Xingqiu furrowed his brow. "Wait a minute. That Mora is supposed to help those in need. How can you take one-third of it like that?"
"Hmph. A signed contract is a signed contract. If I win, I take my share. This is just good business." Keqing confidently waved the contract in front of them, a small, self-satisfied smile playing on her lips.
"Xingqiu, let it go," Lin Tian interjected, stopping his companion from saying more. He could tell right away: arguing wouldn't work. Keqing was just as stubborn as he was. Reason alone wouldn't sway her.
She would need to be shown something greater. Something that would strike at her sense of justice.
"But Lin Tian, this Mora was..." Xingqiu began, but when he met Lin Tian's calm, determined gaze, he fell silent. He looked away, frustrated but obedient.
Lin Tian turned to Keqing with a disarming smile. "So, Keqing. What do you plan to do with your winnings?"
Unaware she was walking into a trap, Keqing chuckled, pleased with her apparent victory. "Obviously, I'll buy something nice to eat. Maybe new clothes. And I'll pick up a few rare books Grandpa likes. He's been wanting those for a while."
Lin Tian's eyes narrowed subtly, his expression shifting just enough to betray a trace of contempt.
Keqing caught it. Her mood snapped. "Lin Tian, what's with that look? Are you mocking me?"
"Mock you? Of course not," Lin Tian replied casually, then turned to Xingqiu. "Let's go."
Keqing wasn't about to let him leave without an explanation. She stepped forward, blocking their path, one hand outstretched. "Hold it. You'd better explain that look. If you don't, I'll show you just what the Yunlai Sword Technique can do."
Lin Tian's eyes flickered with surprise. She practiced martial arts? That meant she came from a family with resources and training. A part of him couldn't help but feel jealous.
Still, Lin Tian kept his composure, though his voice gained an edge. "I thought someone like you—someone with a Vision and purpose—would stand for something greater. Turns out, you're just another privileged heir chasing comfort."
Keqing's expression darkened, her eyes flashing with restrained anger. Her posture remained upright and precise, like a drawn blade held steady. "Comfort? Do you think I've never fought for anything real? Explain, Lin Tian. What makes you righteous and me self-serving?"
Lin Tian didn't flinch. "You got lucky. You placed one bet and won. And what's the first thing you think of doing? Buy sweets and fine clothes. That's not purpose. That's luxury. People like us—we don't have the luxury to waste what we earn."
With that, he tugged on Xingqiu's arm and started to walk away.
Keqing grabbed his sleeve in a flash, and the two struggled briefly. In the commotion, they both lost balance and toppled over.
Instinctively, Lin Tian turned mid-fall, wrapping his arms around her and using his own body to cushion the impact.
So soft.
His entire body froze.
Keqing's face turned crimson. This was the closest she'd ever been to a boy outside of her own family.
[WAIT. WAIT. DID HE JUST—?]
[No way that wasn't rehearsed. 10/10 reflexes.]
[Lin Tian out here acting like he mains Ayato]
[That spin. That catch. Who animated this scene?.]
[Bro used Perfect Parry into Clutch Embrace. I'm done.]
The barrage ignited in Lin Tian's vision, words flying faster than he could keep up.
"Lin Tian! Are you alright?" Xingqiu's voice snapped him out of the daze.
Keqing scrambled upright, her face still flushed. Lin Tian took Xingqiu's hand and stood up, quickly schooling his expression into calm.
Trying to bury the lingering heat in his chest, Lin Tian looked Keqing in the eye. "You want to know what makes our goal noble? Come with us. On your next day off, see it with your own eyes."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and pulled Xingqiu with him. The two boys hurried away.
Behind them, Keqing stood motionless, one hand brushing her cheek as if trying to hide the warmth rising there.
Her earlier curiosity, vague and disinterested, had now solidified into something deeper.
She wasn't just watching Lin Tian anymore.
She had taken him to heart.
"Hmph. Fine. I'll see it for myself," she muttered, her voice barely audible.
Outside the academy, Lin Tian and Xingqiu walked through the glowing streets of Liyue. Lanterns lit the dusk like stars strung between rooftops.
Xingqiu still wore a sour expression. "It's just not fair. Keqing didn't even do anything and walked away with all that Mora. How are we supposed to help anyone now?"
Lin Tian shook his head, his earlier embarrassment long faded. His face was calm and composed once more.
"Don't worry. That Mora is still ours. And in the end, we'll get it back."
"You have a plan?" Xingqiu asked, his irritation giving way to curiosity.
Lin Tian gave a slight nod.
He had seen it in the barrage—countless descriptions of Keqing.
Everyone praised her as a righteous, proud girl with a heart that beat for justice.
And people like that? They were the easiest to move.
"But first," Lin Tian added, "I need to visit the orphanage. Want to come?"
Xingqiu looked at the sky. Evening had settled in. "No, my family will worry if I don't get back soon."
"That's fine. I'll go alone."
They parted ways. Xingqiu headed back toward Feiyun Slope, to the guild hall that housed the wealth and power of his family.
Lin Tian turned in the opposite direction, toward the outskirts of Liyue Harbor.
The orphanage sat just beyond the city gates. The land inside the harbor was too expensive. They couldn't afford it.
Especially in places like Feiyun Slope, where every inch of stone was stamped with a price.
After a brisk walk through the winding alleys and across several intersections, Lin Tian spotted the small courtyard.
Even outside the city walls, the place looked worn. Cracks lined the gate, and the walls bore the marks of many hasty repairs.
Lin Tian quickened his pace.
Just as he neared the yard, he saw something that stopped him in his tracks.
The director's grandmother was bowing deeply to a familiar figure.
A woman.
Lin Tian's heart skipped a beat.
It was her. The woman who'd exposed his stall at the harbor—the one who called out his fake Glaze Lilies.
What was she doing here?
And why was the director bowing to her?
Was she here to confront him? And the director... was she pleading on his behalf?
Panic surged in Lin Tian's chest.
Without thinking, he darted forward and placed himself between them, arms outstretched like a protective shield.
"If you're here to take someone in, take me. Don't involve the director."
For a long moment, the courtyard fell into stunned silence.
Then—
"Ow ow ow! Grandma, that hurts!"
The director grabbed Lin Tian by the ear, tugging sharply. "What are you saying, you foolish child? Mind your manners!"
[LMFAO I'M WHEEZING.]
[Bro's heroic moment got ruined]
[That ear grab had me chocking.]
The barrage was merciless.
Even through the mockery, one comment caught Lin Tian's attention.
[Hold on. White hair. Wine-red eyes. Geo Vision. Isn't that... Ningguang?]
[Is this a young Ningguang?!]
[Oh no. Lin Tian, you idiot. That's her. That's the next Tianquan.]
Lin Tian's eyes widened as the realization hit him.
This wasn't just any woman.
This was Ningguang.
The future Tianquan Star of the Liyue Qixing.
And she looked so young.
So composed.
Could someone her age truly rise to such heights?
Doubt gnawed at the edges of his conviction.
The director loosened her grip but kept her stern face. "Apologize. Now."
Even without knowing her exact role, the director could tell this woman was powerful. And generous too—she had delivered crates of supplies earlier.
Lin Tian swallowed hard and turned to Ningguang.
Did she look like a villain?
No.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I misunderstood."
"Hmm. And if apologies were enough, would we need the Qianyan Army?" Ningguang replied coolly, her gaze sharp.
Lin Tian's heart sank.
So... was it really that serious?
Was his mistake big enough to warrant that kind of consequence?