At the Solace Book House.
By now, the few passersby who had been reading had just finished their comics.
Hum—
Hum—
Hum—
Three dazzling beams of light descended from the sky, enveloping the three readers.
In the blink of an eye, the light dispersed.
Each of them now held something different in their hands—
a homework notebook, an eyepatch, and a steaming plate of dumplings.
"What's this?"
They were thrilled inside but confused on their faces.
"One is the same notebook used by Sakura, another is Rikka Takanashi's eyepatch, and the last is a dish of pan-fried dumplings from Cooking Master Boy."
Han Feng explained calmly.
The first two were ordinary items. Unless you were a hardcore fan or a collector, they didn't mean much.
But that plate of dumplings—that was worth something.
Seemed like even random passersby had their lucky moments.
"Dumplings?"
The man with the plate lifted the lid curiously.
A familiar golden light shimmered,
and then an irresistible fragrance spread across the entire shop.
Many people unconsciously swallowed their saliva.
Little Klee's eyes sparkled as she stared, practically drooling.
"So good!"
Suddenly, the comic book in her hand didn't seem that appetizing anymore.
┭┮﹏┭┮
I knew I should've picked Cooking Master Boy!
Or maybe next time… I should just bring someone who wants to read a food manga.
That way they'll get the food… and I can mooch a free meal!
Hehe, I really am a genius!
"These dumplings are leagues above the ones in Liyue. Boss Han's comics really are amazing."
Diluc couldn't help but praise.
For the sake of finding his father's whereabouts, he had traveled across many nations.
Naturally, he had sampled Liyue's finest cuisine.
But nothing compared to the dumplings before him.
"Right… didn't Miss Sara just get golden fried rice here yesterday? It's the talk of all Mondstadt now. Once I finish my comic, I'll have to try it myself."
Diluc made a mental note.
"Such exquisite cuisine should be offered to the great Emissary of the Dark Flame…"
The Lady swallowed hard.
Of course, she didn't dare snatch anything inside the shop.
But once her subordinates obtained some food, they would hand it over.
And if they didn't?
Hmph. Then she'd let them taste what it meant to be devoured by dark flames.
"Thanks, Boss!"
The man with the dumplings was overjoyed, quickly thanking Han Feng before rushing off.
He knew full well what greedy eyes had been watching him.
If he didn't leave quickly, he might not leave at all.
"Hey, don't run! Share some with us!"
His two companions panicked, chasing after him with their own prizes.
Tch, you think you can just run after taking a reward?
"Hey, now's our chance!"
The Electro Cicin Mages and their group immediately lunged for the leftover comics.
"Don't fight me—I want Cooking Master Boy! "
"No way, I grabbed it first. You can have Chuunibyou."
"Come on, give it to me. If I get food, I'll share some with you."
Clearly, after seeing the rewards earlier, everyone only had eyes for Cooking Master Boy.
The thought of summoning such heavenly food was irresistible.
"Ahem!"
The Lady quickly cleared her throat and snuck a glance at Han Feng.
Seeing he wasn't paying attention, she let out a sigh of relief.
She didn't want to leave a bad impression on this mysterious shopkeeper.
Besides—no matter who got the food, wasn't it all going to be hers anyway?
At the alley entrance.
Just then, Venti and the Meicoomon arrived with Noelle in tow.
"We're here. The Solace Book House is just inside."
Venti pointed.
"I didn't expect the shop to be hidden away like this."
Noelle was a little surprised.
Usually, shops were in the bustling market streets.
"Maybe because Boss Han is… a man of higher standing?"
Even Venti wasn't sure.
If one wanted to do business, wouldn't a busy district be better?
But then he remembered Liyue's wandering immortals.
Perhaps Boss Han's eccentricity wasn't strange after all.
"That makes sense!"
Noelle nodded earnestly.
A man of higher cultivation thought differently than others.
She had to keep this in mind.
Otherwise, if such a person ever asked for her help, she might not even know where to start.
"Excuse us, please!"
Just as they were about to enter, three figures rushed out, the scent of dumplings trailing in their wake.
"What's this?"
Noelle's nose twitched.
As a maid, cooking was her specialty.
But even she had never smelled something this heavenly before.
Her mouth watered uncontrollably.
"Probably from the Cooking Master Boy manga."
Venti grinned, wiping nonexistent drool from the corner of his mouth.
"Last night's golden fried rice came from there too."
"So that's where it came from!"
Noelle was stunned.
That very morning she'd heard townsfolk gossiping about the Good Hunter serving a glowing dish—golden fried rice.
She had been curious.
Since when did Mondstadt have such dishes?
She had even planned to try it herself.
If it tasted good, she'd practice and master it too.
But she never imagined it came as a reward from manga.
"Looks like I really need to study this Cooking Master Boy properly."
Noelle thought to herself.
Only by mastering greater cooking skills could she better help those who sought her aid.
Truly—this "All-Purpose Maid" never thought for herself, always for others.
Thanks to Venti's little introduction, her interest in the Solace Book House—and in Boss Han—had only grown.
Carrying that hopeful anticipation, she followed Venti inside.
"Hey, Boss Han, I'm back again!"
Venti called out cheerfully.
"Has that manga Doraemon come out yet?"
He still couldn't stop thinking about that miraculous [Gourmet Tablecloth].
It had become his daily ritual to ask.
"Not yet," Han Feng replied with a faint smile, "but if you bring more customers, maybe it'll appear in a few days."
This morning, there had already been a steady flow of guests.
If that continued, the task would soon be completed.
And once complete… perhaps he could draw Doraemon.
"See? Didn't I bring you someone today?"
Venti grinned and stepped aside, revealing the girl behind him.
"Hello, Boss Han!"
Noelle greeted politely.
Han Feng froze for a second. Then, a surge of joy welled up in his heart.
He had just been thinking about hiring a maid—
and here one came knocking at his door.
And not just any maid—Noelle, the "All-Purpose Maid"!
Truly, there wasn't a soul in all of Mondstadt more suitable.
Not only was her conduct impeccable,
she excelled at every skill of daily life.
Most importantly, she had a kind heart, always ready to lend a hand.
Excellent!
Barbatos, you finally did something right!
~~--------------------------
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