Chapter 273

The group spent some time chatting and enjoying a few carefully arranged performances before the banquet officially began. 

For many of the girls from Xia Zhi's shop, this was their first time attending a large-scale high society banquet in this world, and everything felt rather novel. 

Long tables were lined with exquisite dishes, fruits, and desserts from various nations, freely available for the guests to enjoy. It felt like an elaborate buffet. 

However, once the initial excitement wore off and they had tasted a few dishes, they soon began to feel a bit bored. 

It wasn't that the food was bad—far from it. It's just that, compared to the dishes Xia Zhi prepared, these fell short. 

Xia Zhi chuckled, noticing their lack of excitement. "Eat a little, at least. Tonight, I'll cook something delicious for you all." 

"Okay!" 

Miss Yanfei smiled. "Can I join in for dinner, too?" 

"Of course, you're more than welcome," Xia Zhi replied warmly. 

Yun Jin, curious about the conversation, paused for a moment. She found the food here quite good—was Xia Zhi's cooking truly better than this? 

Just as she was wondering, Xia Zhi turned to her and asked, "Miss Yun Jin, would you like to join us tonight?" 

"Huh? Uh…" Yun Jin hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed. 

"My apologies, Mr. Xia. Our Yun-Han Opera Troupe is holding a celebration dinner tonight. We've already booked a private room at Xinyue Kiosk. As the head of the troupe, I really can't miss it…" 

"I see. That's understandable," Xia Zhi said with a nod. "It's alright. Are you free tomorrow?" 

"I am," Yun Jin replied. 

"Then how about joining us at the shop for lunch tomorrow?" 

"I'd love to! I'll definitely come!" Yun Jin's face lit up with excitement. 

"Great. It's settled, then." 

"Yes!" 

Xia Zhi then picked up a plate and began to slowly move along the long table, selecting dishes he hadn't tried before. 

Shenhe followed him quietly, holding another plate to help him. 

A slender figure stopped nearby and greeted the two of them. 

The woman had long purple hair styled in cat-like buns, with twin tails flowing behind her. She carried a [Electro Vision] and radiated an air of noble elegance. 

"Miss Shenhe, Mr. Xia. Greetings." 

Xia Zhi lifted his head slightly at the sound of the voice. The girl before him carried herself with a dignified demeanor and had a [Silver Tier Progress Bar]. With a hint of curiosity in his tone, he asked, "And you are…?" 

Shenhe, however, recognized her immediately. 

During the Battle of Guyun Stone Forest, she had seen this girl standing alongside Ganyu, wielding a sword while commanding the Millelith. If Shenhe wasn't mistaken, this must be— 

"Yuheng Star, Keqing," Shenhe said. 

Keqing smiled faintly. "I'm surprised you recognize me, Miss Shenhe. Did Miss Ganyu mention me to you?" 

Shenhe nodded lightly. "Yes, Senior Sister told me about you." 

Keqing turned to Xia Zhi and offered a more formal introduction. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Keqing, Yuheng Star of the Liyue Qixing. I oversee land and construction management." 

Xia Zhi adjusted his tone slightly to match her formality. "Ah, so it's Lady Keqing. How may we assist you?" 

Keqing replied, "Mr. Xia, there's no need to overthink—I'm simply here to express my gratitude. During the Battle of Guyun Stone Forest, had Miss Shenhe not intervened, we would have suffered catastrophic losses from the tsunami alone." 

Shenhe shook her head. "I was simply assisting my Senior Sister." 

Keqing, however, spoke earnestly. "Regardless of the reason, Miss Shenhe, you have my sincerest thanks." 

A trace of subtle exasperation flickered in Shenhe's eyes. She wasn't particularly adept at handling gratitude from strangers. 

Xia Zhi stepped in to lighten the mood. "Miss Ningguang has already thanked us." 

Keqing shook her head. "A shop alone doesn't seem sufficient to express our gratitude, at least in my opinion." 

Xia Zhi smiled and asked, "Then what does Lady Keqing have in mind?" 

Keqing explained, "Miss Shenhe, as an adeptus, likely has little interest in worldly possessions. I've thought long and hard about how best to repay you. I can only offer this: in the future, should you encounter any trouble in Liyue, no matter what it is, you have my word—I will do everything in my power to assist you." 

Shenhe paused for a moment before nodding. "Thank you." 

Keqing nodded slightly in return. "Then I won't disturb your meal any further. Farewell." 

"Farewell," Xia Zhi replied. 

With that, the elegant young woman turned and walked away, her twin tails swaying behind her with a touch of pride. 

Xia Zhi couldn't help but watch her for a moment—not because he found her twin tails particularly intriguing. 

Though, admittedly, he did enjoy playing with Shenhe's twin tails, his interest didn't extend to anyone else's. 

Rather, it was Keqing's unique personality that earned his admiration. 

The Yuheng Star was truly a young, dynamic presence among the Qixing. 

For an ordinary person, her promise would carry significant weight. But for Xia Zhi and Shenhe, it wasn't particularly useful. 

If Xia Zhi ever faced trouble in Liyue Harbor, Ganyu or Ningguang could easily resolve it for him—there was no need to bother Keqing. 

And if there ever arose a problem that both Ganyu and Ningguang couldn't handle, Keqing likely wouldn't be able to resolve it, either. At that point, he'd probably have to turn to Granny Ping or Zhongli. 

For now, Keqing's primary value to Xia Zhi lay in her Silver Tier Progress Bar. He'd simply need to find the right opportunity to max it out and gain a [Silver Treasure Chest]. 

Midway through the banquet, Ningguang finally made her appearance. 

She wore a custom-made gown that accentuated her figure, radiating elegance and grandeur. Her presence was as dazzling as it was refined. 

Xia Zhi chuckled softly. At this moment, there was no trace of the Ningguang who had once pleaded for his favor in his shop. 

With a graceful smile, Ningguang navigated the banquet effortlessly. She spoke to everyone with ease, maintaining an air of warmth without losing her poised distance. 

Xia Zhi observed her for a moment and then remarked quietly to Shenhe, "Ningguang looks like she's working really hard tonight." 

Shenhe glanced over and nodded. "Mm." 

"What do you feel like eating tonight?" Xia Zhi asked. 

"Anything is fine." 

"Let me think… How about spicy beef offal?" 

"Sounds good." 

"Alright. After this, let's visit the market and see if they have beef offal for sale." 

"It's late in the day—it might not be available." 

"No worries. We can just buy an entire cow and freeze the leftovers." 

"Alright." 

Before long, Ningguang made her way to the two of them. 

This time, the polite mask she wore before the other guests was replaced by a charming smile. 

"Mr. Xia, Miss Shenhe. Welcome to my banquet." 

Unfortunately for Ningguang, Xia Zhi was blind and couldn't appreciate her smile. 

"Ningguang, you don't have to concern yourself with us. Go attend to your guests." 

"How could I? You're my honored guests tonight." 

"Honored guests? Really?" 

"Of course! After all the meals I've enjoyed at your place, it's about time I returned the favor." 

"Too bad most of us aren't enjoying the food," Xia Zhi teased. 

"Sigh, that's to be expected—nothing compares to your cooking, Mr. Xia." 

"But there are so many delicacies here I could never afford elsewhere. I'm still quite satisfied." 

"Is there anything here you particularly like? I can have some sent to you." 

"No need—just making conversation." 

As Ningguang and Xia Zhi bantered casually, the other guests around them began exchanging puzzled glances. 

So… this is what Lady Tianquan is into?

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