After bringing Yae Miko home, Lu Chen finally let out a sigh of relief. A glance at the clock told him it was already 2 p.m.
Qiqi was still obediently sitting on the sofa watching TV. When she saw Lu Chen and Raiden Ei return with a stranger, she politely greeted them.
"Are you a guest... Hello..."
"We're not guests! Hello, cutie~"
Yae Miko strode into the living room like she owned the place, rubbing her smooth chin as she looked around Lu Chen's four-bedroom apartment.
"This is your home in this world?"
"Yeah." Lu Chen headed into the kitchen to boil some water for tea.
Yae Miko took in her surroundings, clicking her tongue in disbelief. "How shabby. Has the former top fighter of Inazuma really fallen this far?"
Raiden Ei explained helplessly, "Chen lives as an ordinary person here. Naturally, he doesn't have anything like the Tenshukaku mansion."
Hearing this, Yae Miko shot a playful glance at Ei and smirked.
Mimicking Ei's tone, she called sweetly toward the kitchen, "A~ Chen~"
Lu Chen rolled his eyes at her. She was clearly enjoying herself, grinning like the fox she was.
"Haven't heard that name in forever!" Yae Miko remembered that Lu Chen, Makoto, and Ei had been childhood friends. "A-Chen" was something only used in private, usually by Makoto. It was rare for Ei to call him that intimately.
Seeing their reactions only made it more fun for her. And she wasn't about to stop.
Her eyes took on a teasing glimmer, and her voice turned soft and pitiful. "A~ Chen~, you're so cold now. You used to be so gentle when you held me. Have you forgotten already? What a heartless man you are~"
Lu Chen's hand trembled as he held the kettle.
"Shin! Ko!" Raiden Ei's cheeks turned pink.
"Ah! You're blushing?" Yae Miko's eyes sparkled. "Something happened, didn't it? C'mon, spill it—what naughty things did you two get up to while I was gone?"
"Miko..." Raiden Ei didn't know where to start.
Lu Chen stared at the woman sitting on the sofa, every smile and gesture exuding charm, and sighed at how quickly time had passed...
Where had that clumsy little fox gone? The one everyone used to cradle in their arms?
Back then, Miko had been just a young fox. In winter, she'd dive headfirst into the snow looking for food, her big, wobbly tail sticking out like sea grass. She was so adorably silly, it made everyone laugh.
It was her recklessness and cuteness that made the Raiden sisters choose her as their companion.
Not that she was particularly powerful then—she hadn't even taken human form. She'd just curl up in someone's arms or drape herself over their shoulders like a warm, fluffy charm.
Lu Chen especially loved teasing her. He'd snatch her away from Makoto and Ei, lift her high into the air...
And always joke, "Hurry up and transform! Turn into a beautiful fox girl!"
Well, she'd transformed all right—but instead of a cutesy girl, she became a fox-eared stunner with long, white legs...
Not bad either.
Once the water was ready, Lu Chen brought over a pot of black tea and set it on the table.
"Guuji Yae, my humble home has little to offer. I hope you won't mind."
His words were polite, but his tone was anything but warm.
Yae Miko picked up the teacup with graceful ease, smiling as she brought it to her lips.
She blew gently on the steam, but didn't drink. "So? Are you going to explain what's going on?"
Lu Chen laid everything out—the "Reality Teyvat System," how Raiden Ei had arrived, Venti's beachside performance, the Cryo Hypostasis, and Qiqi.
Yae Miko's curiosity was completely piqued.
"What? This is way more interesting than the formulaic novels Yae Publishing House has been churning out lately!"
Lu Chen shrugged. Honestly, everything that had happened could fill a book. For someone like Yae Miko, who thrived on new and quirky ideas, it'd make great light novel material.
"This must be Qiqi." She looked over at the silent girl who'd been staring at them the whole time and gave a little wave.
Qiqi blinked.
"So the Anemo Archon from Mondstadt is here too?" Yae Miko looked around. "Where is he? I've heard he's quite the character."
"He's..." Lu Chen paused mid-sentence.
Wait a second—he'd forgotten something really important...
He counted the number of people in the room. Actually, there wasn't much to count—just four.
"We left Venti at the con!!"
Both Raiden Ei and Lu Chen shot to their feet, looking equally embarrassed. They'd gotten so caught up with Miko that they'd completely forgotten about him.
Once she heard what had happened, Yae Miko laughed until her eyes turned into crescents.
"He should be able to find his way back..." Lu Chen said to comfort himself. "As long as he can follow the scent of the wind..."
"But still... it doesn't feel right," Raiden Ei said, clearly concerned for Venti's feelings.
"Hmm..."
As they debated whether to go back and look for him, the door opened.
Venti stepped into the living room, face full of resentment, carrying several paper bags.
"Ven—" Lu Chen felt a little guilty, so he quickly changed his tone. "Dear Lord Barbatos, it seems we may have made a tiny mistake."
"So you just left me at the con?" Venti tossed the bags into Lu Chen's arms.
Lu Chen peeked inside—they were full of con merchandise.
"What's all this...?"
"Official freebies," Venti grumbled. "I got mistaken for some anime character and was swarmed by fans. The staff gave me this stuff as thanks."
"Venti's a celebrity now." Lu Chen laughed awkwardly.
"Save it!" Venti glared. "Got yourself a new favorite and tossed the old one aside, huh? You heartless scumbag!"
"Totally!" Yae Miko chimed in. "He used to hold me close, but now he acts like we never met. I'm heartbroken, I really am~"
"Don't you start!" Lu Chen tried to shift the heat. "This is all your fault!"
"You're so mean..." Yae Miko's eyes welled up with fake tears.
Lu Chen was done with her dramatics. He flashed a guilty smile at Venti and tried to buy him off with unlimited drinks while shooting Yae Miko a look of pure disdain.
"Hmph!" Venti slammed the door shut. "If your powers were back, I would've blown you off the balcony with a single flick!"
Lu Chen nodded like his life depended on it.
"And don't think unlimited drinks at the bar will cut it—this isn't over!" Venti grumbled, thinking about all the people who wanted him in a dress at the convention.
"You're gonna pay big time!" He scowled. "Not just bar drinks—I want nightclub drinks. Full venue. All you can drink. You know what I mean!"
Lu Chen thought about it. So basically... tonight's bill was on him?
After the door closed, Lu Chen flopped back onto the sofa. Raiden Ei looked just as defeated.
But Yae Miko stared straight at him with an odd gleam in her eyes.
"What is it? Feeling guilty and want to buy me a drink too?"
"Huh?"
"Well? Say something," Lu Chen said, puzzled.
Yae Miko kept staring. After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"He said your powers aren't back? So you're weak now?"
For some reason, Lu Chen suddenly had a bad feeling. But he still nodded honestly.
"Yeah, so wha—"
Before he could finish, Yae Miko lunged at him with a crazed, giddy grin.
"What goes around comes around! It's finally my turn to bully you!!"
Lu Chen jumped in shock. "WHAT THE—?!"