Fujin and Lingyuan reached the outskirts of Liyue Harbor and looked up at the massive city gate.
"So this is Liyue Harbor…"
It was their first time there. After entering the city, both of them felt as if their eyes had been opened.
Lingyuan looked at the goods lining the streets. She wanted to buy things but had no Mora, so she forced herself not to look.
Fujin glanced around, occasionally checking her phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Looking for someone."
"Someone?"
"Mm. Over there!"
Baixiao stood at the intersection with a warm smile. "Greetings, esteemed adepti."
Fujin smiled back. "Miss Baixiao, no need for formalities."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Baixiao took out two cards.
Fujin tilted her head. "These are…?"
"These are Liyue Bank cards," Baixiao explained. "They can be used at most shops in Liyue Harbor, or to withdraw Mora directly. Lady Ningguang has already deposited ten million Mora into them…"
Lingyuan was stunned. "How much?"
Baixiao smiled. "Ten million Mora. Consider it a small welcoming gift from Lady Ningguang."
Lingyuan stared at the small card in her hand, deep in thought.
How many meals like that lunch earlier would this buy?
So this is what a top-tier rich lady looks like.
---
Morning, Mondstadt.
After leaving home, Noelle did not head straight to the alchemy shop. Instead, she went to the Adventurers' Guild first.
Katheryne stood behind the counter with her professional smile.
Noelle took out her Adventure Handbook and handed it over. "Hello. I'd like to join an adventure team."
Katheryne accepted it with both hands. "Of course. Would you like me to introduce some teams that are currently recruiting?"
Noelle shook her head. "No need. I've already decided. It's the Magical Girl Adventure Team."
"Please wait a moment while I check…" Katheryne paused briefly. "Found it. This is a small adventure team that was successfully registered yesterday at the Inazuma City branch. There are no completed commission records yet. Are you sure you want to apply to join this team?"
"Yes."
"All right. I've submitted your application. Once the team leader approves it, you'll officially join the adventure team."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"No."
"Please take care of your Adventure Handbook. Have a wonderful day."
Noelle nodded, politely said goodbye, then turned and left the Adventurers' Guild.
Time to go to work.
On the way to the potion shop, Noelle took out her phone and sent a message to the small group chat.
[I've applied to join the adventure team. Remember to approve it.]
---
At the same time, inside a house in Mondstadt.
Amber was lying on her bed, scrolling through her phone.
She had just finished a field reconnaissance mission yesterday and earned herself two days off, so today she could comfortably laze around at home.
Playing cards, chess, chatting idly in group chats…
As soon as Noelle's message appeared in the small group, Amber saw it.
She rolled over on the bed and chuckled softly. "Noelle's so fast."
Since she was a magical girl too, she would obviously be joining as well.
Still, there was no rush. She could lie around a bit longer.
She had heard that everyone in Inazuma was preparing to go subjugate the Thunder Manifestation. That counted as a group activity, right?
Too bad it was way too far. There was no way she could go join the fun.
"Inazuma's Summer Festival… I really want to see Yoimiya's fireworks in person…"
---
Sumeru, Gandharva Ville.
Collei returned to her treehouse, packed her things quickly, then stepped outside.
After waiting a short while, Lumine and Paimon finished packing as well and met up with her.
Paimon looked excited. "Collei, let's go!"
Collei nodded. "Mm."
Unlike the last time Collei traveled to Sumeru City, she was going together with Lumine this time. That meant she could not transform to travel quickly, so they would have to walk the whole way. It would take a few extra days.
The upside was that she had company the entire journey, so it did not feel lonely at all.
After leaving the settlement and walking for a bit, Collei took out her phone to check the time. She also saw Noelle's message in the small group chat from not long ago, followed by Charlotte's "received" sticker. Charlotte was the team leader, after all.
Collei thought for a moment, then typed.
[I'm still on the road. It'll take a few days before I can go to the guild to submit my application.]
Paimon immediately leaned over, curious. "Collei, what are you doing?"
"Nothing."
"Walking like this is so boring. Collei, can we play music on the phone?"
"Sure. What do you want to listen to?"
"The Divine Damsel of Devastation! Mr. Xia's version!"
"Okay."
---
Inazuma, Grand Narukami Shrine.
During breakfast, the girls huddled together and whispered.
Klee looked excited. "Did you see the news? Charlotte made an adventure team!"
Yaoyao nodded. "I saw it."
Klee lifted her chin, eyes full of anticipation. "Klee already told Charlotte! Klee wants to join the adventure team too! Let's all join together!"
Yaoyao looked troubled. "But I don't have an Adventure Handbook yet."
Xia Lin also spoke quietly. "Me neither."
Klee thought for a moment. "It's okay! Charlotte said she's going into the city today to do interviews. We can go with her. She'll help us!"
"Okay."
---
At another table, Ganyu was sipping Mixed Grain Porridge while looking at her phone.
She was not paying attention to the Magical Girl Adventure Team. Instead, she was scrolling through photos Fujin had posted earlier.
Pictures of the scenery at Wangshu Inn, along with an extremely lavish spread of food.
At the table were Xiao and Lingyuan.
Xiao still wore the same expressionless look as always.
Lingyuan, on the other hand, was staring straight at the dishes with an obvious desire to eat.
Ganyu scrolled further and saw photos of Lingyuan eating.
She looked like she was enjoying herself immensely. Just looking at it made one hungry.
Ganyu sighed and shook her head. "That greedy… what kind of hard life has she been living all these years?"
Her thoughts drifted back to long ago, when she had gone to Chenyu Vale with her master and the others.
Back then, Adeptus Fujin had already planted tea trees on the mountains there.
Ganyu had even snuck bites of the tender tea leaves.
They tasted much better than Qingxin.
Later, she brought Lingyuan along to sneak some too, wanting to share something good with her friend.
But after eating them, Lingyuan scrunched up her face, stuck out her tongue, and complained that they were bitter and awful. Even so, she still forced herself to swallow them.
Thinking back on it now, Ganyu could not help laughing.
Beside her, Shenhe turned her head, puzzled. "Sister?"
Ganyu smiled and handed over her phone. "See look at Lingyuan. She's this happy just eating food like that. I can't even imagine what she'd be like if she got to eat what we're having now…"
Shenhe looked at the girl on the screen, blinked, then asked, "Is her luck really as good as yours?"
Ganyu nodded. "Of course. When we first met, her luck was actually even better than mine. Later, after I became the general secretary of the Qixing and did a lot of good deeds over the years, my luck improved even more. Why do you ask?"
Shenhe lifted her gaze to Ganyu. "If her luck is that good, then if she has a strong wish, it would probably come true, right?"
Ganyu froze, suddenly realizing something. "You mean…"
Shenhe glanced at the breakfast on the table. "I think she'll be eating food like this very soon."
Ganyu's expression turned strange.
Everyone was traveling right now. They were not returning to Liyue anytime soon.
If Lingyuan could eat food like this, that meant she would have to come to Inazuma.
But Lingyuan was a shut-in. The kind that never went out.
Back then, Ganyu had sincerely invited her to visit Jueyun Karst, and she had absolutely refused.
Wait.
Ganyu suddenly remembered something.
When she invited Lingyuan back then, she had said she would treat her to lots and lots of Qingxin.
Qingxin tasted quite bitter. Ganyu herself liked it.
But Lingyuan did not even like tea leaves with a slight bitterness. She would definitely hate Qingxin even more.
Could it be that Lingyuan had been afraid of that, so she made up an excuse about not liking to go out to refuse the invitation?
With Lingyuan's prideful personality, if she really went to Jueyun Karst as a guest, then even if she hated Qingxin, she would still force herself to eat it.
So… Lingyuan was not actually a shut-in?
She had just lied about not liking to go out back then, and then, to save face, stayed cooped up in her nest for all these years?
No way. That cannot be right.
The more Ganyu thought about it, the stranger her expression became.
Just then, her phone chimed with another notification.
She looked down.
It was a new post from Fujin.
The photo showed Fujin and Lingyuan happily shopping in Feiyun Slope, holding bank cards given to them by a rich lady.
Ganyu stared at Lingyuan's genuine smile on the screen and fell silent.
"What an idiot…"
----
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