The second life: From now on, Liyue is your home

Scenes flashed through Qiqi's mind like slides. She knelt there, crying from dawn until dusk.

That night, a light rain began to fall. Cold raindrops struck her body, but she could not feel their temperature.

"Chirp... chirp, chirp... chirp."

Just then.

Inside the birdcage beside Qiqi, Little Fluff let out a cry.

Qiqi looked at Little Fluff and realized the bird was soaked through.

Only then did she clutch the cage and run toward the wooden cabin.

Fortunately, Qiqi had not forgotten where home was.

Once she returned, Qiqi opened the cage. As though Little Fluff understood her feelings, the bird did not fly away, but instead landed on her shoulder and rubbed a tiny head against her, seemingly trying to comfort her.

Qiqi looked a little startled, a bitter smile crossing her face. Then she dried Little Fluff with a towel and replenished the bird's food and water.

But Little Fluff did not eat, continuing to nuzzle Qiqi's cheek instead.

"Little Fluff... go on and eat..." Qiqi said.

As though understanding her, Little Fluff flew onto the Coconut Milk and tapped the bottle with tiny feet, seemingly telling Qiqi, "If you won't eat, neither will I."

Qiqi paused, then picked up a bottle of Coconut Milk and began to drink.

Only then did Little Fluff go to eat and drink.

"Remember Xiu Yuan. Unless you die, never forget him."

Qiqi cast an Edict on herself, anchoring it deep within her heart-even deeper than the command Xiu Yuan had once given her: "Reading your notebook is the most important thing."

Qiqi feared she would forget Xiu Yuan. An Edict alone was not enough.

She took out all her notebooks and filled the last page of each one with things about Xiu Yuan.

The Forest Cabin, Little Fluff, Xiu Yuan.

For three or four days straight, she neglected food and sleep, filling the last pages of over a hundred notebooks.

Once she had finished, Qiqi curled up in a corner of the wooden cabin and fell asleep.

In her dreams, Xiu Yuan came back.

She smiled happily.

When she woke, Qiqi found that her pillow was completely soaked.

Her eyes were terribly red, too.

She cradled Little Fluff, opened the door, and said softly, "Go back... Little Fluff..."

Little Fluff flew straight out of Qiqi's palms and headed into the forest.

Taking her notebooks with her, Qiqi followed her extremely hazy memories and barely managed to reach Liyue.

When the people of Liyue saw Qiqi arrive, they immediately approached her and asked warmly, "Hello, Qiqi! Is there anything we can help you with?"

"Please... how do I get to... the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor...?"

Following their directions, Qiqi arrived at the entrance to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

She pushed open the doors and walked inside.

Hu Tao and Zhongli hurried over when they saw her.

"Hu Tao... bury me..."

Both Hu Tao and Zhongli looked taken aback by Qiqi's words.

But they soon understood.

After all, Xiu Yuan had come to speak with them, worried that Qiqi might do something unexpected. They had never imagined she really would.

Qiqi normally avoided Hu Tao at all costs, yet this time she had come of her own accord to ask Hu Tao to bury her...

"As much as this director would like to, Xiu Yuan won't let me."

Hu Tao spread her hands helplessly, then took out a familiar sachet.

"That's... a sachet..."

Qiqi's eyes immediately widened.

"Generally speaking, burying you would violate the contract."

Zhongli also took out a sachet and spoke with a faint smile.

"A contract...?"

"Yes. Xiu Yuan signed a contract with the people of Liyue. From now on, Liyue is your home."

Just then, Xiangling's voice came from behind Qiqi.

Qiqi instinctively turned to look, and her pupils contracted.

The people of Liyue were all smiling gently at her, their gazes full of kindness.

And every one of them held that same sachet.

In an instant, Qiqi's eyes reddened again.

As she stared at those sachets, Xiu Yuan's gentle smile surfaced in her mind.

She...

Seemed to have...

Found a reason to keep living...

"Qiqi, welcome to Liyue."

The people outside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor spoke in unison.

Two teardrops rolled down Qiqi's cheeks.

"Qiqi, welcome back."

Xiangling said it with a gentle smile.

At the same time, a little finch flew down from the sky.

Qiqi instinctively held out both hands, and the little finch landed right in her palms.

"Little Fluff...?" Qiqi asked in surprise.

"Chirp, chirp...?" The little finch tilted its head and chirped twice.

Then an innocent smile spread across Qiqi's face.

Several months later.

Liyue, Wanmin Restaurant.

"Qiqi, Hilichurl-Grilled Fish for table three."

"Qiqi, table four wants the bill."

"Qiqi, you can finish up once you've cleared the tables."

Qiqi bustled through Wanmin Restaurant on her short little legs.

After the last table paid, Qiqi smiled and said, "Take care... please come again..."

"Qiqi really is hardworking," the customer paying his bill praised.

"Isn't she? She's my little treasure!" Xiangling came over holding a bottle of Coconut Milk.

Then she handed the Coconut Milk to Qiqi. "Qiqi, let's go pick Violetgrass in a bit."

"Okay... Qiqi... is very good... at picking Violetgrass..."

Qiqi took the Coconut Milk and readily agreed.

"You're such a cheapskate. Qiqi works so hard, and you send her off with just some Coconut Milk? Xiangling, your villainy knows no bounds."

Seeing this, the man who had been dining there took the opportunity to tease her.

"Oh, get out of here. Just say it if you're trying to steal Qiqi from me. She's my little treasure, so don't even think about it."

"Hahahahaha! If I had Qiqi, I'd definitely pamper her like a treasure, too."

"Qiqi... likes Coconut Milk..." Qiqi said.

"Come on, Qiqi, work for me. I'll give you two extra bottles of Coconut Milk every day," the man offered with great interest.

"Oh, really?" Xiangling's gaze sharpened, and she said slowly, "Guoba, come here."

"Ah, no, no, no! Just kidding, just kidding!"

The moment he heard Xiangling call Guoba, he hurriedly made himself scarce.

Qiqi had now become part of Wanmin Restaurant, mainly serving dishes and clearing tables. Her wages were, of course, Coconut Milk!

Still, her adorable appearance always prompted playful teasing from the customers.

"Xiangling... I want to go... see Xiu Yuan... sorry for the trouble..."

"Okay, I'll come with you. Just give me a moment."

A little while later, she packed some Hilichurl-Grilled Fish and Horsetail Rice, then left Wanmin Restaurant with Qiqi.

As soon as they stepped outside, Little Fluff flew over and landed on Qiqi's shoulder.

End of the second life.