This time, the roar of voices shook the heavens, causing people at the distant docks to turn their heads in surprise.
Standing on the stage, Zhongli listened to the sky-shattering cries of "Welcome back, Dragon King." Facing countless gazes filled with fanaticism, excitement, and amusement, he stood silently, a trace of complexity flickering in his Zhongli-colored eyes.
It looked like helplessness, and perhaps a touch of resignation, but eventually, it all settled into a deep, profound calm.
However, more and more people joined in. At first, it was just the audience at the entrance of the WangSheng Funeral Parlor, but later, even some confused yet amused passersby joined the commotion.
The voices merged together; though not perfectly synchronized, they were filled with joy and a playful atmosphere, echoing through the streets outside the WangSheng Funeral Parlor.
Standing on the small platform, Zhongli found himself in a bit of a dilemma for a moment.
He said nothing, only slightly turning his head to gaze at the distant, overlapping mountain ranges, as if a hidden realm were tucked away in those peaks where he could instantly escape.
Meanwhile, Director Hu Tao stood triumphantly beside him, waving to the cheering "book fans and potential clients" below, her smile as brilliant as the midday sun.
"See! I told you this publicity would work!" she leaned in close to Zhongli and whispered, her tone brimming with the joy of success.
Zhongli continued to gaze at the distant mountains, remaining silent.
He was quiet for a long, long time. As the cries of "Welcome back, Dragon King" gradually weakened, he let out a soft sigh and finally spoke.
"The Director has her whims, and I thank you all for your affection." He first gave a slight nod to Director Hu and the crowd, then shifted the topic back to his original theme, though his tone sounded particularly meaningful against the current backdrop. "The WangSheng Funeral Parlor has been passed down through generations, upholding ancient traditions and strictly observing the contract. Our aim is to guide the deceased to the afterlife and comfort the grief of the living. This is our duty, one we dare not forget. As for..."
Zhongli paused, his gaze sweeping over the fans who had shouted the loudest. The corners of his lips seemed to curve slightly—an extremely faint yet helpless gesture. "...this talk of a 'return,' it is truly an overstatement."
"Zhongli has always been here."
Having finished, he gave another slight nod to the crowd and, dressed in that magnificent "Dragon King Robe," stepped down from the small platform with unhurried composure, leaving the "welcomers" behind him.
"Hahaha! This is too interesting!" Director Hu didn't care about the details; seeing the enthusiastic atmosphere, she laughed so hard her eyes were practically squeezed shut.
As for the "Fictional Historian" who started it all, perhaps they were currently blending into the crowd—who knows?
Then, Director Hu quickly waved to the crowd still excitedly discussing the event, said a few closing words as a final curtain call, and then, like a little mouse that had stolen some oil, she slipped back inside the doors.
Closing the heavy doors and shutting out the noise from outside, Director Hu finally couldn't hold it in anymore. She clutched her stomach, her shoulders shaking as she let out muffled laughs.
"Pfft... haha... oh my..."
Several Funeral Attendants who had participated in the performance also gathered around, their faces flushed from holding back laughter and the lingering excitement.
"Director, you're really too..." Attendant A wanted to say "mischievous," but seeing Director Hu doubled over with laughter, they couldn't help but join in.
Director Hu finally managed to stop laughing, wiping away the tears from her eyes.
"Hehe, wasn't this play beyond imagination?" She lowered her voice, winking at her fellow "accomplices."
[Hu Tao tilted her head in Penguin City and said to Zhongli: "A long, long time ago, there were 3 rivers with 1 duck, 9 chickens, and 2 geese. 3 people passed by and caught 8 geese and 5 chickens, selling them for 29 yuan." After the sale, they realized those weren't geese, they were 'penguins'!! (Come join us, everyone!)]
In truth, all that talk about "giving back to clients" and "improving the business image" was just an excuse she used to fool her own consultant from the start!
A few days ago, while she was nestled in her room rewatching the classic "Welcome back, Dragon King" scene from 'dragonfall: i am the dragon king' for the Nth time, a brilliant idea had suddenly "popped" into her head.
What would it be like if her consultant performed this scene?
Just imagining Zhongli's always-unperturbed face being forced to recite those cringeworthy yet domineering lines made Hu Tao roll around on her bed laughing.
This was simply too much fun! A thousand times more fun than coming up with any new ideas for WangSheng Funeral Parlor packages!
She knew that if she directly told her consultant, "Let's play some roleplay," he would 100% refuse with a gentle but firm attitude, and might even quote some classics to lecture her on the dangers of "frivolous pursuits."
That was why she had meticulously packaged this "event."
She elevated the purpose to being for the reputation and development of the WangSheng Funeral Parlor, defined its nature as a serious and formal business demonstration, and then paired it with her own exclusive brand of persuasion and irresistible enthusiasm.
Sure enough, even someone as shrewd as the consultant had half-reluctantly compromised under her flurry of maneuvers.
As for those cheering "potential clients" outside?
Oh, they were just incidental background props and a hype squad. Director Hu Tao's main goal today wasn't to drum up business at all!
Watching Zhongli being forced into that dragon-patterned robe, watching him stand on stage hesitating to speak, struggling to steer the topic back to a serious direction, and seeing his momentary speechlessness during the Funeral Attendants' exaggerated "humiliation"...
Especially at the end, when he was surrounded by those mountain-shaking cries of "Welcome," and that extremely complex expression that screamed "I don't want to deal with this" while he still had to maintain his poise.
So much fun!
It was worth it! Totally worth it!
Hu Tao felt that all the secret planning over the past few days, the rush job on the robe, and the cajoling and threatening of the Funeral Attendants to cooperate had been perfectly rewarded.
She could savor this amusement for a whole year!
"But Director," Funeral Attendant B looked toward the inner courtyard with some concern, "will Mr. Zhongli... be angry?"
Hu Tao waved her hand with an "I know him" expression. "Don't worry~ Our consultant, at most, will just feel a bit helpless and think we're being mischievous. Angry? That's unlikely."
She rubbed her chin, recalling Zhongli's final gaze toward the mountains, and couldn't help but chuckle again. "He's probably thinking right now that the next time the Director has a 'brilliant idea for the sake of WangSheng,' he'll need to be on high alert with 120,000% vigilance!"
But that was a matter for next time.
At least for now, Director Hu had performed to her heart's content, had a blast, and successfully witnessed the consultant's rare "embarrassment."
"Hehe, heritage... hahaha..." Hu Tao remembered the lines she had made up on the spot and burst into laughter again.
This move was a total win!
She stretched contentedly, already beginning to ponder what excuse she should use next time to trick... ah no, to invite the consultant to participate in some other "interesting" activity.
And so, a peaceful (?) day in Liyue Harbor began vibrantly amidst the sky-shattering cries of "Welcome" at the doors of the WangSheng Funeral Parlor.
[Bonus Chapter Progress: 14%]
[A very, very important matter!! The artist ran off with Ma Ning!! The previous sketches are scrapped, dammit!! My money!! (Crying hard)]
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