Chapter Text
Zhongli studied the forest edges, looking for fresh bamboo shoots. The wind rustled through the leaves, creating a pleasant, calm atmosphere, if a bit chilly. The man glanced at the leaves dancing overhead. Autumn is coming early .
He strolled a few more steps before finding a particularly nice shoot. Smiling to himself, he knelt down, digging his hands into the dirt. His fingers curled around the roots, beginning to pull it up when a small noise sounded. Zhongli paused to listen.
The noise called out again: shrill, sharp, quiet enough that someone with less sensitive hearing than Zhongli might not have heard it. It was so quiet, in fact, that Zhongli couldn’t pinpoint where it came from. After that second cry, the grove was only filled with the sounds of nearby wild animals and the wind. Zhongli hummed, and after a few more moments, tugged at the shoot still buried in the ground.
Weeiiaagh! The cry came sharply this time, much louder than before. Zhongli whipped around, searching the area behind him for the source. He was met with… the bamboo grove. Animals skittering about, mature bamboo swaying gently in the wind, and shoots peeking through the ground. He studied the area closely as a fourth cry sounded, only a few feet behind him.
Cautiously, Zhongli got up and took a few steps towards the sound. There was nothing unusual—was this some sort of monster that could cloak itself? He studied the area hard, tapping into his elemental sensitivities to find what made that noise when a glow on the ground made him pause. Glancing down, he found a large bamboo shoot half-embedded in the dirt, giving off both Dendro and Geo elemental traces.
“Hmmm… what have we here?” Zhongli knelt next to the strange shoot, gently prodding it with a finger. The moment he made contact with it, the shoot seemed to shake, and yet another cry was released. “A sentient shoot?” He was about to poke it again when it suddenly jerked away from him, as if it understood his intent. So violently, in fact, that it had shaken loose quite a bit of dirt, revealing the lower half with large roots flowing into the surrounding soil. Zhongli paused when he noticed this, then began to dig around the shoot, exposing more roots.
The man carefully went about digging out the shoot, doing his best not to touch the roots as he did so. Still, when his fingers brushed against part of the plant it would jerk and give a shrill cry at his touch. Before long, the shoot was mostly uncovered, though its roots still dug deep into the ground.
Zhongli sat up, studying the strange shoot. He checked the elements surrounding it again—still Dendro and Geo— and he gave a small laugh. “What an interesting puzzle you are.” He leaned forward, pointing a finger towards the shoot. A small concentration of Geo energy materialized around the outstretched finger. He prodded the shoot again.
At this, the shoot jerked violently away from him, nearly tearing several of its roots in the process. Zhongli watched as his Geo energy mixed with the energies already in the shoot, creating a greenish-gold glow. The shoot began to tremble, shaking off the remaining dirt.
The roots suddenly shot up, carrying the shoot several feet above the ground. Zhongli jumped back at the sudden movement, watching as the roots seemingly grew into some sort of pedestal, the shoot laying comfortably at the top.
Aaaiiiaaawaagh! The cry started again, much clearer this time, as the plant settled. Zhongli cautiously took a step closer. The crying continued, becoming louder and more distressed.
After waiting a moment for further movement, Zhongli walked up to the strange pedestal. He reached out to touch the shoot to find the hard outer shell had softened dramatically. He carefully peeled away the once protective cover and—
A tiny fist wormed its way through the small opening, shocking Zhongli. The small fist was covered in a slimy substance that glimmered in the light. The cries slowed as Zhongli quickly peeled back the remaining layers of the shoot. “Oh my…”
Laying in the midst of the torn shoot shell, cradled by roots, was a small child, less than a year old. Her brown hair gleamed almost gold in the light, clumped strangely due to the oily substance that covered her. Her skin was several shades lighter than the brown husks that had protected her, and golden scales lined parts of her arms and legs.
Her face was round, with pudgy cheeks. A few small scales decorated the skin around her eyes, which blinked several times at the sudden light. Her eyes were a lovely golden-brown, and in the sunlight shrank her pupils into an oval shape.
The small child waved around her fists aimlessly as she took in the newly revealed surroundings before focusing on the man standing before her. “Hello there, little one,” Zhongli quietly murmured as he removed his jacket. The baby had no clothes, and covered as she was in the plant’s juice, the wind would quickly chill her small body. He quickly wrapped her in his jacket, the size humorously dwarfing the small body. The child gave a surprised cry as she was lifted from the plant cradle. As Zhongli held her small body close to his, her wails began in earnest, tears falling thickly down her face.
“It’s alright, young one.” Zhongli whispered calming phrases to the child as he made his way back to the road. The closest settlement was Qingce Village, so he quickly made his way down the path, bouncing the child gently to soothe her. Eventually, the child had calmed down, and resting against his chest, seemed to have fallen asleep.
Zhongli rounded a bend in the path and was greeted with the sight of several children playing near the village's entrance. He quickly made his way to them. “Excuse me, young ones!”
The children looked up at his voice, giving wide smiles when they saw who it was. “Zhongli- Xiansheng ! You’re back!” They quickly swarmed him, immediately noticing the strange bundle he carried. “What’s this?”
Zhongli waved them towards the village, not slowing his pace. “A child. I found her nearby. Please run ahead and let the adults know that there is a baby that needs immediate attention.” His serious tone shook the smiles from the children, who promptly followed his instructions. He made his way quickly towards the smattering of houses on the hill, checking on the child in his arms. She was still asleep, though she seemed to not be resting very well—not a surprise, considering the circumstances. While he tried to keep his pace steady, Zhongli was also in a hurry, and the bouncing motions of quick walking weren’t exactly the most comfortable. As he neared the first of the houses, an Granny Ruoxin came rushing towards him.
“Zhongli? The children say there’s a baby…” She trailed off as she saw the bundle in Zhongli’s arms. She quickly took the bundle from him and headed into a nearby house, giving instructions to the children who had gathered around. “I need some milk and fresh water, several towels, and baby clothes, if anyone has any.” The children perked up when they heard the instructions, each running off in different directions.
“My mom has some clothes she was gonna throw out ‘cause didi outgrew them!”
“I can get the milk! My family just got a fresh batch today!”
“I’ll get water from the spring!”
As the children rushed off, the granny opened the door to her house, gesturing for Zhongli to follow her in. “I’m going to need your help as well, Zhongli.”
He stepped through the door as she set the child down on a table, unwrapping her from the jacket. The sudden chill woke her, and she began to cry again, swinging her small fists and feet in the air.
“Oh, my poor little thing!” Granny Ruoxin spoke softly as she used a dry part of Zhongli’s jacket to wipe off the remaining juices on the child. “Just what happened here?” She stayed focused on the child, offering soothing coos as she waited for Zhongli’s answer.
Zhongli took a seat at the table, reaching out to help with drying the babe. “I found her while out in the bamboo grove. She was inside a bamboo shoot.” The granny paused at that, glancing at Zhongli.
“A bamboo shoot?”
He nodded, wiping at the child’s flailing arm. “I suspect it was the work of the Adepti, considering the circumstances I found her in.”
A knock sounded, followed by the door creaking open. “Granny Ruoxin? I brought some clothes and towels for the baby.” A young boy stepped into the room, placing several outfits and towels on a seat near the table.
Ruoxin looked at the boy. “Thank you. Go help the others with getting water. There’s a bucket out on my porch you can take.” The child nodded and ran out the door, swinging it shut firmly behind him. The woman grabbed at one of the towels, wrapping the flailing baby in it.
“I have some soaps in the kitchen, and a small basin out back.” She gestured towards the kitchen, glancing at Zhongli. “Go retrieve them, please.”
Zhongli nodded. “Of course.” He quickly rose, heading to the kitchen. The child’s wails had calmed somewhat, but she was still clearly unhappy. After retrieving the soaps and basin, Zhongli returned to find some of the village children had returned, hefting several buckets of water and a few bottles of milk.
Ruoxin looked up as Zhongli entered. “Good. Put the basin down here, and pour four buckets into the basin.” The children scrambled to help, putting some of the buckets off to the side and grabbing the basin from Zhongli’s hands. “Do any of you know how to make baby formula?”
One of the girls, perhaps the oldest of those present, perked up. “I do! I helped Ma prepare formulas for my younger siblings!”
Ruoxin nodded as she moved towards the basin. “I have the ingredients needed in my kitchen. Grab a few of your friends and teach them how to do it, Liu.” The children rushed into the kitchen, bringing the bottles of milk. Zhongli moved to follow them when Ruoxin’s voice sounded again.
“Where are you going?”
Zhongli paused, glancing back at her. “Ah, I was going to help them with the formula–”
Ruoxin shook her head, gesturing for him to come back to the basin. “They’ll be fine. I need your help with bathing the child.”
Zhongli took a hesitant step towards the basin. “I’m afraid I have no experience with such a thing–”
“Did I ask if you had experience? Take your gloves off, roll up your sleeves.” She commanded with such authority Zhongli complied without further comment. He knelt by the basin as she unwrapped the child and gently lowered her into the cool water, which caused another round of wails.
“You hold her while I wash her. Make sure you support her head.” Ruoxin reached for the soaps Zhongli had gathered, gently rubbing them up and down the child. Zhongli watched the child’s face as she continued to wail, shivering slightly.
“Granny Ruoxin, shouldn’t the water—”
“Yes, ideally it should be warmer, but this is an emergency.” Her tone left no room for argument, so Zhongli silently held the child, rubbing his fingers along her back and arms to try and warm her some.
Granny Ruoxin was extremely efficient, and the child was cleaned of the oils quickly. After only a few minutes of intense scrubbing, she took the child from Zhongli’s hold. “Get one of those buckets to rinse her off with.”
Zhongli reached over to grab a bucket, holding it over the child. He placed his free hand over the child’s face to shield it from the water before pouring. Ruoxin gave him a small smile. “No experience, eh?”
Zhongli smiled in return as he grabbed a towel, handing it to Ruoxin. “Some things are common sense. A child so young wouldn’t know not to breathe in the water.”
Ruoxin gave a small chuckle as she wrapped the baby in the towel, gently drying the child off. “I have a feeling you’ll be a good father.”
Zhongli paused at that. A father? He gave an awkward cough, turning away to hide his face. “I don’t know that I’m—”
Ruoxin cut him off with a snort as she moved the child to the table. “You’d do fine. Come here and help me dress her.”
The two rummaged through the pile of clothes on the table, pulling out some articles that seemed to be the right size. Once the child was dressed, Ruoxin huddled her in her arms, gently bouncing the child in a soothing manner. “Shh, it’s ok xiao gong zhu . Zhongli.” She glanced at the man, then motioned towards the kitchen. “I have an empty crate in the kitchen that we can use as a crib for now. Go retrieve it for me, would you?”
Zhongli nodded before turning to the kitchen. He glanced towards the children around the stove as he entered, one of whom noticed him. He perked up and smiled at Zhongli. “The formula is almost done, Da Bo !”
Zhongli gave the child an appreciative smile as he located the crate. “Thank you, little one.”
After grabbing the crate, Zhongli returned to Granny Ruoxin, who had managed to calm the baby somewhat. She directed Zhongli to add blankets and pillows to the crate before settling the child, who gave a sleepy blink at being transferred to the makeshift crib. Zhongli watched her fondly as her eyes closed.
“Zhongli.” Ruoxin’s voice pulled the man’s attention away from the sleeping child, towards the woman watching with a concerned look. She opened her mouth to say something else, but hesitated, as if unsure of how to phrase her thoughts.
“Is something the matter?” Zhongli fully turned towards the woman, concern making its way across his own face. The woman quickly shook her head.
“No, no, there’s nothing wrong, per say…” Ruoxin gave a slight sigh before gesturing towards the table in the middle of the room. “Let us sit while we talk.” Zhongli obliged, and watched the woman as she put her words together.
“That child… she is certainly not human. At least, not fully. ” She shook her head, glancing towards the crib. “Any human parents who attempt to raise her would be ill-suited for the task.”
Zhongli nodded in agreement. “Adepti have different needs than humans, especially in their youngest stages. I was planning on bringing her to a friend of mine, one who has raised several children herself and is extremely knowledgeable about the ways of the Adepti.”
Granny Ruoxin relaxed at that statement. “That’s good. I can’t imagine there are many who are knowledgeable in the ways of the Adepti anymore.” She shot Zhongli a mischievous glance. “Of course, if anyone knew someone like that, it would most certainly be the all-knowing Zhongli.”
Zhongli gave a small laugh. “You flatter me, Granny Ruoxin. I simply happen to be well connected, is all.”
Granny Ruoxin gave a snort at that, and opened her mouth to respond when the children flooded in from the kitchen. Little Liu led them, carrying a few bottles filled with an off-white liquid. “We finished the formula, Granny!”
Ruoxin shushed them, taking the bottles from her hands and placing them on the table. “Thank you, dear. The baby is sleeping right now, so—oh? What’s this?” Ruoxin paused as another few children came from the kitchen, carrying a tea tray.
They quietly made their way to the table as Little Liu folded her hands behind her back, looking sheepish. “Oh, I asked them to make some tea for you and Zhongli- Xiangshan . Whenever meimei started causing trouble, Ma would get really stressed and tired, and tea always helped.” Liu glanced up at Ruoxin hesitantly. “Sorry for not asking you first. I just thought you might want it.”
Zhongli and Ruoxin glanced at each other before letting out a small laugh. “Oh, sweet Little Liu,” Ruoxin got up to pat Liu’s hair gently, “There’s no need to apologize. That was very thoughtful of you, and both Zhongli- Xiangshan and I are very thankful.” Zhongli nodded in agreement, smiling at the children.
“Indeed. It is a most thoughtful gesture.”
Liu looked from Ruoxin to Zhongli and back before smiling. “I’m glad to be of help. Is there anything else we can do?”
Ruoxin chuckled softly. “I don’t think so. Why don’t you children go out and play a bit before dinnertime? You all have certainly earned it.”
The children quietly shuffled out, whispering goodbyes and well wishes as they left. Once the last child had closed the door behind them, Zhongli glanced at Ruoxin with a mischievous smile. “It seems the village is adept in raising good children, in no small part due to you, I’m sure.”
Ruoxin scoffed at the remark, waving her hand dismissively. “Oh, the children are good all by themselves. They are naturally helpful.” She carefully returned to the table before pouring tea. After handing Zhongli his cup, she settled herself in her chair, looking at the man with curiosity. “Why don’t you tell me how you came across this child?”
“I found her while I was out searching for bamboo shoots…” The day wore on as Zhongli recounted the afternoon. Once he was finished with his tale, Ruoxin’s face was scrunched in confusion and concern.
“Hmmm… this most certainly was caused by Adepti. Most are such proud and noble creatures, though. Why would they leave this child like that?”
Zhongli took a sip of tea as he thought. “The birth of an Adeptus is an auspicious occasion, and even the most reclusive Adepti would announce such an event. There are many rites and celebrations the Adepti take part in over the course of a youth’s first year, so considering that there haven’t been any such events, she is likely not from any recent time.”
Ruoxin nodded in agreement as Zhongli paused, taking another drink. “Furthermore, when I found her, it seemed she had just awoken from a stasis of sorts. She could have been in that state for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to know unless the Adeptus responsible disclosed when he acted.” He shook his head sadly. “My guess is that whoever was responsible for this child had placed her in that state for her protection and met an unfortunate end before they could release and continue to raise her.”
Granny Ruoxin’s body sagged, her face scrunched in sadness. “What a poor fate…” She stood, quietly trotting over to the crib. Her hand reached out, gently stroked the child’s cheek, eliciting a small sound from the child in her sleep. “To lose everything at such a young age… I hope she is able to live a happy life despite such a tragedy.”
Zhongli solemnly nodded in agreement. “A sentiment we share. I shall do everything in my power to ensure she has a good upbringing.”
Ruoxin nodded as she glanced at the man. “Tell me more about this friend of yours, would you?” Zhongli smiled as she hobbled back to the table.
“Ah, we have been friends for a long, long time. She has helped raise several children, although none of them were hers by birth. She acted as a frequent babysitter for some and took in others, not only teaching them but raising them as her own, sharing her home, food, knowledge, and values with them.” Zhongli chuckled as he thought of Cloud Retainer and her most recent disciple, Shenhe. “Her children have all grown to be quite successful and fulfilled, even if they are of a more… problematic disposition.”
Ruoxin smiled as Zhongli finished his description. “She sounds lovely. I’m sure the girl will have a fine life with her.”
Zhongli chuckled as he finished his tea. “I am inclined to agree. In any case, we should be heading out soon.”
At this, Ruoxin looked at Zhongli sharply. “What? You’re going to head out tonight?” She glanced towards the window, taking in the darkening sky. “Zhongli, you shouldn’t. Even if you left now, you wouldn’t even reach Wangshu Inn until the early hours of the morning!”
Zhongli gave a chuckle. “Ah, there’s no need to worry. Such a journey is well within my capabilities, and with the child being an Adeptus, the journey should be of no consequence to her.”
Ruoxin narrowed her eyes. “Perhaps, but she is still so young. How can you be sure that she would be fine, even with her Adeptal blood?” Zhongli opened his mouth to respond, but Ruoxin held up a hand. “What’s more, you shouldn’t disturb her natural rhythm. Frankly, considering the situation you found her in, it’s something of a blessing from Rex Lapis himself that she is sleeping now. Children as young as her need the nights to sleep, and disrupting her sleep by going out now could make it more difficult to get her used to sleeping at night. You can set out in the morning, once she wakes up.”
Zhongli pauses, considering her words. “Very well. While I am entirely confident she would be fine on such a journey, I had not thought about the negative impact it might have on establishing a routine.” Ruoxin smiled in victory as she got up from the table.
“Good. While we wait, I can also teach you how to care for her while on your journey. You stay right there, I’m going to grab a few things.”
Zhongli watched her disappear through the kitchen doorway, then turned to look at the child. She was still fast asleep, curled in on herself. While not having the appearance of a newborn human, she was likely at the equivalent point in her life. Adepti tended to be born more mature than humans did. Of course, it was impossible to tell what point her development was at, not knowing how old she was when she was put in the shoot.
Her scales were less prominent in the dim light of the house, though they still caught the light when she moved. She shifted slightly in her sleep, making a small noise, causing Zhongli to smile gently. Such a precious little thing .
He turned when he heard footsteps, seeing Granny Ruoxin enter the room carrying a variety of objects. Zhongli quickly jumped up to help her bring the items to the table, earning him a grunt of appreciation. As he set the stuff down, he furrowed his brow in confusion. “Is all of this really necessary for the child?”
Ruoxin gave a small snort. “Yes, don’t doubt me. And you really should stop calling her ‘the child.’ If she’s going to be under your care, she should have a name.”
Zhongli stopped short at that. “A name? She’s not my child, it’s hardly my place to bestow–”
“A nickname, then.” Ruoxin cut him off with a wave of her hands. “Something more than just ‘the child.’”
Zhongli tapped his fingers idly on the table. “A nickname… I suppose I could bestow her with that.” He looked towards the child, thinking. After a moment, he smiled.
“Zhuzi.”
Ruoxin paused, taken aback, then laughed. “You’re naming her bamboo ?”
Zhongli turned back to the woman, tilting his head. “I thought it fitting, considering how I found her.”
Ruoxin shook her head, a smile on her face. “I think Zhuzi is perfect. It certainly fits her.”
Zhongli smiled before pulling out a chair, gesturing to the objects on the table. “Shall we get started?”
The next few hours were filled with Ruoxin demonstrating different tasks to care for a child, after which she insisted Zhongli sleep ( How can you even hope to take care of a child if you don’t take care of yourself? Let me get you a bed roll ). He decided to rest near the child, in case something came up during the night. Ruoxin gave a huff at that, but gave in, telling him to wake her if anything did happen.
As Zhongli lay next to the crate, he let his mind wander.
Who left this child? How long had she been in stasis? How might her life be affected by the unfortunate events?
Sleep eventually muddled his thoughts, transforming them from questions to dreams of possible figures the child might have come from, both friends and foes from times long ago.