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In no time, all the dishes on the table were devoured clean. Paimon patted her stomach; she hadn't even had enough yet!
"Heh heh, I ordered some dishes too! Let's dig in!" Hu Tao chuckled mischievously as Xiangling swiftly brought out more plates.
"Xiangling, where are the dishes you mentioned earlier?" Hu Tao asked, puzzled by seeing only her own orders on the table.
"Coming right up!" Xiangling replied with a mysterious smile.
Moments later, she returned with a large bowl of vegetables and placed it beside Ganyu.
"I didn't order anything else," Ganyu looked at Xiangling, confused.
"We're celebrating our grand promotion - you're our thousandth customer today, so enjoy a complimentary dish!" Xiangling explained with a grin.
"Thank you..." Ganyu blushed slightly. Initially intending to have just a small meal, she now found herself faced with additional dishes. Well... well, she couldn't let any food go to waste, could she?!
Xiangling smiled contentedly. Ganyu rarely visited Wanmin Restaurant and always stuck to vegetarian options. Each time, she would quietly dine alone in a corner without making a sound. Observing Ganyu's solitude, Xiangling felt sympathy for her and often tried finding ways to serve her extra dishes. Surprisingly, Ganyu managed to finish them all each visit, proving appearances can be deceiving.
"Eat up, don't be shy!" Hu Tao pointed at the dishes on the table with a smile.
"Thank you!" Paimon's face lit up with joy, knowing she could feast without spending any money.
"The best combo is boiled fish with shrimp dumplings!" Hu Tao grinned, addressing Lumine and Paimon.
Soon, everyone had their fill. Hu Tao lounged comfortably in her chair, looking utterly content.
"Hu Tao, here's a dish from me!" Xiangling placed a plate of food before Hu Tao.
"All right, let's see how it tastes!" With a chuckle, Hu Tao picked up her chopsticks.
A sly grin spread across Xiangling's face as she watched Hu Tao take a bite.
"Ugh... Qingxin stir-fried Slimes!" Hu Tao's eyes widened, her expression filled with despair.
It took quite some time for Hu Tao to recover from the shock.
"Would you two like to visit my Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?" She looked at Lumine and Paimon, posing the question.
"Sure thing!" Paimon eagerly nodded, excited about the promised fifty percent discount.
Lumine also agreed, nodding her head. Since they knew nothing about Liyue yet, this would be a chance to gather information.
***
"This coffin is made of Cuihua Wood; this one here is Pine Wood, and this one..." Hu Tao enthusiastically introduced her Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's offerings to Lumine and Paimon with evident expertise.
"Additionally, we offer a deluxe funeral package. It ensures you make a dignified journey through your final destination, garnering envy from many!" Hu Tao eloquently explained, displaying her mastery of the subject.
"So, what do you think? Want to try one out? We're currently running a buy-one-get-one-free deal at half price!" Hu Tao leaned close to Lumine, grinning expectantly.
"Uh..." The corner of Paimon's mouth twitched slightly. We're still quite young, aren't we?!
"No...no thanks!" Lumine shook her head, feeling confident she wasn't near that end yet!
"Why not?" Hu Tao looked puzzled, staring at them both. Regardless of when death comes, everyone needs a coffin eventually!
"Hmm..." Paimon scratched her head, unsure how to explain their reluctance.
"Death is an inevitable part of life's cycle. Your fear won't delay its arrival by even a moment!" Hu Tao observed them solemnly, her words carrying weight.
"Plus, if you book now, I can give you an additional fifty percent off!" Hu Tao explained to them with a gleam in her eyes.
"Fifty percent off!" Upon hearing this, Paimon's eyes sparkled, barely able to resist urging the Traveler to make a purchase!
"And our esteemed guest of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Mr. Zhongli, can even craft personalized epitaphs commemorating your immortal deeds!" Hu Tao pointed towards Zhongli, smiling as she introduced him.
Zhongli's lips twitched slightly; since when did he become an epitaph writer? Even for the Director, this was quite misleading!
"We... We're adventurers, no need for that!" Paimon shook her head again.
"Hehe, adventurers especially should consider it! When walking by rivers often, one inevitably gets their shoes wet!" Hu Tao chuckled, persisting in her attempt to persuade them.
"Director, let it be. Their radiant appearances clearly indicate they're not here for business!" Zhongli couldn't bear to watch any longer and swiftly interrupted Hu Tao.
"Ahh, what a pity indeed!" Hu Tao sighed regretfully.
Paimon finally breathed a sigh of relief; had Hu Tao continued her sales pitch, she might have succumbed and made a purchase!
"Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet!" Hu Tao looked at them with a smile.
"My name is Hu Tao - 'Hu' as in 'indulge freely,' and 'Tao' from my surname, not to be confused with 'naughty.' Hee hee... Isn't that amusing?"
"I'm Paimon, the Traveler's best companion!" Paimon grinned, introducing herself while including Lumine.
"Lumine," she said softly, looking at Hu Tao.
Next, they turned their attention to Zhongli standing nearby.
"He's Zhongli, a guest scholar at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor." Hu Tao smiled and then leaned close to whisper in Lumine's ear:
"Don't let his youthful appearance fool you; his personality is like an old relic. Knows everything but cares about nothing. Could it be...? Hehe... Ah well, let him be!"
"Uh..." The corner of Lumine's mouth twitched slightly. Was it really appropriate to speak ill of someone right in front of them?
"And he enjoys tea, bird-walking, and listening to stories—sounds pretty elderly, doesn't it?" Hu Tao chuckled, teasingly eyeing Zhongli.
"Cough, cough. From a rational perspective, one might say it's merely experiencing life ahead of time!" Zhongli closed his eyes, shook his head, and replied mildly.
"See? Experiencing retirement at such a young age!" Hu Tao chuckled mischievously.
"Oh right, you two must be from out of town. Are you here for Liyue's Rite of Descension?" Hu Tao looked at Paimon and Lumine with a smile, her curiosity piqued. After all, numerous visitors came to Liyue each year specifically for this event.
"Mm-hmm!" Paimon nodded enthusiastically; they had indeed come to Liyue following Venti's advice to seek the Geo Archon.
"You should definitely witness it—it's truly spectacular! With a whoosh, a massive dragon descends from the sky and even speaks!" Hu Tao animatedly described the scene to them, her eyes sparkling.
"So that dragon is Rex Lapis, the Emperor of Rock?" Paimon asked, gazing at Hu Tao.
"I suppose so, though I'm not entirely sure. Hehe!" Hu Tao laughed, shaking her head slightly.
"The Rite of Descension occurs annually," Zhongli suddenly interjected, his voice calm as ever. "During this time, Rex Lapis delivers divine guidance, directing Liyue's path for the coming year."
"Just look at him—can't figure out what goes on in his head. Knows everything except how to help sell coffins at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!" Hu Tao muttered discontentedly, eyeing Zhongli.