At that moment, someone stepped out from behind the pillar.
It was a member of the Fatui.
More precisely, it was Miss Ekaterina, the receptionist from the Northland Bank.
"Yes, Lord Childe."
"They mentioned that the Golden House has been taken over by the Qixing…"
Ekaterina reported everything she had overheard.
"I see… I see."
"Heh. Ningguang… and the Qixing."
"What you're trying to hide inside the Golden House…"
"Other than the Exuvia of the Geo Archon, what else could it be?"
After hearing Ekaterina's report, Tartaglia nodded thoughtfully.
A faint smile appeared on his face, as if everything had suddenly become clear.
"Sorry about that…"
"But I warned you before, didn't I?"
"There's an old Liyue saying—walls have ears."
Tartaglia looked at the group walking toward Yujing Terrace in the distance, smiling faintly.
Not long afterward, at Yujing Terrace, where preparations for the Rite of Parting were underway.
"Good. With this, we have hired assistants and prepared the Everlasting Incense."
"The preparations for the Rite of Parting are nearly complete."
Zhongli said calmly to Lumine and Paimon.
"Phew…"
Paimon let out a long breath.
"Traveler, in this journey of bidding farewell to the Geo Archon…"
"Did you gain anything?"
Zhongli asked Lumine.
"Haha…"
"I doubt she gained much."
Qiu Nian chuckled softly.
"Oh? Why do you say that?"
Zhongli looked at him curiously.
"It was a very strange journey."
Lumine nodded.
"Strange?"
Zhongli rested his hand on his chin, puzzled.
"I'm not sure whether I experienced the life of the rich…"
"Or the struggles of the poor."
Lumine looked at Zhongli with a sly expression.
"At least Qiu Nian knows he's poor."
"Unlike you. Honestly, it's a miracle someone like you hasn't starved to death."
Paimon glanced between Qiu Nian and Zhongli and complained sarcastically.
Qiu Nian widened his eyes slightly.
Hold on—don't drag me into this.
Out of the four million Mora he earned from gambling on jade, he still had over two million left after buying furniture.
"'Poor but self-aware,' hahahaha!"
"Look at Qiu Nian's face—he got hit by friendly fire!"
Xuehua burst out laughing in her livestream.
Why were the funny moments coming one after another?
[Totally innocent collateral damage]
[Qiu Nian: Did my poverty offend you?]
[Qiu Nian: That was rude]
[At least Qiu Nian survives by himself in Jueyun Karst]
[Unlike a certain social freeloader]
[Zhongli: Are you talking about me?]
"Haha. So which answer is it?"
"The questions encountered during a journey are always complex."
"The traveler's experiences should be slowly savored by the traveler herself."
Zhongli smiled and gave another mysterious, riddle-like answer.
"Oh, right."
"As compensation for helping prepare the Rite of Parting…"
At that moment, Zhongli lowered his hands and paused.
He looked at Lumine and Paimon with a slightly proud smile.
"Zhongli is treating us?!"
Xuehua looked completely stunned.
[Mr. Zhongli… did you really say treat?]
[Did you bring Mora this time?]
[Why does he look a little proud?]
"Zhongli… treating?"
Lumine's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.
Even Qiu Nian looked slightly surprised.
"Oh, don't worry."
"This time, I will remember to bring money."
"Tonight, I will take you to taste the famous aged liquor of the harbor."
Zhongli explained calmly.
"Aged liquor of the harbor?"
"Like… drinking alcohol?"
Paimon asked.
"Mr. Zhongli means Third-Round Knockout near the docks."
Qiu Nian spoke up.
Zhongli nodded.
"We shall meet at Third-Round Knockout by the harbor."
"Don't be late."
Zhongli said.
"Without noticing, it's already daytime."
Qiu Nian looked up at the brightening sky.
"Yeah…"
"We really did spend the whole day running around."
Paimon nodded.
Then she suddenly realized something and turned to Qiu Nian with her hands on her hips.
"Wait a second! You kept wandering off!"
"It should be me, the Traveler, and Zhongli who worked all day!"
"Haha…"
"That's not exactly fair."
"After all, you two helped the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor prepare the Rite because you wanted to see the Geo Archon."
"I was just helping out along the way."
"Even if I didn't help much…"
"There's a saying—if there's no merit, at least there's hard work."
"You can't say I was slacking off."
Qiu Nian laughed.
"Uh… that actually makes sense…"
"In that case, we should probably thank you."
"Um… thanks?"
Paimon said awkwardly.
"Thank you, Qiu Nian."
Lumine placed a hand over her chest and spoke sincerely.
"You're welcome."
Qiu Nian smiled.
"Ah… after such a busy day, Paimon is exhausted and sleepy."
"Traveler, let's go eat something and then find an inn to sleep!"
Paimon yawned.
"Qiu Nian, do you want to join us for a meal?"
"Don't worry, I know you don't have any Mora."
"I'll treat you—and help you rent a room."
Lumine offered kindly.
But then she suddenly noticed something strange.
Despite running around all day, neither Qiu Nian nor Zhongli showed the slightest sign of fatigue.
"There's no need to spend money on me."
Qiu Nian shook his head.
"Then what will you do?"
"Wait all day without eating or sleeping until Zhongli treats us tonight?"
Paimon asked.
"It's fine, Qiu Nian."
"It's just a meal and an inn."
Lumine thought Qiu Nian was too embarrassed to spend her money.
After all, the poorer someone was, the more they understood how hard it was to earn Mora.
Unlike a certain person who possessed endless knowledge of high society… yet was extremely poor.
Thinking about Qiu Nian living alone in the wilderness without family made her feel a little sorry for him.
"In that case…"
"Mr. Qiu Nian, why not return to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with me?"
"When we arrive, we can have breakfast together with our Director at Wanmin Restaurant."
"As for rest… there happen to be several empty rooms at the funeral parlor."
Zhongli suggested.
"Then I will trouble you, Mr. Zhongli."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly.
He had been waiting for Morax to say exactly that.
After all, he still needed to discuss the matter of Beisht and Osial with him.
And it would also be a good opportunity to meet the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor—
Hu Tao.
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