Venti stood in place, as if lost in thought.
After a long pause, he finally came back to himself and looked at Qiu Bai.
"What's wrong, Venti?"
"Just reminiscing."
Qiu Bai, noticing how long Venti had been standing there, asked with a puzzled look.
"Hehe, it's nothing."
"Just some old memories."
Venti smiled lightly as he explained.
"Old memories, huh?"
Qiu Bai chuckled softly.
"Qiu Bai, I'm heading to the tavern for a drink."
"Want to come along?"
Venti gave a cheeky grin as he looked at him.
"I'll pass."
"I still want to wander around Mondstadt for a bit."
Qiu Bai smiled and declined.
"Aw, I was hoping to score a drink from you..."
Venti sighed in disappointment and waved his hand.
"Well then, I'll be off, Qiu Bai."
With one hand over his chest, Venti gave him a smile.
"Alright, may the Anemo Archon bless you."
Qiu Bai gave a faint smirk as he spoke.
Venti's mouth twitched, then he turned and left.
Qiu Bai watched his back for a moment, then smiled and walked off in the other direction.
After walking a while, Qiu Bai suddenly heard a loud explosion ahead.
"...What the—"
His eyes narrowed, and his lips twitched.
"Isn't that Klee?"
"What's she doing here? Bombing fish again?"
Off in the distance, a lively little girl was tossing bombs into the lake, shouting in her sweet childlike voice, "I'll blow them all up!"
Qiu Bai casually walked over to where Klee was.
Still caught up in her fish-bombing fun, Klee didn't even notice someone approaching.
When Qiu Bai got close, a bomb exploded, splashing water all over his face.
His mouth twitched. Channeling his divine power, he evaporated the water from his clothes.
Steam rose from him briefly before vanishing.
"Ah!"
"I'm sorry, big brother!"
Klee finally noticed the handsome man standing beside her.
"Haha, it's alright."
"But what are you doing here, causing all these explosions?"
Qiu Bai waved it off, smiling down at her.
Her golden hair bounced with her elf-like ears, and a small red backpack sat on her back.
Hanging from it was a Pyro Vision, and a plushie dangled at her waist.
She looked up at Qiu Bai with big, worried eyes.
"Phew, good thing you're okay."
"Klee thought she hurt someone again..."
Klee let out a long sigh of relief at his words.
If Jean found out she was bombing fish again, she'd definitely be sent back to solitary.
"Logically speaking..."
"Little one, you couldn't hurt me."
Qiu Bai strolled up in front of Klee, hands behind his back, gazing out at the lake like he was trying to look cool.
"Really?!
Big brother, you're amazing!"
Klee looked at him in awe and jumped up with excitement.
"Of course!"
"Little one, have you heard of the Lord of Yin and Yang?"
Qiu Bai turned his back, a sly smile tugging at his lips. As expected, kids were easy to fool.
"Of course I have! Of course!"
"Captain Jean talked about him!"
"He's the hero who beat the sea monster!"
Stars sparkled in Klee's eyes as she recalled what Jean and Lisa had said.
"That's right."
"Standing before you..."
"...is none other than the Lord of Yin and Yang himself—me!"
Qiu Bai suddenly turned and loomed slightly over Klee, putting on an air of mystery.
"Wow!"
"You're the immortal lord?!"
Klee seemed to believe him completely, running over with big, curious eyes as she circled him.
"That's right, little one. I'm the Lord of Yin and Yang!"
"But among mortals, I go by the name Qiu Bai."
Unable to resist how cute she looked, Qiu Bai patted her head with a smile.
"Got it, Brother Qiu Bai!"
"My name's Klee!"
Klee beamed as she looked up at him.
"Klee finally met the hero who beat the sea monster!"
"To take down such a big fish—so cool!"
She twirled in place with joy, then turned her gaze back to the lake.
"Mm... if only Klee had Brother Qiu Bai's power..."
"Then I wouldn't need to make bombs to fish anymore."
She pressed a finger to her lips and mumbled.
Qiu Bai's mouth twitched. So this was why Klee admired him—she thought Osial was just an oversized fish.
If Osial ever heard that, who knows what he'd think, haha.
"Then why do you bomb fish, Klee?"
He asked curiously.
"Because fish are tasty! So it's worth it!"
"But bombing fish gets me grounded by Captain Jean..."
Klee smiled up at him, then lowered her head guiltily and muttered.
Qiu Bai chuckled and patted her head again.
"If Klee wants fish..."
"Let big brother handle it."
He turned his gaze toward the lake. Some fish were already blown to bits, while others scattered, fleeing the blast zone.
"Really?!"
"Brother Qiu Bai, can you really catch fish?!"
Klee looked up, eyes wide with excitement.
Qiu Bai's heart nearly melted at the sight.
"Hehe, of course."
"Big brother here is the very one who defeated sea monsters, remember?"
Under Klee's expectant gaze, Qiu Bai slowly approached the lake.
But then, he seemed to remember something.
"...Crap, I forgot."
"I don't actually know how to fish..."
Qiu Bai's mouth twitched. He remembered the time he fished at Mt. Aocang—it took him half a day to catch one.
And that was without Klee blowing the entire lake to bits.
"But a child's expectations..."
"I can't let her down."
Qiu Bai smiled as he looked out over the lake.
"Forgive me once more, dear fish."
He slowly raised his hand, and pale divine energy began gathering in his palm.
With a flick, several beams of light shot into the lake.
Moments later, fish began leaping from the surface.
Dozens of them floated in mid-air as Mondstadt's sun blazed overhead.
Sunlight caught the water droplets spraying from the fish, casting a dazzling rainbow.
Klee's eyes widened in awe, mouth agape, watching Qiu Bai show off.
With a gentle motion of his hand, the fish drifted above his head.
A sphere of lake water followed, spinning like a tiny whirlpool with the fish swimming inside.
Under Qiu Bai's control, the water hovered with perfect precision.
Even Newton would be impressed.