled!

Of course, Keqing would never say these words aloud.

Ningguang glanced at Keqing and Han Fulai, and seeing that neither of them spoke, she knew that discussing this matter today would not yield any results, so she changed the subject to the Qingxupu Ruins.

After Han Fulai earnestly explained himself, Ningguang didn't criticize his actions, only slightly annoyed that his methods were a bit too rough, and then let the matter drop. Han Fulai established his dominant position in the "willing to take the bait" plan, and with Ningguang expressing her full support, the meeting achieved a satisfactory and harmonious result.

"Let's call it a day. As for the forgery of Mora... I've already ordered my men to investigate. We should have results in a few days, and then I'll invite you both to discuss it further." Ningguang concluded the meeting with these words, and Keqing had no objections.

With his official business completed, Han Fulai breathed a sigh of relief and began to think about how to learn recipes from Xiangling later.

At this moment, Ningguang suddenly asked, "Xiao Han, how long has it been since you took a vacation?"

Han Fulai was stunned for a moment before realizing that he had been working overtime for a long time.

He was supposed to have a holiday after returning from his business trip to Mount Aozang, but he was unexpectedly pulled into a business trip by Gan Yu... or rather, by Uncle Tian.

From the Seven Star Selection to resolving the Qingxu Pool Ruins issue, he spent five days running back and forth. He had only been back in Liyue Harbor for a day when he encountered the forgery of Mora... With so many things happening at once, he completely forgot about his "vacation"—overtime work is truly terrifying! He had gotten so used to working overtime that he had completely forgotten that there was such a thing as a "vacation" in this world!

The profession of secretary is inherently unique; working hours are basically determined entirely by the boss's needs, with no concept of weekends off. Furthermore, in addition to administrative tasks, he also serves as Gan Yu's personal secretary and Ke Qing's exclusive secretary, making overtime a constant...

"To be honest... it's been a long time since I've had a proper rest," Han Fulai said with a wry smile.

Ningguang shook her head and sighed, "Ah, Xiao Han, you need to take care of yourself too... I heard that the injuries you sustained in the Battle of Ba Che haven't healed yet."

"Thank you for your concern, Sister Ningguang. I will be careful." Sensing Ningguang's worry, Han Fulai quickly responded.

“Mr. Han, you’ve been working hard lately. How about this, I’ll give you two days of paid leave so you can rest and recuperate,” Ke Qing said.

Speaking of which, Ke Qing's decision to temporarily assign him as her personal secretary meant she would have to pay him an extra salary—thinking about it that way, perhaps she could repay Qing Chen Ge Hu's "loan" of tens of millions of Mora even sooner.

This could be considered a reward for working overtime... Han Fulai found joy in the midst of hardship and quickly thanked Ke Qing.

At this moment, Shi Qing coughed again: "Ahem, Mr. Han, if you're free tomorrow..."

Keqing was interrupted by Ningguang before she could finish speaking.

"If you're free tomorrow, why don't you spend the day with me? Xiao Han, it's been a long time since my brother and I have gotten together privately. I happen to be free tomorrow, so how about..."

"...But we haven't really gotten together privately before, have we?" Han Fulai wondered. But since Ningguang had taken the initiative to invite him, he couldn't refuse. Besides, he wanted to find out Ningguang's plans anyway, and this was a rare opportunity, so he had no choice but to accept the invitation.

Thinking of this, Han Fulai nodded, "Let's do as Sister Ningguang says."

"Alright, let's meet at Qunyu Pavilion tomorrow morning."

After Han Fulai took his leave, only the two women remained in the study.

Ningguang smiled and glanced at Keqing.

"Keqing, even though Xiao Han is 'your person,' you won't be angry if I borrow him for a day, will you?"

This woman is clearly trying to provoke me because of the argument we just had! With a "click," Ke Qing's fist hardened once again.

"Hmph. His rest time is, of course, up to him."

Ke Qing tossed her pigtails with feigned nonchalance and glared at Ning Guang.

Wine-red eyes met smiling eyes with purplish-red pupils, their gazes colliding in the air and sparking invisible flames.

Ningguang made a new discovery—she discovered that the gaze of someone who wants to kill cannot be hidden.

Chapter 52 Basic Operations of a Personal Assistant

Yan Fei had previously given Han Fulai a difficult task, asking him to make a non-spicy "boiled black-backed bass" as a thank you gift for helping investigate Ye Lan.

After leaving Qunyu Pavilion, Han Fulai rushed to Wanmin Hall where Xiangling was.

When it comes to cooking "boiled blackback bass," no one in Liyue can rival Xiangling. After all, it was Xiangling who ingeniously improved this Liyue home-style dish, "boiled blackback bass," into the famous Wanmintang signature dish, "Wanmintang Boiled Fish."

Speaking of "boiled fish," Han Fulai had eaten it before when he was in China. It's a famous Sichuan and Chongqing dish, known for its spicy and fragrant flavor. But now Yan Fei specifically requested that no chili peppers be added... Is boiled fish without chili peppers still boiled fish?

Han Fulai had seen Wanmintang's signature dish, "Wanmintang Boiled Fish," before. Even when Xiangling herself made it, the fish soup was so red it looked like it was on fire, clearly spicier than regular boiled fish. Even Xiangling would have a hard time making boiled fish that was delicious without chili peppers, right?

But since it was Yan Fei who challenged him, Han Fulai wasn't going to admit defeat. As Gan Yu's personal secretary, he also had the pride of being "Liu Yun's designated caretaker"... no, he also had the pride of being a "personal secretary".

When he arrived at Wanmintang and explained his purpose, Xiangling's reaction was—

"Hehe, Mr. Han, you've come to the right person. We Liyue people can handle spicy food, but those merchants from Mondstadt and Fontaine generally avoid spicy dishes. They often request that no chili peppers be added to the dishes. Do you think I'd ruin my reputation just because my customers can't handle spicy food? No way! Our Wanmintang's goal is to make dishes that satisfy all our customers. I've even made non-spicy boiled fish!"

Xiangling waved and beckoned Han Fulai into the kitchen.

"Mr. Han, please come with me!"

Han Fulai gazed at Xiangling's figure, feeling that she was incredibly imposing at that moment. He seemed to see a blue dragon coiled around Xiangling's arm, and a bright red "Special" character radiating boundless light!

"Truly worthy of being called 'Little Chef of Liyue'!" Han Fulai secretly praised, then followed Xiangling into the kitchen.

Xiangling came to the table and picked out a plump black-backed sea bass, placing it on the cutting board. She tightened the red silk sash around her waist, took a deep breath, and looked like a martial arts master secretly circulating her inner energy.

In an instant, Xiangling's eyes gleamed, and the cleaver standing before the cutting board was already in her hand. Xiangling wielded the cleaver with lightning speed, and in a flash, the head and tail of the sea bass were removed, as effortlessly as a hot knife through butter. Not only that, but with each swift stroke of the cleaver, each cut seemed to leave only shallow marks on the fish's body; before anyone could see, a complete fish skeleton had been removed by Xiangling!

Xiangling picked up the fish body, and Han Fulai was shocked to see that the fish body had been cut into thin slices less than one centimeter wide, yet each slice was connected and never broke!

With just a touch of the fish's body, Xiangling had already pinpointed the location of every single bone. Every movement of her cleaver followed the veins of the bones, allowing her to slice the fish meat into continuous pieces without damaging the bones in the slightest!

Is this the legendary "Butcher Ding's Skill in Carving an Ox"? If he weren't still in a position of seeking knowledge, Han Fulai would have wanted to applaud loudly.

Noticing Han Fulai's eager gaze, Xiangling smiled shyly and picked up a small bowl to put the fish in.

"Mr. Han, please remember, the first step in making 'non-spicy boiled fish' is to marinate the fish. Beat the egg whites, coat them with cornstarch, add cooking wine, salt and pepper, then add the fish fillets, mix well and marinate for ten minutes."

That evening, Yan Fei and Shen He ate the best "boiled black-backed bass" dish they had ever had in their lives at home.

Unlike those bright red "boiled black-backed bass" dishes garnished with extra chili peppers, this dish features a fish broth as white and delicate as tofu, a favorite of Yan Fei. The broth is made by stir-frying powdered fish in a glass bag with hot oil, releasing an irresistible aroma as soon as it comes out of the pan, making one's throat tighten.

The fish skin and tail are pan-fried until golden brown on both sides, crackling with every bite. The cooked fish fillets are firm and plump, fresh and flavorful. They have the aroma of chili peppers, but without any spiciness.

Yan Fei felt the fish slices swirling between her lips and tongue, so tender and smooth they seemed ready to slip away at any moment. Swallowing them left her mouth feeling empty, making her want to quickly eat another slice.

"Mr. Han, how did you make such delicious boiled fish?"

Even though Yan Fei was deliberately trying to make things difficult for Han Fulai, she had to admit that the boiled fish Han Fulai made was far more delicious than she had imagined.

In response, Han Fulai humbly replied, "As a secretary, this is just basic operation."

The next morning, Han Fulai changed into Liyue's everyday clothes and went up to Qunyu Pavilion early.

Upon entering the Qunyu Pavilion, he saw Bai Shi, the secretary who wore glasses and had a high ponytail.

If someone were to ask Han Fulai which of Ningguang's three private secretaries left the deepest impression on him, it would undoubtedly be Miss Baishi.

One reason is that when Han Fulai first became Gan Yu's personal secretary, he wasn't very familiar with taking care of Gan Yu's daily life. Miss Bai Shi, as Ning Guang's personal secretary, had taught him a lot of experience.

As for the second reason...

"A purple silk bodice with gold phoenix thread, a gossamer-feather gauze skirt...hehe..."

"Hello," Han Fulai called softly, but Bai Shi, with his back to him, did not respond.

"...Although she always appears dashing in public, only I know the image of her back when she changes clothes, the jade-like back when she emerges from the bath. Ningguang's bare back is the most precious thing in Liyue...hehe..."

"Um... are you alright?" Han Fulai asked again, but Bai Shi still didn't respond.

"Hehe...so what perfume should I pair it with..."

Han Fulai simply patted Bai Shi on the shoulder.

"Hey? Deputy Minister Han, where did you come from?"

Bai Shi was clearly startled.

"Um, you... drool..." Han Fulai awkwardly wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand.

Bai Shi quickly turned his back to tidy his appearance, and when he turned back, he had put on a businesslike expression.

"I was just... well... I was mentally selecting outfits for Lady Ningguang! You know, Lady Ningguang is incredibly busy, so she certainly can't waste her great wisdom on such mundane things as choosing clothes... and that's my inescapable duty as her secretary!"

“Ahem, I understand… Miss Baishi, please continue, I won’t disturb you any longer…” After Han Fu finished speaking, he prepared to go into Qunyu Pavilion to find Ningguang.

But Bai Shi stopped him.

"Deputy Minister Han, as you know, Lady Ningguang, as a member of the Liyue Seven Stars, is constantly under the spotlight. Maintaining her perfect image at all times is of paramount importance. My job is to be Lady Ningguang's most reliable support, upholding her image and relieving her of any worries. For example, arranging her schedule..."

"Hmm..." Han Fulai nodded blankly.

Bai Shi was talking about the daily work of a personal secretary. Han Fulai had also arranged schedules for Gan Yu and Ke Qing.

"And choosing clothes... personally helping her change and applying perfume..." Bai Shi's eyes seemed to be shining.

"Ahem... Miss Baishi?" Seeing that Baishi was getting more and more engrossed in her speech, Han Fulai quickly interrupted her.

"Ah, I just wanted to emphasize how important this work is!" Bai Shi looked away.

"Hmm, I understand, so...?" Han Fulai tilted his head. What did this have to do with him?

Bai Shi's expression suddenly turned serious, even carrying a hint of murderous intent.

"...So, I'm entrusting Lady Ningguang to your care today, Vice Minister Han."

Chapter 53 I'm Not Ningguang's Son-in-Law

You're leaving Ningguang in my care? Wait, I'm just here to keep an appointment, have some tea and chat, what do you need me to take care of?

Han Fulai was completely bewildered.

"Well, there's one more thing, please make sure Vice Minister Han remembers it." Bai Shi said, emphasizing his words, and suddenly grabbed Han Fulai's shoulders with both hands.

Han Fulai suddenly felt an extremely heavy pressure on his shoulders, a pressure in the physical sense.

"I know your relationship with Lady Ningguang is special... but! You need to restrain yourself and not cross the line!"

Bai Shi's expression was quite serious, with a strong warning in it. However, Han Fulai had even more questions in his mind.

Miss Baishi, something feels off about what you're saying... What constraints or boundaries? My relationship with Ningguang isn't what you think! Or is it that your relationship with Ningguang isn't quite right?

Han Fulai was internally ranting and raving.

Bai Shi withdrew his hand from Han Fulai's shoulder, adjusted his glasses, coughed lightly, and his expression returned to its usual businesslike demeanor.

Han Fulai's lips twitched... It was precisely because of Bai Shi's ability to seamlessly switch between normal and fanatical states that he had such a deep impression of Bai Shi...

Bai Shi took out a small notebook from his person and solemnly handed it to Han Fulai.

Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi each have their own specialties. Before they joined the Eight Gates as executive secretaries, they each had different jobs working for Ningguang. Baishi was mainly responsible for taking care of Ningguang's daily life and arranging her schedule. Even though they are no longer by Ningguang's side all the time, Baishi still keeps track of Ningguang's schedule.

"This is Lady Ningguang's recent work plan. There are 133 things that haven't been scheduled yet, of which 17 are important..."

"Wait... With so many things going on, does Ningguang really have time to take a vacation?" Han Fulai looked at the booklet in front of him and fell into deep thought.

"This is already a summary I've prepared beforehand, but due to time constraints, I couldn't go into more detail. I've written the important points on the first few pages." Bai Shi guided Han Fu to open the booklet and gave him a detailed introduction.

"First, there will be a regular meeting with the heads of the Liyue Eight Gates, followed by a consultation on the tax law revision. Then, there will be discussions with Lady Keqing regarding land transaction deadlines, and attending inquiry meetings with various merchant guilds. Next is..."

"Wait a minute," Han Fulai quickly interrupted Bai Shi's narration, "This isn't something that can be done in a day, is it?"

Bai Shi replied, "Of course not. This schedule only includes tasks for the near future. It's usually selected from Ningguang's wishes to make up today's schedule. Considering traffic efficiency and possible unforeseen circumstances..."

"Wait a moment." Han Fulai interrupted Bai Shi again. "When Lord Ningguang made an appointment with me yesterday, she didn't tell me that there were so many things to deal with."

"So, Vice Minister Han, you should know now—Lady Ningguang has put everything aside to make an appointment with you..." Bai Shi realized he had misspoke and quickly coughed to cover it up.

"Ahem, please pretend you didn't hear what I just said. Anyway, if anything unexpected happens, it would be best if you could handle it. Many things require extensive relevant experience to come up with a useful contingency plan, and I have considerable confidence in your abilities in this regard..."

Han Fulai reached out and shoved the schedule back to Bai Shi, who was still chattering away and was momentarily stunned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know Lady Ningguang was so busy. Please tell her to meet again when she has time. I'll take my leave now." Han Fu said, then turned and left.

Just kidding, he's here on vacation today, not to fill in for Bai Shi!

"Ah, don't go!" Seeing Han Fulai about to leave, Bai Shi panicked and quickly grabbed him.

Han Fulai looked at her coldly.

“…Deputy Minister Han, I’m sorry.” Bai Shi bowed his head deeply and held the schedule high above his head.

"Lady Ningguang actually did set aside a day specifically for you... but I'm worried that she'll be too overworked afterward to make up for today's workload, so I wanted to ask for your help... It was my fault, please forgive me!"

"Sigh." Han Fulai sighed softly; he knew that was how it was.

If Ningguang really wanted to borrow him to help out for a few days, she could just follow the procedures with Yuehaiting. His face isn't like that of a little nun; if Keqing can touch it, so can Ningguang.

Bai Shi deliberately stopped him outside Qunyu Pavilion, asking him to take care of Ning Guang for a day, and then so deliberately showed him Ning Guang's schedule. In reality, it was Bai Shi's own selfish motive. She wanted Han Fulai to help Ning Guang handle the to-do items that were originally scheduled for today, so that Ning Guang wouldn't have to work too hard to make up for missed schedules in the future.

To be honest, she was thinking of Ningguang's sake, and it was a good intention. If it was just a small favor, Han Fulai wouldn't mind helping out.

It's like a female colleague asking a male colleague to pick up a package or get a water bottle on her way home, or wanting to switch shifts. If you say something nice and ask politely, most people will help, and it's a good thing. But if you feel that someone is obligated to help you, then sorry, they really aren't obligated to serve you.

As a former office worker, Han Fulai was used to this kind of thing in the workplace.