Granny Ping was delighted and couldn't help but ask what good day it was today that everyone had come to find her.
Leaving others aside, Cloud Retainer coming was truly rare; she wasn't staying at home, which was indeed unusual!
[Paimon: "Immortal Bird Sister... you haven't said it yet?"]
It seemed that after being rebuked by Cloud Retainer, Paimon had learned her lesson and started calling her Immortal Bird Sister.
[Cloud Retainer naturally felt embarrassed: "What is there to say? How could it be this one's place to speak?"]
Although she said that, as the elder and the one who got along closest with Granny Ping, she truly couldn't let the junior speak on her behalf, so she still opened her mouth:
["Streetward Rambler... hmm, no... it should be calling you 'A'ping' to suit your preference."]
[Granny Ping: "Hehe... Cloud Retainer is being so polite in her tone today."]
The readers thought to themselves, is this saying that Cloud Retainer usually speaks very impolitely?
[Cloud Retainer: "This... uh... um..."]
[Cloud Retainer thought for a moment and said: "It happens to be the Lantern Rite, and the weather in the city is quite nice too; the wind carries the fragrance of flowers..."]
The real-world Streetward Rambler watched with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth; sure enough, this was the most endearing thing about Cloud Retainer.
She seemed like a straightforward and aloof person, but in reality, she had the shyness of a little girl.
The Cloud Retainer in the story couldn't continue fabricating, and in the end, chose to pass the buck to Ganyu, letting Ganyu speak.
Although Ganyu was also shy, unlike Cloud Retainer's difficulty in broaching the subject with those close to her, she recounted the entire event completely and intact.
[Granny Ping chuckled lightly: "After so long, it's thanks to Cloud Retainer that you still remember."]
["Even more precious is that mortals have short lifespans, yet past events can be passed down to this day in this form..."]
Yes, and now, it has even been spread throughout the world through Lucian's book.
[Cloud Retainer: "Aiya, it's not this one who wants to bring it up."]
The readers exclaimed inwardly, you're lying! You're the one who chatted about it the most enthusiastically!
[Granny Ping sighed: "Guizhong, though she had no fate to witness today's grand scene, she lives up to the word 'hero'."]
Granny Ping spoke to the group about Guizhong's thoughts: in Guizhong's view, humans are weak, but their hearts are delicate; their wisdom and efforts shine just as brightly, so adepti and humans should learn from each other and serve as mutual examples.
The Liyue people who had just wiped away their tears now felt like crying again; this feeling of being understood and acknowledged by the divine stirred up a few threads of grievance in their hearts for some reason.
We've done it! Over these thousands of years, we've really had it so damn hard!
Now, we've finally made it this far; Guizhong, come back and take a look!
[Cloud Retainer huffed lightly: "Hmph, she sure knows how to say pretty words."]
["Her mechanism arts could win against me only because her silver tongue took half the credit."]
In the real world, Guizhong suddenly stood up, "Well then, to say I relied on my mouth? I must go and have a word with her!"
With that, Guizhong got up to find the departing Xianyun; she had not only seen it but even immersed herself in it.
Someone like Ei, with low emotional intelligence, was still worrying if the two would argue, wondering whether to protect her sister first or Lucian first if a fight broke out?
Better to protect her sister; let the Shogun serve as Lucian's meat shield.
While Ei was still lost in such irrelevant thoughts, the high-emotional-intelligence ones had already figured it out.
This was seizing the right moment; Xianyun's shyness should have passed by now, so it was time to give her a way to come back gracefully—after all, they couldn't just leave her alone in the house forever?
Without this step, Xianyun wouldn't feel at ease coming out on her own.
Lucian also greatly approved of Guizhong's action; come on, the upcoming 'skit' is something that must be savored! Everyone together to 'watch the Spring Festival Gala'!
However, before the 'skit', Granny Ping's words weren't finished yet; she mentioned the bonsai, the bonsai she had carefully cultivated... just like the Liyue before their eyes.
[Granny Ping looked behind her: "Look at my bonsai; how beautiful it is."]
When Granny Ping said this line, the illustration that appeared wasn't the bonsai behind her, but the prosperity of Liyue Harbor; yes, truly beautiful.
As for this music festival, Granny Ping naturally wouldn't participate; this was a stage for the young people.
Streetward Rambler watched very happily; in the story, she had mentioned 'not knowing how Guizhong would view her changed melody'.
Now, she knew; Guizhong liked it very much.
The readers felt that their emotions at this moment were very stable; the front was indeed very sad, but after hearing Granny Ping's words, the sorrowful mood miraculously eased.
Is this the wisdom of the older generation? They felt that now they were detached from worldly affairs, having seen through the vicissitudes of life; nothing could affect their emotions anymore.
Yet in the next second, their emotions surged again—this time it was jealousy, because the Traveler was going to find Dvorak again to tell him this news.
The readers were utterly convinced; only now did they remember this guy Dvorak? Is good luck a family heirloom in your clan? Streetward Rambler saved your ancestor, Streetward Rambler's disciple saved you? This is also inherited?
After telling this story to Dvorak, Dvorak said that after the celebration ended, he would personally thank her.
It was only then that Paimon remembered another thing: it seemed that at the very beginning, it was Zhongli who told us to find the 'cute bamboo shoot'.
The Traveler reminded her: it's the 'sprouting bamboo shoot'.
The readers were dumbfounded; right, they had previously thought it was helping Dvorak find an immortal maiden at the start, but now they remembered—it was helping the Geo Archon find a bamboo shoot; they'd completely forgotten!
No problem, it's not a big deal; the Archon won't starve to death.
But after so long, is this bamboo shoot still 'sprouting'? It should still be 'sprouting', after all, it can't grow anymore, hahaha.
As for whether it's fresh or not... Lumine doesn't care if it's fresh or not; anyway, send it to Zhongli first—it's not like she's eating it herself.
The two arrived at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and saw Hu Tao singing rap at the door.
[Hu Tao: "Yo, da da da da, da da da da."]
["Da da da da, da da da da."]
Unfortunately, the book can't transmit sound, so everyone couldn't hear Hu Tao's fiery rap of da da da.
Together with Hu Tao were Yun Jin and Xinyan, seemingly guiding Hu Tao.
[Hu Tao rhyming: "I hear that 'Iridescence Tour' wants to gather artistic talents; how could a back-alley folk poet like me miss out?"]
["This parlor master's ink-splashing, Xinyan at the helm, Yun Jin carving..."]
["To turn this opening performance into the grandest blaze of prairie fire!"]
[Paimon: "The rhymes are pretty good!"]
Indeed, not bad—even Paimon was rhyming; did she really sneakily read books?
In any case, after a conversation, Hu Tao informed the Traveler that Zhongli had gone to Mt. Aozang to find an old friend.
They arrived at Mt. Aozang again, and Paimon directly greeted:
["I see them! The immortal deer and Immortal Bird No. 2!"]
See, this was all thanks to the Traveler's face; otherwise, Paimon's irreverent attitude toward the immortal masters would get her beaten sooner or later.
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Character Voice Line · Hu Tao: About Iridescence Tour
"If it can still be held, next time I'll sing the 'Home with Hu Tao' that Little Lucian taught this parlor master."