Every year during the Lantern Rite, they would call upon their friends and gather together to admire the beautiful scenery of the festival.
On the streets of Liyue, tasting all kinds of delicious snacks.
At the street corners of Liyue, playing four-player card games, two-player board games, making lanterns, and other fun little games.
Not just the children!
Even Keqing, Ningguang, and the rest of Liyue's upper management would personally try them out.
In the past few years.
Ever since her grandfather passed away, Hu Tao had spent the Lantern Rite alone, wandering the streets by herself.
This was the first time someone had invited her.
Of course, she was absolutely thrilled!
Hu Tao smiled and said, "Hehe, because I got a few new clients yesterday, I stayed up all night digging graves for them. I almost forgot about the Lantern Rite!"
Xiangling was a bit puzzled. "It's already the Lantern Rite, and you're still this busy?"
Paimon put her hands on her hips. "The Cow Herder is strong; he's perfect for the physical labor of digging holes! Next time you need holes dug, just have the Cow Herder help you!"
Kuki Shinobu nodded seriously. "Yes, the Boss is very strong!"
Hearing this, Arataki Itto laughed loudly. "Ahahaha, you're absolutely right! My strength is immense! But let's get one thing straight, I work one day and rest for three, and I must be paid daily!"
Hu Tao: "Then let's start working tonight!"
Immediately!
Hu Tao put down her work and followed the group, heading to the streets together.
To admire the beautiful scenery of the Lantern Rite.
Just at this moment.
Xiangling suddenly spoke up. "Oh, isn't Zhongli... no, isn't Rex Lapis coming out with us?"
Hu Tao smiled and said, "That guy? As soon as dawn broke, he took his birdcage out for a walk. Who knows where he ran off to by now!"
Xiangling: "..."
Paimon: "Oh right, we still need to find Yanfei! Let's invite Yanfei to celebrate the Lantern Rite with us too!"
And so!
The group returned to the streets of Liyue.
After searching through the crowd for a long time, they finally found the office where Yanfei worked.
The moment they walked through the door, they saw Yanfei, dressed as a legal consultant, dealing with some legal disputes.
Or perhaps revising old laws.
Seeing Lumine, Paimon, and Xiangling, Yanfei immediately said happily, "It's Lumine and little Paimon! Please, come in. I heard you went to Inazuma. When did you get back?"
Paimon: "We got back the day before yesterday!"
Lumine: "We had to come back because we needed to look for the Raiden Shogun!"
Yanfei asked in confusion. "Looking for the Raiden Shogun? Oh, the god of Inazuma should be in Inazuma, right?"
Recently, Yanfei had been busy with legal disputes.
And revising old laws.
She simply hadn't had the time to learn about the recent changes in Liyue.
She hadn't paid attention to the recent storytelling craze, let alone gone to listen to any stories.
The next moment!
Lumine patiently and meticulously recounted everything that had happened recently, including the storytelling at Wangshu Inn.
She told Yanfei everything.
Holding a legal codex in her arms, Yanfei froze completely.
Had so many things happened in Liyue recently?
To think that Barbatos, the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt, and the Raiden sisters, the Electro Archons of Inazuma, had all come to Liyue?
Even the late Rex Lapis had come back to life?
These events were truly hard to believe.
Seeing Yanfei's shocked expression, Lumine sighed and said, "There are even more explosive storytelling contents I haven't told you about yet!"
And so!
Lumine briefly introduced those storytelling tales to Yanfei as well.
After hearing all of this, Yanfei's mind went completely numb.
So the little zombie Qiqi has lived for over a thousand years?
So the Electro Archon slew her own brother?
So the Anemo Archon was once just a wisp of wind?
So the Conqueror of Demons has two older brothers?
Each and every one of these stories was absolutely shocking.
However, Yanfei was, after all, someone with adeptus bloodline. As one of the few legal consultants in Liyue, she had seen many grand scenes.
She quickly recovered her composure.
Yanfei said seriously, "Are all of these true? Then is Zhongli, the consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, really Rex Lapis?"
Paimon put her hands on her hips. "Genuine and guaranteed!"
Lumine: "It's all true!"
Hu Tao smiled and said, "Zhongli admitted it himself. He was sitting right there with the Anemo Archon and the Electro Archon. How could it be fake?"
"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's go out and have fun!"
Yanfei: "..."
Although she still had many doubts in her heart.
It was hard to explain everything clearly with just a few words from Lumine.
Looks like...
After the Lantern Rite ends, I must personally go to Wangshu Inn to understand the recent situation.
Just like that!
The group went to the streets together, tasting snacks and admiring the lanterns filling the streets.
At the street corners, they could even play some local Liyue mini-games.
Even Arataki Itto quietly put away the Onikabuto in his hand and went to play games with the children.
Not only that!
The group also ran into Signora, who was touring the streets alone, and invited her to join their group as well.
They also ran into Shenhe and the Storyteller, walking side by side.
But... why were they together?
And they still claimed to have no relationship?
Hu Tao smiled and said, "Hehe, no wonder we couldn't find the Storyteller for so long. Turns out he was snatched away by Shenhe!"
Paimon: "Yeah, we waited for so long, but the Storyteller never showed up!"
Even Xiangling could tell that something was off about Shenhe's gaze.
And you still say you two have no relationship?
The childhood friend from Shenhe's past life is still buried at the foot of the mountain, not yet returned, and Shenhe is already finding a new love?
Xiangling: "Shenhe, what exactly is going on here?"
Shenhe hurriedly adjusted her facial expression. "This is a misunderstanding!"
Ling Mo also hurriedly said, "That's right. I just ran into Shenhe on the street. Seeing that she was alone, I came with her to look for all of you!"
Paimon puffed her cheeks and said angrily, "Storyteller, Shenhe already has someone she likes, and he'll be back soon. You'd better not get any funny ideas!"
Ling Mo: "..."
Shenhe: "..."
Before his identity was exposed, it was inevitable that people would let their imaginations run wild.
There was no helping that.
Ling Mo could only say awkwardly, "Cough, cough, you're right, but you've definitely misunderstood!"
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting a bit awkward, Hu Tao smiled and said, "A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"
"Alright, alright, there are more and more people here. Let's go find Keqing together and get ready to watch the fireworks bloom!"
The fireworks blooming across the sky.
That was the grand finale of the Lantern Rite every year.
Lumine nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, Keqing should be with Ningguang right now, commanding the overall situation from the Jade Chamber!"
Paimon: "Yay, then let's go up to the Jade Chamber!"
Arataki Itto: "The Jade Chamber? What kind of thing is that? A house made of jade?"
Paimon puffed her cheeks and said angrily, "Cow Herder, don't talk nonsense if you don't understand! The Jade Chamber is up in the sky!"