"Sir, did you bring any Mora?"
Bonanus asked a truly soul-searching question. They couldn't order a whole table of dishes and then—having no money to pay—get stuck washing dishes!
An adeptus washing dishes! Just thinking about it made her feel like she'd lose all dignity! And even if the proprietor didn't press the matter, the rumor of an adeptus skipping out on a bill wouldn't be good.
"We, the guardians of Liyue, should not be troubled by Mora. Mora would only become a stumbling block for us."
Zhongli crossed his arms, saying this with an air of such confidence it seemed neither his back ached nor his legs were sore. One could only say, as expected of Rex Lapis, just like the setting in the game.
"So, does that mean you didn't bring any Mora, Mr. Zhongli?" Bonanus's face fell slightly. Following His Majesty around means going hungry three times a day.
"Indeed." Zhongli nodded slightly, admitting it directly.
Seeing this scene, Bonanus couldn't help but show an expression that looked more pained than crying. She spoke to Mr. Zhongli with a serious face.
"What Mr. Zhongli says certainly has merit, but in Liyue, not paying for a meal is against the law!"
"We cannot knowingly break the law, right?"
Upon hearing this, Zhongli thoughtfully stroked his chin. After a moment, he gave a light nod of agreement.
"You speak with some reason. However, there is no need to worry. Although I did not bring Mora on this outing, I did bring my 'wallet.'"
"'Wallet'?" Bonanus frowned. So he did bring money! If you had money, you should have said so earlier!
So the setting in this world is different from the game after all! The Rex Lapis in the game never carries a wallet!
Yet, the Rex Lapis here actually carries a wallet!
"Correct. I can charge the bill to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor or the Northland Bank."
Bonanus: "..."
Fine! It seems I overthought it. Rex Lapis is still the same, with his eternal habit of never carrying Mora.
Thinking this, Bonanus couldn't help but gently massage her forehead. She retreated back beside Xiao, her expression utterly speechless.
"His Majesty... Mr. Zhongli must have his profound reasons for acting this way."
Xiao gently patted Bonanus's shoulder, indicating she shouldn't wear such an expression; it looked rather unpleasant.
"The Northland Bank?" Bosacius asked, somewhat puzzled. He had never heard of such a thing. The Northland Bank sounded like a product from Snezhnaya.
"It is a branch from Snezhnaya, considered to have some cooperative relationship with Liyue," Zhongli replied casually.
The Northland Bank was a branch under the Harbinger Pantalone. Although Liyue Harbor had its own banks, people seemed more willing to go there.
"The money Mr. Zhongli spends isn't charged to the Northland Bank, but to Tartaglia, right?"
As she said this, Bonanus covered her face with her hands. Poor Childe! In whichever world, he's still destined to be a wallet. I pity you for three seconds.
"Oh? You know him?" Zhongli looked over with a puzzled expression. He had never mentioned the name 'Tartaglia.' How did Bonanus know?
"Ah? I overheard it from some masked individuals among the traveling merchant groups earlier."
Bonanus reacted quickly! In an instant, she found an excuse, shifting all responsibility onto the masked individuals.
"They also seemed to mention something about Harbingers..."
Heh, how interesting... Zhongli gave a light chuckle, offering no further explanation.
The ones who said that were likely the Fatui. But there was no need to worry. As long as things remained within controllable limits, Zhongli wouldn't mind.
The reason Tartaglia wasn't by Zhongli's side was because the man had gone to collect debts. A group of people had borrowed money and refused to repay, even hiding in the mountains.
Thus, Tartaglia had to personally deliver a... 'comforting' lesson to those people.
However, Zhongli wasn't worried about Childe's absence, because this Harbinger's every move was within Zhongli's sight.
Even when he was engaged in some mischief, Zhongli knew.
"Sister Bonanus, many things have happened over the past century. In time, I will explain them all to you," Xiao said, crossing his arms, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Alright!" Bonanus gave a slight nod. There really were many things she needed Xiao to properly explain to her.
After all, the Genshin Impact world's plot was quite extensive. Even though she paid close attention to each storyline, there were still many things she wasn't very clear about.
.....
A few minutes later...
Zhongli led the three to the vicinity of Wanmin Restaurant. Upon arriving, Bonanus was stunned by the scene.
It was both familiar and unfamiliar. The small Wanmin Restaurant from the game had now become quite sizable, seemingly even having private rooms!
Even the neighboring snack stall of Uncle Gao, 'Master Chef,' had grown a bit larger, though its scale wasn't much different from the game's.
After all, it's just a snack stall. As long as it can do business, it doesn't need to be that big.
"Zhongyuan Chop Suey! Delicious and cheap!"
Not far away, Auntie Su Erniang, selling Zhongyuan Chop Suey, called out loudly.
The Zhongyuan Chop Suey stall was still just a small cart, looking somewhat humble, but business seemed quite good.
That was understandable. After all, the recipe for Zhongyuan Chop Suey was quite simple, without much innovation, always full of salty and spicy flavors.
"Hey, hey! Freshly made Grilled Tiger Fish! Guaranteed to satisfy!"
Master Chef was also calling out. Most of the snacks he sold were Grilled Tiger Fish. Though just fish, its taste was also exceptional!
Xiao's attention was drawn by this shout. Seeing the dish, he couldn't help but frown slightly.
Not out of annoyance or dislike. Every time he saw such grilled fish, he would remember Tongque.
Tongque was also a Yaksha. He was younger than the Five Foremost Yakshas, yet died earlier than them.
Tongque was a minor Yaksha. Due to his limited strength, he ultimately perished during the Archon War. In life, he loved grilled fish the most, and his greatest idol was Alatus.
Xiao was very uncomfortable with this feeling of recollection; it made him feel awful. Every time he recalled these memories, his heart felt heavy.
"Alatus... don't dwell on it."
Bonanus clearly noticed Xiao's expression. She stepped forward, grabbing his arm, and nodded slightly, signaling him not to wear such a bitter face.
"Mmm..."
Xiao gave a light nod of agreement. Fourth Sister and Elder Brother have returned. This is a cause for celebration. I really shouldn't wear such a bitter face.
"Hey, Alatus! Liyue today is very prosperous! It seems you've guarded this place well!" Bosacius suddenly interjected, startling the two.
"Elder Brother Bosacius, next time you want to join a conversation, could you give a warning first?"
Bonanus planted her hands on her hips, squinting at Bosacius. He always shouts at the top of his lungs. If there were someone with a heart condition nearby...
If Elder Brother suddenly jumped out shouting like that, he'd probably scare their soul right out of them.
"Pfft, what's the big deal?" Bosacius waved his hand dismissively, indicating it was nothing.
"Boring." Xiao crossed his arms, slightly turning his head away, no longer paying attention.
"Save the rest of the conversation for inside. We may enter now," Zhongli reminded from the side.
"Understood!"
---
Inside Wanmin Restaurant
Upon entering the restaurant, the bright lighting was breathtaking. It was truly beautiful. In the corners were Liyue-style dragon-pattern decorations.
Although they were dragon-pattern decorations, they gave off a rather ordinary impression, lacking a sense of grandeur. Perhaps it was due to the common materials used?
The walls were also adorned with festive red lanterns. Some women brought their children here to try the kids' meals.
Young people and some miners also liked to come here to enjoy fine wine. After a hard day's work, one should reward oneself properly.
Perhaps because the Lantern Rite was tomorrow, the decorations here were also particularly eye-catching. The usual ordinary scenery had transformed into a place that gave a sense of elegance.
The atmosphere was lively, and with the affordable, hearty dishes, it made people feel relaxed and happy.
"Welcome! Welcome to Wanmin Restaurant!"