The Jade Chamber
Gazing at Beidou, who was sprawled out unceremoniously and sound asleep amidst a pile of scrolls, Ningguang could only sigh and let her be.
What else could she do?
The last time she tried to reason with her, Beidou retorted, "What's with all this etiquette nonsense? You're acting like a woman."
Well, what else could she say? It's not like Beidou could grow an extra limb or something.
After finishing her day's work, as the Tianquan, Ningguang finally had some leisure time to review the confidential documents that couldn't be made public.
First was Yelan's report. This girl had been in Fontaine not long ago, but recently she had run off to Sumeru, claiming to have discovered someone extraordinary there.
According to Yelan's intelligence, this new individual had caused quite a stir in the Akademiya.
It was said that she had slipped a peculiar drug into the meal of a professor who was researching Hilichurls. That night, the Hilichurls howled incessantly, and the professor cried all day.
If it weren't for the fact that the Dendro Archon, Lesser Lord Kusanali, had taken a liking to this little troublemaker, and that she did possess some talent, she might have already been expelled from the Akademiya.
Later, the professor forgave her because several new books he had written suddenly became bestsellers in Sumeru.
Yelan even sent back a few samples.
That Night, I Hurt It, The Untold Story Between Me and the Hilichurls, The Importance of Lubrication, Why Hilichurls Are Better Than Giant Lizards, The Ambition of the North Wind: A Guide to Raising Hilichurl Berserkers.
"What on earth is all this..."
Looking at this pile of books, Ningguang didn't even need to open them to know what was inside.
What was this? Yelan's twisted sense of humor? Or was she just trying to fill in some gaps in Liyue's knowledge?
Forget it. Liyue didn't need this kind of knowledge.
Next item.
Opening another intelligence report, Ningguang finally found something that piqued her interest. Judging by the seal on the document, it seemed to have come from Wangshu Inn.
"The Instructor has come to Liyue?"
Instinctively, Ningguang glanced at Beidou, who was still asleep nearby, and a thoughtful expression crossed her face.
The matter of the Instructor had always been on her mind. Because it involved Qiqi, she couldn't afford to be careless. She had even visited Bubu Pharmacy several times.
But aside from the first time, when Qiqi had no recollection or understanding, every subsequent visit, Qiqi's response was the same: "little Bai, best friend."
This had also given Ningguang a faint sense of unease.
Casually folding Yelan's encrypted message into a paper airplane, Ningguang took aim and gently tossed it.
The paper airplane circled in the air and, as if guided by some unseen force, struck Beidou right between the eyebrows. Despite being made of paper, it hit with the force of a metal dart, jolting Beidou awake.
Beidou instinctively reached for her weapon, but upon sensing the familiar presence nearby, she relaxed.
Couldn't you have chosen a different method next time?
"Go to Bubu Pharmacy for me."
After tossing the paper airplane, Ningguang dipped her brush in ink and began writing out a list of medicinal herbs.
The Tianquan's calligraphy was far superior to that of Bai Luo or Xingqiu. While all three of them could command a high price for their writing, the true value of their words was not the same.
Beidou took the prescription from Ningguang, glanced at it casually, and then gave her a strange look.
"Is it that time of the month for you?"
"???"
"Never mind. Drink more hot water."
"..."
After downing half a flask of wine, Beidou descended from the Jade Chamber and headed toward Bubu Pharmacy.
After Dr. Baizhu saw the prescription, he would surely understand the situation. These herbs would likely keep Qiqi busy for months. That way, the two of them wouldn't have a chance to meet.
It might just tire little Qiqi out for a while.
I hope she won't hold it against me.
...
Since the day he encountered the mysterious boy, Bai Luo hadn't left Wangshu Inn. The innkeeper, with his own ulterior motives, was more than happy to let him stay, even offering to waive the lodging and food fees for his entire group.
Was Bai Luo short on money? Of course not. Not only did the Fatui have vast financial resources, but he also had substantial royalties from his work in Inazuma.
So with a grand gesture, he declared, "Put it on Childe's tab!"
"..."
The Ninth Company also had no intention of leaving. They knew Bai Luo's injuries weren't suitable for travel, and with the Fatui having so many enemies, who knew if someone might take the opportunity to ambush them?
So resting here wasn't a bad idea.
The next day, Bai Luo went to the front desk. The innkeeper wasn't there, but a still-charming female proprietor was.
Bai Luo jokingly called her "Madam Tong." For some reason, the woman didn't dare to refute him and let him call her that, figuring it wasn't her loss anyway.
"Madam Tong, a plate of almond tofu, please."
The woman, who had been busy with the accounts, suddenly froze, her expression turning slightly awkward.
"Guest, what do you need the almond tofu for?"
"To eat, of course. The medicine's too bitter, so I want something sweet. I've heard Wangshu Inn's almond tofu is the best, so I can't miss out."
Bai Luo's request wasn't unreasonable. Some people who couldn't stand bitter medicine would indeed order a plate of almond tofu. The proprietress saw no reason to doubt him and instructed the kitchen to prepare the dish as soon as possible.
That day, Bai Luo sat in his usual spot, savoring the almond tofu with great relish.
The next day, Bai Luo ordered almond tofu again, but this time he asked for three servings.
One for himself, one for Katarina, and one for the female secretary.
The three of them ate with great enjoyment on the platform, especially Bai Luo, who slurped loudly and made exaggerated sounds of delight as he ate.
Katarina and the secretary took turns massaging his shoulders and legs, making the whole scene quite comfortable.
On the third day, the once-quiet platform became much noisier. Using Childe's name, Bai Luo rented out most of the inn's tables and chairs, filling the platform to the brim.
To show his appreciation for the Ninth Company's care, he decided to host a banquet for them, with the main dish being the unforgettable almond tofu.
The sight of an entire table filled with almond tofu nearly caused someone in the shadows to snap a tree trunk as thick as a bowl in frustration.
On the fourth day, the Fatui members seemed to have gone mad, buying up all the tofu in Dihua Marsh.
At noon, they set up a stove on the platform, and Bai Luo, whose condition had improved, personally took charge of the cooking, preparing a fragrant plate of almond tofu from scratch.
On the fifth day, as Bai Luo returned to the platform, the beautiful boy appeared before he could even make a move.
"Why have you been trying to lure me out?"
The boy standing before Bai Luo held a jade-green spear in his hand, his mask looking slightly menacing.
If Bai Luo didn't give him a reasonable explanation, he might just unleash a flurry of attacks.
Bai Luo didn't speak. Instead, he pulled out a sunsettia from his pocket and wiped it on his clothes.
"Sunsettia. Sweet. Want some?"