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The laughter of children filled the harbor. Qiqi was sitting on the stairs as she watched the children play. For the many years she had been “alive”, Qiqi didn’t have any friends nor did she think she needed any. A familiar blonde-haired individual caught her attention. Even though she couldn’t remember things, Lumine was someone she remembered. Lumine noticed Qiqi and approached her. Qiqi noticed something floating near her and two small children waddling next to her. There was one girl and one boy and they were twins. They appeared to be around the age of six. The twins had dark ash brown hair that faded to dark amber at the tips and bright golden eyes. The girl had the same flowers Lumine had on her head and the boy had two sprouting cowlicks on the top of his head.
“Qiqi!” The young girl ran towards her, dragging her brother along.
"Hello Qiqi," her brother greeted.
“Yingtai, Zhong,” Qiqi replied matter of factly. Besides Lumine, she also remembered the twins.
Yingtai let go of her brother’s hand and hugged Qiqi. “I missed you Qiqi!”
“We just saw her yesterday,” Zhong said.
"I don't care Zhong! I missed her even if we saw each other yesterday!"
From Qiqi's knowledge Yingtai was the outgoing one while Zhong was the more quiet one. The twins' personalities were day and night but they got along with each other. "What brings you two here?" Qiqi asked.
"We came to play!" Yingtai beamed. Her appearance may have resembled her father's but her smile was a copy and paste of Lumine's.
"Play?" Qiqi tilted her head in confusion.
"You promised we'd play again today!" Yingtai pouted.
"I don't remember…"
"Now, now, Yingtai. Ask Qiqi nicely if she has time to play," Lumine said.
"Mama!"
"Miss Lumine…"
Lumine smiled at her. "Hello Qiqi. How are you?"
"I'm okay…"
"That's good to hear." Lumine squatted and looked into her daughter's eyes. "Now how do you ask your friends to play with you, Yingtai?"
Friends? Is that what the twins considered her to be?
"Qiqi, do you have time to play with us today?" Yingtai asked.
"I have time," Qiqi replied.
"Yay!" Yingtai jumped around with joy. She was a little too energetic for Qiqi's taste but she didn't mind. Spending time with the twins wasn't so bad.
"Mama…" Zhong grabbed onto her dress. Although Zhong was a reserved child, he was super attached to his mother.
Lumine petted his hair and gave a kiss on her baby boy's forehead. "Have some fun with Yingtai and Qiqi. Mama will be back soon with papa, okay?" He gave her a nod. "That's my brave little boy." She turned to Qiqi. "I'm sorry Qiqi but there are things I have to do today. I can't stick around." Even though Lumine was a wife and a mother now, it didn't stop her from continuing to help people with their requests.
"Don't worry about us...we'll have fun."
Lumine knew she could count on Qiqi. "Paimon you stick with them."
Despite the fact that their journey ended many years ago, Paimon stuck with Lumine and the family. She had become attached to the traveler after being together for so long. "Roger that! Make sure to bring back really yummy food, okay?" Lumine gave her kids a final hug, before running off to complete some requests.
"What are we doing today?" Zhong asked.
"Let's see Miss Ganyu today!" Yingtai chirped. “Where is she?!”
"She's at Mountain Aozang," Qiqi replied.
"Let's go!" The four of them travelled to Mountain Aozang. There they found Ganyu with the Cloud Retainer.
"Looks like we have company," Cloud Retainer said to Ganyu.
"Cloudy!" Yingtai ran up to her with Zhong treading behind her. She buried her face into the adeptus’ fur.
"Hello to you too little one," Cloud Retainer greeted her. Cloud Retainer had grown fond of the twins. They reminded her of the time when Ganyu was a little baby. “So what brings you three here today?”
“We’re here to play with Ganyu!” Yingtai replied excitedly.
“Just Ganyu?” Cloud Retainer asked.
“Of course you too, Cloudy!”
Ganyu smiled. “It would be my pleasure to play with you three.” It was an honor to her that she was able to be a part of Rex Lapis' children.
Zhong broke from the crowd and sat down under a shaded tree. He pulled out a book he had taken from the home library and began reading. Cloud Retainer joined him. “Do you not wish to join them?”
“Not today. I brought a book from the library, it’s about mama’s adventures.”
“Why don’t you ask her to tell you about her adventures?”
“She only tells me in short stories so I want to read about them more.”
“I see. I’m surprised she even had the time to jot down her journeys.”
“She didn’t. Papa wrote all of this down from what he’s observed.” He flipped through the pages after his eyes had finished scanning them. Zhong’s eyebrows furrowed at a page he couldn’t decipher. “Cloudy, what is an urge?”
"Why do you ask?"
“Papa wrote that he had a very strong urge for mama.”
“Give that book over here!” Zhong obediently handed the book to her.
Out of nowhere, Yingtai popped up and took Zhong’s hand. “Zhongy, let’s go play!”
"Okay."
Cloud Retainer was grateful that Yingtai created a diversion. "Goodness gracious. Why do they have such a book lying around in the library?! I must tell the mortal whenever she stops by next time."
"Cloudy, you too!" Yingtai called for her.
"Right behind you, little one."
They played until the sun started to set. By the time they arrived at Liyue Harbor, the sky was orange. Ganyu had work to return to and bid her farewells first. The twins dropped Qiqi off at Bubu Pharmacy. Paimon told the twins there was something she had to buy from the pharmacy and told the twins to go back home first. On their way back, a group of children similar to the twins' age blocked their path. Zhong shrunk behind his sister at the sight of them. She noticed that Zhong was afraid of these kids for some reason.
She protectively flung out her arm in front of her twin. "Hey, you're in the way!" Yingtai yelled.
One of the kids pointed directly at Zhong. "That's him guys! He's the one with freaky arms! Look he's hiding behind a girl!" They sneered at him.
"?!" Yingtai looked back at her brother. She had no idea her twin was going through such torment.
Zhong was born with marked arms he inherited from his father. A kid coincidentally saw his arms one day and had bullied him along with his group of friends ever since. Anger boiled within Yingtai. She was ready to unleash her powers onto this kid and his friends. Suddenly a pillar appeared between the two groups.
"Woah!" The group of bullies were afraid of the sudden object.
"It's not nice to make fun of someone for their differences," a deep voice said. Smiles formed on the twins' face at the familiar pillar and voice.
"Papa!" Yingtai ran to Zhongli.
He went down on one knee and opened his arms for her. Her tiny arms wrapped around his neck. "There's my princess." He picked her up. He took his glove off, exposing his marked hand.
"N-No way! The mister has the same hands as him!"
"The power that such hands hold may be more frightening than you think," Zhongli stated.
"Plus, they're unique and beautiful." Lumine popped up from behind. In her arms was a baby that resembled her. The said baby also had the same arms as her father and brother.
Terrified of the potential power Zhong held, they sincerely apologized to him. Zhong accepted their apologies and they went their way. Ever since the incident Zhong had disliked his arms but he found a new appreciation through his father's gesture.
Zhongli lifted his son up with his exposed arm. "Zhong, be proud of who you are."
Lumine gently smiled at her son. "That's right. You are an amazing young man whom we are very proud of so be proud of yourself." The baby babbled and gripped onto her brother's finger in agreement.
"No fair, I want cool looking arms!" Yingtai pouted. "Give me your arms Zhongy!" She playfully tugged at her brother's arms.
Overwhelmed by the positiveness his parents and siblings displayed, he teared up. Lumine wiped his tears away. "How about I make some almond tofu for dessert?" He nodded his head.
Zhongli smiled at his son. "Let's quickly head on home then." When they arrived back home the children went off to play while Lumine and Zhongli stepped into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Zhongli took off his gloves, rolled up his sleeves, and washed his hands. He started chopping some onions. Lumine looked at his arms. He remembered when he revealed his arms to her for the first time. Her eyes sparkled for she found them beautiful. She leaned her head on him.
Her hand stroked his forearm lovingly. “I love your arms.” She looked up at him and saw him looking at her.
He adored his wife more than anything in his many years of living. “I love you,” he said to her. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “My precious.”
“Mmn, more Zhongli.” She tugged on his shirt. She closed her eyes and lifted her face in anticipation for a kiss. He leaned down and planted a kiss on her soft lips. She tasted as sweet as she was. He set the knife down and trapped her in between his arms instead. Her arms looped around his neck and pulled him closer. The kissing came to a halt when they heard giggling. They saw their three children at the door watching them. Zhongli cleared his throat in slight embarrassment while Lumine smiled. They often showed each other affection in front of their children but light kisses and hugs at most.
“What brings you three here?” Zhongli asked.
“We came to help!” Yingtai replied.
Their children were too cute for words. Zhongli grinned. “We could use the extra pairs of hands. Come over here.” Yingtai grabbed her stool and placed it next to Zhongli. She helped cut some vegetables under very careful supervision from Zhongli. On the other hand, Lumine watched Zhong and their youngest wash the rice. It was the smallest moments like these that Lumine and Zhongli cherished. They looked forward to building many more memories they could part their children with.