Wriothesley's POV
Question.
How do you tell your very pissed boss that the person who pissed him off is pretty much teasing him?
And yes, this is clear teasing.
Cause if two people of such standing were to get engaged, news of it wouldn't stay secret for too long.
I reckon we would hear of it by tomorrow even if I didn't say anything.
At least he did send another message that I could just call him and give my phone to Chief Louis if needed.
Wait... Now that I think about it...
If it's Childe that Zhongii is getting engaged to... And it's Childe who wrote a message to Neuvillette yesterday...
Pfft!
Not a child I take care of.
That's how Neuvillette saved the number of a harbinger in his phone.
Hahahahaha!
I had to do my best not to laugh out loud.
Sigh...
Putting that aside, I have to get this over with.
"Chief." I called out.
He turned to me, his eyes burning with fury.
"You better have something important to say, Wriothesley, or you will be the one delivering documents to Neuvillette for the next year." He threatened.
That...
Doesn't seem all that scary anymore.
"I know what the meeting was about. That, and why the Fatui are moving about."
"What? Why? Spit it out."
"Morax is getting engaged to Childe."
Silence filled the room before everyone erupted in murmurs.
"What?"
"Those two?"
"Engaged?"
Chief Louis looked at me absolutely stunned for a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"And where did you get that from."
"Neuvillette."
"What? When?"
"Just now. He sent me a message."
The corner of his lips twitched at the absurdity of what I was saying.
Understandably so, to be honest.
"You were messaging the guy we were spying on?"
'Trying to spy on.' I corrected in my mind.
Not very successful either.
Since they both obviously knew of the camera they could have just sat around talking nonsense and letting us listen in. It was honestly a nice gesture that they just got rid of it instead.
No information is better than false information.
I would rather act while knowing nothing than act on faulty information.
"If you're in doubt, you can always ask the man in question. Here you go, Chief."
And with that I pressed call and threw my phone at him, tossing this hot potato right back to Neuvillette.
He gave me this option. I don't see why I shouldn't use it.
Now then.
Sigewinne said I should pick her up two hours early, right?
-
Zhongli's POV
I couldn't help but chuckle as Neuvillette's phone rang.
"It seems like your potential boyfriend threw the bomb over to you, Neuvillette."
"He is just a friend- Never mind. Why do I even argue with you?"
I watched with amusement as Neuvillette tried to have a conversation with Chief Louis without setting off a bomb or two.
"Yes. That's correct, Chief Louis. Yes, that's right. No, nothing of the sort."
Even after so many years, I'm still amazed at how easily he can go back and forth between his formal and informal demeanor.
Just like how he went right back to glaring at me the second he ended the call.
"Come now, Neuvillette. I'm sorry, okay? I apologize. I was wrong. I should have told you sooner."
I haven't seen him this annoyed in years!
He wasn't angry. It might have been better if he was, but he wasn't.
He was just incredibly annoyed, which in Neuvillette's case meant he became incredibly petty.
"I had a meeting with Pierro this morning." He grumbled.
Aha.
Another reason for his annoyance.
Neuvillette has an intense hate for unplanned, last-minute meetings. And this one was with the Fatui too. Something else he dislikes.
"Tomorrow you are going to sit down with me to discuss the contract that will come with your engagement. Childe will come as well."
"That is-"
"Not up for discussion." Neuvillette cut me off.
Yep. Okay. I got it.
"Fine, fine. Whatever you want."
"I wanted a simple phone call from you two days ago."
"Neuvillette..."
Just as I was expecting to get another earful, his lips curved up into a small smile as he glanced down at his phone.
"Fine. I'm in a good mood. I'll let it go this time." He chuckled.
Just what got him into a good enough mood to erase all of his annoyance?
Before he could hide it away, I leaned over the table to steal a glance at the screen of his phone.
Oh?
"You actually brought someone along when you went out with Freminet?"
Putting aside the fact that Freminet is insanely uncomfortable with strangers, Neuvillette himself doesn't like to have others involved when he's with the kids either.
And now here they are, in nothing but swimwear and completely soaked, smiling in a picture with two others.
The little girl I could still somewhat understand but the guy...
Hmm...
"The potential boyfriend?" I guessed.
"For the hundredth time, Wriothesley is just a friend." Neuvillette groaned, pushing me back to my seat.
So I was right. This is the guy.
His name is Wriothesley, huh?
"So, what's with you and this Wriothesley?"
I lifted my cup of tea to my lips only for it to almost fall from my grasp at Neuvillette's answer.
"He and his daughter are staying at my house for a while."
...
And you still say he's just a friend?
And...
"His daughter? The little girl from the picture?"
He has a kid as well.
"Are you sure you're just friends?"
He totally seems like someone who would be your type. Even though I don't exactly have much to go on in that regard other than the fact that I'm clearly not.
As revealed by your innocent but incredibly cruel rejection back then.
But, oh well.
The older brother position is also fun.
And now there is that reckless fox, Childe, as well.
Sigh...
If I didn't love the guy I would have gone insane by now with how many times I have to drag him out of various troublesome situations.
"Zhongli... Enough of that nonsense." Neuvillette groaned, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Fine, I'll drop it."
Just as he let out a sigh of relief, I added another thing.
"Under one condition. You have to answer a few questions of mine."
"You and your contracts and conditions." He grumbled, but he didn't protest.
Now...
Let's see then.
How do I get something out of this oblivious guy?
"What do you think of him? Wriothesley I mean."
Neuvillette fell silent at that.
Was that question perhaps a tad too straightforward even for someone as lacking in EQ as Neuvillette?
"I think he's handsome."
Pfft!
Cough! Cough! Cough!
I spat out my tea hearing Neuvillette's words, but obviously, he wasn't done.
"He is an amazing parent. Incredibly kind, caring, and understanding. A wonderful person overall, really." He smiled.
All that...
"And you still say you don't want to date him." I mumbled.
Neuvillette immediately stuck his hand up at this.
"Let me correct you. I said we were just friends."
I nearly slid off my chair from shock.
What?!
Excuse me?!
What the hell?!
"So... So you mean that... You would date him?"
At my question, he just gave me a look that seemed to scream: Are you dumb?
"Zhongli, he lives in my house. Kid or not, if I didn't like him at least to some extent, I would not have let him stay at my house for more than a day or two. At most, I would have told him to use one of the suits at Hotel Debord. It's just that now I like him quite a bit more than when he arrived." He said.
"And you haven't asked him out on a date... why exactly?" I asked cautiously.
Okay.
I might need to call in some backup for this conversation.
Is Baizhu still in the country?
"First of all, he doesn't exactly like me in any way. As it turns out, I've been sabotaging his work for years on end. Secondly, even if the first problem didn't exist, I don't exactly know what a date would look like."
Oh, wow.
He actually thought about it.
That's a first.
Hmm...
Neuvillette's judge of character has always been good, but maybe I should-
"Stop right there." Neuvillette interrupted my thoughts.
"Stop what?"
"That line of thought. You and Baizhu both. Hands off."
Pfft!
Hahahahaha!
I threw my hands up in the air in defeat.
"Alright, alright. I got it. No touching the potential boyfriend."
"He is just a-"
"Shall I teach you how to plan a date?"
"Hmm?"
To say that his face was filled with question marks would be an understatement.
"I'm getting engaged so obviously, I went right somewhere. Who knows. Maybe you'll get a kiss from your handsome, kind, understanding, caring, and wonderful... friend." I said teasingly.
Wrong move, I found out soon after, when my foot was so cruelly stepped on.
Hahaha...
Perhaps it was a good thing that we didn't get together back then.
This little brother of mine appears to turn to violence when teased.
Speaking of violence, I wonder how Childe is doing. I haven't seen him since the Tsaritsa called him back.
I suppose I'll see him tomorrow at the meeting.
Even if I can't, Neuvillette will surely send someone to drag him out of the Fatui's headquarters.
Now...
How can I look into this Wriothesley guy without my cute little brother catching wind of it?
While I did tell him I would help with planning a date, I would love to know who exactly he is going out on a date with.
He is far too oblivious and innocent.
I can't just send him off with anyone.
Perhaps I should ask Baizhu for help. We aren't exactly best of friends but in this case, I'm sure we can get along just fine for a bit.
Hmm...
Yes...
That will be good.
I'll call him as soon as I get home.