Let's not talk about those two and focus on the story.
Xinyan's words weren't a hint for gifts, and Mona was just teasing her.
After resolving the kids' misunderstanding, the group wants to continue forward. Just then, Paimon's hungry and suggests heading to Xinyan's home for food. So, let's go home.
Come be a guest at my place—share in the feast.
[Xinyan says: "Whether it's clashing with neighbors or returning disappointed from a failed performance… if there's somewhere I absolutely have to go, I guess it's there."]
["Because… people always have to go home."]
People always have to go home. Life hasn't ended yet—where is not home? Kaedehara Kazuha sees the whole world as his "home."
Having a home to return to is wonderful. For Nahida, her "home" is the cage that imprisons her. She can't leave, let alone go home.
And speaking of food, can Nahida even cook?
But this is a dream, so whether she can cook doesn't matter—she just needs to have seen it.
Though she's never eaten much herself, she's seen others eat. When people eat sweets, their expressions look so happy—sweets must be delicious.
The story's illustrations depict the road home, rugged and overgrown with thorns.
This is Xinyan's inner world, where every path seems so rough and thorny.
But at the doorstep, it's different. The path turns to stone steps, the lights are warm, and there are trees and flowers nearby. The thorns are gone.
Entering the house, Xinyan tells everyone to make themselves at home—no need to change shoes.
As she speaks, Xinyan hears a noise from the inner room. Curious, she goes to check and finds the lights off, as if no one's there.
Just as she lets her guard down, two adorable figures pop out!
Xiangling and Yun Jin: (ﾉ＞ω＜)ﾉ
In the illustration, Xiangling and Yun Jin stand behind Xinyan, one on each side.
[They say cheerfully: "Ta-da-da~! Happy birthday!"]
Happy birthday—what a wonderful thing to have someone celebrate your birthday. Who knows if Nahida would feel envious seeing this scene?
Whether Nahida in the story sees it or feels envious is unknown, but the real Nahida is very envious.
She desperately wishes someone would celebrate her birthday like this. Whether it's a surprise doesn't matter, gifts don't matter, she doesn't even need a cake.
She just wants to hear someone say "Happy birthday" to her.
For some reason, Venti was the one reflecting during Kazuha's story, and now it's Nahida's turn with Xinyan's.
Will the next person's story have another god reflecting?
We'll only know when we get there. In the story, Xinyan is startled, just as she said:
Friends pulling off a surprise isn't unusual, but if it were her, she'd be shocked too. Sure enough, she's shocked.
Xiangling and Yun Jin are thrilled—their surprise worked. They high-five, yee~!
[Xinyan: "You two, can you not do this with those cute faces?"]
High EQ is high EQ—her words are just so likable.
[Yun Jin, smiling: "Oh? I don't like hearing that. Who says being cute and well-behaved means you can't pull pranks? Right, Xiangling?"]
See, Yun Jin knows she's cute!
And her mindset aligns with Xinyan's. Who decided? Who decided what someone's supposed to do based on how they look?
Xinyan doesn't reject all mainstream things—she can embroider too.
But she prefers doing what she loves, even if others think it's not something a girl should do!
[Xiangling, chiming in: "Exactly, exactly! Guoba's like that, but he's super agile!"]
Guoba: ???
Good thing Guoba can't read, or he'd understand the implication—isn't this saying he's chubby?!
Zhongli gives a faint smile, while Guizhong laughs so hard her legs go weak.
There's an odd joy in seeing an old friend teased. Oh no, have I been infected by Lucian?
Am I catching Lucian's vibe? Could I really be catching Lucian's vibe?!
Beidou also smirks. She's actually one of Xinyan's good friends, but she was too busy to attend Xinyan's birthday in person—she was at sea.
Thankfully, she prepared a gift in advance and entrusted it to Yun Jin to deliver.
Yun Jin and Xiangling each prepared gifts too, all things Xinyan loves.
Xiangling's gift is a bit special, though, because she met someone unusual.
On her way, she encountered a bespectacled blacksmith who seemed to understand stones.
Xiangling didn't believe it and wanted to test him. Sure enough, he found jade. Xiangling had it polished into a necklace-sized piece and made it into a necklace for Xinyan.
Xinyan doesn't like wearing necklaces, which Xiangling knows, so the necklace is actually for her zither—it deserves some dressing up too.
Barbara strongly agrees. Indeed, whether it's the Skyward Harp or big sister Jean, both need some sprucing up.
Barbara actually has a desire to dress up her sister, but sadly, Jean isn't interested.
In the story, Yun Jin is intrigued by this stone-reading person and wants to write it into a play.
In fact, the real Yun Jin has already done so—not just this story. Almost every book Lucian writes, she turns into a play, much to Zhongli's delight.
As for the person Xiangling mentioned—yes, it's Kun Jun. He's recovered and gained a new ability: he can now understand stones.
Though he can't see the memories of stones, it's still a powerful skill.
This shows that Azhdaha really favored these blacksmiths, even leaving him a "gift" before departing.
Speaking of blacksmiths, Yun Jin's family is also a blacksmith lineage, somewhat like the Raiden Five Traditions, with their own series of works.
Her gift to Xinyan is a specially crafted iron ring decoration—the kind Xinyan likes to use for tying her hair.
In the story, the Xinyan trio sits down, and Xiangling has prepared a huge table of delicious dishes.
Meanwhile, the Traveler and the others are still waiting outside, with Paimon's stomach growling.
But there's no helping it—illusions are illusions. No matter how full you eat in a dream, you'll still be hungry when you wake up.
Yun Jin tells Xinyan she originally wanted to make a birthday cake, like those in foreign traditions.
Sadly, she didn't have time—she was too busy bringing over all the food Xiangling made. Xiangling cooked way too much.
No cake, no candles, but good friends are here, and it's time to make a wish.
Nahida can't say she's not envious. She desperately wants someone to celebrate her birthday like this. She doesn't even dare hope for a birthday wish because this is her birthday wish.
She doesn't know how many times she's made this wish.
In the story, Xinyan closes her eyes and makes her own wish.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Nahida: About Birthdays
"You can tell me your wishes, and maybe I can help make them come true."
"Huh? You're asking about my birthday wish?"