Liyue, Jade Chamber.
With the Lantern Rite approaching, even a place as sparsely visited as the Jade Chamber had a few more visitors.
Li Qiuzhi teleported to Ningguang's side, but since she was arranging various matters for the Lantern Rite, he could not speak with her just yet.
He could only wander around nearby by himself.
"Well, well, if it isn't our busy man who's been making friends with girls. How did you find the time to come here?"
Just as Li Qiuzhi wandered to a corner of the corridor, a snow-white arm suddenly reached out and wrapped around his neck.
His vision darkened, and he felt his face press against something familiar, soft, and springy. He could barely breathe.
He drew his hands inward, first pressing against equally soft buttocks, then sliding upward along graceful curves to her waist.
Using that as leverage, he lifted his head.
Right before his eyes was a chest with snow-white skin half exposed. Raising his gaze slightly brought him to delicate collarbones, and then farther up...
"Ow!"
Feeling a slight pain in his forehead, Li Qiuzhi cried out instinctively.
"What were you staring at so intently? My chin can't take a knock from that head of yours." Yelan rubbed her chin, looking at him with amusement in her eyes.
"Ahem, sorry, sorry."
Slightly embarrassed, Li Qiuzhi shifted his gaze upward, stopping at her snow-white neck.
"Never mind." The corners of Yelan's lips lifted slightly as she folded her arms across her chest, looking sly. "What luck. I ran into you right after Ningguang gave me an assignment.
"As an apology for being rude to a lady, come along with me. That'll save me the travel time, and I can finish work early."
Li Qiuzhi looked at Yelan helplessly.
"How was I being rude?