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shenhe finally visits the jade chamber again at her behest (it's not) with the traveler dragging her (she willingly came) to have tea with the tianquan. shenhe has learned that when you're considered as liyue's savior, you would be privileged with seeing one of the most powerful people in liyue with just a single tea invitation any time you would want.
and so there she ascends, in the skies, with the traveler by her side to meet ningguang again. the traveler thought it would be a great opportunity for shenhe to socialize and help her settle even more in liyue harbor. with the kindness that the traveler has shown her, shenhe doesn't have the heart to refuse.
when the two of them arrived, the jade chamber wasn't any less grand the first time she saw it. the view and the chamber itself...everything about it just screams majestic.
the traveler and shenhe were welcomed by one of ningguang's secretaries who lead them to the center, outside the chamber. there they saw ningguang sitting by a table with tea and two empty chairs reserved for the two of them. the traveler smiled at shenhe before greeting ningguang with paimon suddenly appearing to greet her too.
shenhe has noticed that the tianquan freely shows her emotions only when the traveler is present and can't help the slight upturn of her own lips at the sight of ningguang's comfortable demeanor. ningguang saw this and for a moment, her smile turned into something softer before turning back to the perpetual smile ningguang always donned but with less sharper eyes.
"hello, miss shenhe."
"hello again, lady ningguang." shenhe greets back with a polite nod. the traveler then drags shenhe to sit down to which she silently follows.
ningguang and the traveler talk about the most mundane things with paimon interjecting sometimes, shenhe notes. she didn't expect that from the tianquan but seeing as the traveler is here, shenhe understands. the traveler has a way to make a person feel like they've known them forever. shenhe has noticed that even alatus the yaksha has considerably relaxed after meeting lumine.
occasionally, ningguang and lumine ask shenhe how she has been doing in liyue harbor. they ask what does she like about it now that she has been staying for a while, a place she's become fond of, and the people she met. shenhe answers them both to the best of her abilities.
shenhe feels strange. she did most of the listening earlier but usually, she will never be the one doing the talking as her master loves doing it for both of them. it was strange to talk about herself for once and have someone listen. despite it being strange to her, shenhe finds it to be a nice change of pace.
their time together, however, was cut short as ningguang's duty calls.
"i do apologize for leaving like this but this is an emergency i can't afford to ignore." ningguang looks apologetic and the traveler quickly reassures her as they all stand.
"it's okay, don't worry! we understand how hectic your schedule is, we're already very grateful for you taking the time to indulge us. right, shenhe?" lumine says with a smile at both the taller women and shenhe agrees.
"right. thank you for your hospitality, lady ningguang." shenhe politely said with a slight bow and ningguang chuckled.
"please, there's no need to be so formal. just call me ningguang." ningguang smiles while shenhe doesn't know how to react.
"alright then... ningguang." shenhe says, as if tasting something new. ningguang chuckles again and her smile grows slightly bigger.
"thank you, shenhe. please feel free to visit me whenever you feel like, both of you. as much as i don't want to admit it, i could certainly use a break and i much prefer your company than the businessmen i need to meet everyday." ningguang slightly rolls her eyes and lumine laughs.
"bye bye, lady ningguang." paimon waves goodbye and ningguang waves back at the three of them as she leaves.
the third and fourth time she visited the jade chamber was with the traveler again, insisting shenhe always join them as the traveler knows ningguang also enjoys shenhe's company even if she doesn't talk much. and even if shenhe doesn't say it, lumine can see that the white haired disciple enjoys their tea together too.
the fifth time, however, shenhe visits the jade chamber alone. like everything in liyue harbor, shenhe finds it strange to be there alone without the traveler. lumine apologized at the last minute, saying she has a commission she completely forgot about that needs to be done today. shenhe reassured her that it was alright but being here alone, shenhe can't help but feel... awkward.
she feels so out of place especially with the bouquet of glaze lilies in her hand. the traveler asked her to give the flowers to ningguang, an apology for missing their time today.
she looks at it then follows ningguang's secretary to the center of the jade chamber, where ningguang is already seated and waiting. when shenhe came into ningguang's view, she stood up to greet her. shenhe greets back with a polite nod.
"you're alone today," she looks down, "and oh? what's this?" ningguang asked her with the smile she always wear and looked at the bouquet of flowers in shenhe's hand.
"yes, well, lumine asked me to give it to you. she apologizes for her absence today as she forgot that she has a deadline to meet today." shenhe explains as she hands the glaze lillies to ningguang to which the tianquan thanked her. though, ningguang noticed her stiff posture and words.
"is that so? well, that's quite alright and please," she turns to walk around the table to her seat while she hands her secretary the flowers, "there's no need to stand on ceremony, shenhe. i remember telling you that you don't need to be so formal. i'm just ningguang for today."
"come, sit." ningguang says as she gestures to the seat in front of shenhe. shenhe looks so hesistant as she sits that made ningguang let out a small laugh.
"relax, shenhe. it's just us." ningguang reassures her before she drinks her tea and shenhe scratches her neck.
"i... hmm. i apologize, la- ningguang. i've never been a great conversationalist. my master teaches me about conversation but it always ends up with me listening and her talking." shenhe looks down at her tea, reaching for it. ningguang laughs.
"ah, yes. your master loves hearing the sound of her own voice, no?" ningguang jokes and hides her smile behind her teacup. for a moment, shenhe almost looks scandalized until she realizes ningguang said it in jest. shenhe chuckles.
"i will pretend i did not hear that, lady tianquan." shenhe says, her lips and eyebrows in a slight upturn with her eyes glinting in mischief and ningguang finds herself laughing.
shenhe absentmindedly thinks ningguang should laugh like that more often as they fell into conversation more comfortably now.
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"can i ask you a question, shenhe?" ningguang asks before sipping her tea. shenhe only nodded in response, looking at her.
"have you found your reason?"
"my... reason?" shenhe confusedly asks. ningguang nods.
"your reason to stay." ningguang answers. this, however, made shenhe pause and look at the bright blue sky above them. ningguang only observes her in silence as shenhe closes her eyes. shenhe takes a deep breath and speaks again after a while.
"the people i've met here... in such a short time, have shown me kindness i haven't felt from anyone before. yes, the people i helped has shown me kindness but they all think i'm different from them when that's the farthest thing from the truth."
"though here... people have treated me just as i am and not by how i seem. lumine, paimon, yunjin, and beidou. even ganyu and keqing. chongyun whom i found out was my relative, even his friends... and you..." shenhe paused, looking at the sky again. ningguang waits for her to continue.
"i still have much to learn but i can say i found people whom i can call my friends. people, i daresay, irreplaceable to me." ningguang smiles at this as shenhe gazes at the view that overlooks liyue harbor.
"and to answer your question," shenhe pauses again, closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. when she opened them again, she spoke.
"yes. i think..." shenhe pauses, looking away. then turns to ningguang with a smile that makes ningguang's hand holding her teacup still in the air as she looks at shenhe's radiance, "i have found my reason."
ningguang felt a warmth bloom in her chest that was certainly not from tea hasn't drunk yet. the sight of shenhe actually smiling and the feeling in her chest made ningguang freezes as she tries to process what was happening.
ningguang doesn't know if it was intentional on shenhe's part or shenhe was just being herself. or rather, was it her own mind playing tricks on her but archons, did she have to say it while looking at me like that? ningguang thinks.
while ningguang was fighting herself internally, ningguang's hovering hand didn't go unnoticed to shenhe and as well as the lack of reaction from her. shenhe slightly berates herself for her forwardness.
"ningguang, are you alright? did... did i say something wrong?"
"no!" ningguang answered so fast and surprisingly loud that both of them startled at ningguang's voice. ningguang internally winced and immediately spoke again in a softer voice.
"archons, no, shenhe. i-" archons, what is happening to me?! ningguang says to herself, putting her hand to her head and ignoring how loudly her heart is beating in her ears.
swallowing her pride and frustration at herself, ningguang procures her fan from thin air and hides her increasing red face behind it. the more shenhe stares at ningguang, the more she gets confused.
"are you alright?" shenhe asks again as she grows more worried. for ningguang or for herself, shenhe doesn't know. ningguang ignores her question.
shenhe noticed that ningguang's ears were getting red and without thinking about it, shenhe reached for ningguang and gently pressed the back of her hand on ningguang's forehead. ningguang nearly jumped out of her skin at the feeling of shenhe's cold hand with her fan closing shut and literally jumping out of her hand. thankfully, it went back to her vision.
"you're unusually warm," shenhe says, shocked, "do you want me to call one of yo-"
"don't! no, please. there's- there's no need. i'm- it's fine, shenhe." ningguang holds the hand on her forehead and stops shenhe from drawing the attention of others. ningguang sighed and put shenhe's hand on the table whilst holding onto it still.
"i'm... fine." ningguang closes her eyes and refuses to look at shenhe. shenhe blinks at this.
"do you need a moment?" shenhe asks instead. ningguang didn't answer her at first but then gave in.
"...yes." ningguang answers pathetically as she tries to compose herself with her eyes closed, refusing to look at shenhe. shenhe answers a quiet okay and patiently waits for ningguang to gather herself.
shenhe sees baishi, who was nearby, sending her a quizzical look at their joined hands but opted to ignore her. shenhe debated with herself whether to take her hand back or not but in the end, settled with running her thumb over ningguang's hand in hopes that it would comfort her.
unknown to shenhe, this action only made ningguang even more flustered than she already is. after a moment, ningguang sighed. when shenhe's eyes landed on ningguang, ruby ones were looking back at her. shenhe doesn't speak, waiting for ningguang first.
"ahem, my... apologies." ningguang clears her throat and lets go of shenhe's hand with a tap.
she brought her teacup up to her lips and spoke again, "you have a beautiful smile, shenhe. i hope you find more reasons to make your smile stay as well." and just like that ningguang is back to her old self, sipping tea as if nothing happened.
shenhe doesn't really know how to react to what was happening to ningguang earlier and decided not to comment on it. now her words, making shenhe more confused. though, shenhe can't deny the warmth painting her cheeks.
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"thank you for the company, shenhe. you and the traveler certainly know how to make my day better. i find myself looking forward to our tea more often than not." ningguang says as she walks shenhe to her secretary that will escort the latter down to liyue harbor, with the other two secretaries following behind.
"thank you for your hospitality as always, lady ningguang. the tea was delicious, better than any flower in the mountains." shenhe says honestly and ningguang laughs. shenhe didn't know what made her laugh but quirks her lips up as well.
"please know that you can visit me as well, whenever you'd like. whether you're with the traveler or not, there will be a cup of tea waiting for you here. always." ningguang smiles and shenhe nodded.
they say their goodbyes and when shenhe turns to leave, ningguang calls out to her.
"shenhe." shenhe turns back to see ningguang who seems to be debating with herself before speaking.
"ningguang?" shenhe asks as she faces ningguang.
"...don't be a stranger, alright?" ningguang says, crossing her arms and tilting her head. while shenhe doesn't understand what her words could mean besides the literal sense, shenhe places her hand on her chest and shakes her head.
"never, milady." shenhe smiles her usual smile and ningguang gives her a little wave goodbye as shenhe leaves. when shenhe was out of sight, ningguang sighed and turned to leave as well, walking past her other secretaries.
as she walks past them, she says in a commanding voice, "not. a. word." and the secretaries swore they would forget everything that happened today.
to ningguang, at least. but for themselves... well, they can't just forget how their lady looks when she's embarrassed, now, can they?