Early the next morning, Lu Chen sat up in bed with great difficulty, rubbing his throbbing forehead.
Yep—classic hangover.
Thanks to Zhongli's unexpected arrival, everyone had really gone all out last night. Lu Chen couldn't even remember how many glasses Venti had poured him.
He ended up crashing alongside a very tipsy Ei, and they slept straight through to morning.
Groaning, Lu Chen clutched his pounding head and fumbled under his pillow for his phone.
10:20 AM.
Huh... that's kind of late. Wait—didn't he have class today?
Class!
He quickly turned to look at Ei, still fast asleep beside him. She was curled up, hogging all the blankets and wrapped up like a little caterpillar.
Lu Chen sneezed, his body protesting. Great—hangover and catching a cold. Perfect.
He gave Ei a gentle nudge.
"Ei... get up. We're late…"
"No, we're already late…" she mumbled sleepily.
Still wrapped in the quilt, she lazily rolled over and cracked an eye at him.
Then shut it again, turning her head as she muttered, "I'm… on the school team… no class for me…"
"You go ahead, Chen... my head's spinning. I'll sleep a bit more…"
"..."
Listening to her soft, steady breathing, Lu Chen sighed.
"I would go, but could you maybe let go of me first?"
When Ei rolled over, she'd latched onto him like an octopus—arms and legs wrapped tight, like he was a giant teddy bear.
She soon drifted off again, letting out soft, contented hums. Who knew what she was dreaming about...
It took considerable effort for Lu Chen to finally free one arm. He glanced at his phone again—Kenshin Zhou and Zen Zhang had each sent him several messages.
Kenshin Zhou:
"It's already third period. You coming to class or not?"
Zen Zhang:
"Boss? Boss, where are you?!"
Lu Chen shot back:
"Your boss is off saving the world. Cover for me, will you?"
Ignoring Zen Zhang's inevitable barrage of gripes, Lu Chen started thinking—he really needed to join the school team soon. There wasn't much to do in class anyway besides writing, so it felt like a waste of time.
Might as well go fencing with Ei instead.
Heheh.
After tucking Ei back in, Lu Chen changed clothes, yawned, and headed downstairs.
He and Ei had rooms upstairs, across from a study. Next door was Yae Miko, and beside her, Venti.
They all liked the second-floor balcony—filled with flowers and greenery, perfect for enjoying the sea breeze and gazing out at the blue ocean.
Because of Qiqi's unique condition, Lu Chen had someone remodel a room for her on the first floor.
Zhongli claimed he had no preferences, but Lu Chen didn't take that at face value and set him up in the master suite downstairs—a beautifully decorated room with a traditional, antique charm that suited him perfectly.
When Lu Chen reached the first floor, he found Zhongli already awake and brewing tea.
Still clad in that black-and-gold robe that blended modern and classical styles, Zhongli sat at the center of the sofa, fully absorbed in the moment. It was as if nothing in the world could compare to the Yixing teapot in his hands.
He poured boiling water evenly over the teaware—Lu Chen remembered this step was called "warming the vessels."
Then, he placed the fine tea leaves into the pot, poured in more boiling water, let them steep briefly, and gently poured the water out.
This was "rinsing the tea," meant to remove surface impurities so the tea would be clean and fragrant for drinking.
Every movement was precise, elegant, calming. Lu Chen quietly took a seat across from him, careful not to interrupt.
Zhongli gave him a glance and nodded slightly in greeting.
After a moment, he raised the teapot spout slightly higher.
Lu Chen watched the stream of tea pour out—steady, smooth, perfectly controlled. The movement had a rhythm: three distinct rises and dips.
Ah—this was the "Phoenix Three Nods," a gesture of respect embedded in the art of tea brewing.
"Please wait a moment," Zhongli said with a gentle smile.
Lu Chen hadn't come down for tea, but after witnessing this elegant performance, he suddenly felt like skipping his usual morning coffee.
Shame, though... all this mastery—and the tea was still the 50-yuan-per-catty bargain-bin stuff.
Kinda felt like a waste.
"I didn't know you were coming, old man, so I didn't prepare any good tea," Lu Chen said with a sigh. "I've really neglected you."
Zhongli didn't mind. He used the lid to sweep away the foam from the surface. "Though it may not be premium tea, tasting it here in your home, young friend, gives it a flavor all its own."
Once brewed, the tea's fragrance filled the room. Zhongli lined up the cups and motioned for Lu Chen to try.
Lu Chen blew on it and took a careful sip. Strangely, it tasted much better than when he made it himself.
Maybe it was the process. Or maybe... just psychological.
The two of them sat in the living room, drinking tea and talking about the "real-world Teyvat system."
"If I help you complete some tasks, the gate to Teyvat will reopen?"
"That's right. But your task… it's a tricky one." Lu Chen still had no clue how to complete something as vague as "experience all walks of life and taste the flavors of the world."
"Perhaps it's as literal as it sounds," Zhongli said, setting down his cup. "Before I stepped down from my position, I wandered Liyue Harbor for a long while and realized there were still many corners of Liyue I'd never truly seen."
Lu Chen listened as he went on.
"Even stone, no matter how enduring, wears down over millennia."
"I stood among the crowds for a long time... and realized I wasn't the same person anymore. Nor were the people I knew the same."
"The thought of retiring came to me during one of those walks." He smiled faintly. "That's why I'm grateful for it. Sometimes, you need to break free from rigid thinking. Go out. See the world. You might just find the answer."
"So... what you're saying is... I should just go wander around?"
Basically: stroll aimlessly, see a few things, and hope enlightenment smacks you upside the head.
Zhongli nodded. "In terms of general reasoning... yes."
...
As they chatted, Venti staggered sleepily down the stairs.
"There you guys are!"
Lu Chen gave him a look. His eyes were barely open, and his steps were wobbly.
Must've really overdone it last night—if even Venti was like this.
"Thanks to you, I'm late today," Lu Chen muttered, arms crossed.
"Eh, what's the rush? I'm late too. Got class today!" Venti said nonchalantly.
"What about your students?" Lu Chen asked, puzzled.
"No worries! I called them and told them to self-study." Venti pulled up a stool and plopped down between Lu Chen and Zhongli.
"No wonder you're the most popular teacher around…" Lu Chen finally understood. A teacher who let his students skip class to do whatever? Of course they loved him.
"Eheh~" Venti scratched his head and grinned.
"Oh, right!" Lu Chen looked between Venti and Zhongli.
"What is it?"
"I'm handing off 'experiencing the world and its flavors' to you!" Lu Chen patted Venti on the shoulder.
"I've got class. You take the old man out for a walk this afternoon."
"Sounds fun~" Venti looked delighted.
"But we have a deal—" Lu Chen warned sternly, "No taking Zhongli to bars. No shady places. No causing trouble."
"Relax, relax! Trust me! You don't trust me?"
"..."
Lu Chen copied Ei's micro-nod—just a centimeter at a time.
Didn't say if that meant yes... or no.