Shao Yun carried the four packaged juices out of the tavern, handing one to Paimon and another to Lumine. He began explaining why he had bought these items.
"Out of these four, three are for us, and the last one is for Amber."
"After all, we're staying at her place. It's a small token of appreciation."
Lumine nodded in agreement. She had actually planned to give Amber something or help her with some tasks as a way of repaying her kindness, but too many things had happened, and it slipped her mind.
"Thanks for thinking of this, Shao Yun. If it weren't for you, I would've completely overlooked it." Lumine felt a sense of relief. Having someone to share the burden with made things much easier.
As the "King of the West" with full honor points, Shao Yun reserved his ruthless side for enemies and his kindness for allies. Helping Lumine was just part of the job.
On their way to Amber's house, Paimon carefully cradled the gift in her hands as if it were a priceless treasure.
Her face was lit up with a radiant smile, a pure and intense joy emanating from her heart. Her lips curved into a perfect arc, revealing a row of neat little white teeth.
The gift was indeed wonderful—a bottle of Iced Hook Hook Juice costing 1,500 Mora. It was enough to make her ecstatic.
Lumine noticed Paimon's barely contained excitement. While Shao Yun wasn't looking, she gently poked Paimon's shoulder and whispered, "Paimon..." She then gestured toward Shao Yun with her chin.
"Ah, thank you for the gift, Shao Yun! Paimon love it!" Paimon suddenly blurted out her gratitude.
"Really? I thought you might be upset that I didn't get you something more expensive, feeling like I favored someone else."
Shao Yun was surprised that Paimon was so easily satisfied. A 1,500 Mora drink was enough to make her happy?
He had thought Paimon might feel overshadowed by the 100,000 Mora bottle of alcohol he'd given to Venti and would be sulking. He had even been thinking about how to cheer her up, but it turned out she was fine with it.
Paimon shook her head vigorously. "How could Paimon be upset with you? 100,000 Mora might seem like a lot, but it's the thought that counts! Compared to that, this is nothing."
Her fingers gently traced the packaging, savoring every detail. A pure and intense joy radiated from her like a glowing light.
"Hehe, Paimon don't even know how to thank you." Paimon went a step further, rubbing her cheek against the packaging, feeling the coolness emanating from inside.
Despite Paimon's usual clamoring for food, she was surprisingly easy to please. Whether it was expensive or not, as long as it was delicious, she was happy.
Shao Yun's eyes sparkled with amusement. He spread his arms and joked, "If you really want to thank me, how about making me a grilled steak tomorrow?"
"Deal!" Paimon immediately extended her fist toward Shao Yun.
Understanding her gesture, Shao Yun bumped his fist against hers.
"Alright, let's hurry back to Amber's place. Otherwise, we'll be sleeping till noon tomorrow!"
---
When they arrived at Amber's house, they expected her to be asleep, but the lights were still on.
Shao Yun took out the key and opened the door.
"Amber, we're back."
Amber had been pacing back and forth in the living room, worried about the three of them. Hearing the door open and Shao Yun's cheerful voice, she rushed to the entrance, her face filled with anxiety.
"Wow, no need to be so enthusiastic."
Seeing that Shao Yun was still in the mood to joke, Amber relaxed, knowing they were safe.
"Oh my, why did it take you so long to come back? I was so worried!"
Amber's eyes still showed a hint of anxiety, as if she expected the three of them to collapse from severe injuries at any moment.
Shao Yun looked at Amber with confusion. Although it had taken them a while, her reaction seemed a bit excessive. After all, he, Lumine, and Paimon were all perfectly fine.
"Amber, you're still up?"
Seeing Shao Yun's nonchalant attitude, Amber felt a mix of frustration and relief. She thought they might not realize how chaotic things had gotten outside.
"How could I sleep? The Knights have been searching house to house, saying they're looking for thieves. Did you run into any trouble?"
It was just a minor incident. Lumine, who had escaped smoothly, hadn't felt any danger, and even Shao Yun, who had been pursued with a "dead or alive" bounty, only found it tricky at the time. Once he shook off the pursuit, it was no big deal.
"Oh, I thought it was something serious. We already knew about it. We just got questioned by the Knights."
Before Amber could say more, Shao Yun shoved the gift into her hands, effectively silencing her.
"Let's not talk about that. Here, this is for you."
Amber looked at the purple packaging in confusion, shaking it near her ear but unable to guess what was inside.
"What is this?"
With such exquisite packaging, it could only be one thing—a gift. Why not just open it and see?
"It's a gift for you. Open it and see."
"Wow, is this Iced Wolfhook Juice?"
Iced Wolfhook Juice was a specialty drink from Mondstadt, not particularly expensive. Amber thought it might cost a couple hundred Mora at most.
She pulled out the cork and took a sip. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the incredible flavor.
The rich taste of fresh Wolfhook fruit, combined with the icy chill, exploded on her taste buds. This wasn't some cheap homemade drink. There was only one place in Mondstadt that could make something this good.
"You buy this from Angel's Share, did you?"
"Bingo! You're so smart, Amber!" Shao Yun gave her a thumbs-up and winked, teasing her like a child. "I'm glad you like it."
Amber stared at the drink in her hand, her emotions a tangled mess. Non-alcoholic beverages from Angel's Share were considered luxury items in Mondstadt, with prices that were downright terrifying. Amber had only ever dreamed of trying something like this. The only drinks she'd ever had were from the Good Hunter.
With just one sip, she had consumed a small fortune!
"It's just a drink. Why are you so shocked?"
Seeing Amber frozen in place, Shao Yun realized that the sheer extravagance of the gift had shattered her worldview.
"Come on, don't just stand there. Let's get some rest. We're staying at your place, after all." Shao Yun gently pushed Amber toward her room.
"But..." Amber stammered, still clutching the drink.
"No buts. If you really feel bad about it, just make us breakfast tomorrow, okay?"
He ushered her into her room, waved goodbye, and closed the door before she could protest.
Then he led Lumine and Paimon upstairs to their carefully prepared room.
The room had been meticulously arranged by Amber and Shao Yun.
Shao Yun guided Lumine and Paimon into the room. Paimon's eyes sparkled with delight as she took in the interior decor. She jumped onto the bed, reveling in the smooth texture of the sheets. Rolling around on the bed, her face was filled with pure joy. Lumine couldn't help but laugh at Paimon's antics.
She turned to Shao Yun with gratitude shining in her eyes.
"Amber and I worked on this. I mostly did the heavy lifting, and Amber handled the design. Not bad, right?"
"Thank you. You and Amber put in a lot of effort."
Shao Yun leaned against the doorframe, looking at her with satisfaction.
"Don't mention it. Get some rest. Goodnight, see you tomorrow."
He closed the door, letting them settle in, and then returned to his own room.
His room was much simpler—a wardrobe, a bedside table, and a bed. As long as it was clean and comfortable, that was enough for him.
He took out his drink and examined it.
[Iced Wolfhook Juice: Greatly restores core stamina and Dead Eye energy.]
The stats were impressive. At 1,500 Mora a bottle, he was curious to taste what had left Amber so stunned.
Shao Yun first tasted it with the tip of his tongue. The fruity flavor was intense.
Then he gulped it down in one go. The cold juice flowed down his throat like a refreshing stream, bringing instant coolness and satisfaction.
"My tongue feels tingly."
After finishing the drink, his tongue felt numb, as if tiny electric currents were stimulating it. He felt energized and incredibly refreshed.
After enjoying the delicious drink, Shao Yun took off his hat, removed his coat, and neatly placed his boots on the floor. He lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and prepared to sleep.
Ten minutes passed...
Twenty minutes passed...
Half an hour passed...
Shao Yun opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling, letting out a wry smile.
"Well, this is great. I can't sleep at all."
Even if he couldn't sleep, he had no choice but to lie there. Shao Yun couldn't possibly go out at this hour. If the patrolling Knights saw him, it would only raise suspicions.
He lay in bed, one hand under his head, the other tracing patterns in the air as he started counting sheep to pass the time.
"One sheep, two sheep, three sheep..."
The soft sound of Shao Yun counting sheep filled the room. He finally understood the struggle of those who suffered from insomnia. It was pure torture.