["Two People"]
[Alright, alright, not counting the biggest eater as a person huh]
[Be thankful the white flying pet hasn't gotten a new nickname yet]
The three of them entered the private room of Liuli Pavilion.
A strikingly handsome man was brewing tea.
His features were sharp and distinct, as if carved from marble.
His deep eyes seemed to hold boundless wisdom and dignity.
His movements were graceful—
Even the simple act of sipping tea revealed his refined taste.
——————
Guinaifen gasped when she saw Zhongli.
"Holy—so many hot guys, folks."
"I'm done for. I'm surrounded by handsome men."
"Too bad I only love Mu Yang. You can have this one."
[Didn't expect Little Gui to be so loyal]
[Not into mature men? Then I'll take him]
[Is Mihoyo trying to drain my entire paycheck?]
[Every movement oozes elegance]
[Elegance never goes out of style]
[You can tell he's a man of taste]
[Why isn't he showing his waist? If I can't admire his waist, I'll die]
[What kind of fetish is that, previous commenter?]
[So hot so hot so hot]
[Slurp slurp slurp]
"Getting a full close-up like this—I think a key character is about to make his debut."
——————
"Yo."
Childe walked in and greeted them.
Zhongli gestured for them to take their seats with a polite "Please."
"Let me introduce you—this friend here is a man of the underworld."
"Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Mr. Zhongli."
Lumine blinked. "The underworld?"
Childe nodded with a smile and explained.
"Mhm. In Liyue, businesses like the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor inevitably deal with... certain 'underworld' affairs."
"And we Fatui have always enjoyed working with friends who... walk in the shadows."
[Is this the mafia or something?]
[Just add a cat, and he'd be the Godfather of Liyue—this aura is spot-on]
[Is the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor some kind of assassin organization?]
Paimon, after hearing Childe's introduction,
Fell into deep thought.
"Walking... in the shadows..."
"Underworld... shadows... sending people to the afterlife..."
"Wah! Could it be that the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is..."
Zhongli nodded. "Just as you've guessed."
Paimon recoiled in shock.
Then, as if remembering something, she leaned close to Lumine's ear.
"Could Mu Yang also be part of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?"
Lumine gave her a confused look. "Huh?"
Paimon began analyzing.
"Look, back in Mondstadt, didn't Amber say?"
"That Mu Yang might be part of a mercenary group from Liyue, and the commissions he takes are all..."
Paimon made a throat-slitting motion.
"Snk—settled with a sword."
——————
The moment Mu Yang was mentioned, Guinaifen perked up.
"Okay, but seriously."
"That does sound pretty underworld-ish."
[Top-tier assassin? Is this tying back to the plot?]
[Take the money, end the life—damn]
[Another plot twist?]
[Who's even lying here? I'm lost]
——————
Lumine frowned.
She felt Paimon was jumping to conclusions.
Wasn't Mu Yang an Adeptus?
Why would he need to do shady jobs like that?
If Mu Yang could hear Lumine's thoughts right now,
He'd definitely tell her:
Oh, I absolutely do.
The world corrects itself this way—how else would I make money?
Meanwhile, Zhongli's expression shifted slightly upon hearing Mu Yang's name.
"You know Mu Yang as well?"
Paimon tugged at Lumine's sleeve.
"See?! They really are assassins!"
Zhongli raised a hand to calm her.
"You've misunderstood, little one. The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a funeral services organization, dedicated to guiding souls peacefully to the afterlife."
Paimon froze. "Huh?"
Childe burst out laughing beside them.
"Hahaha! To mistake Mr. Zhongli for an assassin!"
"While many of our Fatui friends are assassins, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor isn't in that business—at least, not openly."
A dangerous glint flashed in Childe's eyes.
"As for that Mu Yang fellow... I wouldn't be so sure."
Lumine shot back, "You were the one deliberately using vague wording to lead us to think that way, weren't you?"
Childe shrugged. "Was I?"
Paimon patted her chest. "Scared me half to death..."
"But anyway, does Zhongli know Mu Yang too?"
Zhongli gave a quiet "Mhm."
"I met him by chance on the road to Qiaoying Village a few years ago."
"His understanding of tea ceremonies and swordsmanship was profound, so we spoke at length."
——————
Guinaifen pulled up the Teyvat map on her phone.
After scrolling around for a bit, she asked:
"Where's Qiaoying Village?"
[It's in Chenyu Vale.]
"And where's Chenyu Vale?"
[In Liyue.]
[Are you serious right now?]
[I mean, technically correct.]
[Probably an unreleased area.]
"Release the new map already—I need to see my husband's hometown!"
——————
The mention of Mu Yang made Lumine want to learn more about him.
But before she could ask, Childe cut in.
"Mr. Zhongli, let's focus on the matter at hand. The food will get cold."
Lumine noticed a slight edge in Childe's tone.
Is it because of Mu Yang?
Since their host insisted, Zhongli steered the conversation back.
He brought up the Rite of Parting—
Only through this ceremony
Would Lumine have a chance to see the Exuvia.
...
As they discussed the plan inside,
Mu Yang, bored out of his mind,
Lay on the rooftop watching Guinaifen's stream.
With the system masking his presence,
Even Zhongli couldn't detect him nearby.
With Zhongli present, Childe couldn't pull any tricks.
Lumine would have to handle things herself.
But damn, this old man can spin a tale.
"Met by chance on the road"?
Why not say I was the guy who sold you sesame oil?
——————
After a long while,
They finally reached an agreement.
Lumine promised Zhongli she'd help prepare the Rite of Parting.
Once out on the streets,
Zhongli asked for Lumine's thoughts on Liyue.
She replied, "Mondstadt is free, but Liyue is better."
[High EQ answer]
[She's studied The Art of Emotional Intelligence]
[She's too good at this]
As they walked and talked,
Discussing the Rite of Parting,
Mu Yang followed silently from the shadows.
Lumine gathered Noctilucous Jades, incense, and the Cleansing Bell.
Honestly, Mu Yang kind of wanted to go see Madame Ping.
But he held back.
No need to reopen old wounds.
They'd meet eventually.
Later, Lumine went to prepare kites.
After some friendly exchanges,
Both Lumine and the players gained some insight into the personalities of the Archons.
With everything settled,
"Then, Granny Shan, I'll take these pre-ordered items first. As for the remaining payment..."
Lumine and Paimon had been through this routine too many times.
Just hearing those words made them nervous.
[Hahaha Lumine's got PTSD from this]
[Oh no, time to cough up Mora again]
[Little friend, have you brought any Mora?]
Suddenly, Childe popped up beside them.
"As for the remaining payment... I'll cover it."
"Ah! It's Childe!"
——————
Now, every time Guinaifen saw Childe, she couldn't help but laugh.
He'd become the ultimate cash cow in her eyes.
"Hahaha folks, the walking wallet is back at it again!"
[Your wallet has arrived—please check your notifications.]
[Ah! It's the money!]
[A living wallet—truly, I'm moved.]
[Withdraw!]
[When he's rich, he's really reckless with it.]
[Hey rich guy, can you adopt me? I'll be your dog.]
[Previous commenter, you can't have both the money and the role of a dog—quit hogging all the perks.]
Guinaifen could only say:
"Damn, you guys are next-level unhinged."
——————
Lumine crossed her arms, eyeing Childe's sudden appearance.
"Were you lying in wait for us?"
Childe, of course, denied it.
"Haha, of course not! Just passing by."
Mu Yang smirked.
"Just passing by," my ass.
That Fatui girl—
The second she saw Lumine return to Liyue Harbor, she ran off to report.
You've been tailing them this whole time.
Not that Mu Yang would interfere with the Fatui's schemes.
He wouldn't lift a finger right now.
His next appearance—
Had to be at Bubu Pharmacy.
Had to be in front of Changsheng.