Bai You and Varesa soaked in the water for a long time.
They followed the water southward, passing through the Bishui Plain, and through stretches of reeds and shallows.
The further south you go, the wider the water becomes, and the water gradually changes from fresh to slightly salty.
As noon approached, the sun rose directly overhead.
Ahead, the outline of Liyue Harbor came into view.
With its green tiles like scales, towering pavilions reaching the clouds, and masts like a forest in the harbor, it truly lives up to its reputation as an ancient Eastern country with a long history.
"We've arrived."
Varesa poked her head out of the water, gazing at the port city. "We need to find a place to go ashore."
"There are so many people at the dock..." Bai You looked at the bustling dock and felt a little troubled.
"We can't just go up there like that."
"Follow me."
Varesa led her around the main pier and swam along a rocky outcrop to the other side of the harbor.
There is a secluded little bay there, piled with rocks, and few people come here.
Taking advantage of the absence of others, the two slipped ashore.
The fish tail slowly dissolved the moment it left the water, transforming back into legs.
Bai You scrambled ashore in a disheveled state, soaking wet and with water still dripping from her hair.
"Slow down, no one's here." Varesa said calmly, wringing out the water from her blue hair.
"Why didn't you say so sooner? Getting ashore will be this troublesome..."
Bai You complained as she tucked her wet hair behind her ears.
"Next time," Varesa helped her straighten her crooked collar, "She'll get used to it after swimming a few more times."
As the two were tidying up, suddenly, they heard voices coming from outside the small bay.
Paimon swore that Paimon would never cross the mountain again in his life.
A small, tearful voice came from afar.
"You were the one who said we should go in a straight line."
Another voice, calm yet tinged with helplessness.
Bai You and Varesa exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of surprise in each other's eyes.
Immediately afterwards, two figures circled around from behind the reef.
One was a blonde the Damselette wearing a wet cloak and carrying Dull Blade at her waist.
The other was a tiny guide floating beside her, looking as if he had been pulled out of the water.
Ying and Paimon.
The two sides bumped into each other in this secluded little bay.
The scene was quiet for a moment.
Ying's gaze swept over the two women, who were equally soaking wet and looked as if they had just crawled out of the water.
Paimon stared wide-eyed at them, then at himself, and suddenly felt as if he had found a kindred spirit.
"You... you also fell into the water?!"
Paimon perked up immediately and floated in front of them.
Paimon knew Paimon wasn't the only one who had bad luck along the way!
Bai You looked at the tiny guide in front of her, the one she had seen countless times on screen, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"We..." she hesitated, "We came by water."
"Waterway?" Paimon paused, "You can travel from Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor by waterway?"
"Yes," Varesa replied casually, "Going with the water is faster than climbing mountains."
Ying's gaze fell on Varesa, then looked at Bai You, lost in thought, before she remembered that the two of them were Water Nymph.
"We," Ying began calmly, "Come from the Dragonspine."
"Snow-capped mountains?" Bai You's eyes widened. "You... how come you're on snow-capped mountains?"
"We've taken the wrong turn." Ying said this with a blank expression, but her tone was unusually unnatural.
"She thought crossing the mountain was shorter." Paimon chimed in, "But we ended up freezing on the snowy mountain for two whole days!"
Paimon almost turned into a Paimon ice sculpture!
Bai You looked at Ying's serious face, then at the indignant Paimon, and laughed even harder.
"Are you here in Liyue too?"
"Hmm." Ying nodded. "I heard there's Rite of Descension the day after tomorrow."
"That's perfect," Bai You said, "We are too."
The four women stood among the rocks, the sea breeze carrying a salty tang, ruffling their wet hair.
"Have you... found a place to stay?" Ying asked.
"Not yet."
"Well," Ying paused, "... together for now?"
Bai You glanced at Varesa, who nodded slightly.
"Okay."
So the four of them went together from the secluded bay and circled into Liyue Harbor.
Paimon's mouth never stopped moving the whole way.
"When we get to Liyue, Paimon wants to eat grilled tigerfish!"
"I'd like to drink hot soup too!"
"I want to eat that too, Adeptus' Temptation!"
"You came down from the snow-capped mountains," Ying said casually, "All you know is how to eat."
"What else?" Paimon retorted confidently. "Paimon isn't even getting a hot meal on the snowy mountain!"
Bai You felt a strange sensation as she listened to their bickering.
She knew that this blonde the Damselette was the protagonist of this journey.
She also knew what would happen at the Rite of Descension the day after tomorrow.
As she watched Ying's retreating figure, a strange, indescribable emotion welled up within her.
It's the feeling of watching someone who doesn't even know what they're going to face gradually walk towards their destiny.
In the afternoon, the four of them found an inn in the harbor and settled in.
They had a hot lunch together: grilled tigerfish, hot soup, and rice. Paimon ate so much she almost licked the plate clean.
Ying and Paimon were exhausted from the day in the snowy mountains, so they decided to catch up on sleep at the inn that night.
"Then we'll see you tomorrow," Ying said.
"See you tomorrow."
At night, the docks of Liyue Harbor are brightly lit.
A magnificent stage stands by the sea, adorned with large red lanterns. Before the gongs and drums have even sounded, the audience is already packed.
The stage was surrounded by food stalls.
Sugar painting, candied hawthorn, grilled squid, almond tofu, lotus seed soup, osmanthus cake...
Steaming hot, with an irresistible aroma.
Varesa, holding Bai You, stopped in front of the stall.
"What do you want to eat?" Little Bai You asked, looking down.
Bai You's eyes lit up immediately.
She pointed to this, then pointed to that.
"This... and that..."
Varesa smiled and bought everything, one by one.
There was also a sugar figurine stall nearby.
The master craftsman skillfully manipulated the sugar syrup, quickly creating a lifelike little object.
Bai You stopped and looked at it for a while.
"Boss," she mustered her courage and asked, "Could you... act like a human?"
The experienced chef chuckled, "Young lady, just describe it to me, and I can make it."
Bai You thought for a moment, then pointed to Varesa beside her.
"I want one, of her appearance."