Regarding the bell, Lumine asked, "What if your old friend borrows it and doesn't return it?"
"Hahaha." Madame Ping laughed as she replied, "Doesn't return it? If they really had the nerve to do that, then this old woman would have no choice but to make a trip myself. It's been a long time since we last met anyway—going to find them for some tea and a chat wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Alright, since you've gotten what you came for, hurry back now. Don't delay important matters. And help me pass along a message to the one who sent you—tell them that if they have time, they're welcome to come drink some tea with me. This old woman doesn't have much to her name, but I do still have a teapot."
Paimon: "Mm-hmm, we'll remember that. Thank you, Granny!"
Back beneath the Statue of the Seven, Zhongli nodded. "Good. This is indeed the Cleansing Bell, and it has been kept in fairly good condition. While we're at it, let's also place the incense balm we prepared earlier."
Returning to the site of the Rite of Parting, Lumine asked curiously, "You know Granny Ping?"
Zhongli: "Naturally. Otherwise, how would I know that this bell was in her possession?"
Paimon: "Oh right, that granny asked us to pass a message to you. She said that if you have time, you can come drink some tea with her. She said she doesn't have much, but she does have a teapot."
"Hahaha." Zhongli was amused by Paimon's imitation of the tone. "That way of speaking doesn't quite suit you. Still, her teapot truly is excellent—perfect for brewing tea. When the time is right, I will naturally bring some good tea to visit her."
Paimon: "So what's next? What are we doing now?"
Zhongli: "Next, we're going to buy kites."
Hearing something fun, Paimon grew excited. "Kites? Zhongli, are you taking us to fly kites? Is this like an intermission?"
[Furina: It looks like Paimon really likes kites. Has she found her own kind?]
[Paimon: I'm not the same as a kite… I'm Paimon, the one and only Paimon!]
[Furina: Hahahahaha, that's hilarious. Right, you're not a kite—kites fly much higher than you do.]
[Paimon: Ahhh, Furina, you—you…]
[Furina: Hahahaha, you can't say it like that.]
[Ganyu: They're arguing again.]
"Haha." Zhongli replied with a smile. "It's not quite like that. Although kites are children's toys, they carry other symbolic meanings in Liyue's various rituals. I'll explain as we go. For now, our next step is to purchase the kites."
The scene shifted to a toy stall, where the vendor greeted them warmly. "Customer, you're here! The seven kites you ordered earlier are all finished. Would you like to pick them up now?"
Zhongli nodded. "Yes."
The stall owner muttered to herself, "These days, there really aren't many customers willing to buy kites in this style anymore. Back in the old days, though, all sorts of people would use them."
"Mm-hmm." Paimon chimed in. "Mr. Zhongli here is a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, so he understands all those rules of the trade. And on this journey, the things we chat about with Zhongli go far beyond that—clothing, daily customs, flowers, birds, fish, insects, tea leaves, spices, gems, and porcelain. There's nothing he doesn't know."
Lumine: "Even Liyue people's favorite topics—finance and politics—don't stump him at all. Lately, he's been especially fond of talking about all kinds of useless knowledge."
[Zhongli: Even if it's useless, it's still interesting, is it not?]
[Venti: Zhongli, over these thousands of years, you must have spent quite a bit of time disguising yourself as a human and walking among Liyue's people.]
[Zhongli: Indeed. Liyue's future direction is of great importance, and I cannot decide it on a whim. Only by going deep into Liyue's grassroots can one see its true essence.]
[Keqing: No wonder—whenever I contemplate your divine decrees, I'm always struck by the subtle wisdom within them. I often wonder how the Geo Archon himself would handle such matters.]
[Zhongli: It is precisely because Liyue has people like you, Keqing, that I wish to step down from my divine position. You have done very well.]
[Keqing: Lord Rex Lapis… have you often been observing me?]
[Zhongli: Occasionally. When I happen to encounter you, I tend to pay a bit more attention.]
[Paimon: So the suspicion surrounding the Qixing has just been completely cleared, huh.]
Regarding the comment about "useless knowledge," Zhongli laughed and replied, "Because I prefer sharing these interesting tidbits with you."
The toy stall's owner, Granny Shan, said, "Ah, children's toys really are delightful things. I enjoy seeing children smile too, but there are still other thoughts involved. Exquisite craftsmanship always appeals to children, yet that refinement is also the result of over a thousand years of accumulation—there's meaning behind it all. I've been making kites in Liyue for forty years, and I know the ancestral designs like the back of my hand. These seven kites I made for you carry extraordinary significance."
Zhongli responded affirmatively, "Correct. They are decorations for the Rite of Parting. The seven kites symbolize the Seven Archons."
Granny Shan: "That's right. For the pattern dedicated to the Anemo Archon, I deliberately let the colors flow freely beyond the boundaries. As for the one dedicated to the Geo Archon, it must be drawn strictly according to contracts. This pattern is very ancient—you can even find it in the Golden House."
Zhongli continued, "The lightning pattern on this kite has an excellent sense of rotation, much like the eternity the Electro Archon seeks. The leaf patterns dedicated to wisdom, the rings of silverwood—these are ingeniously integrated into the kite's frame. Truly admirable."
"The balance of justice like a water's surface, wars like fire, and the Cryo Archon's former… hm. The details are all very well done."
[Childe: The Cryo Archon's what? Why did you stop?]
[Paimon: If I remember correctly, the Fatui serve the Cryo Archon, right?]
[Childe: Of course. The will of the Tsaritsa is our will.]
"Hahaha." Granny Shan laughed until she couldn't close her mouth. "It's always a pleasure to occasionally meet a customer who truly understands the craft and offers such praise."
Zhongli: "Granny Shan, I'll take the pre-ordered goods now. As for the remaining payment—"
Lumine and Paimon hurriedly covered their faces.
"As for the remaining payment, let me take care of it." Childe walked over step by step. At that moment, he looked like a superhero.
"I just happened to be passing by, just happened to be passing by. Zhongli is the same as ever—when it comes to paying the bill, or getting someone else to pay it, he never looks at the price, nor at his wallet."
"But then again, he actually understands the value of money and clearly knows the hardships of the mortal world. He just seems unable to comprehend that poverty is something that could ever happen to him—or, put another way, he simply cannot imagine a version of himself without money."
Paimon stomped her foot. "This is unbelievable. How has someone like this not starved to death yet?"
[Zhongli: Gods do not starve.]
[Furina: Hahahahaha, Childe really has it rough—to be able to summarize it so clearly. Over all these years, you must have paid quite a few bills for Zhongli.]
[Childe: Zhongli is a friend from the same circles, deeply knowledgeable about all kinds of things. I'm more than willing to have such a friend. What I never expected, though, was that he was Morax himself.]
[Paimon: When it comes to spending money, Zhongli really is something else.]