"Boss! We're back!"
"Mm."
"We bought something for you to eat!"
"Oh? What is it?"
"Try to guess!"
Xia Zhi pretended to think.
"Candy?"
"No."
"Pastry?"
"No, it's fruit."
"Sunset Fruit?"
"Right, let me wash them in the kitchen."
Zhu Zi hugged a bag of Sunset Fruits and ran to the back of the shop.
Xia Zhi looked at Shenhe and asked with a smile, "How did you decide to buy Sunset Fruits for me?"
Shenhe sat down at the table and said, "On the way back, someone was selling them. Zhu Zi said you like them and insisted on buying a few. She carefully selected them for a long time."
Do I like them?
Xia Zhi suddenly remembered that a few days ago, he had taken two Sunset Fruits from his inventory, washed them, and shared one with Zhu Zi.
Such a small gesture, and unexpectedly, Zhu Zi had remembered it all this time.
"The fruits are washed."
Zhu Zi came over and distributed the washed Sunset Fruits.
"This one is for the boss, and this one is for Miss Shenhe."
Xia Zhi took his and said, "Thank you, Zhu Zi."
"No need to thank me. I bought them with the boss's money anyway."
"It's quite sweet."
"They say these were picked today, but I feel they're not as fresh as the Sunset Fruit you gave me last time."
"Maybe you were tricked."
"Ugh, I won't buy things from street vendors anymore!"
Xia Zhi laughed and took a bite. The fruit was actually quite fresh, probably picked this morning, only half a day ago. But it couldn't compare to the Sunset Fruits in his inventory, which remained in a "suspended" state, as fresh as if just picked from the tree.
After finishing the Sunset Fruits and chatting for a while, the three went out for dinner.
At the Wanmin Restaurant, Xia Zhi introduced his new employee to Master Mu and Xiangling.
"Miss Shenhe? With snow-white hair..."
Upon hearing the name, Xiangling felt something familiar and, after careful thought, her face showed surprise.
"I've heard my junior disciple talk about you!"
"Junior disciple?"
"Yao Yao!"
"Oh, Yao Yao. So you're the senior disciple she mentioned."
"Yes, you've finally come to Liyue Harbor after staying away from the world. I must take good care of you! Otherwise, the Grand Master and Yao Yao will definitely scold me!"
"No need to be so formal."
"What do you like to eat? Steamed dishes? Boiled dishes? Stir-fried dishes? Cold dishes?"
"I..."
Xia Zhi stepped in to help Shenhe, "Tonight, please make the dishes a bit lighter."
"I understand!"
Xiangling returned to the kitchen, ready to showcase her skills.
Master Mu quietly asked, "Is she really a disciple of an immortal?"
"Yes, old man."
"She'll be working for Master Xia at the shop?"
"Mm."
Master Mu nodded in understanding.
Having an immortal's disciple do odd jobs, I knew Master Xia must be an immortal himself!
Soon, a table full of dishes was served.
Shenhe picked up her chopsticks and took a bite, her expression slightly softening.
Zhu Zi asked with a laugh, "Delicious?"
Shenhe nodded, "Delicious."
After a pause, she added, "A bit better than Liuli Pavilion."
"Liuli Pavilion? I heard the dishes there are very expensive. Did Miss Shenhe actually eat there?"
"Master Xia took me there for lunch."
"???"
Zhu Zi immediately turned and looked at Xia Zhi with a grievanced expression.
Xia Zhi, being "blind," just lowered his head and ate seriously.
"Boss."
"Mm?"
"Are the dishes at Liuli Pavilion good?"
"Average, nothing special. Not as good as Wanmin Restaurant."
"Then why did you go?"
"Can't be helped. When treating Miss Yanfei to a meal, I had to go to a more expensive place."
"I see."
"If you want to try, I'll take you to Liuli Pavilion next time."
"N-no need! It's not as good as Wanmin Restaurant anyway, so let's not waste money."
"It's fine. We have money."
Zhu Zi suddenly blushed and lowered her head to eat quietly.
After finishing dinner and saying goodbye to Xiangling, the three left the Wanmin Restaurant.
After a few steps, Shenhe couldn't help but point out, "This isn't the way back."
Xia Zhi nodded, "We won't go back yet. Let's take a walk at the harbor."
Zhu Zi laughed and said, "Miss Shenhe, we usually take a walk like this after dinner."
Shenhe noted this in her heart, "Mm."
Near the Lantern Rite, Liyue City was bustling, with a festive atmosphere in the air.
The glow of a thousand lights, the noisy and prosperous sounds, the fragrance of various snacks...
These were things Shenhe had never experienced during her harsh mountain training.
Following Xia Zhi and Zhu Zi through the streets, she felt both curious and somewhat lost.
Eating and drinking along the way, they arrived at the harbor.
Explosion sounds came from the distance.
Shenhe looked up and saw colorful fireworks blooming in the black night sky, incredibly beautiful.
She stared blankly at the scene until the fireworks completely disappeared.
This is... the human world...
After walking around enough, they returned to the shop.
As usual, Zhu Zi looked at Xia Zhi with longing eyes and softly said, "Boss, I want juice."
Xia Zhi smiled and nodded, "Okay."
He walked into the counter and skillfully prepared three glasses of Rainbow Fruit Juice.
"Thank you, Boss!"
Zhu Zi held her cup, taking a small sip, her eyes involuntarily narrowing in enjoyment.
"So good!"
Xia Zhi handed another cup to Shenhe, "Here, try our shop's specialty drink, Rainbow Fruit Juice."
Shenhe took the cup, feeling the juice looked beautiful, more beautiful than the most beautiful sunset clouds she had seen on the mountain.
She took a small sip, and the sudden burst of flavor caught her off guard.
Shenhe closed her eyes, savoring it for a while before opening them.
"Is it good?" Xia Zhi asked.
Shenhe nodded, "Very good."
Xia Zhi smiled and handed her his remaining cup of Rainbow Fruit Juice, "Try another cup."
"But I haven't finished this one."
"It's okay, just try it."
Shenhe hesitated for a moment, put down her cup, and took the one he offered, taking a light sip.
Completely different flavors exploded on her tongue.
A hint of surprise appeared on Shenhe's face, "Why is this?"
She clearly saw it was made from the same base juice, so why did it taste different?
"This is the specialty of our shop's juice. Every cup of juice has a unique flavor."
"Does that mean I'll never be able to taste the previous cup's flavor again?"
"..."
After serving so many customers, Shenhe was the first to ask such a question.
Xia Zhi was silent for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, it's like time. Every day seems the same, but you'll never have yesterday again. You should enjoy today."
Shenhe fell silent, and after a long time, she looked up and said seriously, "I understand. Thank you."
Though he didn't know why she was thanking him, he felt she had resolved something in her heart.
"You're welcome. This is a benefit of our shop. You can have as many cups as you want."
----
Join my patreon to read 30+ advance chapters
Thank you for your support!
patreon.com/rivyura