"Oh~ So it's a family reunion…"
"Wait—did I say something wrong again?" Paimon stopped mid-sentence as she suddenly realized.
None of the people present seemed to have family…
Before meeting Lumine, she had no fixed home and didn't place much importance on this concept.
But the others were different.
Lumine's goal on her journey was to find her brother.
Jun Mo Li dared to fight gods because of Jun Bai.
Jun Bai—a god—still using the name Jun Bai said everything.
Yiya…
This little one was fine—her family was all right here.
[Yes, you emergency food said the wrong thing again.]
[So hurry and find a pot—add another dish to the New Year's Eve dinner.]
"What do you think?" Lumine lightly knocked Paimon on the back of the head.
"Sorry!" Paimon clutched her head.
"It's fine. Although reunion dinner is for gathering with family, no one ever said all family members have to be present for it to count."
Jun Bai ruffled Paimon's head again, telling her not to dwell on it.
Meanwhile, Jun Mo Li had already taken Yiya and the ingredients toward the kitchen.
It was clear Jun Mo Li didn't want to continue on this topic.
After all, he was a heroic soul from three thousand years ago—eyes open and close, and the world had changed completely. His past family was only Jun Bai left alive.
If not for hearing Jun Bai's voice in the ley lines, someone else would need a long time to adjust to this era.
(Specific situation can refer to Kuonmaru in Beast Electric Squadron after escaping from Dokkodo.)
(If not for Amy, Kuon would even still be wearing Sengoku-era clothes.)
[Look how Paimon pissed off Second Brother—he doesn't even want to talk anymore. Quick, get the pot!]
[Yiya sit properly—this is iron-pot stewed Paimon!]
"Then I'll go prepare the reunion dinner with Second Brother first." Jun Bai said. "As for our friends—could you two handle receiving them?"
"Leave it to me." Lumine put her hands on her hips and made a little cat face. "When I was at Fengdeng Lou, I did this kind of thing a lot."
"You can leave this to us with peace of mind." Paimon wanted to make up for her mistake.
Jun Bai nodded, then walked into the kitchen.
Lumine and Paimon waited at the entrance of Fengdeng Lou for the friends Jun Bai mentioned.
Soon, the first guest arrived.
[Guizhong! Your banner is in two days—wait for me to prepare your dowry!]
[This is truly days feeling like years—still two years!]
"You two—we meet again after the Jade Chamber." Guizhong greeted Lumine and Paimon friendly.
"Guizhong, hello—please come in." Paimon smiled.
"Jun Bai is preparing the reunion dinner—let us receive you friends." Lumine added. "By the way, you're the first to arrive."
Guizhong smiled: "After all, I live near Guili Assembly—being first is normal."
(I remember correctly—the secret realm near Guili is Guizhong's home.)
Paimon asked curiously: "So Guizhong, you don't live with Jun Bai in Guili Assembly?"
Guizhong put one hand on her hip and smiled: "Researching mechanisms—if not in a quiet place, there's no point."
"So I always live in the secret realm near Guili Assembly. Usually only come out when invited or when I want to eat."
[Secret realm? That 40-Primogem domain?]
[So clearing that domain lets you meet Guizhong?]
[No—after clearing, there's a chest. After taking the chest, mysterious force kicks you out of the room.]
[Guizhong: Come to my house to steal and still expect me to politely escort you out?]
"So Guizhong likes eating too." Paimon said like she found a kindred spirit.
"Even gods have appetites. If you don't believe me, look at Jun Bai."
"Back then, Morax used just one meal to tie the newborn little Phenex to Guili Assembly." Guizhong still laughed thinking about it.
Lumine chuckled: "So something like that happened back then?"
"Yes—thinking back now, it's quite nostalgic." Guizhong sighed.
"The true phoenix who should have soared freely willingly stopped in one place—from an innocent little bird to another pillar of Liyue."
"I built Guili Assembly, but the one who has always guarded this place is Jun Bai."
[One sentence sent me back to "Guili Past Events"]
[Tonight on New Year's Eve—Jiujie and roast chicken at one table for reunion dinner—I said it!]
The next moment, Guizhong suddenly came to her senses: "Ah! Sorry—got carried away with feelings and said something mood-killing on Lantern Rite day."
"Staying at the door will affect those coming later—I'll head in first."
"Really looking forward to tonight's New Year's Eve dinner—Jun Bai specially learned from Marchosius."
(New Year's Eve dinner and reunion dinner mean the same—I often write whichever comes to mind first. Everyone knows what I mean.)
With that, Guizhong walked into Fengdeng Lou.
"Marchosius—Jun Bai mentioned him at the Jade Chamber, but I think we haven't met Him." Paimon said while recalling Guizhong's words. "Has He already passed away?"
[It's New Year's—Paimon, do you have to kill the mood?]
[Second Brother, Big Brother! You left ingredients outside! Yes, this flying emergency food!]
Lumine half-squinted, raised her fist: "If you don't want to keep getting hit, don't bring up sad topics during Lantern Rite."
Paimon clutched her head: "Sorry."
At this moment, a gust of wind blew—Lumine and Paimon were almost blinded by the sand.
"This Adeptus can travel a thousand miles with the wind—surely I am the first to arrive."
Lumine and Paimon reopened their eyes and saw a blue-white Adeptus crane transform into a graceful beauty upon landing.
Beside her was a blue-haired girl greeting Lumine and Paimon.
It was Cloud Retainer and her disciple Ganyu.
Additionally, there was a white-haired blue-eyed mature beauty Lumine and Paimon didn't recognize.
"Ganyu, hello." Paimon greeted the more familiar Ganyu first, then looked at Cloud Retainer. "Cloud Retainer, you guessed wrong—you're not the first."
"This Adeptus now has a mortal name in the mortal world. When meeting in the mortal realm henceforth, call this Adeptus Xianyun."
Xianyun pushed up her glasses, first correcting Paimon's address, then asked: "Which old friend moved so swiftly to arrive before this Adeptus?"
"By order, we were the first to arrive. But the first we received..." Paimon put her hands on her hips and smiled. "Was Guizhong!"
"Mm... that doesn't surprise this Adeptus." Xianyun seemed to have expected it.
Lumine looked at the cool-faced white-haired mature beauty beside Ganyu: "I'm Lumine, she's Paimon—may we have your name?"
"Nice to meet you. My name is Shenhe—disciple of Master."
Shenhe introduced herself expressionlessly.
[My eyes lit up instantly!]
[Someone's blocking my view—turns out it's my new wife!]
[Cloud Retainer's human form is beautiful with great figure—so her disciple is not only beautiful but has increasingly ample bosom!]
[These legs, this waist, this chest—cool mature beauty, key point white hair! Mommy I'm in love!]
[I'm thinking—if I can take down Cloud Retainer, does that mean triple the pleasure? I suddenly have a bold idea.]