This afternoon, Lovia overheard the discussion about "A-He and Ar-Lan." As usual, she wrapped herself in her Hooded cloak and strolled to the lively Wanmin Restaurant. Before she could find a seat, Xiangling rushed over like a gust of wind, his face brimming with uncontrollable excitement.
"Lovia, you've come at the Perfect Time!" Xiangling grabbed Lovia's hand, his voice cheerful. "Big Sister Beidou is back! His fleet is docked at Liyue Harbor for supplies, and I was just about to go find him! I heard he brought back many fresh local ingredients from Inazuma this time. There must be plenty of good things we've never seen before."
He looked at Lovia with sparkling eyes and extended a warm invitation: "Want to go check it out together? Maybe we'll find some new inspiration!"
Infected by Xiangling's excitement, Lovia's heart fluttered slightly beneath her Hood.
Beidou's fleet? Inazuma's ingredients? This was indeed a great chance to buy new ingredients, and she also wanted to see the so-called Uncrowned Lord of the Ocean of Liyue. Besides... she touched the two carefully wrapped copies of "a bite of liyue" in her arms. She had planned to give them to Xiangling today, and this was the perfect opportunity.
"Sure!" Lovia nodded and agreed, her tail wagging slightly behind her.
"Then it's a deal! Guoba, keep up, let's go!" Xiangling shouted to Guoba, who was waving his paws while sitting on a small stool. Then he pulled Lovia and ran excitedly toward the harbor... The docks of Liyue Harbor were always busy. From afar, one could see the massive ship, the Alcor, quietly anchored in the bay like a fortress on the sea. The sails were furled, and sailors were busy moving cargo on the deck.
Xiangling was clearly a regular here. He led Lovia expertly around the piles of cargo crates and waved to a figure standing by the gunwale, laughing heartily: "Sister Beidou!"
"Yo! It's Xiangling!" Beidou turned at the sound. He was tall with a powerful aura, and his eye patch added a touch of boldness.
He smiled when he saw Xiangling, then looked down and noticed the small figure wrapped tightly next to him: "Brought a little friend?"
"Yeah! This is Lovia, my... well, my little foodie friend!" Xiangling introduced her with a smile, then explained their purpose. "Sister Beidou, I heard you brought back ingredients from Inazuma this time?"
"foodie friend? Haha, interesting." Beidou looked Lovia over with interest. Seeing her hiding behind Xiangling, he didn't pry too much. He waved his hand dismissively, "That's right. I got some fresh stuff this time—cranesbills, Sakura Blooms, and some local seafood specialties. They're all in those crates over there. Go take a look yourself. Take whatever catches your eye; no need to be polite with me!"
"Great! Thanks, Sister Beidou!" Xiangling cheered and immediately ran to the open crates, beginning to rummage through them like he'd found treasure, letting out occasional gasps of wonder.
Lovia stood in place, her social anxiety acting up again. Feeling the sea breeze brushing against the edge of her Hood, she didn't move. She watched Beidou's bold profile, and a brilliant idea flashed through her mind like lightning!
The Alcor... traveling between Liyue and Inazuma... Yae Publishing House... Right! Why hadn't she thought of it before? Since her books were popular in Liyue (despite the risks), why couldn't they be sold in Inazuma? After Inazuma's Sakoku Decree was lifted, the demand for culture must be growing. And... Inazuma's readers might be even more interested in certain "special" themes?
A bold plan instantly formed in her mind.
Lovia suppressed her internal excitement. Her curiosity about the new ingredients gradually overcame her social anxiety, and she moved closer to Xiangling, who was picking through the ingredients with relish. Suddenly, a scent mixed with the smell of the sea and earth wafted toward her. She looked down and saw the wooden crates filled with various Inazuman specialties.
"Look at this, Lovia!" Xiangling picked up a smooth, deep purple melon-like fruit and showed it to Lovia excitedly. "These cranesbills are really nice. They're delicious roasted, or chopped up as a filling for Onigiri..."
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"