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Yelan was unaccustomed to manning the counter of Yanshang Teahouse. She had employees for that, along with all other aspects of the teahouse’s day to day needs. Servers, bodyguards, dealers...each of her trusted associates kept things running smoothly while she dealt with other business, out in the field or among her patrons.
After the injuries she sustained a few days earlier, tightly wrapped wounds still aching with every movement, she likely wouldn’t be going out on clandestine missions for at least a few days more. So, rather than mope around her dreary little house alone, she’d taken up residence there, much to her employees’ unease.
“What can I get you?” she drawled, gaze flicking up from the sheaf of papers in her hand to the woman standing on the other side of the counter. At this time of day, the teahouse drew a mixed crowd—ordinary folks seeking refreshments and entertainment alongside the seedy crowd of gamblers it catered to after dark. From the looks of her, this woman was the former. Pale, opalescent eyes scanned the menu board, lips curled into a studious frown.
“I’ll have whatever flavor you recommend,” she replied after a lengthy silence. “I don’t know much about tea, and judging by the deposit I had to put down at the door, I suppose yours must be very good.”
Yelan clicked her tongue in amusement, setting her papers aside. This customer was an odd one. She could only imagine what her conversation with the hostess must have been like.
“Don’t know much about tea, eh? It’s not every day you hear that in Liyue Harbor. Then shall I assume you’re here for something else?” Most people familiar enough with Yanshang’s reputation to show up there for less than legal reasons knew they didn’t need to pretend once inside.
“Yes, I am.” The woman nodded seriously, brushing a hand through the soft, silvery fringe covering one of her eyes. The rest of her hair was woven into a long, loose braid at her back, adorned with some of the same red rope that accented her outfit. Something about it felt familiar, though Yelan couldn’t quite place it.
“Thought so. Game tables are this way, go right ahead.” She pointed back to the heart of the casino, past the few tables of customers enjoying their tea.
“Game tables? No, I’m not here for games. I’m here to check on you.”
“To check on me,” Yelan repeated dumbly, taken aback. “Well, I’m flattered, but I think you have the wrong girl. I don’t recall us meeting before.”
“We didn’t speak,” she amended, lifting one shoulder in a shrug. “I saw you at Bubu Pharmacy two days ago. You were injured. I wondered if you needed help dealing with whoever hurt you.”
She stumbled over the threshold of Bubu Pharmacy, legs burning with exhaustion and blood seeping through the fabric of her clothes, plastering the fabric ever more tightly to her skin. She lifted a hand to roughly swipe her hair out of her face, bracelet jangling against her wrist, and reached out for the counter to brace herself.
“Is Doctor Baizhu in?” She avoided the pharmacist’s eyes as she spoke, gaze focused on the counter. Her disguise should have remained intact, and indeed there was no recognition in Gui’s voice when he replied, but being so disheveled at all made shame twist in Yelan’s stomach. She fucked up. She should have been able to complete the mission unscathed.
Baizhu didn’t take long to appear, swiftly ushering her back to an exam room. When she left some time later, bandaged up and bag of medicine in hand, the pharmacy was empty for the night, save for Baizhu himself and Qiqi. Even Gui had left.
She never noticed that there was another customer when she first came in. She’d been careless. Even then...she’d been in disguise. Yelan sighed, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs as if this was all a mere trifle.
“You must be mistaken. Can’t say I know anything about that.”
“No,” the woman countered, lips thinning into a flat, stubborn line. “I’m not. I’m sure it was you.” She wasn’t particularly expressive, Yelan noticed. Her pretty face was like a doll, seldom disturbed by the ugliness of extreme emotion. “If you think I’m here to hurt you, I’m not.”
“Then why bother coming, supposing I am the person you’re looking for?” Yelan tapped blue manicured nails against the countertop, debating whether to return to her papers. “An injured person in the company of Doctor Baizhu couldn’t hope to be anywhere else, no?” She ought to have stopped there, but a final question escaped her lips, fragile on her tongue. “Just who are you?”
“Shenhe.” A moment passed, in which Yelan mentally cataloged the name, trying to recall whether she’d heard it anywhere before. “I don’t know why I came. I thought you might not have anyone to check on you,” Shenhe explained slowly, glancing away from her. “And I came for tea.”
“How are you so sure it was me?”
At that, Shenhe’s lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, heralding the softer tone with which she spoke after, all earnest amusement. “We all have our secrets, don’t we?”
Yelan barked out a laugh and got to her feet, not letting the pain onto her face. She was intrigued despite herself, curious about this odd, blunt woman who’d seen through her disguise and evaded her surveillance of the city.
“Then I suppose I’ll just have to uncover those secrets, won’t I? Take a seat and wait for your tea. I’ll bring you something good.”