In a courtyard of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Hanachirusato, Yae Miko, and Su Bai, the three foxes, were sitting lazily around a small table. The table was laden with many of Inazuma's specialty delicacies, such as Tricolor Dango, Egg Sushi, and Tempura. This made Su Bai, who had not eaten Inazuman food in a long time, suddenly feel his appetite open wide.
Hanachirusato and Yae Miko did not eat much. The two only symbolically ate a single skewer of dango before putting down their chopsticks. In their eyes, watching Su Bai eat was far more interesting than eating themselves.
"How can such fine food be without alcohol? Come, Su Bai, have a drink with me."
Just as he was eating happily, Yae Miko pulled out a jar of sake from who knows where. Hearing there was alcohol to drink, Su Bai's eyes lit up. He then secretly glanced at Hanachirusato. Seeing that she was just resting her chin on her hand and looking at him without any intention of objecting, Su Bai finally let out a sigh of relief.
Back when he was in Inazuma, Hanachirusato had strictly forbidden Su Bai from drinking alcohol. Even Yae Miko would get a scolding from Hanachirusato if she drank in front of him.
"Then just pour me a few small cups, Miko. I have barely had any alcohol for the past two years, so I might not be used to it."
Su Bai spoke with a straight face, lying through his teeth. He just did not expect that Yae Miko had already told Hanachirusato everything he had done in Mondstadt. Hanachirusato did not believe the "barely had any alcohol" excuse in the slightest, but she was not planning on exposing him either.
As the meal progressed, a slightly tipsy Su Bai keenly noticed that something was off. Damn it, why was he the only one drinking cup after cup? He had already gone through two jars of sake, while the single cup of sake in front of Hanachirusato was still not finished. No, it seemed he would have to use some tricks of his own.
"It seems Little Su Bai has grown up quite a bit over these two years. He has actually learned how to trick me. I really do not know whether I should be happy or annoyed."
"However, I will not allow you to waste this alcohol. This is the sake I brewed myself. If you had not returned, Su Bai, I would not have borne to drink it on ordinary days."
Watching Su Bai drink one cup and spill two, Yae Miko smiled and tapped his forehead with her finger. This little guy had stayed in Liyue for two years and actually learned the Liyue drinking table trick of pretending to drink while secretly spilling it. He was truly a clever little rascal.
Seeing that his spilling trick had been discovered by Yae Miko, Su Bai chuckled and used his signature move in front of her: playing dumb.
"What are you talking about, Miko? I have not done anything. I came to see you the very first moment I arrived in Inazuma. Why are you forcing me to drink? Hanachirusato, why do you not try to persuade Miko?"
Hanachirusato picked up her sake cup, her eyebrows curved as she smiled and watched Yae Miko pour alcohol for Su Bai. Hearing Su Bai asking for her help, Hanachirusato drained the sake in her cup in one gulp and said softly.
"Little Su Bai, you really should build up your alcohol tolerance. The reason I did not let you drink before was because you were still young. Now that you are an adult, drinking a little alcohol is not a problem."
Hanachirusato's words made Su Bai doubt his own ears. The Hanachirusato who used to favor him so much was now actually on the same side as Yae Miko. Love really does fade away, does it not?
"Little Su Bai, I, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, am personally pouring alcohol for you, and you actually want to refuse? You should know that even Ei has never enjoyed my pouring service."
"Miko, I really am not drinking anymore. Your sake is too strong. If I keep drinking, I will not know where the rest of this afternoon will go."
Yae Miko rolled her eyes at Su Bai. This charming demeanor that outsiders might find captivating only made Su Bai feel a chill down his spine. Based on years of experience dealing with them, he deduced that these two definitely had something they were hiding from him.
And Hanachirusato definitely knew about this matter too. Otherwise, given how much she doted on him, she would not allow Yae Miko to torment him, a little fox, like this.
"Well, Miko, I suddenly remembered that Thoma said Ayaka had something to discuss with me. I will take my leave first, and we can continue drinking when I return tonight."
Sensing that something was wrong, Su Bai would not let Yae Miko continue teasing him. He made up an excuse and prepared to slip away. However, slipping away from Yae Miko's grasp was not an easy task. Looking at the Electro-infused barrier flashing around them, Su Bai steeled himself and looked at Yae Miko. She poured herself a cup of sake, her slightly narrowed fox eyes making it impossible for Su Bai to guess her thoughts.
"Hehe, Little Su Bai has just returned to Inazuma and has not even finished a meal with me before rushing off to find that little girl. That young lady from the Kamisato Clan is truly enviable."
"Miko, I am just going to visit Ayaka. I am not leaving forever. You make it sound so dramatic."
"That is hard to say. In the past, you said you were just visiting the Kamisato Clan as a guest, but you did not return for three days and three nights. If Hanachirusato had not gone to look for you personally, I am afraid you would never have left the Kamisato Estate, would you?"
Yae Miko played with the sake cup in her hand, and these casual words left Su Bai standing there in sheer embarrassment. Back when he was younger, he had indeed been captivated by all the interesting things at the Kamisato Estate, and Ayaka's parents had warmly entertained him at the time.
"Well, Miko, Hanachirusato, if there is nothing else, I will head to the Kamisato Estate first and come back for dinner tonight."
"Why the rush to leave? This table of food is not just to welcome you back to Inazuma. It has another purpose as well. Why do you not guess what that other purpose is, Little Su Bai?"
Feeling the dangerous aura radiating from Yae Miko, Su Bai did not even need to think to know she was definitely here to call him to account. But he had not done anything recently, had he? Su Bai's bewildered expression made Yae Miko silently mutter in her heart that Little Su Bai still needed some educating.
"It seems Little Su Bai needs a few hints."
"Little Su Bai, I heard that not long ago, a great battle took place in Liyue Harbor, and the God of the Vortex, Osial, even emerged. In such a dangerous situation, why did you not let me come over to protect you?"
"Or is it that you do not believe in my strength, Little Su Bai?"
As she spoke, Yae Miko's hand had already touched Su Bai's fox ears. If the answer Su Bai provided did not satisfy her, those soft ears were surely going to suffer.
Just as Su Bai was racking his brain to think of a reason, Hanachirusato also gently grasped Su Bai's other fox ear. Her expressive eyes seemed to be questioning him as well, asking why he had not summoned her during such a dangerous time.
Feeling the warmth on both of his ears, Su Bai swallowed hard and stammered.
"Well, Miko, Hanachirusato, please listen to my excuses; no, listen to my explanation."
"Oh? Let us hear it. If you cannot convince me, then I will have to educate you properly."