Given the nature of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's work, the staff didn't adhere to the usual nine-to-five schedule. Instead, shifts were divided strictly into three parts: morning, afternoon, and night.
In short, the Funeral Parlor was always brightly lit. Even with only three people around, it never felt quiet or empty.
Hu Tao had her head down, voraciously devouring a bowl of zhajiangmian. Meanwhile, Gu Sanqiu and Zhongli set skewers onto plates and began their leisurely midnight snack with a bit of wine.
"Sanqiu, where have you been lately? I heard from Xingqiu that you weren't in Liyue for a while."
Gu Sanqiu thought for a moment. "Recently? Oh, I went to Mondstadt. Have to say, the wine there is excellent."
Hu Tao clamped a pair of chopsticks between her teeth and let her twin tails fall over her shoulders.
"Not that. I mean further back—you seemed to have been gone for a long time."
...
Further back? If memory served, that was when he went to Inazuma and got thoroughly beaten.
Gu Sanqiu felt cold sweat bead on his forehead. If we're bringing that up, someone's probably about to remember how I practically begged for trouble in front of a ruler—and nearly paid the price.
Is the old man going to pull me into another dream for a good beating, then throw me into solitary confinement again when I get home?
Well, hopefully, this midnight snack would spare him from that fate... right?
Gu Sanqiu glanced at Hu Tao, suppressing the urge to pour half a bottle of chili oil into her bowl.
Little rascal never misses a chance to trip me up!
"I just went on a bit of a trip. You could think of it that way."
"Really?"
Hu Tao didn't believe him. "Last time I went to Bubu Pharmacy, your ancestor told me you suffered serious injuries. How do you get injuries that severe while traveling? Broken arms, legs, ribs—she didn't even consider those 'serious.'"
Please stop! Please don't bring this up anymore, or I'll definitely end up in confinement again.
And why would my ancestor tell you something like that? Was it bad enough to etch itself into even his memory?
Because of that same ancestor, Hu Tao and Qiqi's relationship wasn't as strange as it might have been. However, Qiqi's forgetfulness hadn't changed a bit.
It was absurd how something from so long ago could come back to bite him like this.
"Forget it. Let's change the topic. Do you have time in a couple of weeks?"
Hu Tao tilted her head, slurping up the last strand of noodles as she considered her schedule.
"I should. As long as Liyue doesn't have any weird emergencies, I should be free."
Her eyes sparkled. "Sanqiu, are you planning another dinner gathering? How much delicious food have you prepared this time?"
Gu Sanqiu stared at her blankly, sliding a glass of juice next to her and nudging the plate of skewers closer.
"For someone who loves eating so much, how are you not gaining weight? Sometimes I wonder how your digestion even works."
Most of the time, they ate regular food, without any properties that restored life force. No matter how much Hu Tao ate, it couldn't replenish her vitality.
And yet, despite her enormous appetite, she never seemed to grow taller or gain weight. It defied all logic.
"Hehe, you just don't understand. Being able to eat is a blessing!"
Hu Tao grinned, holding a skewer in one hand and her juice in the other. "By the way, why are you dragging me to Mondstadt? Is there some festival going on?"
Gu Sanqiu shook his head. "Not exactly a festival, but it should be fun."
A couple of weeks?
Zhongli's brows furrowed slightly as a faint sense of unease stirred within him.
Something fun in Mondstadt, happening soon, and described as 'exciting' by this boy?
It couldn't be...
"Basically, I ran into Mondstadt's Archon. In a couple of weeks, one of his carefully laid plans will come into play. He invited me to help out and enjoy the spectacle. I wanted to ask if you'd like to join."
Barbatos... you rascal!
Zhongli suddenly felt an urge to hurl a Geo spear at Venti. Still, his rational side quickly took over as he began devising a way to keep Hu Tao from going.
"Oh? So that's what it's about?"
Hu Tao clicked her tongue in amazement. "Mondstadt's Archon? Wow, Sanqiu, you're really connected to have dealings with someone of that level. Impressive!"
"But I'm not going. That kind of thing sounds boring to me."
Hu Tao shook her head. "I'd rather spend my time figuring out how to expand the Funeral Parlor's business."
Gu Sanqiu nodded. "Fair enough."
Asking Hu Tao to join him had been a spur-of-the-moment idea. If she didn't want to go, he wasn't going to force her.
Though, if Venti dangled a test, a decade's worth of free wine, or even something like an elemental seed as a reward, Gu Sanqiu wouldn't hesitate to drag all his friends to Mondstadt.
Zhongli, meanwhile, exhaled in relief. He cast a meaningful glance at Gu Sanqiu before giving Hu Tao an approving look.
Daughters are so much less troublesome than sons. This one... let's not even go there.
Gu Sanqiu, chewing on a skewer stick, pondered. If Xiao hadn't left abruptly tonight, he would definitely be here for this late-night feast.
It would've been interesting to see Xiao react to one of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's regular clients joining them for skewers.
As for those evil god statues... how had the Sumeru scholars managed to manipulate them? In theory, only mortals should've been susceptible to control.
The statues soaking in blood pools hinted at sacrificial rituals. But why would an evil god, even one tied to such rituals, willingly obey a mortal?
"Sumeru must be hiding some big secrets."
The accumulation of knowledge, coupled with reckless experimentation, had finally led those scholars to create something truly earth-shaking.
Gu Sanqiu admitted he was intrigued. He even considered consulting his elder sister to see if they could move some particularly high-level pieces. If he could get his hands on the methods or technology, it'd be worthwhile.
Blood pools? That couldn't be a limitation. With a fleet sailing past Guyun Stone Forest, countless sea monsters disrupting trade routes could easily satisfy their appetites.
If such techniques or equipment existed, Liyue's demonic entities could be repurposed into Millelith-shaped soldiers—indestructible, endlessly reusable, and eco-friendly shock troops!
"Zhongli, what do you think about Sumeru's use of evil god statues?"
After deliberating, Gu Sanqiu decided to play it safe and ask his old man's opinion.
If Zhongli approved, the matter could be put on the agenda.
"It's best to steer clear of such things."
---
T/N: Venti: Ehe~!
THANK KKUNII FOR THE UPDATE
...
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