Each year, in the depths of winter, only the plum blossom blooms in silence. The colder the season, the more radiant its beauty. When it blooms, there are no green leaves to adorn it—only its own quiet, solitary grace.
Its five petals symbolize the Five Blessings: joy, happiness, longevity, harmony, and peace. The plum blossom represents noble purity, resilient strength, unyielding will, and auspicious happiness.
Its character was much like Little Tao's—the greater the hardship, the more determined she became. No difficulty could ever defeat her.
Elliot sat beside her, a faint smile softening his face as he watched the two plum blossoms in her palms, his hand gently brushing over her hair.
After some time, when Hu Tao came back to herself, the skies had cleared and the mourners at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had dispersed.
Under Elliot's quiet gaze, she gathered a few rations and a flask of water, then began her journey toward Wuwang Hill. Elliot followed her closely.
But he had only an hour. Just one hour—barely enough time to see where her path might take her.
"Can I still use the time ability I carried back from my Ninth Life?"
With that thought, Elliot tried to manipulate time. To his surprise, it worked—perfectly. He could control the flow of this world's time.
Using this power, he watched as Little Tao arrived at Wuwang Hill. She searched for a long time, wandering until her rations were nearly gone—before finally encountering a soul.
"Hello, have you seen my grandfather? His name is Hu Elliot, the seventy-fifth Master Hu of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. He speaks very gently and smiles very kindly."
"Hello, have you seen my grandfather?"
"My grandfather's name is Hu Elliot, the seventy-fifth Master Hu of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Have you met him?"
All the way, she asked the same question again and again. Elliot followed quietly behind her.
He was not like the wandering souls of the dead. They were remnants—fragments of what had once been alive. Elliot, however, existed in a void state granted by the system.
Before long, a soul appeared before Hu Tao.
"Look at you—just as stubborn as Old Hu. Hard-headed as a rock…"
Under the spirit's kind persuasion, Hu Tao froze for a long moment. Then, light slowly returned to her eyes, and with a faint smile, she turned back.
When she returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, she opened her pack—and to her surprise, found within an empty Vision shell. As she picked it up, the Vision shone with dazzling light.
"Master Hu, she's succeeded. You can finally rest easy now."
Perched in the branches of a nearby tree, Zhongli spoke with quiet relief.
"Thank you, Zhongli," Elliot said beside him, smiling softly.
He then accelerated time, watching with his own eyes as Hu Tao grew. She matured into a worthy Master of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
When her close friend Yuanchen invited her to go out and play, she refused without hesitation—though Elliot could see, deep down, how much she wanted to accept. She hid her feelings well, but not from him.
"So you're the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's Master Hu? A little girl not even grown up yet? Hahaha! I thought it'd be some venerable elder—but it's just a kid?"
"And this is what Liyue has come to? I thought the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that oversees all of Liyue would be something grand. Looks like I overestimated you."
"Don't you people have any standards? Putting a little girl in charge—what are you thinking? Was your last Master Hu also a child like you?"
When Hu Tao faced her first confrontation, she was completely at a loss. No matter how she tried to explain, the man kept jeering at her youth—until tears nearly welled in her eyes.
Then Zhongli appeared. He stepped forward, standing behind her, and gently rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
With his support, Hu Tao took a steady breath and spoke firmly.
"Yes, I am the Master of this parlor. So what? If you want my services, you'll follow my rules. If you don't—then go elsewhere. Show him out."
When the man left, Zhongli consoled her gently.
"Those who seek to cause trouble are beyond reason."
"I know, Mr. Zhongli. I'm fine. It's just my first time dealing with something like this. Thank you for stepping in." Hu Tao managed a small smile.
Then, with her usual bounce, she hopped toward the door.
"I'll go out and see if I can find some new business. Hehe~"
"Return early," Zhongli reminded her.
"Got it~!" her voice echoed from outside.
Hu Tao skipped along the quiet outskirts of Liyue, light and carefree—at first. But soon, her steps slowed... until she finally stopped altogether.
Then, the tears came. Her shoulders trembled as crystal drops slipped down her cheeks, one after another.
It was her first time being mocked so cruelly—her first time facing such deliberate malice. The man's words hadn't just been rude; he had trampled on the dignity of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor itself.
"Stupid donkey... awful man... bastard... Why look down on me? Why just because I'm young...?"
"You've never even seen me lead a funeral... What do you know?!"
"How can people like that even exist... I hate it... If you don't like it, just leave... Why humiliate me too...?"
"Does being young mean I can't do things well? Why assume I'll fail...?"
After holding back for so long, the pain finally poured out.
Elliot wrapped his arms around her, his face filled with sorrow as he softly stroked her hair.
"Don't cry, Little Tao, don't cry... There will always be bad people in this world—people who hurt others. Don't let them get to you."
"There, there... it's alright. You're the best in my eyes. I trusted you with this role because I believed in you completely. Don't let their words weigh on your heart."
"These narrow-minded people judge without seeing, mock without knowing. They don't deserve your tears. Be strong, Little Tao. Don't cry anymore."
"I'm sorry, Little Tao... Grandpa can't protect you anymore... All Grandpa can do is watch—watch you endure it alone..."
He whispered gently to her, though she couldn't hear, see, or feel him. Yet still, he couldn't help but comfort her.
And perhaps, somehow—she sensed it.
Hu Tao's sobs gradually quieted. She sat on the grass, gazing up at the round moon above.
Two small sparrows landed on a nearby tree branch, chirping softly to one another as if in conversation.
Watching them, Hu Tao murmured, almost dreamlike, "Red-sweet hands, yellow-tang wine, two orioles singing among the green willows..."
The words tugged at her heartstrings, and her eyes grew misty once again.
"Grandpa... I miss you..."
Elliot froze where he stood, stunned by her words.
"Grandpa misses you too."