"Miss Shenhe, this is the finest inn in Liyue Harbor. Rest here for the night. Tomorrow, I'll show you around properly."
Ji Ming paid at the front desk with a pained look—then remembered Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would be footing the bill, and the corners of his mouth tried very hard not to curl up.
Only one room remained. Ji Ming had zero intention of sharing with Miss Shenhe; he planned to make do under one of the city's stone arch bridges and later invoice Wangsheng for two rooms anyway.
This inn was on par with Wangshu Inn outside the city. The rumor in the underworld was that both were under the Tianquan's holdings.
A Heaven-Grade room didn't come cheap—half a month's living expenses in one go. Ji Ming felt one step closer to Yujing Terrace already.
Shenhe had been quietly examining the relief carvings. Hearing him, she turned and nodded. "I'll do as you say. Where will you rest?"
"Don't worry about me. Just sleep well, Miss Shenhe. Meet me at the door tomorrow morning—I'll come get you."
"Mm. See you tomorrow."
Only after watching Shenhe enter the room did Ji Ming step back into the night. Liyue did have lively night markets, but most folks still slept early.
He'd lived frugally for too long. Even with Zhongli's promise, he wasn't keen on paying for a bed. With a straw mat and a blanket, anywhere in Liyue Harbor could be a bedroom.
Of course, the Millelith would probably "kindly" ask him to move along—bad for the city's image and all that.
So, the nearby stone arch bridge—quiet, with few shops or homes—was Ji Ming's favorite shelter in Liyue Harbor. Millelith rarely patrolled here; only people fond of solitude came by.
In earlier years, the stone bridge wasn't his alone. Plenty of drifters lingered here, including gang-affiliated street punks who tried to levy "bridge fees."
But who was Ji Ming? He could barely feed himself back then—pay them?
To fight back against the mess of small gangs, Liyue's biggest street brotherhood was formed on a rainy night years ago. Nine of them—including Ji Ming—swore before a wooden statue of the Geo Lord. On the streets, they were called The Old Nine Gates.
Ji Ming was the youngest—ninth—and he didn't mind, as long as he wasn't eighth.
…Why the silence in recent years? Sadly, after retaking the bridge tolls, eight of the nine—everyone but Ji Ming—got tossed in Liyue Prison for one reason or another.
Old Nine Gates became Jailhouse Nine. Fate, huh?
Ji Ming only fenced goods for the other eight and was careful to a fault, so the authorities never realized that the kid who treated jail like home was part of the Nine as well.
Even now he was waiting for his "brothers" to get out. He'd spent no small amount of mora trying to speed things up. (Expression: blank.)
Thinking over the ups and downs, Ji Ming lay on his mat and stared at the moss spreading over the stonework. "Time flies. There wasn't any moss back then."
"Ah… who's there?"
A soft, uncertain voice drifted from above the bridge—gentle, the kind that seemed easy to bully.
Kidding. Ji Ming knew that voice. It should be Miss Ganyu of Yuehai Pavilion. She often stood on the bridge, gazing at the distant sea.
They'd crossed paths once or twice. Miss Ganyu was unfailingly polite and considerate of others… though with how busy she was, who knew if she remembered him?
Holding an oil-paper umbrella, Ganyu leaned slightly over the parapet, trying to see who was talking to himself—just in time to meet Ji Ming's eyes.
Long blue hair tied into a simple ponytail, a single ahoge atop her head, two small qilin horns at her temples—were they ornaments, or…
In short, Miss Ganyu was truly a beauty—and half-adeptus, at that.
"Mr. Ji Ming, is that you?"
Ji Ming blinked. "Miss Ganyu—you actually remember me?"
Well, of course. Rumor said the secretary of Yuehai Pavilion never forgot a detail, the very embodiment of Liyue's administrative efficiency.
Ganyu descended the steps, umbrella in her right hand, left hand lightly to her chest, worry in her eyes.
"Mr. Ji Ming… have you not found work yet? Why are you still sleeping under the bridge this year?"
Years ago, it was Ganyu's first time meeting him: Ji Ming, around ten, scraping by selling gravel from The Chasm's outskirts, chased around by hilichurls.
Soft-hearted Miss Ganyu couldn't bear to see an orphan without support. One late night after work, she bought him several sets of seasonal clothes and a primer, and secretly left them under the bridge. Ji Ming found them and turned beet red—that was meeting number two.
After that, nothing. Once he dove into the streets, Ji Ming had asked around about Ganyu, but never tried to force a meeting. Tonight was meeting number three.
Liyue Harbor wasn't that big, but without contriving a chance, maybe they really would need fate to bring them together again.
Feeling complicated, Ji Ming stood and shrugged helplessly.
"I'm not good at anything. Never had proper schooling. I can read just enough to get by. Who'd hire me for decent work?"
"If you're willing, I could arrange a position…"
"Please don't." Ji Ming shook his head at once. "I can accept help from anyone—but not that from you. Aside from my parents, Miss Ganyu is one of the only two who have treated me truly well. I don't want to disappoint you."
Xiangling had been his childhood companion. She never looked down on him and even knew his means of survival. If their friendship still held, it owed much to childhood memories.
Ganyu, on the other hand—on their first meeting, she'd offered help in a way that didn't trample his pride. For that, Ji Ming respected her most.
"It's alright," Ganyu said quickly. "It's just a copying job—transcriptions. Nothing difficult. Also… did you read the primer I bought you?"
"I did, but…" Ji Ming fidgeted, eyes sliding to the side. "For… various reasons… I already lost it. I have sinned!"
Ganyu flustered, waving her hands. "It's okay, Mr. Ji Ming—no need to apologize. It wasn't particularly valuable. Please, consider the job."
Maybe not expensive—but to Ji Ming, it had been sacred. He had sinned.
As for the work, he was tempted—yet in the end, he refused.
Ganyu belonged to Yuehai Pavilion and liaised with the Liyue Qixing. She probably had no idea how many odd little charges dotted Ji Ming's record. If he accepted rashly, wouldn't that hurt her?
In short, Ji Ming wouldn't risk her future. He'd keep crawling through the muck instead.
Ganyu sighed behind her hand, then smiled.
"A pity, but I believe you'll get better and better. If you ever need help, please come to me. By the way—what are you doing lately?"
"Helping Mr. Zhongli at Wangsheng. Escorting an old friend's pupil to visit her senior in Liyue Harbor. A quiet, white-haired girl. Doesn't talk much."
He was glad to chat more with Miss Ganyu. A little contentment warmed his chest.
Ganyu blinked. "A quiet white-haired girl? What is her name? How tall?"
"Shenhe—half a head shorter than me."
"Eh?!"
"Wh-what is it?"
Since the Archon War, work had kept Ganyu in Liyue. She rarely returned to Jueyun Karst, and in recent years, not at all. She had never met her junior.
But Cloud Retainer sometimes visited Yuehai Pavilion and had mentioned taking a disciple. That made Ganyu pay special attention.
She'd been planning to visit when she found time—only for her junior to come looking for her first. Ganyu's mood brightened.
"Mr. Ji Ming, Shenhe is my junior sister."
Ji Ming was floored. "Ah—truly? Forgive my boldness—who is your master, Miss Ganyu?"
"Cloud Retainer. I've trained under her since childhood."
Cloud Retainer? Uhh… never heard of her—which adeptus was that again?
Ji Ming didn't dare ask more. Gods and monsters weren't his business, not when every day was a fight to eat.
"That's right. Both Ganyu and Shenhe are my disciples. Shenhe has come to Liyue Harbor to visit Ganyu."
A crane descended from the sky and settled on the low rail of the bridge, looking down at Ji Ming from above. She did not look away.
So like him. Far too like him. The brows and eyes—an old friend's visage. As expected… the son of an old friend.
Cloud Retainer calmed her heart and spoke slowly. "You are Ji Ming?"
"I am. To what do we owe True Lord's presence in Liyue Harbor?"
Being stared at made him tense. It was his first time seeing an adeptus in person—even if she was… a crane.
The surname, the cadence—yes, just like… Though he bore his mother's name? Cloud Retainer understood and continued, "I have been searching for an old friend's child. It seems this trip was not in vain. Ganyu, if you met Ji Ming years ago, why did you never mention him to me?"
"Eh?!"
Ganyu stood there, completely at a loss—no idea what was happening.
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