In front of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor.
"Master, you're finally back? We were just planning to go to Bubu Pharmacy." Xiangling was quite happy to see Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei return, as Xiangling had been worried about not being able to find Raiden Makoto's tracks.
"Speaking of which, how are you friends with an old stick-in-the-mud like Zhongli? Master."
Beside them, Hu Tao also pricked up her ears. She was also very curious about that question; the very old-fashioned consultant of the Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor actually had two beautiful twin Lady friends. Moreover, she had just seen Zhongli smile—that guy rarely smiled, and she had almost never seen it before.
Hu Tao couldn't help but get a bit gossipy.
"I met him when I came here before; we've crossed paths a few times." Raiden Makoto smiled. She and Morax indeed only had a few encounters.
"Alright then."
"Then Hu Tao, we'll be going now? Off to Bubu Pharmacy." Xiangling was quite excited. Although Xiangling couldn't get any information from Hu Tao that would help in developing new dishes, being able to introduce the master to friends was also very good.
"Mhm."
Walking on the road to Bubu Pharmacy, Raiden Makoto couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental. The current Liyue had changed tremendously since Raiden Makoto first arrived.
"Liyue's current changes are truly vast."
Many Liyue locals were chatting, and there were many street vendors on the streets. Their faces were brimming with happy smiles. Because they were celebrating the Moonchase Festival, the streets were decorated with many lanterns and floral knots.
The festive atmosphere was very thick.
"It is."
Compared to Inazuma, which pursued eternity, Liyue's changes were truly immense, to the point that even Raiden Ei felt some sentiment. The current Liyue was completely different from the Liyue of the past.
If not for the same cultural atmosphere, Raiden Ei might even think they were two different countries.
"Master, we've arrived at Bubu Pharmacy."
Bubu Pharmacy.
From outside, Raiden Makoto smelled a very strong scent of medicinal herbs. Bubu Pharmacy was located within a garden, requiring one to step up some stairs.
When they entered together, they saw the back of someone with green hair. That person was scanning the goods on a nearby shelf.
As for behind the front desk, only a hat with a talisman stuck to it was visible.
"It's you? What's wrong..." As an ethereal and emotionless voice came from behind the desk, and everyone stepped forward, Raiden Makoto discovered that behind the desk was actually a cute little zombie.
The little zombie was very adorable and dazed. Qiqi stared at them with large, pale violet eyes.
"Oh, rare guests? It seems you aren't busy today." Then, a somewhat youthful female voice came from the side.
"Whoa? Why has Baizhu's voice become like this?" That voice left Paimon looking astonished as Paimon stared straight at Baizhu, who had turned around.
"Hey, look at the neck." There was some resentment in that youthful female voice. As Paimon looked over, Paimon saw the white snake coiled around Baizhu's neck.
"So it was Changsheng speaking."
The man named Baizhu had green hair and wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. His clothing was not quite like Liyue's, having an exotic style that was slightly revealing.
A white snake was coiled around Baizhu's neck, and it had eyes like rubies.
It was that white snake that had been speaking just now.
When Raiden Makoto saw the Dendro Vision hanging at Baizhu's waist, Raiden Makoto murmured to herself, "A Dendro element Vision? That's truly rare."
Since The God of Grass passed away five hundred years ago, the plants on the continent of Teyvat had lost their spirit, and Dendro element Visions had become especially scarce.
The Little White Snake coiled around Raiden Makoto's arm poked its little head out. It looked at Changsheng on Baizhu's neck; Changsheng was truly very similar to it.
The Little White Snake flicked its tongue.
Its appearance surprised even Changsheng. "There's actually a Little White Snake exactly like me."
Orobashi seemed like a miniature version of it. Since the Little White Snake appeared, Changsheng had been staring at Orobashi.
"Oh, it really is exactly like Changsheng, like a younger Changsheng." Baizhu looked with interest at Orobashi coiled around Raiden Makoto's arm. "Does this lady also like keeping snakes?"
Baizhu could clearly recognize that Raiden Makoto was from Inazuma; Inazuman clothing was indeed very different from Liyue's.
Plus, with the recent lifting of the Inazuma sakoku decree, there were many Inazumans in Liyue Harbor. Many of them had fallen ill because they weren't used to Liyue's environment and had come to get medicine.
"Yes."
"She is my master," Xiangling said with a smile. "Speaking of which, we came here this time to ask you a question. What kind of dishes do you two... three, like to eat the most?"
"What about Qiqi? What do you like to eat?"
Qiqi said blankly, "What kind of dishes do I like? They have no taste, I don't know."
"Qiqi has some issues with the sense of taste; Qiqi doesn't know."
As for Raiden Makoto, she noticed that Orobashi didn't seem interested in Changsheng. The Little White Snake just flicked its tongue and crawled back into the sleeve, coiling around Raiden Makoto's arm.
Raiden Makoto turned the head to glance at the younger sister, only to find that the sister was listening very intently to Xiangling and Baizhu's conversation.
"Ei, you aren't really going to participate in the Culinary King Competition, are you?" Raiden Makoto was slightly stunned. "You know how to cook? Are you sure?"
"Sister, I'm serious. How can you not believe me?" Raiden Ei was somewhat speechless. Ei was serious; Ei had to participate in the Culinary King Competition and win the championship to make the sister look at Ei in a new light. Ei wanted the sister to know that there was nothing Ei couldn't do if Ei set the mind to it.
Ei was the great elder sister's good younger sister.
"I've practiced many times already; it will be a success."
Although Raiden Ei tried to cook time and time again, and the final result always ended with the kitchen exploding, Ei had still tried many times; at least the process was clear.
"I hope so." Raiden Makoto still didn't quite believe it. Intuition told Raiden Makoto that if Raiden Ei participated in the Culinary King Competition, the competition venue would definitely end up in a massive explosion.
Hopefully a perfectly fine competition wouldn't turn into a crime scene or the scene where the Liyue Seven Stars met their end.
But seeing Raiden Ei's very serious expression and eager look, Raiden Makoto didn't want to dampen the sister's confidence.
It wasn't easy for the sister to have an interest outside of martial arts. As the elder sister, Raiden Makoto had to support the sister.
If a massive explosion really happened, Raiden Makoto wouldn't pay for it; it would be best for Raiden Ei to work off the debt alone.
"Sister, sister, believe me! I will definitely, definitely win the championship." Raiden Ei said very seriously, "The Culinary King Competition is simple!"
"As long as you're happy." Seeing the sister's confidence, and not wanting to dampen it, Raiden Makoto could only go along with her. "Let's agree on one thing: if you're going to try cooking, absolutely do not do it in someone else's kitchen."
Raiden Makoto could call the sister a "Kitchen Destroyer."
Not everyone would be like Xiangling's father and waive the compensation. If Ei blew up someone else's kitchen again, where would Raiden Makoto get the money to pay for it?
"Mhm." Raiden Ei was a bit excited. The sister finally supported Ei, and Ei's confidence surged. Ei was very confident now; Ei was destined to be the Culinary King!
If the sister could win over the people of Liyue with a skill they took pride in, why couldn't Ei? Ei believed Ei could too!
Seeing Raiden Ei's happy look, Raiden Makoto also felt much happier. It was indeed good to take the sister out for a change of pace. Zhongli had also agreed to the request, so this trip to Liyue could be considered a grand success.
"Personally, I would recommend dishes with more broth, like medicinal cuisine? It should be very suitable for the elderly." Baizhu and Xiangling were still discussing the development of new dishes, and Xiangling was listening very intently.
"medicinal cuisine... I don't like it." Qiqi said expressionlessly from the side, looking very adorable and dazed.
"I suppose I fell into a bit of a trap. I just felt that more people have been coming for medicine lately, and since the weather is getting cold again, so..." Baizhu said with a smile.
"medicinal cuisine... ingredient pairings... that's not bad. I've collected Mr. Baizhu's suggestion." Xiangling said thoughtfully. Xiangling felt that it did indeed seem quite good.
"Mm, truly a good cook, listening to our suggestions." Changsheng praised Xiangling.
Seeing the sister listening to their conversation again, Raiden Makoto fell into deep thought.
Who exactly was the "she" that Morax mentioned? Raiden Makoto knew very little about Liyue, only some rumors, and Raiden Makoto didn't know how much of those rumors were true or false.
At that time, Raiden Makoto could tell that Morax didn't show much emotion, but Raiden Makoto knew that "she" must be a very important person to Morax.
Could it be Morax's sweetheart?
As the oldest of the Seven Archons, almost the longest-living God currently in existence, Morax actually had a sweetheart? Raiden Makoto couldn't help but be curious.
But based on Raiden Makoto's understanding of Morax, to use a term from a past life, Morax was a complete steel straight man. How could Morax have a sweetheart?
Besides, as the Geo Archon, Morax's heart must be as solid as a rock, right? Calling Morax a straight man really fit Morax's status.
While Raiden Makoto was lost in thought, Raiden Makoto noticed Guoba running back and forth in front, looking a bit bored.
"Morax's sweetheart should probably be a God too," Raiden Makoto murmured. "But there are so many Gods in Liyue... who could it be?"
Raiden Makoto wasn't a God of Liyue, after all. The only God Raiden Makoto knew was Morax, the Geo Archon.
And the Guoba in front was another God. As for what kind of God Guoba used to be, Raiden Makoto didn't know, but Guoba could never be Morax's sweetheart.
"However, looking at him, that God probably passed away during the Archon War."
"But his erode is truly too severe... it's as if those emotions have been lost." While Raiden Makoto was deep in thought, Xiangling finally finished the exchange with Baizhu and the others.
"Master, Master, shall we go?" Xiangling interrupted Raiden Makoto's thoughts. As Raiden Makoto snapped back to reality, Raiden Makoto nodded.
When they came out of Bubu Pharmacy, Xiangling finally realized that Xiangling had asked several people but had never asked what the master and the sister liked to eat.
Raiden Makoto was so exquisite in culinary skills that Raiden Makoto could definitely give Xiangling a lot of inspiration and enlightenment. Although Raiden Makoto couldn't guide Xiangling all the time, Raiden Makoto could still help with the Culinary King Competition.
"Speaking of which, Master, what do you like to eat the most?" Xiangling looked at Raiden Makoto with curiosity.
Xiangling's words made Raiden Makoto pause. Raiden Makoto looked at the bright moon in the sky. What did Raiden Makoto like to eat the most?
If it were this life, Raiden Makoto probably didn't have anything particularly liked. But if it were a past life... "Just simple home-cooked meals." Raiden Makoto smiled. What Raiden Makoto liked most in the past life was probably the dishes the master made by hand. Whether it was green onion tofu or stir-fried cabbage, Raiden Makoto liked them all.
The dishes the old master made were Raiden Makoto's favorites, but since the master passed away, Raiden Makoto could never eat those dishes again.
Now, it was even more impossible for Raiden Makoto to eat those dishes.
Even if Raiden Makoto cooked personally, Raiden Makoto couldn't recreate that taste. It was the taste of home, the taste of family.
"Simple home-cooked meals?" Xiangling didn't quite understand, yet Xiangling also kind of did. At this moment, Xiangling was in a state of half-understanding.
"I don't quite understand... but I also kind of do," Xiangling said thoughtfully. "I think I mostly get it."
As for Raiden Ei, Ei's eyes lit up. Weren't home-cooked meals exactly the dishes made by family? Indeed, choosing to participate in the Culinary King Competition was absolutely the best decision.
Because of this, Raiden Ei became even more determined. Ei would also prepare a sumptuous table of dishes for the sister, a meal that the sister would be satisfied with.
Whether Ei could win the title or not didn't matter to Ei anymore; as long as the sister liked Ei's food, that would be the best thing.
"Then Sister Ei, what does Sister Ei like to eat?" While Raiden Ei was dazed, Xiangling turned to look at Ei. Raiden Ei thought for a moment. "It should be..."
"What is it?" Xiangling was curious. Not just Xiangling, but Paimon and Lumine were also a bit curious seeing Raiden Ei like that.
"It should be the dishes my sister makes!" Raiden Ei said particularly seriously, eyes shining. As long as it was a dish the sister made, Ei liked it.
"..."
"..."
Xiangling was completely speechless. Why did Xiangling feel like the master's sister was always a bit... silly? But Xiangling didn't dare say that out loud; Xiangling was afraid that if Xiangling spoke the mind too bluntly, there would be big trouble.
But Raiden Ei's answer also let Xiangling know that the relationship between the master and the sister was absolutely wonderful.
And that also made Xiangling curious. Even Lumine had praised Raiden Makoto's culinary skills, saying they were better than Lumine's. Xiangling was now very curious about just how good they were.
"When can Master also make a few dishes for me? I really want to taste Master's cooking." Xiangling stared straight at Raiden Makoto.
"Tonight. Tonight will be fine."
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