He changed Tiwat

His brows had relaxed, no longer showing signs of pain, and his breathing was now steady.

Hearing the sound of his breathing, Ke Qing smiled again.

She reached out and touched his lips.

"You know what? We just...kissed!"

Ke Qing knew he couldn't hear her.

She was just saying it to herself.

In fact, Keqing has been living a very tense life these past few days. There's the flooding of the Azure River, the mischief of the Pure Water Spirit, all sorts of conspiracies and schemes, and just now she even had a life-or-death battle with a Seven Star... To be honest, Keqing is already very tired.

The crisis brought by the Pure Water Spirit has been resolved, the mastermind behind the scheme has been brought to justice, and Shen He is now in charge of the Guiliyuan Dam, so theoretically there shouldn't be any further problems for the time being. Moreover, Han Fulai's injuries seem to have stabilized. As a demigod, his recovery ability is actually quite astonishing. Let him rest for a while, and he will most likely regain his mobility when he wakes up.

At least for now, they have done what they were supposed to do.

—So let's just call it a "lunch break." It's only for a short while, so it should be okay, right? Ke Qing thought to herself.

It's not midday, and Ke Qing doesn't usually take a midday nap. In fact, if her subordinate's secretary asks to take a nap, Ke Qing's usual reply would be: "I don't usually take midday naps, but if you're tired, go and rest. I'll wake you up in three minutes."

But this time, Ke Qing herself wanted a few more "three minutes".

This brief moment of peace after the great battle was precious to her, especially this time when it was just the two of them together.

Even just looking at his face quietly is enough to make me feel satisfied.

Perhaps this sense of peace is what made me fall in love with him?

Ke Qing was always busy, never had a moment to rest—because there were always so many things she needed to do, so many things she needed to change herself.

She wasn't actually a natural workaholic; she just had an overly strong sense of responsibility and wanted to do everything perfectly.

Only when she accomplishes what she wants to do will the weight on her heart be lifted, and will she find a moment of peace.

All she wanted was peace of mind.

But now he's here. With him here, she feels at ease.

"Yesterday's experiences will become tomorrow's strength." — Ke Qing firmly believed in this principle.

In just six months, Keqing experienced and changed a lot.

All of this is the result of traveling with him.

I feel I've benefited immensely from walking this path with you. If one day I truly reach my ideal destination... will you still be by my side?

Ke Qing asked him in her heart.

She didn't actually need his answer, because she already had the answer.

The lake was calm and still, just like Ke Qing's state of mind at that moment.

Although there are no birdsong here, there is the fragrance of flowers, and I am accompanied by my beloved.

Spring brings a hundred flowers, autumn a bright moon, summer a cool breeze, and winter snow.

If there is nothing to worry about, it is a good time in the world.

Ke Qing lowered her eyes, and after a moment, she could hear soft breathing.

Hearing Ke Qing's breathing, Han Fulai quietly opened his eyes a crack.

He moved his head slightly, but Ke Qing did not react.

“…Ah Qing?” he called softly.

Ke Qing still did not react.

Han Fulai let out a soft breath, unsure of why he felt like a thief.

He was actually unconscious for only a short time, maybe five minutes or so. He woke up when Ke Qing carried him ashore and took off his clothes to bandage him. Ke Qing didn't have much experience bandaging people, and her technique was quite clumsy. Han Fulai felt like his ribs were almost broken.

But with Ke Qing holding him like that, Han Fulai felt that waking up like that would be a bit awkward, so he simply pretended to be asleep.

Once the act started, there was no chance to wake up again, and it was hard to tell whether it was enjoyment or torture. While feeling Ke Qing's tenderness and listening to her whispers, even with Han Fulai's excellent expression control, he had a hard time keeping his emotions in check.

He had no idea what Keqing had done in the water, but now he did.

Well, if you ask him if he likes Ke Qing, of course he does; if you ask him if he's willing to accept this relationship, he is.

He also knew that this world was different from the world he had traveled to before.

Different social existences create different social consciousness, and different social systems create different social morality.

In short, he knew that in the old world, kissing other girls while having a girlfriend would be a public spectacle, trending online and condemning him for violating male virtues, even to the point of being denied CPR if he drowned. But in Teyvat, as long as it's consensual, virtually no monsters or demons would interfere in other people's relationships.

However, Han Fulai still didn't dare to accept Ke Qing's feelings directly—even though the atmosphere was actually quite good just now.

He wasn't some born saint who could remain unmoved by temptation; he was simply educated in the old society for over twenty years and still couldn't get over his inner hurdle.

As modern men, the less power and influence they have, the higher the standards and stricter the requirements for their morals must be. Let alone kissing or flirting with other girls, even glancing at another girl on the street will be condemned as "male gaze." Conversely, women, as a "vulnerable group," have unlimited rights to choose their partners in romantic relationships.

Even though he knew he hadn't actually done anything to wrong anyone, a sense of guilt about doing something wrong still prevented him from taking any further action.

This can be attributed to inertia, right?

Han Fulai thought to himself, then raised his hand to cover his face and sighed, "Am I a man burdened with sin?"

He was just talking to himself when another voice answered him—"Ha, you're quite self-aware."

Chapter 414 They walked together to a certain intersection

Han Fulai suddenly sat up.

The white-haired beauty before him wore a playful smile, her wine-red eyes darting back and forth between him and Keqing, as if she were watching a good show. Who else could it be but Ningguang?

“Ningguang… my lady.” Han Fulai straightened his back, shifting his body as if to protect Keqing behind him, and asked, “May I ask why you have come here?”

Ningguang watched his movements, a hint of inexplicable sadness in her eyes.

She tilted her head slightly and said, "Put your clothes on first."

The white robe Han Fulai was wearing before had been torn and stained with blood during the battle, and was in a terrible state. In addition, Ke Qing had to bandage him, so the wet clothes had naturally been taken off and thrown aside. He was actually shirtless, with only a few bandages covering his body.

Judging by appearance alone, Han Fulai's physique is not bad. Although he doesn't have well-defined muscles, his lines are still well-proportioned and strong. After all, he has been modified by immortal power and the remnants of demons. After undergoing the transformation of his body and marrow, he has also had some "shaping" effect. At least girls won't find him too fat or too thin.

Even so, he couldn't talk to Ningguang shirtless. So he obediently took a spare set of clothes from his storage space.

As for the spare clothes he brought, the nice one was ruined, the work clothes from the construction site were still in the camp, so all that was left was the blue uniform from Yuehaiting that he usually wore.

Han Fulai changed into his uniform and stood up.

He was certainly free to get up.

In fact, the reason he was able to wake up so quickly was not solely due to his physical condition.

While battling the remnant soul of the Salt God within the Salt Sorrow Spear, he triggered the contract mark between his soul and Gan Yu. Naturally, his contractor, Gan Yu, sent him the "Heavenly Flower of Descending Masses".

If you were to remove the bandages and examine his wound, you would find that the wound beneath the bandages had already begun to heal and was even faintly glowing green. This was naturally the effect of Gan Yu's Qilin bloodline secret technique. Without the corrosive influence of the remnant soul of the Salt God, even a penetrating wound that pierced through the chest would only be a simple flesh wound, and Gan Yu's secret technique would certainly be able to heal it without any problem.

For Han Fulai, Gan Yu was practically his biggest "cheat code." With Gan Yu around, it was like he had an extra life, the kind that was immune to health issues.

After Han Fulai finished dressing, the first thing he asked about Ningguang's situation at Guiliyuan was: "With Lord Ningguang here, isn't there no one in charge of the affairs of the Guiliyuan dike?"

He and Keqing came here to seal the pure water spirit that destroyed the dam, not to be amateur adventurers. Ningguang should still be in charge of Guili Plain, as Guili Plain must have a seven-star level figure in charge of the work.

Ke Qing was able to lie down and rest with him by the lake without feeling guilty because she believed that Ning Guang would not leave Gui Li Yuan. Even if there were any other schemes later, that would be something to worry about after the flood.

Ningguang answered calmly, "Miss Ganyu has arrived at Guiliyuan."

—In fact, shortly after Han Fulai and Keqing left Guili Plains, Gan Yu arrived at Guili Plains from Liyue Harbor.

Gan Yu was ostensibly there to confirm the resettlement of the disaster victims in Mingyun Town with Ning Guang. Such a major matter naturally required the coordination of the civil servants of Yuehai Pavilion, and it was impossible to bypass Gan Yu in these matters.

Upon seeing her junior sister activate the "Great Cavern Frost Sky Technique" to erect an ice dam, Gan Yu naturally wanted to inquire about the situation. She then decided to stay on Guili Plain to help with flood control efforts. After all, she was the executive secretary of Yuehai Pavilion and the leader of the Seven Star Government's civil servants; her involvement in Guili Plain's flood control efforts was perfectly legitimate.

Of course, her true purpose in going to Guiliyuan was to counterbalance Ningguang. Although Ningguang had quietly launched the plan to divide Hongmingyun Town to put pressure on Han Fulai, even Gan Yu could not have detected it beforehand, but Gan Yu was not helpless.

Gan Yu knew Ningguang's intentions behind her actions, so after handling the affairs in Liyue Harbor, she rushed to Guili Plains as quickly as possible. If Han Fulai and Keqing couldn't withstand the pressure, Gan Yu would help them—the resettlement of residents couldn't be done without the cooperation of civil servants, and Gan Yu had a hundred ways to cause unforeseen problems in the resettlement work, thereby hindering the implementation of the flood diversion in Mingyun Town.

"Now that Gan Yu is in charge of Guili Plain, you can rest assured. So, come with me for a while."

Ningguang said this, then turned her back and walked forward.

After a moment's thought, Han Fulai felt that since Gan Yu was there, everything was fine. However, he was unsure of Ning Guang's purpose in coming here, so he followed her.

The two walked along the lake shore for a while, and when they were several dozen meters away from Keqing, Ningguang stopped.

She was silent for a moment, then said, "You shouldn't have come."

These five words were like a key, a password, that suddenly unlocked Han Fulai's memories.

Han Fulai recalled that on New Year's Day this year, on the night of the "Invitation to Immortals Ceremony," he, who had just taken office as the Vice Minister of Yuehaiting, also wore this Yuehaiting uniform to Qunyuge. And the first words Ningguang said to him at Qunyuge that day were these five words.

It was on that day that Ningguang, the woman in front of him, led the still-naive young man into the "reflection realm of the Seven Rulers of the Mortal World".

Several months later, on the eve of the Battle of Ba Che, Ning Guang said those words to him again.

This is the third time.

He knew what Ningguang meant by those words.

Ningguang was referring to his choice.

He came here because he chose a path that was the opposite of Ningguang's.

The Rouran were able to lay those traps against him because of his choice.

So Ningguang came here to confirm his fate? Or perhaps to... finish him off?

But no matter what Ningguang's purpose was, his answer was always the same.

So he gave that answer again: "But I still came."

Ningguang shook her head and said, "I shouldn't have come either."

Han Fulai remained silent. Logically speaking, Ningguang shouldn't have come.

The Rouran set a trap to kill him. Regardless of the success or failure, as long as Ningguang didn't come, this matter would appear to have nothing to do with her. Han Fulai's assumption that this matter was related to Ningguang was merely based on Ningguang's style of doing things; such speculation could not be used as evidence. Moreover, now that the Rouran were dead, there was no way to verify the facts. On the contrary, as long as Ningguang remained in Guili Plain, she could investigate this matter as an outsider, creating various obstacles for Han Fulai.

Her presence here meant giving up this advantage, yet she gained nothing in return; it was clearly not worth it.

So she really shouldn't have come, she really shouldn't have come.

So why did she come?

Ningguang looked at Han Fulai and slowly said, "If I said I came to save you, would you believe me?"

Chapter 415 Enemy or Friend, Neither Has Freedom [4k]

In response to Ningguang's question, Han Fu replied with two words.

He said, "I believe it."

It was just two words, and Han Fulai said them without any hesitation.

Ningguang's face lit up with a bright smile, as if a glass lily were blooming amidst an incomparably clear and beautiful song.

That smile was fleeting, like a flash in the pan.

Ningguang nodded slightly, as if to say "thank you".

The night-blooming jasmine blossoms on the branches, heralding a unique spring; sitting here, I feel the wind and dew as the morning dawns.

Let the bright moon shine upon me, I conceal my tender heart, refusing to turn to anyone.

Perhaps Ningguang, who shouldn't have come here, came just to see if she could hear this answer.

She heard it, so something that wasn't worthwhile became worthwhile.

In the courtyards of wealthy households in Liyue, a flower called "Night-blooming Jasmine" is often planted.

The flowers of the mimosa tree are a delicate pink, scattered like silk threads, resembling tiny velvet fans. When they bloom in early summer, clusters of pink and white stamens hang from the branches, making them very lovely and charming.

Its elegant pinnate compound leaves bloom during the day and then pair up under the moonlight at night, creating a truly unique sight. Planting one at home allows you to enjoy its flowers and leaves, as well as its delicate fragrance, making it an excellent choice for a garden potted plant.

In contrast to the night-blooming jasmine, there is a flower that blooms only under the moonlight, called the glass lily.

Although during the day only its closed buds can be seen in Liyue Harbor, when the moon is high in the sky and all things are asleep, the Glass Lily will open its heart towards the bright moon.

Because only moonlight can shine into the heart of the glass lily.

The legendary Tianquan Ningguang, a cunning and heartless woman, has never been able to fathom the depths of her heart.

"That Ningguang must be plotting something, right?" — This is the thought that always comes to mind when people see her.

She is a female tycoon who shakes the business world, a gentle older sister to children, a socialite at the Yujingtai banquet, and a connoisseur of sweets... She is an enigma that can never be fully understood.