Love Me.

- 5 -

"I did it, Keqing." Ningguang sobs into her palms, almost knocking over her glass of wine. "And I lost her. She's never coming back again."

Keqing tries to comfort the lady. She rubs her back. She doesn't say or tell her any advice. All she does is listen to the lady and stay by her side to comfort her.

"She finds me annoying!" The lady sobs even more. "She hates me!" She grabs her glass of wine and chugs it down.

Ningguang sinks into her palms. "I don't understand. If she does hate me, why didn't she just avoid me all in all from the start? Why didn't she just reject all my requests?"

"Captain Beidou wouldn't just lead you on and then crush you like that," Keqing says. "She's not that cruel… definitely something is up."

The lady groans in her tears. "I don't know anymore!"

"That's enough drinking, Lady Ningguang." Keqing says and takes her glass away, along with the bottle. "You drank too much. You are uttering words that come to your mind. This is not the Tianquan I know."

"Let me sulk all night. Let me cry my heart out," the lady says. "Let me drink and forget my feelings for her."

Keqing stares at the lady. She eventually gives her glass back and bottle of wine back. The lady retrieves it and she begins to pour the wine into her glass for the nth time.

The Yuheng sighs. "Take care of yourself, Lady Ningguang." And she walks out of her office, leaving the crying lady all alone.

•••

It's been a few days since Beidou hasn't said a word to the lady after breaking her heart. The captain hasn't visited the Jade Chamber either. Neither has Ningguang seen the Alcor rest at the harbor either. It's almost as if Beidou completely vanished from the lady's life.

Keqing would notice how the lady would only eat so little, but most of all would rest in her room for almost the whole day. 

Ningguang for the past few days felt lonely. She still is. There is no one to cheer her up. Not even Keqing's lecture and chatting brings comfort to the lady.

The lady currently sits in her office, trying to keep herself busy with work. Her heart is still in pain. Forgetting about the captain will take her some time.

Today, is the day where she finally decides to try to pull herself together. After all, she is the Tianquan.

"Lady Ningguang."

Ningguang is startled at the sudden sound of her door opening, along with her secretary's voice. "Yes, Baixiao?" the lady says with a manner.

"There is someone outside the Jade Chamber. She claims to be working for the Ministry of Civil Affairs," Baixiao says. "She is looking for you."

Ah, the lady thought. Her. It's time she finally shows up and reports for duty.

"Alright," the lady says. "Send her in."

"Right away, Lady Ningguang." And Baixiao leaves.

Moments later, a chic short-haired lady with a white coat hanging from her shoulders enters her office.

She smiles upon seeing the lady.

"Why, hello once again, Lady Ningguang. It's been a while."

The woman's voice is soothing and relaxed. 

The lady automatically returns a smile. "Indeed. Greetings, Yelan."