Not long ago, there was also a young man from elsewhere...
Upon hearing this, Shenhe's hand holding the grilled fish trembled slightly: "U-Uncle Mao, what was the name of that young man you mentioned?"
"Oh, that lad's name is Ji'an. He really loves my grilled fish; he came by every day before. But he went out a few days ago with the investigation team dispatched from the Jade Chamber." Uncle Mao chuckled warmly. "You know about the Jade Chamber, right? It was built by Lady Ningguang, one of the Liyue Qixing, and holds a very special place in Liyue Harbor."
Here, a hint of pride flashed across his face. "Ahem, and speaking of which, my daughter happens to be a Vision bearer. She's serving as a guard for this investigation team."
After finishing, Uncle Mao expected the white-haired lady to follow up with praise for his daughter, after which he would modestly say something about how his "little girl still has much to learn."
Unexpectedly, the young lady said nothing. She just stared blankly at the grilled fish in her hand, lost in thought.
"Young lady, is something on your mind?"
Chef Mao thought for a moment and offered, "If you're willing, you can tell this old uncle about it. I've lived a few decades longer; maybe I can help you sort things out a little."
"I..."
Shenhe hesitated, but ultimately couldn't hold back: "Uncle Mao, what kind of person do you think that young man, Ji'an, is?"
"Huh?"
Her question caught Chef Mao off guard. He probed carefully, "Young lady, do you... know that boy Ji'an?"
Shenhe remained silent, but the sorrow etched between her brows gave the answer.
Chef Mao sighed inwardly, roughly understanding the situation now.
That boy Ji'an, what a mess you've made!
A young lady with such an ethereal air about her—if any other young man were favored by her, they'd be busy cherishing her, not letting her be upset.
But you, you actually have the heart to make her so sad.
And to think I once considered trying to match him with my own daughter... I'll have to reconsider that now...
Though Chef Mao silently cursed Ji'an in his heart, he still spoke kindly: "Young lady, did you have a fight with him? Don't be too angry. That boy... he just doesn't quite understand a girl's heart. He means no harm."
"Uncle Mao... He didn't make me angry."
Shenhe shook her head, her voice tinged with sorrow. "It's me. I did something that wronged him."
"Oh."
Another unexpected reply. Chef Mao scratched his head.
He suddenly felt a bit at a loss for how to respond.
"Wronged him... In what way, specifically?" Chef Mao asked cautiously.
He thought to himself that if this young lady said something too shocking for an old man like him, he would simply close his mouth and not wade into these muddy waters any further.
"Without recognizing who he was, due to a weighing of pros and cons, I had to make a choice... and I abandoned him. I did something that hurt him deeply, very deeply."
Shenhe didn't know how to explain their complicated past, so she could only speak vaguely.
"Hmm, in that case, it was indeed your mistake, young lady."
Chef Mao's expression turned somewhat serious. "Regardless of whether you recognized him or not, it's never a reason to hurt someone casually. Being the one abandoned in a choice... that's a very cruel thing."
Shenhe bit her lip, her face paling.
"However..."
Chef Mao suddenly smiled. "But if it's that boy, if you apologize sincerely, you might just be forgiven."
Shenhe looked up, surprised. "Uncle Mao, y-you really think so?"
"I can't guarantee it. It's just a feeling."
"Why... why would you think that?"
"As for why..."
Chef Mao pondered for a moment, then chuckled. "Because that fellow... is actually a very gentle soul."
He took the grilled fish in hand, sprinkling some chili powder on the golden, crispy skin as he continued. "The day he first arrived in Liyue Harbor, I saw he had no money on him, so I offered him a skewer. He refused at first, you know."
"Later, he participated in the Jade Chamber's aptitude test for mechanics and earned the reward Mora. The first thing he did was come back here to repay me."
"I refused, saying it was my treat. He seemed to accept that. But after that, every single day at mealtime, he would come to my shop without fail. Not only would he eat here, but he'd also order two portions to go. I found it strange, so I asked around and found out he was taking them to an elderly couple—their son, a Millelith soldier, had died in the line of duty, and they were working in the back kitchen of an inn."
Chef Mao smiled warmly. "That boy, though he acts carefree on the surface, has always cared for the people around him in his own way."
Listening to his words, a soft smile finally touched Shenhe's lips. In her heart, the images of An'er and Ji'an slowly began to merge.
What a fool I was back then!
Such a wonderful child, and I thought he was just a frivolous mortal, even disliked him for a time.
Thinking back now, all those reasons for my dislike were utterly unreasonable.
An'er was young, full of youthful vigor. Isn't it normal for a young man to be curious about the opposite sex?
As for herself...
Although saying this might sound a bit boastful...
But sometimes, when Shenhe was tired from traveling and stopped to rest, washing herself in a forest stream, she could see her own reflection in the moonlight on the water—her fair, jade-like figure. By mortal standards, it was likely considered exceptionally striking.
So it wasn't really his fault if An'er was drawn to it...
Shenhe furrowed her brow, the more she thought about it, the more she regretted her past actions.
Chef Mao chuckled kindly. "In short, I think a child with such a kind heart, if you apologize sincerely enough, won't hold a grudge for too long."
"Thank you, Uncle Mao."
Though the knot of sorrow in Shenhe's heart remained, his words made her feel considerably better.
"It's nothing. If you're willing in the future, come by Wanmin Restaurant more often. Of course, I won't give you a discount—we treat all customers equally." Chef Mao said cheerfully. "But I can introduce you to my daughter Xiangling and Guoba. They'd definitely like you."
After leaving Wanmin Restaurant...
Shenhe walked to the great bridge leading toward Mt. Tianheng and gazed into the distance.
It was as if she were trying to see past the mountains and rivers to catch a glimpse of the person she longed for.
Back then, upon hearing about the ancient ruins investigation team from Ningguang, she had desperately wanted to go find Ji'an, fearing he might encounter danger.
But Ningguang had also assured her the team had two Vision bearers for protection and nothing would go wrong, so she had suppressed that impulse.
Now, the only thing Shenhe could do was wait here for their return.
And so, from that day on...
Every day afterwards, the residents of Liyue Harbor could see a beautiful white-haired woman by the bridge, gazing toward Mt. Tianheng, waiting for someone yet to return.
-------
A/n: New content and Story posted on my patreon go check it out!
patreon.com/deadlygoober