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"Can...can I play with you?" Little Eula timidly asked a group of children playing harpastum, her eyes filled with longing.
"Of course! Join us!" The kids welcomed her with smiles.
Little Eula felt overjoyed and eagerly approached them.
However, just then, an adult walked over and scolded one child, "She's from the Lawrence Clan; don't play with her!"
Eula stood frozen, fear evident on her face as she saw the adult's expression of disgust, feeling utterly helpless.
Suddenly, a harpastum ball flew towards them and landed at little Eula's feet.
Excited, she was about to crouch down and pick it up when a kid shouted harshly, "Don't touch our ball, you Lawrence Clan villain!"
Another child rushed forward and shoved little Eula hard, causing her to fall onto the ground.
"Haha, beating up the Lawrence Clan villains, I'm a brave Knight of Favonius!" The child laughed gleefully, clearly proud of their action.
Little Eula's eyes widened, fighting back tears. Holding them back felt incredibly uncomfortable.
The other children, seeing Eula sitting on the ground, quickly ran over, circling around her and hurling insults.
Eula lifted her head, looking left and right. Their expressions and words truly frightened her deeply.
She pondered silently, wondering why...why everyone seemed to dislike her so much, despite not having done anything wrong.
Little Eula's eyes widened, lips tightly pursed, as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment.
Just then, a young boy approached and forcefully pushed aside the crowd.
"Eula, get up quickly! I'll protect you!" The boy extended his hand, attempting to help little Eula stand up.
Eula momentarily hesitated, recognizing this person as Lin Feng from her dream, instantly connecting it with reality.
However, instead of waking up, she smiled and took Lin Feng's hand, rising to her feet.
Lin Feng swiftly pulled little Eula away, fleeing with a group of children hot on their heels.
In no time, the scene before little Eula changed; they had hidden behind a wall, watching several kids playing harpastum nearby.
"Eula, don't let them bully you. I'll make them pay for it later!" Lin Feng grinned, waiting for the perfect opportunity when their harpastum ball landed near them.
As soon as it did, Lin Feng darted forward, picked up the ball, and sprinted towards the city gate.
The other children quickly chased after Lin Feng, followed by little Eula running alongside him.
Reaching the bridge, Lin Feng chuckled mischievously and tossed the harpastum ball into the swift-flowing river below.
However, he was promptly caught and received a sound beating from the other kids.
With a bruised face, Lin Feng looked at little Eula and still managed to smile, saying, "They were bullying you, so I stole their harpastum ball. Hehe!"
***
Eula lay on her bed, and as a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye, a faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth, bringing a peaceful calm to her sleep.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng opened his eyes, rubbing his head in confusion. Why did he dream about young Eula? He had never even seen her before; what was going on?
And how could he get beaten up by a bunch of kids? No way! Even in a dream, he couldn't let that slide without retaliation.
Quickly, Lin Feng fell back asleep. How dare they bully Eula in his dreams! He vowed to give those brats a proper lesson!
***
Paimon and Lumine rested for the night at the Wangshu Inn. The next morning, they woke up early.
"Traveler, let's head back to Liyue Harbor and find Childe!" Paimon looked at Lumine with a cheerful grin.
"Mm-hmm..." Lumine nodded, and together they set off towards Liyue Harbor.
***
"You're finally back! How did it go?" Childe smiled at them, eagerly asking for updates.
Paimon recounted their findings to him. Childe listened with a slight grin and responded, "These Adepti names aren't even mentioned in the Fatui's intelligence reports. I must thank you both for this valuable information!"
"Ah...how could you be so mean!" Paimon angrily stomped her feet, glaring at Childe.
"Of course, as part of our exchange, I'll share some intel with you too." Childe chuckled, addressing Lumine and Paimon.
Both Lumine and Paimon turned their attention to Childe, curious about his information.
"The Liyue Qixing's stance on the death of their deity is quite intriguing. They've sealed off all news from the public and prohibited anyone from viewing the Exuvia!" Childe shared, smiling at the pair.
"What exactly is the 'Exuvia'?" Paimon asked, puzzled.
"Ahem, it's Emperor Rex Lapis' remains!" Childe cleared his throat with an awkward smile.
"The current mighty and illuminated adepti are demanding answers from the Liyue Qixing."
"So, we won't be able to see the Exuvia, making our quest to meet The Seven utterly futile?" Paimon sounded somewhat disheartened.
"Oh? You're seeking out The Seven? What for?" Childe appeared surprised, looking at them curiously.
"That's none of your business!" Lumine replied coolly.
"Haha, seems like you've mastered those knightly lessons well! After all, knights easily giving away information aren't good knights!" Childe chuckled before continuing,
"However, I can assist you this time. Give me a day; tomorrow, I'll find someone who can break this deadlock!" He smiled faintly.
"Alright!" Lumine nodded, then led Paimon away.
***
"Mm, excellent tea," Zhongli remarked to the owner as he slowly rose from his seat. "As per usual, the bill will be settled by the young master of the Northland Bank."
"Of course!" The owner nodded with a smile.
At that moment, Childe approached, grinning. "Hold on, Mr. Zhongli, I'll take care of the tab!"
He tossed a pouch of money to the owner before walking up to Zhongli.
"What is it?" Zhongli looked at Childe, slightly puzzled.
"I have a friend who might be able to assist you in performing the Rite of Parting," Childe said mildly, gazing back at him.
"Hmm." Zhongli closed his eyes briefly, then turned to Childe. "There's no objection if funding is sufficient!"
"Cough, cough! Rest assured, the Northland Bank will cover all expenses for the Rite of Parting!" Childe cleared his throat with a smile.
"Very well." Zhongli nodded and began to depart.
"Mr. Zhongli, tomorrow at noon, Liuli Pavilion for lunch—don't forget!" Seeing Zhongli about to leave, Childe quickly reminded him.
"Yes, noted!" Zhongli acknowledged with a slight nod before taking his leave.
***
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor appeared unusually bustling, with people packed tightly at its entrance.
Zhongli was taken aback by this sight. When had it become so lively here? He hadn't fulfilled Director Hu Tao's wishes yet!
"Hehe, everyone, don't be impatient!" Hu Tao chuckled, addressing the throng pushing eagerly forward.
"These cellphones are truly precious items, used as magical artifacts by the Adepti from Jueyun Karst. However, your humble director isn't driven by greed. With the intention of benefiting Liyue's citizens, I'm offering a free cellphone with every coffin purchase!"
Hu Tao surveyed the crowd, placing several cellphones on the table before her, and let out another mischievous laugh.