Auntie Xianyun's conclusion was that Cid old uncle's technique was impeccable.
The old uncle had always felt that he wasn't particularly liked by cats.
When he was little, he forcefully grabbed cats to ruffle them and ended up getting scratched with two paws.
But aside from cats, the old uncle discovered that dogs really liked him.
There is a spot in Liyue Harbor where a pack of dogs gathers to play, and every time the old uncle went there, the dogs welcomed him enthusiastically.
The only pity was that Cid had a slight mysophobia.
Every time he came back from ruffling dogs, he would first take a bath.
Sometimes the children also wanted to ruffle them.
But ruffling dogs still had to be hygienic and healthy.
So the old uncle simply researched how to properly bathe dogs...
He spent a whole day shampooing the dogs and then blow-drying them.
Nothing else to say—when applying the shampoo, the dogs lay down and slept as if they were dead.
It was enough to show that the old uncle had real talent for gaining the affection of small animals.
"Speaking of which, I've heard that the foxes in Inazuma are very friendly toward people. Is that true?"
"One does not know, but according to travelers at the harbor, the foxes in Inazuma are quite leisurely. One can see foxes everywhere."
He suddenly remembered something from when he was little and traveled north.
The tour guide had once said that we tourists had come at the wrong time—if it had been...
It was probably autumn, right?
He said that if you came in autumn, a bunch of cute foxes would climb onto the vehicle begging for food.
And then you could even ruffle the foxes...
I have a dream. I want to ruffle a pink, extremely sly little fox that can rival the cuteness of Rex Lapis's cat-cat-dragon!
Though it felt like that dream probably couldn't be realized.
"By the way, how have things been going with your exchanges with Mr. Zhongli, Auntie Xianyun?"
"Very well. One did not expect that even among mortals there would be someone so learned! And his speech is usually reasonable—one sees that he has considerable immortal affinity..."
Old man Zhongli, hiding it like that is just too...
The old uncle hugged little Yanfei close, tucking her snugly into his arms before he could finally laugh freely.
The old uncle didn't know how to comment on the matter. In any case, he and Mr. Zhongli got along very harmoniously.
Though he had learned Mr. Zhongli's true identity when meeting Rex Lapis,
if old man Rex Lapis liked using that persona in daily life, why expose it?
After all, Morax required respect, but old man Zhongli could be dragged along to wander the streets.
The old uncle still knew how to have the most fun.
"What are you laughing at?"
The old uncle lifted little Yanfei high into the air.
"Little Yanfei is cute!"
That sentence was the honest truth.
Looking at the adorable little Yanfei, Auntie Xianyun thought for a moment before finally replying.
"The little Shenhe that one raised is also very cute!"
"Agreed!"
The old uncle and Auntie Xianyun couldn't quite say they talked joyfully together, but their conversation certainly had no generational gap.
One looked like a thirty-year-old uncle, the other like a still-charming twenty-eight-year-old big sister.
When they talked, it even felt like they were peers.
"Children, come over quickly! Auntie Xianyun is going to start telling stories!"
Thanks to Cid old uncle, Auntie Xianyun also had considerable popularity among the children.
From her mouth, they could always hear some very interesting tales.
"Then one shall not stand on ceremony. Let one tell you the story of Moon Carver... That old fellow... ahem, the Adeptus once rode the wind-chasing skiing divine machine that Cloud Retainer made... and ended up having an unfavorable start—he crashed headfirst into a snowdrift and even needed the other Adepti to dig him out of the snow pile..."