"So Xingqiu, you know the Traveler and Paimon too." Xiangling was a bit surprised—she hadn't heard Xingqiu mention it before.
"There was a collaboration at Wanwen Bookhouse before. I never expected to meet here—this must be quite the fateful encounter." While explaining to Xiangling, Xingqiu greeted the two.
"But how did you meet the Traveler and Paimon, Xiangling?" Xingqiu asked. "Don't tell me it was while looking for ingredients again?"
"Yes." Paimon answered Xingqiu's question. "We met in Springvale, Mondstadt."
(I don't remember exactly where we met Xiangling, but I remember catching pigs in Springvale, so treating it as Springvale.)
"Last time I told you guys—someone helped me find a wild boar that had been frozen for a long time. That was the Traveler and Paimon." Xiangling added from the side.
[I'll never forget that rhyming song about the delicious Cryo Regisvine.]
[The girl next door is great in every way—except she loves putting Slime Condensate or all kinds of ingredients in her dishes.]
At this moment Hu Tao stepped forward with a laugh: "What a marvelous fate. If this Hall Master doesn't get to know this famous Traveler, I'd be a bit out of place."
"Good evening, you two. I'm the 77th Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao. You can call me Hu Tao or Director Hu."
"Hello Hu Tao, I'm Paimon."
"Hello Hu Tao, this is Paimon."
[As expected of Stelle—no hesitation in making that choice.]
[Instant selection—turning the game into pure entertainment. Events really need to be played with a smile.]
In the livestream room, Stelle gave a cheeky grin.
Options like this are fun—please keep making them.
"Come on, introduce yourself properly in front of strangers! Hu Tao, this is Lumine."
Hu Tao waved her hand: "Eh, Paimon, you're a little wrong about one thing."
"You may be unfamiliar with this Hall Master, but this Hall Master's ears have rung with your names for a long time!"
Paimon was very surprised: "Eh? Really?"
Xiangling crossed her arms and smiled: "Of course. Paimon, the story of you and the Traveler saving Liyue Harbor has spread through every street and alley—everyone knows it."
Xingqiu nodded: "Paimon, the Director and Xiangling are right. A few days ago I even saw Iron Tongue Tian adapting your story. He plans to tell the tale of you and the Traveler once Three Bowls Restaurant is rebuilt."
[Fame across Liyue—achievement unlocked.]
[Then shouldn't my Liyue reputation be maxed out?]
[According to the above, we were famous across Mondstadt after beating Dvalin too, but our Mondstadt reputation still isn't maxed.]
"Hehe~ I'm getting embarrassed from all the praise." Paimon's little face rarely blushed.
"It was mainly everyone's effort. I didn't make that big of a contribution." Lumine shook her head sincerely.
In that battle, everyone contributed. Liyue wasn't saved by her alone.
The Millelith's battle cries, Keqing's perseverance, Ningguang's decisive sacrifice of her Jade Chamber, the timely arrival of the Ziwei Star Palace…
Compared to these people's contributions and sacrifices, Lumine felt she hadn't played a very big role on the battlefield and shouldn't receive such praise.
Xingqiu smiled: "Traveler, don't underestimate yourself. If you really hadn't done anything, Tianquan-sama and Yuheng-sama wouldn't have specially commended you."
Hu Tao put her hands on her hips and laughed: "Besides, compared to us who were the ones being saved, you who contributed in that battle are absolutely worthy of praise."
Xiangling nodded in agreement.
[So touching—my corpse feels warm.]
[This is the beauty of 2D. If something like this happened in reality, who knows what unknown species would think it's just what people are supposed to do.]
"You're making me embarrassed like this." Paimon was already smiling so hard her eyes disappeared. "How about this—tomorrow at noon, come up to the second floor. My treat. Let Lumine cook a whole table of good food to entertain you all."
Lumine: Death Glare.jpg
However, upon hearing this, the three little ones simultaneously showed surprised expressions.
Xingqiu asked: "From what Paimon said, are you and the Traveler perhaps working at Fengdeng Lou? Could it be that the manager of this Fengdeng Lou is…"
"Eh? You guys didn't know?" Paimon widened her eyes. "I thought you knew and that's why you came to find us!"
Xiangling also widened her eyes: "I thought we just happened to run into you guys!"
The five looked at each other, all bursting into awkward laughter.
[Lumine, Paimon: Oh! So it's acquaintances coming to catch up. Xingqiu, Xiangling: Oh! So they're here to eat too.]
[One side thinking it's a chat, the other side thinking it's dining. Cross-channel seamless communication.]
"Uh… so, you guys were looking for the manager for something?" Paimon asked amid the awkwardness.
"Oh, not us—Xiangling has something to ask the manager." Xingqiu stepped back one pace, letting Xiangling face Lumine and Paimon directly. "The Director and I are just accompanying her."
"Eh, Xingqiu you…" Seeing Xingqiu sell her out at lightspeed, Xiangling could only step forward and awkwardly wave.
"Xiangling, don't be nervous. I'm just asking." Paimon comforted her. "Relax and tell us. Lumine and I will definitely help you."
"Uh…" Xiangling awkwardly poked her two index fingers together. "It's a bit hard to say."
"Aiya, let this Hall Master explain it." Hu Tao stepped forward. "Traveler, Paimon—Xiangling wants to come work as a helper at Fengdeng Lou."
"Eh?" Paimon was stunned. "That's it?"
Seeing Xiangling like this, she had thought Wanmin Restaurant was losing business under Fengdeng Lou's dominance and had come specially to beg for mercy.
Turns out she was here to work as help.
Next, with her purpose revealed by someone else, Xiangling chose to explain the reason herself.
Fengdeng Lou—the number-one restaurant in the world, known as the nightmare of restaurant owners and the holy land of chefs.
Every chef in Liyue's ultimate wish is to wield the ladle in Fengdeng Lou's kitchen—including Xiangling and her father, Chef Mao.
Xiangling felt her own skill was insufficient, so she wanted to work as a helper in Fengdeng Lou's back kitchen to learn from the veteran masters' techniques and experience.
"If it's something like that, why not just say it directly?" Paimon asked puzzled.
For something like this, let alone her and Lumine—even Chen Yuan far away in Guili Assembly wouldn't refuse.
"In novels, don't they always say that thousand-year-old established brands have secret recipes that can't be passed on? So they're super strict even when picking helpers?" Xiangling said nervously.
"Xingqiu." Paimon looked toward the innocent-faced Xingqiu.
"I didn't expect her to take the things in novels seriously." Xingqiu said—so he had come along with Xiangling as atonement.
As for Hu Tao—she was just here to add an extra pair of chopsticks.
"Xiangling, you're just too nervous. We're short on hands right now. A great chef like you—let alone helping out, even if you wanted to be head chef… uh, head chef might not work."
"But anyway, Fengdeng Lou very much welcomes you to join, Xiangling." Paimon said with hands on hips.
It was just a helper position. Even though Lumine and Paimon were only temporary managers, they still had the authority for something like this.