The written characters of Liyue possess a unique beauty. They are not merely simple symbols; they are an art form, an aesthetic, a culture. A single character can sometimes encapsulate a myriad of philosophies and meanings, ever-changing and profound.
This complexity and philosophy are also reflected in the realm of medicinal herbs.
Strychnos seeds, cassia seeds, xanthium seeds, yellow yam seeds, bitter bean seeds, Sichuan chinaberry seeds...
Sometimes, as you recite them, you might just start singing.
The rain showed no signs of stopping.
The raindrops clattered against the roof tiles, creating a rhythmic patter. The water flowed along the tiles, eventually forming a continuous stream.
Qiqi sat quietly under the eaves of Bubu Pharmacy, holding a half-empty bottle of coconut milk, staring blankly at the endless drizzle.
"Rain..."
Qiqi didn't like the rain. Not only did it make her body stiffer and colder, but it also frightened the little finches. If the finches didn't have a home, they might end up cold and wet. Qiqi had experienced something similar before, so she understood how uncomfortable it felt.
So cold... so lonely... so unpleasant.
"Qiqi, don't let your clothes get wet."
Baizhu, who was inside checking the medicinal herbs, called out to Qiqi at the doorway.
He wasn't worried about Qiqi catching a cold. As a zombie, she was immune to human ailments and wouldn't get sick from the rain. He reminded her purely out of a sense of responsibility as her guardian.
"Qiqi understands."
Though she said this, Qiqi didn't move. She continued to sit there, staring blankly at the sky and the rain.
Baizhu didn't press her further. After his reminder, he went back to preparing the herbs.
The two of them lived together in this slightly peculiar state.
A few days ago, Ningguang had sent a letter requesting some medicinal herbs. Coincidentally, the herbs she needed were currently out of stock at Bubu Pharmacy, so Baizhu had planned to send Qiqi to the mountains to gather a few plants.
However, as the saying goes, "Man proposes, but God disposes." Based on his experience, Baizhu predicted that a storm was coming. Worried that Qiqi might run into trouble in the rain, he decided to delay her trip by a few days.
After all, Ningguang's letter had mentioned that a slight delay in delivery was acceptable.
On rainy days, fewer people came to buy medicine or seek treatment, so Bubu Pharmacy was unusually quiet. The only noise came from the frogs in the courtyard, whose croaking grew increasingly loud.
So loud that Qiqi couldn't sit still anymore. After finishing her coconut milk, she pulled out her notebook.
This notebook was even more important to her than coconut milk. Because her memory was poor, this notebook was essential for her daily life.
The characters inside weren't like modern Liyue script but resembled the ancient writing from a century ago. Though the handwriting was somewhat childish, it was neat and elegant—far superior to the "Dihua Grass Diagram" by a certain someone named Bai.
The first page of the notebook contained instructions for soft gymnastics. Flipping further, there were descriptions of various herbs and some command seals.
Qiqi was a zombie. Even though she had the title of an adeptus, it didn't change the fact that she was a zombie. So, carrying command seals was as normal for her as a mechanic carrying wrenches and hammers.
To avoid trouble, Qiqi had written everything down in great detail, leaving no stone unturned.
In addition, there were notes on her daily tasks, such as preparing medicine, dispensing herbs, cleaning the counter... Oh, and avoiding a certain someone.
A special section of Qiqi's notebook was dedicated to people she didn't see often but couldn't afford to forget.
For example, that "Big White" Ningguang, and that generous "Little Bai" who once brought her an entire crate of coconut milk.
Let's not talk about Big White for now. Every day, during her free time, Qiqi would flip to Little Bai's page and carefully try to remember him.
Though she didn't know what he looked like or what his voice sounded like, based on her notes, they must have been good friends. After all, Big White had once told her that Little Bai had been her friend for a long time.
But she had forgotten him.
Back then, she might not have had a notebook. But now that she did, she couldn't afford to forget him again.
Little Bai was a good person. She couldn't forget him.
The croaking of the frogs suddenly stopped. Through the rain, a group of people hurriedly approached Bubu Pharmacy, splashing through puddles.
At the center of the group was a makeshift carriage pulled by a Slime. The Slime, drenched in the rain, looked quite docile, occasionally closing its eyes into a ">–<" expression and gently shaking off the water.
Normally, monsters weren't allowed within the city walls. Even harmless Anemo Slimes could explode and create small wind currents, which could cause trouble.
But Tartaglia had spoken. No matter what damage occurred, they would compensate for it fully—and charge it to the Instructor's account.
Only then did the Liyue authorities relent.
The Fatui might be unreasonable at times, but when it came to paying for damages, they didn't hesitate at all.
"Guests, how may I assist you?"
Baizhu subtly shielded Qiqi behind him, wearing a professional smile as he addressed the group.
Recently, the Fatui had been up to a lot of small schemes in Liyue, but they hadn't caused any major conflicts with the locals. In fact, their Fire-Water had become a new favorite among many drinkers.
But Qiqi was special. Baizhu didn't want the Fatui to have anything to do with her.
"Mr. Baizhu, please save our leader. No matter the cost, the Fatui will not treat you unfairly."
"Don't forget... charge it to Lord Tartaglia's account..."
On the Slime carriage, Bai Luo, who had been on the brink of death, suddenly perked up upon hearing Katarina's words.
"..."
Katarina glanced at her leader, and even though she was used to grand scenes, she couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
Fortunately, Lord Tartaglia wasn't here, or else...
"Come in quickly, let me take a closer look."
From Bai Luo's complexion alone, Baizhu couldn't tell much. After all, those with sufficient strength could control their blood flow to appear less healthy.
But Bai Luo's sudden "rise from the brink of death" act exposed the three wounds on his body.
No matter how powerful someone was, such severe injuries couldn't be faked.
Judging by the scars, the wounds had been there for some time, but for some reason, they hadn't healed.
Could it be the work of evil spirits?
At Baizhu's invitation, the Fatui group filed into the examination room, ready to receive treatment.
Only Qiqi remained standing to the side, staring blankly at Bai Luo as he was carried past her. She then looked at the Anemo Slime, which was also sheltering from the rain under the eaves, and slowly raised her hand.
As Bai Luo was carried past her, he had flashed a "V" sign with his fingers.
What did that mean?
Qiqi, whose mind wasn't the sharpest, didn't quite understand the meaning of the gesture.
Was it... poking eyes?
So, she mimicked Bai Luo's gesture, forming a "V" with her fingers, and then poked herself in the eyes.
"Ouch..."
Qiqi could still feel simple pain, but this only confused her more.
Why did that patient want to poke her eyes?