As usual, they went to Wanmin Restaurant for lunch.
"Welcome!" Xiangling greeted cheerfully, recognizing Ganyu immediately.
Then she spotted the smaller version of Ganyu and blinked in surprise.
"Eh? Who's this little one?"
She recalled that Ganyu brought a baby yesterday… Wait—could it be?
Could Ganyu already be married and the mother of two? One boy and one girl?
Once again, Xu Zheng's crossdressing misfired. He'd been mistaken for a girl. Again.
"This is my disciple, Xu Zheng," Ganyu explained.
"Xu Zheng?" Xiangling frowned slightly, eyes narrowing as she inspected him.
That name sounded distinctly male, but this adorable little creature in front of her? Not a chance.
Xu Zheng squirmed under her stare, prompting Ganyu to subtly shift and shield him with her body.
"Ah! Sorry, sorry!" Xiangling realized her faux pas and quickly apologized.
"It's alright. Xu Zheng, what would you like to eat?" Ganyu handed him the menu.
Xu Zheng glanced through it and chose a few vegetarian dishes.
Ganyu immediately caught on—he'd picked them for her sake, since she only ate vegetarian.
However, she also noticed he'd lingered over a meat dish for a few seconds longer. Smiling faintly, she added that dish to the order.
[Favorability +10. 10 Primogems awarded.]
Xiangling watched them with a warm smile. What a pair.
One loved meat, the other loved greens.
Yet the meat-lover ordered vegetables, and the vegetarian ordered meat.
"Please wait a moment! The great chef shall personally cook this meal!"
...
Burp!
Ganyu patted her now slightly bulging belly and mumbled, "Ate too much again... gotta watch it next time."
Xu Zheng snorted, barely holding back a laugh. He couldn't help but imagine just how much Ganyu had eaten back in the day to choke a god to death.
"Let's go."
When it came time to pay, Ganyu was startled by how much the total had gone up.
"Has the cost of living risen?"
As Liyue's secretary, she instantly sensed something was off.
"Recently, the price of rice has gone up quite a bit, and it's dragging all food prices along with it," Chef Mao said with a tired shrug.
Higher prices meant higher costs. To avoid losses, he had no choice but to raise menu prices. But that, in turn, led to fewer customers. It was a vicious cycle.
Ganyu said nothing, simply paid the bill and took Xu Zheng's hand as they left.
It was midday, and the streets were packed. One wrong move, and they could get separated. So they kept holding hands.
Xu Zheng enjoyed the warmth of her palm… but also scanned the surroundings intently—for elderly women.
He had one task left: help an old lady cross the street.
But where were the grandmas today?
Just then, he felt a gaze.
He turned.
Far ahead stood an elderly woman, slightly hunched, smiling kindly at him.
It was none other than Cloud Retainer's old friend: Madam Ping.
Xu Zheng grinned. Jackpot.
Ganyu also noticed her and led Xu Zheng over to greet her.
"Madam Ping."
"Ganyu, and this is?" Madam Ping turned her gentle gaze to Xu Zheng.
Ganyu briefly explained Xu Zheng's background and that she had taken him as a disciple.
Madam Ping raised a brow. "So Cloud Retainer didn't even bother telling me about something this major?"
Xu Zheng's heart skipped a beat. Was his mysterious origin about to be exposed?
"Hmph. I'll have to have a talk with that old bird. I watched Ganyu grow up—how could she take a disciple without telling me?"
Xu Zheng: Wait. That's your takeaway?
I'm the mysterious one here! I could be some kind of evil baby!
...But also, I am the baby. So never mind.
Ganyu, meanwhile, looked increasingly awkward, shrinking beside Madam Ping like a scolded schoolgirl.
Because really, if Cloud Retainer didn't tell her, wasn't that just saying she didn't say anything either?
"Madam Ping, where are you heading?" Xu Zheng asked politely.
Madam Ping patted his head affectionately, then conjured a few pieces of candy like a magician.
Xu Zheng popped one in his mouth, and instantly, a wave of nourishing energy surged through his body—not unlike the coconut milk from before.
Definitely not ordinary candy.
"I'm heading to Wanmin Restaurant."
Even immortals needed to eat.
"Then let me accompany you, Madam Ping," Xu Zheng offered.
"Good. I've got plenty of questions for you, little one."
On the way there, the two chatted like lifelong friends separated by generations.
Three people walked together, but only two were talking.
The odd one out was, of course, Ganyu.
Her little ahoge wilted, drooping under the sunlight like a thirsty sprout.
"Goodbye, Madam Ping!" Xu Zheng waved as she disappeared into the restaurant.
"Goodbye, little one!"
As they said their farewells, Ganyu's ahoge suddenly perked up like a daisy after rainfall.
"It's getting late. Let's head back," she said.
"Okay." Xu Zheng knew she still had plenty of work waiting for her.
Back at Yuehai Pavilion, someone rushed in with a report.
Ganyu handled the tasks swiftly, her experience shining through. But then she paused, frowning at one document.
[New Mission: Investigate the Rice Crisis]
Reward: 160 Primogems
Xu Zheng blinked as the system notification flashed before his eyes.
Damn! 160 primogems? System Daddy's feeling generous today!
Compared to the official game? One quest for five primos? Please. Trash. Total trash.
Curious about Ganyu's expression, he shuffled closer to peek at the file.
He figured it had to be related to the mission. The system didn't just assign tasks randomly.
Unfortunately, he wasn't tall enough to see over the desk.
So he tiptoed, straining his neck…
Ganyu noticed and, smiling, gently scooped him up and sat him on her lap.
She leaned in close, chest pressing against his back, and whispered: "Can you read this?"
Two very soft, very cool slime-like squishes molded against him. Through the thin fabric, he felt their shape perfectly.
Xu Zheng blushed. "L-Let me see."
He scanned the document—and froze.
These are just Chinese characters.
As he read them aloud, Ganyu's expression turned to one of disbelief.
"You can read?" she asked.
"Uh… it's, uh, race memory. DNA stuff," Xu Zheng mumbled.
Okay, gotta be more careful. I'm still supposed to be a kid. Can't act too weird.
I already aged like five years overnight. That's weird enough.
"Race memory…?" Ganyu muttered, thoughtful.