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Ningguang enjoys smoking, though she would prefer to do it by herself rather than having people watching her.
Her eloquent pipe, crafted from the best wood and imbued with the best gold, has been her outspoken partner for as long as she knows. Tobacco might be one of rare delicacies, but the free trade laws all around Teyvat made it no longer luxurious. While any pipe may suffice, she requested a specific artisan to make this pipe out of personal interest. Around that time, she thought about whether she might be using her pipe more often than necessary, so making one special pipe won’t hurt.
And, Ningguang was right, it was worth the investment indeed.
Ningguang was inseparable from her pipe during the time she built the Jade Chamber, chain smoking through the day to relieve headache and hinder intrusive thoughts. The habit returned after Jade Chamber met its fall, now sleeping below the vast sea together with the mighty Osial.
Ningguang turned the pipe on her hand, smoke billowing far and wide, filling the room with thick, fragrant smoke. In front of her, a certain legal expert sat unbothered, rifling through a new addendum to a few clauses under Chapter 28, Section 1, Article 2 that Ningguang just added recently, fingers running to underline every word, every comma. A small, knowing smile played on her lips as she looked up to find Ningguang in her indulgence mood, resting her back deeper to her seat while taking yet another sip.
Ah, what did she say about not wanting people to see her while she is smoking? Well, as the time went on, Ningguang got a frequent visitor that graced her new office in Yuehai Pavilion. The affairs of law took more things to Ningguang’s pile so she ended up needing the best of the best to help her settle the matters. Mora is never a problem anyway, as long as it is worth the spending.
Yanfei might be free-spirited, but she is different as law and order is put on the table. Ningguang liked it about her, and how she would work on the matters until the root of it, leaving no stones unturned.
“Sweet smell, it’s not the usual tobacco, isn’t it?”
“You can guess just by its scent?”
“And I can guess the price too, in grams,” Yanfei added. “10,000 Mora for a blend of fruity tobacco, surely it is worth the money?”
“Quite.” Ningguang said. “It is fun to try things like these sometimes.”
“Though, you sure smoke a lot nowadays, Lady Ningguang,” Yanfei put the papers aside, resting her hand on her chin. “Stressful days?”
So her habit invited someone to notice and guess, perhaps Yanfei really lingered too long in her office.
Ningguang opted to answer neutral, as a matter of fact. “There’s no such empty days in Liyue’s affair, don’t you think?”
Again, a knowing smile coming from the pink-haired legal expert. A glint from her jade-colored eyes hinted that perhaps Ningguang couldn’t escape from the argument, or trying to sugarcoat the stuff any longer. Ningguang threw her head back and inhaled more from her pipe, the fruity notes from the blend started to decrease significantly within time. She closed her eyes as she exhaled smoky trails, trying not to look at Yanfei’s way.
Has she gone way too soft recently that people start to get a read on her or … perhaps as it is Yanfei, it is technically not. She has been a pleasurable company, one way to another.
“Lady Ningguang.”
Finally, Ningguang turned, choosing to surrender. Yet, she didn’t expect that it was Yanfei's lips that met hers in a chaste, quick kiss. It was not a kiss that took all the air from the lungs and exhausted you, or a kiss that was done out of spite. It was warm, fleeting, like fireworks breaking the quiet night.
Yanfei stayed standing still, grazing her thumb on her own lips. “Mm. It sure is sweet. A good indulgence, if perhaps not damaging your health in the long run.”
No, Ningguang wasn’t about to object to how the kiss came so suddenly, Yanfei already did it many times before without Ningguang returning it. Again, like a fireworks - one spark, then all gone; then they are back like nothing had happened.
As if the small touch didn’t soothe her in any way.
“... So I should cut back on smoking?”
“It is just advice! Nothing’s pressing.” Yanfei quipped. “But if you heed my warning, I expect a generous tip in the adherence to our contract.”
At that, Ningguang chuckled, finally ditched her pipe. She was torn between amused or appalled, or maybe both.
“Do you have time after this? I think I decided to pay you in full,” Ningguang countered. She held Yanfei's wrist tenderly, brushing her thumbs on the jumping pulse in her veins. “Just for tonight.”
Yanfei visibly furrowed her brow, before she ended up blushing. Red really suited her well. She coughed to her fist, though she quickly averted to a shy, endearing smirk.
“... I would never turn down a good time. Not if it's from you.” [ ]