Evening
Having agreed at noon to meet Zhongli and sample Hu Tao's cooking at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor later, Luo Qing strolled over just as the sun began to set.
He had already witnessed Hu Tao's culinary skills a few times before.
It's not that her cooking was bad, it's just that it leaned a little too much into the realm of mysticism. No one ever knew what might come out of her kitchen.
In the back kitchen of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao was busy in an apron, dealing with the fish Luo Qing had caught that morning.
"Hmm... should I gut it first, or scale it? Why doesn't the cookbook say anything about this... Ugh, this smell is so strong!"
Unable to find Zhongli in the front hall, Luo Qing made his way to the back kitchen. The attendants at the parlor, familiar with his relationship with both the parlor's master and Zhongli, let him through without question.
"Yo, Master Hu, prepping some fish?"
"Ah, Luo Qing! You came at the perfect time!"
Upon hearing Luo Qing's voice, Hu Tao hastily put down her kitchen knife and eagerly asked, "Do you know whether I should scale the fish first or gut it? The Liyue Cuisine Guide doesn't say!"
"..."
Luo Qing glanced at the half-alive fish on the counter, already hacked open in several places, and felt a sudden sense of dread.
It seemed his catch from today was doomed to be wasted.
"Uh, Master Hu, maybe we should get someone who actually knows how to cook to—"
"No way! I promised I'd cook today! How could I break my word? Or do you just not trust my culinary skills, Luo Qing?" Hu Tao said with determination.
"Fine... you should scale it first."
"Got it! Now, you go wait in the front. I've got this covered. Once Zhongli comes back, we'll start dinner!"
Hu Tao pushed Luo Qing out of the kitchen, eager to prove herself to someone who believed in her cooking skills for once.
Listening to the strange sounds emanating from the kitchen, Luo Qing couldn't help but feel a slight sense of unease.
After waiting a while in the front hall, Zhongli returned from his walk.
Seeing the look on Luo Qing's face, Zhongli knew that dinner would likely not go as expected.
The two men stood at the entrance, gazing out at the distant coastline.
"Hey, Zhongli, you're pretty good at cooking, right?" Luo Qing asked.
"A dear friend of mine once taught me a few things about the culinary arts, so I suppose I have some knowledge."
"Then why haven't you taught Hu Tao? She doesn't even know how to clean a fish..."
Zhongli shook his head slightly. "I have discussed cooking techniques with her, but her perspective on food is rather unique, and I couldn't convince her otherwise."
"Ah, well... I just hope my fish gets a proper send-off," Luo Qing sighed.
Before long, the thick scent of smoke wafted from the kitchen. Luo Qing and Zhongli were just about to head over to see what was going on when Hu Tao burst out with a large pot of fish soup in her hands.
"Success! Come on, try it! My special Golden Fish Soup!"
Luo Qing peered into the pot. Inside the light yellow broth floated the charred remains of the fish, blackened as if it had been set ablaze.
Swallowing his nerves, Luo Qing said, "Zhongli, you're in good health. Why don't you try it first?"
"Very well..."
Zhongli reluctantly picked up a pair of chopsticks. Not wanting to hurt Hu Tao's feelings, he picked up a piece of the fish and put it into his mouth.
Crunch.
Who could have guessed that the fish in the soup would be crispy?
"The taste is... unique. The parlor master certainly put her heart into it," Zhongli said with a slight nod.
"Hehe! I told you I worked hard on this!" Hu Tao beamed, then turned to Luo Qing with expectant eyes.
"Alright, Luo Qing, your turn!"
"Uh... sure."
---
Luo Qing staggered out of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, holding his back.
Next time Hu Tao decides to cook, he swore he would stay far away.
Her cooking skills were on par with that of someone else he knew from Inazuma.
Feeling something strange churning in his stomach, Luo Qing decided to take a stroll to aid his digestion before returning to the Northland Bank.
As he walked through Liyue's southern residential area, he noticed that many people were out enjoying an evening stroll. But not far ahead, raised voices caught his attention. Looking over, he saw a silver-haired woman, Shenhe, surrounded by a few men who seemed to be arguing with her.
The leader of the group was grinning arrogantly. "Miss, all my buddy did was ask if you wanted to grab a drink with us. Did you really have to hit him? That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"
Shenhe's expression was cold and indifferent as she replied, "He was disrespectful, and brought it on himself."
"Hah, feisty, aren't you? Well, let me tell you, unless you cough up at least 100,000 Mora, you're not going anywhere tonight!"
"You—"
Shenhe clenched her fist, ready to deal with them swiftly. But before she could act, the men surrounding her vanished in an instant. By the time she looked around again, they had fallen into the river, swept away by the strong current into the sea.
Standing before her, Luo Qing's golden eyes dimmed, returning to their normal Liyue black.
"Hey, Shenhe, out for a walk too?" Luo Qing asked with a smile, showing no concern for the men now floating downriver. He wasn't the type to waste time dealing with scoundrels like them.
"You..."
Shenhe hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. "Are you free now?"
"Nope."
"Then why did you come find me?"
Shenhe turned away, not bothering to look at Luo Qing, and started walking in the opposite direction.
Back at the Northland Bank, he'd nearly pushed her to the point of fighting him, and now here he was again, showing up uninvited. If he wasn't here to fight, then she had nothing to say to him.
Luo Qing, clearly amused by the cold, disdainful look Shenhe was giving him, quickly followed after her.
"Have you eaten yet, Shenhe?"
"No."
Shenhe's reply was cold, and she didn't bother glancing in his direction.
"How about I treat you? We could go to Xinyue Pavilion."
"No need."
Despite Shenhe's icy attitude, Luo Qing wasn't bothered. After thinking for a moment, he grinned and added softly, "But if you agree, maybe I'll suddenly have some free time?"
"..."
The moment the words left his mouth, Shenhe stopped in her tracks. After a long pause, she slowly turned around.
"Really?"
"Of course."
Luo Qing nodded. With his trip to Inazuma looming, it only made sense to settle things in Liyue before he left.
"Fine. After we eat, we'll have that duel you promised."
"Sure, that's doable."
Luo Qing smiled, extending his right hand.
"Shall we, Miss Shenhe?"
Shenhe glanced at him, snorted lightly, and started walking toward Xinyue Pavilion.
The only reason she had come down from the mountains was to settle things with Luo Qing. The sooner it was done, the sooner she could return.
Determined, Shenhe walked side by side with Luo Qing, heading straight for Xinyue Pavilion.
But as they walked, a faint sense of doubt crept into her heart.
Had she really come all this way just to fight him again?
---
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