"Even the adepti's mechanical devices couldn't find any trace of this so-called cocogoat."
"At this point, the only option is to return to Bubu Pharmacy, admit that we failed to find it, and decide our next step."
"After all, we've already done everything we could."
Qiu Nian looked at the three of them and suggested.
"Hmm… Mr. Qiu Nian makes a good point."
Zhongli nodded.
Soon after, the four of them headed back toward Liyue Harbor.
After some time, they arrived once again at the entrance of Bubu Pharmacy.
Zhongli, Lumine, and Paimon walked inside first.
Qiu Nian glanced briefly at the pillar beside the doorway—
Then he followed them in.
By this time, Qiqi had already stepped out from behind the counter.
"I apologize."
"We failed to fulfill the contract."
"The half-adeptus beast called the cocogoat… we truly have no leads."
Zhongli lowered his head slightly and spoke honestly.
"Very disappointed."
"It's okay… but still very disappointed."
Qiqi said with a small, sorrowful expression.
"Ugh… seeing Qiqi like this…"
"Why do I suddenly feel incredibly guilty?!"
Paimon clutched her chest, overwhelmed with guilt.
"Qiqi, why were you looking for the cocogoat?"
Qiu Nian asked gently.
"Hmm… cocogoat milk… tastes good."
"Better than normal goat milk."
"So it must be… a half-adeptus beast."
Qiqi thought for a moment, one finger resting against her lips, speaking slowly in her soft voice.
"Sorry."
"My memory… is bad."
"So I wrote down… the name of the good milk… so I could look for it…"
After saying that, Qiqi crouched down and began searching around.
After a moment, she found a small piece of paper.
"Ah… right…"
"The tasty milk… is called coconut milk."
Qiqi stood up and held out the note toward them.
Lumine and Paimon both froze in shock.
Even Zhongli's expression stiffened in surprise.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Qiu Nian also widened his eyes in shock a moment later.
Although he already knew how this story ended, he still found it amusing.
But looking at Qiqi now, he also felt a little sorry for her.
"Wait… it's coconut milk? Hahaha!"
"Coconut milk comes from coconuts, Qiqi!"
Xuehua burst into laughter in her livestream.
[So it was coconut milk all along!]
[Did you see Zhongli's expression? He was shocked too!]
[And Qiu Nian reacted half a beat slower than everyone else]
[The slowest reaction time ever]
"I apologize, you two."
"In order to treat Qiqi fairly, I agreed to her request without giving it proper thought."
Zhongli sighed and apologized to Lumine and Paimon.
"It's alright, Zhongli."
"As they say in Liyue—"
"The world is unpredictable. Joy and sorrow are hard to foresee. Who could have expected such an absurd ending?"
Paimon spread her hands with a helpless look.
"Did Qiqi… say something wrong?"
Qiqi looked confused at everyone's reactions.
"Um…"
"Breaking a child's illusion…"
"Could you handle that part?"
Paimon whispered to Lumine.
"Coconut milk doesn't come from cocogoats."
"It comes from coconut trees."
Lumine said gently, though she felt a little guilty.
"Ah…"
Qiqi lowered her head slightly and fell into deep thought.
"Qiqi seems to be thinking."
Paimon said softly.
"Let's not disturb her."
"This is probably how children grow up."
Lumine said with the tone of someone imparting wisdom.
At that moment—
Qiu Nian slightly turned his head, as if sensing something.
"Haha… what a meaningful life lesson."
"Thank you for taking care of my Qiqi."
A voice suddenly sounded behind them.
Everyone turned around.
Standing there was a man with green hair and gold half-rim glasses.
A white snake was coiled around his neck.
At his waist hung a Dendro Vision in Liyue style.
Looking closely, one would notice that his eyes were golden-brown—like a snake's.
Meanwhile, the small white snake had human-like eyes.
It was as if their eyes had been swapped.
"And you are…?"
Zhongli asked curiously.
"My apologies."
"I am Baizhu, the owner of Bubu Pharmacy."
The man introduced himself politely.
"Baizhu is pretty handsome."
"But is that a Dendro Vision on his waist?"
"Dendro hasn't even been released yet, right?"
Xuehua stared at the screen in confusion.
[Just because it's not playable yet doesn't mean it doesn't exist]
[Maybe we'll see it when Sumeru comes out]
[This character probably won't appear until Sumeru]
"So the boss isn't Qiqi?"
"And what's with the strange man wearing a medicinal snake around his neck?!"
Paimon stared at the white snake in shock.
"How pitiful."
"Qiqi is already innocent enough, yet someone even more gullible showed up."
The white snake suddenly spoke.
Its voice sounded like that of a little girl.
"Th-the medicinal herb… that snake just talked!"
Paimon jumped back in shock.
"The snake spoke!"
Lumine was equally stunned.
"No need to be so surprised."
"Along your journey, you've surely encountered many beings who weren't human but could still speak."
Qiu Nian reminded them calmly.
"Hmph. At least this gentleman seems knowledgeable."
"I didn't want to speak, but if I stayed silent any longer, you might have mistaken me for dried snake in one of those drawers."
The white snake snorted.
"Hahaha… This is Changsheng. She means no harm."
Baizhu smiled.
"So then—setting aside Qiqi's little adventure…"
"What brings you all here today?"
Baizhu asked.
"May I ask…"
"Does your establishment sell Everlasting Incense?"
Zhongli asked politely.
"Ah, Everlasting Incense."
"Of course we have it."
Baizhu nodded.
"Phew… that's great."
"At least we didn't spend the whole day running around for nothing."
Paimon sighed in relief, patting her chest.
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