Indeed, a few days ago in the back kitchen of Wanmin Restaurant, the two had shared a rather intimate encounter.
Ganyu had excused herself to prepare snacks, but it was clear she was just giving them space. Lucas wasn't too worried, so he sighed and asked, "Are you here to talk business, or to do 'business'?"
Lucas's question made Yelan burst into laughter. She placed her other foot down and said, "I don't hate this fake-serious side of you..."
Lucas, of course, wasn't about to indulge her. He grabbed Yelan's foot and pressed his thumb firmly into a specific spot. With his [Medical Sage] talent, he knew exactly where to apply pressure.
The sudden sensation made Yelan feel a mix of soreness, numbness, and pain. She quickly pulled her foot back, shooting Lucas a glare. "You really can't take a joke, huh? Fine, fine, I'll cut to the chase. Ningguang sent me to tell you she wants to make a deal with you."
"I figured as much," Lucas shrugged. "What do you want me to do? Just so you know, if it's about helping you become the Tianshu, don't bother. No amount of money will change my mind."
Lucas wasn't a greedy person. Once you had enough money, it was just a number, and Lucas already had more than enough of that.
Now, he had a higher goal—Ganyu's "lululululu"!
"Relax, Ningguang isn't asking you to help me become the Tianshu," Yelan pointed at Lucas, then turned her finger to herself, grinning. "She wants me to help you become the Tianshu."
Lucas was momentarily baffled. "Why?"
"If I could figure out Ningguang's thoughts, I'd be the Tianquan myself," Yelan chuckled, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "In the end, she probably just thinks having you as the Tianshu would be more beneficial to her than me."
Lucas pondered for a moment before asking, "So, what's the deal?"
"Don't worry, it's not about money," Yelan spread her hands, smiling. "This assistance is free. All you need to do is remember this favor once you become the Tianshu."
"Free things are often the most expensive," Lucas said seriously. "It's better to be clear about the terms."
"You're quite meticulous. All Ningguang wants is for you to support her a bit once you become the Tianshu," Yelan's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Also, if you agree, I might... give you some personal benefits."
"Oh?" Lucas leaned back casually. "What kind of benefits?"
Yelan didn't answer directly. Instead, she picked up a delicate glass jar from the table. "Plum sauce? Why is this here?"
"It's a condiment for snacks, for guests," Lucas explained. "Libecca brand. Sweet and sour, tastes pretty good."
"Really?" Yelan spun around on the table and sat next to Lucas, opening the jar. The sweet and tangy aroma immediately filled the air.
She took Lucas's hand, dipped his finger into the plum sauce, and then brought it to her own mouth. After cleaning it off, she licked her lips and said, "It really does taste good."
Looking at his finger, now slick with Yelan's saliva, Lucas felt a surge of heat. Then, Yelan lifted her arm and spread the remaining plum sauce along the curve where her chest met her arm. "Want to try some?"
Perhaps because he had consumed too much dairy earlier, Lucas was indeed in need of something refreshing and sweet to cut through the richness. And the way it was presented made it impossible to refuse.
Cool, sweet, and tangy, with a hint of bitterness and saltiness—Lucas couldn't tell if it was the taste of the plum sauce or Yelan herself.
By the time he came to his senses, Yelan's plum sauce had been thoroughly cleaned off.
Yelan lowered her arm, gently massaging her sore shoulder. "Honestly, you kept going even after it was all gone. Such a glutton... So, how was it?"
"Not bad," Lucas said shamelessly. "Next time, how about trying chili sauce?"
"I'll kill you," Yelan's smile carried a hint of menace. "So, do we have a deal?"
"At this point, I don't have much choice, do I?" Lucas sighed. "After all, once you've eaten someone's food, you're at their mercy."
"Chili sauce is too spicy for me, but mayonnaise, apple sauce, condensed milk... those could work," Yelan whispered into Lucas's ear. "And, of course, your own 'sauce'..."
"Mine isn't that thick," Lucas sighed. "Deal. Please tell Ningguang that if you help me become the Tianshu, I won't forget this favor."
In politics, the lines between right and wrong, good and evil, are often blurred. As long as it didn't violate his principles, Lucas didn't mind aligning himself with someone.
With Ningguang's abilities and character, she probably wouldn't do anything too shady.
"By the way, here's a little secret," Yelan whispered. "Lady Ningguang's nights are just as wild as mine."
Having experienced the simulator, Lucas already knew all about Ningguang's situation, but hearing Yelan say it still made his blood boil.
Just then, Ganyu's voice came from outside the door. "Are you two... done talking?"
"Come in," Yelan called out first. "We had a... very productive discussion."
Ganyu pushed the door open and entered, noticing Yelan's smug smile. She couldn't help but ask, "What exactly did you two talk about?"
"Nothing much, just exchanged some information about the next round of the competition," Yelan scratched the back of her head, grinning. "Mr. Lucas and I both... learned a lot."
Indeed, they had gone quite "deep."
"Is that so..." Suddenly, Ganyu's sharp eyes caught something unusual. She pointed at Yelan's underarm and said, "Miss Yelan, there's... something on you."
At her words, Lucas's expression tensed. Ganyu was pointing at the remnants of the plum sauce!