The family war council didn't last too long.
Mainly because there were two children around, and they needed to consider their bedtime, as well as to save their energy for tomorrow.
After dinner
In the small forest cabin's bathhouse.
Gong Qu, the last to bathe, was half lying in the large pool, nearly as big as a small swimming pool, with his eyes closed in relaxation.
...
So much had happened in these past two days.
Searching for the lost Ying, visiting the Anemo Archon, rescuing the Knights of Favonius, the girls' self destructive crystal palace reveal, negotiating with the Knights, and then preparing to slay the Fire Dragon.
Since they'd broken through the gates of Teyvat yesterday, one thing after another had come flooding in.
It felt as though the world they lived in had been pulled into the main storyline and someone had hit the fast-forward button.
It almost felt like the peaceful days of rural life with Aharu were already long behind him.
And indeed, it had been days since he'd last been intimate with Aharu.
...
Click!
The bathroom door opened.
A purple-haired girl, wrapped in a bath towel, walked in.
Her bare feet made crisp sounds on the floor.
"Ah Qu, are you here?"
Gong Qu raised a hand in response, the splashing water serving as his answer.
Keqing gave a small smile, and before stepping into the pool, she undid her bathrobe, revealing her graceful figure. She slipped into the water with the lightness of a dragonfly skimming the surface.
They exchanged a knowing smile; this wasn't the first time.
Keqing leaned forward, crawling toward him. Her exaggerated movements sent warm waves rolling against the edge of the pool.
Some water splashed out and then, like the tide, flowed right back in.
She reached him and turned to lay in his arms.
"Mmm~"
A soft moan escaped her lips as she glared playfully at the mischievous hand that had found its way around her waist.
"Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"It tickles~"
Keqing's moist, glistening eyes locked on him, as if pleading for mercy.
Gong Qu patted her head gently.
"Be good. We've got a tough battle ahead tomorrow. Tonight's not the right time."
"Mmm, but it's been so long since we…."
Keqing absentmindedly touched her belly, her mood dipping a little.
"Is it because we saw Klee today? You want a daughter now?" Gong Qu teased.
"Mmhm," she admitted softly.
Gong Qu gave a wry chuckle, then reassured her, "There's still plenty of time. These things can't be rushed. We'll take it slow."
"Lisa… how did you even convince her to join your harem?"
"You're really jumping around here… Fine, you're the one with the impressive bust, so you win."
Seeing Keqing's expression that said she'd bite him if he didn't comply, Gong Qu quickly gave in.
Then he filled her in on everything that had happened throughout the day.
After hearing him out, even the usually gentle Keqing couldn't resist putting her hand on his waist.
And then she gave it a hard twist.
"Hiss!"
"Well done, Young Master Qu! Four girls in one go, huh? Tell me honestly, just how many girls did you have at max friendship level back when you played Genshin Impact?!"
Images of many girls flashed through Gong Qu's mind, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. If he provoked Keqing any more, this relaxing bath would turn into an electrifying experience in no time.
"That was ages ago! I've already forgotten most of them. I only remember the ones who really left an impression."
"Fine! Besides those four, who else was there? Spill it!"
"Um… Aharu, maybe we should focus on that child thing instead?"
Keqing wavered for a moment but quickly realized this was his way of changing the subject. She refused firmly, "Don't even think about it! Speak! Besides Kamisato Ayaka, Yoimiya, and Nilou, who else?"
"Barbara, Noelle, Mona, Ningguang, Yelan, Qiqi, Yaoyao, Kokomi, Yae Miko, Raiden Shogun, Nahida, Dehya…"
And just as he rattled off these names, another girl, this one with golden hair and wrapped in a bath towel identical to Keqing's, entered.
"Well, well, I didn't expect you two to be having a secret rendezvous in the bath this late at night. How could you leave me out of such a fun game?"
"Shut up, Ying! Can't you see you're crashing someone else's scene? And don't you know how to read the atmosphere?"
"Hehe, don't mind her, Ying. Go on, who else?" Keqing turned her head slowly, her eyes cold and lifeless, scaring even the usually carefree Ying.
She hesitated, glancing at Gong Qu for help. He kept signaling her frantically with his eyes.
"Ah! I'm just the mute protagonist, a tool for the journey. How would I know anyone's friendship level? Those people are just folks we've met along the way. Whether their affection's full or not, only he would know!"
Keqing gave Gong Qu a long, deadly stare.
Cold sweat trickled down his back, and he didn't dare move an inch.
"Hmph! I'll let it slide this time!"
She left a deep love bite on his neck and then returned to her spot.
Ying gave a sheepish smile, using the steam as cover for her red face, and crawled over to his other side.
And so the scene shifted into something far more salacious.
But oddly enough
Once she accepted the idea of sharing Gong Qu with another woman, that faintly humiliating, taboo feeling made it even more thrilling than when it was just the two of them.
Little by little
The three of them grew bolder. Soon, water splashed everywhere as they disappeared beneath the surface, creating a brand new battleground below.
...
Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous! Lisa thought to herself, clad only in her swimsuit.
She hovered between the changing room and the bath, unsure whether to join or quietly walk away.
The women's soft cries and the man's gasps were half-drowned by the water, but the thick scent of desire still filled the air.
"Maybe I shouldn't go in…" she murmured.
In the end, she decided it would be too embarrassing to jump in and add to Gong Qu's workload tonight.
Even though just from the sounds alone, she knew those two were being completely overpowered and could really use some reinforcements.
Sigh, guess she'd just… handle it herself for now.
...
An hour later.
Gong Qu emerged from the bathhouse, carrying Ying, who had gone limp as a puddle in his arms.
Keqing, who had already recovered, trailed behind.
"Now you know who's the boss, don't you, Ying?"
"I'm sorry, dear husband… I'll never call you a pushover again~"
Ying mumbled her apology weakly against Gong Qu's broad chest, his body like that of a mythic Greek hero.
She'd long lost track of how many times she'd ascended to paradise.
All she knew was that more than once, Keqing had shielded her, standing firm in front, taking the brunt of the "attacks."
In that moment, she once again remembered the feeling of maternal love she'd never known.
"Wait… what's this puddle of water doing here?"
Gong Qu looked over at the wardrobe.
Near the corner by the wall, a sticky, glistening patch of water was impossible to ignore.
He sniffed the lingering scent of roses that hadn't quite dispersed, and his lips twitched.
What kind of doujin plot is this?
Lisa, were you lurking just outside this whole time?
Author's Note:
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading and supporting my story so far. It truly means a lot to me.
Lately, it's been tough. The market is getting quiet, and the motivation to keep going is slipping. But I really want to finish this story not just for myself, but for all of you who've followed it until now.
If you've been enjoying the journey, I humbly ask for your support. Even just one Power Stone from each of you would help so much. It's not just about numbers, it's about knowing someone out there is cheering for this story to continue.
Your small support gives me big motivation. Let's reach the end of this journey together. 💙
With gratitude,
—MrBehringer
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