—Teyvat
Hearing this, the merchant sighed with great regret.
If treating someone to a meal could buy this flying little thing, he could turn around and sell it for five million Mora!
After all, the first floor of Fengdeng Lou doesn't cost five hundred thousand Mora even if you eat there all day—this deal wasn't a loss.
Fortunately, Lumine and Paimon didn't have mind-reading abilities and didn't know what was going through the merchant's mind—otherwise, it would have been a point-blank ult to the face.
Lumine: Ever since I debuted, I've never eaten on the first floor of Fengdeng Lou—second floor minimum, third floor regular.
Paimon: Speaking of which, I really don't know what the first-floor food at Fengdeng Lou tastes like. We should try it sometime.
[This NPC's pitiful little expression—it's clear not buying Paimon made him very disappointed.]
[I don't even dare imagine—if Yiya were here, would this guy even pay attention to Paimon.]
[Probably still would—after all, Yiya looks like a normal cute little kid. If he dared to sell her, he could be reported to the Millelith for human trafficking.]
[It seems like that, but everyone seems to have forgotten that Yiya's body is actually a puppet.]
The merchant sighed: "Then it seems I was too presumptuous."
He looked at the exotic outfits on Lumine and Paimon and asked: "You two don't look like locals—are you here to attend Lantern Rite?"
Lumine nodded: "Mm, invited by a friend."
"Then look forward to tomorrow night's Xiao Lantern Festival. This year's Xiao Lanterns are bound to be spectacular."
"The floating stones used to lift the Bright Firmament Lantern this year are the largest in the past twenty years."
[Large? On the scale of Ziwei Star Palace?]
[Ningguang: I also hope it's that scale—then I'd have the materials to rebuild the Jade Chamber.]
Then the merchant bid farewell to the two.
Lumine and Paimon walked into the harbor and immediately noticed the difference between Liyue Harbor and Guili Assembly.
Guili Assembly had a better atmosphere, but most people there were actually preparing for Lantern Rite—almost all the merchants had closed up shop.
In contrast, Liyue Harbor's streets were packed with vendors and stalls filling the entire harbor—people coming and going, much livelier than Guili Assembly.
Paimon's eyes sparkled as she spent the wages she earned working at Fengdeng Lou at every snack stall along the way.
Lumine watched her eat nonstop the whole time.
"Sigh." Lumine sighed helplessly, then began examining the decorations along the way.
Finally, she spotted a giant deer statue in the harbor.
Hm? It didn't seem like a statue—the material looked different.
Just as she was about to approach for a closer look, she spotted a familiar face in the harbor.
"Zhongli! Mo Li! And..."
Paimon looked at the stunningly beautiful face and graceful figure of Ah Ping. She swallowed the term that almost slipped out along with the food in her mouth, then switched to a title she hadn't used before:
"Sister Ping!"
[Paimon, were you originally going to call me that "Ping-jie" title?]
[Paimon should be glad she corrected herself in time—if she kept calling her Ping Granny in her current appearance, something very dangerous might happen.]
[Epic-level meeting of Zhongli and Second Brother—two of Little Jun Bai's guardians!]
Ah Ping chuckled: "Little Paimon is so sweet with her words, but actually, I don't really mind titles. You can call me Ping Granny like before."
"No way!" Paimon shook her head. "Sister Ping, you really don't look like a granny now—calling you that feels wrong."
"Then just call me Ah Ping like everyone in Jueyun Karst does." Ah Ping smiled.
[Got it, Sister Ping.]
[Got it, Ping'er.]
[Got it, wife!]
[The one above—still dreaming? Wake up.]
"Mm, got it, Ah Ping."
Paimon nodded, then looked toward Jun Mo Li:
"Mo Li, I heard from Jun Bai earlier that you were in Liyue Harbor. I didn't expect you'd be with Zhongli and Ah Ping."
"Just a coincidence." Jun Mo Li smiled. "While strolling in Liyue Harbor, I happened to run into Guest Zhongli."
Zhongli gave a slight nod: "Speaking of which, I have to thank little friend Mo Li. I was sent by the director to make a purchase, but I forgot to bring Mora again."
"If not for little friend Mo Li helping me out, I'd inevitably get lectured by the director when I get back."
"Uh… very in character for Zhongli."
Paimon, hearing Zhongli's words, felt speechless yet found it perfectly reasonable.
Lumine asked: "Mo Li, do you know Zhongli's identity?"
Jun Mo Li nodded: "I do—the consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, and also..."
He smiled slightly and pulled out a Mora from his clothes.
[Whoa, Second Brother already knows.]
[Mora, Morax—Second Brother doesn't want to say Zhongli's identity out loud in public, so he's hinting this way.]
[If Second Brother had said it directly instead of hinting, the nearby passersby: ₍ᆓᆓ₎]
Looking at the Mora in Jun Mo Li's hand, Paimon said in shock: "You actually guessed it!"
"Before I came to Liyue Harbor, Third Brother already told me about the incident of the Geo Archon suddenly suffering heavenly punishment."
"Then, Guest Zhongli looks a bit like the figure on the statue, so I guessed." The Mora flicked at Jun Mo Li's fingertips, then fell back into his clothes.
"Little friend Mo Li is truly intelligent—no wonder your swordsmanship has reached such a realm." Zhongli praised.
Jun Mo Li shrugged: "Just lucky coincidence."
"When it comes to martial arts, Rex Lapis is still superior."
[Lucky coincidence—meaning comprehending it at a glance, then at ten years old splitting a waterfall with one sword.]
[Second Brother, you're really humble!]
[I feel like just in terms of swordsmanship, Zhongli might not actually be Second Brother's match. I mean under the premise that Zhongli doesn't use divine power.]
"Sigh, it's been like this the whole way." Ah Ping sighed as she watched the two politely complimenting each other.
Zhongli was courteous because of his age, but this twenty-year-old young man was actually as courteous as Zhongli.
She heard he had once wounded a god and had the title of Sword Immortal.
Normally, young people with such achievements would have some arrogance, right? This young man not only had none, but was quite approachable.
But that was fine—Ah Ping liked polite young people like this.
Then Ah Ping noticed Lumine's gaze on the giant deer behind her. She smiled and introduced it to Lumine:
"This is the Bright Firmament Lantern modeled after Skybracer. This year, we're commemorating him."
"That guy who always loved showing off—if he knew about this, he'd probably be delighted."
"Skybracer?" The name caught Paimon's attention. "I remember when preparing the Rite of Descension, Zhongli mentioned this name."
Zhongli nodded: "Skybracer—he was one of the few Adepti who sacrificed themselves in the Archon War."
"His antlers once absorbed the divine essence of Rex Lapis's Geo power and were among the hardest things in Liyue."
"During the Archon War, the only things in Liyue that could compare were the weapons personally forged by the Sky Phoenix Marshal."
"Of course, now in Liyue, there might be one more thing that can stand alongside them."
Zhongli glanced intentionally or unintentionally toward Jun Mo Li's waist.