Buzz—
Two dazzling rays of light descended from above, enveloping Diluc and Kaeya.
After a few seconds, the glow faded away.
New knowledge and techniques appeared in Diluc's mind, while Kaeya found himself holding a delicate pink-themed tea set.
"Ooh? This tea set is actually pretty cute!"
Paimon's eyes lit up at the sight.
She had always liked pastel-colored, girly things like that.
"You've got good taste, Paimon. I like it too!"
Kaeya gave her a thumbs up, smiling confidently.
"Since when do you like such girly stuff?"
Diluc, having just finished absorbing his own reward, gave his "brother" a skeptical look.
"I told you before, didn't I?" Kaeya shrugged casually.
"That manga is something every real man should read— and this pink tea set is just the kind of thing a real man should own."
After being exposed to that kind of manga, Kaeya felt he'd finally grasped the meaning of life.
Next time he visited, he planned to find another manga of the same genre.
He'd heard "Cardcaptor Sakura" was similar.
As for "One Piece: East Blue Arc"?
"Not even a dog would read that!"
(⊙_⊙)
"That manga… is for real men?"
Diluc looked utterly unconvinced.
Wasn't he the one who originally said that just to mess with Kaeya?
"Trust me!" Kaeya declared solemnly.
"Read it next time and you'll understand!"
Then Kaeya's eyes gleamed mischievously.
"By the way, what reward did you get?"
At that, Diluc's expression immediately darkened.
He would rather not talk about it.
Han Feng spoke up with a grin:
"Oh, his reward is Tom Cat's Dance Techniques.
Tom—yeah, the cat from Tom and Jerry.
He's bad at catching mice, but a master of everything else, especially dancing!"
"Dance techniques, huh? Nice one, my dear brother."
Kaeya laughed. "Now you can put that instrument set you got before to good use!"
It seemed fate was pushing Diluc relentlessly toward the world of performing arts.
"I heard Barbara's hosting a concert soon," Han Feng added seriously.
"You could consider showing up as a guest performer."
Diluc: (⊙_⊙)
First Venti, then Kaeya, and now even Boss Han?!
Why did everyone keep trying to make him sing and dance?!
Did nobody take him seriously anymore?!
"Mr. Diluc is going to perform?"
Paimon and Lumine exchanged bewildered looks.
Something about that sounded deeply… wrong.
"Ahem—Boss Han, I, uh, just remembered I've got business back at the winery. Gotta go!"
Feeling everyone's strange gazes closing in on him, Diluc couldn't take it anymore and bolted.
"Wait up, brother! If you need backup for the performance, I'll help!"
Kaeya laughed as he grabbed his teacup and chased after him.
"Noelle, it's noon already. Put up the sign—we're closing for lunch."
Han Feng said as the last guests left.
"Yes, boss!"
Noelle nodded obediently.
"Boss Han, does that mean… it's mealtime?"
Paimon's eyes sparkled with anticipation.
"Mm. Eat as much as you want."
Han Feng smiled.
"Yay! Long live Boss Han!"
Just hearing the word eat filled Paimon with fresh energy.
She redoubled her efforts, massaging Han Feng's shoulders like a pro.
Lumine: (⊙_⊙)
Paimon's doing that… Should I do something too?
It feels wrong to just eat for free…
After all, her 500,000 Mora was only enough to cover one month's rent.
If she didn't contribute a little, it felt ungrateful.
Blushing slightly, Lumine stepped forward and began to gently pound Han Feng's legs.
When Noelle returned after hanging up the "Closed" sign, she paused at the doorway—then smiled quietly.
One big and one small beauty pampering the boss… he really knows how to live.
Without interrupting them, she simply began tidying the store, planning to join them for lunch later.
Meanwhile, in Liyue—
After leaving Solace Book House, Hu Tao didn't head straight back to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Instead, she continued her door-to-door sales campaign.
But…
Every attempt was met with rejection.
She wasn't surprised.
No sane person would want to buy funeral services.
Not everyone had such an open attitude toward life and death— and not everyone was as kindhearted as Noelle, that eager-to-help rookie.
"Sigh, traditional marketing really doesn't work, huh…"
Sitting on a large rock, Hu Tao let out a small sigh.
Still, she wasn't particularly discouraged.
She'd faced rejection so many times she'd long since grown numb to it.
Normally, she'd just keep pushing and keep knocking on doors until someone caved.
But this time was different.
After witnessing the mystical power of Han Feng's manga shop, Hu Tao's perspective had changed.
If that place could give her the power of Palm Thunder, then maybe—just maybe—it could also give her a way to grow Wangsheng's business!
"But ugh… only one person can read per day…"
She frowned, remembering Han Feng's rule.
At that rate, the soonest she could go back would be tomorrow morning.
And Hu Tao hated waiting.
A sigh escaped her lips again.
"Tsk. That shop's so popular they limit how much you can read…
Meanwhile, I'm out here offering buy one, get one free funerals and still no one's interested!"
The contrast was almost insulting.
Then an idea suddenly struck her.
"Wait… If I can only go once a day, then I'll just send someone else!"
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had several employees, after all.
And paying 100,000 Mora per person wasn't too bad a price— certainly cheaper than footing someone's rent every month!
Her grin widened as she hopped off the rock, skipping back toward the parlor.
Soon she arrived at the gates of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
And then—
"Oh no! I forgot my keys again!"
Realization hit, and she smacked her forehead.
Not the first time this had happened, either.
Scratching her head, she patted the wooden doors and shouted:
"Open up! It's Captain Ah Wei— ah wait, no! It's me, Hall Master Hu Tao!
Anybody home?!"
—------------------------------
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