“What are you doing?!”
Luo Qing rushed into the room, alarmed, and snatched the photobook out of Furina’s hands.
This was Ayaka’s precious gift to him—how could he let someone else casually flip through it?
“What’s with the overreaction?” Furina tilted her head in genuine surprise.
It was just a collection of cute, slightly risqué photos of a young woman. Why was he so defensive? Could it be… was she his wife?
“Who gave you permission to touch other people’s things?” Luo Qing shot back, his tone sharp as he flicked the photobook into his system inventory with a swipe.
He’d recently taken the photobook out to stave off loneliness during quiet evenings and forgotten to put it away. Of course, he hadn’t expected Furina to rummage through his things like this.
She was a god, for Archons’ sake. Did she have no sense of propriety?
“I mean…” Furina huffed, folding her arms indignantly.
“It was right there on the coffee table. It’s practically begging to be noticed. So, who’s the girl? She’s pretty cute. Your crush, perhaps?”
Before Luo Qing could answer, Furina’s voice took on a teasing lilt.
“Oh, I see it now,” she said with exaggerated understanding, a hand coyly covering her mouth. “She’s the one who got away, isn’t she? So now you spend your nights staring at her pictures, soothing your unfulfilled longings. Am I right?”
“…”
“And what does that have to do with you?” Luo Qing countered, folding his arms and narrowing his eyes. “Besides, you’re in no position to talk, considering how you chickened out of going to the Ashen River District.”
“I did not chicken out!” Furina’s face flushed pink, her composure cracking.
“I just remembered something important that needed to be done, that’s all! Who says I was scared?!”
“Oh, right, of course.” Luo Qing’s tone dripped with mock agreement.
“…” Furina glared at him, speechless.
“Also,” Luo Qing continued, giving her an up-and-down glance, “don’t you think your current posture is a bit unbecoming of a so-called dignified god?”
Furina had made herself quite at home. She’d kicked off her little leather shoes and peeled off her white stockings, leaving her smooth, bare legs propped on the sofa. Her skirt had shifted just enough to reveal the tantalizing “absolute territory” between her hemline and thighs.
She looked like she’d forgotten Luo Qing wasn’t one of her underlings.
“And what’s wrong with it?” Furina rolled over lazily, stretching her arms above her head.
She crossed her feet at the ankles and reclined further into the sofa, utterly unbothered by his remark.
“Inspiration comes when the body’s in its most relaxed state. You know, that perfect moment when ideas just go ‘pop’!”
“Pop?” Luo Qing raised an eyebrow.
“It’s a livestream. Why do you even need inspiration?”
“Livestreams are important!” Furina exclaimed indignantly. “Every move I make must be perfect in the eyes of Fontaine’s people. Even the smallest event has to be flawless!”
“And you think this is the image of perfection?” Luo Qing gestured at her sprawled-out figure.
“Hmph. You’re not one of my citizens. Why should I care what you think?”
“…” Luo Qing sighed.
Why is she so comfortable around me already? he wondered.
They’d barely known each other for a few days, and she was already lounging barefoot in his house. At this rate, she’d be sprawling across his bed before long.
“But seriously…” Furina hesitated, her curiosity evident. “Who is that girl? What’s your relationship with her?”
She couldn’t help but linger on the photobook’s images. Each photo seemed meticulously composed, exuding a sense of shyness and affection. It was obvious the girl had taken them for Luo Qing’s eyes alone.
“You really want to know?” Luo Qing asked, leaning forward slightly.
Furina nodded, her eyes narrowing in anticipation.
“Not telling.” Luo Qing smirked, leaning back as Furina’s expression soured.
“Pfft. Who cares anyway? I’m not interested,” she huffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away.
“Well, we’ve had enough small talk,” she said after a beat. “It’s time to get back to brainstorming for my livestream!”
“…”
You’re really milking this, aren’t you?
With a resigned sigh, Luo Qing poured them both tea and set out a tray of pastries on the table. He sat down across from Furina and decided to shift the conversation.
“Down in the Ashen River District,” he began, “I heard that people found guilty by the Tribunal are exiled to Melopet Prison. Even if they’re released, it’s nearly impossible for them to return to normal lives. Is that true?”
“It’s… somewhat accurate,” Furina replied, tilting her head thoughtfully.
Seeing the tea and snacks, she decided she could spare a little more time for chatting.
“Once someone leaves Melopet, they’re essentially marked as guilty for life. And, well, most people don’t like associating with the guilty.”
“And what happens if the ruling was unjust?” Luo Qing pressed.
“Unjust?” Furina scoffed. “With the Oratrice guiding decisions and Neuvillette presiding over the court, how could there ever be a mistake?”
“But if there were?” Luo Qing’s tone remained even.
Furina dismissed the notion with a wave. “Then the wronged party can appeal the verdict. I’d actually enjoy seeing a dramatic reversal—it would make for quite the spectacle. Let Neuvillette handle the boring details.”
“…”
She’s as laid-back as Ei, just with more flair for drama, Luo Qing thought wryly.
The conversation shifted back to her livestream plans after a while, and they spent the rest of the evening finalizing details.
—
A Few Days Later
Every night without fail, Furina arrived at Luo Qing’s house wearing her hooded cloak, ready to discuss the livestream.
Eventually, they settled on hosting the event in the plaza outside Vasari Passage. A massive display screen would be set up for the public to watch the historic moment: the Hydro Archon’s first livestream.
Furina would deliver a speech as the centerpiece of the event, with the script prepared by her own hand. At Luo Qing’s insistence, the closing section of her speech would promote the Void Network and Void Terminals to help facilitate the Akademiya’s broader rollout of the technology.
It felt a bit like a product placement, but Luo Qing didn’t care. Unlike Nahida, he couldn’t simply manipulate dreams or gather intelligence through a world-spanning tree. He needed the Void Network fully operational to keep Fontaine’s activities within his reach.
By now, the Akademiya had delivered the first batch of Void Terminals and broadcasting equipment. After the livestream, they would begin distribution and sales.
—
The Day of the Livestream
After weeks of preparation, the Void Network had successfully extended its reach to Fontaine under Nahida’s meticulous guidance. Luo Qing could finally tap into the network’s infrastructure, allowing him to stay connected with his allies—and even reconnect with his youngest daughter.
As the day of the livestream dawned, Luo Qing stood ready to witness the fruits of his labor.
—
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!
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