This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [224]

Ganyu felt a sense of quiet joy upon learning that the red string had reached Luo Qing.

The string, intricately woven with Shenhe’s ever-present red binding and strands of her hair, was enchanted with multiple protective formations imbued with Shenhe’s power.

If Luo Qing faced life-threatening danger, the enchantments would delay his fate long enough for assistance to arrive.

And if the string were ever destroyed, Shenhe—no matter how far away—would sense it through the formations and drop everything to rush to his aid.

Though Shenhe’s intentions remained unclear to Ganyu, her own motives were simple: an attempt to atone for how she had once treated Luo Qing so coldly.

If fate allowed her to meet him again, she would offer a heartfelt apology and seek his forgiveness.

While her heart quietly celebrated the fact that Luo Qing had accepted the string, Ganyu noticed something unusual about Lumine and Paimon’s expressions.

“Lumine, Paimon, are you feeling unwell?” Ganyu asked with concern.

“N-no, nothing like that,” Paimon stammered awkwardly. “Just… suddenly remembered something bittersweet.”

“Bittersweet?”

Ganyu tilted her head, puzzled, but then her eyes widened slightly as if recalling something.

“Speaking of which, why did you initially tell me that the red string hadn’t been delivered to Luo Qing?”

“Uh…”

The duo froze.

There’s no escaping it now.

“Well… there were some… complicated things that happened in Inazuma,” Lumine began hesitantly. After a pause, she decided to test the waters.

“Ganyu, can I ask you something first?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“Do you… like Luo Qing?”

“Eh?!”

In an instant, a blush spread across Ganyu’s porcelain-white face, quickly coloring her cheeks and even reaching her ears.

She averted her gaze, clasped her hands behind her back, and shifted awkwardly on her feet.

“Why… why would you ask something like that?” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

No need to ask further.

Both Lumine and Paimon exchanged knowing glances.

Ganyu had already answered without needing to say it outright.

It’s only a matter of time before Luo Qing adds Ganyu to his collection of admirers. Good thing he hasn’t returned to Liyue…

“It’s nothing,” Lumine said, sighing internally.

“I-I don’t know… Shenhe seems to like him a lot,” Ganyu admitted shyly. “She’s mentioned several times how much she’d love to spar with him again when he returns…”

Ganyu trailed off, her voice tinged with hesitation.

“If I like him too, wouldn’t that mean… competing with her?”

Lumine and Paimon shared a silent moment of disbelief.

It was clear that while Ganyu didn’t outright say she loved Luo Qing, she at least harbored feelings for him. But her consideration for Shenhe, her junior, kept her from fully expressing her emotions.

How noble…

Noticing Ganyu’s melancholic expression, Paimon flew closer to offer some comfort.

“Don’t worry, Ganyu! There’s… there’s plenty of room!”

“Huh?”

“Nothing!”

Realizing her slip, Paimon quickly clamped her hands over her mouth.

“I heard that!”

Ganyu’s eyes sparkled with unexpected energy, her fatigue from the previous night’s work seemingly forgotten.

“Paimon, what do you mean there’s plenty of room?”

“...”

[+1 Frustration from Paimon.]

Flustered, Paimon darted behind Lumine for protection.

“Lumine, you explain it!”

Under Ganyu’s inquisitive gaze, Lumine sighed deeply.

“This isn’t the right place to discuss this. Let’s find somewhere more private,” she suggested.

“Alright.”

---

That evening, Shenhe returned to Liyue Harbor after completing a commission to eliminate some monsters outside the city.

As she strolled through the bustling night market, her stomach grumbled faintly—a reminder of a long day spent fighting without a proper meal.

Since choosing to follow Luo Qing’s advice and experience mortal life, Shenhe had stopped limiting herself to medicinal herbs and plants. She now enjoyed a variety of foods, though she remained mindful of maintaining her figure.

Luo Qing likes it… ah, no… I like it this way.

While searching for a place to eat, she caught sight of a familiar golden-haired girl and her floating companion walking into Xinyue Kiosk alongside her senior, Ganyu.

“They’ve returned?”

Shenhe’s normally stoic expression softened slightly, and without hesitation, she followed them into the restaurant.

After explaining her purpose to the hostess, Shenhe was led toward their private dining room.

As she approached, she overheard snippets of their conversation through the paper-thin walls.

“Lumine, can you explain what Paimon meant earlier about Luo Qing?”

“Ganyu, calm down…”

Shenhe hesitated outside the door, a surge of curiosity and an inexplicable force rooting her in place.

“Luo Qing in Inazuma… somehow, several people there ended up liking him,” Lumine admitted softly.

“Liking him? In what way?”

“In that way.”

“...”

Shenhe blinked in disbelief.

There are women in Inazuma who like Luo Qing too? How…?

“And how did Luo Qing respond?” Ganyu’s voice sounded anxious.

“Well… we’re not exactly sure…” Lumine said evasively, attempting to change the subject.

But Paimon, as always, couldn’t keep quiet.

“That’s not true! Ayaka told us he kissed her—more than once! And don’t forget the photo album. That was definitely Luo Qing’s idea!”

“And when the Shogun kissed him, he pretended not to recognize her but didn’t pull away either. He even looked like he was enjoying it…”

Before Paimon could finish, the door flew open with a loud crash.

Everyone turned in shock to see Shenhe standing in the doorway, her polearm in hand. Her expression was a mix of emptiness and barely restrained fury, a faint trace of killing intent in her gaze.

“Did Luo Qing really do that?!”

“...”

---

This is a fan translation of 原神：这个见习执行官太屑了 by 何一乐. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!