"Why would Chang the Ninth suddenly take it into his head to go up Wuwang Hill looking for his childhood sweetheart?"
Paimon asked, puzzled. "Didn't his childhood sweetheart move away?"
"Ah, that's a long story, and Sister Beidou's still waiting on you. Once you're back and I've got the whole thing sorted out, I'll sit down and tell you properly," Hu Tao said, waving a hand.
"All right, then," Paimon said with a nod.
A few hurried words more, and it was time to board.
"Traveler, I'm leaving Fang Qiu in your hands. Take good care of her," Hu Tao said, eyes crinkling into a smile.
At that, every pair of eyes on the dock swung toward the Traveler and Paimon.
"Uh… Paimon suddenly feels like that's a lot of pressure." Paimon scratched her head.
"Don't worry," the Traveler said, nodding.
Fang Qiu managed a wry smile. It seemed she still had a long way to go.
Or maybe she'd just write a book on the voyage.
After the last of the goodbyes, Fang Qiu boarded with the Traveler, Paimon and Xinyan.
Once she saw them steady on the deck, Beidou gave the word.
"Set sail."
The order barely had time to settle before the sailors were in motion — anchor up, sails dropped and filling, all in one clean sweep.
A shudder ran the length of the hull.
The ship began to move, slow at first.
And just then, a little girl came hurrying up to the harbor entrance. She watched the ship pull away, and a shadow of sadness crept into her blank, unfocused eyes.
When she'd heard Fang Qiu was leaving for Inazuma, she had issued herself an order: go and see her off.
Except halfway there she'd spotted Hu Tao in the distance, and hidden herself away at once, scared stiff.
By the time she finally made it over, Fang Qiu was already aboard.
And Hu Tao was standing right over there, so she didn't dare go any closer…
All she could do was watch the ship leave.
Watching it drift slowly out of the harbor, Qiqi felt something heavy settle in her.
It was fine. Fang Qiu would come back. But it still hurt…
She was about to turn back toward Bubu Pharmacy when she saw them at the stern of The Alcor — Fang Qiu, the Traveler and Paimon, all waving at her.
Light came into Qiqi's vacant eyes. She waved back, and kept waving until The Alcor had drawn away out of the harbor.
"Fang Qiu… Qiqi… will wait for you to come back," Qiqi murmured.
She was just turning to head back to Bubu Pharmacy when a bright, clear voice rang out behind her.
"Qiqi! Long time no see."
A tremor went through Qiqi at the sound. She turned, and there was Hu Tao standing right at her back, looking at her with the plainest ill intent.
Ill intent, that is, from Qiqi's point of view.
As far as Hu Tao was concerned, she was wearing a perfectly friendly smile.
"Have you eaten? Want me to take you somewhere for a bite?" Hu Tao said, beaming.
Qiqi didn't say a word. She turned and ran.
Hu Tao was set to give chase when Xiangling's voice came from behind her.
"Hu Tao, don't you still have something important to deal with?" Xiangling said.
Guoba backed her up with a run of agreeing little rumbles.
"Now that you mention it."
Hu Tao watched Qiqi's small figure shrink into the distance. "Still, I never would've guessed Fang Qiu knew Qiqi. And with that memory of hers, she still remembered to come see her off — so Fang Qiu must matter a great deal to her. When Fang Qiu's back, I'll get her to introduce us properly, and we can finally clear up this misunderstanding between the two of us."
Once she'd fully understood how fiercely Qiqi clung to living, Hu Tao had long since dropped any thought of burying her, and taken to fussing over her wellbeing instead.
The trouble was that her first impression had been so dreadful that every time they crossed paths, Qiqi bolted before two sentences were out.
"All right, Hu Tao, off you go and get to work," Yun Jin said with a smile.
"Fine, I'm going."
And Hu Tao set off down the road toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Watching Hu Tao and the others make their farewells and dwindle away down the street, Keqing turned to Ganyu. "Well then. Shall we head back to Yujing Terrace too?"
"Let's stop by the Wanwen Bookhouse on the way. I've been meaning to buy Fang Qiu's "anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" — work's kept me so busy I've never found the time," Ganyu said.
"Then I'll come along," Keqing said, nodding.
"And you, Shenhe?" Ganyu asked, turning to her.
"I'm going back to The Chasm today to continue the investigation," Shenhe said.
"Thank you for all your work," Keqing said.
"Mm." Shenhe nodded, turned, and left.
She walked straight to a teahouse beside the harbor entrance.
Inside, a woman in blue sat at a table by the window.
"Why are you here?" Shenhe asked, her brows drawing together.
"Relax, I'm not tailing you." Yelan waved a hand. "I simply heard that Fang Qiu — the woman who looks almost exactly like you — was shipping out, and guessed you'd come to see her off. So I got here early and waited, to save us both time. Come on. The Chasm."
"Mm." Shenhe nodded, and said nothing more.
Once Shenhe had gone, Keqing and Ganyu turned to the Tavern Proprietress and the pastry shopkeeper. "We'll take our leave now, both of you."
"Lady Keqing, Lady Ganyu — safe travels," the two of them said hurriedly.
"Mm." Ganyu and Keqing nodded, and walked away.
Watching the two retreating backs, the Tavern Proprietress and the pastry shopkeeper exchanged a look, and shock was written all over both their faces.
Fang Qiu… just how many important people did that woman know?!
The Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and Master Yun were one thing — but the Yuheng and the Chief Secretary of the Qixing had come to see her off as well…
Wasn't that laying it on a bit thick?
Thank goodness the Tianquan hadn't turned up…
Or the pair of them would have been frightened out of their skins.
Meanwhile, at the Jade Chamber.
Ningguang stood on the deck of the Jade Chamber, watching The Crux Fleet that carried Fang Qiu edge slowly out of the harbor.
"Lady Ningguang, Miss Fang Qiu and the others have set sail," said Baiwen, waiting at her side.
"Mm." Ningguang nodded, then turned to Baiwen as something surfaced in her mind. "That reminds me. How is the research on the small flying Guizhong Ballista progressing?"
"Not smoothly," Baiwen said, shaking her head.
"Speaking of which," Ningguang said, "the great mountain between Liyue and Mondstadt — that was hollowed out following the excavation plan Fang Qiu provided, wasn't it?"
"It was." Baiwen nodded. "A superb piece of design. There isn't a single timber post anywhere inside that tunnel, and it's broad and solid the whole way through — nothing at all like the workings at The Chasm."
"Notify me when she returns from Inazuma." Ningguang's smile took on a hint of amusement. "I'd like to see what other unusual ideas she might have."
With that, she walked back into the Jade Chamber.
"Yes, my lady." Baiwen nodded. She cast one last glance at The Crux Fleet as it shrank into the distance, and was about to turn and follow in Lady Ningguang's footsteps when she caught sight of something on the hilltop near the harbor.
It was too far off, though, to make out clearly.
She was just about to rub her eyes and take a closer look when Ningguang's voice came from behind her.
"Baiwen. What are you looking at?"
"Nothing, Lady Ningguang. My eyes are just a little blurred."
"Then would you like to take a day off?"
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