Yes, Lady Funina!

Bai Wen obviously didn't expect Ningguang to be waiting here. You know, it's already evening and the sun has set. Liyue Harbor is by the sea, so the temperature difference between day and night is already large. In addition, the Qun Yu Pavilion is located high in the sky, so the night is even colder...

Under such circumstances, Lady Ningguang still chose to meet him here instead of letting Baiwen bring Richard to the Qun Yu Pavilion for a meeting.

"It seems that Mr. Richard's position in Lady Ningguang's heart is higher than I thought." Bai Wen thought. She thought she had overestimated Richard's position in Ningguang's heart, but judging from the scene just now, it seemed that it was still too low.

"It's been a while since we last met. How should I address you? Richard... or 'Sir'?"

Ningguang's words reminded Richard of the time when they first met. At that time, Ningguang had actually gradually understood how to do business, but due to her lack of experience, she misjudged the situation in Liyue at the time, so that the goods that she had staked her entire fortune on were not sold as expected.

As the days passed, the goods that Ningguang had purchased with all her savings were still piling up in her hands, and she was unable to sell a single item. Not only would she not be able to recover her funds, but her years of hard work would also be wasted, and she would even be burdened with debt. By then, even eating would become a problem.

Thinking of this, an indescribable feeling of suffocation gradually spread in Ningguang's heart.

At this time, a kind-hearted citizen, Mr. Li, who was passing by, noticed Ningguang's predicament and sold most of the goods with just a little trick. When Ningguang asked his name, the man replied, "Just call me 'Sir'. I have been observing you for a long time. Do you want to learn business? I will teach you."

It was with this one sentence that the gears of fate began to turn, and Tianquanxing Ningguang began her legendary journey of growing from a low-level merchant to a giant in Liyue's business world.

There is no doubt that for Ningguang, Richard is a teacher, a partner, and an indispensable "friend". Judging from her current appearance, she does not seem to intend to stop at being just a "friend".

PS: I opened the backend and found that I already owe 4 words. It seems that I have to pay 4 words a day. Anyway, I will pay K first. The words with a '+' sign in the future are additional content. I will go to code the next chapter. That's it--

Volume 89: Chapter : Gentle Country

"Long time no see, since we last parted..."

"It's been twenty years, three months and seven days, right?" Ningguang took over the conversation naturally, and Richard was stunned.

Ningguang smiled and added, "You know, I'm quite sensitive to numbers. Don't worry about it."

No, no, no, this is not a sensitive issue anymore, right?

Richard was keenly aware that this reunion seemed to be becoming troublesome, and before they had said a few words, he already felt sweaty.

"Your memory is still as good as ever, Ningguang," said Richard.

"Yes, sometimes having a good memory is not a good thing. You always think of things from the past. By the way, you haven't answered my question just now. Should I call you Richard? Or 'Sir'?"

"Personally, I think 'Xiansheng' is more pronounceable. After all, the word 'Xiansheng' has different meanings in different contexts. It can refer to someone older than you, it can also mean a teacher, and it can also be used to refer to your own or someone else's husband."

"Except for the last usage, all of them are very appropriate for you." Ningguang spoke at a moderate pace, with clear pronunciation and precise rules.

It's the kind of voice that can still make people listen with interest even when delivering a long speech.

"Yes... yes." Richard didn't know how to answer this question, so he could only force a smile.

"Let's go inside and talk first. It's getting a little cold at night. Once a person stays in a comfortable environment for a long time, he can't stand the hardship. Compared with the coldness of the past, this little bit is nothing."

Even though Ningguang didn't mention Richard in any of her words, it felt like every word she said was referring to him.

Once you enter the Qun Yu Pavilion, the view suddenly becomes much brighter.

Because the sun had already set, the only light sources outside the Qun Yu Pavilion were a few street lamps and the lanterns held by the servants behind Ningguang, so it was very dim.

Because the Qun Yu Pavilion is inside a house and the light source is concentrated, the room is illuminated as if it were daytime.

It can be said that the Jade Pavilion is worthy of being the most powerful and wealthy palace in Liyue. The interior decoration is luxurious and contains so many treasures that it is dazzling.

Moreover, this kind of decoration is not the kind of nouveau riche decoration. It seems ordinary at first glance, but if you look closely, you will find that there is exquisiteness everywhere. People who are more knowledgeable will be surprised at the exquisite design here and the precious treasures used for decoration.

Richard was an expert in this field. He simply made a rough estimate of the prices of the treasures and paintings used to decorate the front hall, and the figures he got made him gasp.

You have to know that this is just a front hall.

Seeing this scene, Richard couldn't help but wonder, could it be that Ningguang robbed the Golden House?

Otherwise, there is no way to explain why the other party was able to accumulate such a huge wealth from nothing in just a few decades.

It is true that Richard taught Ningguang many business skills and some principles of dealing with people, but those could only enable Ningguang to live a rich life.

Being able to achieve this level is obviously the result of Ningguang's own efforts and talent.

Arriving at the reception place that had been prepared long ago, the servants left after serving tea, even the three secretaries who knew everything were no exception.

"How is it?" Ningguang was the first to ask.

"what?"

"How about our Qun Yu Pavilion?"

"Very good, but...we?" Richard was puzzled. Shouldn't this be your Qun Yu Pavilion? Where did the word 'we' come from?

"Of course it's ours. We agreed on this beforehand when you invested in the company with your technology. Even though there's no paper document, it's still a contract signed under the witness of the God of Contract. Businessmen are built on trust, so even if it's just a verbal agreement, it should be followed." Ningguang's expression was serious and she wasn't joking.

"Wait, I can't remember clearly...wasn't that a joke?" Richard stretched out his hand to signal Ningguang to wait for a moment and let him think about it.

Richard soon remembered what happened. After he helped Ningguang sell the unsold goods, the other party insisted on giving a portion of the sales proceeds as a reward for Richard's help and as a reward for his apprenticeship.

However, Richard knew that the goods sold using his method could only barely make back the money. In this case, if he still planned to give him a portion, it would undoubtedly be a complete loss, not to mention that Ningguang's share of the payment was as much as half.

It was basically equivalent to Ningguang giving half of the wealth she had accumulated at the time directly to Richard.

Of course, those amounts were nothing to Richard, but he knew that these Moras were the result of the girl's hard work over the past year and were the fruits of her labor.

The significance of this goes beyond Mora itself.

Therefore, Richard did not accept this thoughtful dividend, and knowing Ningguang's seriousness, he returned Mora in another tactful way.

What did he say at that time...

"Just take this Mora and the method I'm about to teach you, and count it as a share for me."

Richard remembered that Ningguang took note of it very seriously, and even brought out a statue of the Rock Prince, and solemnly swore an oath in front of the statue.

But Richard didn't care. In his long experience in the past, he understood too well the variability of creatures like 'humans'.

As time goes by, no one will remain unchanged forever. Maybe Ningguang really wants to share the profits with him now, but as time goes by and the family business accumulates, her mind may change.

You know, human hearts...are often the ones that cannot withstand the wear and tear of time.

"I never thought it was a joke. The Jade Pavilion under my feet and the foundation I created in Liyue should all belong to you half."

It was as if Ningguang was not talking about the Jade Pavilion under her feet, which had taken nearly a decade to build, and the countless assets under her, but the half of Mora that had not been given away that year.

"However, because you were away for these years and I couldn't find you, and in order to avoid inflation, I reinvested the dividends that should have been given to you. But don't worry, it was all reasonable financial management. I didn't lose money, but made a lot of money."

"It's just because the amount is so huge. If we want to withdraw all of it at once, it will inevitably affect the economy of Liyue and even the entire Teyvat. So we can only withdraw part of it at present..."

In Ningguang's words, the Mora payment that was enough to affect the economy of Teyvat seemed like just a trivial matter.

"Uh, no need. My current salary and savings are more than enough to support my life, and I don't want to change anything..."

"I understand. From now on, we will invest the profits and dividends as we did before." Ningguang did not seem surprised by Richard's choice and continued.

If outsiders knew that Ningguang was also engaged in this kind of financial management business, they would probably be willing to sell everything they had and hand over their assets to the other party.

It’s a pity that this service seems to be open only to Richard at present.

After listening to Ningguang's words, Richard had never understood so clearly the meaning of the phrase "It is hardest to forget the favor of a beautiful woman."

"If you need to withdraw money, use this checkbook. The entire checkbook is specially made to represent the credit of the Jade Pavilion. Any reputable bank in Teyvat can use it."

As she spoke, Ningguang handed over a checkbook with both hands. The workmanship was so exquisite that one could feel the scent of money emanating from it just by touching it.

The anti-counterfeiting technology of this checkbook is also top-notch in the world. Theoretically, apart from the Qun Yu Pavilion, the only force that has the ability to imitate this checkbook is the Fatui.

But the Fatui obviously won't do such a thankless task, so the probability of this checkbook being copied is 0%.

Richard did not accept the checkbook. He knew clearly that if he accepted the checkbook, to a certain extent, he would be kept by this wealthy woman who was famous in Liyue and even in the entire continent of Teyvat.

For ordinary people, this might be something they dream of or even cannot achieve, but for Richard it is a burden. No, this description is not accurate.

It should be said that it is responsibility.

“Ningguang, there’s absolutely no need for you to…”

"A contract is a contract. Merchants are based on trust. It's just what you said to me back then. Do you want to refute what you said back then now?" Ningguang changed her gentle attitude and forcefully pulled Richard's hand and stuffed the checkbook into his hand.

"This..." Richard himself couldn't remember what he said back then, but he still had to take the boomerang that flew from some corner.

"Take it. It's up to you whether you want to use it or not, but it's up to me whether I give it to you or not." Ningguang gently closed Richard's fingers, lowered her eyelids and said, "I just hope you won't leave without saying goodbye again this time."

"I try my best."

Ningguang didn't care about the other party's hesitation. She already knew Richard's current address, so she was not in a hurry.

We've waited for so many years, is this just a little bit more necessary?

Moreover, she was also aware of the objective problem between the immortal species and ordinary people - lifespan. Before she was sure she could handle this matter well, Ningguang chose to wait and see, just like she evaluated whether a project was worth investing in. However, this time she was not deciding whether to invest or not, but when to enter the market.

If the life span problem cannot be solved, Ningguang will still choose to die. Just treat it as a willful act, and it can also be regarded as revenge for Richard's absence without saying goodbye all these years...

"Okay, we've finished talking about business assets, and now it's time to reminisce about the past." Ningguang clapped her hands lightly, and the maid outside the door came in to replace the cold tea and brought two cups of hot tea.

It seems that the food culture of Fontaine has also been taken into consideration, and coffee and Fontaine are also available.

"How have you been these years?" Ningguang asked, and then looked at Richard who was hesitating to speak, "You were not as quiet as you are now. I remember that people in the market called you 'Golden Mouth', which meant that as soon as you opened your mouth, Mora would come to you on her own."

"What a strange name, did anyone really say that back then?" Richard couldn't help but complain.

Richard remembered that no one said that back then. He had reason to suspect that Ningguang was making things up, testing his memory, and then tampering with or even writing the memories of that year based on his memory.

"Really? Maybe I remembered it wrongly." Ningguang knew that Richard still remembered what happened that year, so she gave up the idea of ​​modifying his memory and just found an excuse to fool him.

Afterwards, Ningguang and Richard recalled some of the things that happened in the past. Perhaps because it was too long ago and the two of them looked at things from different perspectives, there were inevitably some discrepancies. However, it was still a great topic for chatting and reminiscing about the past.

During this short chat, the distance between Richard and Ningguang that had been left behind by time was unknowingly filled. Although they could still sense a vague barrier, it was much better than when they first met.

Ningguang was very satisfied with this. Seeing that it was getting late, and knowing that too much is as bad as too little, she put an end to the reminiscing.

"It's getting late, and it's not convenient to go up and down the Jade Pavilion at night. You might as well stay here. There is a room reserved for you in the pavilion, and it has all the daily necessities such as bedding and sheets. I'll take you to see it later."

"If there's anything you're missing, you can tell me and I'll ask Bai Xiao and the others to prepare it for you."

Ningguang's proposal was reasonable and convincing, and Richard had no room to refuse. In addition, it was already late, and he had no place to stay in Liyue. If he really insisted on leaving the Jade Pavilion, he would probably have to find a place to stay in the Fontaine Embassy.

That would be more troublesome, so I might as well just stay here.

"Then trouble you."

"There's no need to be polite between you and me. After all, you are my 'sir'..."

Richard opened his mouth but before he could say anything, he heard Ningguang say, "Respecting teachers is a matter of course. Even Lord Yan can't say anything."

Prince Yan really couldn't say anything. His body was still lying in the Golden House. As for Zhongli...what did he have to do with Prince Yan?

But when Richard looked at Ningguang, it didn't seem like he was treating her like a teacher, but rather like another meaning of "sir".

Of course, it would be even worse if she really took him as her teacher. This would be like her trying to discredit her ancestors...

Of course, Richard couldn't say this to the other person's face. He only dared to complain in his heart. If he said it out loud and the other person didn't mean it that way, wouldn't that be extremely embarrassing?

Richard wasn't bragging, but based on his years of experience, the possibility of that happening was extremely low.

After all, Ningguang didn't seem to have any intention of hiding it, and now she was personally preparing the bed for Richard, just like a virtuous wife.

"I'll do it myself, I'll do it myself." Richard snatched the quilt from Ningguang's hands, but he didn't dare to continue to trouble her.

Ningguang didn't force him to do anything. Instead, she smiled and said, "There are some spare clothes in the closet. I don't know if your size has changed over the years, but it doesn't matter. There are all kinds of sizes in the closet. Just pick the ones that suit you."

After that, he stopped disturbing Richard's rest and said, "Rest early. I still have some official business to deal with. After that, I will go to rest. How about we have breakfast together when we wake up tomorrow morning?"

“…Okay.” Richard found that since he entered this group of Yuge, both the topic and the actions were controlled by Ningguang, leaving him no room for interruption or resistance.

In layman's terms, everything was arranged clearly.

"Goodnight then?"

"Good night."

Volume 90: Chapter 4 Ningguang: My 'Mr.' (K+)

Silent all night.

Although Richard's house was only separated from Ningguang by a wall, there were no popular scenes such as a chance encounter after bathing, a sneak attack in the middle of the night, or walking into the wrong room.

The biggest feeling Richard had from being with Ningguang was that he could clearly feel that Ningguang had a good sense of propriety, or a sense of boundaries.

It is worth mentioning that a sense of boundaries does not mean deliberate alienation, but refers to the judgment and emphasis on the boundaries of interpersonal relationships.

When you find that you get along very comfortably with someone, it actually means that the other person has a good sense of boundaries and will not make abrupt moves that go beyond your current relationship.

Ningguang is the type of person who, even though she doesn't say it explicitly, makes you feel that she is interested in improving the relationship with you, but she needs your consent before she will take the next step.

Doing this will not only make you feel that you are greatly respected, but combined with Ningguang's appearance and status, it will also give people an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and conquest. This combination of punches is really hard to refuse.

It is the one that is well grasped.

"Mr. Richard, Lady Ningguang is already waiting in the restaurant." As soon as Richard walked out of the bedroom, a young girl came up to him at the door and said.