At the turn of spring and summer, the osmanthus flowers were still thoroughly ripe. Their brilliant colors spread completely, settling into a shade like the evening glow. As the mountain breeze gently blew, the swaying flower branches wafted their fragrance.
The boy snapped off a branch and plucked the osmanthus petals one by one, placing them into the basket beside him.
"In terms of universal rationality," Mr. Zhongli was also picking osmanthus petals, speaking teasingly, "...actually, we could have just bought the osmanthus."
After all, the line was "I wish to buy osmanthus wine to carry with me."
"But we have no money." Kiyo Seigan shook his head helplessly. "No Mora."
"Can nothing be done without Mora?" Mr. Zhongli revealed a thoughtful expression. "That is interesting. Yet I never carry Mora, and whether drinking tea or watching operas, I have never been stopped."
"Because I was the one paying for you!"
"And now I have no money, so we can't buy osmanthus...!"
He had already become Zhongli's ATM.
Kiyo Seigan crushed the stem in his hand. He felt a deep sense of helplessness regarding Mr. Zhongli's view on money. Last time buying sardines was the same; clearly named Morax, yet he couldn't scrape together a single Mora. In the end, Miss Lumine cleared the bill...
To be precise, all their expenses were ultimately paid by Miss Lumine. Miss Lumine was his, Kiyo Seigan's, ATM... um, and also his Hairdryer Princess.
Kiyo Seigan felt that if this continued, Lumine would really explode...
Even if the opponent was the Geo Archon, Miss Lumine, who viewed wealth as life, would definitely commit some act of deicide.
"However, an outing in the mountains is quite interesting." Mr. Zhongli carefully picked away the withered leaves and suddenly asked, "When do you plan to depart?"
"Tomorrow," Kiyo Seigan said. "...The day after at the latest."
"Then we must work faster," Zhongli smiled gently.
"Yes. Before sunset."
Before sunset.
Kiyo Seigan also smiled. "Because I still have to go home for dinner."
"Can I come?"
"You can come if you bring money." Kiyo Seigan felt he couldn't be taken advantage of anymore.
"I did not bring such things as Mora," Zhongli shook his head from afar. "But I brought a pot of good wine."
The glow of the sun slowly dispersed, and the end of the skyline was gradually dyed with a layer of rosy afterglow. Sunset was imminent.
Kiyo Seigan smiled.
They looked at each other and smiled. According to Miss Lumine, this smile was called the "Tacit Smile of Hooligans." Men who reveal such a smile at each other are either agreeing to go fool around or agreeing to become sworn brothers and rebel—
"They exchanged a knowing look, knocked back their drinks, and clasped hands like true outlaws:
'Hoo-wee! Ain't this a hoot and a half! I reckon we oughta become sworn kin right here and now. We're gonna ride up to that floatin' chicken coop in the sky, and boot that Heavenly Principles heifer off her roost! Dawg Zhongli, you be the Kingpin, and I'll be your Underboss—we'll be livin' high on the hog, swillin' shine and stuffin' our faces 'til the cows come home!'"
...Anyway, that's how storytelling scripts write it.
Lumine viewed this mysterious smile as a scourge, a harbinger of causing big trouble or stirring up a big mess. But for them, it wasn't that complicated. Just like in a boys' dorm—a look, a smile, hopping on tonight!
Pity one couldn't log on in Teyvat, but drinking a pot of good wine together was enough.
They continued picking osmanthus. The sunlight cast long shadows behind them, merging with the mountain ranges. Their voices could be faintly heard from the mountainside:
"Work faster, I'll make sardines for dinner."
"...I do not eat seafood."
"That's great, I can make one person's portion less!"
"..."
The sunlight shone on them, warm and cozy.
Be it summer days or spring light, time was just right.
[Method for Making Osmanthus Wine]: This was the skill that appeared in Kiyo Seigan's mind after fulfilling the covenant with Mr. Zhongli.
Including picking, sun-drying, putting into jars... burying in the cellar, sealing it well, and waiting for time to slowly brew it.
Before leaving Liyue, he wanted to bury a jar of hand-brewed osmanthus wine deep in this earth. When the fine wine matured in the coming year, he would return to Liyue and reunite with all his friends.
....
"Welcome, home."
Qiqi stood on her tiptoes, opening her arms toward Kiyo Seigan. She raised her little head proudly, her eyes filled with anticipation, like a little puppy seeking praise. She said:
"Look, Qiqi, new learned, Divine Art, second set."
She set her stance as if ready for a great enemy, short legs together, pressing her fair wrists down until her fingertips touched her round toes. While pressing down and stretching, she shouted the move name seriously:
"The Era is Summoning! First Move, Stretching Exercise!"
Peerless Light Element Divine Art, Colorful Sunshine Second Set, named The Era is Summoning.
This was the cultivation method Kiyo Seigan taught Qiqi after returning from The Chasm.
It was the advanced version of the previous set.
If executing Colorful Sunshine was like thousands of holy lights descending, then 'The Era is Summoning' was the legendary Summoning Jutsu. Legend had it that once mastered, one could summon the top immortal beasts of this era, terrifyingly so, Mwahahahaha—anyway, that was how Kiyo Seigan hoodwinked little kid Qiqi.
It seemed little kid Qiqi was very convinced.
Practicing this peerless summoning jutsu seriously every day.
Actually, it was just primary and middle school radio calisthenics. Qiqi was a little zombie with stiff joints and needed exercises to keep them flexible.
So Kiyo Seigan taught her Colorful Sunshine and The Era is Summoning.
He was quite skilled at tricking kids.
Of course... Qiqi wasn't the only kid being tricked.
Little Paimon stood with hands on hips, puffing up her cheeks, glaring at Kiyo Seigan. Her round face bulged like a little pufferfish. She said indignantly: "Why not teach Paimon!"
She clamored: "Paimon wants to learn too, Paimon wants to learn too!"
"Paimon is too dumb, won't teach Paimon," Kiyo Seigan said.
"Wa... Waaah. Paimon isn't dumb!" Paimon felt hurt, saying muffledly: "...Bullying people."
This little corpse must be jealous of my, Paimon's, extraordinary talent.
She nodded with a humph.
"Did you get the osmanthus..."
Lumine's voice came from the wooden hut's kitchen. Her golden hair was tied up in a bun to prevent loose strands from getting in the way, revealing an exquisite profile. Wearing a pure white apron, white socks and sandals, the kitchen knife chopped ka-ka on the cutting board. Ginger and garlic were minced; she looked very capable.
"Put it outside the door, dirty."
Just as Miss Lumine said, her cooking skills were getting higher and higher.
"Don't be idle, come help, peel another clove of garlic..." She stopped before finishing her sentence, seeming to discover something. She stepped back, revealing a vigilant expression.
Because behind Kiyo Seigan, a head with a long ponytail popped out. The ends of his eyes were scarlet; he was dressed mostly properly and looked polite.
Zhongli.
Lumine looked at Zhongli vigilantly. "...What are you doing here?"
"I..." Before Mr. Zhongli could speak, Miss Lumine answered immediately: "Not giving you money."
Sure enough... it had become common knowledge that Morax had no Mora.
Kiyo Seigan nodded in deep agreement.
"Just here to drink wine with a friend..."
Zhongli revealed an amiable smile somewhat helplessly, wanting to lower Lumine's vigilance. unexpectedly, she directly raised the kitchen knife in her hand, staring at Zhongli's "hooligan smile," and said warily:
"Drinking for what... Want to take Kiyo Seigan to rebel against the Heavenly Principles?"
Don't blame Lumine for being so sensitive; Mr. Zhongli's previous actions and plans were truly too shocking: to sever Liyue's past, undoing the seal of the Abyss, taking Kiyo Seigan to go crazy together...
Now, even if Zhongli planned to take Kiyo Seigan to kill their way up to Celestia and rebel, Lumine wouldn't be surprised at all.
Was Zhongli's impression in Lumine's heart still this terrible... Kiyo Seigan wanted to make some excuses for his drinking buddy, but who knew this guy actually revealed a look of serious contemplation, pondering as he said:
"In terms of universal rationality, that actually makes some sense."
...Don't add to the mess!
Kiyo Seigan cursed silently.
...
In short, after a bit of a fuss, this dinner was finally ready.
A bowl of Jewelry Soup, a plate of grilled sardines, a few side dishes... and of course, fine wine.
The osmanthus was also processed, just waiting to be buried in the soil to ferment.
Dusk had dispersed completely. The last few wisps of sunset afterglow were still smeared on the blackish-green sky; aside from that, the world was empty.
This small wooden hut wasn't big; it couldn't hold too many people. But Kiyo Seigan wasn't Bosacius either. Bosacius could hold the souls of a full three hundred thousand people; Kiyo Seigan was weak. In this life, Kiyo Seigan could only hold a few people, but a few were enough.
"Cheers," he said.
"Cheers."
"Qiqi wants too... cheers." Qiqi also wanted to toast, but before she could touch a cup, Kiyo Seigan poured her a full cup of coconut milk.
"Children aren't allowed to toast," he said. "Children can only drink coconut milk."
Wu... Qiqi made a sound like a small animal. Holding the big cup with two small hands, she sat on the chair and obediently gulped it down.
She had always been very obedient.
"About Bubu Pharmacy..." Kiyo Seigan hesitated for a while, then said: "Does Qiqi like it?"
Bubu Pharmacy was the medicine shop introduced by Mr. Zhongli.
"Mn." Qiqi licked the milk stain at the corner of her mouth and nodded: "Shopkeeper... very good..."
Going to Inazuma this time, Qiqi had to be left in Liyue first.
There were many reasons...
First, travel involved many complexities; Qiqi was simple-minded and he couldn't bring a child along. Second, Qiqi was an adeptal zombie and had just broken the seal; her body contained baleful energy. Staying in Liyue under the care of Adepti was reassuring.
The most important reason was that Kiyo Seigan didn't want Qiqi to get hurt.
Thunder blockade, Vision Hunt Decree... in short.
Inazuma was not peaceful.
In Liyue, there was Mr. Zhongli... there was Rex Lapis protecting her; he was very reassured.
"Then... Qiqi... will be very good."
Qiqi was truly very obedient. She didn't fuss or cry, didn't oppose Kiyo Seigan's arrangement. She just held her cup and said softly: "Then... Seigan... when... come find... Qiqi."
"When the osmanthus wine is thoroughly ripe, I will come find Qiqi."
Kiyo Seigan rubbed Qiqi's hair, mussing up the sky-blue short hair. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he shook his head: "No, I'm raising a death flag... Won't find Qiqi!"
Wah.
Visibly, Qiqi's shoulders shrank. She made a whimpering sound like a small animal. Hugging the cup, she said aggrievedly: "Why... don't want... Qiqi... anymore? Qiqi... very good."
She was indeed very good, not crying, just looking at Kiyo Seigan aggrievedly like that.
...Kiyo Seigan scratched his head.
"Then... although I won't come find Qiqi," he thought of something, "when Qiqi learns all the moves of The Era is Summoning, you can summon me out!"
"But..." Qiqi paused. She wasn't dumb; how could she not guess Kiyo Seigan's words? She wasn't a child easily tricked. "Qiqi, not easy, to trick."
Seen through?!
Kiyo Seigan's expression froze.
She pointed out Kiyo Seigan's error, saying seriously: "The Era, is Summoning. Can only, summon. The era's strongest."
Kiyo Seigan's expression relaxed.
"Then."
Kiyo Seigan looked at Qiqi seriously, his eyes reflecting the little girl's face. "Then I will become the strongest of this era. Qiqi learns the divine art, I become the strongest. Let's make this agreement, okay?"
"Ag... Agreement?"
"Yes." Kiyo Seigan nodded. "Agreement."
"When you miss me, summon me, call my name, and the strongest me will appear!"
He smiled.
This time, he wasn't tricking a child... on the contrary, he was very serious.
Kiyo Seigan was going to become the Strongest of this era.
Not becoming a great marshal like Bosacius, nor a Pillar General like Kiyono Raimei.
A marshal could be swallowed by Karma, and a Pillar General would still grow old; they too carried regrets that could never be undone.
Only the Strongest could protect what one wanted to protect. Only the Strongest could truly live heartlessly and happily—to ascend to the end of those long steps!
This was Kiyo Seigan's new goal, and he was ready to step onto that path.
Purifying the residual filth on his body was the first step to becoming the strongest.
"Ag... Agreement." Qiqi repeated the word softly. She extended her tiny pinky finger. "Pinky... Pinky promise."
"Pinky promise."
The final afterglow of the corona was grand and brilliant.
Zhongli also looked at Kiyo Seigan. He poured another full cup of wine, laughing heartily: "Good. If you do it, do it to the peak; let us drink a great cup. Miss Lumine, drink a cup too; let us toast together."
"What's the toast?" Kiyo Seigan said.
"Of course, it's to the Strongest!" Paimon raised both hands excitedly.
"Then toast to the Strongest?" Lumine frowned slightly. "Feels so weird."
"And to the coming year's osmanthus wine." Kiyo Seigan said seriously. "It's very delicious."
"Then—" Mr. Zhongli raised his wine cup. "For the strongest and the coming year's osmanthus wine, my friend, take my blessings. May you have a smooth journey."
"For the strongest and the coming year's osmanthus wine..."
"Cheers."
"Cheers!"
On a night at the turn of spring and summer, in this small wooden hut, wine cups clinked together. The Crux Fleet would set sail tomorrow—this was the story in Liyue.