"Roar!"
Lying on the floor, the Charmeleon shifted into a more comfortable position and let out a satisfied belch in response to Felix's comment.
"Shopkeeper, let me clean up for you," Yanfei said, standing up and starting to gather the empty food containers.
They had eaten their fill, so it was only right to clear the trash. She felt compelled to help out.
"Thank you, Yanfei," Felix smiled, nodding in appreciation.
Yanfei was such a good girl—proactive, considerate, and diligent.
Unlike a certain funeral director who was currently sprawled on his recliner like a boneless cat.
Felix glanced at the busy Yanfei, then at the blissfully lazy Hu Tao. The contrast was stark.
"Director Hu, are you planning to lie there until nightfall?" Felix raised an eyebrow.
Eating until you were stuffed and then lying down was a recipe for falling asleep.
"Just for a bit... let me digest," Hu Tao mumbled, her eyes half-closed and dreamy. "I'll get up once the food settles."
Her plum-blossom pupils fluttered lazily, and her relaxed expression was undeniably cute.
Felix rolled his eyes but let her be.
Yanfei moved quickly and efficiently, clearing the table in no time.
"Done!" she beamed, looking at the spotless surface.
"Sorry to trouble you, Miss Yanfei," Felix smiled. "By the way, aren't you busy today?"
As Liyue's top legal advisor, Yanfei was usually swamped with cases. Seeing her free enough to hang out with Hu Tao all afternoon was unusual.
"Actually, I have you to thank for that, Shopkeeper," Yanfei grinned. "Ever since I got the Repentance Hat from your shop, I make every client wear it. If they lie to me, I refuse their case."
"Those guys are never honest. They used to hide details, making me run around gathering evidence only to find out they were guilty or hiding assets. It was such a waste of time."
"With the hat acting as a lie detector, I reject the bad cases immediately. My workload has dropped massively, and I'm enjoying the free time."
Her eyes curved into happy crescents.
Her relaxed life over the last two days was entirely thanks to Felix. Without his shop, she'd still be overworked and stressed.
"That's good to hear," Felix smiled.
Meanwhile, outside the Cinema.
It was evening, and the streets of Liyue were bustling with people getting off work or heading out for dinner.
Crowds gathered around the new building opposite Mingxing Jewelry.
Rumors had spread that Lady Ningguang had created this structure.
"Is this the house Lady Ningguang made? Is it a Domain like Young Master Xingqiu's?"
"I don't know. She said it's a facility to be opened in a day or two. Probably not a Domain."
"It can't be a Domain. If it were, she would have said so. But I saw it happen! She threw a tiny model, and it grew into this huge building instantly!"
"The Jar Shop again? Everything weird in Liyue comes from there."
"If I had money, I'd buy a jar right now."
"Who wouldn't? But 100,000 Mora is a lot."
"I wonder who the Shopkeeper really is. I've seen him—young, handsome. Some say he's a secret member of the Qixing."
"Impossible. The Qixing are close; they would know if one of them opened a shop."
"Lady Ningguang is coming!"
The crowd parted as Ningguang approached, their chatter reaching her ears.
They were curious about the cinema, the shop, and the Shopkeeper.
"Thank you," Ningguang acknowledged the crowd's courtesy. "This facility is not a Domain. I will be testing it for the next two days before opening it to the public. Please be patient."
"No problem!"
"Whatever Lady Ningguang says!"
"We'll wait as long as you want!"
The citizens cheered respectfully. Ningguang's reputation was unshakeable.
Smiling, Ningguang entered the cinema.
"Lady Ningguang!"
Baiwen rushed over, relieved. "You're finally back. We waited all afternoon wondering where you were."
"My apologies," Ningguang smiled. "There was a lot to learn, so it took longer than expected. Have you eaten? If not, go eat. I've mastered the equipment."
She looked confident. The unfamiliar machinery was no longer a mystery to her.
"We ate," Baiwen nodded. "We went with Lady Keqing."
"Good. Then let me show you a movie."
Ningguang walked toward the projection room with a radiant smile.
Inside, Keqing was fiddling with a black box.
"You're back," Keqing noted. "Did you figure it out? And did he accept the shares?"
"He accepted them," Ningguang confirmed. "It's actually quite simple to operate. Let me explain the basics."
She gave a brief overview, saving the detailed lecture for later at the Jade Chamber. Right now, she wanted to see the movie.
She took out the Journey to the West film reel and inserted it into the projector.
The dark screen flickered to life.
"It appeared!" Baiwen cheered.
"Let's go outside. The screen in the auditorium is bigger," Ningguang said, leading them out of the booth.
A strange whirring sound filled the air as the projector hummed to life.
On the massive screen, images flashed.
A giant stone exploded.
A monkey leaped out, somersaulting through the air.
Doo doo doo...
Music swelled. Under the gaze of Ningguang and her entourage, the monkey rode the clouds and dove into the sea.
They were stunned.
What is this?
"A monkey popped out of a rock?" Baiwen stammered. "And the sound... it's so clear."
The cinema was pitch black, illuminated only by the giant screen. The visual experience was immersive, pulling their vision along with the monkey's movements.
"Amazing."
"I feel like I'm flying."
Baiwen gasped involuntarily. The 3D effect made her feel like she was right next to the monkey, soaring through the sky.
"I feel a bit dizzy," Baishi muttered, clutching her head. The camera movement was disorienting for a first-time viewer.
Ningguang and Keqing stared intently at the screen.
Crash!
A wave crashed against the shore, the sound of rolling water filling the room.
Text appeared on screen: "Episode 1: The Monkey King is Born"
"I feel like I'm standing on the beach," Keqing whispered.
The waves rolling toward the screen looked real. The sound of the surf was surround-sound perfect.
On a reef in the middle of the crashing waves stood the black stone.
The water seemed ready to spill out of the screen and flood the auditorium.
"Is this a movie?"
Ningguang stared in shock.
It had only been two minutes, but she was blown away.
The realism was terrifying. It transported her to the seaside instantly.
This was completely different from a static recording or a play.
It was too real.
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