Work Text:
The sun had long since disappeared behind the horizon when he arrived at Bubu Pharmacy, the residents of Liyue disappearing behind their doors as the coming night announced its presence. Baizhu smiled when he saw Gui behind the counter, chuckling when he relaxed.
“I almost thought you wouldn’t return!” Gui explained, moving away from the counter. He patted Changsheng’s head before taking the two brown bags from his hands. “I was supposed to be home two hours ago, Baizhu,” the young man scolded, and he waved a hand at him as he laughed.
“None of that now, Gui! Go home, boy.” he replied, smiling as he shook her head. “I’m not stopping you anymore, am I?” he asked, and Gui huffed as he got his coat. “Same time tomorrow though!” he called after him, nodding as he pushed up his glasses.
Still, he jumped when he popped back in, snapping for his attention.
“I forgot to mention: Qiqi is in the backroom,” Gui told him, and he frowned. He sighed. “She may have forgotten a customer’s prescription and gave them the wrong thing. Of course it was rectified before any real damage was done, but she’s still horribly upset with herself.”
Baizhu hummed, brows creasing as Gui finally left for the evening. Changsheng hissed by his ear and he sighed, moving to arrange the contents of his escapades before attending to his tiny friend.
He closed up the front of the shop before moving towards the back, a gentle smile on his face as his footfalls caused the old wood to creak. Slowly, he pushed the break room door open, shoulders falling when he saw Qiqi mumbling to herself as she wrote in her notebooks.
He draped Changsheng across her shoulders when he got close enough, chuckling when she squeaked before sighing.
“Master Baizhu, you’re home,” she started, voice airy and light as she patted the snake’s head. She averted her gaze. “Did Gui tell you already… about the mistake…”
He smiled, nodding as he sat on the floor next to her. “He did, yes,” and he laughed at her defeated expression. “But only because it was important! And besides, you and Gui already fixed the problem, right?” he asked, and Qiqi shrugged before nodding, nuzzling her cheek against Changsheng’s head.
“Well then, there you have it! Nothing to worry about, my dear Qiqi,” he said, smiling brightly. He reached over to ruffle her hair, grinning when she sputtered, batting at his hand.
Then, she spoke up, knotting her hands together. “So Master Baizhu isn’t upset with me?” she mumbled, and his amber eyes widened.
“Of course not, Qiqi! It was an honest mistake. I’ve done it too before,” he admitted, beaming when she stared at him in surprise. “But with time and practice, you’ll get used to it in no time!”
He stood then, reaching for her hand as he pulled her to her feet. “I bought something for you,” he said in a sing-song voice, giggling as her brows furrowed together.
“You bought something… for me?” she echoed, and Baizhu nodded as he pulled a glass bottle out of one of the brown paper bags. Qiqi followed him with her eyes as he moved to get three cups, pattering after him when he made his way to the break room again.
He set the cups on the table, filling two of them to capacity, and the last to a halfway point. Then, Qiqi’s eyes widened.
“You bought cocogoat milk!” she exclaimed, a rare smile gracing her face as she sat next to him. He didn’t even bother to correct her mistake as she reached for her cup, pushing Changsheng’s closer to the edge so that he could drink too.
Qiqi turned to him, a milk mustache already forming atop her lips. “Thank you, Master Baizhu!” she said, and he grinned as he took a sip from his own cup, the mistake long forgotten as they spent time with each other.
FIN