Shao Yun carried the four neatly packaged juices out of the tavern, handing one to Paimon and another to Lumine. He began explaining why he had bought them.
"These four—one for each of us. The last one's for Amber."
"After all, we've been staying at her place. It's just a small token of appreciation."
Hearing this, Lumine wholeheartedly agreed with Shao Yun's gesture. She had originally intended to give Amber something too, or at least help her out in return, but everything had happened so fast that it slipped her mind.
"Good thing you thought of it, Shao Yun. I really overlooked that part." Lumine visibly relaxed, grateful to have someone thoughtful by her side.
As the western "Hello King" with full honor points, Shao Yun reserved his wrath for enemies and his kindness for his companions. Easing Lumine's worries was only natural.
On the way to Amber's house, Paimon cradled the gift carefully in her hands as if it were a priceless treasure.
Her face was lit up with a radiant smile—pure and warm, a joy rising from deep within. Her lips curved into a perfect arc, showing off a row of small white teeth.
It really was a good gift—an iced Valberry juice worth 1,500 Mora, enough to make her genuinely happy.
Lumine, noticing Paimon's barely contained excitement, gently nudged her shoulder while Shao Yun wasn't looking and whispered:
"Paimon…" She gestured subtly with her eyes toward Shao Yun.
"Ah! Thank you for the gift, Shao Yun. I really love it!" Paimon suddenly turned to thank him.
"Really? I thought you might be upset that I didn't get you something more expensive. You know, playing favorites and all."
Shao Yun had expected Paimon to feel slighted—especially after he'd gifted Venti a bottle of wine worth 100,000 Mora. He had even been thinking of how to cheer her up. But her reaction caught him off guard.
Paimon shook her head vigorously like a rattle drum. "How could I possibly be upset? 100,000 Mora is a lot, sure—but it was your heartfelt gift! Compared to that, it doesn't matter at all!"
She gently ran her fingers along the packaging, savoring every detail. Her joy radiated outward like sunlight, pure and sincere.
"Heehee, I don't even know how to thank you properly." Paimon snuggled her cheek against the chilled wrapping, savoring the cold seeping through.
Despite how noisy and picky she could be about food, Paimon was actually quite easy to please. Price didn't matter—if it tasted good, she'd accept it with open arms.
Shao Yun's eyes twinkled with amusement. He spread his arms wide in jest.
"If you really want to repay me, how about grilling me some steak tomorrow?"
"Deal! It's a promise!" Paimon instantly held out her fist toward him.
They bumped fists in agreement.
"Alright, let's hurry back to Amber's. Otherwise, we'll end up sleeping till noon tomorrow!"
…
When they arrived at Amber's doorstep, they expected her to be asleep—but the house was still brightly lit inside.
Shao Yun pulled out the key and opened the door.
"Amber, we're back."
Amber had been pacing nervously in the living room. Hearing the door open and Shao Yun's cheerful voice, she rushed over, her eyes filled with worry.
"Geez, no need to be that enthusiastic."
Seeing Shao Yun joking around was a good sign—he was fine. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Heavens, what took you so long? I was worried sick!"
Amber's eyes still carried a flicker of anxiety, as though the three of them might collapse from injuries at any moment.
Shao Yun looked at her, puzzled. Sure, it took them some time, but nothing worth panicking over. Lumine, Paimon, and he were all perfectly fine.
"You're still up, Amber?"
Seeing how nonchalant Shao Yun was, Amber gave him a look of exasperated frustration. Did they even realize how chaotic things were outside?
"How could I possibly sleep? The knights were going door to door, saying something about catching a thief. You guys didn't run into any trouble, did you?"
It really wasn't much. Even Lumine, who had fled the scene, hadn't felt in danger. And Shao Yun, despite being wanted dead or alive, had only found it tricky for a moment.
"Oh, that? We already knew. Just got stopped and questioned, that's all."
Seeing that Amber still had more to say, Shao Yun quickly shoved the gift into her hands to silence her.
"Let's not talk about that right now. Here."
Amber looked curiously at the purple box. She shook it next to her ear but couldn't tell what was inside.
"What is this?"
Such elegant packaging—what else could it be? A gift, of course. Just open it and see.
"It's a gift for you. Open it."
"Whoa! Isn't this Valberry juice?!"
Valberry juice was a Mondstadt specialty—not exactly luxurious, but certainly decent. She assumed it was worth maybe a couple hundred Mora at most.
But after popping the cork and taking a sip, Amber's eyes widened in disbelief at the flavor.
The rich Valberry aroma was incredibly fresh, and the ingredients were clearly top-notch. Paired with the refreshing chill, the flavor burst on her taste buds.
This wasn't some back-alley brew. Only one place in all of Mondstadt sold juice this good.
"Don't tell me… you bought this at Angel's Share!"
"Right on! Amber's so smart!" Shao Yun gave her a thumbs-up and winked like he was teasing a child. "Glad you like it."
Amber stared at the drink, emotions churning. Non-alcoholic drinks from Angel's Share were considered high-end in Mondstadt, way out of her usual budget. She'd only ever drunk beverages from Good Hunter.
Every sip she took… was pure Mora in liquid form!
"It's just a drink. Is the reaction really necessary?"
Watching her stunned expression, Shao Yun figured the sheer luxury had already shattered her worldview.
"Come on, don't just stand there. Go get some rest. We're all staying at your place, after all." Shao Yun gently pushed her toward her room.
"But…" Amber trailed off, still looking at the juice, practically tongue-tied.
"No buts. If you're really feeling guilty, just make us breakfast tomorrow."
He ushered her into her room, waved goodbye, and shut the door before she could protest.
Then he called up to Lumine and Paimon, leading them to the room they'd prepared with great care.
Amber and Shao Yun had poured a lot of effort into this room's design.
As soon as Paimon entered, her eyes sparkled with delight at the decor.
She leapt onto the bed, rolling around with glee. The silky feel of the sheets and the cozy warmth made her giggle with joy. Seeing her like that made Lumine smile as well.
She turned gratefully toward Shao Yun, eyes full of appreciation.
"Amber and I put this together. I handled the labor, she did the design. Nice, right?"
"Thanks to both of you for all the effort."
Shao Yun leaned casually against the doorframe, watching her with ease.
"No need for thanks. Get some rest. Goodnight. See you tomorrow."
He closed the door behind him, letting them settle in, then returned to his own room.
His room was much simpler—just a wardrobe, a nightstand, and a bed. Nothing fancy. As long as he could rest, that was enough.
He pulled out his drink and examined it.
[Valberry Juice: Greatly restores core stamina. Core effect: Electro Vision pulse.]
Not bad at all. 1,500 Mora per bottle. Time to see what it actually tasted like—especially if it stunned Amber like that.
He gave it a taste with the tip of his tongue. The fruity aroma was intense.
Then he gulped it down in one go. The icy drink slid down his throat like a cool spring, bringing instant refreshment and satisfaction.
"My tongue's going numb."
After drinking, his tongue tingled as though sparked by tiny electric currents. He felt energized and exhilarated.
After enjoying the drink, Shao Yun removed his hat, took off his coat, set his boots neatly aside, and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes to rest.
Ten minutes passed...
Twenty minutes...
Half an hour...
Shao Yun opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling with a wry smile.
"Great. Now I can't sleep at all."
With nothing better to do, he just lay there, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't go out this late—if a patrolling knight got suspicious, that'd be trouble.
Shao Yun lay there, one hand tucked under his head, the other drawing shapes in the air as he began counting sheep to kill time.
"One sheep, two sheep, three sheep..."
The only sound in the room was Shao Yun's soft voice, echoing through the air. Now he truly understood the suffering of insomniacs. It was pure agony.