Not long after, a group of utterly ordinary-looking people walked out of the alley.
Among them, two women who looked like common housewives had faint blushes on their faces as they glared at the white-haired man leading the group.
This guy had totally taken advantage of the opportunity while "fixing" their appearances earlier, touching here and there the whole time.
Pervert!
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan stood there with a thoroughly satisfied expression.
That sneaky little thrill...
Really left him wanting more.
It couldn't be helped. Fox Saiguu was one thing—she was the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. Her status was high, yes, but not to the point where ordinary citizens would fear her.
Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei, however, were completely different.
Ei was still manageable since she wore a veil and mask that concealed most of her face.
But Makoto?
She hadn't hidden a thing.
There was no way the citizens wouldn't panic seeing her.
At the end of the day, there was still an unbridgeable gap between gods and ordinary people.
Every time Morax descended upon Yujing Terrace in his divine form, the people of Liyue always looked at him with reverence and awe.
Only when Morax appeared as Zhongli did that sense of distance disappear.
"Alright, let's go. Now you can finally enjoy the festival properly."
Jiang Yan turned around and said with a grin.
At that moment, Ganyu and Fox Saiguu also walked over.
"A'Yan, I didn't know you had this kind of skill."
Ganyu looked genuinely impressed.
"I seriously can't tell these two are Makoto and Ei anymore."
"Agreed."
Fox Saiguu nodded in approval.
"Even I, someone who's around them every day, can't match these faces to Makoto and Ei at all."
"Really?"
Makoto touched her cheek.
From her perspective, Jiang Yan had simply been touching her face nonstop, and then suddenly she looked different.
Even now, touching her own face, she still couldn't feel any signs of alteration.
"That's because I'm amazing!"
Jiang Yan puffed up proudly.
Truthfully, he hadn't needed to touch Raiden Makoto or Raiden Ei at all.
With the power of the Reality Stone, all he needed was a snap of his fingers to alter their appearances.
But certain someone insisted on personally "working" over their entire bodies before stopping.
And honestly?
The feel was fantastic.
Absolutely top-tier.
Ehehe.
Now that Makoto and Ei no longer had to worry about their appearances, the group could finally relax and enjoy the festival.
"Master, Master! Look over there!"
At that moment, little Ningguang came running back after wandering around, tugging excitedly at Jiang Yan's sleeve while pointing into the distance.
"Hm? What is it?"
Jiang Yan looked toward the street she pointed at.
It was a long shopping street lined with blooming sakura trees.
The citizens walking there all wore various masks tilted on the sides of their heads.
It looked incredibly lively and beautiful.
"Let's go check it out while we're here."
Jiang Yan smiled toward the women beside him.
"Okay!"
Naturally, nobody objected.
Arriving at a mask stall, Jiang Yan picked up a fox mask and gently placed it on Raiden Ei's forehead.
Though Ei's appearance had been altered in everyone else's eyes, Jiang Yan, as the one who changed it, could still see her true face clearly.
Only he could.
Ei touched the fox mask on her forehead, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Thank you. I like it very much."
"Mmm~ This fox mask reminds me of someone~"
Fox Saiguu smiled knowingly, her fox ears twitching.
There was no need to explain who she meant.
Yae Miko, of course.
Speaking of which, today was the Irodori Festival. Where exactly had that mischievous fox run off to?
As if summoned by their thoughts, an alluring, teasing voice suddenly drifted over from behind them.
"My, my~ so this is where you all were?"
"Honestly, I got up extra early today and even went to Tenshukaku to look for you all, but nobody was there."
"Mmm~ I'm so hurt…"
Everyone turned around at the familiar voice.
There stood a familiar shrine maiden outfit of red and white, along with a head of eye-catching pink hair.
Yae Miko also wore a small decorative mask on the side of her head, though hers had all sorts of strange markings on it.
"Well if it isn't Yae Miko. Fancy meeting you here."
Jiang Yan greeted her cheerfully.
"Oh, this isn't coincidence at all."
Yae Miko walked over with a smile.
"I followed your trail all the way here."
"By the way, where are Sister Makoto and Ei?"
She looked around but failed to spot either of them.
Instead, she only saw two unfamiliar women standing near Jiang Yan.
"My, my… did I miss something?"
Yae Miko's face instantly lit up with gossip-fueled excitement.
"Mr. Jiang Yan has only been in Inazuma for a few days, and he's already found two new lovers."
"Ahh, how pitiful for my dear sisters. These two clearly can't compare to them, yet they still managed to win your affection."
"If those two found out, who knows how much crying and fussing there'd be…"
As she spoke, Miko even pretended to wipe tears from the corners of her eyes, completely ignoring the black expressions on Jiang Yan, Makoto, and Ei's faces.
"Yae Miko…"
Jiang Yan pressed a hand to his forehead.
This fox really wasn't afraid of getting beaten.
Didn't she see the killing intent practically overflowing from Makoto and Ei already?
Welp.
Nobody could save her now.
Without a word, Jiang Yan quietly took half a step backward.
Fox Saiguu also dragged Ganyu and the four little girls backward with her.
"Miko~"
Makoto's gentle voice sounded beside Yae Miko's ear.
"Listen carefully. Who do I sound like?"
Still smiling warmly, Makoto stepped forward.
The moment she heard the voice, Yae Miko froze.
Why did this woman sound exactly like Raiden Makoto?
Was it just her imagination...
No.
Definitely not.
And if it wasn't imagination, then this person was—
Yae Miko slowly turned toward Jiang Yan and asked bitterly,
"She's not Raiden Makoto… right?"
Jiang Yan said nothing.
He merely took another half-step backward.
Yae Miko: "..."
Was that half-step back serious?!
That reaction alone already confirmed all her suspicions.
She looked at the two ordinary-faced women before her—one smiling gently, the other expressionless.
If the smiling one was Makoto, then the stoic one had to be Ei.
Brilliant as always, Yae Miko immediately pieced everything together.
"Wuwuwu, I was wrong! I was wrong!"
In the end, under the combined pressure of Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei, the ever-smug Yae Miko was thoroughly defeated.
"Alright, alright. Makoto, Ei, stop bullying her."
Jiang Yan finally stepped in as peacemaker.
"Come on, looks like the event over there is starting soon."
"Let's go take a look."
As he spoke, he grabbed Makoto and Ei by the hands with a smile.
Both women immediately blushed.
"Y-Yes! I also think Mr. Jiang Yan is absolutely right! I'll lead the way!"
Yae Miko hurriedly nodded.
Though Makoto and Ei hadn't used much force, getting cornered like that in public was still way too embarrassing.
Soon after, under Miko's lead, Makoto and Ei each held one of Jiang Yan's hands as they headed toward the bustling crowd ahead.
Ganyu and Fox Saiguu followed behind, each holding the hands of two children.
The little girls were very obedient. Since Jiang Yan hadn't yet allowed them to run off freely, they stayed close.
The Ningguang Four toddled along obediently, though their sparkling eyes darted around curiously at the sights of Inazuma.
Everything here felt fresh and exciting to them.
The streets were lined with all kinds of delicious snacks.
Whether in appearance or aroma, every single one looked incredibly tempting.
The children were practically drooling.
Of course, the only one being tempted wasn't just the four little girls.
Raiden Ei was no better.
And how did Jiang Yan realize Ei was getting tempted?
Simple.
As they walked, Ei suddenly stopped moving.
Her eyes locked firmly onto a ramen stall...
—or rather, the dango stand beside it.
That's right.
Only dango could truly capture Raiden Ei's heart.
Meanwhile, the Ningguang Four, still holding Ganyu and Fox Saiguu's hands, were being lured in by the oden stall nearby.
Seeing both Ei and the little girls looking so adorable, Jiang Yan couldn't help but laugh.
They were way too cute.
So naturally, the group stayed.
Jiang Yan bought everyone bowls of oden, while specially purchasing tri-color dango for Ei.
The two stall owners nearly laughed themselves silly after landing such a big sale.
Since it was the Irodori Festival, they generously added extra portions as well, making the bowls look wonderfully stuffed.
Each little girl held a big bowl of oden, eyes sparkling brightly.
Ei, meanwhile, happily munched through one skewer of tri-color dango after another.
"Control yourself a little…"
Makoto helplessly poked Ei's puffed-up cheek.
"Too many sweets really will give you cavities."
"Mmph, it's fine."
Ei looked entirely unconcerned.
"You really shouldn't ignore Makoto's warning."
Jiang Yan lightly tapped Ei on the head.
"You'll regret it once you actually get cavities."
"Mhm mhm, got it, got it."
Raiden Ei simply had zero resistance against sweets.
The little girls ate happily.
Especially the three children from Liyue.
It was their first time trying Inazuman specialty snacks, so everything felt novel and exciting.
Meanwhile, little Sara stared down at the warm bowl of oden in her hands, emotions swirling inside her.
She had lived in the mountains all her life.
There weren't any fancy foods there.
And when it came to meals, she never had the luxury of choosing what to eat.
Most of the time, it wasn't about what she wanted—it was simply whatever was available.
Now, feeling the warmth radiating from the bowl in her arms, Sara's heart also felt warm.
Big Brother is so nice!
Meanwhile, while the children happily enjoyed their food, Jiang Yan chatted casually with the stall owner.
The man was very talkative and enthusiastically shared the basics of making oden.
After all, Jiang Yan had tasted some himself, and it really was delicious.
"By the way, Boss, aren't you worried about casually telling me your recipe?"
"Shouldn't that be a trade secret?"
Jiang Yan laughed.
"Hah, doesn't matter, doesn't matter."
The owner waved dismissively.
"The method for making oden isn't exactly secret around here."
"What really matters—"
He scooped up a ladle of broth from the pot.
"—is this soup stock right here."
"This is the soul of oden."
"Hahaha, I knew it. No businessman would casually reveal all his secrets."
Jiang Yan laughed together with the owner.
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