Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [545]

Finally managing to escape the overenthusiastic store clerks, the two continued their leisurely shopping spree. By the time the afternoon had passed, Gu Sanqiu had an illusion—almost as if he had just won twenty consecutive rounds in the arena.

This endless, aimless strolling left him slightly dazed. He even found himself surprised by how much energy he had lost, unable to pinpoint where exactly it had gone.

It was strange.

Both of his hands were now completely full, carrying bags of various purchases. And this was all thanks to the energetic girl skipping ahead of him.

Hu Tao had insisted on experiencing what an ordinary shopping trip felt like, so she made him promise not to store any of their purchases in his spatial storage.

In short, she was just finding new ways to torture him.

And after enduring all of this, Gu Sanqiu’s desire to go after Tartaglia only grew stronger.

“Sanqiu, Sanqiu! I’m tired—I want to eat.”

Gu Sanqiu, dead-eyed, glanced at her. “Where do you want to go?”

“Hmm… how about Wanmin Restaurant?”

Hu Tao put on a thoughtful expression. “We’ve already spent so much of your money today. Let’s not go to those fancy restaurants, okay? See, I do think about your wallet. Isn’t that so touching?”

“I’d be more touched if you’d let me put all this stuff into my storage space.”

Gu Sanqiu turned toward Liuli Pavilion. “We’ve already spent this much—might as well go all the way. Come on, I’m treating you to a feast.”

“Yay!”

Hu Tao cheered and took a few bags from him. “But honestly, I think your cooking is better than any fancy banquet.”

“That’s only because of the high-quality ingredients I use. If we’re talking about pure culinary skill, I’m still not on the same level as those professional chefs.”

Lately, there hadn’t been any special ingredients worth gathering for a big feast. He hadn’t used his completely forgettable cheat ability to fish for ingredients in a long time.

He had managed to gather quite a few other resources, though.

When it came to fishing for food, unless he got extremely lucky and reeled in something rare, most of it wasn’t useful to him at this stage.

Once inside Liuli Pavilion, Gu Sanqiu booked a private room and tossed the menu to Hu Tao before slumping against his chair, closing his eyes to rest.

An entire afternoon of shopping had drained him just as much as twenty consecutive arena battles. At this point, he was seriously considering whether there was some kind of energy-draining device hidden beneath Liyue Harbor.

“…By the way, what’s Zhongli been up to lately? Is he still causing trouble for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s accounts?”

Gu Sanqiu finally remembered the actual reason he had gone to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor earlier.

“Hmm? No idea.”

Hu Tao tilted her head, then stuck out her tongue.

“I haven’t really been paying attention. But it seems like he’s found another friend who’s willing to spend money on him. The pastries he brought back to Wangsheng the other day were top-tier.”

…?

A friend willing to spend money on him?

Those words felt oddly familiar.

“You’re the Funeral Parlor Master, and you don’t know what he’s up to?”

“Oh, please. I’m a generous boss—I don’t micromanage my subordinates’ personal lives.”

Hu Tao waved a hand dismissively. “He said he’s doing some side gigs—helping a very motivated foreigner learn about Liyue’s ancient culture. Probably just a tutoring job, like those private academies do.”

A motivated foreigner?

That sense of déjà vu only grew stronger. Gu Sanqiu was just about to press for details when he heard a very familiar voice outside the private room.

“Mr. Zhongli, I assume this isn’t your first time at Liuli Pavilion. Are there any dishes that local Liyue folks particularly enjoy? Something authentic?”

“As a foreigner, the chefs might try to adjust the flavors for my palate. I wouldn’t want to miss out on the true taste of Liyue cuisine.”

Another voice responded smoothly, “Mr. Tartaglia, the chefs at Liuli Pavilion possess extraordinary skill. Every dish here is a specialty. If one is truly interested, the best approach is to order different dishes each visit and savor them carefully.”

“Alternatively, there’s a restaurant in Chihu Rock called Wanmin Restaurant. If Chef Xiangling is on duty, I would also recommend dining there. Her creative pairings and youthful energy add a unique touch to the experience.”

“Haha, is that so? Then I’ll have to give it a try sometime.”

Gu Sanqiu and Hu Tao exchanged glances. Without a word, they both stood up and swung open the door, coughing at the exact same time.

Ahem.

The two men outside turned toward them. One looked mildly surprised. The other froze, his face stiffening.

Damn it. Why did I have to run into this walking disaster?!

“Zhongli? You guys are eating here too?”

Gu Sanqiu’s lips curled into a smirk as his gaze landed on Tartaglia. “Well, well. What a coincidence, old friend. You actually dared to show your face in public today?”

“What do you mean I dared? I’ve been here the whole time, just minding my own business and studying.”

Tartaglia replied stiffly, already running through 108 different escape plans in his head.

Should he just bolt right now?

If he stuck around for a full meal, the moment he stepped out of Liuli Pavilion, every single “random passerby” in the area would suddenly belong to the Ten Gold Association—watching him from all angles, ensuring he had zero room to slip away.

How was he supposed to deliver his research findings to the Fatui under those conditions?!

“Zhongli! You actually came here to eat without inviting me?!”

Hu Tao bared her teeth in mock offense. “That’s insubordination!”

Zhongli sighed. “Parlor Master, given the circumstances, you were out with Gu Sanqiu. Even if I had invited you, I wouldn’t have been able to reach you.”

“Oh, please. Judging by what you two were saying just now, it’s obvious you’ve been treating this place like your personal dining hall for a while now!”

For cultivators like them, ordinary soundproofing meant nothing. The so-called “privacy” of these rooms was just for show. Eavesdropping was effortless.

“Well, since we all know each other, why don’t we eat together?”

Gu Sanqiu gestured for Zhongli to join them, his right hand casually resting on Tartaglia’s shoulder.

“Don’t go running off now. I still haven’t heard the full tale of your grand exploits in that domain. Surely you wouldn’t deny me such an entertaining story over dinner?”

You don’t care about my battles—you’re just trying to keep me under surveillance, you bastard!

Tartaglia cursed internally. Realizing there was no escape, he reluctantly accepted his fate and followed them inside.

Fine. Since I’m already here, I might as well enjoy my meal.

With that mindset, he continued consulting Zhongli about research difficulties while Gu Sanqiu quietly sipped his tea, deep in thought.

For now, at least, he was no longer the designated wallet of this group. That alone made him inexplicably happy.

But the more he listened, the more complicated his emotions became.

After all, the one who had handed the Sigil Of Permission over to Tartaglia in the first place… was Zhongli.

And now, Tartaglia was openly asking him about how to crack its hidden meanings.

Right in front of him.

The progress of the storyline—or rather, the resurrection of Osial—was advancing right before his eyes.

And yet, he couldn’t act on it just yet.

Gu Sanqiu began to seriously question whether inviting these two to dinner had really been a good idea.

Wasn’t I just making things harder for myself?!

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This is a fan translation of 原神之璃月奉香人 by 淡白蛋清. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!