"Eh? Little Xu Zheng, what are you doing here?"
Yanfei had just stepped into Wanmin Restaurant when she spotted a certain someone helping out behind the counter.
"Hiya, Auntie Yanfei!"
Xu Zheng looked up and greeted her sweetly.
For one full second, Yanfei's face froze—and then the vein on her forehead went pop.
"Pfft—!"
Eula, who had come in with her, suddenly burst into laughter. It was the first time she'd ever seen her good friend Yanfei completely lose her composure.
"How dare you bully my dear friend like that… I'll remember this grudge."
Eula and Yanfei—one from Mondstadt, one from Liyue—were an unlikely pair of besties. But Eula had once saved Yanfei from a Fatui ambush back in the day, and their friendship had been forged in battle (and possibly over a few bottles of wine after).
Xu Zheng peeked up at the new guest.
Whoa.
Eula looked even younger than her in-game model.
Sleek navy-blue hair with a black lace pin, a crisp knight's uniform that hugged all the right curves, and those long, lean thighs wrapped in something suspiciously close to a garter strap.
This time, Yanfei was the one who covered her mouth and giggled. As Eula's best friend, she knew exactly what that line meant.
"I'll remember this grudge," depending on context, wasn't always a threat.
Sometimes… it was flirting.
And right now? Oh, it was definitely flirting.
Xiangling peeked out from the kitchen. "Hey, Yanfei, who's this?"
She was obviously referring to the regal ice queen currently drawing everyone's eyes.
"Oh! This is my good friend from Mondstadt—Eula! Don't let her looks fool you, she's actually really sweet."
"Don't let her looks fool you?" Xiangling repeated, eyebrow raised. She didn't quite get the message, but okay.
"Nice to meet you, Sister Eula!"
With the introductions done, Xu Zheng was finally free to greet her properly.
"Hello, little one."
Eula squatted down to meet his gaze, reaching out to pat his head gently. It was obvious—she adored kids.
Back in Mondstadt, the stigma of her "sinner's bloodline" meant no child ever got close to her like this.
Maybe that's part of why she'd agreed to come to Liyue in the first place.
Yanfei, meanwhile, was torn between genuine happiness for her friend…
…and absolute indignation.
Why the hell was she the only one getting called Auntie!?
Seriously—what did Eula have that she didn't?
Xu Zheng tilted his head in thought. Why did he keep instinctively calling Yanfei "Auntie"?
Two seconds later, he figured it out.
Because back when he played Genshin, farming Crimson Witch artifacts for Yanfei had been hell.
Fire domain, fire resistance, no Pyro Goblet in sight.
Yanfei Auntie… You don't want to be naked without artifacts, right?
He'd dumped so much Resin, so much time, just to give her a full set—and still, she'd ended up with trash stats.
So yeah, in his heart, she was already Auntie level.
"Sister Eula, did you come here to eat?"
Xu Zheng switched gears instantly, grabbing a menu and offering it to her with a radiant smile.
Eula blinked at the enthusiastic service. She vaguely recalled Yanfei mentioning the milk tea and ice cream here were divine.
"Do you have milk tea and ice cream?"
"We sure do!"
"Then I'll take one of each."
Yanfei stood there like an extra in her own movie. Why did it feel like all the spotlight and good vibes had suddenly shifted… away from her?
She brought Eula, goddammit.
"Auntie, do you want some too?" Xu Zheng turned toward her.
"Huh? Me? Uh… yeah, sure."
Yanfei was momentarily caught off guard, but quickly realized…
He'd done it again.
"Xu Zheng, I'm warning you. That's slander. I will report you for defamation!"
"Oh no, I'm sorry! Sister Yanfei, please forgive me!"
"…Hmmph. As long as you know your mistake."
The "sister" title clearly hit just the right spot. Yanfei looked extremely satisfied now, smug as hell.
Xiangling watched from the side, unimpressed.
She was starting to think Yanfei had been completely tamed by little Xu Zheng. Unlike her—she had willpower. She couldn't be seduced by a baby.
Just then, a tiny voice came from the kitchen.
"Xiangling, what are you spacing out for? Come help me with the prep!"
"…Coming!"
She answered sweetly and shuffled back inside.
…
Not long after, the desserts arrived.
Each glass of milk tea and each cup of ice cream was presented like a work of art.
And on top of each ice cream scoop, written in colorful swirls, were two names:
"Sister Yanfei" and "Sister Eula."
Yanfei had been nervous for a moment, thinking hers might say Auntie again. But no.
Xu Zheng remembered.
He remembered!
She was so touched she nearly cried.
Both the milk tea and ice cream had been upgraded with Xu Zheng's magic baby touch.
The milk tea came in elegant crystal glassware, sparkling like gemstones in the sunlight, complete with fancy glass straws.
The ice cream? Served in tall transparent dessert goblets, each with a dainty little spoon.
If Liyue had a foodie social app, this would be the top trending photo for sure.
Eula, ever attuned to ice, sensed residual Cryo energy radiating off the ice cream.
Could Cryo powers… make this?
The surface shimmered like polished jade, almost too pretty to eat.
But then she looked over.
Yanfei had already started shoveling it in with bliss on her face.
Welp. That solved that.
Eula picked up her spoon and dug in.
Not long after, both ladies sat back, belly full and satisfied.
Eula, always poised, gave a graceful little exhale.
Yanfei, in her cropped top, now had a round belly poking out adorably beneath it. Her waist was still tiny, but that food baby was very visible.
Honestly? Kinda cute.
Of course, after a good meal came the post-meal gossip.
Yanfei leaned in. "So, Eula… I heard you guys ran into some bandits on the road over. What happened?"
Xu Zheng's eyes gleamed.
Time to hear the drama.
Because—
Some people died, but not completely...