It was another early morning.
"Shenhe, since you finally made the trip to Mondstadt, let me take you to meet my friends."
Ellin smiled, took Shenhe's hand, and led her into the Serenitea Pot.
"Ellin? You're back?!"
"Is that... Miss Shenhe beside you?"
When Noelle saw Shenhe beside Ellin, she immediately greeted her cheerfully.
To be honest, enthusiastic people like Noelle gave Shenhe quite a headache.
Yesterday morning, Noelle, the head of the Mondstadt Neighborhood Committee, had keenly spotted an outsider in Liyue clothing in Mondstadt City-Shenhe.
And so, in the spirit of hospitality, Noelle had approached her on behalf of the Knights of Favonius and asked whether she needed any help.
Upon learning that Shenhe was Ellin's friend, Noelle had been even happier.
She had immediately offered to show Shenhe around Mondstadt City and take her to eat at Good Hunter.
She had also enthusiastically introduced Shenhe to the city's various sights and history.
Shenhe was inexperienced in worldly affairs and poor with words to begin with. How could she possibly handle such an enthusiastic girl as Noelle?
Had she followed her usual habits, she would have threatened and intimidated her long ago.
But she also remembered Ellin's teachings. Ellin had once taught her that affection went both ways: if she did not accept someone's kindness, she should politely decline; if she accepted it, she should return that same kindness.
The problem was that the other person meant well no matter what. Refusing too sternly might hurt her feelings.
But gently declining was something Shenhe could not yet manage with her current abilities.
Of course, most importantly, she knew that Noelle was also a good friend of Ellin's. She could not hurt Ellin's friend.
And so Shenhe had spent a full half hour painstakingly explaining herself to Noelle before