The setting sun stained the sky a hazy orange, and tender green blades of grass swayed gently in the cool breeze. Robust Sunsettia trees grew here and there across the field, and from their lush branches came a few clear birdsongs.
Xia Zhi stood beneath one of the trees, resting his hand on the trunk.
He turned and smiled at Cloud Retainer, who stood beside him. "I wonder if Adeptus still remembers how we once shared Sunsettias out here last year."
A nostalgic look flashed across Cloud Retainer's face, and she nodded slightly. "Of course I remember."
Back then, if they happened to run into rainy weather and couldn't light a cooking fire, the human and the crane would simply fill their bellies with a couple of Sunsettias. Sometimes they'd even have them for breakfast.
Cloud Retainer looked up at the branches. Although Mondstadt's climate was mild and the trees stayed green all year, this time of year, naturally, no fruits had ripened yet. "A pity…"
"Are you craving fresh Sunsettias, Adeptus?"
"It is still too early."
"That's no problem."
Xia Zhi gently pressed his hand against the trunk and infused it with a surge of Dendro power.
Just like the tea tree he had nurtured during the opening ceremony a few days ago, this Sunsettia tree began to grow rapidly, and soon the branches were laden with plump fruits that drooped enticingly down.
A glimmer of surprise passed through Cloud Retainer's eyes before she seemed to accept it with calm.
After all, Mr. Xia was the God of Light, and light was life to plants. It made perfect sense that, like the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, he could make them flourish.
"Cloud Retainer, would you like to try?"
"Very well."
"How does it taste?"
"It's very sweet, and quite crisp."
"How does it compare to the Sunsettias we had last year?"
"This one is a little better."
Xia Zhi nodded and reached up to pluck one from a drooping branch, bringing it to his lips and taking a bite.
The sweet juice filled his mouth—wonderful.
He took another bite, then as if remembering something, turned back to her.
"Cloud Retainer."
"Mm?"
"Do you remember the first morning we met, eating those wild fruits?"
"I remember that too."
"Those seemed like wild fruits to me, and I thought they tasted rather sour. But you ate seven of them in one go. I figured you must really like sour things."
Cloud Retainer fell silent for a moment.
Like them?
At the time she had practically been brought to tears from the sourness of those seven fruits!
If it hadn't been for this human's kind intentions, she would never have forced herself to take a second bite.
She looked at him, keeping a composed face. "Yes, I like those wild fruits very much."
"Really?"
"Really."
Xia Zhi nodded and laughed. "Then perhaps Shenhe picked it up from you."
Cloud Retainer raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed? Shenhe loves sour flavors too, just like you."
"Oh? Is that so? I hadn't paid attention to that."
"Not before, either?"
"In the past, that child was affected by the Red Rope Soul Binding. She was so detached that she'd only eat bitter herbs as her daily fare. I invited her to share many good dishes with me, but she would refuse every time…"
"You really worried over her a lot."
Cloud Retainer sighed, fully agreeing. "That's true. Shenhe and Ganyu were polar opposites as children. Shenhe barely ate anything, while Ganyu was a little glutton, always following behind me, asking what delicious dish I'd make that day. My own cooking skills basically improved thanks to her…"
Xia Zhi couldn't help chuckling.
This wasn't the first time he'd heard Cloud Retainer share these little stories of her two disciples, yet he still found them amusing every time.
Perhaps this was a common trait of mentors and parents—once the children grew up, they loved to reminisce.
While listening, Xia Zhi opened his inventory.
Inside, he found some of those wild sour fruits he'd picked along the roadside last year for emergency food rations but had never ended up eating.
He took one out. It was still as fresh as the day he'd picked it.
"Adeptus."
"Mm?"
"For you."
"This… what is this?"
"Just what we were talking about. Those wild fruits you love so much."
"Why do you still have these?"
"Last year, while we were traveling, we picked a bunch, remember?"
"From last year?!"
"Yep. I put them away but never ate them. It just came to mind again. If you love them, please, have it."
"This…"
"No need to be polite."
Xia Zhi placed the sour fruit directly into Cloud Retainer's hand.
She lowered her gaze to the fruit and fell silent once more.
The vivid memory of that fiercely sour, mouth-puckering taste came rushing back to her.
She really did not want to eat it.
But what choice did she have?
She had just claimed [she liked it] after all, or else Xia Zhi wouldn't have remembered this detail.
She could still come clean now, and knowing Xia Zhi's gentle nature, he probably wouldn't mind. But… she just couldn't bring herself to lose face.
If she admitted now that she didn't actually like the fruit, it would mean she'd only eaten those gifts last year out of forced courtesy. Xia Zhi would definitely feel guilty, and that would make things awkward between them.
How would she have the nerve to go ask him for a massage later tonight, much less head to his internet café to play games?
If she refused the fruit now, it would mean no massage…
That was absolutely unacceptable!
She'd decided—she wanted those massages for the rest of her life! There was no way she'd give them up, and she definitely couldn't match Xia Zhi's skill herself.
Forget it, forget it.
She'd put on this act, even if she had to cry while doing it.
It was just a sour fruit. She could handle it!
Cloud Retainer brought the fruit calmly to her lips and took a bite.
That familiar flood of Hydro energy welled up in her eyes—
From his vantage, Xia Zhi saw her eyes instantly grow watery.
She was nearly in tears from eating it? She really must love these fruits!
As expected of Shenhe's master—her taste for sour things was even stronger.
"How does it taste?"
"It's… quite good."
"If you like them, I have a few more."
"…Oh…"
"When you finish, remember to save the seeds. I'll give them to Xia Ci to plant in the Serenitea Pot, so you can have them whenever you want."
"..."
Huh? Was that even possible?
If she really liked them, Xia Zhi's thoughtfulness would have warmed her heart to its core.
But the problem was… she didn't like them!
Oh no, oh no, oh no!
Cloud Retainer's breathing faltered, and the idea of having to eat one of these every day in the future made the Hydro welling in her eyes surge even more.
There was no way she could keep pretending—she needed to find a way out of this terrifying fate.
"Mr. Xia, you are too kind, thank you."
She forced down the fruit pulp in her mouth, then added,
"Your cooking is incredible—could you possibly use these wild fruits to make something instead?"
"What would you like to eat?"
"Maybe a cake or something like that."
"Ah, that's doable."
"Thank you for the trouble."
"It's no trouble at all. Think of it as trying out a new recipe."
Cloud Retainer finally breathed a tiny sigh of relief.
The fruit itself might be hard to swallow, but if Mr. Xia transformed it into a pastry, it would no doubt be delicious.
She couldn't manage the raw fruit, but a cake? That was perfectly fine.
Cloud Retainer even felt a flicker of anticipation as she casually took another bite.
That wave of sourness spread through her mouth instantly, making her eyes grow misty again.
Ugh~
With tear-brimmed eyes full of quiet grievance, she glanced at Xia Zhi.
And then she remembered that Shenhe liked sour things too…
Not that she was trying to drag her disciple into this, of course—just that as her master, she had every right to care about her diet.
"Mr. Xia."
"Mm?"
"May I have another of those sour fruits?"
"Of course. Here."
"Thank you."
Cloud Retainer accepted it and tucked it away, then looked at the Sunsettias hanging full on the tree.
"What about these fruits?"
"Pick them all. We'll share them with everyone. Since we've got another foodie in the family, we'll need plenty every day."
"Alright."
Speaking of Xia Lin, a gentle smile crossed Cloud Retainer's teary eyes as she used Anemo power to blow all the Sunsettias from the branches.
After sharing them out, Cloud Retainer went over to Shenhe.
"Shenhe."
"Master?"
"I brought you something tasty."
"What is it?"
"Here."
Cloud Retainer handed her the sour wild fruit.
Shenhe took it, studying it for a moment—clearly unfamiliar with it.
"Give it a try?"
"Okay."
Shenhe trusted her master implicitly, and took a bite.
Cloud Retainer watched, waiting.
Shenhe's expression didn't change, not even a hint of watery eyes.
That… didn't seem right.
Cloud Retainer asked, "How does it taste?"
Shenhe answered seriously, "A bit sour, but very crisp. Quite tasty."
Cloud Retainer was shocked. "You really like sour things?"
Shenhe calmly took another bite, nodding. "I didn't like it before, but after eating it a lot, I kind of like it now."
Cloud Retainer stood there for a moment, speechless, then turned and walked away, feeling somewhat empty.
Shenhe watched her go, then discreetly took a fruit candy from her ring and popped it into her mouth.
The sweet flavor quickly wiped away the overwhelming sourness.
She never would've guessed Master would try to prank her…
Shenhe shook her head.
Most likely Master had been corrupted after all those late-night gaming sessions with Xia Ci…