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Chapter Text

The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has seen customers from all walks of life during the centuries it's been open.

Hu Tao can only attest to those that she welcomed herself or beside her grandpa: some of them were elegant, others were more humble; some were carrying fresh corpses in their arms, others would claim to have seen a corpse on the road that deserved a better departure than being consumed by the oh so scary demons that plague the Guili Plains.

There would be no such demons sometimes, because the folk of Liyue Harbor are anything but superstitious, but all circumstances ended with a body in a casket. Death isn't a discriminatory force; it won't spare hungry children, unfortunate fools or pitiful farmers.

Hu Tao has seen all sorts of misfortunes in her clients. Stories to tell, wishes to carry over, spirits to send over with a smile and a blessing.

The client before her today, however, is a lot different.

Zhongli clears his throat. "What is it, director?"

Hu Tao stares at Qiqi. Qiqi stares back at Hu Tao, unblinking. "Are you… sure this is the surprise client you were talking about, Zhongli? I know age can do awful things to one's memory, but we've very much agreed that this is an off-limits customer."

Qiqi rubs the back of her neck. "I don't want to be buried. Please, don't look at me like that."

"Oh? Are you here to book a ceremony for Doctor Baizhu, then? I knew he'd be kicking the bucket soon…" Qiqi squirms. Hu Tao can't help the amused grin that fills her cheeks. "Aha, don't be silly, I'm just pulling your leg! You have nothing to worry about, especially if you're here to book an appointment – buuut, for my favorite non-customer in town, I'll consider personal favors too."

"Personal favors," Qiqi repeats, before nodding to herself. "Yes, I need to ask for that. A personal favor. Um… what personal favor?"

The little zombie hurriedly takes out her notebook from her pouch, scanning the pages. Zhongli takes out a chair for her, smiling kindly. "Take your time, Qiqi. Would you like me to brew you some tea?"

"No. Tea is hot. I don't want it." She hops onto the chair and keeps combing through the fan of pages in her notebook. A gasp leaves her lips. "Ah. This. I need to go somewhere."

Hu Tao tilts her head. "Where to, exactly?"

"I– I don't remember. I think that's why I… took this with me. To show you." From the notebook she takes out a bent letter, and she hands it to Zhongli. He reads through the letter in silence, and Qiqi watches him patiently.

Blessed be his efficiency, Zhongli delivers a quick explanation. "It appears that the Bubu Pharmacy has received a request from the Yashiro Commission to assess an issue regarding the commissioner's health, Kamisato Ayato." He hands the letter to Hu Tao. "Do you know him by any chance, director?"

Kamisato Ayato… she shakes her head with dismay, reading through the letter. "No, not at all, but I met his sister a couple of times. She's an absolute riot to be with." A sudden possibility brightens up her eyes. "Wait, do they need our services too? I knew doing promotion there would work – it's like I said, any promotion is good promotion. Don't let the old hats at the Qixing tell you otherwise, Zhongli."

"I won't, Director Hu." Ah, of course. Always so diligent. "Alas, they haven't requested our services directly – only Qiqi's."

The little girl kicks her feet slightly, eyes closed in thought. "Yes. I have to go to Inazuma. A patient is sick. I have to go to Inazuma to treat him." Qiqi blinks at Hu Tao. "Doctor Baizhu told me to go so I could practice. But I shouldn't go alone. You have been to Inazuma, right? I don't know where it is… sorry."

Hu Tao nods, grinning. She's about ready to start singing praises about that nation again. "Aha, you bet I have! They have the prettiest blossoms and clothes… and don't get me started with the food!"

"The… food?"

"Mhm! If you lend me your ear, I'll even let you in on a little secret about something I heard a few days ago. Wanna hear it?"

Qiqi turns to Zhongli for a split second, clearly hesitant, before leaping off her chair and getting on her tippy toes so Hu Tao can whisper in her ear. It's a very small thing, it barely lasts five seconds, yet Qiqi stares at her with a clear disbelieving deadpan by the end of it.

"You're lying."

"I'm not. And I've heard it's very tasty too!" Hu Tao sings, smiling to herself and leaning back on her chair as Qiqi returns to hers. "So, back to business! I assume you came here to ask for me to go to Inazuma with you, hm?"

The little zombie nods shyly. "... Yes."

"I see…" Her black nails drum on her desk. "How come you came here for help and you didn't ask, say, Captain Beidou? She's very cool."

"Doctor Baizhu doesn't like her," Qiqi says with quickness. "He says she's a drunk. And dangerous."

Zhongli laughs gently. "Captain Beidou is incredibly courageous, but you won't feel any fear near her. She seems to have a soft spot for children. I'm quite sure she's taken little Yaoyao on trips around Liyue numerous times."

"Yaoyao." Qiqi says the name hesitantly, fondly, but her eyes light up slightly not a second after. "Yes. Yaoyao really likes Captain Beidou."

Hu Tao trades looks with Zhongli. She eyes the letter once more. Hu Tao is certain Captain Beidou would let Qiqi tag along in her ship, but vexing as that guy may be, Baizhu is correct in wanting Qiqi to have someone with her in Inazuma, and Captain Beidou rarely stays on land for long. Still, it's unlikely he suggested asking Hu Tao for help, of all people, so why would Qiqi come look for her?

Besides, Baizhu could probably send someone in his staff to Inazuma with Qiqi or go himself, right? That snake around his neck might get struck by a bolt of lightning if the Raiden Shogun is feeling violent, which given what books say about her, has happened quite often in the past. That snake is no different than the demons of yore that plagued Liyue once upon a time, aiya.

Sometimes, Hu Tao wonders if such a demon could be wrapped around Qiqi's neck, too, invisible but coiling all the same. She looks no different than a little doll with needles and thorns all over her skin.

Qiqi fiddles with the edges of her dress. Intrigue roots in Hu Tao's heart, unfurling with a quiet question. "How come you aren't going with Baizhu? As you may know already, I'm not exactly qualified as a bodyguard or a diplomat – I'm a funerary director."

Qiqi blinks. "He said I need the experience, and he doesn't like boats. Traveling isn't good for his health. He's frail. And Changsheng nags a lot about the sea breeze."

All of that is true, but... Hu Tao's eyes narrow, but her voice softens. "Have you not tried to convince him, still? They say a spray of sea water is a blessing from Fontaine's archon, and a guy with such a frail body and… questionable spirit needs as many blessings as he can get."

Her little joke makes Zhongli smile, likely aware that it's just another of her tales. It doesn't make Qiqi any less uptight, though.

Her words come out quiet. "Do you… not want to come with me?"

Such an accusation makes her gasp, alarmed. "No no no no no, don't say it like that! C'mon, how could I not want to spend some time with my favorite non-customer? I'm just being practical here!" She huffs, as frustrated with the truth as always. "I do know my way around Inazuma, but…"

"Yes. I know. That's why I'm here." Her little fists curl on her lap. "I… don't want to go with Baizhu, either."

Oh.

Oh.

Her consultant tries to meet Qiqi's eyes. "Did anything happen between you two?"

"No. I don't think so. Do you know if it has?"

He blinks. "I… haven't heard anything of the sort, no – so I don't know anything myself." Before Hu Tao can get a word in, Zhongli clears his throat and continues. "Still, seeing as Doctor Baizhu doesn't like sea travel, we can assume he hasn't been to Inazuma either. You seem to be our very last candidate for the job, Director Hu."

The last candidate for the job, huh? Granted, this isn't exactly her job, but it doesn't sound too dangerous, and not too many adventurers will be willing to essentially babysit Qiqi for… four days of medical assessment, the letter says. If their track record with Wangsheng is any indication, they're about as cooperative as two corpses trying to row a boat.

Ugh, thinking of those guys treating Qiqi anywhere near how they treat her poor, lovely undertakers makes her blood boil. She can take five days off to make sure such a thing doesn't happen.

Hu Tao puts on her best business smile. "My, how dependable I must have become in your eyes. What will be next, hm? Wanna see me build you a shrine out of osmanthus wine bottles?"

"That would be nothing short of a legendary feat, indeed." He laughs gently, so handsomely that her woes are soothed, serenaded. "We have cleared all important business for the rest of the week, and perhaps you could convince Adeptus Xiao to come with you this time, as well. A trip abroad is as healthy for one's soul as the embrace of an old friend."

What a lovely metaphor, considering Xiao truly, truly needs plenty of both – and if he comes along, she'll have time to give him all those things, all of it in spades. After all, Xiao is rarely unwilling, and his arms around her feel so…

Her cheeks turn a little pink. She smiles to herself. "Not a bad idea, but we'll need permission from our trip organizer, yeah?" She turns to Qiqi. "Do you have space for Adeptus Xiao, too?"

"Adeptus Xiao?"

Hu Tao clears her throat and tilts her chair backward. "O, Vigilant Yaksha of Liyue, Adeptus Xiao, in tears I plead for you to heed my call, to rescue me from the throes of corruption and save my–"

She squeals when a firm hand grips her chair and another covers her mouth. His eyes stare at her from above, half warm and half alert as he always is when she calls him, and she laughs against his palm. "You needn't call me so formally, my name alone would have– oh."

Only then does he notice that she has company. Xiao swiftly pushes her chair forward with a loud clack and straightens his back.

Zhongli's eyes grow warmer than summer. "You remain as dutiful as ever, Adeptus Xiao."

"I apologize for my intrusion," he stammers. "I didn't expect to be summoned during a meeting, of all things."

It's clear he's trying to scold her, in her office! Gosh, how brave of him. She grins. "Stiffer than a corpse and colder than hail. I should have cooked something in advance, perhaps that would have warmed your spirit a little, o mighty yaksha."

Xiao's frown isn't nearly as threatening as he wants it to look. Thankfully, Qiqi doesn't look too scared, either. "You're… Adeptus Xiao? We have met before, right?"

He nods. Hu Tao gestures at him. "C'mon, no need to be too formal, both of you – look at him." She looks him up and down, tilting her chair back again. "Standing so straight, his jaw set so tight… aiya, just a little stiffer and I'd think he's a cadaver. Declared dead from an overdose of formality."

The yaksha's eyes settle on her with a scoff. "You have no shortage of ways to make me feel this way, director." He pushes her chair until it's fully set on the ground again. "Also, stop doing that. It would be foolish for you to split your head open in the middle of a meeting."

"Aw, how harsh. I'm a little wounded." He clicks his tongue. Hu Tao beams and gestures at him. "See? Look at his vigilance and his threatening, suffocating aura! With him around, we'll be safe and toasty – not to mention that he makes for excellent company. Nothing like someone who gets your jokes to put a smile on your face." She turns to Zhongli with a knowing look. "Did you hear me, Zhongli?"

"What part, director?"

"The part about Xiao being reliable." From the corner of her eyes, she can see Xiao's face growing rosy. "And making me feel appreciated. Valued. Laughing at my jokes so hard his bones rattle harder than a crypt in an earthquake."

Against Hu Tao's wishes, his smile broadens. No self-awareness, this guy! "I'm relieved to hear Adeptus Xiao makes you so happy. director. I shall endeavor to brew you a tea fine enough to compare to such joy."

Ay-ay-ay, still not humoring her, huh? Xiao chimes in, voice distinctly tight. "I assume I wasn't called merely to fulfill the whims of director Hu then?"

With a mischievous giggle, she holds out Qiqi's letter for him to read. "How would you feel about escorting sweet little Qiqi to Inazuma?"

Xiao's eyes widen. His eyes flicker to Qiqi for a brief moment, uncertain and unsure, but Hu Tao nods her head with complete reassurance. As he takes the letter from her, his eyes turn a little warmer, sweet enough to make her stomach flutter with butterflies and for her heart to swell with anticipation, as it always does for trips like these.

Qiqi tilts her head. "Are you truly… Adeptus Xiao?"

He nods. "Yes."

"Ah." She scratches her cheek, frowning softly. "Strange. I remember you being taller."

He grips the letter a little tighter.

Oh, this is gonna be so much fun.

The sun is setting when Qiqi comes running down the boulevard. A few people turn and stare at the little girl as she bumps against them, and as tempted as Hu Tao is to tell her to take it easy, her eagerness is so adorable that she can't find the words nor the desire to stop her.

Her little bag jostles as she stops right before the funeral parlor. Hu Tao squats to her height with a giggle. "My oh my, someone must be excited to spend some time with yours truly, hm?"

"No." Ugh. "The sooner we leave, the better. It's getting cold, and if I get cold, I can't stretch properly at night. I don't want the rigor mortis to settle. It feels uncomfortable. I didn't exercise today."

Aw, they cannot let that happen, then! With a grin, she taps Qiqi's forehead teasingly, and the little zombie covers the spot protectively. "How so very responsible of you, Qiqi. Do you want me to help you? I could also use some stretches – going all around Liyue can be very tiring, even for someone like me."

Qiqi blinks, completely unfazed. "You are young. And you behave very young too."

Hu Tao doesn't let that little insult faze her. "I am young, but it's better to keep your muscles nice and stretchy in case you ever need to run from danger – or who knows, from an ill-fated shooting star, crossing the sky at maximum speed before falling on an unprotected head! Would hurt a whole lot, huh?"

Qiqi pats her own head with a hum, but no sooner does she open her mouth to speak, a familiar blur of wind appears behind them.

"Not even a star falling on your head would fix the way you go about your business."

Hu Tao rolls her eyes, standing up again. "Not a very polite way to speak to those you will have to protect with your life, Conqueror of Demons. Hope you will have our backs with that audacious mouth of yours, or else you won't be getting any extra pay."

Xiao arches an eyebrow. "You aren't paying me, and vanquishing any foe that threatens your lives won't cause me too much trouble. I could do it with my eyes closed."

She's seen him fight too many times to know he's right; he's the strongest man she knows on Teyvat, after all. Hopefully Rex Lapis won't consider her heretic for thinking that way.

Ah, perhaps she's too ignorant. And in love. She'll have to consult with Zhongli when she comes back. She folds her arms, pleased. "I hope you'll forgive my disrespect someday, o mighty yaksha. Do feel free to shut my mouth with your skills. Seeing you in action might inspire reverence in me."

His eyes widen an inch, and only then does Hu Tao realize what she's just said. Her face flushes – by the Seven, she didn't wanna say it like that! And it doesn't look like the implications flew over his head, either…

It looks like all of it was lost on Qiqi, though, who's staring at Xiao with a very tranquil look on her face. "You're Adeptus Xiao," she says, more to herself than anyone else. Xiao nods. "I can take care of myself. I have my sword. And my Vision."

"I'm aware of that," he says, breathing deeply, swallowing before continuing. "Still, I would rather you trusted me with your safety – and most importantly, you must stay away from me during a fight. Don't forget that, both of you."

"Okay. Please, don't be too violent." Xiao's bewilderment is so delightful Hu Tao can't help but laugh. "I don't like washing blood. It makes my muscles sore, and I sweat. I don't like sweat. It's icky."

Xiao gives her an unreadable look, halfway between confused and thoughtful, so Hu Tao gently pats Qiqi on the back, directing her down the bridge toward the wharf. "Aha, tell me about it! I have to wash blood off every day, and it's such a hassle – but if you want, I can give you some tips and tricks to wash it off. Wanna hear some?"

"Not now." Aiya, bummer. "We have to go to the boat. Let's go. I don't want to miss it. It's down there, right?"

Lips parted, Hu Tao nods, and Qiqi leisurely walks down the bridge. Xiao blinks at her, grumbling something to himself, and in turn, Hu Tao pats his back as they proceed onward, a few steps behind Qiqi. "Little steps, dear yaksha of mine."

"I know," he says. His words are quiet. "I can only hope things will go smoothly in Inazuma. I'll help in any way I can."

Hu Tao's eyes meet his, unsure of what to say – because truly, there isn't much more he can do, and in a world that goes as slow as Qiqi's, his unwavering patience will surely be his saving grace, if all else fails.

She brushes her fingertips over his palm in quiet solidarity, slightly shy about holding him with so many people around, and Xiao merely smiles faintly in response.

The Alcor is beautifully framed by the fading sunlight, pecked at by seagulls and boarded by burly sailors trimmed by the harsh autumn sunset. Hu Tao expects to hear Captain Beidou shouting orders left and right, but confoundingly, she is nowhere to be seen among the crowd.

A familiar guy is there, though. His eyes widen upon seeing them, and he leaps off a crate with a friendly wave. Hu Tao waves back, eagerly walking closer. The breeze he carries with his presence reels a content sigh out of her.

Kazuha's eyes sparkle with warmth. "I see that Captain Beidou was not lying about meeting old friends on our way back, though I wasn't expecting to see you again after this long."

Hu Tao gestures at the adeptus, grinning from ear to ear. "A warrior of his might can't be away from his homeland's hidden wrath, and many a client awaits my aid with long-bated breath – be it in Liyue, or even on this boat… Good thing I brought coupons, just in case."

Xiao throws her a doubtful look. "How many did you bring this time?"

"Only as many as a prudent funerary director needs. Don't sweat the details."

The adeptus rolls his eyes. Kazuha's eyes sparkle with unbidden warmth, even in the middle of autumn. "You two remain as charming as ever, I see. May I know the name of the little miss beside you, Miss Hu?"

The little lady in question, Qiqi, stares at Kazuha so intensely that it's a miracle Kazuha hasn't backed off already. Scratching her neck, she mumbles, "Um… I am Qiqi. I work at Bubu Pharmacy. That's all." She turns to Xiao and Hu Tao. "Do I have to say anything else? I don't, right?"

Xiao shakes his head. "You needn't give strangers all your information. Whatever you remember and deem sufficient is fine."

Kazuha chuckles. "Indeed, and there's no need to be formal with me, either – we will be traveling companions until we arrive at Inazuma, after all." He offers her a hand. "I'm Kaedehara Kazuha, a guest of this esteemed ship. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me – especially with Captain Beidou sleeping the day away at her barracks."

Qiqi stares at his hand before giving it a stiff, quick shake. Hu Tao's eyes widen. "Sleeping so late in the afternoon?"

"The trip back to Liyue was cold, and it was her idea that a bit of booze may help alleviate the effects of the storm on the crew." He chuckles nervously. "It was a night to remember. Drinks spilled like rivers into the sea, and a slight tang of alcohol remains in the kitchen. You'd best not go there yet, either: the floor is still sticky."

Qiqi curls her nose. "Gross."

Xiao nods in agreement, and Kazuha chuckles gracefully. "I hope your opinion of Captain Beidou won't be too harsh, little miss. She tends to get too excited about drinks when the need is high, as all us humans do."

Ay, as if Xiao and Qiqi would understand any of that. Hu Tao giggles. "Your inspiration is running as high as ever, I see. Care to trade some of your stories when we're settled? I could use some tales to spice up my verses."

"Gladly. I believe Juza should have made arrangements for you three already, so feel free to come in whenever you wish." He points his thumb toward the deck.

He steps aside and gestures toward the ship. With her chin high up, Hu Tao marches into the deck first, only turning to gesture Qiqi onward. The little zombie's eyes are caught in the endless nets cast from the masts and the passing sailors, the sharp harpoons cast to the side and the rust eating away at the screws under her feet.

Huh, looks like she's doing just fine. Hu Tao places her hands on her hips. "How about it? It's a very pretty ship, isn't it?"

The little zombie nods, still glancing around in silence. Xiao clears his throat. "Perhaps it would be best to rooms first. The bunks should be on the lower floor."

"Oh." Qiqi shrugs with her backpack. "Okay."

She blinks at them, and they blink at her. Hu Tao glances at Xiao, trying to indicate that this is the time for him to speak, to do something special, to start bonding with her! He was the one who has been worked up over traveling with her, so what's all this stalling for?

She pouts slightly, and nods her head toward Qiqi. The yaksha stiffens slightly before gulping and strutting forward, clearly intending to open the door for Qiqi, but the little zombie simply marches past him, opens it on her own, and jogs downstairs without a single word said – quite normal behavior to expect from Qiqi, but the clear disappointment in Xiao's face makes her heart crack just a tiny bit.

She tilts her head to meet his eyes. "Don't turn all blue and glum now, o mighty yaksha. You'll get more chances to show how much of a friendly, adorable gentleman you can be."

He frowns a little. She grins. "I'm not upset. I knew she could open the door without my help, I was only intending to go downstairs as well, nothing more."

Hu Tao clicks her tongue. Oh, to be so shy and in denial of such a rejection... "Unbelievable. Burying the body and hiding the shovel, are we now?"

Xiao looks away, and she laughs. Kazuha approaches them again, watching the open door with a bit of bewilderment. "I see only two unconventional souls would carry such an equally unconventional child with them. I assume Miss Qiqi isn't… yours?"

Hu Tao tenses up, and heat spreads from her stomach to her cheeks in a flourish. Xiao, quite pink on the face, clicks his jaw shut and speaks through his teeth. "Does she look anything like either of us?"

Far from offended, Kazuha smiles. "Not at all, but she could have been adopted. Many families in Inazuma have taken in orphans under their wing after the Vision Hunt Decree, so something similar may have happened after what happened in Liyue with Osial. I understand it was a difficult time to live in."

Perhaps not as harsh as the Vision Hunt Decree, but… one could argue Qiqi isn't enjoying the peace that should come after all that turmoil. Hu Tao bites her lip. "Qiqi doesn't have the easiest life. Maybe she'll cheer up if I write her something funny, with a little fanfare and buzz! Seeing the humor in life is the first step toward happiness, after all."

Xiao's condescending eyes are cast on her. "You should refrain from speaking of death in those poems, then. Nobody in Liyue, old or young, is immune to your philosophy."

"Ay-ay-ay, who said I'd say anything about that? Have you no trust in me, Conqueror of Demons?"

His lips quirk into a faint smile. "I wish I didn't."

Goodness, what she wouldn't give to grab him by the shirt and kiss him… but she'd rather not have a crowd. She clears her throat. "Look, I'm trying my very best to keep business off the table, but… you have no idea how hard it is, especially considering the snakes she lives with. Those two won't go out with a funeral, but a national celebration, trust me! At least for Baizhu's awful, awful medicine…"

Xiao sighs, but he expresses no disagreement – Baizhu isn't especially known for making yummy medicine, nor for crafting it with clean, upstanding manners. Kazuha looks much too clueless, though. "So… she is not your child."

"No," Xiao says. "We're here on business."

"I see. Given the size of her backpack, she must be the one in business out of the three of you."

Hu Tao chuckles. "I'm always on business, dear customer of mine. Please, never forget that."

"Ah, I would never. Your words are coated with too much mystery for me to forget so easily." Ah, what a delightful man. She'd even pull some time aside for him tonight to trade verses after Qiqi is asleep, but… "In any case, do not let me hold you off from leaving your luggage. Once again, I hope you'll enjoy your stay."

Xiao nods, and after a wave from Hu Tao, he turns her around toward the door of the deck, a hand on her back. His touch is a bit too distracting, birthing flowers and butterflies in her stomach that make her knees tremble.

When they cross the door leading downstairs, Xiao shuts it close and corners Hu Tao against it. She grins immediately. "Oh my, you try to seduce me the moment we're off earshot? How romantic."

A giggle rips out of her as he looks away. "I'm not trying such a thing. I only wanted to ask if you would join me after dinner to watch the stars – after Qiqi is asleep, of course."

It's not fair for him to be so adorable when she's trying to tease him! Hu Tao nods, pursing her lips. "Sounds like a good plan, but just so you know, there was no need to corner me for such a harmless request, dummy. Were you scared I might run off with Kazuha after dinner to sing poems all day long?"

Xiao doesn't flinch, nor does he frown, but something in his expression whispers to her that she's at least half right. Her lips quirk with growing smugness, and that is when he frowns and pulls away, clicking his tongue before wordlessly walking downstairs without elaboration.

She bursts out laughing and follows after him into the corridor. "Waitwaitwait! C'mon, don't run off! It's unfair for you to do that and bolt!"

Under the racket and ruckus of the crew padding over the deck, she swears Xiao chuckles – so she throws an arm around his, off to find their barracks amidst traded jokes and tender threats.

Not too long after setting off to Inazuma, the cook calls everyone for dinner, though calling it a dinner would be misleading – an insult, even, since dinners were designed to eat and most people in this room are far more interested in drinking their booze and spilling it everywhere they touch.

Xiao had tactically opted out the moment he glanced into the room, retiring to his usual post at the mast, and Hu Tao had decided to lead Qiqi away from there the second the little girl was done with her food and take her to the deck to get some air.

When Hu Tao clicks the door shut behind them, Xiao appears right in front of them. She'd giggle and ask if he's here to escort them to their rooms, if not for Xiao's early promise to stargaze and the evident intentions in his eyes.

She hides a laugh behind her hand. "Oh my, just like that lady said, this ship must be haunted by a spooky ghost! You nearly scared poor Qiqi here into a heart attack, o mighty yaksha."

"I wasn't scared," Qiqi says, without the faintest hint of fear, but she looks at Xiao almost apologetically. "I have seen very scary things at the pharmacy. And outside of it."

Hu Tao gasps. "And you didn't tell me? We can't have unwanted and scary presences in a place as sacred as a pharmacy, you'll end up scaring your clients to the other side of the Boundary, and they can't go without a proper ceremony first…" She leans over to meet Qiqi's eyes. "Did you see a ghost around there, or an evil spirit with sharp claws and thirst for blood? What did they look like?"

"I… don't remember. Sorry." Aiya, there goes her curiosity… "I don't really care, so it's fine. Some of them keep me company. They're less noisy than you."

The insult phases right through her like a spirit, leaving her only slightly cold and amused. Xiao doesn't make it any better. "Didn't we agree you wouldn't speak of these things in front of her?"

Hu Tao laughs. "I'm only being cautious here, silly. We all know Doctor Baizhu has a… curiosity for things mortals shouldn't have. A word of caution keeps an exorcism away, like they used to say! Better keep an eye on Qiqi out there."

"I can protect both of you with ease, but you need to stay back." Both of them nod eagerly, and Xiao folds his arms. "My blade can pierce through bone and flesh like heated iron, and neither the smell nor sight is pleasant. I speak from experience when I ask you to stay away."

Qiqi squirms a little. Hu Tao grimaces. "Didn't we agree not to speak of violent things with her nearby?"

"I'm merely being cautious," he says. "We did, on the other hand, agree not to speak of funerals in her presence. I thought mortals had better memory than that."

"I wasn't speaking of funerals, but ghosts, and I only do it to protect her! You might be the first living creature to nag more than a dead spirit, o mighty yaksha – and your memory is even worse than that of an old man." With a teasing smirk, she looks him up and down. "You don't look too unhealthy, though. Just a little grumpy."

Oh, how she loves to tease him like this. Who knows what he'll say next! Will he call her a silly mortal? Will he brush her aside to get the dinner he probably really needs?

"Okay. I'm going to bed." With wide eyes, the two watch Qiqi walk toward the stairs leading down. "Please, don't make too much noise. I'm tired. I want to stretch in peace. Good night."

The door shuts close without any fanfare, not even the hint of a slam. What she'd give to see Qiqi give off some emotion, even if it's anger…! But if she's not angry at them, then all the better.

Well, since her favorite non-customer is away, she'll have to torment her dear yaksha next. She steps aside with a giggle. "Looks like we'll be stargazing a little sooner than I expected. Why don't you get some dinner? I'll wait for you at our spot."

"It's fine. I'm not hungry." Instead of heeding her very sage advice, he extends his hand toward her. "Hold onto me. We can watch the stars better from the mast."

She opens her mouth to reply that yes, they should go, for the sooner they get there the longer they can huddle together for warmth, but Xiao sweeps her into his arms with a twirl and leaps to the sky, causing Hu Tao to squeal and loop her arms around his neck.

She hooks a hand atop her hat. "You didn't even give me time to hold on!"

His eyes sparkle with mirth under the stars, crinkled ever so gently. "You should develop better reflexes, then."

Pfft, reflexes, he says! It's not like he's gonna drop her, anyway – his hold is so tight she can nearly feel the callouses under his gloves on her legs and through her coat. The trip isn't long enough for her to dwell on the details, the quirk of his lips or his accelerated heartbeat, and when he gently deposits her on safe ground, she finds herself a little cold, a little restless.

Xiao sits right beside her within a second, and she sighs. Having Qiqi around has put a hinder on her desires to spend this week stuck to her dear yaksha's side, but she'd never say no to spending time with her – and she looks happy enough to be here.

Hm. Maybe she isn't happy, per se – but she definitely is not sad. That's a win any way she looks at it!

The breeze crosses the space around her, caresses her skin with the faraway chill of soon to come winter, and the nightly squall of seagulls flying back home. Xiao prompts her with a nudge of his shoulder. "You're eerily quiet."

"Aw, eerily? Couldn't you find a less spooky word for it? Interestingly, charmingly – confoundingly, perhaps? It makes me sound far more intriguing than scary, o mighty yaksha."

"Pardon me for finding it eerie. You might as well be ill if you're so quiet." That gets a little laugh out of her. He settles against the wooden post behind them. "What's on your mind?"

Hu Tao shakes her head dismissively. "It's nothing, don't worry – just got many things in my head. The bread and butter of a poet such as myself. I shall put my thoughts into verse for you, if you wish." She lets out a playful giggle. "Beware of the thoughts of the versemonger of the darkest alleys, though. Poor Zhongli must have awful, awful nightmares now."

"I wouldn't be too surprised. You tend to influence people in the most curious of ways sometimes."

"Oh? Why are you making it sound like a bad thing, o mighty yaksha?" When his eyebrows shoot up, she scoots closer to him, a hand on her heart. "To think that I, worshiper of the adepti and Rex Lapis, could have offended the mightiest adeptus in Liy–"

He cups her mouth and yanks her to his side while she laughs hysterically against his palm. "You're too loud sometimes."

She slowly removes his hand from her face, but not without leaving a kiss on his palm that makes his half-baked chiding melt a little. Hu Tao smiles. "Aw. Shall I simply whisper my thoughts from now on, hm?"

Xiao chuckles, and with the seaward winds rustling his hair and the moonlight framing his cheeks and gleaming in his eyes, she lets out a content sigh and places her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. The ship rocks them gently against the breeze, with the sea crashing in waves and foam sizzling in the distance. Effervescent, gentle in its nightly quietness.

The yaksha's hand brushes hers on her lap, and she takes it into hers, caressing the fabric of his glove with her thumb. It's so soft despite the roughness she knows he works with every day of his life.

His voice is low against her, near her ear. Neither the breeze nor the cold chill are to blame for the shudder that comes next. "Qiqi seems to be adapting well."

That's certainly a way to put it. She chuckles. "We've only boarded the ship. We have to see if she'll like Inazuma at all… it'll be colder than Liyue. That should be a good thing for her, right?"

"Indeed. Did you pack thicker clothes?"

Oh, this man. She turns to him with a grin – it's impossible not to love him, sometimes. "What a silly concern for you to have, o mighty yaksha of mine. Will you lend me your body if the cold gets to me?"

Evidently, he doesn't look too put off by the idea, but he doesn't look convinced, either. "Didn't we agree we shouldn't make our relationship obvious?"

"If we wanna save ourselves the gossip, we should. For now." Xiao nods readily to that, just as she expected, because keeping these sorts of secrets isn't his forte – but something else seems to bother him. "Hmmm… do you not agree anymore?"

"No. I do. For now." Yes, for now. "But given your behavior, it may be a challenge for Qiqi not to notice that we're dating."

She gasps – no no no, he can't tell her that! Nobody is supposed to know that they're together, especially when Xiao is going to be in charge of keeping them safe! Hu Tao knows Qiqi doesn't trust her, so there's no way she'll trust Xiao if she thinks they're dating. And if Xiao finds out Qiqi doesn't like him either, then he'll be heartbroken beyond belief!

What a mess, what a bummer that could be… but Hu Tao smirks. "With my behavior? It takes two to be in a relationship, Alatus. You could simply push me away, something about… ahem, mortals trespassing the sacred boundaries between adepti and the lowly laymen of Liyue."

"You… make it hard for me to push you away." She giggles. "And I have never called mortals lowly, even if some of them certainly are lowly."

"Aiya, you and your standards. Are all adepti as fussy as you are?"

"No. Sadly." Archons, this guy… "My standards aren't quite so high, anyway. I simply don't interest myself with liars or scam artists."

Oh, that wording – she knows where this is coming from. With a giggle, she laces his fingers with hers. "Still upset about Starsnatcher?"

"Not too much. He has taken the time to redeem himself. Pervases would be overjoyed to see a temple erected in his honor, humble as the shrine may be." And at least it's clean, too. That guy is very much trying, that's for sure. "He isn't the only impostor that has cropped up in recent times. They stain the legacy of the adepti with their fictitious feats. You can't blame me for thinking lowly of them."

Of course she doesn't. Hu Tao has seen her fair share of scammers and suspicious merchants in all her years as a director, from false astrologists to doctors of the colder, cynical type; eerily similar to Baizhu, sans the passion for his job and the efficacy of his medicine.

"Your standards are justified," she says, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "Don't forget, though! Not all mortals are scammers or adepti-seeking heretics – I'm neither a scammer nor a heretic, for example."

When he lets go of her hand to hook an arm around her waist, she gasps in surprise. "Does that mean you're seeking the adepti as all mortals tend to?"

Hu Tao tilts her head and cups his cheeks with a grin. "Why would I seek the adepti when I have you right here, Alatus?"

A stammer trembles on his lips before his gaze sharpens and he pulls her closer. Her heart flutters at his proximity, the heat radiating off his body and the faint scent of Liyue that remains on his clothes through the ocean's saltwater; the Qingxins, the incense she was burning this morning in her office, the speckled goosebumps she can see on his neck when she drags a nail down his chest.

He cups her face, tips her eyes toward him, and brushes his nose against hers. His intentions are so clear that she wishes he wouldn't be so sweet and shy. His lips brush hers slightly, and she holds her breath, casting her gaze down before closing her eyes. His hold on her tightens, she bites her lip in anticipation and gently digs her nails on his chest, waiting for his kiss, yearning his warmth, his affection, his–

Her stomach roars in protest through her clothes, and they snap out of the moment to look down at her middle. She lets out a little whine, and in response, Xiao drops a kiss on her forehead, so sweet that she begs for its warmth to last long beyond this moment.

"It looks like you're hungry."

"Only slightly," she admits, knowing her rumbling stomach won't let her lie. "I didn't have much to eat earlier."

Xiao doesn't say a word about it, probably remembering that Qiqi was with her the entire evening. She was much too worried about Qiqi eating well to pick up her own fork. He lets go of her. "I will get something for you."

Oh, her poor heart… The yaksha swiftly begins to climb down the net attached to the mast, but not before Hu Tao peers over the ledge, on her knees. "Hold on, hold on! You forgot something, you can't go yet!"

He shoots her a skeptical glance, eyebrow arched and looking unimpressed by whatever she's about to ask for, but Xiao relents and climbs back up anyway until he's grasping the wood of the mast. "What is it? Food will soon run out if I–"

Hu Tao yanks him upward by the cheeks and kisses him on the lips, swallowing his little gasp and smiling as he climbs the net up just a little further, enough to hold onto her neck to tilt her head and kiss her deeper, if only for a moment, sighing into the kiss – but then she breaks the kiss, grinning until her cheeks hurt, and letting him go.

"There you go. That's all." Aha, she's a little breathless, and he looks so cute. "You're free to go, Conqueror of Demons."

His left eyebrow twitches. "You– I–" His cheeks turn into a wash of pink, and Hu Tao giggles as her cheeks catch heat, too. "I shall go get you food. Wait here."

Hu Tao watches him climb down before cupping her mouth to shout, "Don't forget about the seasoning! I'll accept chilies too!"

He stops his descent to chuckle, disbelief in his eyes. "You believe they will have chilies here?"

"Hmm, who knows. Xiangling's been here a lot, and you know her taste isn't exactly conventional." Xiao gulps, and with a hum, she twirls a lock of hair around a finger. "And… don't take too long, o dear yaksha of mine. Watching the stars and moon on my lonesome isn't quite as fun – and you promised me stargazing, don't forget!"

Much to her elation and surprise, Xiao drops off the net altogether and hurriedly pads across the dock and down to the dining area, and Hu Tao swears she falls even a little more in love with him, one twinkle of the stars and one heartbeat at a time.

Inazuma is still as blissfully quiet as when they last left it months ago. Its tranquil waters welcome them to Ritou amidst the chatter of workers at the port scurrying around with boxes that rattle with unrest in their arms. Their backs are bent with a deep curve of exhaustion, and when Captain Beidou struts out, she swears that bend only gets steeper.

Much to Hu Tao's surprise, a familiar guy awaits at the port, waving at them before walking toward the ship. His steps are light, unhurried.

Captain Beidou's voice is boisterous. "Lovely sight for sore eyes, Thoma. Here to pick up your guests?"

"Yup! I expected you guys to arrive a little later, actually – and not with so many surprise guests in tow." His eyes pan to Xiao and Hu Tao before settling on Qiqi, who regards him with a polite stance, hands on her front. "I suppose you must be the little pharmacist Lord Kamisato told us about. I don't recall Miss Hu and Sir Xiao here being pharmacists."

Hu Tao crosses her arms. "Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has extensive experience patching up their clients, just so you know… but you won't be needing any of our help anytime soon, unless you're preparing to move to your durable, sturdy, and beautiful second home."

Thoma smiles nervously. Qiqi turns to her. "You're not a doctor, right? Why do you do that?"

"We can't have families throwing up at the sight of their beloved's guts, can we? And we have to add some makeup, too – not everyone rocks the pale skin look like you do, you see." She says this with a smile, because frankly speaking, bringing beauty back to the deceased is the one last act of grace the funerary can provide. "I can show you my stitching skills if you need! I'm great at it."

"No. I can do it myself. I'm a pharmacist. Closer to a doctor than you." What a shame, she's right. "I think I can do it, at least. I don't remember how that works right now."

Xiao sighs. "I assume Qiqi's client is in the Kamisato Estate, correct?"

Thoma enthusiastically nods, gesturing behind him. "I've got a carriage ready to take us there. Milady is dying to meet you, Miss Qiqi – and I'm sure she'll be happy to see you two again. She'll be thankful for the company during my lord's treatment."

Captain Beidou stretches her arms with a slight groan. "I'll leave 'em in your hands then. Remember, we leave in four days, so don't go around getting in trouble. Kujou Sara's not on the lenient side of the law, trust me."

Hu Tao grins. "We'll keep it in mind – but don't you worry. We're all law-abiding citizens here."

Xiao throws a look her way, which she fights with a wink. He chuckles with a slight sigh, and before she can get an argument on his silly, ill-placed distrust, Qiqi speaks up. "Can we get going? I don't like leaving patients waiting… um, where does he live?"

Qiqi rummages through her pouch to take out her notebook. Thoma gestures forward with a move of his head. "I'll tell you all about him on our way there. Let's get going before it gets dark."

And so they do, loading their meager belongings into the carriage and speeding through the island. After noticing Qiqi's very evident interest in the carriage, Thoma had suggested she sits at the front outside the bonnet while he pushes it, but in the end, Qiqi ends up pushing the carriage across Narukami Island alongside Thoma.

It's a slightly concerning sight to behold, seeing a child push a carriage with so much might. She doesn't look too frazzled, and neither does Thoma, which Xiao quickly justifies by putting her hand on the seat of the carriage so she can feel the energy thrumming through the wooden planks.

It's faint, but the elemental energy is there – and Qiqi has the power of numerous adepti inside of her, so she could probably lift three people together with ease, something Xiao is quick to say that he can do, too.

Aiya, his adeptal arrogance can be so endearing, sometimes. With her arms crossed, she nudges his side. "You could put that strength to use in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you know. We offer complete funerary insurance to all our workers, no matter your rank – and for you, I might even shower your casket with a rain of roses… in honor of our romance. Sounds good?"

Xiao chuckles. "I would rather put my time to use by vanquishing the evil of Liyue. You could probably develop better strength on your own if you trained often."

"How bold of you to assume I don't." She sticks her tongue out. "But don't you worry, o mighty yaksha. I'll start doing enough exercise to one day sweep you off your feet, just you wait."

She's obviously joking, because not even at the peak of her strength could she lift him up for more than two seconds, but his expression shines with amused fondness that almost allows her to humor the thought. "I'll be waiting, then."

The Kamisato Estate is in disarray when they arrive, with people hurriedly walking out and into the property with a sense of hurry that looks strangely out of place. It's not too often that she sees so many soldiers around one area, to the point she's worried they might have been too late to cure that poor man – or even worse, that there may be a criminal on the loose!

Thoma doesn't seem too worried about this, though. "Here we are, welcome to the Yashiro Commission! I'll ask our staff to take your luggage to the guest rooms. My lord must be waiting for you."

They follow Thoma through the estate and the orderly sort of chaos it's in. They push through the main doors, past two soldiers that bow their heads in the presence of Thoma, and the house is plunged into sacrilegious silence when the doors click shut again. It's a clean space, save for the speckles of dust filtering across the beams of sunlight.

The shadows of this home are cold, akin to the caress of a ghost with no warmth left to its presence. Their heels click dimly against the polished floor.

"My lord must be in his bedroom. He's been in bed for two days." Thoma explains as he leads them through the house. His voice is alarmingly severe, deep in its concern. "I assume the family doctor must have left already, so Guuji Yae must be here."

That last name rings a bell in Hu Tao's head, one that, as they approach the chamber in question, grows restless and makes nervousness bloom at the pit of her stomach like a howling well with thorns. Hushed chatter can be heard through the doors, she can feel a feathery tether of Electro crackling between her fingers.

Electro… Guuji Yae…

Thoma opens the doors leading to his lord's chamber.

"What do you mean you added an unripe melon to your soup?" Lady Yae clicks her tongue. Oh no, this woman… "It's no wonder you have an upset stomach. You didn't need the consultation of a shrine maiden to know that."

The man on the bed laughs weakly. "I heard it was very good for blood flow. You can't blame me for trying."

Ayaka, seated beside him on a chair, shakes her head. "You should have consulted Thoma for this. We agreed you wouldn't approach a kitchen without supervision, especially now that you're ill. You can't afford any experiments now that you're sick, brother."

Before things can go any further, Thoma clears his throat loudly enough to rouse the other three out of their argument. "I have returned, my lord! The pharmacist we called from Liyue has arrived earlier than expected – along with two additional guests."

As Lord Kamisato sits on bed, Ayaka stands up from her chair, eyes wide. "Oh my, what a surprise! To think we'd have old friends visit today, of all days…"

Hu Tao waves her hand, but in presence of both Yae Miko and the commissioner, she bows her head. Xiao and Qiqi do the same. "Good evening! Here comes Pharmacist Qiqi with her two super trustworthy bodyguards! We bring you a doctor to cure all ailments haunting your body. Trust us, you'll be in the safest hands ever!"

She gives Qiqi an encouraging little push, and the little zombie nods to herself before padding over to the bed. Much to Hu Tao's inner slight pride, Qiqi bows her head again toward Kamisato Ayaka. "I'm Qiqi. You're the one who wrote the letter to Bubu Pharmacy, right? It says your name in the letter. Here."

Ayaka smiles kindly as she takes the letter from her. "And you must be one of Doctor Baizhu's staff. Would you like to sit there for the examination, Miss Qiqi?"

Qiqi nods her head and jumps onto the chair as she opens her little bag. Hu Tao and Xiao approach Ayaka, with the former waving at her with a smile.

Lady Yae observes Qiqi with unsettling vigilance. Kamisato Ayato sits there, gentle in the eyes. There's a light slouch to his posture that betrays an exhaustion that doesn't quite reach his eyes, and there's the remains of ceremonial incense lingering in the air. Frail hands, pale skin, thick clothes.

And yet, his eyes have not lost the spark of a human, well-lived evergreen life. It's such a beautiful sight.

Qiqi takes out a little notebook and grabs Lord Kamisato's hand. The other three approach his bed. "Right. You must be… Kamisato Ayako, right?"

"Ayato," Hu Tao whispers to her. "Kamisato Ayato."

The commissioner chuckles to himself. "And you must be Miss Qiqi. I heard great things from one of our soldiers that was under your care in Liyue Harbor. I will tell you all you need to know."

Ayaka sits on the edge of the bed, hands on her lap and equally as polite. "You can ask me questions, too. I've been taking care of him personally before the Guuji Yae's arrival at our estate."

The Guuji Yae in question scoffs. "And my services were hardly necessary. He has no symptoms of dementia yet. You should have called me when he started hallucinating, at the very least. Seeing a man bedridden like this is no fun."

Qiqi hums. She folds his fingers, stretching them one by one and looking out for any expression change on the commissioner. She also instructs him to stretch his limbs, and with the help of Lady Yae, they manage to make him sit up straighter as she takes his temperature and asks some questions whilst reading from her notebook, full of sticky notes and dogged pages. The sight is too bad for Hu Tao to bear.

"What symptoms do you have? And when did they start?"

"Tiredness, mostly, and it has been a week, give or take. My body hurts enough that I can't stand up for too long – and I have a strange sensation around the bones of my arms, though I haven't been doing much exercise as of late." He looks at his middle with a frown. "My stomach has been hurting occasionally, too."

"He was also bedridden a month ago with similar symptoms," Ayaka adds, fiddling with her fingers. "And he threw up his breakfast yesterday."

"Was there any blood?" Both Kamisatos shake their heads. "Have you eaten any foreign foods?"

The commissioner's lips part for a moment before speaking. "Foreign? I don't believe so. Does this apply to ingredients, too?"

Qiqi nods. "Some chefs don't know how to cook foreign ingredients properly. They don't boil bamboo. They don't sterilize meat. That kind of thing." As a manner of proof, she flips her notebook and shows him the list. "It says here. Doctor Baizhu heard about a case of poisoning because someone ate matsutake with worms inside. It sounds gross, right? I wasn't there to see."

Lord Kamisato is more focused on the notebook than the possible diagnosis. "Fascinating. You keep track of all your medical cases in that little notebook?"

"It helps with her memory," Xiao explains. "Don't let her forgetfulness fool you. She's a great pharmacist. If anything ails you, she will certainly fix it."

His warm words make Hu Tao's cheeks fill with a smile. Qiqi's shoulders relax, and Kamisato Ayato laughs easily. It's a slightly ragged sound. "I have no doubts about her merits. Such diligence is to be praised, not scoffed at." Qiqi turns her notebook away. "In any case, I haven't eaten anything foreign, though… I did cook my own meals not too long ago due to a clash in our staff's schedule."

Qiqi taps her quill on her notebook. "When?"

"Two weeks ago," he responds. "I got my hands on a spectacular specimen of pufferfish while I was going home at night. I couldn't help myself and I had it for dinner. Nobody in our staff was awake at the time."

Everyone except Ayato himself tenses up, even Qiqi. Lady Yae's eyes turn to Qiqi. "Inazuman pufferfish is extremely toxic."

Qiqi nods. "I know. When the meat is not cleaned properly, the toxins of the fish cover the meat. So if the meat is toxic, you will swallow the toxins. It's a dangerous toxin. Deadly, even."

The lord jolts in bed, eyes wide. Hu Tao's heart squeezes at the alarm that appears in Ayaka's eyes. "Deadly!? But there must be an antidote, right?"

She doesn't say anything to the effect of a refusal or an affirmation, turning to Kamisato Ayato instead. "Do you remember what it looks like?"

"Hm. It looked like any normal fish meat Thoma would prepare for us." Qiqi nods and diligently writes down all details. "It didn't taste in any particular way, either, and I made sure to wash it thoroughly."

"And it was two weeks ago." Qiqi hums. "Then… It's not pufferfish poisoning. I don't think so."

Both Ayaka and Ayato's shoulders sink an inch with clear relief, but Lady Yae seems curious. "How can you be so sure, little one?"

"Because he would be dead." Oh. That sounds sincere enough. "Some foods like pufferfish cause numbness. That's why I checked his legs and hands. Doctor Baizhu warned me that pufferfish is eaten around here. So I investigated and wrote it down. Just in case. And if he had eaten a poisonous pufferfish… I think he would be dead by now. But he isn't. Right?"

Hu Tao giggles. "He doesn't look too see-through to me."

Ayaka lets out a heavy sigh. "Yes, he seems fine to me, as well."

Qiqi writes this down, too. Her lettering is elegant, even when scribbled. "I would like to do some more check ups. I can cook some medicine for him and check his progress tomorrow. Have you had dinner?" He nods. "Then… I'll check your breakfast tomorrow. I need everyone to leave the room. I can't focus."

Lady Yae is the first one to surrender, walking out of the room with a thoughtful look in her eyes. Ayaka stands up swifter than thunder, nodding. "We will let you do your work. I will return once I show Hu Tao and Xiao their rooms. Is that okay?"

"Okay. I need silence. Leave, please."

With that, Ayaka leads Hu Tao and Xiao out of the room. Hu Tao makes amicable conversation with Ayaka about the state of affairs as they walk through the corridor, but Hu Tao doesn't miss Yae Miko's figure in a corner of the main lobby, talking to a soldier with a frown on her face and a hand under her chin.

Everyone in this house looks energetic and worried despite the aloofness coming from the commissioner, and Hu Tao can't help but wonder why exactly that could be.

The Kamisatos were kind enough to give them dinner long after the cooking staff was gone. Hu Tao had insisted on waiting for Qiqi before having dinner to hear about Lord Kamisato's health, but she hadn't shared much. She spent the entire dinner writing on her notebook and nibbling at her food before leaving to bed with a bow of her head and a wave of a hand.

Hu Tao was too tired to try to get Qiqi to play some games before bed or help her with stretching. Perhaps bonding can wait until tomorrow.

With that in mind, Hu Tao had gone to bed, eager for whatever might happen tomorrow and curious about what exactly had happened to the commissioner. Could it be a simple case of bad cooking? A case of exhaustion, brought by the woes of managing a household and one leg of Inazuma's administration?

Perhaps… could it be heartbreak? She's seen people end up bedridden due to heartache, crying their hearts out until their families called for Wangsheng's help, seeing their loved ones at death's doorstep.

Possibilities are endless, as is everything in this world – and much like everything she tends to dabble into, it doesn't let her sleep. Not for even a second.

"I thought you said you were tired."

Hu Tao stubbornly turns her back toward Xiao's figure in bed as he lounges on the windowsill. One bed away, Qiqi sleeps peacefully. She can't help but be jealous of both of them at the same time: the bed is comfortable enough for her to want to stay inside, boring as it is, and the night is clear enough for her to long for the glow of the moonlight. Deep slumber or complete insomnia would be better than this.

The wind howls outside. A branch hits the window. She turns to the ceiling again, sighing. "I'm just curious about the commissioner. He didn't look too worried for someone that could be in death's arms, was he?"

"I also found it strange, but from what I've seen, leaders tend to keep calm at the worst of situations."

Hu Tao refuses to take that as an answer. "No no no, this is very different. Do you know the faces people make when they're at death's door? They always get a little scared. Their eyes close an inch, their lips turn down, and it's like the house came down on them. It's a very, very miserable thing to see."

Memories surface behind her eyes – memories of those who cry hysterically in bed, others that go quiet and stare out into space. They're memories she has never quite managed to shake off, no matter how hard she tries, and it's likely that they will follow her for the rest of her life.

The anxiety of a life being cut short, the realization of how little they have lived despite how long they've had to do so. Living is hard; realizing they won't do it for much longer is even harder.

Hu Tao fiddles with the rings on her fingers. Xiao keeps quiet. She can feel his gaze on her, expectant and patient. It gives her an anchor she didn't know she had, and it makes her smile – though it doesn't last too long.

"Ayaka was more worried than her brother. It's not uncommon, but… it makes me wonder." Restless, she rolls in bed and turns to Xiao. His silhouette against the moonlight would be scary, if not for the evident laziness in his posture. She tilts her head. "Not sleepy?"

"Not today," he admits. "I would rather stay awake in case anything happens."

Ah, that tone. Her expression drops. "Qiqi?"

Xiao nods. Hu Tao nods back, sitting up in bed and turning to Qiqi's bed. The little zombie hasn't stirred an inch since she climbed under the blankets, but it doesn't change the fact that something could happen at any given moment. Doctor Baizhu has never voiced any concerns about Qiqi being a sleepwalker or sneaking out at night, but…

"Her body is too small to bear the power she has," Xiao explains, but Hu Tao knows this already. "Young adepti are prone to bursts of energy during low periods of activity. It manifests in countless ways. I'd best watch out in case she harms herself."

Yes. She fears this, too. Qiqi is small, strong despite her fragility. She's alive, dead in the heart but with the spirit of a numb, frigid ghost.

And yet… "Qiqi isn't young anymore."

"I… I know." Xiao sighs, turning his head away from her and to the window. "I know. You needn't remind me."

She knows she doesn't, so she stands up from bed, wrapping the blanket atop her duvets around her body. It's slightly chilly tonight, chilly enough for her toes to ache against the thinly carpeted floor, and Xiao notices this faster than she'd like, wrapping an arm around her waist when she approaches to keep her close to his much, much warmer body.

She stands beside his seated form, smothering a hand over his tousled hair. That branch from earlier keeps rattling against the window, restless in this dark, quiet night.

He buries his face in the slope of her shoulder and neck, sighing. "Will the guilt ever wane?"

She drags her nails down his scalp ever so gently. "Has it not waned ever since that day?"

"Only as much as time can help," he says, voice heavy and tired. "My heart feels as heavy as it did the first day, every time I see her. I can't find a way to ever compensate for what I did to her."

Her heart cracks. He leans closer to her, taking a deep breath, and she finds herself doing the exact same thing. "You saved her life, Xiao."

"After robbing her of it." His hold on her waist tightens. "And we gave her immortality and strength that she did not wish for, which drove her to years of confinement in a mountain."

It's hard to say anything about that, because he's right about every single thing he says. The adepti had bestowed a cursed blessing on a mortal far too young to bear it, let alone understand it. She had been brought back from the brink of death and lifted into powers that not even Hu Tao herself can understand, because mortals will turn their eyes from the sun if it will blind them.

Qiqi was blinded, burnt and jailed away from the sun. In that split moment before she was closed away, did she regret being alive? Did she hate Xiao for robbing her of her life, and did she hate the adepti for giving it back to her?

Hu Tao doesn't know that. Even if she asked, Qiqi wouldn't answer her: she won't remember, after all.

"But Qiqi is alive now," Hu Tao says. "You were performing your duty, Alatus. And you gave her a second chance."

"We did. You have voiced your concerns about it many times," he comments with a hint of humor that sounds artificial, just enough to make her frown.

"I… have, but that's none of my business, is it?" Xiao remains quiet. "Qiqi wants to live, and it's not up to me or anyone else to decide if that decision is right or wrong. I would never say that someone being alive is wrong, and Qiqi is… a very special case. In my eyes, you saved her life. She might feel the same way."

"Or she might hate me." Alas… he's right. "Her talisman may harbor the adepti's protection, but I have no idea if that will make up for her pain, and even if I were to try to cleanse my guilt, my karmic debt might hurt her once more. I… have much to think about."

She smiles. "That's what sleep is good for, silly."

"I'm aware." She can hear a slight upturn in his lips in those words. "It might help if you keep me company, at least until I fall asleep. I'd rather Qiqi doesn't wake up to us in the same bed."

Hu Tao opens her mouth to answer, but the cold of the floor and the chill emanating from the windowpane are drying up her throat. She sighs, noting how Xiao's breathing has become a bit hoarse as exhaustion slowly takes over.

Ah, both of them need sleep. And the warmth of the bed, too. She sweeps his hair off his eyes. "I'm gonna get some water for you and I. I'll be right back."

Sensing his tension, she kisses the little mark on his forehead. His affection comes out tired. "I can get it for you."

"Mm-mm, it's okay," she replies with a shake of her head. "Keep an eye on Qiqi. We can keep talking when I come back. Sounds good?"

With a slight sound, he lets her go, stretching his arms. It's unfair for him to be so attractive, even when haunted by demons of the emotional kind. It's a good thing she can focus on pampering and consoling him at the same time – hopefully, the former will help doing the latter.

The hallway of the Kamisato Estate is completely empty when she walks out. She should have brought slippers from Liyue or asked for them, but it'll only be a short trip from the kitchen to the bedroom. At least her blanket keeps her warm from the breeze that blows from the gardens into the estate, and the moonlight provides enough light for her to feel safe.

And yet… as she's about to cross into the hallway, she hears a creaking noise – and not one from her footsteps. It's a crunch. Wood on the ground, a branch being split.

Before she can look outside and summon her staff, a hand covers her mouth and she's yanked backward. No sooner does she start to struggle for freedom, a gentle voice whispers into her ear, so teasing and playful in its familiarity that it wakes goosebumps all over her skin.

"Don't be too noisy, little one. I'm afraid we're being visited by unfamiliar guests tonight."

After a second of waiting, Lady Yae finally releases Hu Tao, taking a step back and allowing Hu Tao to breathe. The funerary director turns to the shrine maiden, nervousness shaking in her whisper. "Ay-ay-ay, no need to be so sneaky about it. Warn me next time!"

"Don't be like that, I was trying to keep you safe." Her eyes tingle playfully. "I can toss you back into the open and see what happens next time. It would make for a pretty entertaining story."

Her vigilance toward the garden makes Hu Tao fully aware that, indeed, something's going on. "You heard that too?"

"Among other things," Lady Yae replies, sighing with deep boredom. "They went out of their way to make themselves invisible to the naked eye, but they have no regard for the noise they make. I was expecting a bit more foreplay. What a shame."

Foreplay? Hu Tao frowns. "Did you know someone would try to break into the estate?"

Lady Yae opens her mouth to speak, but another noise alerts her into a jolt. She takes out a wand of sorts, sparkly and beautiful, and covers Hu Tao's mouth, gesturing to her to keep quiet. Yet again, another crunch is heard, this time closer to the house. It's advancing toward the main wing of the estate, meaning…

"Look around you." Hu Tao does as asked, and if she focuses, she can see the thinnest veils of Electro covering the estate like a sheer, invisible mist. "So long as anyone steps where my field lingers, they won't go unnoticed. There are three of them."

Hu Tao removes Yae Miko's hand from her mouth, turning to the hallway. She has no time nor energy to ask why she's casually patrolling the estate and why she's doing all of this, but…

She summons her staff. "They could be going to the commissioner's bedroom."

"Hm. I suppose they're not going to waste any time." Hu Tao takes that as enough permission to go ahead and look for them, but the shrine maiden throws her a haughty, step-stopping look. "What were you doing awake this late in the night? I don't suppose someone was keeping you awake, hm?"

The implications in her tone don't go unnoticed to Hu Tao, whose cheeks bloom with color despite herself. "Aiya, I'm a servant to the adepti. I– I would never even think of touching an adeptus."

Yae Miko doesn't seem to buy it. How troublesome. "Mhm. If you say so."

Together, they quietly advance to the main lobby of the house. As expected, the doors leading to the wings of the estate where the commissioner and Ayaka sleep are wide open, and even Hu Tao can see how disgraceful and clumsy that is. Not even the assassins in books are this careless, but it's still unsettling to not be able to see them. They could be hiding any–

A noise to her immediate left alerts her. The veil of Electro on the floor becomes a cloud of smoke that covers the area, blinding her and the attacker beside her. She jumps back with a cough, rubbing her eyes and gripping her staff tight.

With a flicker of Lady Yae's wand, the door shuts close. The three assassins are now clear as day, coughing their lungs out. When they look up from the floor, one of them stammers in clear alarm, "It's– It's the Guuji Yae! It's one of her traps!"

She clicks her tongue. "Shush, will you? If you're going to try to sneak in in the middle of the night, you shall as well let your target sleep peacefully." She gestures toward Hu Tao, who lifts her staff. "I'm afraid we can't let you proceed. We were on a peaceful night walk, and we don't take lightly to being interrupted."

Hu Tao turns to her with a flat smile. "I'm a funerary director, not an assassin. If you don't intend to pay me generously and give me a shovel, there's not much I can do here."

"Hm. How dull. But I suppose you're right." She lifts her wand. "Don't struggle too much. It'll hurt more if you move around."

All of a sudden, bright violet lights shine around them. One of the attackers stumbles backward with a whimper and crashes with an invisible screen.

The maiden's eyes gleam with a sinister light. "Please, Guuji Yae, have mercy on–"

The three intruders scream as a bolt of thunder strikes them and throws them to the floor. To Hu Tao's relief, she smells no churn or blood in the air, meaning they're hopefully still alive. The least they owe her after scaring her is giving her the details of their families so she can bill a burial their way. If Inazuma is anywhere near Liyue in terms of punishment, it'd be a lot safer for them to book a ceremony beforehand.

Yae Miko and Hu Tao loom over the intruders. The shrine maiden meticulously turns one of them around.

The assassin's jacket flaps outward. There's a sharp, glass syringe and a sizable vial attached to his hip, one full to the brim with a dark, reddish substance – and it doesn't look like medicine in the slightest.

Much to Hu Tao's elation and concern, Lady Yae seems to share this sentiment.

"What a find. Looks like we might have a plot in our hands, little one."