Liyue Harbor.
After seeing Yae Miko and the Kamisato family off, Jiang Yan returned to Yuehai Pavilion.
"Ah Yan, did Miko and Ayaka all head back already?"
Ganyu was organizing documents on the third floor. When she saw Jiang Yan enter, she looked up and asked.
"Mm, I sent them all off."
Jiang Yan walked over and immediately pulled Ganyu into his arms.
Mm…
Nothing felt better than hugging his own soft, sweet little cocogoat~
Breathing in the faint fragrance from Ganyu's hair, Jiang Yan's hands quickly began to wander.
"Hey, stop that."
Ganyu blushed deeply and broke free from his embrace.
At home, it was one thing.
But doing this in Yuehai Pavilion, in broad daylight…
At his age, didn't he know any shame?
"Hehe… force of habit, force of habit."
Jiang Yan grinned sheepishly, while Ganyu shot him a red-faced glare.
"I'm not staying around you, you bad guy."
"I'm going back to work."
"You can handle the rest of the documents yourself."
She turned around and quickly pushed open the door before leaving.
"After all these years, she's still this adorable."
Jiang Yan smiled.
Then he looked toward the pile of unfinished, chaotic paperwork in front of him.
"Mm… time for the most painful part of the day."
He raised a hand, sorting through the remaining files before beginning to review the stack Ganyu had just brought up.
By evening, Jiang Yan held Ganyu's hand as they walked home together.
After having dinner with the little ones in the house, Ganyu stayed downstairs telling stories to Ningguang and the other children.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan went upstairs alone.
He pushed open the door to the room where the World Tree branch had been planted.
A faint scent of fresh wood drifted toward him.
At the center of the room, the branch of the World Tree gently swayed.
Among the leaves growing at the top of the branch, a tiny girl with white hair tipped faintly with green curled up in sleep.
She looked utterly peaceful.
If one looked closely, however, it was clear her body carried a faintly translucent quality.
She did not yet possess a true physical form.
"Mm, looks like her soul should fully awaken within the next day or two."
Jiang Yan felt excited.
After all—
He had waited five hundred years for this moment.
His soft, adorable little Nahida was finally about to be born!
Hehe.
Jiang Yan activated the Soul Gem again, channeling a portion of soul energy into her.
Just as he was about to turn and leave, a faint sound came from behind him.
"Who… who are you?"
A tiny, soft, delicate voice echoed in the room.
Jiang Yan's entire body stiffened.
He turned around immediately.
The white-haired girl who had been sleeping atop the World Tree branch was now sitting up slightly.
Her eyes were half-open, carrying the dazed look of someone who had just awakened.
She had actually awakened already?
Jiang Yan turned back and walked to her side.
"Can you see me clearly?" he asked softly, bending down.
The little girl seemed to try hard to open her eyes wider.
"I can only… see a little… it's blurry…"
Her voice sounded weak.
Soft and sleepy.
Her little head bobbed gently.
"If you're tired, then sleep first."
"When you wake next time, I'll answer every question you have."
Jiang Yan gently brushed her cheek.
Though there was no true physical sensation yet.
The Soul Gem in his hand lit up, its glow flowing into her body.
The energy made her feel warm and comfortable.
After all, she had always been nourished by the Soul Gem's power.
Naturally, it felt deeply familiar to her.
Perhaps because of that familiarity, the girl instinctively leaned against Jiang Yan's hand affectionately.
"Okay~"
After speaking that single word, she drifted back into sleep.
"Mm. Next, it's time to let the World Tree nurture her directly."
Jiang Yan carefully lifted the potted World Tree branch.
Then he raised his hand and snapped his fingers lightly.
The Space Gem lit up.
A portal opened before him.
In an instant, Jiang Yan arrived in the land where the true World Tree stood.
To avoid discovery by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, Jiang Yan carefully scanned the surroundings.
He had to make sure she wasn't nearby.
Fortunately, Rukkhadevata didn't usually come here without reason.
After confirming it was safe, Jiang Yan approached the World Tree with a grin.
"World Tree, World Tree."
"Considering I helped you get rid of that corruption, you can count this as repaying a favor, alright?"
As he spoke, he removed the branch from its pot.
The World Tree suddenly trembled lightly.
A translucent bubble-like sphere formed around the branch.
Then it floated upward toward the crown of the World Tree.
It settled gently into a particular place near the top.
Jiang Yan stared, stunned.
Wait.
World Tree… you actually have consciousness?!
His earlier words had only been meant as self-comfort.
He never expected the World Tree to genuinely understand him.
Still, this made things easier.
He had originally wondered how to let the World Tree nurture the branch.
Now it seemed he didn't need to do anything at all.
He simply had to wait quietly for Nahida to awaken.
Jiang Yan floated upward, arriving near the place where the branch had been set.
The white-haired girl glowed faintly with soft white light.
A small smile rested on her sleeping face, as though she were dreaming something beautiful.
"Heh… what an adorable little girl."
Jiang Yan watched Nahida sleeping with a fond smile.
At that moment, the World Tree began shaking again.
It seemed to be trying to chase him away.
"Oh?"
Jiang Yan sensed the meaning behind its movements and almost laughed from irritation.
This thing had actually started treating the soul growing from that branch as its own child!
"Fine, fine. I'm leaving."
"I'll come back tomorrow when she wakes up."
Suppressing his annoyance, Jiang Yan shrugged.
After all, he still needed the World Tree to continue nurturing Nahida so she could fully take form.
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