Apart from the ceiling, everything inside the shop looked perfectly normal. All sorts of flowerpots stood on display, filling the place with vibrant blooms.
There were even bees and little birds busily flitting among the flowers, creating a scene of birdsong and floral fragrance.
But what surprised them most was the ceiling. Most of these rare treasures were plants, after all, and plants needed sunlight and water. That held true even in Teyvat.
The flowers and plants in this shop needed sunlight to survive, too. If the ceiling had simply been openwork or transparent, Zhong Baiye and the others would not have been surprised.
But this ceiling was neither transparent nor openwork.
It was an ordinary ceiling in every respect, except that the material used to build it was rather outrageous.
Whatever material the ceiling was made from, it actually emitted light just like sunshine. Zhong Baiye, Paimon, and the others could even feel its warmth.
Seeing their astonished expressions, Bolai immediately explained with pride.
"I spent a fortune on this ceiling. It's worth a king's ransom! During the day, it mimics sunlight, and at night, it shines like moonlight. It's practically a blessing for flower growers like us."
"Ahem!"
Zhongli's voice brought them back to their senses.
Bolai immediately carried out several pots of silk flowers.
Even Paimon, who knew nothing about appreciating flowers, could tell that these silk flowers were very different from ordinary ones.
One had particularly lush foliage, with its blossoms nestled among the enduring green leaves like a beauty hidden away in a golden mansion.
Zhongli carefully examined the condition of the silk flowers, making the atmosphere a little tense.
Bolai, however, looked quite smug. He did not believe there could possibly be anything wrong with his silk flowers.
Then Zhongli said, "These silk flowers are all of excellent quality and suitable for the ceremony. However, there seems to be something wrong with the fragrance of this Shanyin Jincu. It isn't suitable for making perfume."
Bolai did not believe Zhongli. He had painstakingly tended every plant here. How could anything like that have happened?
He immediately picked up the silk flower Zhongli had pointed out, examined it closely, then sniffed it. His expression turned ugly at once.
Zhongli continued, "You must have installed this ceiling recently. Judging by the marks around it, it used to be openwork."
Bolai did not understand what Zhongli was getting at, but he nodded and answered anyway.
"Yes, I only installed this ceiling two days ago."
Hearing his answer, Zhongli continued, "Then the ceiling is the cause. Mundane objects can only imitate the blazing sun; they can never truly match sunlight. As a flower grower, you should understand that."
After hearing Zhongli's admonition, Bolai hurried to inspect his other plants.
Sure enough, all of them had developed minor problems to varying degrees. If Zhongli had not pointed out the cause, he might never have figured it out, even after every plant had withered.
Bolai brought out another Shanyin Jincu and bowed ninety degrees to Zhongli.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir. I've checked this Shanyin Jincu, and there's nothing wrong with it. Please don't pay any Mora for these silk flowers. Consider them my way of thanking you."
Zhong Baiye and Paimon had been completely lost, unable to understand any of Zhongli and Bolai's conversation. But the moment Bolai mentioned that the flowers were free, their interest perked up.
Bolai noticed their reaction and said with a smile.
"How about this? In addition to these silk flowers, each of you may choose one of the plants here."
Although Zhong Baiye and Paimon were not particularly interested in plants, nothing was more enticing than something free.
They immediately began searching through the flowers. Lumine felt awkward refusing, so she picked out a beautiful glaze lily as well.
In the end, everyone except Zhongli left the Myriad Things Shop holding a lovely plant.
Lumine looked at the silk flowers and said.
"Next, we need to find someone to make the perfume."
Zhong Baiye happened to know exactly who could make the finest perfume in Liyue Harbor.
It was Ying'er, known as Teyvat's queen of innuendo. Zhong Baiye still remembered his conversations with her back when he played the game. She was a true master of double entendre, yet every word she used was perfectly innocent. No one could catch her saying anything improper.
Lines like, "You don't need to grip the white pestle too tightly. Relax your wrist, and vary your rhythm," and, "Just imagine it: slender parts as graceful as willow branches, fuller parts round and smooth as pearls."
Those seemingly innocent words made even Zhong Baiye blush when strung together.
Zhong Baiye quickly shook his head.
"I happen to have heard of someone in Liyue Harbor who can make perfume that meets our requirements. We can go find her."
Before long, Zhong Baiye and the others arrived at the entrance to the Spring Fragrance Kiln.
As soon as they entered, they saw Ying'er, a woman with well-proportioned features and glossy black hair, her bangs partly covering her eyes.
But she seemed to be in a bad mood. The moment she saw Zhong Baiye and the others enter, she said listlessly.
"We're closed today. Please go home."
Paimon immediately asked, "Then when will you open? Would tomorrow be okay?"
Seeing that Zhong Baiye and the others still had not left, Ying'er said with some irritation.
"I won't be opening anytime soon. Whatever you need, please find someone else."
Seeing how angry Ying'er was, Zhong Baiye and the others knew that lingering would only upset her further. They immediately pulled Paimon along and left.
Outside the Spring Fragrance Kiln.
After thinking for a moment, Zhong Baiye said, "Let's ask the people nearby what happened first. Maybe we can help her sort it out."
Lumine and Paimon immediately agreed with his suggestion, each approaching a nearby shopkeeper to ask about Ying'er.
Zhong Baiye found a waiter at a nearby restaurant and asked him about Ying'er.
The moment the waiter heard that it concerned Ying'er, he looked around. Only after confirming that no one else was nearby did he answer Zhong Baiye.
"You wouldn't know this, sir, but Ying'er is the darling of this entire street. In the past, whenever her shop opened, it would be packed with people. But something serious happened recently."
The waiter glanced around again before continuing.
"A powerful figure has been pursuing Ying'er lately. He comes here every day to profess his love, but every time he visits, he drives all the customers out of her shop. And what's more..."
"Waiter!"
Just as the waiter was about to continue, another customer called him away to work.
There was nothing Zhong Baiye could do. After all, the waiter had already been kind enough to spend so much time talking to him.
Next, Zhong Baiye asked some other people. Their answers were much the same as the waiter's, but they, too, stopped halfway through without finishing.
And every time, someone called them away just as they were about to say the rest. Zhong Baiye found that rather strange.
Seeing that asking more questions would get him nowhere, Zhong Baiye could only regroup with Lumine and Paimon.
As expected, Lumine and Paimon had learned much the same things he had.
Just then, a little girl walked over and spoke to them.
Before you continue