Four days had passed since the incident related to the Jade Palace.
At this moment, a warm, soft sunlight spread across the sky of Liyue, covering every corner of the Wangshu Inn. Under the light golden rays that danced through the trees, Mei silently strolled along the hill near the inn, her eyes distant, her face pensive as if carrying thousands of questions without an answer.
- Mei (musing): That’s strange. Why did these quests come so early? I haven't even set foot in Mondstadt yet.
- Mei (frowning, muttering to herself): When did I arrive here anyway? Could it be… I’ve already affected the storyline?
- Mei (sighing): How can I go back?
Lost in her tangled thoughts, Mei suddenly stopped when she saw two figures standing and chatting under a large tree. One was Elzer with a calm demeanor and a polite smile, just like the first time she met him. And the other person…
- Mei (gasping): What!? Is that… that's…
The man had hair as fiery red as a flame, and his sharp eyes had the red hue of smoldering rubies. Although his features were elegant, almost feminine, the calm and noble aura emanating from his every gesture made him incredibly charismatic. However, in complete contrast to his striking appearance was his cold, almost indifferent demeanor towards the world around him.
- Mei: Diluc and Elzer. Do they appear in any quests in Liyue?
- Mei (turning on her heels, backing away): I smell danger somewhere... I have to stay as far away as possible!
However, luck wasn't on Mei’s side. Just as she turned her back, Elzer spotted her. His eyes were gentle and polite as always, and a small smile appeared on his lips.
- Elzer: Oh! It's been a while, Miss Mei.
- Mei (freezing, sighing internally): Your eyes are too sharp, dude.
She reluctantly walked closer, trying to keep her voice as normal as possible.
- Mei: Haha, hello Elzer and Di… the red-haired gentleman.
Diluc didn't answer, only giving a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over her like a passing breeze. In the face of his silence, Elzer took the initiative to speak.
- Elzer: Please allow me to introduce you, this is Master Diluc - the owner of the Dawn Winery.
- Mei (feigning surprise): Whoa, what an honor. I never thought I would meet someone so famous here!
- Diluc (replying indifferently): You flatter me, Miss. I am merely a person who knows how to do business and earn Mora to get by.
- Mei (smiling, but protesting fiercely in her heart): Diluc just 'earning Mora to get by'? His assets alone are enough to crush me!
- Mei: So you two just came here from Liyue Harbor?
- Elzer (nodding): That’s right. We arrived not long ago and were checking our cargo when we happened to run into you.
- Mei (musing): Cargo… wine, I suppose?
As soon as she heard that word, a sense of unease suddenly struck her. Mei frowned slightly, trying to find a vague piece of memory in her mind.
- Mei (thinking): I think I’ve heard of this somewhere before…
Then, like a flash of lightning through her brain, she realized:
- Mei (thinking, eyes wide open): Ah! That’s right! In a new event in Mondstadt…
- Mei (recalling): Diluc told the Traveler that in the past, a traitor had poisoned the wine barrels when he was making a delivery in Liyue.
- Mei (recalling): That incident caused the Dawn Winery’s reputation to severely decline, and it took a long time to recover.
- Mei (thinking): …Should I tell them? It’s just a guess, and what if they get suspicious of me again?
- Mei (thinking): But… but… if I don't help them, I'll feel so guilty.
- Mei (looking at the cargo, hesitating a little before speaking): These wine barrels… I think you two should check them again, they have a problem.
- Diluc (looking up, staring intently at Mei): Hmm?
Elzer turned to him, as if waiting for a nod from his master. After a moment of thought, Diluc agreed. Both of them carefully opened the lids of each barrel. By the fourth barrel, Elzer froze, his eyes squinting in doubt.
- Elzer: This is…
- Diluc (stepping closer, frowning): This smell is… Slime Concentrate.
- Diluc: The wine is cloudy. There must be a very large amount of it in here.
- Elzer: …Isn't it true that when combined, it becomes a deadly poison?
The two quickly opened three more barrels, and the result was the same. The atmosphere suddenly became as tense as a drawn string. Elzer urgently checked the remaining barrels, while Diluc's scrutinizing gaze moved towards Mei.
- Diluc (in a deep voice): Thank you for the reminder, Miss. I will reward you generously.
- Diluc: But I have a question. How did you know that these wine barrels had a problem?
- Mei (startled, stammering): This… this is… Ah! It was the smell… I smelled something, so I told you to check.
- Diluc (his expression unchanged, but his voice became a few shades deeper): Is that so…
- Mei (trembling inside, thinking): Aaa, that look… Master Diluc is suspecting me. I knew I shouldn’t have interfered.
- Elzer (stepping beside Diluc, smiling politely): We have some matters to resolve now, so we won't trouble you anymore, Miss Mei.
- Elzer: As for the reward… don’t worry, our master never breaks his promises.
- Mei (waving her hands frantically): No need for a reward! I’m just happy to help! Well, I’ll be going now.
With that, she ran away like lightning, as if she had escaped a sea of fire, leaving the two men deep in thought, watching her figure gradually disappear down the slope towards the inn.
- Diluc (still watching her, suspicious): That girl… who exactly is she?
- Elzer: As far as I know, she isn’t from Liyue, just a lost Traveler who was taken in as an employee by the inn’s owner.
- Elzer (shaking his head slightly): But what she told me once seemed… unbelievable. In short, her background is vague.
- Diluc (nodding, glancing at the wine barrels): The smell of Slime Concentrate is very faint, to the point that you wouldn't notice it from a meter away unless the lid was opened.
- Diluc: But she smelled it from a distance, with the lids still sealed… strange.
- Elzer (musing): But… if that’s the case, who was the culprit? And when did this happen?
- Diluc: It might have been right after we arrived here. Didn’t he tell us to go rest in the inn, while he took care of the luggage?
- Elzer: Are you saying… Viber?
- Diluc: We can’t be sure, but from now on, we should be wary of him… and that young lady as well.
-----
The evening sunset fell gently on the tiled roof of the Wangshu Inn, the sky’s color gradually changing from a light yellow to a deep orange, as if stained with fire. The last rays of light of the day shone through the reception counter, stretching across the glossy wooden desk, where Mei was resting her chin on her hand, leisurely stirring a cup of fragrant tea.
But this peaceful atmosphere didn't last long.
The sound of footsteps made Mei look up immediately. It was a group of travelers – six people, their cloaks dusty, their faces tired but their eyes still sparkling with excitement.
- Mei (giving a polite smile, standing up): Hello, how can I help you?
- First traveler (in a hoarse but friendly voice): Hello, miss, we want to rent a room for the night.
- Mei (smiling politely, her hands lightly clasped in front of her): Yes, we currently have single rooms, double rooms, or a large room for six people. What kind would you like?
- Second traveler: We'll take a room for six.
- Mei (nodding, her hand quickly scribbling in the registration book): The room for six is 28,000 Mora per night, not including meals.
After she said this, the atmosphere suddenly paused. The third traveler, standing on the left, his eyes wide, frowned and shouted:
- Third traveler: What?! That expensive?! 15,000 Mora is enough, we’re only sleeping for one night!
Mei froze. Her face still kept a polite expression, but the corner of her mouth twitched slightly.
- Mei (looking troubled): This is… a bit difficult.
- Mei (storming internally): WTF!!? This is an inn, not a charity! If you want a cheap price, go to the inns by the road. Why cross rivers and mountains to get all the way up to Wangshu Inn?
She tried to smile, repeating in a gentle but firm voice:
- Mei: I’m sorry, but no. This is the price set by the innkeeper, I can't change it on my own.
A short silence passed, but then the traveler standing on the right spoke up, trying to talk sense into him.
- Fourth traveler: Alright, fine! Just give her the Mora, don't cause any more trouble.
But…
- Third traveler (still pouting, refusing to give up): Hmph, out of respect for your hard work… 17,000 Mora, what do you say?
- Mei (laughing awkwardly, but her eyes had darkened a bit): I really can’t, sir. Please don’t make things difficult for me anymore.
- Mei (clenching her fists, trying to suppress the anger inside): Endure… you have to endure, Mei, don't punch the customer.
She took a deep breath, standing still as if freezing her emotions. Just then, a person from the group - the traveler at the back, who was probably the most mature, stepped forward and handed her the money.
- Fifth traveler: Haha, sorry about that, here is 28,000 Mora. Don’t mind her, my wife just wanted to save a bit.
Mei let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Her smile returned, and she quickly replied:
- Mei: Haha, how could I? It is my honor to serve you.
- Mei (handing him the key): Your room is on the third floor, the very first one.
Everything seemed to be settled, but as the group left the counter, the third traveler still didn't forget to yell:
- Third traveler: So expensive! I should have bargained a bit more to get a cheaper price!
- Sixth traveler (calmly replying): Just stop it, this price is already very cheap.
Mei watched their figures disappear up the stairs, her eyes narrowing slightly, and she mumbled to herself:
- Mei: Ugh, is bargaining a thing in Teyvat too?!
A moment later, steady footsteps came down from the second floor. Verr Goldet came down with a pensive expression. The evening sunset cast a golden light on her face, making her features look even more rigid and dignified. But when she saw Mei, her expression softened a bit.
- Verr Goldet (in a low, even voice): Is work going well, Mei?
- Mei (scratching her head, laughing awkwardly): It wasn't very smooth, but it's all settled now.
The innkeeper didn't say anything else, just glanced at the registration book and nodded.
- Verr Goldet: Alright, take a short break.
Mei (as if she was just recharged): Yes! Thank you so much, Boss!
Without another second’s delay, she turned and darted into the kitchen like a lightning bolt.
- Mei: Yanxiao! Do we have any “bar snacks”?
What greeted her eyes was a kitchen nightmare: plates and bowls were in disarray, half-chopped vegetables were scattered, spices were thrown all over the place, the stove was covered in grease, and Yanxiao was stirring a wok with one hand while holding a jar of seasoning in the other, sprinkling it over the food.
She looked around the kitchen as if searching for gold, but only saw a battlefield. She blinked at the pile of unwashed dishes, as if they had just enjoyed a gluttonous feast.
- Mei (thinking): Did a thief just pass through here?
- Yanxiao (without turning his head): What are "bar snacks"? And I’m very busy right now, I don't have time to cook for you.
Hearing this, Mei could only sigh and pull up a chair. She conveniently picked up a knife and finished peeling the rest of the carrot.
- Mei (teasing): What a strange sight! Which mysterious guest has our super-chef Yanxiao so busy?
- Yanxiao (not stopping his work): It's a trade caravan from Mondstadt and two important guests of the owners.
- Yanxiao: They ordered a lot of dishes: Chicken-Tofu Stir-Fry, Black-Back Perch Stew, Almond Tofu, Lotus Seed and Bird Egg Soup…
- Mei (her face turning cold): Ugh, I never thought a chef’s life could be so tough.
A while later, when all the food had been taken out by the staff, Yanxiao finally sat down on a chair, letting out a sigh of relief.
- Yanxiao: Finally, it’s done! Tell me, what did you mean by “bar snacks”? I’ve never heard of it.
- Mei (laughing awkwardly): Haha, just forget about it.
- Mei: Oh, by the way, are there any desserts left?
- Yanxiao (thinking for a moment before speaking): There’s a bowl of fruit soup next to the stove, you can have that.
- Mei (her eyes shining): Hehe, if you say so, then I won’t be shy.
- Yanxiao (scoffing): Have you ever been shy?
- Mei: Thanks for the soup. I won't bother you anymore.
She picked up the bowl of soup and walked slowly out of the kitchen. The evening light slanted through the hallway, coloring her hair a soft yellow. Mei hummed an unknown tune as she walked, sipping her soup. Her small song, carried by the wind in the sunset, brought a rare sense of peace to the space, after a turbulent afternoon.