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“So!” Yanfei links her arm with Amber’s, trying to keep the Outrider on track towards Wanmin restaurant, “this is your first time in Liyue, correct?”
“Yep!” Amber’s head moves on a swivel, trying to take everything in at once. The preparations for the Lantern Rite were underway, artisans and craftsmen bustling in and out of the harbor with crates of building supplies and decorations. A couple of Millelith lingered in groups just inside the gates, discussing plans they were making with their family for the night of the ceremony.
“You’ll have to come back when the festival is in full swing,” Yanfei says, guiding her up the stairs and away from the water. Their reservation was at 6 pm and it was already 5:55 pm, and Yanfei could not stomach the idea of being late. Especially not when there was someone waiting for them.
Xinyan had been busy the past few days arranging for a stage to be set up for their performance. It had taken a bit of strong-arming from Yanfei and one glowing letter of recommendation from Keqing for the committee to endorse a concert from the rock star, but everything paid off in the end. They was going to be front and center during the festival, playing for everyone who walked by, and Yanfei couldn’t be prouder.
That was one of the reasons she had dragged Amber to the Harbor in the first place. While the three were officially dating, because of their busy schedules they had never gone on an actual date. Once news of Xinyan’s concert was confirmed, Yanfei had begged (and considered blackmailing) the Acting Grandmaster of Mondstat into giving Amber a few days off to come down to Liyue for a nice dinner.
“This is so different from the Windblume festival!” Amber slips her arm free just enough to weave her fingers with Yanfei’s, squeezing them as they weave through the crowds towards the bridge, “there are more candles… and a lot less drinking. But you can still feel the festival energy, and everyone looks so excited!”
Yanfei feels a smile tug at her lips from the amazement and wonder on Amber’s face. It’s been so many years now that she doesn’t remember her first Lantern Rite, the first time that the golden lanterns had filled the sky like a thousand glimmering stars and cast the world in ethereal light.
Did she have the same expression as Amber does now?
“I’m sure I can convince the Acting Grandmaster to give you another day off for the day of the actual festival,” Yanfei tugs on one of her antlers with her free hand, thinking of different excuses, “We could say-”
“We can just say I’m visiting my girlfriends,” Amber laughs, “I told Jean about you and Xinyan, and she’s not the kind of woman to say I can’t visit my partners.”
“Oh, well that’s infinitely easier than what I was preparing to do.”
There’s a mischievous glint in the Outrider’s eyes, “What were you thinking?”
Yanfei doesn’t have time to get into the stack of legal rules she was planning on holding over the woman’s head before they finally make it to Wanmin restaurant. It’s bustling, as per usual, but they can see Xinyan holding a table in the back for them. Amber squirms free of Yanfei’s grip and scampers inside, bee-lining towards the rock star who rises from their chair with a smile.
She crashes against them with enough force that Xinyan takes a step back to steady themself as Amber flings her arms around their shoulders and kisses them. Yanfei takes her time weaving through the bustle to meet them, giving the two a moment of ‘privacy’ before she joined them.
Xinyan beams at her when she arrives, “my two favorite people! I’m glad y’all made it, I’m starving!”
“Amber kept getting distracted,” Yanfei says, wrapping an arm around Amber’s waist and pulling her close, “I had to keep wrangling her back in line.”
Amber leans in and plants a kiss on Yanfei’s cheek, “it’s my first time here! I’m excited! But we can save the exploring for after we eat.”
The three of them settle back into their chairs, but Amber quickly decides that they aren’t close enough. She scoots her chair as close as she can to Xinyan’s and then reaches over to lock her ankles around the legs of Yanfei’s. Try as she might to tug the legal advisor closer, the chair won’t budge. Yanfei lets her try for a few seconds, grinning at how dramatically she pulled at the wood, before rising to move the chair closer to the Outrider.
She does a little happy dance in her seat before grabbing both of their hands, “I’m so happy to be here with you guys! It’s our first real date!”
“It only took three months,” Xinyan laughs, raising their joined hands to press a kiss to Amber’s knuckles. “Thanks for taking the time off, darling.”
“Of course!” Yanfei can see her face flush even under the dim light of the restaurant. She finds it endearing how freely Amber shows her affection, not hesitating to show them both the joy they brought her.
“Good evening!” Xiangling appears at their table, a pad of paper and a pen in her hands. She gives Xinyan and Yanfei a knowing smile, “how is everyone doing tonight?”
“Well it’s this lovely lady's first time in Liyue Harbor,” Xinyan says, gesturing to Amber, “so Yanfei and I knew we had to bring her over to the best restaurant in the city.”
“You must be Xiangling!” Amber beams, “they’ve told me so much about you! I’m so excited to try your cooking! I’ll take whatever you want to give me!”
The compliment makes a glimmer of something troublesome appear in Xiangling’s eyes, and Xinyan raises a hand, “no slime.”
“Definitely no slime,” Yanfei agrees.
“Aw,” The chef pouts, tapping the pen against her lips, “I’ll make some black perch stew, it is our specialty. How spicy do you want it?”
“However you normally make it!” The confidence in Amber’s tone has Xinyan and Yanfei exchanging a look. They didn’t want to judge, but they had no idea if Amber could handle spice well. Most people from Mondstadt couldn’t handle the amount of jueyun chilis that went into every meal, and even some Liyue folks shied away from Xiangling’s crazier dishes.
Yanfei could name a certain exorcist as one of them off the top of her head.
Xiangling looks hesitant but copies the order down, as well as the two dishes that Yanfei and Xinyan order. They both always ordered the same thing, and they didn’t plan on changing that fact anytime soon.
Once dinner arrives, the three of them dig into their food. It becomes abundantly clear that Amber had either overestimated her spice tolerance or underestimated how much chili Xiangling added. True to her word, the chef had prepared it exactly as she always did, the smell of spices reaching across the table to Xinyan and Yanfei.
Sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead as she continued to eat, mouth twisted in determination.
Xinyan lowers their chopsticks, “do you want me to get you some milk?”
“No!” Amber huffs, wiping the corner of her mouth, “I’m fine!”
“No one is going to judge you,” Yanfei assures, setting a piece of tofu back in her bowl so she can join the conversation, “I promise.”
“It’s really good,” Amber whines, hands folded in her lap, “I feel bad that it’s too spicy for me. I feel bad like I failed a test.”
“There’s no test,” Yanfei reaches out and rests her hands on Amber’s. “We want you to enjoy yourself! If that means eating food that's not as spicy then that’s fine! We’re just happy to have you close.”
“Yeah!” Xinyan agrees, smiling, “It means a lot to us that you came all the way out here to see us, you don’t have to prove yourself in a spice eating contest. The two of you would never beat me anyways.”
Amber sniffs and smiles, looking between them, “thank you both. I love you guys.”
“We love you too,” Yanfei pats her hand, “now do you want a glass of milk?”
“By Barbatos, please .”