"Rover's Mansion!? Wow, this is so prestigious!"
Paimon was utterly stunned. Rover looked up at the black-and-gold plaque above the gate, where two large characters were written in bold, sweeping strokes.
The interior was spacious, fully furnished, and everything was brand new.
"Greetings, I am the steward of the mansion. Welcome, Master, to your residence. All rooms have been prepared accordingly."
The steward waved toward the inside, where the servants had already lined up in two rows, ready to welcome Rover with a formal reception.
Aether couldn't help but click his tongue, swallowing hard before tugging lightly at Rover's sleeve. The journey so far had already been full of surprises, but he never expected even their lodging to come with servants dedicated to cleaning and maintenance.
Rover gave a slight nod and casually instructed the steward:
"Keep things simple from now on. There's no need for such formalities in the future."
Upon hearing this, the steward immediately dismissed the overly elaborate welcome ceremony and put away the decorations that had been prepared.
After swiftly handling everything, the steward led the group on a tour of the mansion.
...
Once everyone had settled in, a knocking sound came from the main gate.
The steward went to open the door, only to find a young woman dressed in black standing outside.
"I heard that Master Rover has returned to his residence. Hu Tao, Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, has come to pay a visit. Of course, to celebrate Master Rover's new home, our parlor has specially prepared a custom-made luxury coffin. Please accept it with our compliments."
A puzzled Rover glanced at Zhongli, who looked rather awkward, and couldn't help but ask:
"This is the first time I've heard of giving a coffin as a gift. Is this a Liyue custom?"
Zhongli deliberately turned his head away and coughed a few times. Hu Tao's eyes immediately lit up as she ran up to him and patted his silver shoulder armor.
"Oh? Why is Consultant Zhongli here too? I didn't expect you to be helping with our funeral parlor's business—"
Zhongli swiftly cut her off and changed the subject, introducing the others:
"These two are the heroes who saved Liyue, Rover and Aether. Director Hu, you'll be neighbors from now on."
Upon hearing this, Hu Tao extended a slender hand, and Rover shook it as a gesture of friendship.
"Then… thank you, Director Hu, for the… coffin..."
Rover wasn't even sure how he managed to say those words.
Aether glanced at the coffin placed outside the gate—an extremely conspicuous sight on the street. Passersby curiously peeked toward Rover's Mansion, whispering among themselves, seemingly wondering which important figure in the household had passed away.
Hu Tao also noticed the commotion outside, but she seemed completely unfazed. Worried that Rover might refuse the gift, she quickly explained:
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are all part of life. It's just good to be prepared."
Paimon listened and simply remarked:
"You're really open-minded about this."
Hu Tao suddenly remembered something and turned to Zhongli.
"Come on, Consultant Zhongli, let's go promote our services together!"
Zhongli frowned slightly and glanced at the clock in the hall, looking somewhat puzzled.
"It's much earlier than usual..."
But Hu Tao, as if she hadn't heard, was already standing at the gate calling for him.
Zhongli let out a quiet sigh, stood up, and prepared to bid Rover farewell.
This child… He really didn't know how to handle her.
"Wait a moment. I'm quite curious about how Director Hu promotes her business. Would it be alright if I observed?"
Rover, intrigued by their conversation, couldn't help but ask. This was his first time witnessing door-to-door sales for funeral services—wasn't she afraid of getting chased off?
Aether was also interested. After exchanging a glance with Paimon, he quickly joined Rover's request.
Zhongli fell silent for a moment, glanced at Director Hu, and sighed again, as if his erosion had deepened just a little more.
"...Very well."
...
And so, the lively young girl skipped cheerfully ahead, while the others followed at a distance.
Passing through the usual bustling crowds, Director Hu Tao finally found her first potential client.
The three of them watched as the client angrily slammed the door shut with a loud "bang!"—leaving only Hu Tao standing there, still forcing an awkward smile.
Like a defeated general, Hu Tao lowered her head in silence for a moment before mustering her spirits again. She lifted her head, smiled, and marched toward the next client.
Fortunately, the seventh client she approached was much kinder. The plain-colored door was finally spared further abuse as the homeowner gently closed it.
The group fell into silence, watching Hu Tao get rejected at every turn before eventually making her way back.
No one spoke. Naturally, her sales for the day remained at zero.
"Director Hu, I consulted a fortune-teller earlier. He said today is not an auspicious day for this matter. According to him, tomorrow will bring better opportunities."
Zhongli spoke softly, trying to ease the awkwardness. Hu Tao, however, didn't seem discouraged at all. Instead, she seemed used to it, placing her hands on her hips and laughing.
"Alright, then I'll take Consultant Zhongli's advice and try again tomorrow!"
Paimon opened her mouth to say something, but seeing Hu Tao already darting off, she could only sigh and give up.
The morning sun hung high in the sky, its rays scorching and blinding.
The group gradually made their way to a small pavilion, where Hu Tao soon joined them to escape the heat.
"Director Hu, can you tell me why you're so persistent about something most people avoid talking about?"
Rover voiced his question. Hu Tao leaned against the railing for a while before gazing at the sea of people flowing through the streets.
"Life and death—most people seem to instinctively shy away from the topic, as if by doing so, death won't come for them.
Taking money from the living, sending off the dead—that's the rule of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Because of this, we can't avoid confronting such topics. Over time, we've grown accustomed to it."
Hu Tao took off her plum blossom-adorned hat, smoothed her hair, and then carefully placed it back on her head.
"In my opinion, time flies like an arrow. Everyone will return to the earth in the end. Hmm… What's the harm in preparing a little earlier and arranging things in advance?"
A gentle breeze lifted Hu Tao's long hair as her slender fingers lightly tapped against the railing.
Rover nodded in understanding and respect. But if it were him, he definitely wouldn't go door-to-door promoting such services.
"By the way, I heard Ningguang is holding a bidding event soon. Want to go take a look?"
The heavy atmosphere of life and death instantly dissipated as the mischievous girl abruptly changed the subject.
Paimon's eyes lit up as she recalled the notice board from earlier.
"Eh? You mean the reconstruction of the Jade Chamber?"
Rover raised an eyebrow. Since they had nothing else to do, they might as well go take a look—it'd be a nice way to relax.