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"And me too—I'm Hu Tao, the seventy-seventh Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, which makes me Zhongli's boss. If you're ever dissatisfied with his work, feel free to come straight to me and file a little report!"
"Oh?" Venti laughed. "No wonder—only a clever and dependable boss like Director Hu could recruit a subordinate who looks that capable."
"Hehe, Venti really knows how to talk! Our consultant truly is impressive—knowledgeable of the heavens above and the earth below, past and present alike, nothing escapes him. On top of that, with how mature and old-fashioned he speaks, I sometimes wonder if he's actually some adeptus traveling incognito!"
Zhongli: "..."
Xiao: "..."
Cloud Retainer: "..."
Lumine: "..."
Paimon: "..."
"Hey, Conqueror of Demons, you are an adeptus. Do you think that's possible?"
"I… apologize. I only excel at subduing demons. I've never heard of such matters…"
"Hm…? Then what about you, Cloud Retainer?"
"This adeptus has only just moved to Liyue Harbor for a few days. Since Mr. Zhongli is a consultant of your Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, as Director, you should be more familiar with him than I am, no?"
Under the table, Xiao quietly raised a thumbs-up. Cloud Retainer still had some finesse in her speech, and Zhongli calmly took a sip of hot tea.
"Eh… is that so?" Venti swept an untrustworthy glance over everyone. "I've actually heard of Mr. Zhongli's great name even over in Mondstadt."
Xiao and Cloud Retainer stiffened, while Zhongli remained composed, as if fully confident.
Hu Tao urged curiously, "Come on, tell us!"
"I heard tavern patrons chatting about a polite young man from Liyue who went to Mondstadt's best tavern—and instead of drinking wine, stubbornly ordered a cup of hot tea with an incredibly awkward name."
Hu Tao sighed in disappointment. This strange behavior fit Zhongli's personality so perfectly that she didn't even feel like complaining about it.
Instead, Zhongli smoothly picked up the thread. "Hearing Venti say this reminds me—Mondstadt does seem to have such a bard. Rumor has it he's refined and easygoing, and his works are lively and vivid. The title 'Mondstadt's best bard' is hardly an exaggeration for him."
"Oh my, you're making me embarrassed~" Venti said, not embarrassed in the slightest, and seized the chance to ask, "Speaking of which, I noticed you all entering Xinyue Kiosk one after another earlier, but only Victor noticed me standing to the side. Should I say I hid myself too well, or that some people simply ignored the sound of the wind…?"
"Heh… Every Lantern Rite, all of Liyue Harbor is bustling. People are busy admiring lanterns, shopping, or celebrating the festival in their own ways. When the mood strikes, spontaneous outings are inevitable—no one can really predict another person's movements."
In other words: who would've guessed you were actually standing outside just to freeload a meal?
Venti smiled, accepting the explanation.
With all the dishes served, Zhongli stood again and said, "The Lantern Rite celebrations are progressing smoothly, and new and old friends have finally gathered here. This is a joyous occasion. Given the moment, please allow me to raise tea in place of wine and offer a toast to everyone."
Seeing this, Venti also stood up. "Well said, Mr. Zhongli! That makes me feel a bit embarrassed—I'm an uninvited guest who joined halfway through. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble? I'll also raise tea to everyone. Thank you for the hospitality!"
Cloud Retainer and Xiao stood up as well. Cloud Retainer said, "This is my first time dining at the same table as Venti. It's all thanks to Hu Tao—and also thanks to Mr. Zhongli's hosting. This scene truly is worth a toast."
Xiao echoed, "Cloud Retainer speaks rightly."
Shenhe, Chongyun, Xiangling, Xingqiu, Victor Wang, Lumine… one after another, everyone stood up.
Hu Tao spoke last. "Oh my, no need to be so formal! As the host, all I want is for everyone to eat and drink well! Zhongli, Venti—you two, especially Zhongli—after this cup of tea, no more back-and-forth toasting, alright? We're all acquaintances having a meal together. Doing this too much will just make everyone nervous."
"The Director makes a fair point."
"Eh-heh?"
Only Hu Tao, Zhongli's direct superior, could manage him in a situation like this. With her word given, Cloud Retainer secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said inwardly to Xiao, It seems that after this cup of tea, nothing else will happen.
Xiao felt a bit mentally exhausted. Let's hope so…
Everyone sat down again. Thanks to the reasonably well-arranged seating, each person had familiar faces on either side. Hu Tao took the lead in chatting and picking up her chopsticks, and once the lively atmosphere set in, no one felt particularly uncomfortable.
And even as the feast—and later the after-meal tea—came close to an end, there were no further issues of "seating" or "tea toasting."
So, Xiao relaxed.
Then Hu Tao clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention. "Is everyone full and satisfied? Even though we're all acquaintances here, a festival gathering still needs a bit of ceremony."
"Oh?" Venti asked with interest. "Is this a Liyue custom?"
"Nope—it's something this Director just made up on the spot for good luck! Choosing isn't as good as bumping into it. Everyone see that incense burner on the table? It's been burning for quite a while now, and the incense inside is almost spent. I say we let the most distinguished guest present renew the incense for everyone—symbolizing continuity and wishing everyone vigorous growth and constant renewal in the coming year!"
At the words "most distinguished guest," Cloud Retainer and Xiao both raised a hand to their foreheads in shared distress.
Given Rex Lapis' attitude, he definitely wouldn't accept such an identity. The Anemo Archon's identity couldn't be revealed either. On the surface, that only left the two of them.
Hu Tao flashed a mischievous smile and deliberately skipped over them, starting with Shenhe. "You can nominate yourself! Or pick someone!"
Shenhe: "My master is here."
Xiangling: "Even if my master isn't here, with Auntie Cloud Retainer around, I wouldn't dare! I vote for the two adepti!"
Chongyun: "With my aunt, my aunt's master, and the Conqueror of Demons present, there's no way it would be my turn. I choose the Conqueror of Demons."
Xingqiu: "My family is just an ordinary merchant household—how could we compare to adepti in distinction? Since Chongyun chose the Conqueror of Demons, I'll choose him as well."
Victor Wang also felt the same awkwardness Cloud Retainer and Xiao were experiencing and ventured, "Then I'll pick someone different? How about Zhongli—the one who 'knows the heavens above and the earth below, past and present alike'?"
Zhongli: "If you choose me, then I'll choose the Director."
Hu Tao objected, "No, no. It's supposed to be a distinguished guest. As the host, I can't be chosen."
Zhongli: "Then Mondstadt's best bard?"
Venti: "Hehe, I wasn't even part of the original plan. At the very least, we should pick someone everyone knows. I think the most suitable choice is between Victor Wang and Lumine."
Lumine: "Don't choose me. I choose Victor."
Victor Wang: "Wait—why? And didn't you all forget Paimon?"
Paimon: "Huh? M-me too? Cloud Retainer and Xiao haven't even spoken yet—maybe we should let them choose instead?"
At that moment, Xiao had just finished a private exchange with Cloud Retainer and now stared quietly at Paimon without saying a word.
Cloud Retainer said, "Stop arguing. Let this adeptus do it."
"Oh?" Hu Tao brightened. "If Cloud Retainer is willing, that would be perfect!"
"Ahem. This adeptus means—I will choose someone. If you all acknowledge my choice, then there will be no further objections."
Zhongli: "..."
Venti: "Let's hear it?"
Since the most distinguished couldn't be chosen, Cloud Retainer turned the logic on its head. "What Venti and Victor said is quite right—thus, Paimon is the most suitable choice. She knows everyone here. Moreover, renewing incense represents replacing old power with new. Paimon is small, and therefore possesses the greatest potential for growth among us. Her future is closest to that new flame of incense."
"Me?" Paimon pointed at herself.
"It's you."
As Cloud Retainer's gaze swept across the table, everyone expressed their support.
And so, amid warm applause and praise, Paimon—feeling lightheaded—stepped forward to add fresh incense to the burner…
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