After wrapping up the talk about Mona's situation, everyone turned to Cloud Retainer and Ying'er to check in on their research progress.
Cloud Retainer shook her head. "I'm sorry. The three of us spent the whole morning researching, but we still haven't figured out how to use [Breaths of Joy]."
Ying'er added, "But we did meet that Albedo."
"The Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't ask his opinion?"
"He said this was the first time he'd encountered such a strange alchemical material, so…"
"Sounds like you've hit a serious wall. But I bet the boss knows how to use this kind of material, right?"
Xia Zhi nodded. "I do know a bit. It can be used to create things related to emotions…"
He had only talked for two minutes when the restaurant began bringing out the food.
"Let's eat first," he said. "I'll explain the rest later."
Though Cloud Retainer and Ying'er were dying of curiosity, they still nodded. "Alright."
After dinner, everyone went for their usual stroll by Cider Lake and took the opportunity to escort little Klee home.
Klee very politely invited everyone inside to hang out, but they all declined with smiles.
"Tomorrow's Windblume Festival! Klee will come find you all at the cathedral in the morning!"
"Okay!"
After leaving Klee's home and crossing a street, Mona suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared blankly at a distant stall.
Charlotte turned her head. "What's wrong, Mona?"
"That little Sumeru merchant over there…"
"Wait, isn't that the scammer who conned you out of six hundred thousand Mora? I can't believe we ran into her here! Come on, we're taking you over there to demand an explanation!"
"Ah…"
Charlotte dragged Mona over to the stall.
Dori looked up at her two familiar customers. Just as she put on her merchant smile and was about to greet them—
"Refund us!"
???
Dori stared at them in confusion. She adjusted her glasses and said sternly, "Customers, I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?"
Charlotte held up her Kamera. "Surely you remember us, right? I even took a photo of the moment…"
Dori glanced at the Kamera hanging from Charlotte's chest and nodded.
"Of course I remember you two. During the Lantern Rite, you brought me plenty of business—especially this lovely astrologer, who bought one of my finest crystal balls at a very generous price."
Charlotte corrected her, "It wasn't 'finest,' it was faulty."
Dori raised an eyebrow. "Faulty? Impossible. This astrologer personally tested it at my stall before purchasing."
"It worked then, but it broke down not long after."
"Then perhaps it was due to improper handling."
"My friend is a professional astrologer. Clearly the issue was your product's quality."
"Please be careful with your words. My goods may be a bit pricey, but the quality is top-notch."
"Then how do you explain it breaking so quickly?"
"You'll have to ask yourself that, dear customer."
Charlotte was still arguing with Dori.
The others walked over just in time, a bit surprised to see that Sumeru merchant here again.
Dori's business smile returned to her face. "Dear customers, we meet again! Perhaps something catches your interest this time?"
Zhu Zi looked over the new items laid out on the stall, and asked curiously, "Boss, what brings you all the way to Mondstadt?"
Dori smiled. "Why, for the Windblume Festival, of course. It's the perfect time for business…"
Charlotte cut her off. "Boss, please don't dodge our question."
"My goods are of the finest quality. I'd appreciate it if you didn't cause a scene."
"Whose 'finest quality' item breaks in less than a month…"
Seeing the two start arguing again, Xia Ci chuckled and cleared her throat.
"Boss," she said, "do you know who she is? She's the chief editor of the Liyue Newspaper Agency. You wouldn't want your name plastered all over the Liyue Daily, now would you? Imagine every Liyue citizen knowing what happened—might make it hard to keep doing business there."
!!!
Dori fell silent for a moment, then sighed in resignation. "Fine, I'll exchange the crystal ball for a new one."
She reached into her storage device, pulled out a brand-new crystal ball, and handed it to Mona.
"Please examine it carefully, Miss Customer."
"Huh? Oh!" Mona hadn't expected to get any kind of after-sales service and quickly accepted the crystal ball.
"This one's in perfect condition, right?"
"Let me divine something and see!"
"Please do."
Dori watched Mona with confidence as she cupped the crystal ball in her hands.
Mona looked down at it.
What should she divine?
Might as well… pick up where she left off.
The Lamp of Bliss, or whatever it was—she wanted to see if her result matched what Mr. Xia had divined earlier.
With that in mind, Mona began the divination.
The crystal ball glowed, mysterious astral images swirling across its surface.
Just as Mona was about to interpret the reading—
Crack…
A long fracture suddenly split across the surface of the crystal ball.
Moments later, under everyone's watchful gaze, the light inside faded completely. It looked like a dead piece of junk.
The mood instantly turned awkward.
Mona looked up and said seriously, "This one seems broken too."
Dori frowned, took the crystal ball back from her, and inspected it carefully. It was indeed completely busted.
"…I'll get you another one."
Crack… "Mr. Xia, do you think maybe the prophecy itself is cursed?"
Xia Zhi replied with utter seriousness, "The prophecy's fine. Just keep divining."
Mona relaxed. "Okay… Boss, this one's broken too though…"
"Hold on, I've got one last one."
Crack…
"Boss, it shattered the moment you handed it to me!"
"…Customer, I think this batch really might be defective. I'll refund your money."
Dori promptly returned Mona her hefty sum of 600,000 Mora, turning Mona back into a little rich girl again.
Xia Zhi noticed Dori's stall was still selling some cute plush toys of the Adepti, so he bought a few and gave them to Xia Lin to play with.
Once everyone had left, Dori stared at the cracked crystal balls on the table, thoroughly baffled.
"What on earth is going on…"
—
Meanwhile.
At Angel's Share tavern in Mondstadt.
Venti looked down at the lamp in his hands, looking rather put upon. "Who is it this time? So clingy… Alright, I'll just get this thing off my hands tomorrow and pass it to my bestie. It's seriously ruining my drinking mood…"
—
After their walk, everyone returned to the Favonius Cathedral.
As expected, the moment they stepped inside, Xia Zhi once again spotted that nun smoking in the last pew.
Her gaze was still fixed directly on him.
Xia Zhi went back to his room.
After a while, Cloud Retainer and Ying'er came in.
Xia Zhi resumed his explanation of [Breaths of Joy].
This material was a type of emotional alchemical ingredient—similar to the [Dream Flower] and [Nightmare Fruit] he had collected in the dream world. It could be used to craft items related to emotions.
After talking for a bit, seeing the two still looking a little confused, Xia Zhi thought for a moment, then pulled out the [Yin-Yang Medicine Furnace] from his inventory.
"Alright, let me show you a demo."
He picked up the test tube on the table.
"I'll use the [Breaths of Joy] inside to refine an alchemical item, so you can experience the actual effect for yourselves."
Cloud Retainer and Ying'er nodded seriously. "Please do."
Xia Zhi removed the furnace lid and poured the soft purple-pink gas into the furnace.
Normally, gases would float upward, but this time, it behaved like a tame liquid, obediently sinking into the medicine furnace.
Xia Zhi closed the lid.
The furnace glowed faintly.
The twin Yin-Yang fish carved into the lid began to swim.
Cloud Retainer and Ying'er watched in quiet fascination.
A few minutes passed.
The Yin-Yang fish returned to their original positions.
Xia Zhi opened the lid and poured out two soft purple pills.
Ying'er eyed them curiously. "Boss, are those the final product?"
Xia Zhi nodded. "Yes. Emotion pills."
"Emotion pills?"
"More precisely, [Happiness Pills]. They induce a feeling of happiness when taken."
"Seriously?"
"There happen to be two here. Why don't you try them?"
"Alright."
Xia Zhi handed them the pills.
The two examined them with interest, then popped them into their mouths.
The pills dissolved instantly, leaving behind a warm, inexplicable sensation of bliss.
Both women closed their eyes, focusing on the feeling.
Xia Zhi noticed their faces slowly beginning to blush.
A few seconds later…
They opened their eyes and looked at Xia Zhi, their gazes suddenly… strange.
Exactly like the way Shenhe looked at him.
----
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