"So, how is it? Is it good?"
Seeing Ningguang swallow her bite of matsutake first, Mona quickly pressed her for an opinion. Ningguang didn't answer immediately. After downing a large glass of water, she finally spoke.
"Miss Mona's cooking is truly one of a kind. The innovative techniques and unrestrained methods always leave a lasting impression. In her dishes, I can feel a deep passion for culinary arts."
Though Mona didn't fully understand what Ningguang meant, it sounded like a compliment. Ningguang's words instantly boosted Mona's confidence. If not for the worry of stealing Xiangling's business, she might have considered opening her own restaurant.
Meanwhile, Keqing was still chewing her matsutake. She shot Ningguang a subtle glare. If it's bad, just say it's bad—why dress it up with such diplomatic flattery? Despite the unpleasant earthy taste and chewy texture, Keqing refused to back down. She was determined to finish that piece of matsutake.
"Now that we've eaten, let's get down to business."
"I heard from Ganyu that you, little brother Su Bai, have invented a device that allows long-distance communication. Would you be willing to sell me some? I'll make sure you get a fair price."
Unlike her usual commanding presence, Ningguang was relaxed today, as if discussing everyday matters. Her gentle smile never faded.
"I can't sell them, but I can give you two. I've had them ready for a while, just waiting for you to pick them up."
Su Bai had anticipated that Ningguang would come knocking once he learned Shenhe had given a phone to Ganyu. With a wave of his hand, two phones appeared before Keqing and Ningguang.
After Su Bai explained how they worked, Ningguang watched the constant stream of messages in the group chat. Though inwardly stunned, she kept her composure and remarked:
"No wonder Ganyu's been processing documents slower lately. Even I'd want to check what everyone's saying in the group chat during my free time."
"Mmmph mmmph! (Same here!)"
Keqing waved her phone excitedly, still locked in battle with her matsutake. She was thrilled by the prospect—if phones could be mass-produced, Millelith soldiers in the field could call for reinforcements immediately. Casualty rates would drop significantly.
"It'll take time to mass-produce them. These are still prototypes, and for now, only Vision holders can use them. That's a pretty big limitation."
Su Bai shrugged, shattering Keqing's hopes. Seeing her spirits drop, he knew he had guessed her thoughts correctly.
"Since I've achieved what I came for, we'll take our leave. Little brother Su Bai, I hope that when phones become widely available, you'll prioritize Liyue."
"Naturally. As a Liyue adeptus, I wouldn't let my homeland fall behind other nations."
Having accomplished both her goals, Ningguang flashed Su Bai a bright smile and headed for the door. It wasn't that she didn't want to stay—her stomach had been bothering her ever since she ate that matsutake.
"Spread the word. Have the kitchen prepare a feast and send it to Wangsheng. Also, make some stomach-soothing porridge. And send someone to Bubu Pharmacy for medicine for food poisoning."
After giving her orders, Ningguang hurried away. Keqing, still oblivious, finally swallowed the matsutake and flashed a triumphant smile.
"Ha! Finally got that thing down. See you all later~"
Keqing waved and followed Ningguang out. Several times, Zhongli looked like he wanted to say something but held back.
"Zhongli, what were you going to say? I saw you hesitating."
As an old friend, Azhdaha noticed Zhongli's hesitation immediately. Since she had asked, Zhongli decided to speak up.
"If I recall correctly, matsutake that's hard to chew usually means it's undercooked. I wonder if the Yuheng is aware of that."
"Oh no... What are we waiting for?! We need to get Keqing back! If she gets food poisoning, we're in trouble. Imagine being accused of poisoning the Yuheng—we'd all end up in Yanfei's law classes."
Su Bai's words made Albedo Junior leap out of his seat. He'd rather spend time in jail than sit through another of Yanfei's lectures. That pink-haired girl could talk forever. And so, with a flurry of commotion, Albedo Junior's welcome party officially fell apart.
A few days later, at the lively Wangshu Inn, Su Bai and Shenhe sat drinking tea. Before them, Albedo stood stroking his chin, examining the signal relay device and the scattered extra parts.
"Tsk, tsk, Albedo. Not so great after all, are you? It's been nearly two hours, and you still can't figure out what's wrong."
"And you said my assembly was definitely flawed. Yet you can't find the problem either."
After a thorough inspection, listening to Su Bai's smug remarks, a vein bulged on Albedo's forehead. How on earth had Su Bai put this together? The device worked perfectly fine. Was his original design wrong? Impossible. Every part had been meticulously calculated. Even if there were extras, there shouldn't have been this many.
"Sister Shenhe, have some more Adeptus' Temptation. This dish is incredibly difficult to make. If Yanxiao weren't using it for the cooking competition, we might not have gotten to try it."
Ignoring the brooding Albedo, Su Bai served Shenhe a bowl of Adeptus' Temptation and savored Yanxiao's cooking. He had to admit, Yanxiao's skills were top-notch—well worth his temper.
Back at Wangsheng, Azhdaha lay bored on the table. Albedo Junior was at his alchemy bench, working on an upgraded version of his Whopperflowers.
"Ugh, I'm so bored. Albedo Junior, do you have anything fun? Give me something to play with."
"Little sister Zhongtuo, you're putting me in a tough spot. Didn't you hear what Mr. Zhongli said before he left?"
Albedo Junior smiled wryly. Mr. Zhongli had explicitly told him not to give Azhdaha any alchemical gadgets. Otherwise, by the time Hu Tao returned, Wangsheng might be reduced to rubble.
"Did you see the group chat? Lumine, Paimon, Hu Tao, and Klee are almost at Liyue Harbor. Poor Albedo got left behind at Wangshu Inn to fix the device by himself."
Mona fiddled with her water mirror while keeping an eye on her phone. Hu Tao was due back soon anyway—tomorrow was the Moonchase Festival, and she had been invited by Ningguang to be a judge for the cooking competition.
No sooner had Mona spoken than footsteps echoed outside Wangsheng, accompanied by the playful sounds of Hu Tao and Klee. Sensing Hu Tao's return, Azhdaha abandoned her quest for entertainment, jumped off her stool, and dashed toward the entrance.
"Hu Tao, Klee! You're finally back!"