After Kirara left, the two Adepti also stood up and excused themselves to go play cards at the teahouse.
Xia Zhi went to the kitchen, while Keqing took out the design blueprints and sat down with Xia Ci to discuss them.
"What's the issue?"
"Mr. Zhongli said this area might need some optimization."
"Let me see… Oh, that's just a placeholder I left."
"Huh?"
"These are spaces reserved for laying various lines. This spot can be used for a speaker, and this one can be slightly modified to fit a large display…"
"?"
Keqing was full of questions.
"It might be hard for you to understand if I explain it like this."
Xia Ci sighed.
"I'm currently working on a recorder. It should be ready by next Thursday. If you're not too busy, you can come to the shop and take a look."
"Oh, sure!"
"You don't have to agree so quickly. The construction site might be busy by then."
"That's true… So we don't need to modify the blueprint?"
"No, it's fine as it is. I've already designed everything. Just follow it."
"Alright."
"Sorry for not explaining it clearly earlier. I made you come all this way for nothing."
"It's fine."
Keqing shook her head and put away the blueprints.
In fact, she wouldn't mind making a few more trips like this.
The hot pot at lunch was just too delicious.
But the thought of having to eat the construction site's communal dinner tonight made Keqing a bit anxious.
It wasn't that she was being picky—she could eat it if she had to—she just didn't want to.
After a while, a spicy mushroom aroma wafted out from the kitchen.
Keqing sniffed and couldn't help but look in that direction.
A moment later, Xia Zhi came out of the kitchen holding two jars.
"Boss, what delicious thing did you make this time?"
"Spicy mushroom sauce. I call it 'rice companion.'"
"!"
"I had some leftover hot pot base from this morning, so I chopped up some mushrooms and made this sauce."
"I want to try it!"
"There's more in the kitchen. These two jars are for Lady Keqing."
"Oh!"
Keqing was stunned. "Huh?"
Xia Zhi walked over and placed the jars on the table.
"I know a bit about medicine. Earlier, when I heard Lady Keqing's voice, it sounded a bit weak. I figured the food at the construction site might not be great, and you might be a bit undernourished. Take this spicy sauce back with you. It'll add some flavor to your meals."
Keqing's face turned slightly red, but she also felt a warmth in her heart.
"Thank you, Mr. Xia…"
"But don't eat too much spicy food. It's not good for your stomach. This jar is for Mr. Zhongli."
"Alright."
"Oh, Shenhe, can you get me some paper and a brush?"
Shenhe came over.
Xia Zhi casually wrote two labels—[Lao Gan Die]—and stuck them on the jars.
That feels better.
Keqing looked at the elegant calligraphy on the labels, her face full of questions.
"Mr. Xia, what does 'Lao Gan Die' mean?"
"Nothing special. Just something I wrote for fun, like the 'Chef Xia' on instant noodles."
"Oh."
Keqing carefully stored the two jars in her spatial item. After chatting for a while, Hu Tao brought over the organized documents and handed them to her. Keqing then excused herself and returned to the construction site.
The afternoon was uneventful, spent playing mahjong in the shop.
Later in the evening, Xia Zhi took out the sakura, kneaded the dough, and everyone sat together to make sakura mochi.
It was like making mooncakes—more about the atmosphere.
Madame Ping also joined in with a smile. Her hands were quite skilled, and the mochi she made looked delicate and elegant, even more beautiful than those made by Zhu Zi, a native of Inazuma.
Of course, the most beautiful sakura mochi were the ones made by Xia Zhi.
The smooth, round mochi were surrounded by the faint fragrance of sakura, their exquisite forms capturing the fleeting beauty of the blossoms.
Taking a bite, the unique aroma of sakura filled the mouth, as if one had returned to the moment when the cherry blossoms were falling.
Zhu Zi, perhaps feeling homesick, held a half-eaten mochi and couldn't help but tear up.
"Senior Zhu Zi, are you okay?"
"Mm, it's delicious."
Zhu Zi took another bite, crying and laughing at the same time.
"The boss made it better than my mom on his first try."
Xia Ci patted her shoulder.
"It's okay. Maybe you'll dream about your parents tonight."
At the same time, Xia Zhi sensed a ripple of dream energy and couldn't help but "look" in this direction.
My cousin is quite gentle.
Then, Xia Zhi "looked" at Granny Ping.
At that moment, Madame Ping had also glanced at Xia Ci.
I didn't expect the Streetward Rambler to be so perceptive…
Or is it because she's practiced dream techniques?
Shenhe said her [Dreamwalking Technique] was learned from Granny Ping, so Granny Ping must have practiced it as well.
But at that moment, Shenhe didn't seem to notice anything unusual.
This means Granny Ping's mastery of dream techniques must be much deeper than Shenhe's…
Xia Zhi looked at Granny Ping, who was eating sakura mochi with a kind smile, and thought about the discussion earlier about youkai and spirits taking human form. He couldn't help but ponder.
Ganyu hasn't changed her appearance in thousands of years, and Granny Ping's cultivation is even higher than Ganyu's. There's no reason she would age like this.
Moreover, according to Chi Yu, Granny Ping has always looked like this for as long as she can remember, never aging further.
This suggests that Granny Ping is deliberately showing this appearance, likely using some kind of adeptal art to conceal her true form.
He was curious.
That night, in his room.
Xia Zhi sat at his desk and took out the [Phantom Mirror].
The mirror had three traits: [Truth-Seeking], [Otherworld], and [Foresight].
Xia Zhi hadn't used it much, only activating [Foresight] a few times when saving the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Now, he decided to try another trait—[Truth-Seeking]: the ability to see through illusions.
The mirror showed Granny Ping's image.
"Granny Ping's true appearance."
The image on the mirror flickered slightly.
Then, an elegant and intellectual blue-haired beauty replaced the old woman.
Xia Zhi "looked" at the mirror and fell into silence.
With such a tall and graceful figure, perhaps, maybe, possibly, he should have given her beautiful clothes as a birthday gift last time…
What a missed opportunity.
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