This reminded Fang Qiu of an anime from her past life called Blue Ocean — the one where you could mix vodka and whiskey at a nine-to-one ratio and get something that tasted exactly like oolong tea. The kind you could set on fire right in the glass. The show's theme song even had a line that went: "When beverages become flammable."
But with so many people watching — and the landlady's personal guarantee that she wouldn't get drunk — Fang Qiu had no choice but to pick up the glass and take a small, careful sip.
A wave of sweet, fruity fragrance instantly filled her mouth.
Rich, smooth, and delicate on the palate.
Nothing like the awful stuff she used to drink in her past life. No wooziness, no burn.
This was basically just juice, wasn't it?
The landlady really was so thoughtful — she must have quietly swapped it out for a glass of juice so Fang Qiu wouldn't feel awkward drinking with the editors. What a kind woman.
Reassured, Fang Qiu threw caution to the wind and drank along merrily with the rest of them.
Meanwhile, back at the counter, the landlady watched Fang Qiu laughing and clinking glasses with the editors — and let out a long, quiet sigh.
"Looks like getting her to work here is a lost cause."
She hadn't read any of Fang Qiu's books herself, but no one understood better than she did just how wildly popular they were.
This was a woman who single-handedly drove business to every tavern near every bookshop in Liyue.
The moment Fang Qiu released a new book, that very night the taverns would be packed wall to wall — customers nursing their drinks with furrowed brows and heaving sighs, drowning their sorrows one cup at a time.
And plenty of them would keep coming back for days afterward.
Take that man called Chang the Ninth — after finishing Fang Qiu's 5 Centimeters Per Second, he'd come to the tavern and drank himself into a stupor for three days straight.
And on top of that, Miss Fang Qiu's latest book had been picked up by Lady Tianquan Ningguang herself for adaptation into a moving picture, and the release date was just around the corner.
So with her work this popular, she clearly wasn't hurting for money.
Even offering her five times what a regular shop girl made probably wouldn't turn her head in the slightest.
What a shame.
Well then — she'd just have to try a different approach. Find another way in.
Get her to come by the tavern for drinks more often.
"Once Fang Qiu's new book comes out, I'll go pick up a copy and read it myself," the landlady murmured to herself, turning the idea over in her mind.
That should help her get to know Fang Qiu a little better. Then, next time Fang Qiu came in for a drink, they'd actually have something to talk about.
Besides — the drink she'd mixed for Fang Qiu just now had barely any alcohol in it at all. Next time, even someone with the lowest tolerance imaginable would only end up pleasantly tipsy.
Back at the table, the rounds were flowing freely.
Bai Qing had well and truly gotten drunk. Her eyes were rimmed red, and every now and then a single quiet tear slipped down her cheek.
The other editors walked her home. Fang Qiu said her goodbyes to everyone — editors and landlady alike — and made her way back toward her own house.
The moment she got home, she settled down intending to do a bit of reading — but the instant she sat, a wave of dizziness crashed over her.
Her head was spinning, just a little.
She threw together a quick meal for Tingyu, then drifted over to the full-length mirror. She looked at the soft, pretty young woman reflected back at her — rosy-cheeked, eyes hazy and liquid — and began to undress.
Her pale, smooth skin was suddenly bared to the open air.
"Ugh, I'm so dizzy... don't tell me there actually was alcohol in that 'juice' and it's just hitting me now? I'm so sleepy... forget it, I'm not putting on my nightdress."
Fang Qiu padded over to the bed in nothing but her bare skin, still in a pleasant daze, and burrowed under the covers.
As she felt the clean sheets brush against every inch of her skin, a strange little sensation stirred somewhere inside her — but it was quickly swallowed whole by a tide of drowsiness.
She closed her eyes softly, curled herself into a little ball, and drifted off into a deep, heavy sleep.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
It was early morning. The sky was overcast — neither hot nor cold.
A gentle sea breeze drifted through Liyue Harbor.
The day before, advance tickets for Sword and Fairy had gone on sale.
The moment word got out, every tavern and teahouse in the city erupted into chaos. The queues stretched beyond sight, a sea of people — not only had every seated ticket sold out, but even the standing tickets had been swept clean.
Every tavern and teahouse owner in the city was privately wishing their venue were one or two times bigger, just to fit more customers in.
Or perhaps rig up a hanging ticket, so patrons could just dangle from the walls to watch.
Right now, the spacious Heyu Tea House was packed to the rafters. Every eye in the room was fixed on the white hanging screen at the front, everyone waiting in breathless anticipation for Sword and Fairy to begin.
The full run of Sword and Fairy was divided into three screenings — morning, afternoon, and evening — with each session running two hours. Six hours in total.
Between each session there would be a break, during which the audience could eat.
It was a long sit, admittedly — but they had complete faith in Lady Ningguang and in Sword and Fairy.
It would be worth it. Definitely worth it.
Just before the screening was set to begin, the crowd buzzed with excited chatter.
"I'm so nervous! It's finally happening — I showed up at the Heyu Tea House door at the crack of dawn yesterday just to queue for a ticket, and I was so excited after I got a seat that I couldn't sleep a wink all night."
"Same here. After I grabbed my ticket I couldn't sleep either, didn't know what to do with myself — so I dragged the wife out of bed and we went at it until daybreak."
"Hss... went at it from last night till dawn? Brother, are you alright? How many rounds was that? That's some serious stamina you've got."
"Uh — what exactly do you think I'm talking about? My wife and I just played Liyue Millennium all night, that's all. Lady Ningguang's new board game."
"Ahem, ahem — that's what I meant too, obviously. Just asking how many games you played in total."
"Seven rounds, I think. I absolutely dominated at the board — crushed her so badly she was throwing her hands up and crying out in despair, and by the time dawn came she just surrendered and went straight to sleep."
"The way you're describing this... you really were just playing board games?"
The two young men whispered back and forth with conspiratorial grins. Around them, the rest of the audience was no less animated.
"Hah — last time I watched 5 Centimeters Per Second I managed to hold back the tears. If I can make it through the Sword and Fairy screening without crying, maybe I'll finally be ready to head up to Jueyun Karst and seek out the Adepti."
"Speaking of which, man — I've run into you at Wanwen Bookhouse loads of times. What is it with you and this whole cultivating-immortality thing?"
"I was once saved by an Adeptus with dark green hair. I never saw his face clearly — he looked short, probably just a boy. After he rescued me, he dissolved into a gust of wind and vanished. So I want to repay that debt, become an immortal myself, help the weak and strike down the wicked, and be of some use to him."
"I see. Keep at it, man."
The noise of the crowd hummed on.
Meanwhile, Fang Qiu and her group had found seats together and were chatting happily.
"Fang Qiu, you look like you didn't sleep well — do you want to lean on my shoulder and nap for a bit?" Hu Tao asked.
"I'm fine, I'm not tired right now." Fang Qiu shook her head.
"Do you guys want snacks and drinks?" Xiangling asked with a sunny smile.
"It's finally starting — I'm so excited," Yun Jin murmured softly.
Just then, the tea master of the Heyu Tea House walked to the front of the screen and announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention — please refrain from talking during the screening and keep noise to a minimum. The showing of Sword and Fairy is about to begin."
With that, he stepped to one side — and the screen blazed to life with light.
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