Genshin Impact: My villain system is a little different.

As night slowly fell, the streets of Liyue came alive with the bustling atmosphere of dinner time. 

Restaurants like Wanmin Restaurant set up their signs, and vendors called out to passersby. 

Jiang Ning hurried through the streets, the aromas of fried, steamed, and stir-fried dishes wafting into his nose. But despite the tempting smells, his gaze remained firm as he headed toward his destination.

He had promised his master, Xianyun, that he would return home tonight. After all, there was a more enticing feast waiting for him there.

When he arrived home, it seemed everyone had silently agreed to give them some space—only Xianyun was there. 

Seeing Jiang Ning, Xianyun showed no trace of shyness, which left Jiang Ning feeling a little disappointed. He had been hoping to see his master's adorable, flustered expression again. 

Is this what it means to be a reliable adult? She adjusted her emotions in just half a day?

"Master, I'm back."

Xianyun, wearing a blue-and-white apron, seemed to have just come out of the kitchen. 

"Welcome back. Let's eat."

Jiang Ning was surprised. "Master, you can cook too?"

Xianyun replied, "I can handle some simple dishes, but the more complicated ones are too time-consuming and labor-intensive, so I never really delved into them…" 

"However, I've now invented a very convenient automatic cooking machine. Look, you just need to put in the ingredients in the right proportions, input the dish you want, and after a while, you'll have your meal ready."

Xianyun proudly showed off her invention. The machine was already at work, emitting tantalizing aromas from time to time.

Jiang Ning was both impressed and a little baffled. 

Wait, she actually made this? My master is amazing… but is this really the best use of her talents? With my knowledge from another world combined with Teyvat's technology, couldn't she have focused on something more groundbreaking, like, say, a missile system? 

Liyue isn't a warmongering nation like Khaenri'ah, but we do have a bit of a 'firepower deficiency phobia.' We need to bolster our confidence, you know? And the Heavenly Principles probably wouldn't mind… 

But instead, she made a glorified rice cooker?

Still, seeing Xianyun standing tall and proud like a child waiting for praise, Jiang Ning decided to play along. 

"Master, you're truly amazing. As expected of an adeptus…"

Xianyun's smile widened at the compliment. 

"Of course. You should know by now that many of the ancient mechanical arts were refined and enhanced by me."

Jiang Ning nodded along,

I already know from Master Zhongli that most of the ancient mechanical arts were originally developed by Guizhong. You only got interested in them after Morax and Guizhong formed their alliance, and then you started refining your own style.

Xianyun proudly brought out the dishes from the automatic cooking machine. It seemed she had already prepared several meals. 

There were four dishes and a soup, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables. 

But… if she was using the machine to cook, why was she wearing an apron?

Xianyun pulled Jiang Ning to the table, handed him a pair of chopsticks, and urged him with expectant eyes. 

"Come on, try it."

Under Xianyun's eager gaze, Jiang Ning picked up a bite of scrambled eggs with chives and put it in his mouth.

The next moment, his face twisted in discomfort. 

The taste was… something else. The chives were cooked but somehow still had a raw flavor, and the eggs were oddly fishy.

What's more, the seasoning was uneven—one bite was unbearably salty, while the next was completely bland.

Jiang Ning tried the other dishes and found the same issues. He silently put down his chopsticks and said, "Master, why don't you try it yourself…"

Xianyun, though puzzled, took a bite. Her delicate face immediately scrunched up.

She coughed to hide her embarrassment. 

"It seems… the first-generation automatic cooking machine still has room for improvement and debugging. Let's not eat these dishes… How about we go out instead?"

Jiang Ning shook his head. "No need. I'll just fix them up… But Master, there are other ways to improve the machine. For example, adding all the seasonings at once can cause clumping or uneven distribution." 

"Cooking is all about timing—when to add which seasoning at which step. You could try programming the machine to add different seasonings at different times…"

Xianyun's eyes lit up at Jiang Ning's suggestions, and ideas for improvements began sprouting in her mind like bamboo shoots after rain. 

"With that in mind, I have many ideas for improvements… I'll make the second-generation automatic cooking machine tonight."

Jiang Ning, who had been about to take the dishes to the kitchen, silently put them back down. 

I was hoping to spend the evening with Master, but now she's obsessed with this cooking machine… 

Seeing Xianyun's sudden enthusiasm for her invention, Jiang Ning made a decision. 

He grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

"What are you doing? I need to work on the cooking machine…" 

Xianyun seemed to have completely forgotten what she had promised Jiang Ning that morning.

Jiang Ning looked at her seriously. 

"Master, I think before you work on the cooking machine, you should learn how to cook properly. You need to understand the steps thoroughly…"

And so, Jiang Ning began teaching Xianyun how to cook, starting from the basics—washing and cutting vegetables. 

Even a simple lotus root and lotus seed soup had many details to pay attention to. 

First, you had to peel the lotus root to reveal its tender, white flesh. 

As the saying goes, "Even when the lotus root breaks, its threads remain connected." When separated, silvery strands would stretch and eventually snap. 

The stove was already heating up the pot, and the atmosphere grew warmer. 

Lotus seeds were also essential, requiring careful preparation. Jiang Ning meticulously handled the seeds, while Xianyun, initially reluctant and blushing, was pulled back by Jiang Ning's firm voice. 

"Master, watch closely. This is how you prepare the lotus seeds…"

By the time Jiang Ning finished preparing the seeds, Xianyun shyly admitted she hadn't quite learned yet. 

Jiang Ning sighed and started preparing another batch. 

After much effort, he finally managed to teach Xianyun the basics. 

Xianyun, who wasn't particularly gifted in cooking, was already feeling overwhelmed. Her eyes glazed over as her brain struggled to process everything. 

But Jiang Ning wasn't done yet. Learning one dish a day wasn't enough. 

While the lotus seed soup simmered, he decided to teach her how to stir-fry. 

After all, without mastering stir-frying, how could she improve the cooking machine?

Jiang Ning chose a seafood stir-fry as the next dish, knowing Xianyun loved shrimp and fish. 

To be honest, it's a bit like how birds love seafood… 

He peeled the shrimp, revealing the pink flesh inside, and marinated it with egg whites, starch, and seasonings. 

The mixture needed constant stirring and kneading until it became sticky. 

Meanwhile, the abalone had to be cleaned carefully—no rough scrubbing, just gentle, meticulous cleaning. 

Once done, it was soaked in water. 

As expected of a premium ingredient, it had no fishy smell, just a refreshing aroma. 

Xianyun, however, was feeling uncomfortable. 

She loved eating, but cooking was just a side effect of her inventions. 

She hated the messy, chaotic feeling of cooking, especially the sticky, slippery texture of handling shrimp. 

But Jiang Ning believed she would eventually grow to enjoy it.

Finally, everything was ready. 

The last step was stir-frying. 

High heat for quick cooking, low heat for reducing the sauce—alternating between the two was key to perfecting the dish. 

Jiang Ning stood behind Xianyun, guiding her hands as she learned how to toss the wok and control the heat. 

Xianyun immersed herself in the lesson, but the kitchen grew unbearably hot. 

Sweat dripped from their faces, soaking their clothes. 

Despite the discomfort, the dish turned out perfectly. 

Xianyun let out a proud exclamation, thrilled that she had finally cooked something edible.

But her mind was foggy, and she felt utterly exhausted. 

She collapsed onto the bed, muttering, "No more cooking… I'm too tired…"

Jiang Ning gently said, "Master, rest well. You've worked hard today." 

He quietly left the room, closing the door behind him. 

I'd love to stay with Master, but I need to clean up the kitchen, dining room, and bathroom first. 

Otherwise, when Ganyu gets back, she'll faint from embarrassment…

---

The next morning, Raiden Makoto, Kitsune Saiguu, and the others mysteriously took Xianyun out. 

Havria also joined them, though no one knew what these gods and adepti were up to. 

Shenhe, as calm as ever, tugged on Jiang Ning's sleeve, hinting that it was her turn tonight—or maybe they could team up. 

Ganyu, meanwhile, noticed something Jiang Ning had overlooked and was utterly shocked. 

Is the adeptus really this open-minded? And this is her first time… 

She thought about Shenhe's wild nature and Xianyun's imagined demeanor, and suddenly wondered if she was the odd one out. 

The little cocogoat fell deep into thought.

Eula stood in front of Jiang Ning, arms crossed. Her tall stature made Jiang Ning look up at her. 

"What's wrong? Is our 'grudge-holding knight' upset again?" Jiang Ning teased. 

Eula replied, "Jiang Ning, I've been working in the wild for a while now and have saved up some vacation days. How about I go to Sumeru with you?" 

In the past, Eula had pushed herself hard to restore the Lawrence family's honor and atone for their sins. 

But now? 

The Lawrence family was gone, and Mondstadt had treated her poorly. Atonement was no longer on her mind.

She believed in working hard and enjoying life to the fullest. 

And… with the Lawrence family nearly extinct, Eula felt it was her duty to, ahem, expand the family tree.

Jiang Ning agreed. "Sure, I'll talk to Ningguang and get your leave approved." 

Eula said, "Ningguang already approved it… We're all sisters now, so it was easy to arrange." 

Jiang Ning was puzzled. When did you two get so close? Did they team up before? I can't remember… It's like trying to count how many slices of bread you've eaten. 

"Alright then…" Jiang Ning realized he hadn't spent much time with Eula since bringing her to Liyue. 

Seeing Eula and Jiang Ning preparing to leave, Shenhe quietly approached. 

"Xiangling's coming back soon, and Wanmin Restaurant has enough staff…" 

Jiang Ning understood her hint and said, "Shenhe, why don't you come with us? The three of us can go together." 

Shenhe's lips curled into a faint smile, clearly pleased. 

Meanwhile, Ganyu and the others sighed in disappointment. 

Their duties and positions didn't allow them to leave so easily. 

It was a shame.

"Alright," Shenhe and Eula agreed. 

"We're coming too," Havria and Kitsune Saiguu chimed in, having returned unnoticed. 

"What about Master and Raiden Makoto?" Jiang Ning asked.

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