“You… you’re still here, Master Keqing…”

After a night had passed, when Su Ran opened the door, he saw Keqing’s head suddenly slump against his feet.

“!!!”

Startled awake, Keqing snapped her eyes open and hurriedly stood up.

After storming out of the room in frustration the night before, she had leaned against the door, thinking endlessly about whether she should abandon the conviction she had always clung to.

It wasn’t until dawn was approaching that she finally succumbed to sleep and dozed off for a short while.

Ningguang had painted her a vision of the future— but that future was built on commercial expansion, on acquiring ever more personal wealth.

That didn’t align with Keqing’s original intentions.

At the time, however, she hadn’t thought that deeply.

She only believed that as long as she could reach Su Ran, she would obtain an opportunity.

Yet the moment she met him, he poured a bucket of cold water over her head.

After thinking it through all night, she had finally come to a realization.

Su Ran’s power was far greater than Liyue’s.

It was Liyue that needed to rely on him, not him who needed Liyue, a mere trading port.

She had always wanted to bring reform to Liyue, yet her thinking had never been flexible.

After a whole night of reflection, she finally understood what she should do.

Working for Su Ran did not conflict with seeking a future for Liyue.

As for priorities— that was actually simple.

The turnover among the Seven Stars was fast.

Liyue would not stop functioning just because one Keqing was missing.

What she sought was reform— ensuring that Liyue could still thrive even after the Geo Archon stepped away.

This was something Ningguang, who was already working for Su Ran, could also accomplish.

Those technologies alone were enough to push Liyue into a completely new era.

What Ningguang was doing was merely using those technologies to make money.

In that sense, Ningguang’s conscience was clear.

She reaped wealth, while Liyue gained access to new technology.

Did Ningguang have selfish motives?

Of course she did.

She could monopolize all of Liyue, grasp its economic lifeline, and even turn the entire nation into her personal domain.

The price seemed enormous.

But faced with the temptation Ningguang presented, even Keqing found herself unable to refuse.

In the end, she could only choose to trust Ningguang’s character and accept her proposal.

Because even though wealth was being harvested, Liyue was not merely giving without return.

Ningguang would bring change to Liyue.

She could establish a solid foundation here and then spread new technologies even faster, allowing Liyue to reform ahead of all other nations.

Would Su Ran find fault with this?

Of course not.

In this way, Ningguang invested in Liyue, controlled Liyue, and earned Mora.

Yet she was still a citizen of Liyue.

She had not resigned from her position as the Tianquan Star.

Liyue was still governed by its own people.

Wasn’t this a win-win situation?

Wasn’t this far more effective than blindly devoting oneself to Liyue’s development alone?

Taking someone else’s resources without giving them benefits in return— getting an opportunity that way would be strange.

No wonder Su Ran had rejected her so decisively.

Thinking back on her thoughts from the night before, even Keqing herself felt they were a little ridiculous.

Still, when she imagined a future where she could only watch Ningguang command everything from above, she couldn’t help but feel unwilling to accept it.

She had carried her ambitions for a long time.

Ever since last year’s Rite of Descension, she had openly declared her resolve to the Geo Archon.

If, in the end, she could only stand by and watch someone else accomplish what she had always wanted to do, the regret would be unbearable.

Thus, from last night’s hesitation, to understanding, to standing here before Su Ran—she had made up her mind.

“I’ve decided. From today onward, I will resign from my position as one of the Seven Stars of Liyue.”

She declared her resolve.

“Oh? Then have you found a successor?”

Even Su Ran was surprised.

Resigning from the Seven Stars— was that something you could just do on a whim?

Did she think she was Otto or something?

Just resign whenever she felt like it?

Had she even found a successor?

“Uh… not yet.”

Keqing looked embarrassed.

She had been so focused on making her decision that she forgot about the aftermath.

The selection of a Seven Star was extremely strict.

It wasn’t something you could just quit at will.

At the very least, she needed to find a qualified successor before submitting her resignation with a clear conscience.

Which meant—

even after making up her mind, she’d need at least a year to find someone suitable.

But if it took a year, how could she possibly catch up to Ningguang?

“How about… I recommend someone for you?”

“You recommend someone? Are you sure they’d be qualified?”

Keqing looked skeptical.

The position of Yuheng Star was extremely important.

Su Ran hadn’t even been in Liyue for that long— how could he possibly have a good candidate?

Don’t tell her he was planning to pick a Fatui member.

That was absolutely unacceptable.

“What do you think about Zhongli from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?”

“Zhongli!”

The moment she heard the name, Keqing’s thoughts started racing.

His methods resembled the Geo Archon’s style, but his lower bound was high, and his upper bound even higher.

More importantly, he was learned, knowledgeable, and widely respected.

Letting him succeed her position— there would likely be no objections.

“Why him?”

Zhongli becoming one of the Seven Stars made sense.

But why would Su Ran choose him?

Recalling past investigations, that consultant from Wangsheng Funeral Parlor often traveled with the lowest-ranked Fatui Harbinger.

A suspicion formed in her mind.

“That Zhongli… he isn’t one of you Fatui too, is he?”

Otherwise, how could his frequent association with Harbingers be explained?

How could Su Ran— someone who had only been in Liyue for a few days— pick him at a glance?

She didn’t dislike Su Ran himself, but that didn’t mean she didn’t dislike Fatui.

“Of course not. Zhongli is a born-and-bred Liyue native.

In fact, no one belongs to Liyue more than he does.

As for why I chose him…

there’s another reason.”

In all of Liyue, was there anyone who could represent Liyue better than Zhongli?

Su Ran certainly couldn’t find one.

After all, Liyue itself was founded by Zhongli.

Keqing’s curiosity was fully piqued.

“What reason?”

“I can’t stand him freeloading at my place—eating for free and spending money.”

“???”

Since when did Wangsheng Funeral Parlor become your place?

Facing Keqing’s confusion, Su Ran explained:

“The director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor entered into a contract with me, so she’s currently my fiancée.

That means Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is my place.

No problem with that, right?”

Keqing: “…”

This kind of thing… is actually possible?!

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep