Chapter Text
Keqing was so, so fucking tired.
This week has been an absolute hell for her. Well, not only for her since Ningguang and the rest of the board of directors had their hands full with their own stuff. But her workload had increased to impossible levels. The Qixing Corporation was one of the most prestigious companies in all Teyvat, and their services were requested by the other nations. Their job was so important and the workload so big that there was no place for slackers. Everything was so neatly organized and everyone so coordinated that they could feel the envious gazes from other companies. Keqing took pride in that.
However, once a year it would all turn into a living hell. It always happened when a number of people would go on vacation and the pile of work seemed to grow bigger than they could afford. Meetings everyday, mountains of paperwork, going to hundreds of construction sites to oversee the process and check security measures… It was too much, even for a workaholic like her. Her usual motto of balancing work and personal life was in shambles. She couldn't believe that this thought kept repeating itself inside her head but… she needed a break, and soon. Very soon.
But the worst part is that she had already spent all of her paid vacation days. She should have planned ahead of this, but she didn't expect this year to be worse than the others. Ningguang could probably manage to give her another day off, at least one, but she didn't want to be a bother when they needed all hands on deck at all times, even after this harsh period had passed. No amount of secretaries, or assistants, were able to catch up to her.
Even if she hated not having something productive to do with her time, she knew that keeping up like this was not good for her health. She needed a refreshment, something to light up her mood. But with her packed schedule all she could afford was a late dinner. The thought of some warm shrimp balls was very enticing, just what she needed. So, once she got her bearings and clocked out she started to walk down the street, right into the shopping and restaurants district.
Her tired and pained heels dragged her along the bright streets of Liyue harbor. Even at this hour it was still lively and busy. Families going out for a meal with their kids, couples on a stroll and workers coming home after a long day of work. This sight always made Keqing smile. Since she was little, she enjoyed visiting the capital with her family and watching the bright lights that wouldn’t compare to the other cities. The lights lost a bit of their appeal when she grew up, but she still enjoyed the sights of the city and spending her days off shopping with or without her friends. Seeing the country grow, and participating in it even if it was just a little bit, was the motivation she needed to keep working hard. This is the Liyue that she had grown to love.
However, the fact that all the restaurants were full to the brim left her facing a dilemma. She wanted to relax, and the prospect of spending her dinner with hundreds of voices echoing around her was not appetising right now. One option would be to go back, get her car and drive to the next town, but it would take too much time, and driving in her exhausted condition would be dangerous. She could go home and cook something, but she didn't have any spare time to buy food lately, and all the stores were closed by now. Another option would be some cup noodles from a convenience store, but she's been eating nothing but garbage and watery coffee for two weeks. Her body was practically screaming for a healthy meal, just this once.
Just when she was about to give up and go home, she sees it. The colorful brick wall covered with a display of flowers caught her eye, standing out between the other shops. The establishment looked new, she doesn't remember seeing it in those past times when she went to eat lunch around here. It looked like a cafe, judging by its appearance. The sign said "The Qilin's Prance". Keqing raised a brow at the name, but quickly dismissed any criticisms. She could see from outside that the establishment was empty, but looked clean and neat. She couldn't be too picky, to be honest. Even some simple mora meat would do at this point.
The door chimed when she stepped in, and a floral scent filled her senses. It's like she stepped into a cabin in the woods, with tables made from dark wood and furniture covered with plants. She recognized sweet flowers, Glaze Lillies and (surprisingly, since they are so expensive and rare to find) Qingxin. An empty chimney rests at one corner, surrounded by chairs and a coffee table with a potted plant on it. It's still autumn, and Liyue is not a very cold country, so it might not be able to be used any time soon. However, it complimented very well with the rest of the cafe. If Keqing could describe its mood into a word, it would be homelike.
Sudden steps caught her attention, and a woman with messy, baby blue hair came from a door behind the counter. Maybe Keqing was much more tired than she thought, or maybe it's the ambience of this cafe that was affecting her, but when she looked into the woman's eyes she felt hypnotized by them. It was like she was watching the sunset through two small windows. Or maybe they were more like amethysts, two gems embedded on her fair skin-
"Welcome!", the sweet, soft voice of the woman took Keqing out of her daydreaming trance. Her cheeks reddened when she realized she must have been staring without saying anything, like a weirdo. "Would you like to take a seat, or takeaway?"
Keqing took a good look at her, but this time in a more respectful manner. The waitress (or the owner, since it looked like nobody else was there) was wearing a peculiar outfit, which reminded her of those that were worn in anime and maid cafes, but not quite the same. It was a blue dress that complimented well with the colour of her hair, underneath a black vest with white bows and a red cord wrapped on top. A white apron with blue patterns showed up from underneath, and her sleeves were long and hid her hands, but when she greeted Keqing and clasped them together, the latter noticed she wore black gloves.
Given how tired Keqing was, she considered eating peacefully at her own home rather than here. But she was very far from it, and she would rather eat her food hot or warm than reheated.
"I'd like to eat here, thank you", she said, trying not to sound too exhausted.
The woman (Ganyu, as her name tag said) kindly smiled and gestured to one of the tables. "Of course! I'll bring the menu for you in a moment! Please sit down in the meantime". Her voice was very pleasant and soft to her ears, Keqing thought.
The now customer obediently did as she said and finally rested her legs. There was a pot with a flower on the table, decorated with intricate designs. It depicted some kind of fluffy blue creature with horns, but she couldn't recognize it. She did know, however, what kind of flower was in it. It was a Glaze Lily, known for only blooming at night. Her petals seemed to faintly glow, distinguishable even with how well lit the place was.
"Sorry for the wait, miss! Here it is!", Ganyu's voice once again returned her to the real world, and she looked to her side to see her holding a small, blue plastic card. Keqing took it and started to look at the menu, reading through every description. Most of them were pastries and snacks, but there was a balanced number of other dishes to enjoy for lunch and dinner. However, she noticed something written under the name of the restaurant.
"Are all of these vegan?", she asked.
"Ah! Yes, this is a vegan cafe. We opened not too long ago, so not many people know about it", she looked a bit conflicted now, fidgeting even. "Is- is that okay with you?"
Keqing wanted to slap herself for not noticing that detail before she came in. It was probably written outside as well. To be honest, the businesswoman had never tried vegan food before. She knew they substituted ingredients coming from animals for vegetable ones, which was not a bad thing. And while she was curious about the food, watching this girl make a sad face felt like a crime.
"Not at all. I just never tried this kind of food before. What do you recommend?", she accompanied her words with a smile, hoping that Ganyu would feel more confident.
With a sigh of relief, the woman's lips curved up. "I'm glad! If you want a snack, I really recommend the dried fruit chips and our cookies, I just finished a batch not too long ago! But if you want something to eat, we have vegetable soup, vegetarian abalone and tofu salad."
"Vegetable soup sounds good. I'd like that and some… grape juice."
Ganyu nodded eagerly. "Thank you! Coming right up!", and with a subtle bow she disappeared with the menu behind the door she came through before.
Once she got out of sight Keqing sighed in frustration. She really was not at her best today, acting very weird in front of a stranger (and a pretty one, even!). She should have gone home and saved herself from the embarrassment she was feeling. But since she was in a public place, she needed to keep it together from now on, so she straightened herself on the chair, slapped her cheeks and took a few deep breaths. Even if she was tired, she could still maintain her professionalism.
She heard Ganyu's steps this time. She was holding a metal tray with a steaming bowl of soup and the drink. Although it looked heavy, the woman brought it to the table with unexpected ease and firm hands. Keqing took in the smell of the soup. It's delicious.
"Thank you for your patience! I hope it's to your liking!"
Keqing nodded and smiled as a gesture of thankfulness, and proceeded to try it. After softly blowing on the spoon to cool it a bit, she brought it to her mouth. Archons, it was so good. She could tell that this was a homemade soup, the flavour was delectable. The texture was not too thick, but also not completely watery, and she could probably distinguish all the vegetables Ganyu had used for it. With complete honesty, she could eat this everyday instead of all the take-outs. Even compared to the grape juice, her whole diet was garbage.
Then, she noticed Ganyu still standing there, with an expectant look. And it was just when Keqing glanced at her that the waitress seemed to panic in a blushing mess.
"I'm sorry, miss! I didn't mean to be staring, I should be letting you eat in peace! Please forgive me!"
Before she could turn around and leave, Keqing stopped her.
"It's okay, I don't mind. The soup is delicious, by the way", she took another spoonful to her mouth to prove it. Every time she swallowed it down the warmness of the dish enveloped her, returning some of the energy she had wasted. Ganyu seemed relieved at her response, smiling gratefully.
"Thank you, miss. I really appreciate it!"
The smile seemed to warm Keqing up as much as the soup. After a few seconds, Ganyu excused herself to take care of some business, leaving Keqing alone. Time flew by quietly, the only sounds coming from the clock in the wall and the faint music that played in the background. Sometimes, Keqing’s gaze went to the other person in the room, who was taking notes at the counter and sometimes disappearing behind the door, which must lead to the kitchen. This is nice , she thought. This was exactly what she needed to unwind from those hellish weeks. A relaxing meal with a relaxing atmosphere, surpassing even her own home.
After finishing her dinner, she brought the tray to the counter despite Ganyu's protests. It was the least she could do, aside from paying. When she took out her money, the waitress left a small, plastic bag full of cookies on the counter. Keqing furrowed her brows, curious.
"It's on the house, for being our first customer!", Ganyu clasped her hands as she smiled at her brightly.
"Oh! I-I couldn't possibly accept this without paying-"
"It's okay, really! Consider it as thanks for complimenting my cooking, too."
Keqing sighed, but a smirk quickly followed. "I was only stating what was true. I really enjoyed the food, and I would like to come here again sometime."
The way the waitress opened her eyes and her cheeks flushed pink amused Keqing. "O-of course! Come again soon!", she chimed happily.
Keqing walked out of the cafe after saying her goodbyes. The streets were much emptier now, and some of the shops were closing for the day. When she checked her phone she saw that almost two hours had passed since she got in. She blinked, surprised that she hadn't noticed when she is so scrupulous with her time and schedules. Archons, she really was out of it today.
She breathed in the cool breeze of the night. Despite still being physically exhausted, and all the embarrassment from earlier, Keqing's mind felt at peace. Maybe it was the calm mood of the cafe, the food or Ganyu's soft voice, but she felt refreshed. No growing headaches, no soreness on the back of her neck or a creeping anxiety attack, ready to pounce when she was distracted. The stress had been blown away so easily that Keqing almost felt motivated to keep going at home. Almost. She would love to continue the work she left unfinished, but she doubted she would be able to keep herself conscious while at it.
Maybe she will come back here again tomorrow.