Akim said, "Later on, I started making pottery on my own, and it turned out pretty decent. So I just switched trades entirely. Too bad most of the knowledge from the Akasha isn't really useful for this kind of work."
Paimon said, "It's great that you can do something you're genuinely interested in."
Nahida asked, "Is your father still working as a bricklayer?"
Akim scratched his head. "No. A few years ago, he fell off a roof while working and broke his leg. He'd saved up quite a bit over the years, so he just retired and stays at home now."
Nahida said, "I see. I hope he has a peaceful and happy retirement."
[Nahida: Laborers still lack proper protection mechanisms. Once they get injured and can't work, if they don't have children, their survival becomes a problem.]
[Ningguang: In Liyue, we already have a similar system called insurance. As long as you purchase insurance in advance, you'll receive a large payout when an accident occurs. The insurance company takes care of the rest.]
[Nahida: But that would require people to pay a lot of money upfront, wouldn't it? Essentially, everyone pays in, but the ones who benefit, aside from the people, are also those running the insurance機構.]
[Ningguang: Not exactly. I don't actually take the people's money—I subsidize a portion of the profits. There's a gap between when people pay the premiums and when they receive their payouts. During that time, I can use that money to do business and earn substantial profits.]
[Paimon: Wow, Ningguang is so clever!]
[Zhongli: It's a similar model to banking. People deposit money in banks, and when they withdraw it, they not only get the full amount back but also earn interest. By giving up a portion of the profits, the citizens also enjoy tangible benefits.]
[Nahida: That's indeed a great system. But Sumeru doesn't have a great merchant like Ningguang. If we tried to do business, we might actually incur losses.]
[Ningguang: When the time comes, you can send a few Sumeru people to be my assistants and learn my business methods. Once they've mastered the skills, they can return and serve their homeland.]
[Paimon: Ningguang, aren't you just training your own competitors?]
[Ningguang: I'm already wealthier than any nation. More money means nothing to me. I just hope that Liyue never experiences what I went through as a child.]
[Yae Miko: Excellent. Truly shining.]
"I'll have someone from the Guild's logistics team come by another day to check the goods. I won't disturb you any further for now."
Akim patted his chest. "Don't worry—you'll be satisfied with the quality."
Then Nahida led Lumine to another stall. "This is the last stop. Setaria always misses the taste of this restaurant at the Akademiya. She makes sure to stop by every time she comes into the city."
Paimon said, "You really know all the details, Nahida."
Nahida, using Katheryne's body, pretended to look shy. "After all, watching over my people is my duty."
Nahida then approached the counter and struck up a conversation. "I think I saw you near the harbor."
The server looked confused. "Oh? Is that so?"
Nahida said, "At the time, you seemed to be discussing ship design with someone."
The server nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes! Ship-related technical matters have always been a personal interest of mine."
"After all, I grew up in Liyue Harbor. I've loved watching ships come and go since I was a child. Later, I came to Sumeru to study, but unfortunately, I didn't have the talent and failed the entrance exam."
"Still, I often discuss related topics with scholars from various fields, and I study in the basement. I believe I won't fail the next Akademiya entrance exam."
Nahida praised him, "That's truly an admirable dedication to learning. Remarkable."
[Keqing: I really admire hardworking people. Life should be like that—never giving up, no matter what.]
[Furina: That's what we call hope.]
[Ningguang: If I hadn't fought for it back then, there would be no Tianquan today.]
Paimon nodded as well. "There are so many hardworking people everywhere."
Nahida continued the conversation. "So this restaurant has a basement? I've never heard that before."
The server nodded. "Yes. The basement isn't usually open to customers. It's mainly used for staff rest and occasional private events."
Nahida said, "I see. Well then, I wish you success in your studies!"