Henry navigated the familiar street until he reached the area near the Ministry of Civil Affairs, where two shops or offices stood side by side—one, of course, belonging to Yanfei. He peered through the window and found her office empty, so instead, he turned to the adjacent door and read the plaque: Kuki Shinobu — Legal Consultant and knocked.
A calm voice called out, "Enter."
Kuki sat behind her desk, her purple hair neatly framed around her face, her expression composed and professional. She was wearing an official cheongsam—the same one she'd worn when Henry first visited her—and though he'd seen it before, it still looked strange to him, accustomed as he was to the black crop top and shorts from her in-game appearance. Still, he had to admit, she looked remarkably hot in it.
She looked up as Henry stepped inside, and her eyes flickered with recognition.
"Henry," she greeted, setting down her quill. "I was wondering when you'd come. Yanfei mentioned you might need legal assistance."
"She's busy today?"
"She is with other clients." Kuki gestured to the chair across from her desk. "She asked me to handle your documents. Something about a contract with Ningguang?"
"Yes." Henry settled into the chair, pulling out the paperwork from his System space. "The first is the ingredient supply agreement for my café."
Kuki's eyebrows rose slightly, genuine surprise flickering across her usually composed features. "You're opening a café?"
"I am. Why? Does it look strange if I'm opening a café?"
"No, but you are moving quite fast in business, aren't you?" Kuki's eyes narrowed with mild suspicion. "I hope you didn't do something illegal."
"What? Of course not." Henry held up his hands in mock surrender. "I actually have Swift Bikes shops back in Mondstadt too. I got income from that." He paused, then reached into his System space. "Plus, I also used to sell noodles way back. Here."
He removed a cheesy flavoured instant noodle cup from his system space and handed it to her.
Kuki accepted it, turning it over in her hands with obvious fascination—the cup was unlike anything she'd seen before, from the strange material and unfamiliar packaging to the neatly sealed lid. "What is this?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she looked at the outer package image. "These are noodles?"
"Instant noodles," Henry said with a grin. "Just add hot water, wait a few minutes, and it tastes perfect."
"Just hot water?"
"Just hot water." Henry grinned. "Trust me."
Kuki studied the cup for a moment longer, then set it aside with a small nod. "Hmm. Henry, I'm impressed. You made this right?"
"Yes."
"Interesting." She pulled a fresh sheet of parchment toward her and dipped her quill in ink. "Alright. Show me the list."
Henry slid the ingredient list and the draft contract he had written himself across the desk—carefully organized, categorized by region, detailing everything he needed from Liyue and beyond—and Kuki's eyes scanned the contents, her expression focused and professional as she took in the sheer scope of his request.
"Teas from Liyue and Sumeru," she murmured, her finger tracing down the page. "Matcha from Inazuma. Spices from Sumeru. Coffee beans from Sumeru too. Cocoa from Natlan." She glanced up at him, her eyebrows rising slightly. "This is extensive."
"I know. That's why I need Ningguang's network."
Kuki nodded, returning her attention to the document as she began drafting the official contract, using Henry's own draft as a reference while her quill moved across the page with practiced precision. Henry watched quietly as she worked, noting the way she occasionally paused to consider a clause, the way her brow furrowed slightly at certain terms, the way her hand moved with the confidence of someone who had done this a thousand times before. The minutes passed in comfortable silence, broken only by the scratch of quill on parchment and the distant hum of Liyue Harbor outside the window.
After a while, Kuki set down her quill and reviewed the completed document with a final, satisfied nod. "Done." She paused, glancing up at him with something between curiosity and amusement. "Your drafted contract was done well. You were only missing the legal statements."
Henry leaned back, a grin spreading across his face. "Thanks."
Kuki set the documents down and studied him with a curious expression. "You're not what I expected when we first met."
"Neither are you." Henry tilted his head, his grin turning playful. "I expected a stern, no-nonsense legal consultant who would be rude. Instead, I got someone who is quite pleasing."
Kuki's eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of amusement lurking beneath her composed exterior. "You want me to be rude? I could be rude."
"No, no. You are fine as you are, lady." Henry raised his hands in mock surrender.
Her lips twitched, almost a smile threatening to break through her professional mask. "Flattery won't get you out of legal fees though.
"Worth a try."
Henry was indeed trying to find a way to lessen the fees. His funds were almost finished—after paying Kuki, he would be as "mora-less" as Zhongli. He wouldn't receive any mora until his café started making a profit, and that was still weeks away.
"Your total is 30,000. Pay up."
He placed a large sack in front of Kuki reluctantly, who took it with a smirk at his obvious discomfort. She unloaded the mora onto a large brass balance scale sitting on the corner of her desk—a simple but elegant device with standardized counterweights marked in increments of 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 Mora. She placed three counterweights of 10,000 Mora on the opposite side with practiced efficiency, adjusting them until the scale balanced perfectly.
"Oh, and Kuki—"
She looked up.
"I loved the kimono outfit you wore last time. It suits you."
Kuki's cheeks flushed faintly, but she regained her composure almost immediately as she tried to glare at him. "You are quite a flirt, Henry." She shook her head, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "I'm at work. Be professional."
"I stand by my statement." He grinned and settled back into the chair. "I'll wait here for Ningguang. She's supposed to arrive soon."
Kuki nodded, taking the weighted coins and putting them into the sack which disappeared into her Vision space. She set aside the excess Mora, placing it in a new pouch and sliding it back toward Henry. "Here. You had given me excess Mora."
Henry took the pouch, making it disappear into his System space with a casual wave of his hand—and then froze.
The realization hit him like a cold wave.
Why am I revealing my ability to everyone?
His mind raced back through the past weeks, cataloging every slip, every moment he'd been careless. He'd shown his factory workers his teleportation ability, hadn't he? Just that one time, when he'd needed to move the bikes quickly. They'd been stunned, impressed, and Henry had regretted it almost immediately.
I shouldn't have done that. Too many people knowing about my abilities—it's going to come back and bite me someday.
The thought sent a chill down his spine.
What if Dottore comes and kidnaps me? Henry shuddered just thinking about that name.
[You think?]
I know. I need to be more careful. From now on, I'm a normal person without a Vision.
[You're learning. Slowly, but learning.]
Shut up.
He straightened in his chair, forcing his expression to remain calm. I will be careful from now on.
He pushed the thought aside, forcing himself to focus on the present. Right now, he had a contract to finalize and a café to open.
The door opened, and Ningguang swept in with her characteristic grace, her robes flowing behind her like a river of gold and white.
"Henry. Kuki." She nodded to both of them, her eyes landing on the contract Kuki had drafted. She picked it up, scanning the contents quickly. "Hmmm," she observed, a note of approval in her voice. "She's thorough. I see she's covered all the bases."
"She's good," Henry agreed.
"Indeed." Ningguang's eyes moved across the page, noting the terms Kuki had included. She paused at certain sections, her expression thoughtful, then nodded. "Everything appears to be in order."
Henry took the document, scanning the pages one last time. The terms were as discussed—market price for ingredients, monthly shipments to Mondstadt, transport costs covered by Henry, payment due upon delivery.
I could have transported them myself, but it would be way too suspicious. I'll have to do it the normal way.
"Everything appears to be in order," he said, signing his name at the bottom.
Ningguang smiled, signing her own name beneath his with a flourish. "Then it's official. Your ingredients will begin arriving within four days."
"Sounds good." Henry turned toward Kuki. "Bye, Kuki."
"Goodbye, Henry," Kuki replied, a small smile tugging at her lips as she returned her attention to her paperwork.
Henry stood, rolling the contract safely and holding it in his hands before turning to Ningguang. "Come on. I'll walk you to the platform."
They walked side by side through the streets of Liyue Harbor, the evening light casting long shadows across the cobblestones. People bowed their heads respectfully as Ningguang passed, their gazes then shifting to Henry with curiosity and wonder—the man walking alongside the Tianquan, an unfamiliar face in the company of Liyue's most powerful figure.
"So," Henry said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I've been thinking about the café inauguration."
Ningguang glanced at him, her expression curious. "Oh?"
"It's going to be a big event. I'm inviting everyone—my friends, my employees, important people from both cities." He paused. "I was hoping you might consider attending."
Ningguang's eyebrow arched. "You're inviting me to Mondstadt?"
"I am."
She was quiet for a moment, her gaze distant. Then she shook her head slowly. "I appreciate the offer, Henry. Truly. But I'm afraid I can't. The responsibilities of the Tianquan don't allow for extended travel."
"Not even for a day or two?"
"Not even for a day or two." Her smile was regretful. "Perhaps in the future, when things are less hectic. But for now, I must decline."
Henry nodded, understanding. "I figured it was a long shot. But I had to ask."
"I appreciate that you did." She paused, her voice softening. "And I will be hearing about your progress from here. I want to see what you build."
He smiled. "I'll make sure to send you updates."
"Please do."
They reached the platform's edge, the wind tugging at their clothes as the evening breeze swept in from the harbor. Henry turned to face her, extending his hand. "Thank you, Ningguang. It was a pleasure doing business with you."
"Likewise," Ningguang said, shaking his hand with a firm, deliberate grip. She held his gaze for just a moment longer than necessary, a faint smile playing at her lips, before she turned and stepped onto the jade platform, which began to rise smoothly toward the Jade Chamber high in the sky.
Henry watched her ascend for a moment, then turned and made his way toward his next stop—his Swift bike shop.
___
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