The first life: Xiu Yuan died of illness

"Old Hu! Old Hu!!"

Urgent cries rang out from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

The voices struck like a thunderbolt, exploding in Hu Tao's heart.

Her heart lurched, and she ran like mad toward the sound.

The parlor's employees had already gathered there, and they parted to let Hu Tao through.

Xiu Yuan looked nothing like his usual self. His face was gaunt, his eyes sunken, and the marks of age covered his features. He seemed an entirely different person from the gentle, handsome Xiu Yuan she knew.

At the sight of Xiu Yuan in this state, Hu Tao froze in place.

Her pupils trembled as though shaken by an earthquake.

She stared at Xiu Yuan in disbelief, her mind blank, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Why had her grandfather aged so terribly in a single day, as though ten years had passed all at once?

She wondered whether she was dreaming.

A terrifying nightmare.

"Let me... cough... cough, cough... let me talk to... Little Tao... alone..."

The parlor's employees exchanged glances, then withdrew together, leaving Hu Tao alone with him.

Seeing Hu Tao's stunned expression, Xiu Yuan closed his eyes and let his head fall to one side. He lay motionless on the cold floor, as though dead.

Hu Tao's eyes widened. She approached Xiu Yuan in tiny steps, murmuring, "Grandpa... Grandpa..."

Only when she reached Xiu Yuan and slowly crouched beside him did he suddenly open his eyes, jerk upright, and make a face with a shout of "Ha!"

"Aaaah!!!" Hu Tao was so startled that she fell backward onto the floor.

"Hahahahahahaha! Scared you, didn't I!"

Like a mischievous old child, Xiu Yuan had given Hu Tao a terrible fright.

Hu Tao stared for a moment, then a smile appeared on her face.

"Cough! ...Cough, cough!"

Before he could enjoy himself for long, he covered his mouth and began coughing.

"Grandpa! Grandpa!"

Hu Tao hurried forward to support him. When she saw the bright red blood flowing relentlessly between his fingers, her eyes reddened at once.

A crystal-clear tear fell onto the back of Xiu Yuan's gaunt hand. Only then did his coughing stop.

"Little Tao, you see me off."

He forced a strained smile and used all his strength to raise his hand and wipe the tears from Hu Tao's cheek.

"No, Grandpa... don't go... Grandpa..." Hu Tao clutched Xiu Yuan's hand, her tears pouring out like an unending spring.

"Be good... Little Tao, smile more. Your smile... really is... beautiful..."

"I'll smile. Little Tao will smile lots. Can you stay with me a little longer, Grandpa...? I'll do anything you say..."

Hu Tao spoke with a smile through her tears.

"From now on... when Grandpa's gone... remember to eat properly. Don't sleep in coffins so much... coffins are cold. You'll catch a chill..."

"Being your grandfather... has made me so happy..."

As his words faded, Xiu Yuan's raised hand lost the last of its strength.

He closed his eyes, that faint smile still lingering on his face.

This time, his head fell for the last time.

"Grandpa...? Grandpa!?"

Hu Tao's eyes widened as she kept shaking Xiu Yuan's body.

"Grandpa... Grandpa, you're joking, aren't you...?"

"Get up and scare Hu Tao... please move... move..."

"Look, Grandpa... Hu Tao's smiling... hehe~... you said my smile was beautiful... open your eyes and look at me..."

"Grandpa... Grandpa... move... please, don't leave Hu Tao behind..."

"No... don't leave Hu Tao... Grandpa... Grandpa..."

"Grandpa!"

Her heart-rending scream rang out across all of Liyue.

At that moment.

In a distant tree.

A tall man watched the scene.

"Another instance of Erosion..."

He tightened his grip on the small wooden cube in his hand.

Only when night fell did he vanish from the tree.

Several days later.

Inside the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Liyue Harbor.

A light rain fell from the sky. Dark clouds hid the sun as crowds of mournful people entered the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor one after another.

In accordance with Xiu Yuan's final wishes, Hu Tao would personally see him off.

It was also the first funeral Hu Tao had ever presided over, and every employee's heart was in their throat.

"Hu Tao's so young. Can she... really take on such an important task?"

"Ah... poor girl..."

"I'm really worried about whether it'll go smoothly... she's usually such a little rascal. She might not be up to presiding over such a solemn funeral..."

"I don't know what Old Hu was thinking... my son's about the same age as little Hu Tao. In a situation like this, I'd thank the heavens if he could even stand up there without his legs shaking..."

"Exactly. Children her age should still be playing and having fun. How can she shoulder such a heavy responsibility...? I'm really worried..."

Not only the employees, but almost everyone in Liyue was deeply concerned.

To them, Hu Tao was a mischievous, quirky little expert at composing silly verses, utterly incapable of taking on such an important responsibility.

Yet what happened was entirely beyond their expectations.

Hu Tao conducted the funeral with the highest honors. Its solemn grandeur left everyone marveling, and she handled every step with composure, without a single sign of error.

The soft drizzle brushed Hu Tao's face, and each step she took stirred a faint ripple.

Neither hurrying nor dawdling, she climbed the steps toward the gravestone one at a time and gently set down the final white candle.

She softly closed her eyes and clasped her hands, two trails of crystal-like tears sliding down her face.

At that moment, a gentle hand stroked her head.

She opened her eyes slightly and found two vivid flower petals cradled in her hands.

She seemed to see herself holding her grandfather's hand as they walked down a path filled with plum blossoms.

Her grandfather's gentle, kindly smile surfaced in her mind.

"They're talking nonsense. Little Tao isn't an orphan."

"Rosy hands, golden wine, two orioles singing in the green willows."

"Be good. Grandpa isn't going to die so soon."

"You... mustn't do that again."

"Were you worried, Grandpa?"

"Yes, very worried. You mustn't get lost."

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. Little Tao won't do it again..."

"Be good. As long as you're safe."

"Don't be afraid. Grandpa's here."

"Don't worry. Grandpa will deal with them soon."

"Well? Grandpa's amazing, isn't he!"

"Hahahahahahaha! Scared you, didn't I!"

"Be good... Little Tao, smile more. Your smile... really is... beautiful..."

The image of Hu Tao holding her grandfather's hand gradually faded.

At last, it turned into a fiery-red butterfly and flew away.

When Hu Tao came back to herself.

The candle before her had long since gone out, and the overcast sky had cleared completely.

"Grandpa..."

Only once the funeral was entirely over did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. They finally understood one thing...

Hu Tao was fully qualified to serve as the director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!

Through her own efforts alone, she had utterly shattered their doubts.

Night fell...

Hu Tao packed some food, water, and a fire striker. Then she set out on her journey, bound for a destination known to few.