They descended from Yujing Terrace and made their way to Feiyun Slope's shopping center.
Xia Ci immediately entered hardcore bargaining mode.
Xia Zhen found it amusing and eagerly joined in.
They haggled all the way down to cost price before pulling out their Mora to pay, looking thoroughly pleased with themselves.
Two goddess-tier beauties… yet absolutely terrible at living frugally!
Xia Zhi shook his head, stepped forward, and whispered, "Don't pay in Mora. Use your Liyue Bank member cards instead. Since this store belongs to Miss Ningguang, you'll get a discount—and save even more."
"!"
The shopkeeper was about to cry.
After an hour of shopping, they had accumulated a mountain of random purchases, mostly featuring Sumeru and Inazuman styles.
Back at the Summer Shop, everyone relaxed.
Some played Mahjong, others set up bedding, others chatted.
Xia Zhi had Xiangling go to the kitchen to prepare dough.
Later, they would all make dumplings together—festive and lively.
He hadn't expected that, besides himself and Xiangling, the best dumpling-wrapper would turn out to be… Guoba.
Normally, its paws wouldn't be suited for delicate tasks like this. But thanks to those Gloves, it was working with astonishing dexterity.
"Guoba, you're amazing!"
"Wu wu!"
Xia Zhi carefully washed a Mora coin clean and wrapped it inside one of the dumplings.
To accommodate Ganyu, he made sure to choose a vegetarian one.
"Boss, if I get the dumpling with the Mora inside, do I get some special prize?"
"You'll have great fortune and wealth all next year."
"Really?"
"Of course not. It's just for fun—a little game."
"Oh! Then can I stuff some Sakura Blooms inside too? Whoever bites into it, I'll gift them a novel I wrote!"
"Sure."
"Boss, I want to hide a dried fish in one! Whoever finds it, I'll give them a bottle of my best homebrewed wine!"
"Go for it."
"Boss, I'll gift a lipstick!"
"…"
"Anything goes—get creative!"
"Master, can I put a Jueyun Chili inside?"
"Uh… well… technically yes…"
"Yay!"
Thus, the dumpling-making became even more lively.
Everyone snuck in their own "surprises." Xia Zhi had no idea what weird ingredients were being hidden inside.
It was all part of the fun.
Charlotte eagerly joined in too.
Even as a Fontainian, she found the activity delightful. She even asked Xia Zhi to teach her proper dumpling-folding techniques, wanting to make hers look prettier.
Xia Zhi laughed. "You reporters have such great attitudes. Sitting among Adepti at lunch today, and none of you looked the least bit nervous."
Charlotte chuckled. "Lady Ningguang warned me ahead of time. I originally wanted to interview them, but Lady Ningguang forbade it—said it would be disrespectful."
"She's right. Liyue's Adepti usually don't like being in the spotlight."
"Yeah, I can tell Liyue and Fontaine are very different."
"Oh?"
"In Fontaine, Lady Furina—the Hydro Archon—loves being in the public eye. Every time there's a trial at the Opera Epiclese, she's there. I often see her feeding stray cats on the roadside."
"Oh? She sounds very down-to-earth."
"Yeah. Everyone adores Lady Furina, and she genuinely loves the people too."
"To be loved…"
It was rare to hear the word "love" used so naturally between mortals and gods.
Xia Zhi couldn't help but grow a little curious about this new Hydro Archon.
When he traveled to Fontaine someday, he'd definitely visit the Opera House and see her for himself.
He suddenly remembered something his cousin mentioned once—about the "Legend of the Hydro Dragon."
"I heard there's a legend in Fontaine that says when the Hydro Dragom cries, rain falls from the sky."
"Haha, yeah. It's because Fontaine's weather is weird. One moment it's sunny, the next it's pouring. Especially on days when there's a trial at the Opera House. But the rain never lasts long."
"I see… strange weather indeed…"
Xia Zhi lowered his head, thoughtful.
Liyue had also seen bizarre rainstorms recently—unpredictable and sudden.
He later discovered it was due to Osial's seal weakening, causing the leaking of divine power into the sea, which triggered the storms.
Could Fontaine's strange weather have a similar cause?
Was the so-called Hydro Dragon… another water-based god, like Osial?
But then again, Fontaine's weird weather had persisted for centuries.
Surely no Hydro Dragon would sulk for hundreds of years, crying just now and then?
Xia Zhi suddenly missed his little old phone.
Breaking my phone so I can't even check online guides anymore.
"By the way, doesn't your government regulate harmful substances like Sinthe?"
"Of course. But some people still secretly deal in it. And it only seems to affect Fontaine natives. Foreigners drink Sinthe and feel nothing—just a bit salty, apparently."
"Oh?"
A beverage that only affected Fontainians?
That genuinely surprised Xia Zhi.
As a master of medicine—and poisons—he knew how hard it was to engineer something genetically selective.
Practically like creating a genetic weapon back in the old world.
Then again, Teyvat had no shortage of strange powers and forbidden sciences.
Maybe it wasn't so impossible after all.
Charlotte noticed his thoughtful expression.
"Mr. Xia, you're not still thinking about that article I mentioned last time, are you?"
"What article?"
"The one where another newspaper compared Rainbow Juice to Sinthe—the article titled 'Liyue's Sinthe'."
"Oh, that… no, I was just curious."
"Actually, that article was really praising Rainbow Juice."
"Praising?"
"Yeah. The story goes: a guy got addicted to Sinthe after a relative tricked him. Then a neighbor, returning from a trip to Liyue, gifted him two bottles of chilled Rainbow Juice. He started drinking diluted Rainbow Juice every day—and managed to kick his Sinthe addiction. It became big news in Fontaine at the time. When reporters asked him how he did it, he said, 'Because Rainbow Juice tastes way better than Sinthe.' That's how the misleading title came about."
"...I see…"
In a way, it really was an advertisement for Rainbow Juice.
"At the time, Fonta Company even talked about buying the Rainbow Juice formula to release a new rainbow-flavored drink."
"Fonta?"
"That's Fontaine's signature beverage brand. Founded by the Fontaine Research Institute. Hugely popular back home."
"A national drink, huh…"
"Maybe you'll see Fonta reps come knocking at your door soon, Mr. Xia, trying to buy the formula."
"Haha, well, I'm not planning to sell it anytime soon."
"Mm."
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