Before leaving Starlight, Lu Chen and Venti repeatedly emphasized just how important it was for Barbara to debut specifically as an idol.
Their insistence left Tony with no choice but to agree—though he made it clear he'd be reworking Barbara's idol project from the ground up.
It just wasn't realistic to expect her to become a fully-rounded idol—singing and dancing—on such short notice. Maybe she could debut as a singing-focused idol instead.
Everyone was happy with that compromise. The three of them drove back to the seaside villa in high spirits.
On the way back, Lu Chen told Venti what had happened before Barbara's audition. When he heard about the possible bullying, Venti's expression immediately darkened.
He pulled the car over and turned to Barbara with a serious look.
"What was her name?"
Lu Chen rarely saw him like this. Barbara was stunned too but didn't answer.
Lu Chen pulled out his phone. "I think she was called Nana... or something like that."
He searched online for a while with no luck. Finally, he found her on Starlight Entertainment's official website.
Just as he thought—she was a washed-up minor celebrity.
Her idol group had once enjoyed some brief popularity after debuting through a talent show. Nana had even been the center of the group.
But that "popularity" had been mostly manufactured by the company. With the market so competitive, another girl group from Jia Shi Entertainment quickly stole the spotlight, and Starlight's group faded into obscurity.
He scrolled through her social media. She had a decent follower count—but most were bots. Her latest post was a narcissistic selfie with barely any real comments.
"You're not... going to get back at her, are you?" Barbara asked softly.
"Revenge?" Lu Chen laughed. "She's not even worth it."
But he turned serious again and looked at Barbara.
"Still, you need to stay sharp. Once you start training at Starlight, you'll be around the other idols all the time. You can't keep showing kindness to everyone. Got it?"
Barbara nodded lightly, her voice just as gentle. "I understand."
Lu Chen sighed. He couldn't help worrying about someone as kind as her being thrown into such a vicious, jealous industry.
"The wind isn't always gentle and warm, you know," Venti said, watching Barbara with meaning in his eyes. "In your songs, the wind is always there to help. But sometimes... it blows bitter cold."
That song she sang earlier—it may have sounded like a praise to the wind, but it was really a depiction of everything the Anemo Archon had done.
After enduring the trials of the wind, the seeds grow stronger...
Wasn't that just like the people of Mondstadt?
Barbara nodded slowly, as if starting to understand.
Venti went on:
"We greet our friends with poetry and fine wine. But our enemies—we face them like a winter storm."
"Well said," Lu Chen agreed.
To others, Venti might seem like a lazy, carefree drunk. But a archon is still a archon. When Mondstadt was in danger, he never hesitated.
Whether it was the tyrant ruling from his tower or the old nobility enslaving the people—Venti was ruthless to those who threatened his city.
"But don't worry." Sensing Lu Chen's unease, Venti waved it off and started the car again.
"I'm here. No one's going to mess with her."
"If that Nana tries anything again, I'll blow her off the roof—let her see what a real amusement park ride feels like!"
"Hah, I'd like to see that!" Lu Chen laughed. With the Anemo Archon himself around, who could possibly bully his devout follower?
With Venti backing them, Lu Chen's worries were totally unnecessary.
Barbara smiled too, watching Venti slip back into his usual playful self.
During her time at Lu Chen's house, she had come to understand what Lord Barbatos was really like. He wasn't anything like the lofty archon she once imagined—but he had a gentle, comforting presence.
And what Venti had just said changed how she saw him, especially one line—
"Sometimes, the wind can be biting."
Was she being too soft in how she treated others?
There were so many difficult requests she'd accepted just because she wanted to be acknowledged—because she wanted to help.
Outside the window, the scenery raced past. Barbara stared out at the unfamiliar world, lost in thought...
...
On the way home, as they drove along the coastal highway, Lu Chen noticed the sea breeze coming through the window had suddenly grown stronger.
The salty wind carried a heaviness with it, like the air was thickening.
Lu Chen turned to look—and saw dark clouds rolling across the southeastern sea. Towering waves crashed beneath them, the sky completely overcast.
It was a familiar feeling—he remembered it from the time they faced the Oceanid.
But this time, the air wasn't rich with Hydro energy. Instead, there was a faint, fluctuating trace of Anemo.
Venti had already sensed the change. He immediately pulled the car over and jumped out, heading to the roadside.
"It's Anemo," he said. "Feels... familiar."
Lu Chen and Barbara followed, and the three of them stood by the coast, staring into the distance. Around them, people were starting to panic—vehicles pulled over, and some shouted that a typhoon was coming.
"A typhoon?" Lu Chen didn't think so. He took out his phone and checked the weather.
Today's forecast had called for calm temperatures and a light southeast wind. But now, the sea looked like it was about to erupt into a full-blown storm.
Just then, the system alert chimed.
[Anemo Anomaly Warning]
[Investigation Mission: Explore and resolve the elemental anomaly on the small island southeast of the city within 5 hours.]
[Reward: Luxurious Chest + Achievement]
Lu Chen relayed the mission details to Venti, who stared out at the sea, deep in thought.
"If I'm right..." Venti frowned. "That's an Anemo Hypostasis. But something's different—it's more violent than the one in Mondstadt. The wind energy is chaotic and unstable. What's going on?"
Lu Chen remembered how the Oceanid had also been much stronger than usual when they fought it here. He shared the thought.
Venti shook his head. "Something feels off... As the Archon of Wind, I can sense emotion within the wind. It's angry. This isn't just a case of the system powering things up..."
"Either way, we'll know once we check it out." Lu Chen was a man of action. He quickly pulled the Ritual Mask from the system and changed his appearance.
He flagged down a panicked taxi and handed the driver a stack of cash, sending Barbara safely off to Ling Shan Bay.
Now it was just Lu Chen and Venti.
Suddenly, Lu Chen realized something important.
The Anemo Hypostasis was from Mondstadt—which meant the domain must be connected to Mondstadt.
He'd been racking his brain over how to complete Diluc's mission. But now, if the environment on the other side was Mondstadt, then there was a good chance he could find the ingredients needed for wine brewing out in the wild.
"Hurry up, come on!" Lu Chen urged Venti, practically bouncing with excitement.