It was approaching evening.
The sun over the sea was already quite warm.
The Star Raft cut through the azure sea and headed south.
The dry, cold winds of Snezhnaya are long gone; now it's just blowing on my face.
The sea breeze was warm and salty, and the sunlight streamed down from above, making one feel lazy all over.
On the rooftop terrace, everyone occupied their own space.
Columbina moved a small table, set out a plate of sliced fruit and a cake from Sandrone, and ate while watching the seabirds.
Sandrone sat in the shade, a screen propped up on the table, his fingers moving back and forth, seemingly busy with something.
Odette found a huge, luxurious dance studio in the ship's cabin, where she should be right now.
The captain had said not long ago that at this speed, they should be able to enter Mondstadt's port before evening.
Bai You was leaning back in a wicker chair.
Varesa sat next to her, the two chairs very close together.
The sun was warm, and she seemed to be enjoying it. At some point, she moved her chair closer to Bai You, tilting her head slightly.
One hand rested on the back of Bai You's hand, eyes closed, as if asleep, or perhaps dozing off.
Bai You turned her head and looked at her for a while.
Sunlight fell on Varesa's face; her eyelashes drooped, her lips curved slightly, and she slept peacefully.
She didn't dare look any longer, afraid of being discovered again. She looked away and gazed at the sea, but her heart gradually calmed down.
After a moment of silence, she began to think.
She thought back to her birth into this world, to meeting Varesa, and now, the two of them sitting on a ship heading south.
Throughout this journey, it seemed like she was always the one being pampered.
It's snowing, and while she hasn't even felt the cold yet, Varesa is already talking about it.
When she's at the theater, she can just slump down there and people will let her be, and they'll even reach out and straighten her hair for her.
Sometimes when I'm in a bad mood, Varesa will stay by my side.
Bai You pondered this, a bitter feeling welled up inside her.
It seems she really didn't do anything for Varesa.
The food we eat is provided by others, the clothes we wear are from others who care about us, and if we suffer any injustice, others comfort us.
What did she give me? A necklace? That was a freebie from the system's daily check-in rewards.
She stole a glance at the person dozing beside her, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt that she should do something for her.
What are you doing?
Bai You gazed into the distance, thought for a while, and recalled when Varesa mentioned the stage last night.
The light in her eyes reminded me of the gentle yet earnest way she hummed a tune.
Varesa deserves to be on that stage.
But she's been singing in Snezhnaya all these years, and it's always the Snezhnaya venue she performs.
By the Snezhnaya, she was certainly a sensation; who didn't recognize Varesa from the theater?
But what about Snezhnaya? Although she has some fame in other countries, it's still far from enough; not many people have actually heard her sing.
Such a beautiful voice; many people in other countries have never heard of it.
A thought suddenly struck Bai You.
An idea slowly began to emerge.
Take her to other countries and hold concerts.
She was invigorated by her own idea, and the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that it could succeed.
They're on their way to Mondstadt right now, aren't they?
Then... let's hold one in Mondstadt first.
She leaned back in the wicker chair, her eyes gradually brightening as she began to quietly ponder in her mind.
With such a large City of Mondstadt, there's bound to be a place to perform.
She had seen Mondstadt in the game; there was a large square in the center of the city, with fountains and a statue of the wind god.
If only we could set up a stage in a place like that, and let Varesa stand in the wind and sing...
Bai You thought about it and then laughed to herself.
The show will be easy to organize; both Varesa and Odette are there, so it's guaranteed to be a hit.
Although Columbina may seem unreliable on a daily basis, she is, after all, the Harbinger. Once she stands in the spotlight, the crowds will naturally increase.
Sandrone was even more useful—her light screens were a piece of cake for setting up lighting and scenery.
Publicity is also convenient; she can access her database, spread the word, and the whole city will know in less than a day.
After thinking it over, Bai You felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and she wished she could gather the girls together right now and discuss it behind closed doors.
She held back.
No rush, let's wait until the ship docks and settle down in Mondstadt.
She found an excuse to pull Odette, Columbina, and Sandrone aside one by one for private talks, trying to recruit them into her group.
Several people secretly started planning this behind Varesa's back, intending to catch her off guard.
Just imagining Varesa's surprise and joy, and perhaps even tears in her eyes, is unbearable.
Bai You couldn't help but laugh, so she quickly lowered her head and pretended to look at the sea.
But as she laughed, she remembered something important, and the smile on her face slowly faded.
Mora.
Organizing a concert costs Mora.
Renting venues, setting up stages, installing lighting, printing tickets, and advertising everywhere—every single thing required Mora to speak for him.
We can't expect Varesa to pay for Mora herself, can we?
That wouldn't be a surprise; it would be someone else paying out of their own pocket to host the event, while Bai You was busy for so long.
Where did Mora come from?
Bai You was troubled.
The Mora Pantalone gave her was more than enough for her daily expenses, but far from enough to fund a concert.
She leaned back in her wicker chair, mentally going through all the wealthy people in her mind.
As she walked along, she suddenly stopped.
Oh, right.
Pantalone.
How could she have forgotten about him?
The richest man in Teyvat gave away a brand-new luxury cruise ship without batting an eye.
If Bai You wanted to get rid of Mora, who else could she turn to but him?
Bai You recalled that at the port, Pantalone said that he would personally do his best to assist in any situation where the Northland Bank was needed.
She recalled the hundred packs of cigars, and the way he held them as if they were priceless treasures when he accepted them.
Bai You gazed at the sea and slowly revealed a slightly mischievous smile.
This Pantalone is now completely under her control.
She began to secretly rehearse her lines in her mind.
Asking to borrow directly? No, that's too blunt.
With someone like Pantalone, if you talk to him about "borrowing," he'll insist on calculating interest and drawing up a written agreement, making things very formal and creating distance.
Speak vaguely, soften your tone, and then casually mention it...
Bai You thought about it more and more and felt that this matter had a 80% chance of succeeding.
If Pantalone had known that this concert was for Varesa, he might have been happy to join in the fun.
She even had a plan in mind.
The Star Raft was originally Pantalone's ship, and its communication equipment might be able to connect to the Northland Bank.
Before or after landing, she would use this equipment to speak with Pantalone personally.
Alternatively, there's a branch of the Northland Bank in Mondstadt, and she could send someone to deliver a message saying there's a "small matter" she'd like to ask Pantalone for a favor.
He will definitely agree.
Bai You felt a surge of joy as she went over the whole thing in her mind again and again: to reach the shore and settle down.
Find Odette and her friends and form a secret alliance; contact Pantalone to secure funding; inspect venues and decide on the repertoire.
Finally, on a good day, they blindfolded Varesa and led her to the scene.
As soon as the lights came on, people from all over the city came to listen to her sing.
Just thinking about it made Bai You happy for her.
She turned her head to look at the person next to her.
Varesa's eyes were still closed, the sunlight shining on her face, and her fingers, which were resting on the back of Bai You's hand, moved very slightly.
Bai You looked at her, her heart melting completely.
She carefully turned her own hand over, gently grasped the other's hand, and leaned closer, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"You wait."
"I'll also do something important for you."