Zhongli stood alone atop the academic building, quietly watching the children play on the field.
Most of them came from villages and towns surrounding Liyue Harbor.
Their homes were too far from the school for a daily commute, and renting rooms outside wasn't affordable for their families.
Thankfully, the school offered free dorms and three meals a day from the cafeteria, with teachers helping to care for them.
Some local families also chose to board their children at the school—for convenience or to save money.
And then there were the children of wealthy families from Yujing Terrace. Their parents were too busy with business to care for them, and the kids preferred staying at school, playing with peers instead of being alone at home.
So many reasons, so many social nuances.
Xia Zhi might find all this interpersonal maneuvering amusing, but Zhongli—who had been the god of this land for millennia—had long grown accustomed to such things.
Every year, countless people offered incense at Yiyan Hall. Their prayers filtered through the divine statue to his ears:
Prayers for healing, for wealth, for promotions, for children—sons or daughters…
Plausible or outrageous, the endless tide of human desires had long taught him every facet of the mortal condition.
Compared to being a god, serving as a vice principal was much more relaxing.
The bell rang from the direction of the cafeteria.
Time to eat.
Under the guidance of their teachers, the children filed off the playground in orderly lines, heading toward the dining hall.
Zhongli glanced at the nearby tea tree, then turned and stepped back into his office.
There were still documents to process.
Halfway through his paperwork, a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
Zhongli looked up.
The door opened—and a familiar face appeared.
"Morax, long time no see."
Zhongli gazed at him, calm as ever.
He didn't seem surprised.
"Rex Lapis. It's been a while."
The Dragon King walked in with a smile. Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper followed behind him.
"What are you up to?"
"Just some trivial matters."
"If it's trivial, then it can wait. Come on, let's drink!"
"…Very well."
Zhongli set down his pen, closed the file folder, and stood up.
"Where shall we drink?"
"The cafeteria has a private room."
"The cafeteria, huh? We've got dishes from Liuli Pavilion and seafood from Xinyue Kiosk…"
"You've always had a big appetite. That won't be enough. Better to go to the cafeteria—it'll be easier to order more."
"Hahaha, true. I've been curious about the school food anyway."
"It won't disappoint."
"I even bought some osmanthus wine."
"Excellent…"
Zhongli locked his office door.
The four of them strolled off together.
The school grounds were beautifully landscaped, filled with trees already showing signs of spring.
This was all the work of the other vice principal—Dendro Archon.
As they passed beneath one tree, the wind rustled the leaves, making them whisper.
Zhongli glanced up.
It happened to be an osmanthus tree.
Tiny yellow buds were already forming on its branches. A faint fragrance lingered in the air.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata… Baal… Rex Lapis…
In less than a year, he had already encountered three old friends.
Zhongli lowered his gaze.
How fortunate…
At the cafeteria.
They drank and chatted.
Talked of the past, the present, and the future.
Time passed quickly.
The Dragon King was thoroughly enjoying himself.
Though the osmanthus wine didn't compare to what Diona mixed, back at Cloud Retainer's place a few days ago, there hadn't been anyone to drink with—so it just hadn't hit the same.
Zhongli glanced outside the window and saw that night had fallen deeply.
He had work tomorrow.
Time to call it a night.
He set down his cup, about to tell the Dragon King that they should end it here—
But then he noticed Mountain Shaper reaching out and subtly tugging the Dragon King's sleeve.
The Dragon King blinked and looked down at him.
Zhongli heard Mountain Shaper whisper quietly, "It's time to log in…"
Hm?
Log in?
What did that mean?
Zhongli didn't quite understand.
But he watched as the Dragon King suddenly sobered up, set down his wine cup, and said, "Morax, it's getting late. Let's stop here for today. You've got work tomorrow—we shouldn't keep you too long."
Zhongli was momentarily stunned.
What the—?
The Dragon King had always had a strong fondness for drink. In the past, he wouldn't stop until every drop was gone. Since when did he have this kind of self-control?
Was it because of that… "logging in"?
What exactly was that?
Whatever it was, it seemed to tempt the Dragon King more than his beloved wine…
Zhongli nodded slightly. "Very well."
The Dragon King added, "Since I don't really have anywhere else to be, I was thinking I might stay here and find something to do. Does the school still need a security guard?"
"A guard? You could be a teacher…"
"Ah, no thanks. I heard from Xia Ci that teachers have to prep lessons every day. Way too much hassle. And I'm not too familiar with modern Liyue either—don't know all the new stuff. If I taught anything, it'd be outdated nonsense. I'd rather avoid embarrassing myself and just start out as a guard."
"…Fine."
"Settled, then. I'll start work tomorrow. You get some rest—we're off!"
The Dragon King waved boldly, then stood and left.
The two Adepti followed suit.
"Goodbye, Rex Lapis."
Zhongli watched the three of them hurry off, deep in thought.
They'd just come from Cloud Retainer's place, and had spent the last few days with Mr. Xia.
This "logging in"… likely had something to do with him.
But what exactly was it?
Zhongli pondered for a bit, but couldn't make sense of it.
Never mind.
He'd ask Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver tomorrow.
He picked up the wine pot on the table, poured himself half a cup, and took a sip.
Tonight's osmanthus wine…
Finally had a bit of flavor again.
---
The next morning.
Xia Zhi stepped out of the Serenitea Pot and saw that Yaoyao's parents were already busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
People in the countryside really did wake up early.
"Mr. Xia, you're up!"
"Mm. Good morning."
"Come sit down. Breakfast will be ready soon."
Xia Zhi had originally planned to help, but the meal looked nearly done. No need to butt in.
He should've gotten up earlier.
But Shenhe wouldn't let him.
She said she hadn't gotten much time with him during their stay at the adeptal abode.
So…
What could he do?
There really was no helping it.
Xia Zhi smiled. "I'll serve myself."
"Oh no, Mr. Xia, with your eyes—better let us handle it."
"No worries. I can manage something this simple."
"Well…"
"I'll do it."
Xia Zhi carried a bowl of noodles outside.
His movements were steady.
Yaoyao's parents watched him walk away and exchanged a look.
As expected of Madame Ping's friend…
After breakfast, everyone took a walk around Qingce Village.
It didn't have the otherworldly charm of Mt. Aocang, but its pastoral fields and humble cottages had a uniquely human warmth—deeply moving in their own way.
Charlotte, with her kamera, took plenty of pictures again.
In the past, she would've fretted over film costs and carefully composed each shot. But now that Lady Ningguang was reimbursing expenses, she shot to her heart's content.
At noon, Xia Zhi and Xiangling headed into the kitchen. After persuading Yaoyao's parents, they were allowed to use it.
They made a meal similar to the one from the night before, but added a few glowing dishes for impact.
They used their full chef gear, so every dish carried the [Longevity] trait.
For the girls who were used to eating such delicacies daily, the effects were minimal.
But for Yaoyao's parents, who had never eaten anything so nourishing—it was immediately noticeable.
Yaoyao's father often worked outside. His body was worn down, with aches and pains all over.
After the meal, all his soreness vanished. He felt invigorated, like his youth had returned.
Yaoyao's mother still looked graceful for her age, though fine lines had started to form at the corners of her eyes.
After eating, she checked a mirror at Yaoyao's urging—and found the wrinkles gone. She looked several years younger.
This… this was what they called immortal fortune!
The couple hurried to thank Xia Zhi.
He waved it off with a smile.
It was only right—after all, Yaoyao had helped out at the shop for so long.
That evening, Xia Zhi and Xiangling made another dinner, this time using ingredients grown by Xia Ci.
Compared to the standard ingredients at noon, the taste and restorative effects were even better.
After the meal, Yaoyao's parents noticed the changes in their bodies and began to look at their daughter differently.
So this was why she'd grown so fast—this was what she'd been eating every day!
After dinner, they all took an evening walk.
They spent one more night in Qingce Village.
The next morning, they said their goodbyes to Yaoyao's parents.
Though reluctant to part, her parents were reassured. Holding Yaoyao's hand, they gave her a long string of heartfelt advice.
Yaoyao nodded obediently.
Xia Zhi stood nearby, listening to the familiar words all parents say to their children, and couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic.
He subtly raised a hand and cast a few light-based healing spells on the couple.
After the farewells, Xia Zhi also gifted them some diluted [Rainbow Juice Concentrate], Essence-infused hand cream, and a few homemade preserves.
It wasn't that he didn't want to give them something more expensive—these were simply the most suitable gifts.
He didn't give them [Calming Incense], for instance. Qingce was remote, and though the incense was effective, its fragrance might attract unwanted spirits. That wouldn't be good.
Waving goodbye, they boarded the hovercar and left Qingce Village.
----
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