Night fell, and the three of them sat around the fire. Gu Sanqiu, with a skewer of grilled meat between his lips, handed out food to Xingqiu and Chongyun.
"Eat something healthy. The last thing we need is a stomachache or diarrhea out here—that would be a disaster."
"You saying that with a skewer in your mouth doesn't really add to your credibility."
"What, are you doubting Wanmin Restaurant's hygiene and craftsmanship? Be careful, when Xiangling returns, I'll bring Guoba to your library and have him roast the place."
"Are we really brothers?"
"Obviously—just on the surface."
(╬￣皿￣)
Chongyun chuckled quietly from the side. When it was just him and Xingqiu, he was usually the one getting the short end of the stick, with Xingqiu always being the one in control. But now it seemed like he had found someone who could keep Xingqiu in check—Gu Sanqiu.
Here in Guyun Stone Forest, with no entertainment to speak of and the need to keep watch for potential dangers from all directions, conversation was the only way to pass the time. And right now, it seemed like Gu Sanqiu had the upper hand in teasing Xingqiu.
"You know," Xingqiu said, lying on the ground with his hands behind his head, "it's surprisingly peaceful here. We've been around for a while, and there haven't been any unusual occurrences. It's actually quite a rare moment of tranquility."
"If the journey here wasn't so dangerous, I'd consider building a little vacation cottage," he added.
"There's an even better place for that—Qingce Village."
"No way, that place has no life to it. It's not my style."
"I'm suggesting we develop it—turn it into a resort area."
"Oh?" Xingqiu raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting idea. Are you planning to get your hands on Qingce Village?"
"Yeah, the area's too far from Liyue Harbor for proper defense. We rely on places like Wangshu Inn in the middle. If we could revitalize Qingce, not only would it bring more liveliness to the elderly who live there, but it'd also turn the whole region into a vibrant hub. A north-south connection would be great for future growth."
"That actually makes sense. Liyue Harbor's growth has been impressive, but we're probably reaching the limits of how much it can expand."
Xingqiu looked thoughtful. "Rather than expanding outward, it might be time to focus on generating internal momentum. I didn't think of that."
"Well, why don't you bring it up with your family? We could partner up—count you as a stakeholder. Even if you don't want to get involved, you should know how much potential profit there is."
"That's only if we can actually get it off the ground. Don't try to pull one over on me—if it flops, all that money goes down the drain."
Xingqiu smirked, then pulled Chongyun into a friendly headlock. "But if it works, I'll make Chongyun the head of security for the whole village."
Chongyun rolled his eyes. "I don't fully understand what you two are plotting, but whatever you're planning, it definitely doesn't sound like a good thing for me."
"No way! I'm always looking out for my brothers. Do you think I'd ever do anything to harm you?"
"Doesn't your conscience hurt when you say things like that?" Chongyun shot him a look of pure disdain. "Haven't you tricked me enough?"
"Uh..."
Gu Sanqiu clapped lightly, smirking at Xingqiu's perfect counter.
"By the way, Sanqiu, if you're planning something this big, why don't we just go independent?" Xingqiu suggested, excitement gleaming in his eyes. "We can get Hu Tao, Keqing, and Xiangling to chip in. If it's a success, we young folks can take all the credit. What do you think?"
"You're overthinking it. Even if we get them involved, who do you think will actually put in the work besides you and me?"
Gu Sanqiu's expression was flat. "And do you think something this big won't attract attention?"
"Qingce Village is home to a lot of young people from Liyue, and if we want to develop it, we'll need to get their opinions and do surveys."
"Plus, those seven aren't fools. If something like this happens, they'll definitely step in to oversee us. Do you really think they'll just let us run wild?"
"And let's not forget—if I get involved, you think that guy upstairs won't come knocking?"
"Good point... This is a pretty tricky operation. But it's still doable, right? With you leading it and my Feiyun Commerce Guild backing you, the groundwork should be manageable."
"Oh, so you remember you're the second son of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, huh?"
Gu Sanqiu massaged his temples. "I'll keep an eye on it. For now, just talk to your family when you get back. Make sure they're ready to chip in with money and manpower. I don't want to start things off and find you've gone off wandering somewhere."
"Wait," Chongyun chimed in, looking confused. "Aren't you two forgetting about the cost? Something like this must be incredibly expensive, right?"
"Expensive? This guy's family has more money than they know what to do with. They could probably fund another project the size of Qingce Village and still be fine."
"Hey, don't say that! If the Qixing ever decide to audit my assets, I'm coming after you."
Gu Sanqiu tossed a skewer next to Xingqiu. "Looks like nothing's going to happen tonight. You two go rest. We'll switch shifts in the middle of the night."
"You go ahead, Xingqiu. I still have a few things I'd like to ask."
Gu Sanqiu paused, looking at Chongyun curiously. What does he want to ask?
"Alright, I'm off to bed. Don't lose track of time—I don't want to be stuck steering the boat with you two half-asleep."
Gu Sanqiu watched Xingqiu walk off, then turned to Chongyun. "So, what do you want to ask?"
"Xiangzun..."
Gu Sanqiu raised a hand to stop him. "No, no—don't use that title with me. I'm not that old yet. Just call me Gu Sanqiu, or Sanqiu, or whatever. My family's no longer at the top of the world, and you're just a descendant of an exorcist family. Besides, we've known each other for a while. No need to be so formal."
Chongyun nodded. "Alright then, I'll be direct. I want to know if there are still other exorcist families operating in Liyue."
"Hmm?"
Gu Sanqiu furrowed his brow. "Why do you ask? If not for you and Xingqiu, I wouldn't even know that there were still exorcists practicing outside of Minlin."
He stroked his chin. "No, at least not that I've heard of. But I did hear something about a guy named the Dust-Scattering Heavenly Lord who's supposedly exorcising demons out there."
Gu Sanqiu chuckled to himself. He had almost forgotten about that charlatan. The guy wasn't a bad person, but he definitely needed some education.
"You should probably ask Xingqiu instead. Have his Feiyun Commerce Guild people dig around. For me, I only remember the famous families with real lineages. I haven't paid much attention to any of the newer, less-established ones."
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