Orion was instantly stunned by Hu Tao's question. It wasn't just him; Xingqiu and Chongyun, the two childhood friends, also simultaneously slapped their hands onto their foreheads.
Xingqiu's train of thought was completely broken by that question.
Ostensibly, Orion didn't know Hu Tao yet, so he cupped his hands and asked, "May I ask who you are?"
"Good question!" For some reason, Hu Tao suddenly got carried away and patted Orion's shoulder again, neither too hard nor too soft. Then, she flashed a thumbs-up toward her own adorable little face: "I am none other than the 77th Director of Liyue's WangSheng Funeral Parlor, the Dark Alley Street Poet—Hu Tao!"
Orion looked surprised, cupped his hands, and said, "So it is Director Hu Tao! My apologies for the disrespect!"
"Have you heard of me?"
"No, I haven't."
"It's good that you haven't!" Hu Tao propped herself up on the table and stood. "Although I, the Director, usually work tirelessly day and night promoting the WangSheng Funeral Parlor's business, I still read miscellaneous books in my spare time."
"And through my years of freeloading experience at the Wanwen Bookhouse, and having thoroughly read your various novels, I discovered that you can not only handle multiple writing styles but are also very knowledgeable about the customs of various nations, and you can even invent imaginative things like cars and airplanes."
"Don't freeload, pay properly before reading."
"Don't interrupt. Anyway, from that moment, I, the Director, felt that you would definitely understand my ideas, and I wanted you to help me strategize."
Hu Tao brought her adorable face very close: "Teacher Wangben, tell me, how can we use Fontaine's high technology to make our YangSheng Funeral Parlor's services more comprehensive?"
"Take photos," Orion said subconsciously. This single sentence made Hu Tao's eyes light up even more.
"Photos? Are you talking about the images produced by the Kamera?"
"Uh, yes."
"How do we take them?"
"Take one while they are still alive, develop it in black and white, and place it on the altar alongside the memorial tablet."
"Genius!" Hu Tao clapped her hands and stood up, her eyes full of mutual appreciation.
She patted Orion's shoulder, but her gaze shifted to Xingqiu, her eyes filled with disappointment: "Xingqiu, look at him! Look at that business acumen! I spent ages trying to explain this to you, and you didn't get my meaning, but look—my soulmate came along and instantly grasped my idea!"
"Keep it low key, keep it low key." Orion felt a little embarrassed by Hu Tao's praise.
Xingqiu pondered upon hearing this; Orion's words had enlightened him. Originally, he thought the Kamera was just for high officials, nobles, and wealthy merchants to show off, or perhaps cheaper versions could be used by specific workers like reporters, adventurers, or the Millelith when they were out on assignments.
But if even the WangSheng Funeral Parlor could utilize it appropriately, couldn't many other industries in Liyue integrate this high technology?
Hu Tao seemed to have thought of something else, and she shook Orion's shoulders with both hands: "Big Brother Orion, are you interested in becoming a consultant for the WangSheng Funeral Parlor?"
Orion was startled upon hearing this. Why was she suddenly inviting him to be a consultant?
Although he didn't reject the idea of being a consultant—and in the Genshin Impact fanfiction he had read in his previous life, quite a few people had used the position of consultant to get closer to Director Hu—being suddenly invited still shocked him.
A consultant, simply put, is an advisor. Zhongli, the old man, served as a consultant at the WangSheng Funeral Parlor in his human form because, as the Rex Lapis, he knew so much.
What the heck, was he suddenly going to become Zhongli's colleague?
"Wait a moment, Director Hu." Orion raised a hand to interrupt. "To be honest, we are in Liyue on a mission this time."
Orion pointed to Shenhe, who was currently being pitched Battle Through the Heavens by Skirk: "Miss Shenhe here is also a Disciple of the Immortal Sect, and we are accompanying Shenhe on her Mundane World Trial of the Heart."
"Wouldn't that be even better!" Hu Tao immediately showed an expression that said, "Nobody can compare." "Look, Mundane World Trial of the Heart, Mundane World Trial of the Heart—it only counts if there are huge emotional fluctuations! And if there's one thing our WangSheng Funeral Parlor is good at, it's causing emotional fluctuations!"
Orion:...She's actually not wrong.
In a place like the WangSheng Funeral Parlor, you can basically witness the full spectrum of human life: separation and death, couples passing away together, and even people turning against each other over the inheritance left behind by the elderly.
But honestly, Orion still hoped Shenhe could first encounter some positive emotions.
Maybe if Shenhe experienced more good things, she wouldn't casually lock people in dark rooms, right? That way, everyone could get their articles published in one go, and authors could even post suggestive pictures.
But Hu Tao immediately added a caveat: "Ah, but being a consultant at our WangSheng Funeral Parlor isn't something you can just decide to do. Procedurally, I have to give you a test."
Orion was surprised. This trivial matter requires an exam?
Well, that's easy. He could just answer casually and fail, right? Becoming a consultant didn't have to happen now. After Shenhe's matters were settled and the main storyline was completed, he would have plenty of time to take up the consultant role.
Hu Tao pondered for a moment, and a lightbulb suddenly flashed above her head: "Aha! I've got it! Write a poem right now! If I, the Director, like it, you'll be hired on the spot!"
"Oh?" Orion's expression froze. Unexpectedly.
As Orion and his gang traveled toward Liyue, he wanted to go at least once to listen to poetry on the Yujing Terrace. In his previous life, he had traveled to China and attended the Lilac Poetry Festival.
There isn't much to say—I couldn't understand him—but that doesn't change the fact that it was a very pleasant experience.
He became interested in Chinese poetry after attending that festival, so with the help of a tour guide, he was able to compose a few poems, which were later framed on antique parchment and translated into Chinese.
While Orion was lost in thought, Hu Tao had already decided on the topic: "Since this is an exam about your admission to my funeral home, I think it's quite fitting that it be a poem about it."
Xingqiu and Chongyun also looked over with some interest; only Skirk was still enthusiastically pitching Battle Through the Heavens to Shenhe.
She really loves reading Battle Through the Heavens.
Thoughts also began flashing wildly through Orion's mind.
First of all, his goal wasn't necessarily to join the WangSheng Funeral Parlor right now. The poem just needed to be symbolic, as he still needed to guide Shenhe through her Mundane World Trial of the Heart, and the main plot would start soon, leaving him with many things to do.
Hu Tao is capable of properly appreciating Kazuha's poetry, which means her aesthetic judgment is actually sound. Therefore, he shouldn't plagiarize an overly impressive poem here just to show off.
I've got it!
Orion cleared his throat twice to attract everyone's attention, and then began to recite:
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has coupons to try,Buy one coffin now, get a hundred to buy!Zhongli just sighs and rolls both his eyes,While I scare the locals with ghostly surprise!
Are you so bored? Looking for a new thrill?Let me measure your size for a box on the hill!Don't look so shocked, don't be full of dread,Life is so short, but you're a long time dead!
Skipping and singing, I run through the day,Selling fine graves in a cheerful, fun way.If the afterlife feels like a bit of a bore,Hu Tao will cheer you right up at the door!
What he forgot was that Hu Tao was the Dark Alley Street Poet. Although she could understand normal poetry, she was very interested in all sorts of strange and eccentric verses.
"Excellent!" A loud cheer came from the Damselette's mouth. She pressed heavily on Orion's shoulder: "You passed!"
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