"Xiangling, let go already! The great Master Hu is in high spirits tonight—I can still drink plenty more!"
Hu Tao's rosy cheeks were flushed bright red, like an overripe apple. One hand clutched her wine cup with unwavering determination, while the other flailed wildly, trying to break free of Xiangling's grasp.
Xiangling frowned, clearly exasperated as she tried to reason with her.
"Hu Tao, come on, that's enough. Just look at you—you're already completely drunk, and you're still pretending you can handle more?"
But Hu Tao, already halfway to dreamland, clearly didn't hear a word. Xiangling's gentle advice went in one ear and out the other.
Just then, everyone watched as Hu Tao wobbled forward, her feet like they were stepping on clouds. She staggered a step ahead and suddenly reached out, summoning all her strength to give a resounding slap to the broad shoulder of none other than Zhongli.
"Zhongli! Come on, stop dawdling! Hurry up and give Adeptus Xiao and Adeptus Cloud Retainer a proper kowtow!"
Her words were slurred, loud, and accompanied by a dramatic wave of her hand in the direction of Xiao and Cloud Retainer, who were seated nearby.
Zhongli's typically unreadable expression twitched slightly, a rare glimmer of confusion surfacing. Clearly, even he didn't know what to make of this sudden and bizarre demand.
Meanwhile, Xiao and Cloud Retainer, quietly seated in a far corner, stared in stunned silence at the drunken spectacle. Hu Tao's antics left them completely at a loss.
They exchanged helpless glances, then quickly averted their eyes, turning in unison to look at the swaying, red-faced girl beside the table—Hu Tao.
She was clearly plastered. Her words were disjointed nonsense, tumbling out of her mouth with no rhyme or reason. Her once-bright eyes were now glazed and unfocused, like she couldn't tell dream from reality.
What shocked Xiao and Cloud Retainer even more was the man standing before them—Zhongli. Because they both knew very well…
This was no ordinary guest. This was none other than the Geo Archon himself, the one thought long "departed" from the mortal world!
Not long ago, the Archon had appeared to them in a dream, explaining in detail why he had faked his death and chosen to walk the world as a mortal under the name Zhongli.
The memory filled both immortals with a renewed sense of reverence. To think—having the esteemed Geo Archon bow before them? That was unthinkable. A gesture like that could practically shave centuries off their lifespans.
But Hu Tao, drunk as she was, had no inkling of the gravity of her suggestion. She continued pointing at Zhongli, raising her voice.
"Come on already, Consultant Zhongli, give them a proper bow!"
Xiao couldn't take it anymore. He jumped to his feet, frantically waving his hands.
"N-No! That's completely unnecessary! Absolutely not!"
His flustered, panicked response only made the situation more absurd. Off to the side, Shajin finally lost control of his laughter.
He clutched his stomach, his mouth wide open, releasing a booming peal of laughter that echoed through the air. It was so contagious that others around him began to smile, then chuckle along.
Still laughing, Shajin egged things on.
"Yes, yes! Consultant Zhongli, come on—just give the adepti a little bow!"
He was practically doubled over, his body rocking back and forth like a reed swaying in the wind.
Xiao and Cloud Retainer could only sigh in helpless resignation at the chaos. In unison, they muttered:
"L…"
And yet, it wasn't over.
Hu Tao, utterly delighted by the escalating absurdity, became even more animated. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and she waved her arms around while shouting gleefully.
"Didn't you hear?! It's not just one kowtow—you've gotta do six! Hahahahaha!"
Her laughter rang through the room like silver bells, adding a bright, chaotic cheer to the already lively scene.
Zhongli raised his calm, deep gaze, his lips curving into a faint, cloud-light smile.
His voice flowed like a mountain spring—gentle, unhurried, and clear.
"Master Hu seems quite inebriated. Her mind is no longer clear. Let us not entertain such inappropriate suggestions."
But Hu Tao wasn't listening. She tottered like a mischievous rabbit and suddenly lunged toward Zhongli, reaching out as if trying to drag him down.
Alarmed, Xiangling rushed to stop her, throwing her arms around Hu Tao and crying out.
"Hu Tao! You can't do that to Mister Zhongli! Please stop—don't cause any more trouble!"
The room was frozen in stunned confusion as the bizarre scene continued to unfold.
Just then, Shajin—who had finally laughed himself breathless—shook his head and stepped forward.
He walked up to Hu Tao, reached out, and gently pinched her flushed cheek, teasing.
"Well, well! Hu Tao's drunk antics are at it again. Come on now, let's get you back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and sober you up."
But Hu Tao twisted in his grip, muttering stubbornly.
"Nooo, Shajin… not yet… let Zhongli kowtow to me first… just once…"
Shajin sighed and shook his head in amusement.
Then, extending a single finger, he lightly tapped Hu Tao on the forehead, as delicately as a dragonfly landing on water.
The effect was instant. The drunken haze lifted from her eyes, and that mischievous gleam returned.
Her big, sparkling eyes blinked rapidly like a pair of gems catching the light once again.
Then—suddenly and without warning—her face turned bright crimson, like someone had painted rouge across her cheeks.
She coughed awkwardly and said, a bit embarrassed,
"Ahem… let's just pretend none of that ever happened, alright? Think of it as… a funny little incident!"
And with that, she bolted from the room like a frightened rabbit, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
For a moment, everyone stood stunned.
Then the room erupted into a chorus of laughter that echoed joyfully through the night air.
Xiao, Cloud Retainer, and Zhongli exchanged glances. In that brief moment, they each caught the faintest trace of amusement in the others' eyes.
And just like that, the chaos unleashed by Hu Tao's drunken antics finally drew to a close.
_
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