"Sara..."
The little girl softly repeated the name Jiang Yan had given her.
Starting today, she was someone with a name too.
A gentle breeze swept through the mountain forest, brushing past the girl's hair.
She looked at Jiang Yan, who was holding her hand and walking ahead of her.
A faint murmur drifted away with the wind.
But aside from Sara herself, no one heard what she whispered.
...
After Jiang Yan left, Ganyu had remained cautiously alert of the surroundings.
After all, they were deep within the mountains. There were definitely scattered monsters lurking around.
Still, with Apep present, Ganyu wasn't too worried about anything happening to herself or the three little ones.
Before long, a dazzling seven-colored light flashed from the direction Jiang Yan had gone.
Ganyu recognized it instantly as the glow that appeared whenever Jiang Yan used his abilities.
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, large swaths of trees nearby were blown apart.
"Was that... Master?"
Little Shenhe, who had once seen Jiang Yan activate his Twin-Star Mode, asked Ganyu curiously.
"Mhm, though judging from the situation, it should already be over."
Ganyu gently patted Shenhe's little head and spoke softly.
She had complete confidence in Jiang Yan's strength.
After all, if he had truly fallen into a difficult battle, the aftermath alone wouldn't have been contained within such a short distance.
Not long later, the sound of footsteps approached.
Jiang Yan slowly walked out of the forest while holding the hand of a little girl.
"Master!"
Ningguang and the other two little ones excitedly threw themselves into Jiang Yan's arms.
"You girls didn't wait too long, did you?"
Jiang Yan hugged the three little girls with a smile before looking up toward Ganyu.
Ganyu shook her head before turning her gaze toward the little girl beside him.
"And this is...?"
She asked curiously.
"Ah, her name is Sara."
Jiang Yan rubbed Sara's little head and explained what had just happened.
After listening, Ganyu fell silent.
She looked at Jiang Yan, then at little Sara, who was curiously staring back at her.
"Ah Yan... honestly, only you could do this."
After a long while, she finally squeezed out that sentence.
How was this man managing to bring back a little girl every single time he went out?
If she weren't already pregnant with Jiang Yan's child, Ganyu might've suspected he had some kind of strange hobby.
And that kind of hobby definitely wasn't okay.
Ganyu looked at Jiang Yan strangely.
"Ah Yan... do you perhaps have some kind of..."
"Huh?"
Jiang Yan blinked at her in confusion.
"N-Nothing."
In the end, Ganyu still didn't say what she was thinking.
Seeing her stop halfway through, Jiang Yan became even more confused.
"Big Brother... does Big Sister not like me?"
Little Sara's tone carried a trace of disappointment.
Ever since Ganyu saw her, she'd been looking at her strangely, so Sara thought she disliked her.
Hearing this, Ganyu immediately realized her expression had caused a misunderstanding.
"How could that be?"
Before Jiang Yan could speak, Ganyu had already picked Sara up into her arms with a smile.
"Big Sister likes little Sara very much."
"Really?"
Sara looked at Ganyu with her innocent wide eyes.
"Of course."
Ganyu smiled and nodded before rubbing Sara's head.
"Alright, you're pregnant. Let me carry the little one."
Jiang Yan took Sara from Ganyu's arms with a smile.
"Let's go. The Yashiro Commission shouldn't be too far from here now."
Ganyu nodded and walked to Jiang Yan's side.
Just then, little Ningguang, who was standing nearby, spoke up.
"Master, can you let Sister Sara come down and play with us?"
Ningguang looked at Jiang Yan with her watery eyes.
Since this new little sister had joined them, the three of them still hadn't properly introduced themselves yet.
"Alright."
Seeing the eager expressions on the three little girls' faces, Jiang Yan smiled and rubbed Ningguang's head before setting Sara down.
With Ningguang taking the lead, Sara quickly blended into their little trio.
Thus, the three-person squad officially evolved into a four-person squad.
Otherwise known as—the Ningguang Four Little Ones!
Not long after, Jiang Yan led Ganyu and the four little girls out of the mountain path and onto the open ground near the Yashiro Commission estate.
Walking along the road, they could already see the buildings of the Yashiro Commission drawing closer.
"Halt! This is the residence of the Kamisato Clan of the Inazuma Yashiro Commission! Unauthorized individuals are forbidden from entering!"
The moment they arrived at the entrance, several shogunate soldiers clad in armor and carrying spears stopped Jiang Yan's group.
The last time Jiang Yan had come to the Yashiro Commission was thousands of years ago when Inazuma had just been founded.
How could these soldiers possibly recognize him?
Jiang Yan smiled and politely asked the soldiers before him,
"Hello, may I ask if the head of the Kamisato Clan is present?"
He didn't directly mention little Ayaka's name. If he did, that would just make him look suspicious.
What kind of grown man randomly came looking for a little girl?
That was basically writing "I have bad intentions" across his face.
Jiang Yan's tone was gentle and didn't seem hostile.
The soldiers' expressions relaxed slightly, though they still remained cautious.
"The Clan Head is currently handling official matters. May I ask what business you have with him?"
The soldier asked.
The man before them was clearly dressed extraordinarily, and he had immediately asked whether the Clan Head was home. He was most likely acquainted with him.
Thus, the soldier asked for Jiang Yan's purpose in seeking the Kamisato Clan Head to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings.
Ever since the Kamisato Clan had suffered an attack a year ago, the Clan Head had conducted a massive purge within the Yashiro Commission.
Almost everyone had been implicated to varying degrees.
The soldiers before them were all recently promoted by the Kamisato Clan Head himself.
With their predecessors serving as cautionary tales, these newly promoted guards naturally didn't dare slack off in their duties.
"It's nothing major."
The smile on Jiang Yan's face remained unchanged.
"Please inform the Kamisato Clan Head that a friend from Liyue has come to visit."
"I believe your Clan Head should know who I am once he hears that."
The two soldiers exchanged glances.
A friend from Liyue?
And a foreigner at that?
Still, people from Liyue generally received favorable treatment in Inazuma.
The reason was because during the disaster that swept across Inazuma five hundred years ago, it had been Liyue's army that helped their ancestors survive the crisis.
Because of that, all of Inazuma held gratitude toward Liyue.
Whether they were tourists visiting from Liyue or merchants conducting trade, they all enjoyed various degrees of preferential treatment.
Upon hearing Jiang Yan was from Liyue, the soldiers' attitudes softened noticeably.
"Understood. Please wait here a moment while I notify the Clan Head."
"Until then, I'll have to trouble you to remain here."
After speaking, he nodded to the soldier beside him and entered the Yashiro Commission estate.
Inside the Yashiro Commission's administrative room.
The Kamisato Clan Head sat together with Kamisato Ayato, handling official matters.
Though most of the actual work was being done by little Ayato while the Clan Head supervised and instructed him.
At that moment, the soldier who had met Jiang Yan entered the room.
"Clan Head."
The soldier stepped forward and respectfully bowed.
"Mhm. What is it?"
The Kamisato Clan Head glanced at him and asked calmly.
"There is a group outside requesting to see you. They claim to be friends from Liyue."
"Friends from Liyue?"
The Kamisato Clan Head looked at the soldier in confusion, and even little Ayato lifted his head to look toward his father.
"Other than a few acquaintances from Liyue, the only remaining—"
The Kamisato Clan Head suddenly froze, his eyes widening.
He abruptly looked toward the soldier with a serious expression.
"What do they look like?"
Seeing the Clan Head suddenly become so serious, the soldier's heart skipped a beat.
"There's one man, one woman, and four children."
"The man has white hair, pointed ears, and is dressed in Liyue-style clothing."
"The woman has blue hair and seems to be wearing horn-like ornaments on her head."
That's him!
The moment the Kamisato Clan Head heard "white hair," he already knew exactly who had arrived.
Liyue.
White hair. Pointed ears.
A man.
There was only one such person he knew.
The Tianquan of Liyue!
The "Big Brother Jiang Yan" little Ayaka always talked about!
When did he come to Inazuma?
Why hadn't they received any prior notice?
After all, Jiang Yan was the Tianquan of Liyue. His status was extraordinary. If he were officially visiting Inazuma, the Three Commissions would absolutely have received formal notice from the Liyue authorities.
But Jiang Yan had basically snuck out.
Aside from tossing his work onto Morax to temporarily handle, he hadn't informed anyone at all.
Meanwhile, Ayato beside him had also widened his eyes.
From the soldier's description, he naturally knew who had arrived as well.
Who else could possibly look like that?!
That man who was competing with him for Ayaka's "big brother" position!
Ayato felt slightly unhappy inside.
What now? Was it not enough to be Ayaka's big brother in Liyue? Now he was coming all the way to their house to become her big brother too?
The moment he imagined little Ayaka hugging Jiang Yan while looking disdainfully at him and calmly saying:
"Brother, there's no longer any place for you in this household."
"You may leave now. Big Brother Jiang Yan is my real brother!"
Little Ayato immediately shuddered.
At this moment, his inner drama was running wildly out of control.
An incredibly melodramatic soap-opera plot had already begun playing out in his head.
...
...Even though he knew something that ridiculous could never actually happen.
On the other side.
After learning who the visitor was, the Kamisato Clan Head didn't dare neglect the matter.
He immediately said to the soldier:
"Quick, invite them inside."
"No, forget that. Ayato, come with me to greet them personally."
The Kamisato Clan Head turned toward Ayato.
Although little Ayato felt slightly displeased about Jiang Yan's arrival—
He also understood very clearly that whether due to Jiang Yan's status or their personal relationship, the Kamisato Clan absolutely had to receive this honored guest with the highest level of courtesy!
After all, even if Jiang Yan weren't the Tianquan, he was still the savior of the Kamisato Clan!
The soldier stared dumbfounded when he saw both the Clan Head and the young master preparing to personally greet the guests after merely hearing his description.
A distinguished figure important enough for both the Clan Head and the young master to treat this seriously...
The soldier didn't even dare imagine just how terrifying this person's status must be.
Thankfully, he hadn't shown any disrespect earlier.
Soon after, under the soldier's guidance, the Kamisato Clan Head and Kamisato Ayato headed toward the entrance.
Outside the Yashiro Commission estate, Jiang Yan, Ganyu, and the Ningguang Four Little Ones were admiring the scenery nearby.
"The scenery here is truly beautiful."
Ganyu sighed softly.
"Yeah, I think so too."
Jiang Yan nodded in agreement.
Honestly, the Kamisato Clan had chosen an excellent location.
The Kamisato Estate sat near Mt. Yougou and Chinju Forest. In terms of environment, it was genuinely hard to beat.
Jiang Yan quite liked this kind of atmosphere.
"How about after we retire, we find a place like this near Qingce Village and live in seclusion there?"
Jiang Yan looked at Ganyu with a smile.
"Sure. I don't mind."
Ganyu had no objections. She liked this sort of environment as well.
More importantly though—
The person beside her liked it.
Wherever Jiang Yan wanted to settle down, she would follow.
"Once little Ningguang and the others grow up, we'll step down from our positions."
Jiang Yan wrapped an arm around Ganyu and spoke gently.
"By then, our child should practically be born too. We can retire to Qingce Village and spend our days at home raising children together. How does that sound?"
Hearing his words, Ganyu's pretty face flushed slightly red.
"W-Who wants to raise children with a bad guy like you..."
"Heh heh heh, if not you, then who else?"
Jiang Yan chuckled before resting his head atop Ganyu's and gently rubbing his cheek against her soft little horns.
"T-That's very sensitive... don't..."
Her horns were arguably the most sensitive part of Ganyu's body, and Jiang Yan's teasing immediately made her shudder.
"Hehehe..."
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