Meanwhile, inside the WangSheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue Harbor.
Today, it was rare for Hu Tao not to be out promoting business or messing around with her doggerel in the courtyard; instead, she was lounging in the grand armchair in the parlor.
She held a book in her hands, her eyes shining as she read, a grin stretching from ear to ear. Every so often, she would make clicking sounds of admiration or burst into a giggle, her legs swinging restlessly.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Marvelous, simply marvelous!" She slapped her thigh, nearly bouncing out of her chair. "Ningguang's subordinate and a disciple of the Adepti... This author, Hanabi, really knows our Liyue Harbor! This A-He—is that red string meant to bind her soul? But her heart is about to be bound by flirtation instead!"
Zhongli was sitting nearby, slowly and methodically savoring a freshly brewed cup of hot tea, his expression as steady as ever. Disturbed by the commotion from Hu Tao's side, he couldn't help but look up, only to see his Director grinning like a cat that had just stolen a treat.
"Director, what has made you so merry?" He set down his teacup and asked in a calm tone. "Have you found another interesting piece of reading material?"
"Oh, Consultant Zhongli! Come look, quickly!" Hu Tao waved him over excitedly, the pages of her book rustling loudly. "This book is so interesting! It's a love story between two women! It's even more engaging than Mr. Tingyun's operas!"
Zhongli's brow twitched slightly, looking somewhat puzzled. "Oh? Such a book exists? I wonder what the content..."
"The content is incredibly rich!" Hu Tao suddenly sat bolt upright and began to analyze it like she was reciting a rhythmic monologue, her speech as fast as clapper talk. "Look, this opening—the first meeting at the Jade Chamber—it's written with such tantalizing restraint, the atmosphere is perfect! That Alan character is clearly a veteran in the game of love; every sentence is a hook, every step is calculated! And then look at our A-He, an innocent little crane who knows nothing of the world, being flirted with step by step until she doesn't know which way is up!"
Next, she flipped the pages, her finger pointing at a paragraph, though she didn't actually hand it to Zhongli. Instead, she winked at him. "Look here, Chapter Two, the Bamboo Forest Maze, the hero saves the beauty... no, it's the beauty saving... well, anyway, they're fighting side-by-side! Alan starts making 'unintentional' physical contact here, even touching her hand while passing a medicine bottle. Tsk tsk, such clever little schemes!"
Zhongli picked up his freshly brewed tea, lightly sniffing its aroma. He did not interrupt, listening patiently.
Hu Tao grew more excited as she spoke, her voice rising a few notches. "The part after that is the real highlight! They eat together, investigate cases together, and things get incredibly dangerous in the mine cave. Alan even throws herself in front of A-He to protect her, holding her so tightly! Tsk tsk, this routine, this arrangement—if you tell me this wasn't premeditated, I'll write my name, Hu Tao, backward! This is a trap! A Love Trap specifically laid out for our simple A-He!"
Hu Tao became so agitated that she simply jumped down from the grand armchair. With one hand on her hip and the other waving the book, she paced around the parlor as if she had discovered some earth-shattering secret.
"Consultant Zhongli, savor it, savor it carefully!" She wagged her finger, her eyes shining with startling intensity. "Was it really such a coincidence that the mine cave collapsed right then? Exactly when they reached a critical point in their investigation? That moment Alan shielded her—the timing, the angle, it was absolutely flawless! It's almost as if she knew the cave would collapse! She held A-He firmly in her arms while only getting a few scratches on her own back—oh, that heartache, that guilt... how could our simple little A-He possibly withstand that?"
Listening to Hu Tao's rapid-fire analysis, a trace of thoughtfulness flickered across Zhongli's steady face.
"According to the Director, this character named 'Alan' is indeed meticulous and calculating," he spoke slowly. "However, by universal rationality, an act of protection in a moment of crisis, even if it carries a hint of deliberation, may not be entirely devoid of sincerity. As for creating opportunities to be alone..."
Before he could finish, Hu Tao slapped the table hard, her eyes gleaming as if she had caught a key piece of evidence. "Exactly! consultant, you've hit the nail on the head! Sincerity? Of course there is! Without sincerity, how could this trap be so seamless? How could someone like A-He fall so deeply into it?"
Clutching the book, she hopped back into her chair but wouldn't sit properly, squirming around while mimicking the tone of the book.
"Alan, your hand..."
"It's nothing, just a small wound..."
"Oh my, listen to that! Wasn't that 'small wound' just perfectly timed? Stirring the heartstrings invisibly—now that is a top-tier Hunter!"
As Hu Tao spoke, she rustled the pages again, found another part, and pointed while reading: "Look here, the part with the Treasure Hoarders. It was clearly something that could be solved in a few moves, but she insisted on pulling A-He into that narrow mountain crevice to hide. Outside were chaotic footsteps, inside was a darkness where you could hear each other breathe, and Alan 'subconsciously' protected the back of A-He's head, pulling her into her embrace..."
"Wow, that atmosphere, that distance—how could our A-He's thousand-year-still heart not go pit-a-pat?"
Hu Tao put down the book and spread her hands, looking like someone who had seen through everything as she shook her head at Zhongli. "So, how is this a coincidence? It's clearly a step-by-step conquest plan! From the stunning first meeting to the trust built through fighting together, and then the reliance formed in danger... it's a gradual progression, as silent as a spring rain. By the time our little crane notices, the immortal fields of her heart will already be overgrown with the Love Grass named Alan, and she won't be able to pull it all out!"
Hu Tao slumped back into the grand armchair, crossed her legs, and wiggled her toes, concluding triumphantly, "This author, Hanabi, is definitely a master of this craft!"
Zhongli looked at her triumphant expression and shook his head slightly.
He thought the Director's analysis would end there. He picked up his tea, gently blowing away the floating leaves, and was just about to take a sip when he heard Director Hu rustling through the book again, continuing her commentary.
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