The sea breeze blew softly. Fang Qiu sat on a pile of timber, the wind gently tousling the strands of hair that were faintly damp with sweat.
A flush of color sat on her fair, pretty face, and her breathing was a touch quickened.
Qiqi sat next to her.
After their tireless efforts, the number of people moving about on the docks had finally dwindled considerably.
But the price was that she was tired as a dog.
Her constitution was still just too poor...
And the reason she was this exhausted was because she'd had to chase down a child who'd been running straight for the docks.
In the end, if Qiqi hadn't helped block the kid, Fang Qiu really wouldn't have caught up...
What kind of trashy noob constitution was this...
She'd long had an inkling about her own physical limits, and had once mused that her running speed wasn't even up to a child's, but the gap just now had been far too wide...
Almost twice her speed...
Fang Qiu could only chalk it up to the kid being from some martial arts family — Shaolin Temple style, the kind who'd been hauling two buckets of water up mountain trails since they were little.
"Ahem, ahem."
Fang Qiu gave a small cough. From talking so much, her mouth and throat had gone dry.
"Do you want some water? Qiqi... will go buy some for you."
Qiqi got to her feet and started off in the direction of the Chihu Rock market.
"Eh? Qiqi... wait a moment."
Fang Qiu hurriedly called out to stop her.
"Yes? Is there something else?"
Qiqi tilted her head, looking a little puzzled.
"Aren't you afraid you'll get lost going alone?"
Fang Qiu said with concern. "Once I've rested a bit, let's go together."
"No need. Qiqi remembers the way."
Qiqi shook her head and said, "You're very tired... Qiqi doesn't want you to be too tired... Qiqi will just buy it... and bring it back."
"Uh... alright then."
Although Qiqi's expression hadn't changed much, her tone was full of resolve.
Seeing this, Fang Qiu could only let Qiqi go on her own.
After Qiqi took a few steps, Fang Qiu called out to her again and asked, "Qiqi, did you bring Mora?"
"Mora?"
Qiqi turned around, tilted her head and thought for a long moment, before finally fishing out some Mora from her pocket and saying, "I have it."
"Good then."
Fang Qiu let out a breath of relief and said, "Be careful on the way. When you cross the road, remember to look both ways, watch out for carriages."
"Mm, got it."
Qiqi nodded.
"Should be fine, right..."
Watching Qiqi's retreating figure as she walked off into the distance, Fang Qiu sank back down onto the dry timber and let out a long sigh.
Her head felt a little woozy... maybe she'd take a bath tonight.
Still — the way she'd just been fussing over Qiqi, she sounded just like an old mother hen.
Fang Qiu smiled to herself.
Then again.
Who would've thought — Qiqi, with her terrible memory, somehow remembered to bring Mora with her every time she went out.
She'd heard Hu Tao mention once that the consultant at her parlor, the one called Zhongli, was always forgetting his wallet whenever he went out, and would have all his bills charged to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor or Northland Bank accounts.
Back then, Fang Qiu had assumed this Zhongli person was some senile old codger going a bit dotty.
It was only later she found out he was a young man.
"Still, young people can come down with senile dementia too, can't they? Next time I'll tell Hu Tao to bring Zhongli to Bubu Pharmacy for a check-up."
Bathed in the sea breeze, Fang Qiu muttered to herself.
As she spoke, the corners of her lips curved up into a faint smile.
Meanwhile.
"Buy something to drink... buy something to drink... buy something to drink..."
Qiqi kept repeating the purpose of her errand under her breath as she walked in the direction of Wanmin Restaurant.
Just as she was walking, while glancing at the shops along the way to see if any were selling drinks —
She suddenly heard a voice.
"Qiqi? What are you doing here?"
Qiqi's chanting paused. She turned, puzzled, toward the source of the voice.
"It's you guys... Eh? Aren't you supposed to be at the docks... waiting for Qiqi?"
Seeing Lumine and Paimon, Qiqi greeted them.
But halfway through the greeting, she caught sight of Shenhe standing next to Lumine, and couldn't help tilting her head as she asked the question.
"Waiting for you at the docks?"
Shenhe's brow furrowed slightly.
"Oh, I get it — Qiqi's talking about Fang Qiu."
Paimon blinked for a moment before catching on, and said, "Hmph hmph, Traveler, how about it? Pretty clever of Paimon, right?"
"Not too dumb."
Lumine said.
"So that's how it is. Little Qiqi did the same as I did — she mistook Miss Shenhe for Miss Fang Qiu."
Yun Jin said.
"Qiqi, she's not Fang Qiu — she's Shenhe."
Paimon said.
"Shenhe?"
Qiqi tilted her head and looked at Shenhe, sinking into deep thought. After a long while, she finally nodded and said, "Different."
"Good thing you got it, Qiqi. If you hadn't, it would've taken a huge amount of effort to explain."
Paimon let out a long sigh of relief, then said with mild surprise, "Still — to think even Qiqi knows Fang Qiu."
"She's really nice... plays with me... gives me coconut milk... Qiqi likes her a lot."
Qiqi thought for a moment, then said.
"As expected of Fang Qiu, so gentle. By the way, Qiqi, you just said Fang Qiu is waiting for you at the docks — what's she waiting for you for?"
Paimon asked.
"Uh... what was it again?"
Qiqi tilted her head and fell into deep thought. She stared at Shenhe for a long while before finally remembering, and said, "Qiqi... is supposed to... buy her something to drink."
"Buy something to drink?"
Paimon blinked, then said, "Then let's head to Wanmin Restaurant — it's just nearby."
After saying that, Paimon thought for another moment and continued:
"Shenhe, Yun Jin, why don't you two head over to Master Zhang's first? The Traveler and I will go to Wanmin Restaurant first to help Qiqi buy a drink for Fang Qiu."
"I'll come along too."
Shenhe shook her head.
"Buying a drink won't take long. Let's all go together."
Yun Jin smiled and said, "Blackcliff Forge isn't far from the docks. We'll be able to see Miss Fang Qiu along the way too."
As she spoke, Paimon and the Traveler both looked, in unspoken agreement, toward Yun Jin's still slightly reddened eyes.
"Alright then, let's go together."
Paimon nodded.
After that, they all made their way to Wanmin Restaurant.
When they arrived at Wanmin Restaurant, Xiangling was busy researching new dishes. When she heard they had come to buy Fang Qiu a drink, Xiangling quickly mixed up several glasses of a specially crafted orange juice. Besides Fang Qiu's portion, she made one for each person present.
She said this was her latest improved creation, and was sure to suit Fang Qiu's tastes.
After bidding farewell to Xiangling, Qiqi took her own portion and Fang Qiu's orange juice and headed off in the direction of the docks.
The rest of them, meanwhile, went first to Blackcliff Forge.
When they saw the shop full of Demon Suppression Swords and Demon Swords hanging on display, Paimon's eyes lit up at once.
"Traveler, hurry and buy one! I can't wait to see what you look like wielding one of these swords."
Paimon, hugging her iced orange juice, said excitedly, "What cool swords. But — should I get the Demon Sword, or the Demon Suppression Sword?"
"Set the sword-buying aside for now. Business first."
Lumine shook her head and said.
"Oh, right, I almost forgot. Yun Jin, your turn now."
Paimon said.
"Alright."
Yun Jin nodded and stepped forward to begin discussing matters with Master Zhang.
Back at the docks, Qiqi had returned to Fang Qiu's side and handed her the iced orange juice she'd been carrying.
Fang Qiu gave it a sniff.
Fresh and lightly fragrant — it was the scent of oranges.
It seemed Qiqi hadn't bought the wrong thing.
Only then did Fang Qiu relax and take a sip.
The cool, refreshing sweetness of the orange juice filled her mouth, and the burning thirst within instantly eased.
"Back from the dead."
Feeling the cool liquid flow down into her stomach, Fang Qiu let out a long sigh.
Only after she'd recovered a bit did she realize — this flavor seemed to be Xiangling's handiwork.
It tasted very similar to what she'd had before, except this glass was even better. It was likely Xiangling's improved version.
She hadn't expected that Qiqi would actually manage to bring back Xiangling's orange juice.
"After drinking it, do you feel better?"
Qiqi asked.
"Much better."
Fang Qiu couldn't help smiling and patting Qiqi's head.
Qiqi really was just too cute.
Just as Fang Qiu was relaxing, she suddenly noticed a group of people standing over at Blackcliff Forge.
That group looked very familiar to her, too.
It was Shenhe, the Traveler, Paimon, and Yun Jin. They seemed to be discussing something with Master Zhang.
As she looked over, Paimon was just then waving at her.
"Qiqi, I'm going to head over and say hi to them. I'll be back in a bit."
Fang Qiu patted Qiqi's little head and said.
"Mm."
Qiqi nodded.
By the time she had walked over to Blackcliff Forge, they had already finished their discussions.
After exchanging greetings, Fang Qiu noticed that each one of them was holding a glass of iced orange juice.
Seeing Fang Qiu's puzzled look, Paimon told her all about how they'd run into Qiqi on the way.
No wonder Qiqi had been able to buy Xiangling's special drink.
After chatting for a while, Fang Qiu also came to understand the matter of Yun Jin, Shenhe, and the Traveler's collaboration.
Only — during the conversation, Fang Qiu sensed that Yun Jin seemed faintly aggrieved.
After a bit of indirect probing, she learned that Yun Jin had read the Chenzhou arc of Sword and Fairy 2 the previous night.
That is, the story of Jiang Shi and Qin Ji.
And then she'd spent an entire night unable to sleep properly.
When Yun Jin asked about the ending of Han Lingsha and Yun Tianhe, and Fang Qiu told her that they ended up married, the aggrieved look in Yun Jin's eyes finally faded considerably.
After chatting for a bit more, they were about to head off to Mt. Tianheng to find Starshatter Iron Ore and Mysterious Flower Stone.
Fang Qiu chose not to go with them.
Firstly, because it was a competition after all, and her physical condition was too poor — she didn't want to drag them down.
Secondly, she needed to stay behind to keep Qiqi company.
"Alright then, we'll be off first."
Paimon said.
Shenhe, meanwhile, gave Fang Qiu a long, deep look — with the air of someone wanting to say something but not quite finding the words — and in the end, said nothing at all.
And so they took their leave.
Fang Qiu returned to the docks, and together with Qiqi resumed dispersing the people who drew near.
During the idle moments, Fang Qiu chatted with Qiqi about the small finch's recent news.
According to Qiqi, since she had grown so fond of the small finch, Baizhu had even gone to the trouble of building a little nest for it in Qiqi's room.
Yaoyao also loved the small finch a great deal, and they often played with it together.
The name Yaoyao was one Fang Qiu had heard from Qiqi many times.
However — whether it was simply not yet fate's appointed time or not, she'd been to Bubu Pharmacy several times without ever running into Yaoyao.
Still, from what Qiqi said, Yaoyao must be a little girl rather like a small finch herself.
Time drifted slowly by.
In the blink of an eye, the sun had begun to slant westward.
Dusk had arrived; the curtain of night was about to fall.
The yellow-gold sunlight spilled across the sea, the waves sparkling and shimmering like the scales of a dragon.
Seabirds perched on the masts, chirping and chattering without pause.
On the docks, a few people still refused to heed her warnings, busy with their livelihoods.
As for those few, Fang Qiu was at her wit's end.
There was nothing for it — they wouldn't be persuaded.
When Fang Qiu had tried to dissuade them, telling them it was dangerous to remain by the sea, their tones had been amiable enough.
It was just that what they said had left Fang Qiu at a loss for how to argue back.
"We've been fishing this sea for more than ten years. We know it like the back of our hand. Do you know the sea better, or do we?"
Seeing them adopt that air of "no one knows the Sea Lord better than I do," that look of self-styled know-it-alls, Fang Qiu could only give up trying to reason with them.
If anything actually happened later, she'd do her best to save them.
And so, holding to that resolve, Fang Qiu sat on the timber pile, quietly waiting for danger to come.
But after all this time had passed, nothing had happened...
The biggest "danger" so far was when one of them had been hauling a fish that looked like a tuna, and the fish had thrashed about and smacked the man across the face with its tail.
Thankfully it hadn't hit too hard — it had only knocked the man flat on his backside on the ground.
This left Fang Qiu somewhat puzzled.
Did all the fish in Teyvat love slapping people across the face like that?
She, the future Cryo Archon, the future god of Liyue, had almost been smacked across the face by a fish the last time she'd gone fishing with Hu Tao, Xiangling, and Guoba.
No — that's not the point...
Fang Qiu gazed at the sea's surface, rippling gently under the breeze, feeling somewhat puzzled.
The sea looked utterly calm and peaceful — picture-perfect, serene days — where on earth was the danger?
But Miss Ningguang had even sent Qiqi here to help disperse the crowd. Surely it couldn't be that the Liyue Qixing and Sister Beidou had got it wrong?
At some point along the way, Shenhe, Yun Jin, the Traveler, and Paimon had also come back to Blackcliff Forge. It seemed that Shenhe and Master Zhang had respectively forged and refined an Adepti Talisman and a Myriad Core, before heading off again.
In a great hurry — they had barely even greeted her.
Still, Fang Qiu could understand. After all, the competition had reached its critical final stretch, and they couldn't afford to fall short at the last moment.
Fang Qiu glanced over at Qiqi. Qiqi was holding her sword and gazing out at the sea.
"Qiqi, are you hungry?"
Fang Qiu asked.
They had been standing here for a whole day. Apart from a glass of juice, neither of them had eaten a single bite, and Fang Qiu was so hungry her head was starting to swim.
She wanted to eat...
It looked like there shouldn't be any problem now — she could go to Wanmin Restaurant, get a takeout portion, and come back to eat it.
Nothing had happened in all this time. Surely it couldn't be that something would go wrong the moment she stepped away?
"Qiqi is a zombie... so Qiqi isn't hungry."
Qiqi shook her head.
"I see." Fang Qiu nodded and said, "Then I'll go grab a bite first and come back. While I'm at it, I'll bring you some coconut milk."
She remembered that there were fruit stalls near Wanmin Restaurant.
"Mm, Qiqi... likes... coconut milk."
Qiqi nodded. As Fang Qiu rose to leave, Qiqi suddenly added, "When you cross the road... be careful."
"Don't worry."
Hearing Qiqi's warning, Fang Qiu couldn't help but smile. She turned around and patted Qiqi's little head.
At the same time, she felt a wry mix of amusement — she had lived to see the day when Qiqi was the one reminding her to be careful.
Fang Qiu set off toward Wanmin Restaurant. She had barely made it halfway when the sky suddenly darkened.
Hm?
Fang Qiu started, instinctively looking up — and then she saw an enormous something pass overhead.
It was the Jade Chamber.
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