Genshin Impact: My Villain System Isn't Working Properly

Although the territory of Mondstadt isn't completely free from petty criminals with questionable judgment who attempt roadside robberies, they clearly failed to evaluate the group they were targeting. 

Within this team were: Shenhe, whose mastery of talismans and immortal arts had reached near perfection; Ganyu, a half-human, half-adeptus; and Jiang Ning, who was practically a direct subordinate of an Archon by now. 

Oh, and also a certain hanger-on named Huixin. 

The robbers didn't succeed in their heist. Instead, they ended up contributing significantly to Jiang Ning's personal wealth. 

"If you're going to rob us, then I won't bother pretending to be a gentleman. Hand over anything valuable!" 

Not only did Jiang Ning take their money, but he also tied them up. "If you're lucky, the Knights of Favonius might find you and take you back to face justice. If not, well… starvation or monsters will handle the rest." 

Ganyu watched her junior disciple handle this situation with an unsettling level of skill and experience, wanting to say something but ultimately holding back. 

She couldn't help but wonder if, back at Aozang Mountain, True Adeptus Cloud Retainer had been mistreating her junior disciples in some way. Jiang Ning seemed far too proficient at this sort of thing. 

Thankfully, once they passed through Stone Gate into Liyue's territory, such incidents became a thing of the past. The Millelith regularly patrolled to clear out monsters, and as for the Treasure Hoarders… 

The moment they caught sight of a white-haired, red-eyed young man in the distance, they all scattered like startled rabbits, muttering curses under their breath. 

"Damn it, the white-haired demon is back. Life's going to be rough for us Treasure Hoarders for a while." 

---

After a few days of travel, Ganyu and the group finally returned to Liyue Harbor. 

The lively hustle and bustle of the streets, coupled with the shouts of merchants peddling their wares, gave Jiang Ning the distinct feeling that after a long journey, he was finally home. 

As soon as they entered the city, Ganyu was whisked away by a Yuehai Pavilion staff member, who was rushing as if their life depended on it. 

If they didn't get Ganyu back soon, both the Yuehai Pavilion and Ningguang herself might start to suspect that the three junior secretaries had perished in Ganyu's office. 

"Well then, I'll go report in. You two take a well-deserved rest," Huixin said to Jiang Ning and Shenhe. 

"Alright. Thank you, Sister Huixin!" Jiang Ning nodded earnestly. 

"Senior Sister, are you heading home?" Jiang Ning asked Shenhe. 

She nodded. "Yes. I'll clean up the place first—it hasn't been lived in for a few days." 

"Then I'll leave that to you. I still need to visit Xiangling and Sister Yanfei," Jiang Ning said. 

---

After parting ways, Jiang Ning headed straight to Wanmin Restaurant, located across from the Adventurers' Guild. 

"Welcome… Oh, Jiang Ning! You're back!" 

The moment she saw Jiang Ning, Xiangling's face lit up with joy. She even abandoned the dish she was cooking to dash over to him, leaving Chef Mao to hurriedly take over. 

However, Chef Mao's gaze turned sharp, glaring daggers at Jiang Ning. 

So you're the rascal who's bewitched my daughter, huh? 

Recently, his daughter had been acting distracted and losing her appetite. As an experienced father, Chef Mao could tell at a glance that she had someone on her mind—and the culprit was clearly this young man in front of him. 

But all Chef Mao could do was grumble inwardly. If he voiced his thoughts, his daughter would surely get upset. 

"Xiangling, I brought you the ingredients you asked for—dandelions, wolfhooks, and windwheel asters, among other things. Where's your storage room? I brought quite a lot." 

"Oh, follow me! Dad, I'm heading to the storage room for a bit!" 

Not waiting for her father's reply, Xiangling grabbed Jiang Ning's arm and led him to the storage room. 

Guoba glanced at the two of them before continuing to breathe fire into the kitchen stove. 

Chef Mao, however, crouched down and patted Guoba's tiny shoulder. 

"Go keep an eye on Xiangling." 

Though Guoba didn't fully understand, he obediently waddled after them on his little legs. 

---

The two of them quickly organized the storage room, filling it with ingredients from Mondstadt. 

"Wow! With so many ingredients, I'll finally be able to try out all those recipes I've been brainstorming!" Xiangling cheered, raising her arms in excitement. 

"When you make something delicious, make sure to let me know," Jiang Ning said. 

"Of course!" Xiangling replied happily. 

Back at the restaurant's front counter, the last batch of customers had just left, giving Chef Mao a moment to clean up before preparing for the evening rush. 

Xiangling poured two glasses of water and sat down with Jiang Ning. She asked curiously, "So, Jiang Ning, how was Mondstadt? I heard they recently had a dragon disaster?" 

"They did, but it's been resolved now. Mondstadt… well, it's very free-spirited." 

Truth be told, aside from a few individuals and the beautiful scenery, the only lasting impression Mondstadt left on Jiang Ning was its cider. He wasn't a big fan of the overly indulgent atmosphere. 

"I see… I wonder what dragon meat tastes like," Xiangling mused dreamily. 

"Xiangling, you can say that here in Liyue, but don't say it in Mondstadt. After all, the dragon there is Dvalin, the East Wind Dragon, and a servant of their Archon. It'd be inappropriate," Jiang Ning warned. 

Xiangling stuck out her tongue playfully. "Got it!" 

Changing the subject, Jiang Ning said, "I wonder what this year's Lantern Rite will be like. It'll be my first time celebrating it in Liyue Harbor." 

He recalled past years, when he could only watch the faint glow of the festival lights from Mount Aozang, imagining the lively atmosphere. 

"There's going to be a cooking competition! Jiang Ning, you should join—you'd definitely win with your skills!" Xiangling suggested. 

"No way. You know me—I only enjoy eating. Cooking's too much trouble," Jiang Ning replied with a wave of his hand. 

"Aww, that's such a shame," Xiangling said, looking genuinely disappointed. 

"Well, you're participating, right? I'll cheer you on and wish you an early victory!" 

"Thanks for the support!" Xiangling grinned. 

"By the way, is Sister Yanfei in Liyue Harbor? I'd like to invite her to dinner," Jiang Ning asked. 

"She is! She stopped by earlier today and mentioned she finally had a day off," Xiangling replied. 

"Great. Reserve a private room for tonight. I'll bring everyone over," Jiang Ning said. 

"No problem! I'll personally handle the cooking!" Xiangling declared, thumping her chest confidently. 

"Loo~" Guoba cheered enthusiastically. 

---

In the afternoon, Jiang Ning visited Granny Ping to pay his respects. As an elder adeptus, she was someone he deeply respected. 

He also left her some souvenirs from Mondstadt, though Granny Ping declined his invitation to dinner, saying, "This old lady doesn't want to intrude on you youngsters. You'll have more fun without me." 

Jiang Ning didn't insist. After leaving the gifts on her tea table, he departed to deliver Yanfei's invitation. 

As Xiangling had said, Yanfei was at home. She happily accepted Jiang Ning's invitation, agreeing to join the dinner. 

With everything settled, Jiang Ning finally returned home. While Shenhe had offered to clean up, he couldn't just leave all the work to her. 

--- 

The evening quickly arrived, and all of Jiang Ning's invited guests gathered at Wanmin Restaurant.

Ganyu, true to her reputation, had not only completed her work for the day but had also meticulously planned the next few days' tasks, leaving her three junior secretaries in awe. They couldn't help but admire her dedication and efficiency.

Xiangling brought her culinary skills to the table, personally preparing the meal while leaving the care of the restaurant's other customers to her father.

Shenhe and Yanfei also arrived as planned. Along the way, Jiang Ning had even bumped into Hu Tao, who decided to tag along.

Tonight was also Jiang Ning's first time meeting the young and famous Yaoyao.

She was dressed in a vibrant green outfit with white sleeves, her chestnut-brown hair tied into an enormous bow atop her head. 

Large bells adorned her hair, jingling softly as she moved. 

Her bright, lively eyes were complemented by a small herbal basket strapped to her back, in which a golden bunny-eared doll peeked out. 

She looked every bit the picture of a well-behaved little sister.

"Hello, Brother Jiang Ning! I'm Yaoyao," she greeted cheerfully.

Jiang Ning smiled and gently patted her head. "Hello, Yaoyao."

Ganyu chuckled and added, "This is Jiang Ning's first time meeting Yaoyao. She's such a sweet and thoughtful child."

Yaoyao modestly replied, "Ganyu Sis, you flatter me. I still have much to improve. But I'm glad Brother Jiang Ning is here—Ganyu Sis has finally been taking better care of herself instead of overworking!"

"Not only that, but I heard you've been eating well and getting proper rest. That makes me so happy," Yaoyao said earnestly, looking at Ganyu.

Her words caused Ganyu's cheeks to flush as everyone else in the room cast teasing glances her way.

"S-stop talking about that…" Ganyu stammered, her face growing redder.

Yanfei couldn't help but laugh. "Haha, Yaoyao really is such a little caretaker, like a tiny grown-up."

Turning her attention to Yanfei, Yaoyao said, "Yanfei Sis, you're just as bad! Even if you're Liyue Harbor's renowned legal expert, and even the Qixing consult you when drafting laws, that doesn't mean you should skip dinner or stay up all night working."

She added sternly, "And while tofu is great, eating too much can lead to gout. You should eat more fruits, vegetables, and a little meat now and then!"

Both Ganyu and Yanfei lowered their heads in silence, obediently enduring Yaoyao's scolding as if they were the younger ones.

Jiang Ning watched in amazement.

Is this girl for real? Who's the senior disciple here?

After taking a deep breath, Yaoyao concluded, "Alright, that's all for now. You two must take better care of yourselves from now on!"

"Y-yes, we will…" Ganyu and Yanfei muttered, nearly on the verge of tears. Their dignified images as seniors were in tatters.

As they sat down, Jiang Ning couldn't help but comment, "Honestly, if I didn't know better, I'd think Yaoyao was your senior disciple."

Xiangling chimed in, "Well, Yaoyao has always been like this. Master always says she's the one disciple we never have to worry about."

Blushing slightly, Yaoyao waved her hands. "It's really not as impressive as everyone says. Besides, I'll be spending this year's Lantern Rite with Granny Ping."

Jiang Ning turned to Shenhe. "The Lantern Rite… this is probably the first one we'll experience together, right?"

Shenhe nodded. She had spent most of her life training in the mountains and had never truly experienced the festival firsthand.

Just then, Hu Tao exclaimed playfully, "Wow, dining with all these adepti disciples! This humble Hall Master feels so honored to be here!"

Xiangling rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. How many times have we eaten together? Since when were you ever this sentimental?"

"Hehe, just a passing thought," Hu Tao replied with a mischievous grin.

Curious, Ganyu asked, "Hall Master Hu, you don't know?"

"Know what?" Hu Tao tilted her head in confusion.

Ganyu hesitated before shaking her head. "Never mind…"

Ganyu had recently uncovered something intriguing about Jiang Ning. 

After learning that he seemed to possess a fragment of Rex Lapis's divine authority, she had secretly investigated further. 

Her inquiries eventually led her to Zhongli, the enigmatic consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Meeting him confirmed her suspicions. 

Zhongli's cover was thin at best, and it didn't take much for Ganyu to recognize him as none other than Morax, the Geo Archon.

Though she now understood the deeper connection between Zhongli and Jiang Ning, Ganyu chose to keep this knowledge to herself. She respected Rex Lapis's decision to remain in the shadows and understood that there must be a reason for his actions.

Interrupting her thoughts, Xiangling called out, "Enough chatting—let's eat before the food gets cold! I made everything with fresh ingredients from Mondstadt, so it's guaranteed to be delicious!"

Raising their glasses, everyone joined in a heartfelt toast.

"Cheers! Welcome back!"

The group of friends, including Hu Tao, chatted and laughed as they enjoyed the meal, basking in the warmth of their reunion.

----

If you find any errors or inconsistencies please let me know, I am trying my best to improve my translations.

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