Xianyun shook her head. "No! I was thinking about how to save you. Like I said before, just apologize to Lora, and that should basically settle it. If even that doesn't work, there's still Zhongli. He can protect you."
"That's right! The Consultant is an adeptus too, and he's friends with Lora. He'll definitely be able to protect me!" Hu Tao realized at once and let out a sigh of relief.
"Your Consultant..." Xianyun fell into thought.
Hu Tao noticed her silence. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
Xianyun recalled the previous two Lantern Rites. The second one had still been fine, since others had helped take the heat. But the first one...
That was a memory she truly did not want to revisit.
"No, nothing." She shook her head and said no more.
She could only pray that Zhongli would look after Hu Tao.
But would he?
When it came to serious matters, Xianyun did not doubt him. But with things like this, Zhongli had already gone along with Lora twice before. She could not help suspecting he might team up with her again.
"Maybe I should just go traveling," Xianyun muttered.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, someone knocked on the door.
Hearing it, Hu Tao said, "Could it be Zhongyue? She recently opened some Liyue-style candied hawthorn shop in Fontaine. I heard business is pretty good."
Xianyun shook her head as she walked to the door. "Absolutely not. Zhongyue doesn't knock."
"Uh..." Hu Tao was shocked by the way those two got along.
She did not knock?
Did she usually kick the door open?
Xianyun opened the door and found Shenhe outside.
"Master," Shenhe called from the doorway.
Xianyun was surprised. "Oh? What brings you here?"
"Master... Miss Lora is here. She's at Wanmin Restaurant. She asked me to invite you over." After hesitating for a moment, Shenhe explained why she had come.
Xianyun froze.
Then she stared at Shenhe in disbelief. "Did you not tell her I had gone on a long trip?"
Shenhe shook her head. "Lying... isn't good, right?"
Xianyun: "..."
Hu Tao came up from behind. After greeting Shenhe, she looked at Xianyun and said, "I'll take my leave first. When you go see Miss Lora later, test the waters for me!"
Test the waters?
Was that even necessary?
That woman did not seem like a Hydro Archon at all. She was clearly a god of chaos!
Having no other choice, Xianyun accepted her fate and followed Shenhe to Wanmin Restaurant.
Lora was sitting at a table with Focalors and Furina. When she saw Shenhe bring Xianyun over, she smiled and waved.
"Yo-ho! Over here~"
Xianyun: "..."
Wonderful.
It had already started the moment they met.
Focalors stood. "Please, have a seat."
Furina glanced at her, then stood up too. "Sit, sit. Don't be polite."
Xianyun looked at the two of them and fell silent.
All three of Fontaine's Hydro Archons were here.
What was going on?
Were they attacking?
Still, Focalors and Furina being polite did not bother her too much.
Shenhe stood beside her master and said, "Master, I still have work, so I won't stay with you and Miss Lora."
Just as she finished speaking, Chef Mao happened to come over with the dishes. Hearing this, he immediately said, "Oh, Shenhe, since your friends are here, don't worry about work for now. Entertain them properly. It's fine!"
Shenhe quickly turned back. "It's fine! Miss Lora has my master to entertain her. I should be working. It is working hours right now!"
Seeing her serious expression, Chef Mao did not say anything else and only nodded.
"Well, that's Shenhe for you."
Shenhe then said to Xianyun and Lora, "I'll take my leave now. Farewell."
"Hey, Shenhe..." Xianyun wanted to stop her, but Shenhe left so quickly that she gave her no chance at all.
"That child..."
Watching her disciple disappear in a flash, Xianyun sighed helplessly. Then she turned back to Lora, who was still smiling, and said, "Look at what you've done. You traumatized my disciple."
"You seem to be taking it pretty well," Lora said with a smile.
Xianyun walked to the table and sat down. "That's because I have nothing left to say!"
"What are you doing in Liyue?"
"For Lantern Rite, of course!" Lora said. "These two worked too hard before, so I brought them here to relax."
Furina nodded. "Yes. I've never even left Fontaine before! I haven't even seen all of Fontaine yet, let alone other nations. Maman said Liyue was fun, so I came along!"
Focalors was a little more reserved. "Mr. Zhongli also invited us, so Lady Egeria brought us here."
"So it was him..."
Xianyun felt somewhat helpless.
The first time, they had simply run into each other, so there was nothing to say. The second time, Ping'er had sent a letter asking them to come. She had been tricked then, but at least she had managed to drag others down with her.
But this third time, Zhongli had personally invited them!
Your Majesty, with that honest face of yours, how could you...
Sigh...
"By the way, where is Zhongyue?" Xianyun then asked. "She opened a shop in Fontaine and still hasn't come back. What's going on?"
"Her business is doing quite well. Recently, she's even been thinking about opening branches in places like Poisson," Lora said, briefly reporting Zhongyue's situation.
Furina followed up, "Yes, yes! Her skills are excellent. The candied hawthorn is delicious! And the price isn't too high either. I even want her to supply the Palais Mermonia directly!"
"Mm, that's a good idea. Why didn't you bring it up while we were still in Fontaine?" Lora nodded, approving of the idea, before asking.
Furina scratched her head. "I forgot back then! Before, I was too tangled up in your situation. After that, I followed you around Fontaine eating and drinking for free... no, wait, how does that saying go? Right, traveling incognito to observe the people's lives. I didn't have time!"
Xianyun looked at Lora.
"Eating and drinking for free?"
Hearing Furina's words, Lora fell silent.
You were not supposed to expose your own mother like that!