Wanmin Restaurant
In the private room where the adepti were gathered...
"Mr. Zhongli! You really can't put it on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab anymore!"
The person saying this was none other than the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—Hu Tao.
She had reddish-brown gradient twin tails and wore traditional Liyue-style clothing with intricate patterns and a long back flap adorned with spider lilies and lilies.
On her head was the "Prudent Prosperity" hat, a stiff-capped hat with a black bow at the back and the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's emblem on the front. This hat was passed down to Hu Tao from the 75th Director. She spent a day and night personally altering it to fit her size. She cherished it deeply. The plum blossoms on the side of the hat were picked from a plum tree she planted herself.
Her eyes resembled plum blossoms. Slender fingers were painted with jet-black nail polish. A black robe reached her waist, paired with shorts, ankle socks, and black shoes. Red knots were tied around her legs, and her Vision was on her back.
Hu Tao was young, a sixteen-year-old girl. No one knew what sorrows lay behind her ever-smiling face.
As for why this mischievous young girl was here? That story begins a few minutes earlier.
---
A Few Minutes Earlier
"Sir! Madam! Would you like to hear about Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's latest promotion? It's 50% off!"
Hu Tao ran to the harbor, the main streets, near Bubu Pharmacy, even to the site of the Rite of Descension, promoting her business everywhere.
If possible, Hu Tao would have loved to run up to the Jade Chamber and pitch to those secretaries.
After all, they worked overtime every day and would eventually drop dead from overwork. Better to prepare the funeral arrangements early.
But it seemed no one was willing to buy. This was frustrating! Such a good discount! Such a huge bargain, and no one wants it?
Just how poor have the people of Liyue Harbor become? A 50% discount, and still no takers.
Mr. Zhongli, really! I asked him to help me promote a bit, but then he vanished. I couldn't find him anywhere.
Just as she was feeling a bit lost, she inadvertently overheard a conversation between a few children. The content made her plum blossom eyes light up slightly.
The gist of the children's conversation was:
"Hey, hey, have you heard?" a little girl said mysteriously, as if holding some great secret.
"Heard what? Why are you being so secretive?" two little boys beside her asked in unison, their eyes full of curiosity.
"I heard that some adepti seem to have come to Wanmin Restaurant!"
"Adepti?! You mean the ones Mom mentioned once or twice in her stories?"
The children's eyes grew brighter. They hadn't really heard much about adepti, but their mothers had mentioned them once or twice in stories.
"Then let's go! We have to see!"
Hearing this, the little girl just shook her head slightly and said with a sigh.
"Mom said there are huge crowds there today. To prevent us from being kidnapped by bad uncles, we're not allowed to run around."
"Bad uncles..." One of the boys showed a fearful expression.
"Eek! Then we better not go! Bad uncles are scary!"
The three children hung their heads slightly, as if they had missed out on something very interesting. But after a moment, they started playing little games again.
Hu Tao, standing nearby, nodded slightly. Adepti! Holding funerals for adepti must pay a lot, right?
This is a great business opportunity!
Thinking this, Hu Tao first stepped forward and handed Wangsheng Funeral Parlor discount coupons to the three children, then quickly ran towards Wanmin Restaurant.
The children, holding the coupons, thought they had gotten a great bargain. If I take this home to my parents, I'll surely be praised!
"Business, business~ Wangsheng's business~"
Hu Tao's running posture was adorable, looking like little hops, giving off a lively feeling.
She sang a self-composed song. The lyrics sounded rather off-key, but since her voice itself was pleasant, few found it annoying.
.....
Arriving at Wanmin Restaurant
"This must be the place!"
Though there was a crowd, Hu Tao didn't mind. She just cut in line and rushed inside. No one stopped her anyway.
Why didn't anyone stop her? Are you kidding? This is the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. It's not that she has great authority, but she handles funerals.
What if, when I or my family need funeral services someday, she's a vindictive girl and decides to dance on the coffin?
Moreover, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor oversaw matters of life and death. Except for those in the know, many people considered the word "death" inauspicious and didn't want to get involved.
The moment Hu Tao charged in, Guoba, who had just come out of the kitchen looking for Xiangling, saw the familiar girl run in.
Seeing her, Guoba first tilted his head, then reacted. His little eyes went wide, and he immediately ran over, trying to push Hu Tao out.
"Gulu gulu gulu gulu!" Guoba's speech (translation: "You can't go in! Can't go in to bully Xiangling!")
"Guoba, don't stop me! I need to go in and pitch to the adepti!" Looking down at Guoba at her feet, Hu Tao felt a playful urge. After all, Guoba looked fluffy and cute.
But just as this thought arose, she was startled by a familiar male voice and an all-too-familiar line.
It nearly scared her soul out of her body.
The line was spoken by Zhongli:
"Then, as per custom, we'll put the bill on the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab first... and then..."
"I'll take it all!"
Hearing this familiar line, Hu Tao's plum blossom eyes contracted sharply. Her heart was bleeding!
No wonder I couldn't find Mr. Zhongli after searching for so long! So, Mr. Zhongli came to Wanmin Restaurant to eat!
I'm out here working myself to the bone to support the household! And you! You come here to eat again and plan to put another bill on the Parlor's tab!
This won't do!
Thinking this, Hu Tao summoned all her strength, ignored Guoba's阻拦, and forcibly walked in.
And that's how the earlier scene of "sparing the bill" came to be.
---
Back in the Private Room
Hu Tao's arrival elicited different thoughts from the five people and one bear present.
Zhongli: Why has the Director come here?
Xiao: This girl... don't tell me she's up to something new again...
Xiangling: Oh no! Is Hu Tao here to bully me?
Bosacius: This girl's attire looks familiar... that bear looks familiar too...
Bonanus: So flat... a solid A-cup...
Guoba: Gulu gulu gulu! (Get out, get out!)
"Director Hu, why such urgency?" Zhongli was the first to break the silence, gesturing with his hand, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Wasn't Director Hu usually out promoting the business at this time? While he simply needed to... spend money outside.
"Mr. Zhongli! The Parlor really can't take any more bills! If you keep this up, we can't afford such extravagance!"
Hu Tao rushed over, clutching Zhongli's arm, speaking as if through tears and sniffles.
Yes, their Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was indeed wealthy. Although they handled funerals, their monopoly ensured they were never short on money.
But Mr. Zhongli always acting like this gave Hu Tao the constant illusion of impending bankruptcy. Yes, just an illusion.
"Oh? We need not be constrained by the amount of Mora. Besides, Mora was originally created by Rex Lapis for the purpose of transaction."
"It is meant to be spent..."
Zhongli said with a perfectly straight face. Joke's on you, I am Mora itself. What's money? Just a medium of exchange.
Hu Tao: .....
Bonanus: Pfft... haha, a classic scene! This is killing me...
Hu Tao was utterly speechless. Mr. Zhongli was still using that same old line! It's not your fur being plucked, of course you don't feel the pain!
"I don't care! Even if Wanmin Restaurant's prices are affordable! It still hurts me to see! And didn't you say you know a Fatui Harbinger from Snezhnaya? You can't put it on the Parlor's tab this time!"
As she spoke, Hu Tao shook Zhongli's arm with all her might again. Today, even if she died, dropped dead right here, she wouldn't let him spend a single Mora of the Parlor's money!
Ah, wait, the next little Director hasn't been born yet. She couldn't really go and die just yet.
"Very well. Then we shall put this bill on Childe's tab..." Zhongli, unable to withstand Hu Tao's relentless pestering, could only concede.
"Hooray!" Hu Tao said happily.
Childe: Hooray... indeed...