Eula: "Jean sent me to buy fish."
The silence continued.
Paimon: "....."
Aether: "....."
Ganyu: "....."
Shenhe: "....."
Paimon blinked several times.
Paimon: "Fish?"
Eula: "Uh… yes."
Aether tilted his head slightly, visibly confused.
Aether: "From Mondstadt… to Liyue… for fish?"
Eula crossed her arms, trying to appear dignified.
Eula: "It's an important mission."
"Jean is very particular about the freshness of the ingredients."
Ganyu tilted his head slightly, a polite smile playing at his lips.
Ganyu: "I see... but Mondstadt already has access to the sea, doesn't it?"
Eula stiffened for a fraction of a second.
Eula: "...It's not the same fish."
Paimon narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
Paimon: "Paimon still finds it odd..."
Shenhe, who had remained silent until now, calmly looked up at Eula.
His gaze was neutral, but strangely piercing.
Shenhe: "You seem tense."
Eula looked away slightly.
Eula: "I'm always like this."
Aether sensed the atmosphere becoming awkward. He clumsily tried to lighten the mood.
Aether: "Well... the important thing is that we eat together."
Paimon nodded, though she remained perplexed.
Paimon: "Yes... as long as the food is good."
She took another shrimp, but continued to steal glances at Eula.
Eula, for her part, watched Shenhe out of the corner of her eye.
Seeing her sitting so close to Aether, calm and naturally at ease with him, made her chest ache slightly.
She gripped her chopsticks a little tighter.
Ganyu noticed the tension and the subtle change of subject.
Ganyu: "The food at Xinyue Kiosk is truly excellent tonight."
Aether: "Yes, Paimon was right to choose this place."
Paimon: "Heh heh, obviously!"
A soft laugh escaped from the table, dispelling some of the awkwardness.
Yet, beneath this apparent normalcy, something still simmered with unspoken feelings, furtive glances, and a truth that some were pretending to ignore.
A few minutes later:
As dinner progressed, the atmosphere at Xinyue Kiosk gradually softened.
The hanging lanterns cast amber reflections on the round table, making the porcelain plates gleam as the dishes were served.
Conversations became more natural, less hesitant, and even the silences felt comfortable.
The Matsutake Meat Rolls were served first.
The meat, delicately wrapped around the mushrooms, exuded a woody and savory aroma.
Aether took a bite, nodding gently in approval.
Aether: "This is really good... the taste is very different from what I usually eat."
Paimon: "Of course! In Liyue, everything is better!"
Shenhe ate slowly, almost analyzing each flavor.
She seemed to appreciate the simplicity of the dish, even though her expression remained calm and composed.
Ganyu, for her part, savored the meal with a discreet smile, clearly softened by the warmth of the place.
Then came the Crab Roe Tofu.
The soft texture of the tofu contrasted with the richness of the crab roe, and Paimon's eyes practically shone.
Paimon: "Paimon could eat this every day..."
Eula, who had been a little stiff until then, tasted the dish in turn.
To her surprise, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease slightly. The flavor was delicate, a far cry from the more rustic dishes she was used to in Mondstadt.
Eula: "It's... better than I imagined."
Without even realizing it, she let herself go.
Her mind, freed from the constant vigilance she had maintained since arriving in Liyue, began to wander.
She began to think about the next day, about what she could say, about how she could finally create an opportunity.
Eula: "We'll just have to wait until tomorrow."
"Say that Mondstadt needs him... that Jean needs to discuss important decisions."
"Even if it's not really about politics..."
Her gaze discreetly slid to Aether, sitting nearby, focused on his plate.
Eula: "And then... he'll be mine."
A subtle, almost satisfied smile stretched across her lips.
A smile she thought was invisible... but it wasn't.
Paimon, who was nibbling on a piece of tofu, looked up and stopped abruptly.
Paimon: "...Eula?"
Aether, Shenhe, and Ganyu also looked up.
They had all noticed that strange smile, a little too calculated to be innocent.
Aether: "Is everything alright?"
Eula blinked, as if pulled from her thoughts.
She immediately realized she'd been recorded. A slight panic crossed her eyes, quickly replaced by her usual expression.
Eula: "...I'm not used to eating Liyue food."
A silence followed her reply.
Ganyu tilted his head slightly, visibly confused.
Ganyu: "I'm not sure I understand..."
Shenhe simply stared at Eula for a few seconds, saying nothing, as if searching for something behind her words.
Paimon, on the other hand, nodded confidently.
Paimon: "Ah!"
"What she means is that the preparation methods are different between Mondstadt and Liyue."
Aether: "Yes... it's true that the spices and cooking methods aren't the same."
Eula let out an inner sigh of relief.
Eula: "There you go."
" That's exactly it."
Ganyu smiled gently, reassured by the explanation, while Shenhe calmly resumed his meal, though his gaze remained watchful.
The next courses arrived soon after. The rich and generous Tianshu Meat was greeted with enthusiasm, followed by the light and sweet Lotus Flower Crisp, which brought a gentler note to the end of the meal. The five diners ate in silence for a while, savoring each bite.
Eula, now more relaxed, was surprised to find herself truly enjoying the moment.
She told herself that, after all, waiting until tomorrow wasn't so difficult, especially with such a pleasant meal.
The dining room was quiet, punctuated only by the murmurs of other customers and the soft clinking of dishes.
Then, suddenly, the restaurant door opened.
A woman entered.
She walked with a confident stride, her gaze briefly scanning the room before settling on the back.
Her appearance was polished, but something about her aura gave off a peculiar, almost oppressive feeling.
Aether barely glanced up, too busy finishing his meal.
To him, she was just another customer.
Aether: " I don't think I've ever seen her before… "
Ganyu, on the other hand, froze.
His chopsticks stopped inches from his plate.
His gaze fell on the woman, and his pupils contracted slightly. A familiar, unpleasant sensation rose up his spine.
Ganyu: " Oh no, not her."
Tap
The door of the Xinyue Kiosk had closed behind the woman, and yet the atmosphere around the table subtly shifted.
Nothing noticeable enough to alert the other customers, but enough for Ganyu to feel a slight tension in the air.
The woman walked calmly between the tables, her steps measured, her gaze feigning distraction.
She stopped near the counter, exchanged a few words with a waiter… then, as if by chance, her gaze drifted to Aether's table.
The woman was the one Aether and Ganyu had encountered earlier that day, near the bridge next to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
She was the woman with the sensual gaze who had approached Aether and begun speaking to her with ambiguous intentions, before Ganyu abruptly interrupted her, took Aether's hand, and led her away.
She smiled.
A smile Sweet.
Too sweet.
Ganyu inhaled discreetly.
Ganyu: She did it on purpose…
Aether, for his part, still hadn't noticed anything.
He chuckled softly at something Paimon had just said about the shrimp.
Paimon: "Paimon is sure that if we order more, no one will say no!"
Aether: "Paimon, you've already eaten a whole plateful…"
Shenhe, sitting near him, observed the scene calmly, but her instincts, honed by years of practice, picked up on a change in the atmosphere.
The woman approached.
She stopped a few steps from the table.
Woman: "What a coincidence… we've met again."
Aether looked up, surprised.
Aether: "…Excuse me?"
He stared at her for a few seconds, searching his memory.
Aether: "Do we know each other?"
A faint, amused glint crossed the woman's eyes.
Woman: "Oh?"
"Have you already forgotten?"
Ganyu calmly put down her chopsticks.
Ganyu: "We crossed paths earlier today."
Aether blinked.
Aether: "Ah... really, sorry, I don't quite remember."
The woman placed a hand on her chest, feigning a slight wound to her pride.
Woman: "That's cruel."
" I thought I'd made an impression."
She took another step closer, closing the distance.
Shenhe followed her every move without looking away.
Ganyu rose slightly from her chair, maintaining a soft, polite voice.
Ganyu: "We're having dinner."
"Perhaps you could leave us alone?"
Her tone was respectful, yet firm.
The woman turned her head toward Ganyu, a smile never leaving her lips.
Woman: "I'm just chatting, it's not..."
"Not forbidden, is it?"
Paimon hovered nervously above the table.
Paimon: "Paimon doesn't like this..."
The woman took another step and stood right next to Aether.
Woman: "Actually, I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
"Such a remarkable traveler is bound to attract attention."
Aether sat up slightly, feeling uneasy.
Aether: "Thank you... I suppose."
Ganyu took a step forward.
Ganyu: "It's really not necessary."
Her gaze remained gentle, but a slight coolness had crept into it.
The woman inclined her head, then, as if the gesture were perfectly natural, placed her hand on Aether's shoulder.
The contact was brief.
But enough.
The sounds of nearby conversations seemed to fade away.
Aether He froze, surprised.
Paimon: "Hey!"
Ganyu felt his heart skip a beat.
And Shenhe…
Shenhe slowly raised her eyes, her expression unchanged.
But the air around her turned icy.
Her pupils fixed on the hand resting on Aether's shoulder, an invisible pressure seeming to fill the room.
Shenhe: "Remove..."
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
Shenhe: "...your hand."
The woman turned her head slightly toward her, still smiling.
Woman: "Oh?"
"I was simply being polite."
Shenhe's gaze hardened.
For a moment, a thin cryo aura seemed to condense around her, imperceptible to ordinary customers, but enough to send shivers down the woman's spine.
Shenhe: "You're crossing the line."
This time, it wasn't a suggestion.
It was a warning.
Even Eula, who had been silently observing the scene, felt the tension rise a notch.
She knew that kind of look. It wasn't the look of a jealous woman.
It was the look of a predator protecting what she considered her own.
The woman hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Then slowly withdrew her hand.
Woman: "Very well... I see I'm intruding."
Her smile remained, but her eyes lost some of their lightness.
Ganyu sighed quietly.
Aether, still seated, looked at Shenhe, then at the woman, visibly confused.
Aether: "Everything's fine... really."
Shenhe didn't reply.
She continued to stare at the woman with such a cold gaze that even the warmth of the lanterns seemed to have faded around them.
The woman took a step back.
Woman: "We'll meet again, Traveler."
Author's note: This will be her last appearance
Then she turned on her heel and walked away to another table.
Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Paimon: "...That was strange."
Ganyu quietly returned to his seat.
Eula crossed her arms.
And Shenhe, finally, looked away... but his gaze remained icy.
A few minutes later:
The evening at Xinyue Kiosk was drawing to a close. The lanterns hanging from the ceiling still cast their golden light, and the room had emptied slightly since their arrival.
The plates were now almost all empty, leaving only a few traces of sauce and crumbs of crispy lotus.
Paimon patted his stomach with satisfaction.
Paimon: "Paimon is full..."
Aether gave a tired smile.
Aether: "Yes... it was a good meal."
Ganyu nodded gently.
Ganyu: "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Shenhe stood up calmly, ready to leave, while Eula elegantly adjusted her gloves, regaining her usual dignified bearing.
The five friends headed towards the entrance, where the receptionist greeted them with a professional smile.
Receptionist: "Thank you for your visit."
" ............ "
" That will be 40,000 Mora."
Silence.
Aether blinked.
Paimon was left hanging.
Ganyu tilted her head slightly, thinking she must have misheard.
Aether: "...Pardon?"
Receptionist: "40,000 Mora, please."
The three of them looked at each other simultaneously.
A synchronized glance.
A look of suppressed panic.
Paimon: "Is this... is this a joke?"
Ganyu: "We didn't order that many dishes..."
Shenhe, for her part, observed the scene with a neutral expression.
Shenhe: "Why are you silent?"
Aether turned to the receptionist.
Aether: "Could you show us the itemized bill?"
The receptionist nodded and presented the receipt.
Aether scanned the items on the bill:
Matsutake Meat Rolls: 3,000 Mora
Crab Roe Tofu: 7,000 Mora
Lotus Flower Crisp: 4,000 Mora
Tianshu Meat: 2,000 Mora
Aether nodded gently.
Aether: "Yes... that's correct."
Paimon counted mentally.
Paimon: "That makes 16,000..."
Ganyu frowned slightly.
Ganyu: "It's not 40,000."
Aether moved a little further down the receipt.
Then he froze.
3 bottles of premium liquor: 8,000 Mora each
Total: 24,000 Mora
Aether: "....."
Ganyu: "....."
Paimon: "....."
A heavy silence fell.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
The three turned their heads.
Toward Eula.
Eula, who until then had been observing the scene with Olympian calm, felt the three pairs of eyes on her.
She remained motionless.
Then she crossed her arms.
Eula: "What?"
Paimon: "WHAT?!"
Aether: "Three bottles of alcohol...?"
Ganyu, polite but visibly perplexed:
Ganyu: "When did we order this?"
Shenhe looked at the receipt.
Shenhe: "Alcohol?"
His tone was neutral, but slightly curious.
Paimon moved closer to Eula's face.
Paimon: "Eulaaaaa..."
Eula looked away slightly.
Eula: "It's nothing important."
Aether: "Nothing important? "
" That's more than half the bill!"
Eula sighed softly.
Eula: "I ordered them."
Silence.
Paimon: "YOU ORDERED THREE BOTTLES?!"
Eula raised her chin.
Eula: "Yes."
Ganyu blinked.
Ganyu: "But... I didn't see you drink."
Eula: "I didn't drink it all."
Aether: "...How much did you drink?"
Eula: "One."
Paimon nearly choked.
Paimon: "ONE?!"
Shenhe watched Eula intently.
Shenhe: "Why three?"
Eula remained silent for a second.
Then she replied, in a perfectly controlled tone:
Eula: "I wanted to compare."
Paimon: "Compare WHAT?!"
Eula: "The flavors, the differences between the alcohols of Liyue and those of Mondstadt."
Ganyu, still calm, inclined his head slightly.
Ganyu: "Was it... necessary?"
Eula crossed her arms more firmly.
Eula: "Absolutely."
Aether rubbed his forehead.
Aether: "Eula... you were never asked to do a comparative study..."
Eula shrugged slightly.
Eula: "I never do things halfway."
Paimon: "BUT WE'RE NOT RICH!"
Aether looked at his purse.
He counted mentally.
His face tightened.
Aether: "This is going to hurt..."
Shenhe tilted his head slightly.
Shenhe: "Why is that a problem?"
" You've eaten. You pay."
Paimon turned to her.
Paimon: "Shenhe, 40,000 Mora is a huge amount!"
Shenhe blinked.
Shenhe: "It's a number."
Ganyu chimed in quietly.
Ganyu: "For someone who lives in the mountains, maybe."
" But in the city, it's a considerable sum."
Chapter 13: 3 bottles of premium liquor
The End