The moon hung high and bright, the night air clean and cold.
In Liyue Harbor, the lanterns were going out one by one, and the streets were emptying of foot traffic. The taverns, however, were doing a roaring trade — the makeshift outdoor tables set up along the fronts of each establishment were packed without exception.
In the tavern beneath Wanwen Bookhouse, the landlady Jiang Qin Ji bustled back and forth, ferrying drinks to her customers.
"The storyline with Jiang Shi and Qin Ji — it's just heartbreaking. I can't help but think of myself when I read it… pour me another…"
"What about it? You and I grew up together, thick as thieves since we were kids. Never mind getting married — you've never even had a girlfriend. What exactly is it that you're relating to?"
"Obviously the part about not having anyone… while that guy has two wonderful women in love with him."
"Ah… well…"
Standing nearby with their bottle of wine in hand, the landlady's expression turned a little strange as she listened.
The tavern was right below Wanwen Bookhouse, so most of her regulars were readers of Sword and Fairy 2. The storyline set in Chenzhou had been written with particular brilliance — and as the first truly tear-jerking tragedy in the novel, it had left a deep impression on a great many people. Add to that how close to real life the whole thing felt, and plenty of readers found themselves identifying intensely with that arc.
So the names Jiang Shi and Qin Ji came up constantly in the tavern's conversation.
Every time one of her regulars mentioned those two names, she felt distinctly odd about it.
It was far too much of a coincidence. So much so that if Fang Qiu hadn't come in that day to drink with a few of the editors, she might have believed Fang Qiu had known her name and done it on purpose.
While she was still mulling this over, she spotted Fang Qiu and a young woman walking down the street together, arms laden with bags.
She recognized the young woman too.
It was the current Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor — Hu Tao.
She remembered her clearly, because Hu Tao had come by twice to pitch her business.
The first time, she'd asked whether the landlady wanted to purchase a funeral package for herself and her family, mentioning they'd launched a new line of cinerary urns shaped like wine bottles.
The second time, she'd proposed a partnership — having the tavern promote Wangsheng's services to the regulars, on the grounds that frequent drinkers were damaging their health, and there was a real chance that one day a man would be happily drinking along and simply… not be there anymore.
In Hu Tao's eyes, tavern regulars were apparently high-value clientele.
"Didn't expect those two to be so close," the landlady murmured, a small smile curving at the corner of her lips as she watched the pair walk side by side, laughing and chatting.
Wait…
Speaking of which — over at Heyu Tea House, there was a poem that had been put on display. A few days ago, countless men of letters had gone to appraise it, and every single one had come away singing its praises as a supreme masterwork. It had sent shockwaves through Liyue's poetry world.
The moment that poem appeared, the taverns had seen another surge in business — all of them full of poets and scholars with broken hearts.
The strange thing was, it wasn't that the poem was overwhelmingly moving. The people drinking weren't drowning in grief over its sentiment.
They were drinking because the poem was simply too brilliant, and it had crushed them.
And beneath the poem, there had been an advertisement for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor — written, it seemed, in two different hands.
One of those hands was said to be Director Hu Tao's. The other, no one could identify.
If Hu Tao and Fang Qiu were as close as they seemed… could it be that the Shui Diao Ge Tou — that poem which had sent countless scholars into raptures — had come from Fang Qiu's brush?
"Today was so much fun! What about you, Fang Qiu?"
Hu Tao was carrying a great heap of things with both hands, legs swinging as she walked, smiling warmly at Fang Qiu beside her.
"Mm. I had a good time too."
Fang Qiu gave a light smile and nodded — though behind her exquisite features, the fatigue was plain to see. Her crimson eyes had gone a little glassy.
The two of them had spent the entire day shopping together. Though "shopping" was generous — most of it had been spent finding somewhere to rest, because Fang Qiu's health simply wasn't up to the task. Even so, she was thoroughly exhausted.
Still, it had been genuinely fun.
That afternoon, the two of them had stopped by Spring Fragrance Kiln to visit Sister Ying'er. When they'd asked about Mondstadt-style nightwear, Ying'er had cheerfully agreed to take them to the Mondstadt boutique.
The shop was tucked away in an out-of-the-way corner. The owner was a blonde woman who, when they arrived, was curled up reading the first volume of Sword and Fairy 2 — and laughing out loud at the part where Yun Tianhe called Han Lingsha a pig monster.
It made Fang Qiu genuinely curious what expression the woman would have when she reached the ending.
The clothes in the shop were mostly everyday Mondstadt fashions — but once they made their way to the lingerie section, the atmosphere shifted entirely.
It felt like she'd been transported back to her previous life.
Lingerie in every style imaginable: triangle cuts, thongs, C-strings — a dazzling array. At one point, Hu Tao had unearthed a design so peculiar Fang Qiu couldn't quite work out what it was meant for.
Beyond that, stockings of every variety. Thigh-highs, garter-topped, full pantyhose, and even full-body styles — the kind that wrapped you entirely from neck to toe.
The selection of nightdresses wasn't quite as extensive, though the styles were still varied enough.
That said… how to put it…
A lot of the nightdresses had a rather peculiar feel to them. The ones suited to her particular figure especially — unlike the one Sister Ying'er had gifted her before, many of these were semi-transparent in key places.
She'd asked, and was told: because her measurements were unusual, the regular stock in her size had sold out, and the new shipment was still weeks away.
After the shop owner measured her bust, waist, and hips, Fang Qiu ended up purchasing several sets of underwear, stockings, and nightdresses. She also picked out two sets each for Sister Ying'er and Hu Tao as gifts.
She had only intended to buy something simple and sensible. But under Sister Ying'er's firm insistence, she had ended up buying two varieties of nearly everything — with the only exception being the style with a gap in the center — which still somehow included the C-string.
As for stockings, she'd bought one of every kind. Including the full-body sort.
For nightdresses, Fang Qiu managed to pick out three from the racier options — ones that were pretty without being too scandalous.
Once they'd finished their shopping, Sister Ying'er had headed home, leaving just the two of them to wander together.
So they'd come to Wanwen Bookhouse, waited in the queue for a while, and walked out with the books Fang Qiu had been after.
"As long as you had a good time."
Hu Tao smiled warmly. "It's getting late — let me help you carry your things home."
As she said it, she gave the large cloth sack of books a little heft.
"Mm. Thank you."
Fang Qiu gave a small nod.
The pile of clothes she was already carrying felt heavy enough on its own — she didn't want to think about the bag full of books. She'd probably have to set it down and rest after every few steps, stopping far more than she was walking.
As they passed by the tavern, Fang Qiu paused to exchange a greeting with the landlady.
"Care to come in for a drink? Same as last time — the kind that won't get you drunk. Free of charge, for you and Director Hu."
The landlady smiled.
"Ah — I'm sorry, I'm afraid I'm rather worn out tonight. I think I'll head home and rest."
Fang Qiu smiled apologetically.
"Of course. No trouble at all."
The landlady smiled back.
After a brief exchange, Fang Qiu and Hu Tao walked on and disappeared down the street.
Once they were gone, the landlady went back to her bustle.
"Landlady — another pot of Osmanthus Wine! Wishing to buy osmanthus blooms, I fill the boat with wine — but sadly, old friends… when will we meet again…"
A young man, flushed red from drink, raised his cup toward the moon, expression tangled with feeling.
The moment he finished speaking, the large fellow beside him — equally drunk — gave him a smack on the head.
"You again — why do you keep copying the way that gentleman from Wangsheng talks? — Oh, and landlady, I'll have a pot of Osmanthus Wine too."
"I just noticed that the Wangsheng guest consultant is awfully popular with the ladies. I even heard some girls saying that now that Rex Lapis has passed on and Liyue has no one to rally around, if they were choosing a new Geo Archon, they'd all vote for him. So I thought, maybe if I copied how he talks, I might catch a girl's eye."
"Give it up. Coming out of your mouth, it sounds nothing like him. Last time someone tried to imitate that consultant, they got absolutely torn apart — the poor fellow still hasn't recovered from the humiliation."
"Ah… I want to cry, but I don't have any tears left…"
Mid-conversation, the landlady had already brought over two pots of Osmanthus Wine and set them down in front of each man.
Seeing that both were satisfied, she smiled to herself — and just then, a gust of wind swept through.
She instinctively shielded her eyes. When the gust passed, she smoothed the loose strands of hair back behind her ear.
She was about to step back inside when a figure at the edge of her vision made her stop mid-turn.
"Hmm? Isn't that Fang Qiu? Didn't Hu Tao just walk her home? Why is she back out again — and she's changed her clothes… that outfit… it looks like the one Miss Ganyu wears…"
The landlady stared after the woman making her way down the street toward the corner, her expression thoroughly puzzled.
What was going on?
Had she forgotten something and rushed back to take care of it? But why change your outfit to run an errand?
Her hair ornaments were different too.
And her hair — it was bound with a red cord now.
Even her Cryo Vision had changed position. Where it had previously been fastened at her waist, it was now tied into her hair along with the red cord.
She still gave off that same air — ethereal, untouchable, serene, as though she'd stepped out from another world entirely. But something was undeniably different.
Fang Qiu in her usual state gave the impression of fragility — delicate and soft, the kind of person who looked like a strong breeze could knock her over.
Right now, she looked more like a peerless blade. The kind that could cut through anything without effort.
Before the landlady could decide whether she was imagining things, the woman had already disappeared around the corner.
"Never mind. I'll ask her next time we run into each other."
A call for more wine came from inside the tavern. The landlady stopped overthinking, turned around, and headed back in.
...
Meanwhile, Hu Tao had walked Fang Qiu all the way home.
They had only just reached the door when a voice came from behind them.
"Miss Fang Qiu — and Director Hu."
Fang Qiu startled and instinctively turned around — and found a woman in fitted, practical clothing standing there, arms around a wooden crate.
"Is something the matter?"
Fang Qiu smiled lightly and asked.
She recognized this woman — a crew member from Sister Beidou's ship. Female sailors were rare enough that Fang Qiu remembered her clearly. She'd been the one overseeing those sailors who'd been punished for spoiling Sword and Fairy — making them do the work of the entire ship on their own.
A sharp and capable woman. Those poor men had gone several days without sleep, stumbling as they walked — and she hadn't let them rest for a second.
"This crate was sent over from Inazuma, along with a few letters. Since they didn't have your home address, Miss Fang Qiu, they were sent to The Crux Fleet. Sister Beidou asked me to deliver them to you personally."
"I see. Thank you so much."
Fang Qiu smiled and nodded.
After the last batch of letters and gifts from Kamisato Ayaka, Naganohara Yoimiya, and Thoma, she had taken care to write back to each of them. She hadn't harbored much resentment toward Thoma either — ignorance was its own excuse, after all. So her reply to him had mentioned, gently, that she wasn't fond of ghost stories.
This shipment was most likely Thoma's way of making it up to her.
Knowing one's wrongs and making amends — that was admirable enough. She wasn't the petty type.
"You and Director Hu both have your hands full. Let me carry this inside for you."
The crew member offered.
"That would be wonderful. Thank you."
Fang Qiu nodded, and together with Hu Tao she led the crew member inside, then produced her key and unlocked the door.
Tingyu was lounging lazily on the table. At the sound of the door, she gave one small cry.
"Mrow."
Then closed her eyes again.
"Miss Fang Qiu's room really does have the air of a proper young lady of quality. Completely different from a rough person like me."
The crew member set the wooden crate down in the corner, then smiled and said so.
"You flatter me."
Fang Qiu smiled lightly. She'd been about to invite the woman to stay for tea and a snack — but the crew member said Sister Beidou had told her to head straight back after the delivery, so she needed to report in.
Fang Qiu didn't press her to stay, and sent her off at the door.
After the crew member left, Hu Tao gave a cheerful wave goodbye as well.
Once Fang Qiu had locked the door behind her, she didn't move to open the crate or read the letters. Sleep was the only thing on her mind.
She'd been on her feet all day. Right now she didn't want to do anything — she just wanted to sleep.
Even if someone came to tell her that Rex Lapis had crawled out of his grave and come back to life, she wouldn't go out to see it…
Hmm…
Actually, that one she might have to go see.
But short of something on that level, nothing in the world was going to shake her resolve to sleep.
She stretched lazily, shut the window, pulled the folding screen into place, and made her way over to the mirror. She began undressing, shrugging off her outer robes.
In moments, the reflection in the mirror showed a figure of graceful, womanly curves, clad in nothing but a breast band pushed to its limits by what lay beneath.
Fang Qiu undid the breast band and tossed it aside, then bent to slip off her undergarments as well.
And then there was nothing left.
Her flawless figure was laid entirely bare to the air — the taut lines of her collarbones, skin as smooth and pale as new jade, the full and pert curve of her chest, a waist one could almost circle with two hands, a flat and unblemished stomach, long and perfectly straight legs. All of it, unhidden.
Fang Qiu, however, had not an ounce of energy left to spare admiring herself.
She bent down and rummaged through a paper bag, pulling out a set of underwear and a nightdress — but just as she was about to put them on, she remembered that new clothes had to be washed before wearing…
"Never mind. Too tired. That's a problem for tomorrow."
She set the clothes aside to soak, and couldn't be bothered to dress herself after that either. She pulled a thin, semi-translucent gauze robe from the wardrobe, slipped it on, and burrowed into bed — then quickly curled herself into a tight little ball, rubbing her soft cheek against the dry pillow until she found a comfortable position.
And within moments, she was fast asleep.
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