The conversation among the four companions took a more reasonable turn, returning to the kind of topics you'd expect from young people.
For example, Xiangling excitedly talked about a new line of women's clothing she'd seen, how her culinary skills had improved during her travels, and invited everyone to taste her new dishes—though they all knew "taste-testing" was just a polite way to call them guinea pigs.
Xingqiu, on the other hand, teased Chongyun for turning as red as a boiled shrimp during a massage, while Chongyun retaliated by bringing up how Xingqiu's The Autumn Sword Chronicles had failed to sell despite his efforts.
Gu Sanqiu, ever the observer, shared the latest news of a peculiar challenge some bold young men had attempted: the infamous "Talk to Ying'er for More Than Five Minutes." Unsurprisingly, none of them had succeeded.
"Haha! So there are still people brave—or foolish—enough to try that?" Xingqiu burst into laughter. "I can't believe it! Even back when Wanwen Bookhouse published One Hundred Tales of Embarrassment, people knew better than to take on that challenge."
"Well, to put it kindly, they're fearless," Gu Sanqiu chuckled. "Either that or drunk, or they lost a bet and had no choice."
Xiangling put down her chopsticks. "Wait, there's actually a challenge like this? Doesn't that mean Ying'er-jie gets bothered by these people a lot?"
"Not really," Gu Sanqiu replied with a smile. "All the losers have to buy her perfume, so she doesn't lose out."
"In fact, during slow sales periods, she's probably hoping for more of these 'fearless' types to show up. It's a good way for her to turn a profit."
"She's practically unbeatable," Xingqiu said, lightly raising a hand and using his Hydro Vision to pour Xiangling a cup of tea.
"And who told you this is just a guys' activity? Plenty of girls visit Ying'er too, under the pretense of 'seeking advice.' It's just that you're so focused on cooking you haven't noticed."
"Is that so?" Xiangling took a sip of tea. "Then how come you know so much about it?"
Gu Sanqiu raised an eyebrow, starting to wonder if the wine they were drinking had some truth serum in it. Why hadn't he caught this detail?
Chongyun, now also looking suspicious, gave Xingqiu a sidelong glance. "You're not secretly dressing as a girl and infiltrating their group, are you? Maybe you've even built a little circle of close friends to get all this insider info?"
Gu Sanqiu tilted his head in mock thought. Information like this wasn't usually shared across groups—unless, of course, you had a friend eccentric enough to get burned at the stake for it.
"What kind of person do you take me for?!" Xingqiu exploded.
"Do I look like someone who would do that? Why does it have to be me sneaking into a women's group in disguise? Can't it just be my excellent conversational skills, my gentlemanly charm, and my dashing good looks?"
"The fact you rattled off such a long string of self-praises suggests you're feeling guilty," Gu Sanqiu deadpanned. "You've read plenty of the psychology books in my family's collection, haven't you? And yet you're still this defensive."
...
Xiangling and Chongyun exchanged looks, their expressions gradually morphing into disdain.
"It's not like that!" Xingqiu protested. "I only know this because Ying'er told me during one of our conversations!"
"Liar," Gu Sanqiu said, unflinching. "I distinctly remember you dealing with her once and getting immediately pegged as someone who's 'polite on the surface but overly curious.' After that, you never went back to Chunxiang Kiln."
Xiangling and Chongyun both gasped.
"That was forever ago! Listen to me, will you?!" Xingqiu took a deep breath. "I oversee my family's silk business, okay? The last time I went there, it was to discuss how perfume could complement silk products. That's when she told me all this!"
"Chunxiang Kiln's perfumes are top-notch. Out of respect, I had to negotiate in person."
"I just happened to mention that my family wants me to start dating while I'm young, even pressuring me to attend social gatherings. Then Ying'er shared these stories with me."
He spread his hands in exasperation. "So no, it's not what you think. I learned all this through normal conversation!"
"Oh, I guess that's believable... barely," Chongyun muttered.
"Just barely?!" Xingqiu cried.
"Alright, this isn't worth debating," Gu Sanqiu said with a dismissive wave.
"What do you mean, 'not worth debating'?!" Xingqiu yelled, his face red with indignation. "This is about my personal honor! You can't just brush it off!"
Gu Sanqiu sniffed the wine in his cup, confirmed it was fine, and took a sip. "Relax. It's not like any of us would spread this around. At most, we'll bring it up at group dinners to laugh at you a bit."
"Even that's unacceptable! That's just dragging my embarrassing history through the mud!" Xingqiu groaned, imagining the long lifespans of his Vision-wielding friends. His "black history" would be brought up over and over for centuries—and knowing his luck, it'd probably end up as part of Liyue Harbor's folk tales.
No!
"Nobody here is allowed to repeat this to anyone!"
"Don't worry, we won't," Gu Sanqiu assured him with a sly grin, rubbing his fingers together in a not-so-subtle gesture for money. Xiangling and Chongyun quickly caught on and followed suit.
"Your family's loaded, and you're still trying to extort me?!" Xingqiu protested.
"What's wrong with making a little extra pocket money?" Gu Sanqiu replied. "By the way, what's your family's plan for this year's Dance of the Archons?"
"The bidding isn't in my family's hands this time," Xingqiu said, clearly relieved at the topic change. "I'll just be a spectator. Nothing more."
"Fair enough," Gu Sanqiu said, smiling faintly. "This year's Lantern Rite shouldn't see much change either. The spirits outside have mostly been cleaned up, and the Millelith stationed out there should have an easier time."
"No changes?" Gu Sanqiu's grin widened. "Perhaps. Maybe nothing will happen."
"Hey, hey! Whenever you say something like that, it means you're planning something big!" Xingqiu said, immediately on edge. "What are you up to?"
"What are you scheming?" Chongyun added.
"Obviously, take me along!" Xingqiu declared confidently. "Whatever you're planning during Lantern Rite, it's not going to disrupt harmony or stability. So it must be something fun. How could you leave me out?"
---
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