Nilou and Dehya froze for a moment and turned around.
Standing before them was a young woman with refined features and an elegant, graceful presence, dressed in attire that was both luxurious and dignified.
Dehya poked Nilou lightly and asked in curiosity,
"Nilou, is she your friend?"
Nilou shook her head in confusion.
"I haven't really been to Liyue much. I don't know many people from here…"
The newcomer covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Every movement carried a natural elegance and impeccable etiquette.
"My apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yun Jin, and I am the current head performer and manager of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe in Liyue Harbor."
Nilou's eyes widened instantly, her face lighting up with surprise.
"So you're Master Yun from Liyue's opera scene! I've heard so much about you!"
Dehya scratched her cheek and muttered,
"Master Yun? But she looks like a young girl…"
Yun Jin didn't respond, but Nilou patiently explained,
"In Liyue, distinguished opera performers are respectfully addressed as 'Master,' regardless of gender."
"Master Yun's performance style is entirely her own, elegant and refined. She excels in writing, singing, and acting, making her one of Liyue's top opera artists."
"I've heard that whenever Master Yun performs, the theater is completely full. Many people even pay just to stand and watch."
"I've long admired Master Yun's work and always wanted to discuss Liyue's opera with her, to see if I could adapt some elements into new dance styles."
Yun Jin smiled modestly and shook her head.
"It's not quite that impressive. Everyone's just being kind. I still have a lot to learn."
As Yun Jin and Nilou looked at each other, a sense of mutual understanding and kinship spread between them.
It was the same kind of resonance Ryen and Guizhong shared when discussing elemental combat aesthetics,
True kindred spirits.
Though they had only exchanged a few words, each could already sense the other's unwavering devotion to art.
From Dehya's perspective, these two looked like they regretted not meeting sooner.
"I've also heard of Miss Nilou, the star of Sumeru's Zubayr Theater," Yun Jin said warmly.
"They say your dance is as graceful as a blooming water lotus, pure and untouched."
"Scholars and mercenaries alike, regardless of status, can all lose themselves in the serenity of your performances."
Dehya finally found her chance to chime in and nodded firmly.
"That part isn't exaggerated. Even desert mercenaries say that if you visit Sumeru City, Nilou's performance is something you absolutely can't miss."
"But unfortunately, the Akademiya doesn't favor art anymore. They're planning to issue an art ban, and fewer and fewer people can enjoy Nilou's beautiful dances."
At this, Yun Jin's expression darkened with irritation.
"I've heard about that. The Akademiya is truly going too far."
"Even in the pursuit of rational knowledge, humans are ultimately emotional beings."
"The gods granted Sumeru wisdom, but humans must still preserve their pursuit of art."
"Without a heart that seeks beauty, how can one be called human?"
"If Miss Nilou is prevented from performing, that would be a loss for the world itself."
"If it truly comes to that, you're always welcome in Liyue. Yun-Han Opera would gladly offer you a grander, brighter stage."
Yun Jin's words deeply moved Nilou.
Looking at her with emotion, Nilou said softly,
"Master Yun…"
"Just call me Yun Jin," she replied gently.
"Then… Yun Jin, you can call me Nilou too!"
Nilou smiled brightly, her eyes curving into happy crescents. In that moment, everything about Yun Jin felt comforting and familiar.
"Yun Jin, I heard you have a performance tonight. May we come watch?"
Yun Jin smiled and nodded.
"Of course. I'd be delighted if you came. It would be even better if you could offer some feedback."
"Opera shouldn't remain stagnant. Only by embracing new elements can it be passed down through generations."
"As a master dancer from Sumeru, I'm sure you could offer invaluable insight."
Nilou shook her head shyly.
"Oh no, I was hoping you could guide me instead!"
Dehya looked at the two of them with a strange expression. She had the distinct feeling that if this continued, they might swear a blood oath and become sisters on the spot.
She quickly interrupted,
"By the way, Yun Jin, did you come looking for us specifically? Is there something you need?"
Yun Jin came back to herself and looked apologetically at Dehya.
"I heard that Nilou had arrived in Liyue, so I came hoping to discuss the possibility of combining dance and opera."
"But just now, I heard you mention something called… Eleazar?"
Nilou frowned slightly in thought.
"It's a disease. Did you… contract it?"
The two let out a sigh.
"Eleazar is a terminal illness unique to Sumeru."
"Those afflicted develop gray-black scales all over their bodies, lose control of themselves, and there's essentially no cure. They eventually die in great pain."
Yun Jin frowned slightly, pondering.
"That sounds… almost like a curse."
Nilou nodded.
"That's why we came to Liyue. Our friend has Eleazar, and it's already in its late stage."
"If we can't treat her soon, she may not survive another month."
After saying this, Nilou lowered her head sadly.
Yun Jin fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"You came here to seek a cure? Then you came to the right place."
Nilou and Dehya looked at Yun Jin in confusion. Dehya pressed her lips together and explained patiently,
"Before coming here, we visited another Eleazar patient. Her illness was cured by something Miss Lisa sent a few days ago."
"That's why we came here, to, "
Before she could finish, Yun Jin waved her hand gently, smiling.
"I understand. Come with me."
"Huh?"
Nilou stared at Yun Jin in disbelief, hope flashing in her eyes.
"Yun Jin, do you have a way to obtain that miraculous item?"
Yun Jin smiled and asked instead,
"It was a bucket of milk, wasn't it?"
Nilou and Dehya exchanged glances and nodded.
"Collei said it was milk… but we thought it had to be something extraordinary."
"After all, to maintain her nutrition, Dunyarzad has already drunk quite a lot of milk…"
Yun Jin shook her head.
"No, this really is just an ordinary bucket of milk."
"In short, you can rest assured. Liyue's foundation is strong enough to deal with any illness. If milk isn't enough, there are always Golden Apples. Don't worry."
Yun Jin's slightly mysterious words left Nilou and Dehya feeling confused.
However, judging by Yun Jin's confident expression, she clearly had full certainty, and she didn't seem like someone who would joke about matters like this.
So Nilou and Dehya followed Yun Jin. After only a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a small shop.
Yun Jin led them inside and spoke softly,
"Hello, is anyone here? I need medicine."
As soon as she finished speaking, a young girl hurried over to the counter.
She glanced at Yun Jin and asked curiously,
"Master Yun, what do you need? If it's alchemical medicine, an application form is required."
Yun Jin shook her head and replied,
"Just milk."
Hearing this, the girl visibly relaxed and nodded gently.
"Please wait a moment."
She disappeared into the back room and soon returned, struggling slightly as she carried out a large glass container.
It was completely filled with milk.
This was something Ningguang had mentioned before, using iron buckets to hold milk was wasteful, not to mention too heavy for most people to carry.
So the milk had been transferred into other containers.
Handing it to Yun Jin, the girl wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Yun Jin nodded and said softly,
"Thank you for your hard work."
The girl waved her hands repeatedly and smiled.
"It's no trouble, just part of the job!"
After a brief exchange, Yun Jin led Nilou and Dehya out of the shop.
At this point, the two of them still felt completely bewildered.
But Yun Jin turned around and handed the milk directly to Nilou.
"All of this needs to be drunk in one go. Once that's done, no matter what terminal illness it is, it will be cured."
Nilou looked at the massive container in her hands. No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem like something a person could finish in one sitting.
She pressed her lips together and asked hesitantly,
"That's… really all there is to it?"
Yun Jin nodded with a smile.
"Of course. These days, nearly all illnesses in Liyue Harbor are treated with milk. So far, there hasn't been a disease that milk couldn't cure."
"That's why people call it a universal remedy. Even exhaustion from overwork disappears after drinking milk, you'll feel fully restored."
Hearing this, Dehya and Nilou were left speechless.
Nilou quickly stored the milk into her Vision's space and looked at Yun Jin gratefully.
"This helps us so much. Thank you, Yun Jin. How much Mora does it cost? I… I didn't bring much, but I'll find a way to gather it!"
At that, Yun Jin's expression turned a little strange.
After a moment of silence, she asked curiously,
"Did you two just arrive in Liyue not long ago?"
The two froze, then nodded.
"No wonder…"
Yun Jin suddenly understood. She smiled and shook her head, leading them toward the harbor.
"Liyue has undergone major reforms recently. If citizens fall ill, they don't need to pay for medicine anymore."
"If you're sick, you just go to the pharmacy and take a portion of milk."
"If you want to buy other medicine, at most you only need to pay one-tenth of the original cost of the ingredients."
"Now, the General Affairs Department basically handles food, clothing, housing, and transportation for ordinary citizens."
"So don't worry. I took this milk myself, there's no charge."
Dehya and Nilou stared at each other.
After a long pause, Dehya asked in disbelief,
"So… you didn't spend even a single Mora on that milk just now?"
"But then… how do the pharmacies stay in business?"
Hearing this, Yun Jin smiled with quiet pride.
"The General Affairs Department reimburses them. Every time a pharmacy treats a patient, the department records it, and at the end of the month, they receive very generous subsidies."
"In other words, all Liyue citizens are being supported by the General Affairs Department."
Dehya and Nilou still found it hard to believe.
"That must cost an astronomical amount of Mora, right? Even if the General Affairs Department is rich…"
"You're underestimating them," Yun Jin said, shaking her head.
"The General Affairs Department now exports resources on a massive scale, alchemical potions, enchanted weapons, and more. These are incredibly profitable ventures."
"Even after supporting the food, clothing, housing, and transportation of the entire population, their Mora reserves are still steadily increasing."
"I heard from Baiwen and the others that the department is more worried about how to spend money than how to earn it."
Thinking of the day Baiwen came to watch opera, wearing a troubled expression while complaining, quite ostentatiously, that having too much Mora could cause financial problems…
Yun Jin couldn't help but find it amusing.
She hadn't expected that such people truly existed, people who worried about having too much money.
Dehya and Nilou didn't fully understand Yun Jin's explanation, but that didn't stop them from feeling deeply envious.
To put it simply,
The people of Liyue had already escaped poverty, with the General Affairs Department supporting them entirely.
The only thing troubling Liyue's citizens now was not knowing what they should do with their lives.
This kind of nation…
Nilou and Dehya could only dream of Sumeru becoming something like this one day.
~~----------------------
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