"It's not really a signboard," the proprietress, who came over to serve the dishes, smiled. "It's for a regular customer."
"That customer is picky; he doesn't like anything else, he only likes this. My cook makes an extra portion every night."
She glanced towards the quietest corner of the terrace.
There, unnoticed, sat a set of bowls and chopsticks, and an empty seat.
"He might come tonight, or he might not."
The landlady spoke in a very casual tone, as if she were talking about an old acquaintance she had lived there for a long time but never saw.
Bai You's heart stirred slightly.
She followed that gaze and looked at the empty seat.
She knew who that "customer" was.
The Guardian Yaksha, Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortal, once vanquished demons amidst countless armies, yet was tormented by karma and suffering for a thousand years.
elf.
At this moment, she turned her gaze away and said softly:
"Well... I'll have one too."
"I'd like to try it too."
The dishes were served quickly.
The almond tofu, trembling slightly, is served in a white porcelain bowl and drizzled with a layer of amber-colored sugar syrup. It is cool and smooth to the taste, with a hint of bitter almond flavor amidst the sweetness.
There was also a steamed river fish, a bowl of soup, and a plate of green vegetables.
Varesa scooped a spoonful of tofu for Bai You, put it in her mouth, and paused for a moment.
"It's delicious."
It's sweet, but also a little bitter.
Varesa served her another bowl of soup.
"Drink some soup, don't choke."
There were other guests on the terrace.
At the next table, a few men who worked on ships and were in business were chatting quietly over tea, their conversation always circling back to that one thing—
"Have you heard? On the day of the ceremony, the Rex Lapis himself will appear."
"Liyue Qixing has arranged everything in the harbor."
"There were a lot of people this year, it was very lively."
Bai You was eating tofu with her head down, listening as Varesa gently held her hand beside her.
It's late at night.
The guests on the terrace gradually left, and no one ever came to that empty spot.
Bai You got up and went upstairs, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs.
Whether it was her imagination or not, she looked up and caught a glimpse of the roof ridge at the highest point of the inn.
Under the moonlight stood a slender, pale blue shadow.
The figure stood with his back to her, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the boundless reeds and the night below.
A faint, chilly aura swept by on the night breeze; it was a scent that had slain demons for a thousand years and was imbued with loneliness.
Bai You held her breath.
In an instant, the figure in blue seemed to sense something and subtly tilted its head.
Then, when Bai You blinked again, the rooftop was empty.
Only a large moon remained, and under its light, a quiet reed bed.
It was him.
Bai You whispered in her heart.
She turned and went into her room at the inn.
Varesa wrapped her arms around her from behind.
"You must be tired today."
'... Hmm.'
"Sleep well, Little Bai You. Tomorrow I'll take you to Liyue Harbor."
On the same night, a completely different scene unfolded on the snow-capped Dragonspine south of Mondstadt.
It was completely dark by early morning.
A blizzard swept across the land.
Outside a sheltered cave, a small fire was burning.
Ying sat cross-legged by the fire, expressionless, and added the last dry twig into the fire.
Her travel companion, the tiny guide floating in mid-air, curled up into a round, white ball, huddled by the fire to warm himself.
"Waaah--It's so cold--"
Paimon's teeth chattered.
" Paimon... Paimon's going to freeze into an icicle...!"
Ying didn't speak.
She looked up at the dark, snow-covered sky outside the cave, then looked down at the road outside, half-buried in snow.
"..."
"Speaking of which..."
Paimon trembled, his voice trembling with tears.
"Didn't we agree that after passing the Stone Gate, we'd follow the main road south to Liyue?"
"Hmm."
"Shouldn't Liyue have a warm sun, steaming soup, and endless grilled tigerfish?!"
"Hmm."
"Then why--"
Paimon suddenly raised his head, pointing tremblingly at the swirling snow outside the cave.
"We're in the snowy mountains of Mondstadt right now!!"
Ying remained silent for a while.
"... went the wrong way."
Paimon knew it!
Paimon jumped three feet high, but a gust of cold wind made him shrink back.
"After passing the Stone Gate, you should have gone south! Why did you turn up the mountain?!"
"I'm looking at the map..." Ying said calmly, "I thought it would be closer if we crossed this mountain."
"This is Dragonspine!!"
"Not only did we not head south, we actually climbed higher and higher!!"
The fire crackled and popped, sending a spark flying.
The firelight warmed up a bit again.
"... Tomorrow," she thought, looking at the fire, "I'll cross this mountain, go down, and that should be Liyue."
"You said the same thing yesterday!"
"It was the same the day before yesterday!"
"Ying--Do you not know the way at all?"
"..."
Paimon out a wail and threw himself into Ying's arms, burying his cold little face in her clothes.
Ying didn't dodge; instead, she unbuttoned her clothes and wrapped the shivering little Paimon inside.
"Paimon wants hot soup."
"Hmm."
Paimon wants to eat grilled tigerfish.
"Hmm."
"Paimon wants to eat that again, what's it called again... Adeptus' Temptation!"
"I heard that's a famous dish from Liyue."
"When we arrive in Liyue, Paimon will be eating a huge feast!"
"Okay."
Ying responded while pulling her closer to her.
The firelight illuminated her face.
For once, a look of fatigue appeared on that usually expressionless face.
The Stormterror in Mondstadt had only recently subsided.
Her blood relatives are nowhere in the world.
Of the Seven, she still needs to find the next one to ask for the answer regarding " the Heavenly Principles ".
Liyue is her next destination.
"... fluorescent?"
Paimon, nestled in her arms, spoke in a muffled voice.
"Hmm?"
"Will we really be able to get to Liyue?"
Ying looked down at the little guide in her arms, who was clearly terrified but had never left her side.
She paused for a moment.
"Yes."
"Tomorrow morning, we'll go down the mountain and head south."
"I promise I can get out of the snow-capped mountains."
"Really?"
"Really."
Paimon was slightly relieved and nestled in her arms.
After a while, there was no more movement; it seemed to have fallen asleep.
--
Grilled tigerfish...
She was still muttering softly in her sleep.
Ying looked down at her and smiled very softly.
She stoked the fire a little stronger, added another piece of firewood, leaned against the rock wall, and closed her eyes in the cold, snowy night.