For the next two days…
The neighbors and shopkeepers of Liyue Harbor noticed that Director Hu Tao seemed to have regained her cheerful disposition, returning to the whimsical, mischievous young director she was before.
"Ahem… When the sun is out, I bask in the sun; when the moon is out, I bask in the moonlight~"
At an inn.
Ji An had just finished washing up, climbed into bed, and was about to sleep when a faint, lilting song drifted in from outside his window.
Sighing, Ji An pushed himself up and called toward the window, "This is the second floor, Director Hu Tao. Is it really okay for you to just climb up here like this?"
Tap-tap-tap!
"Hehe, open up already!"
Hu Tao knocked on the windowpane.
"We're friends, right? Friends dropping by is normal, isn't it?"
What friend drops by by climbing through someone's window in the middle of the night? Ji An mentally grumbled.
Even so, he got up, walked over, and pushed the window open.
Sure enough, Hu Tao was perched on the windowsill, her bare calves swinging lightly in the air. Seeing the window open, she turned and waved at him with a grin.
"Director Hu Tao, what brings you here in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping?"
Ji An asked helplessly.
Ever since Hu Tao had unilaterally declared them friends that day, she had been dropping by regularly to drag him out to play.
From various street snacks and candied figurines to playing pirate games with children at the harbor, Hu Tao seemed to possess boundless enthusiasm, and she always insisted he join in the fun.
Ji An scoffed at the idea.
Please.
It was all childish stuff—things for kids to play.
What adult would do any of that?
Absolutely not.
…Yet, he couldn't resist when Hu Tao fixed her watery plum blossom eyes on him, shook his arm, and pleaded, "Hehe, just try it, okay? Just once?"
Left with no choice, Ji An reluctantly joined Hu Tao and the children in their games.
He understood why Hu Tao was doing this.
It was none other than trying to rekindle his memories by revisiting the games she had played with her childhood friend.
But Ji An knew it was futile. Without those memories, how could they possibly be "rekindled"?
Sighing inwardly, he indulged her anyway.
On another note,
the neighbors of Liyue Harbor had all taken notice of the handsome young outsider and the young director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor going around together all the time.
Whenever Ji An and Hu Tao went out, they couldn't escape the watchful eyes of the local uncles and aunties.
And every one of them wore the same strange, ear-to-ear grin.
They would often nod and smile meaningfully at the pair.
Yesterday afternoon, the two even ran into Yanfei, the legal advisor, near the docks while she was carrying a thick stack of law books.
Ji An recognized the pink-haired girl he had once rescued, but Yanfei didn't recognize him.
"Director Hu Tao, who's this with you? I don't think I've seen him before." Yanfei's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Ji An.
Heavens above!
This was the first time she'd ever seen the young director out and about alone with a man around her age.
This was huge news!
Hu Tao chuckled and tugged at Ji An's sleeve. "This is my new friend. His name's Ji An."
"Ji An? That name sounds familiar."
Yanfei, with her sharp memory, recalled quickly. "Ah, I remember now—you're the mechanical expert the Jade Chamber recruited, right?"
Before Ji An could reply, Hu Tao eagerly nodded. "Mhm! Yanfei, you've heard of him too? He's amazing, isn't he?"
"I have! After Master Lu interviewed him separately, he approved his hiring right away!"
Yanfei's words made Hu Tao's smile grow even brighter.
Hu Tao glanced at the heavy books Yanfei was carrying and, unusually, offered, "Um, Yanfei, need any help?"
"No, no, I'm fine!"
Yanfei hurriedly declined. She knew Hu Tao was likely just being polite—why would a Vision holder need help carrying a few books?
"Well, we'll be going then!" With that, Hu Tao pulled Ji An along toward the docks.
"How nice… Director Hu has someone she likes too."
Yanfei murmured with a touch of longing.
Anyone with eyes could see it—that wasn't how Hu Tao looked at a mere friend. It was more like how one looked at a sweetheart.
As a half-adeptus, Yanfei's lifespan far exceeded that of a human, which was partly why she had never pursued a relationship or experienced romance.
To outsiders, Yanfei seemed wholly absorbed in legal affairs, uninterested in such matters. But over the years, the thought had crossed her mind more than once—if only as a fleeting notion she never dwelled on.
Lately, however, that thought seemed to be surfacing more often.
Why now, she wondered?
As she watched the pair walk away, the image of a masked young man suddenly flashed through Yanfei's mind, and her cheeks warmed ever so slightly.
…
Back to the present.
Hu Tao, having visited in the middle of the night, brought Ji An to the entrance of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The ministry's doors were now closed, and the guards were off duty.
But the area was well-lit, far from dark.
Two stone lions stood guard outside the main gate.
"These two lions used to be my pets, you know."
Hu Tao ran over and effortlessly climbed onto one of the stone lions, pointing at it as she told Ji An, "This is Big Mi."
Then she pointed at the other. "And that's Second Mi."
"Used to be?"
"Yeah! When I was little, I came to give them baths every day."
Hu Tao stated this as if it were the most natural thing. "Later, Big Mi and Second Mi grew up and became independent, so they didn't need me to look after them anymore. After that, I got busy… discussing life with the statues!"
"And… Little Mi didn't like me coming either."
Her voice grew softer as she spoke. "Because… I lost the thing she loved the most."
Puzzled, Ji An asked, "Little Mi is…?"
As he spoke, he suddenly recalled that name appearing somewhere—in the fifth life's simulation, perhaps.
Hu Tao explained, "Little Mi is a cat. Ever since I lost her favorite thing, she's been waiting here for him to come back."
"Waiting… here?"
Ji An glanced around. "Where is Little Mi? I don't see her."
Hu Tao fell silent for a moment, then hopped down from the stone lion and called out softly, "Little Mi, I brought him back."
Then, she clapped her hands.
From seemingly nowhere, a multitude of fiery-red butterflies appeared, their wings fluttering as they gathered around Ji An.
The butterflies swirled and danced, coalescing into the shape of a cat that settled lightly on Ji An's shoulder.
"Meow."
Ji An felt a gentle, almost imperceptible nuzzle against his cheek.
…
The next day
was the departure day for the ruins investigation team.
Ji An arrived early at the rendezvous point by the great bridge leading toward Mt. Tianheng.
Many were already there: Millelith soldiers, Master Lu, Hu Tao, and several support personnel.
There was also a girl dressed in light, practical travel clothes, accompanied by a small, brown-and-tan panda-like creature.
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A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Zenless Zone Zero: Loving Daily Life Starting in New Eridu
*Honkai Impact 3rd, I Can Transform into a Valkyrie!*
patreon.com/deadlygoober