Let's All Play a Game (Continued)

"Really?" Ningguang hadn't really paid much attention to Kafka sitting in the back; she only remembered her because of Kafka's occasional sharp questions.

Well... although the other party played a more significant role in this negotiation than Raiden Makoto.

Raiden Makoto is more like a traditional wife who is in charge of the husband's life; whatever Liu Bai says goes to her.

"Yes, she was sitting across from me." Sitting face-to-face, it was inevitable that their eyes would meet. "However... that feeling is hard to describe."

Keqing had never been in a relationship before, and she was a rather rigid person, so she couldn't find any words to describe her attitude towards Kafka.

"Does it feel very intimate?" Ningguang rested her chin on her hand. "Maybe... that kind of improper relationship between a secretary and her Boss Liu?"

"It doesn't seem like it." Keqing shook her head. She wasn't completely ignorant of the world; she was someone who could share the joys and sorrows of the working class.

She knew very well what the common unspoken rules were, but Kafka didn't match her feelings.

This is very frustrating; I can't find a suitable adjective.

"It's nothing more than lovers or the like."

Ningguang didn't really care about Keqing's vague description.

"I don't believe that the mighty Inazuma Shogun, the most supreme and terrifying incarnation of thunder in this world, would allow her husband to..."

Ningguang suddenly stopped speaking.

"Will it be allowed... will it be allowed... won't it be allowed?"

The image of Raiden Makoto Shinna, a virtuous wife who was subservient to her husband, suddenly appeared before Ningguang's eyes.

Given that attitude just now... it's not impossible that they won't allow it.

"What are you thinking about?" Keqing, who had thought the topic was over and was about to get up and leave, stopped when she saw Ningguang's expression.

"Keqing, suppose you have a boyfriend who cheats on you in front of you..."

"If it's on the street, I'll slap him and break up with him." Keqing's answer was blunt and decisive, full of her Keqing decisiveness. "If it's in bed... I'll castrate him."

Ningguang nodded. "Yes, that's a very normal answer, although it still has a tiny bit of the martial arts-style extremism."

"Why are you asking this?" Keqing asked, puzzled. "Do you want to know if Raiden Shogun himself knows about Liu Bai and that Kafka?"

"No, what I meant was..." Ningguang thought for a moment, then dialed Ganyu's number and put it on speakerphone, "Ganyu, suppose you have... a husband who wants to marry another woman in front of you, what would you do?"

"Eh... Eh eh?"

Ganyu had just settled into her work mode, was completely bewildered by Ningguang's sudden question.

"What... what's the problem?"

Ganyu's face was full of doubt.

Is it related to your new job?

"No, I just wanted to ask what you think."

Ningguang knew that her question was somewhat presumptuous.

"By the way, the husband in the hypothetical scenario is a very capable person. Ganyu, what was your first reaction?"

"Hmm... Although I'm very unwilling, since we've already come to the point of speaking frankly, there's nothing we can do about it, right?"

Ganyu on the screen scratched her face; she was truly at a loss about this problem.

"... So you mean accept?"

"Yes... Ah! But bigamy is illegal now, right?" Ganyu said belatedly, as if she was just realizing it.

Ningguang rubbed her temples as calmly as possible, then hung up the call and looked at Keqing.

"We've found the problem."

"...Ah, yes." Keqing's lips twitched. "Although bigamy is a crime in most parts of the Far East, it's not in Inazuma, right?"

"Theoretically speaking, Inazuma is still a feudal system."

Ningguang continued rubbing her temples, and now she had found the problem.

This is truly an unexpected blind spot.

After all, society is more civilized now, there is no gender discrimination, and not many people are willing to humble themselves.

Okay, actually Liyue... no, the Shenzhou concept has only been around for a hundred years.

"Even knowing this, Ningguang, do you still want to catch up?" Keqing was clearly not very interested.

It's not that Keqing had a bad impression of Liu Bai; in fact, throughout the whole process, Keqing's impression of Liu Bai was probably better than Ningguang's.

However, it's not quite to the point of being smitten.

"... Do you think Yelan knows about this?"

"Yelan? What does this have to do with her?" Keqing asked, puzzled.

"Yelan also likes Liu Bai. Didn't you notice that the bracelet on Liu Bai's wrist looks familiar?" Ningguang explained expressionlessly. "Her face wasn't from a fall; I slapped her myself."

"...?"

Keqing took a while to understand Ningguang's words.

— Mainly the second half.

(Has Ningguang gone this far in her efforts to get rid of her love rival? If it weren't for Raiden Shogun this time...)

Did he personally fan Yelan until her head turned into a pig's head?

I would be more willing to accept it if you told me to slap your three secretaries!

Keqing knew that Ningguang was not an indecisive vase, but she still found it hard to imagine what it would be like for this noblewoman, who sat in the Jade Chamber and played chess in Liyue, to personally slap someone.

"... May I ask you a question, Ningguang? How would you handle the question you just asked me?"

Keqing sensed that there might be some hidden disagreement between her and Ningguang.

"... This is a difficult question to answer."

Ningguang pondered for a moment.

"They'll probably give them some money to make them leave voluntarily, right?"

"... I see."

Keqing nodded.

Then if the other party doesn't know what's good for them, you slap them or use your money to ruin their family, right?

(... Am I being stereotypical?)

Keqing gave herself a brief self-reflection.

"Aren't you going to break up?"

"Hmm... being my boyfriend should be useful in the long run."

"Did you already assume you'd have a political marriage?" Keqing teased Ningguang about her unhealthy views on love before changing the subject.

"What happened to Yelan just now?"

"Does Yelan know about Liu Bai's situation...? But for now, Yelan should know."

Ningguang sighed, recalling Yelan's previous behavior.

However, I really didn't expect to have such a formidable enemy as Raiden Shogun.

"...Never mind, I'll go first." Ningguang decided to go find Yelan to ask about the situation.

"Looking for Yelan?" V Keqing guessed what Ningguang wanted to do, "I'll go too, I have something to do and my wife needs her help."

Yanshang Teahouse.

"Hi~" In the bustling tea room, Yelan sat in a chair and waved enthusiastically to Liu Bai.

"Yelan, don't you have a mission?"

Liu Bai, who had been invited, casually sat down next to Yelan.

"And your face... Haha! Who beat you up?"

It's obvious they weren't defeated in combat.

"Don't mention that." Yelan waved her hand.

Saying that Ningguang hit her won't do her any good.

After returning home, she went straight to the pharmacy and got some medicine to reduce the swelling, which finally made her feel presentable.

"But why do you have another woman by your side now?"

"Ruan Mei, remember the pause in the middle," Ruan Mei introduced herself calmly.

"Oh." Yelan made a special note of this woman who exuded a contradictory aura of coldness and gentleness, but didn't react much else—it really didn't matter if she had another woman.

"Liu Bai, the Shogun, and Kafka, come and play a few rounds of dice?"

Yelan extended a warm invitation.

"You're all you do when you play dice, you just cheat, right?" Bai complained. "Look, nobody wants to play with you anymore."

"Don't make false accusations. If you can't catch someone in the act, it's not cheating."

Yelan took out the dice cup she had prepared beforehand, shook it, and heard the crisp sound of dice colliding inside.

"What do you all say?"

"Okay." Raiden Makoto accepted calmly. "But what should we bet?"

Raiden Makoto was even surprisingly interested—in fact, the people from Inazuma are all quite playful.

"Hmm... we'll talk about that later. Kafka, do you want to play?"

"If it's not detected, it's not considered cheating. I like this rule." Kafka smiled and nodded.

"Alright, I'll arrange a private room for everyone."

Yelan narrowed her eyes and revealed a fox-like smile.

Afterwards, Yelan led everyone to the private room at the very back of the teahouse.

There were some documents scattered on the table, and there was a wine cabinet full of fine wines in the room. It was clear that this was Yelan's private room.

"The rules for playing dice are very simple!"

Yelan spoke loudly.

"Guess whether it's odd or even. The winner gets no prize, but the loser... has to take off their clothes. Oh, but hair clips and the like count as clothes."

"Hey! Hey!" Bai protested—he felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

"Eyeglasses count too?" Kafka calmly pulled her sunglasses out of her pocket.

"Fine." Yelan snapped her fingers, looking like she thought, "This game should go on this late." "Also, you can decide for yourself which clothes to take off each time you lose."

"... Ruan Mei, this is not good, is it?"

"Only you are in trouble." Ruan Mei's serene smile carried a hint of mocking amusement.

"Ah, Miss Ruan Mei is also participating, right? Since you're already here..."

"Laugh?" Now it was Liu Bai's turn to laugh.

Ruan Mei: "..."

"I refuse. This game is completely unnecessary."

This was the first time Liu Bai had heard Ruan Mei in such a forceful tone since she was summoned.

"Games are unnecessary."

Yelan shook the dice cup, seemingly indifferent.

"In short, I refuse." Ruan Mei turned to leave.

"...listen to me."

Kafka immediately activated her Words of Power.

"Ugh—!?"