Chapter Text
Rain poured throughout Liyue as a man carried his infant daughter in his arms, reaching Wuwang Hill. A place where his father would often take him when he was younger. The rain mixed with his tears as he looked down at the baby in his arms. She looked just like her mother. It’s a shame the girl was the cause of her mother’s sudden passing during childbirth.
He took a moment. Was this the right thing to do? As the 76 directors of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, would his ancestors shame him for his actions? But then he remembered his wife. His love, whom this child took from him too soon. He knew what had to be done, or this child would take his life, too.
He continued to pass through the forest, paying no mind to the staring ghosts nor the wailing of the cold baby in his hands. As he approached a cliff with a grand drop, he tried to soothe the evil child. “Hush now, Yāozhé. The cold will be gone soon.” He whispered while gently patting her back. He took a deep breath and looked towards the sky. “Oh, great, Rex Lapis and Adepti of Liyue. Please take this cursed child away from me, for she shall only bring death wherever she roams! Please free the world of such a monster!” He said, kneeling before pushing his arms outward, just above the drop. Sweaty palms hold the squirming infant.
Suddenly, a flash of yellow in the sky passed by. Before the man knew what was happening, a spear made of pure geo pierced his heart. Gentle hands scooping the baby out of his hands from behind him. “One apologizes, Hu Xiōngsǐ, but killing such an innocent child out of the madness that has possessed you after the loss of your wife is not something one will allow so simply. Especially when they go against your principles as the Wangsheng Funeral Palor director and expectations as a father.” Rex Lapis himself said, summoning a geo shield around the infant so she may stay dry during the terrible storm. He held her softly as if she were his very own kin. Speaking of, he turned to see Xiao staring at him with false indifference on his face. “What happened?” Xiao asked, looking over his father’s shoulder at the baby. “What’s her name?”
Before Xiao could ask too many questions about the scene Rex Lapis spoke up. “Nothing that you should concern you too much, Xiao. It’s been dealt with. As for her name…” He overheard the now-deceased man call her Yāozhé which wouldn’t be too much of a problem if it wasn’t for the meaning of the name, death in childhood. He did not wish for this girl to grow up with such a name. So he sighed and turned around, smiling at Xiao as he offered the baby, now staring up at Rex Lapis with wonder, to Xiao. “All one is aware of is her surname, Hu. You may name her.” It was best for Xiao to name her rather than him. Xiao is the most impartial person in this scene and would most likely give her a name that would be more appropriate for the girl.
Xiao cautiously took the baby out of Rex Lapis’s hands and looked down at her. Her big red eyes stared back at him. What caught his attention was the color and shape of her pupils. White flower shapes looked up at him. Small hand grabs onto his strands of hair. He just stared back, lost in memories. “Xiao.” He is cut back to reality by his name being spoken by his master, who was more like a father to him than anything.
“Tao,” Xiao replied before Rex Lapis could even ask again. Rex Lapis looked at the young adeptus and hummed.
“Tao? Very well. Would you like to bring her to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with oneself?” Rex Lapis asked calmly. Xiao looked up from the little Hu Tao for the first time since holding her in his arms.
“The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? What for?” He asked with a hint of confusion and concern washed over his cold demeanor.
“Hu Búlù’s is her grandfather. And soon will be her primary caregiver.” Rex Lapis replied, extending his geo shield to cover Hu Tao and Xiao now. Xiao took a moment to process who he meant, rarely ever hearing someone refer to the retired funeral director as anything but Old Hu. It clicked for Xiao who the deceased man was. Although curious, he reminded himself that if Rex Lapis told him it was none of his concern, he likely shouldn’t stick his nose where it didn’t belong.
“Ah… hm… would it be alright for me to accompany you?” He asked, wondering if it would really be okay for an adeptus to be present for a likely very difficult moment for Old Hu.
“Of course. It might even bring him a bit of closure to know one of Liyue’s protectors was there to help little Hu Tao in a desperate moment of need.” Rex Lapis replies. Xiao wanted to protest further but decided against it, realizing he was going to lose this argument anyway.
"I suppose my presence may provide a sense of comfort..." Xiao says softly, looking back down at Hu Tao. The infant was barely a week old. The idea that someone could try to kill her, let alone her own father, was disturbing to Xiao, despite having seen and committed admittedly much worse, and he knew this, which conflicted him.
Before he realized it Rex Lapis had already taken little Hu Tao out of his arms. Rex Lapis gently pats and bounces Hu Tao against his chest, trying to coax her to sleep. "Well, let's get her there as soon as we can. One wouldn't want her to catch a cold." He says sweetly, Rex Lapis really did have a paternal sense to him. If only Ganyu and Guizhong were here too...
Somehow sensing Xiao's somber mood Rex Lapis spoke up once more. "One doesn't suppose you could deliver her to the funeral parlor yourself while one writes something." handing Xiao back Hu Tao, now wrapped in Rex Lapis's hood which he had cut off to provide her with more warmth.
"Wha- Your hood!" Xiao stated in shock, before he could continue, Rex Lapis cut him off.
"One shall be fine without it. Go. The quicker you get there, the quicker one can finish writing and get out of the rain." he said with a smirk, nudging Xiao toward the direction of Liyue Harbor. Xiao understood this cue, which was rare for him, and used adeptal arts to quickly bring himself and Hu Tao under the awning of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He looked up at the pouring skies of Liyue, the few lanterns blurred from the rain. Before he knew it there was a tap on his shoulder. He quickly turned around to be face-to-face with Old Hu.
"Well, it isn't every day an adeptus comes to the funeral parlor, let alone with a baby wrapped up in his arms. May I be told of the reason for such a visit so late in the evening?" Old Hu asked with a cheerful smile on his face.
Xiao was uncertain about what he should do, to say, what does someone say in this situation. The old man's cough broke through Xiao's thoughts grounding him back to the situation at hand.
"Uh, this is Hu Tao." He said, holding out the baby to Old Hu. Old Hu looked down at the infant, holding her in his arms like fragile dishware. "She was found in Wuwang Hill by Rex Lapis and I." He continued, nervous about letting the baby go for even a second. Old Hu's eyes widened as he heard what happened.
"Oh? My sweet grandchild up at Wuwang Hill? Now, why would she be found all the way up there?... unless." Old Hu seemed to be connecting the dots. "Oh, don't tell me Xiànshēn's complications got worse. Oh dear." Xiao recognized the name. Hu Tao's mother. She had always been greatly ill, something Sumerian scholars called Elazar, but other than that, he didn't know much about her.
"I'm sorry sir, I don't know too much about it, and therefore can't tell you," Xiao murmured. Rarely was he so torn at a scene. Still he just kind of stood there awkwardly, not sure what else to say. Suddenly behind Rex Lapis appeared Xiao, filling him relief at the fact he could likely escape the scene soon and head back to Wangshu Inn and reflect on such an oddly emotional night. Rex Lapis walked straight past him and slipped a card into Old Hu's hand. "Xiao, may you please dismiss yourself? Mr. Hu and onesself have a handful of matter to discuss privately." He said coldly as if Xiao were no more than a servant to be shooed away. Xiao knew this wasn't the intent of Rex Lapis but it stung regardless. Still, Xiao used his adeptal arts to whisk himself amongst the harsh winds.
He found himself on top of Wangshu Inn as usual. He stood there, for a long time just staring out into the relentless rain. At one point he couldn't tell if it was rain running down his face or tears. He slowly hunched over and started to cry. He couldn't understand, he just couldn't, why tonight hit so much harder than others. Why that infant left such an imprint on him.
He wept on the roof until the rain finished pouring and the sun slowly crept over the horizon. He felt a gentle cold hand caressing his back, calmly trying to coax him into deep breaths. Ganyu was always so comforting in some odd way. She kept a healthy distance for both of them. Finally, Xiao managed to calm down, and just like that he was back to his cold demeanor again. They both sat up, Xiao slightly upset at how vulnerable he had become, but none of that was directed towards Ganyu.
"I believe you must set off to complete your duties in Liyue Harbor, no?" Xiao said dismissively. Ganyu understood this was his way of asking for some space.
"Of course. I'll be off now." She said shortly before letting the breeze carry her back to the harbor.
Xiao waited for her presence to fully fade before looking at the rising sun. He would likely never see that child again. Yet some part of him, deep down, has a feeling he will.