Chapter Text
Hu Tao folded her umbrella with a heavy sigh and made her way under the strange canopy. The folded hay is already soaked with moisture from the heavy rain, and lighting damp boards under the pot is a pointless activity. Hu Tao, having overcome herself, tried to ignite them with the power of Vision, having suffered a crushing defeat against the laws of nature.
Huge drops continued to knock on the fabric of the canopy, which gradually got wet. Hu Tao called on all the forces of her pyrotechnic element to help dry her clothes and shoes a little. If the rain doesn't stop, then Hu Tao will have to open her bright expensive umbrella again, which Zhongli once gave her. True, the Consultant categorically refused to name the price, but his view of expensive things was directed in the same way as expensive wine.
The Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor took off her wet hat and looked around, hoping that there would be a place for her old friend. Alas, the holes in the cursed canopy did not inspire confidence at all, and Hu Tao hid her hat under a red umbrella, wrapping her arms around her bare knees. With a heavy sigh, she stared at the beautiful view of Mt. Aocang.
Ah, if not for the nasty rain and the approaching storm, Hu Tao would have enjoyed the sacred silence of the abode of the Adepts with pleasure, examined the secluded place where the Lord of the Stone himself once sat. Zhongli had told her more than once that the place was empty because when Geo Archon was still alive, the ruler came here to remember the good times with old friends over a cup of wine. And left with her. Hu Tao was tempted to get up and explore a distant island with a lonely tree and an empty table. A strong gust of wind even made her worry if the dishes would break.
The night air fanned her damp skin, and Hu Tao felt trapped in a single slime that stuck to her body. Wincing, Hu Tao gathered all her remaining strength, causing the Vision on her back to shine brighter. Her hair stuck to face, hands and clothes, which dried too slowly. And for a second it seemed to her that moisture began to seep out of the canvas above her head.
The rain drummed mercilessly on the ground in a terrible downpour, and a distant thunderclap shook the peaks of the mountains, giving no chance of a quick return to Liyue Harbor without any inconvenience.
Hu Tao wailed softly, hiding her nose in her clothes. "Zhongli, let me listen to you again!"
She remembered the warm Funeral Parlor, the kettle and the pleasant aroma of incense when she went downstairs in the morning, hoping to finish work early because a thick fog had descended on the harbor. And this foreshadowed heavy rain, which meant that she needed to get on with her business quickly before the downpour started.
Zhongli was extremely restless that day, just like a real ancient old man, muttering something about rain, help and danger. And when the consultant anxiously whispered under his nose that there might be dead or injured, Hu Tao immediately thought about the adventurers, the coveted contract with the Adventurers' Guild, and without asking anything (except for the exact direction), she grabbed an umbrella and set off without hearing what Zhongli said last. It seems to be something about food and danger. But Hu Tao got used to this all the time she worked in the funeral parlor.
And now, having climbed the entire Mt. Aocang and it seems, having learned it by heart, like her ten fingers and iron rings, Hu Tao was forced to admit that she was mistaken, because she did not find any adventurers. And now, under a ragged canopy, which most likely was built here by stupid Treasure Hoarders, aiming at the abode of the Cloud Retainer, Hu Tao is forced to hide from a terrible downpour. Hu Tao doesn't remember such a downpour since her grandfather's funeral.
Immersed in memories, plans for tomorrow's ceremony and the paplor's schedule, as well as a small payback for Zhongli in the form of a harmless joke, Hu Tao heard a strange cry through the noise of the rain.
But when Hu Tao had already decided that she had just imagined it, the scream was repeated much more clearly, filling the peaks of the mountains, the girl's back stiffened. Surprised, she turned around when the sound began to repeat more often and louder.
It resembled thunder and the cry of a bird, only…
Something bright and later terribly dark flashed in the sky. Hu Tao jumped up, pulling on her hat and opening her umbrella. Something was clearly happening, and she couldn't miss something so unusual and interesting! Aya, it could be dangerous, which means her job starts here!
Hu Tao ran to the edge and stared into the distance, where the tops of the mountains of another region were swallowed up by a low mysterious mist, but the girl's eyes were turned to a blurry figure that began to grow.
Looking closer, Hu Tao noticed a strange shape... a bird ?
Cloud Retainer? No, with all due respect, she didn't seem that big. Mountain Shaper? It was getting close, but he and the Cloud Retainer were about the same size. Hu Tao also brushed the theories aside, looking closely at the unknown bird that continued to make strange noises.
Listening, Hu Tao heard a fierce battle cry for a moment, and huge wings cut through the air, causing a strong gust of wind that almost tore the director's hat off his head. Hu Tao tightened her grasp on the umbrella and took another step towards the aerial battle.
She had no doubt that the bird was fighting with someone, and so fiercely and ferociously, as only experienced warriors can fight. A flapping of wings, a ringing whistle and a scream filled the sky until a bright green flash made Hu Tao close his eyes. The tense silence only intensified the rain, drumming on the umbrella.
With a gasp, she opened her eyes, immediately looking for a winner in the gray, angry sky.
The bird stayed in the air, but even so, Hu Tao could hear its wings flapping heavily from moisture and fatigue. Having issued another, like a painful cry, the bird started up the sky, but there was no firmness and joy of victory in these movements. The figure was rushing all over the sky, then rising and falling. Hu Tao even thought that the battle was not over, and the bird was about to collapse and injure itself on the mountain peaks.
A strange excitement for an unknown creature made her take a deep breath and shout with all her strength: "This way! Hey! Over here! Fly Here!"
The rain swallowed her heartfelt call, but the beast seems to have heard her voice. Forgetting about the sore throat and the rain, Hu Tao stared in awe at the figure that first froze in the air and made several swings in her direction. Something held her in place, unknown fears and doubts that she could not see from such a height.
Hu Tao pouted indignantly, feeling indignant. She took another deep breath and forced her voice to sound even louder: "IT'S OKAY! Over here! Hurry up! It's safe here!"
There was not enough breath for long phrases, but Hu Tao stubbornly continued to shout, waving a bright umbrella, trying to shout over the storm, rain and thunder. Holding her hat and not paying attention to the streams of water that doused her body again, she watched the giant bird and seemed to feel its uncertainty and doubts from here.
She could understand, but now she couldn't give up. "Please! I won't hurt you! Honestly!"
The voice cracked and hoarse, causing Hu Tao to cough. There was not enough air, and she almost gave up her attempts to shout to the mighty beast, which was clearly not very friendly. A strange bird cry was heard, and the outline of the body began to rapidly approach the place where Hu Tao was standing. Joy immediately responded throughout the body, until it was replaced by anxiety as the beast's body approached.
"Oh-oh-oh! Slow down! You're now-"
Realizing the scale of the giant bird's body, Hu Tao screamed and rushed to the side when a gust of wind nearly knocked her off her feet. The bird flew by while Hu Tao struggled to stay on her feet and not lose her hat. The rain intensified, and behind him there was a terrible sound of splashing water and loosening of the earth.
Swiftly turning around, Hu Tao encountered the golden glow of the bird's predatory eyes. The huge golden-emerald wings were almost twice the size of the body, and the sharp beak opened, launching a strange alert cry in her direction.
The beast tried to get up, but his legs clearly did not obey, clinging to rocks and pits, to the slippery mud of the lake shore. The familiar black stream of karma spoiled the magic wings, which darkened because of the rain.
Hu Tao became even more worried when she noticed the black clumps of darkness. She jumped off the ledge and ran towards the giant bird. The girl noticed several red spots of blood and the consequences of karma, but there was no time to think.
When there were a few steps left, the Bird raised its head again and opened its beak, sending a warning cry. Hu Tao stopped when the adept's gaze made her freeze in place. There was something inexpressibly familiar and wary in them. The wings stirred up the earth again and made the lake of Mt. Aocang splash to the sides, flooding the stones and weighing down the beautiful plumage.
"It's all right! It's okay! Nice... bird." Hu Tao put out her empty hands. At her appeal, the bird made a short irritated sound, forcing the girl to clear her throat and smile nervously. "That's right, great Adeptus. Sorry! It's all right. I can help you. So please calm down. Your humble servant will not harm you."
Under the watchful gaze of the guardian, Hu Tao took a cautious step towards the giant body. She felt the tension and wariness from the beast, so she stopped, repeating her words until she got close enough to reach for the feathers. Hu Tao heard heavy breathing and felt the burning, heavy gaze of golden eyes.
"It's all right. That's right, I just want to help. Calm down... She tried to make her voice sound as soft as possible and filled her hand with pyro energy. Her gaze slid over the body and stopped at the wound. Not too deep, but there was so much curse around her that Hu Tao couldn't help but notice it. "I'm sorry, but it might hurt a little now! Can you be patient?"
The bird made a strange sound and repeated attempts to get up. The throwing of the wounded beast twisted her stomach and pricked her heart, forcing her to take a step back so that the wings would not knock her off her feet, sending her into free flight directly from the sacred mountain. Ay-ya-ya, even Zhongli won't be able to identify her body immediately if she falls from such a height.
Hu Tao had to forget about the heavy rain, the weight of wet clothes uncomfortably clinging to the body, and the strange incident. "I understand, I'm a mere mortal! But it is my duty to help Adepti Liyue! That's all I want. Believe me! It's going to hurt a little, but... I know what to do! Please believe me!"
The beast calmed down, and through the veil of rain she still caught his heavy gaze, which was clearly trying to scare her away. But Hu Tao can't be scared like this, not after so many funerals and mourning ceremonies that she conducted, finding clients in dangerous places and the cruel prejudices of harbor residents.
"I'll just try to purify karma. It's fast, my pyro vision will do just fine. I'm a professional in my field, honestly."The beast looked away. Not immediately, but she realized that he was pointing to the road. "And I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're all right! It's my civic duty and job to keep an eye on mortals... and non-mortals too. So let me get rid of karma already before it gets worse."
She looked at the Adept cautiously and stubbornly. And something flashed in the predatory eyes that Hu Tao took it for tense agreement. Awkwardly and carefully, the beast showed the place of the wound and allowed her to come closer.
Her firm hand touched the wound, cauterizing the skin, from which blood continued to gush. The skin was warm and the feathers were so soft, but Hu Tao didn't have time to enjoy it.
In an instant, her world turned upside down, a huge gust of wind blew her off her feet to the side, and painful sounds and screams filled the abode of the Adepti. It was such a desperate and sad sound, like crying, that something inside her turned over and her heart painfully squeezed. Hu Tao jumped up, immediately rushing to the bird's face.
"It's okay! It's over!" She wrapped her arms around the dangerous beak and pressed her whole body. "It's okay! You did it. Good job! Please! "
She felt her feet leave the ground a couple of times, the rain completely soaked her clothes and body, leaving no dry place, but the girl didn't care. Something inside her made her hold on to this bird and whisper words, in vain attempts to calm the unknown Adeptus. She squeezed her eyes shut, not feeling the trembling, feeling the fierce wind and rain around her.
Time seemed to slow down, and then stopped altogether, until the sounds subsided, leaving only the noise of the violent weather. Hu Tao realized late that she had closed her eyes until the strange guttural rumble of the Illuminated Beast deafened her. The eyes flew open, immediately meeting with the delicate plumage of the head.
"I-it's all right. Now it won't hurt, honestly-honestly," she whispered softly and slowly lowered her beak, wonder how she wasn't eaten and thrown on another mountain, given the strength and power of this giant body. Hu Tao took a deep breath and caught the strange gaze of a predator who was studying her closely. "I'm sorry that everything turned out this way! It was necessary. Are you all right?"
She barely caught the nod of head and breathed a sigh of relief. Hu Tao looked around for other wounds and malice, but only a strong body, large wings, and a long beautiful tail with magical charming plumage awaited her. If it hadn't been for the rain, she would have appreciated this majestic and mighty appearance, but now her task was different.
"We urgently need to take shelter... ah... exactly! The abode of the Adepti! There, quickly." She pointed to the entrance to the cave, although she doubted that the door to the abode was open, and she — a mere mortal, though the The Director of Funeral Parlor — would have been allowed inside. She caught the strange look of her mute interlocutor and forced an encouraging smile. "You will definitely be allowed in. Rather, you need to rest a little and dry off."
Getting heavily to its feet, the bird shook its whole body and flapped its wings, flying to the other side, closer to the cave. Hu Tao was almost blown off her feet by this fierce wind flow again, and only then did she belatedly check the top of her head.
"Oh, no! My hat! And an umbrella!" Hu Tao began to furiously inspect the area and was relieved to notice hat, which was slightly covered with wet earth.
Putting on her hat, she looked around one last time for an umbrella, but there was none nearby. Zhongli's gift was most likely carried away by a powerful gust of wind even at the moment when the Adeptus flew past her. With a heavy sigh, Hu Tao turned towards the Abode and noticed that her new acquaintance was standing at the entrance and her head was pointed... at her.
She felt this attentive and vigilant gaze from the other side of the lake. Surprised, she also looked at the beast that stood opposite, and... was waiting for her?
With a yelp, she clutched her hat, remembering that there was no dry place left on it, and rushed along the edge of the lake, sliding on the wet grass. The shoes tried to slip off and tip her into the sacred lake, but Hu Tao doubted that it would worsen her situation. Her whole body was wet and sticky, but she couldn't keep the Adeptus waiting.
She approached the giant bird, breathing heavily after running, and openly looked into the shining eyes. The beast jerked its head in the direction of the cave, as if pointing the way, and Hu Tao did not argue, considering this an unofficial invitation to the Abode.
But imagine her surprise when the Adeptus sat down at the entrance, awkwardly trying to place his large wings and long tail in a small space. At the very exit, the enchanted Hu Tao watched the graceful movements, which were permeated with grandeur and a strange fatigue. The wind blew across her legs and back, but she ignored it, absorbed in the presence of the Illuminated Beast
Hu Tao carefully straightened her wet uniform and stared at the dirty hat, noticing that the plum twig was no longer there. Sighing heavily, she wiped the dirt off with a damp sleeve. Unfortunately, this did not fix the situation much, soiling the thick sleeves.
Thoughts were spinning somewhere on the crust of consciousness, but fatigue and stress clouded her mind, and her head was empty when the Adeptus's eyes turned in her direction again.
Hu Tao, hiding her awkwardness, pointed with her eyes at the entrance. "You should have come to the Abode! I'm sure the Cloud Retainer wouldn't have sent you away! My acquaintance is her disciple, so… Oh, you can say that you came from the Director of the Funeral Parlor! Then, she would definitely give you a light to warm your feathers."
A strange rumble was heard in response, causing a smile. It was as if the Adeptus was displeased with her advice.
The Adeptus sat motionless, and Hu Tao felt strangely uncomfortable from his attentive gaze. She had never been so close to the great sacred beast in its true form, reading about them only in books. Or is she wrong? "Ah! That's right, my name is Hu Tao! Nice to meet you."
And even so, there was something barely perceptibly familiar in this silence, so her body quickly relaxed and she sat down at the edge of the cave exit.
Hu Tao turned and stared at the wall of rain, at the barely discernible outline of an island in the middle of the lake. Water flowed in an endless stream from her thick hair and clothes, preventing her body from feeling the warmth emanating from her vision. With her hand, she brushed the dirt off the edge of her hat, realizing that she had nothing else to occupy her body and head with. But her thoughts kept returning to the Adeptus, whose gaze she felt so clearly.
The bird made a dissatisfied sound, attracting attention to itself. Hu Tao turned around, noticing how the Beast opened its mouth and reached out in her direction. Making a strange squeak, Hu Tao restrains herself from dodging the blade-sharp beak that grabbed her by the wide sleeve and dragged her to the side, away from the entrance to the cave.
"Ah!" Hu Tao came across a soft plumage, surprisingly not so wet compared to her clothes. She stared at the Adeptus, batting her eyelashes. The bird let go of her sleeve and raised head, continuing to carefully examine her shivering body from the cold. "No no no, it's all right! I don't need any help! Soon my Vision will warm the clothes! And as soon as the rain stops, I'll leave. If the wind hadn't blown my umbrella away, I would have left faster, but you will have to endure my presence. Please take a good rest and gain strength."
But the beast did not move, and its wing rose slightly and fell at her feet. She stared at the emerald feathers that were slowly turning golden. Fascinated by such a sight, she swallowed and touched the plumage with her fingertips, fingering them and feeling a strange warmth emanating from the giant body.
"You... are very beautiful." She couldn't hold back an admiring sigh, but when she felt the tension, she immediately removed her hand and brought it behind her back. "I mean, uh... sorry, heh. It's the first time I've seen an Illuminated Beast so close. You see, we Funeral Parlor only work with remains and antiquities. And it's not even always connected to someone else's body."
She heard a strange bird squeak and smiled when the feathers ruffled a little. Ah, well, alas, not all Adepti like such humor. But she wanted to dilute the atmosphere a little, so Tao looked around and found a rock she could climb.
Squatting down, she looked at the Beast, which was watching her every step and movement. Sitting down comfortably, she smiled broadly at the bird, anticipating what a difficult job awaits her at home. Starting with taking a hot bath and ending with a long lecture by Zhongli, who is probably going crazy with worry right now.
But everything is going relatively well, if you do not take into account her climbing the mountain, wet clothes and a lost umbrella from a precious consultant. The fragmentary stories of the Traveler, Granyu and Shenhe slowly kept popping up in her head. Hu Tao looked at the magnificent Adeptus body in front of her with interest again.
"Since we were slaves of the situation, tell me, are all the Adepti so silent? Or is it just a Cloud Retainer, a lover of conversations? Or... are the voices of the Adepti heard only by the chosen ones?"
If her interlocutor could, he probably would have answered, if only for the sake of decency, by giving his name. But the Illuminated Beast was silent, only carefully watching the girl, who pressed her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Ah, it doesn't matter, she can ask Zhongli about it when she gets home.
Hu Tao watched as the bird gradually relaxed and calmed down. Alertness and irritation began to leave the beautiful muscles, and the eyes of the Adeptus shone with a pleasant amber glow, but she could not understand what was read in them. The girl silently watched movements, feeling something subtly familiar. It was as if the answer was spinning on the edge of consciousness, but Hu Tao couldn't grasp it, too tired after such a busy day.
She could definitely have fallen asleep right on this stone, if not for her wet clothes and hair sticking to everything.
Be that as it may, Hu Tao struggled with the last of her strength against drowsiness and a sense of security. The presence of this Adeptus was strangely calming, so the girl couldn't help giggling, again attracting the attention of the giant bird.
"I'm sorry, but right now you look a lot like mine... a acquaintance. He's not a fan of talking about himself. And also the Adeptus," it seemed to her, or the beast's body tensed again. The interlocutor froze, even his eyes seemed to open in surprise. "Oh, he's actually a powerful Yaksha! Oh! If I had any food on hand, I would cook something for you! You must be very tired after the battle. And what could be better after a hard day's work than hot and delicious food? Probably just took a cozy nap in a fresh bed!"
The Adeptus continued to lie tensely, staring at the girl. She couldn't hear his question, but she sensed that he was surprised by her story.
"Oh, you're probably wondering how I – a mere mortal – was able to make friends with Adeptus? But, alas, this is a trade secret! And since it so happened that we fell into a trap, I'll just say that this gloomy Yaksa is actually very kind. Making friends with him, oh, how difficult it is! But it was worth it. He's a great and loyal friend."
She saw the beast's head jerk in her direction, approaching the stone, lifting slightly.
"Oh! And you, it turns out, are very curious! But I'm sorry, I have to keep secrets. I'm afraid you'll have to appreciate my dear friend's charm for yourself, but don't miss this chance. He can be a little scary and... disheveled , but he's good. In any case, he would definitely help you deal with karma. Oh! That's right !" The girl jumped up and rushed to the body, checking the wound. The Adeptus did not move, and Hu Tao ran her palm over the plumage, wondering how dry it was. Wonder how much time has passed? The rain was slowly wasting its strength, drumming less loudly on the ground. "If you have other wounds, let me treat them! Everything will be held at the highest level, according to the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
The Adeptus only shook his head, pressing it harder into the feathers. A faint shiver of warmth and softness ran through her body. Emerald feathers with a golden sheen absorbed moisture, and goosebumps ran over the skin, causing a contented and blissful sigh from the lips of the girl. Hu Tao involuntarily buried her nose in the soft plumage, feeling as if she was floating on a cloud. A divine feeling! For the sake of such a thing, it's not a pity to get wet in the rain!
"If Xiao knew what I was doing, he would definitely scold me," Hu Tao muttered softly under her breath, laughing. The Adeptus easily pushed her with his beak towards his wing, which strangely occupied the entire space of the cave floor. Hu Tao blinked in surprise, feeling herself being pushed to the edge of the wings. "Wait! What are you doing- Oh !"
She was forcefully pushed in the back, and Hu Tao landed right on the wings of her unexpected companion. The girl immediately jumped up and tried to get off the wings, but she heard a strange hum from above, above her head. Hu Tao turned around and looked into the bird's shining eyes.
"I... this kind of behavior," Hu Tao was so confused that she didn't know what to say. She knew that some Adepti were more loyal and caring towards people, but Hu Tao didn't seem to be among them. But who is she to refuse such a thing?
Softness and warmth surrounded her, and weak attempts to escape were stopped by the head of a bird that lay down, blocking her entrance to retreat.
Hu Tao stared at the Adeptus with wide eyes. He stubbornly closed his eyes, and for a moment it seemed to her that the beast snorted. Her heart squeezed with gratitude and she made a couple of awkward movements to get closer to the head of her new friend, who was so gracious that he offered her such a thing. It was a little awkward, but Hu Tao restrained herself and gave up, absorbed by the softness of beautiful plumage.
She moved closer and watched as the eye opened and stared back at her. Hu Tao smiled and put her palms under her head, improvising a pillow. The girl peered into the amber glow and the narrow pupil, which seemed to immerse her in the soft radiance of dawn. She noticed a funny tuft and emerald, shimmering in the dark, plumage. Perhaps in daylight they would have shone a pleasant, deep blue, and this reminded Hu Tao of something again.
She covered her yawn with her palm and shook her head, driving away drowsiness. The rain sounded like a cradle, and the breathing and softness of the beast did not make it easier, even more lulling.
"I can already hear Xiao and Zhongli scolding me," Hu Tao whispered softly and touched Its head, slowly running her hands over the feathers. "Thank you very much, Mr. Adeptus. I hope this stays between us, because otherwise one vigilant Yaksha will definitely punish me."
There was no answer, as usual, but he blinked, as if agreeing to keep this little secret. She continued, feeling her eyelids grow heavy. "You should definitely go to the Cloud Retainer to have a good rest. And if not, feel free to come to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in Liyue Harbor, our consultant knows everything and will definitely be able to help you. And he will also treat you to excellent tea."
Under the measured beating of the Adeptus' heart, her eyes began to close. She could no longer fight sleep, but her new acquaintance was in no hurry to disturb her. Hu Tao moved a little closer until she touched the bird's head and wrapped her arms around its neck. She felt body tense under her fingers, but did not pull away, and this warmth was reflected in chest.
For some reason, she thought that this Adeptus wouldn't mind, but she whispered cautiously anyway: "I'm sorry if this is too disrespectful for a mortal. But you're so warm and soft. I hope you don't mind if I take a nap? Just a little. I will try to leave you as quietly as possible in the morning."
She didn't hear the denial. The Adeptus placed his wings more comfortably under her body, forcing her to sink deeper into the soft plumage. On the verge of sleep, she felt someone else's gentle gaze, which, perhaps, she also dreamed in a wonderful half-dream.
Hu Tao could have sworn that for a moment she heard her name and quiet gratitude, which was also drowned in the soft warmth of the wings.
***
"Zhongli! I can put my hat on the line! It was definitely a Illuminated Beast! And yes, are all Adepti so silent? Can they be mute? Or not? No, it definitely was."
"I believe you, Director Hu." His voice and smile spoke of a strange secret, for which he would definitely be punished by heaven. And also about surprise and disbelief, no matter how his soft, duty smile showed. Hu Tao knew these shades and every muscle play on the Consultant's face.
With a snort, she checked the plum sprig on her favorite hat one last time and straightened her clothes, brushing invisible dust from the funeral parlor uniform.
"Director, you haven't recovered yet, please stay at home. You've been delirious for a week." Zhongli gently tried to leave her, but Hu Tao dodged, heading for the door. The warm face of the consultant became habitually businesslike and stony, showing calm concern.
"Aya, Zhongli, it's okay. I feel great! And I just want to go for a walk and collect some of the Silk Flower for the next ceremony. It won't take much effort. A week has passed, I am healthy and strong, like Madame Shenhe. And now, I'll take my leave to collect the order and you had a Mora with which you could buy wine."
The Consultant sighed heavily as he watched her pull on her shoes and adjust her knee socks. "Please be careful. If it gets bad, be sure to call Xiao."
"There's no need for that!"
"Promise, Director. Otherwise, I'll go with you."
"All right. I promise."
"At the same time, have lunch together. I heard chef Yangxiao recently tried a new recipe from Miss Xiangling. Give Xiao my best wishes."
"Just for you, Zhongli. Goodbye!"
The door slammed shut loudly, and Zhongli sighed heavily, fingering the papers. He stared thoughtfully at the lines, but his thoughts clearly could not concentrate on what he had written. He looked over his shoulder at the open window and looked at the departing director's back.
Hu Tao bounced merrily while walking, humming something under her breath.
Zhongli thoughtfully put his fingers to his chin, and a warm smile appeared on his face. "Golden-winged bird, say..."
***
"Good afternoon, Miss Hu."
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Goldet. Tell me, is Xiao upstairs?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, but he's been missing for the last few days."
"Thank you very much! Can I leave the bouquet here?"
The woman nodded, and Hu Tao put a bouquet of Silk Flower on the counter, not forgetting to finally stroke Wei, which meowed loudly after her. Climbing the stairs, her thoughts were full of golden radiance, and her body was filled with sweet anticipation from a delicious lunch in an interesting company.
The balcony greeted her with the usual silence, and Hu Tao walked to the very edge, also not forgetting to turn around to the roof.
Taking a deep breath, she put her hands to her mouth. "Xiao! The great vigilant Yaksha! Hero of the Isl-"
"I'm here."
Hu Tao instantly turned around with a wide smile, bumping into a familiar frowning and calm face. Ah, even so, he remains deadly charming.
"Good afternoon!"
Xiao nodded, exhaling wearily. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"I feel great! Zhongli let me go to check on you because he's busy with work." Hu Tao smiled when Xiao suspiciously arched an eyebrow and grinned, shaking his head amusingly. No faith, but he can't go against Zhongli's words! "Yes, so I came to visit my colleague Yaksha and treat him to lunch! And Xiao, don't you know-"
Her gaze dropped and stared at the thing in Xiao's hands. Hu Tao froze, blinded by the familiar red color. She blinked once, twice, afraid that it was just a mirage, but the thing was still in the guy's hands.
Xiao lowered his gaze and immediately tensed, clenching his hands into a fist.
Hu Tao gasped and bent over the umbrella. "Xiao! This is my umbrella! Wow! I thought he flew all the way to Celestia!"
She reached for the object. Xiao immediately released it and took a step back, while, blinded by joy, Hu Tao examined the lost thing. It was a little battered and torn in some places, but these were such minor details that she could fix it tonight, armed with tools.
"It's amazing! Where was he?"
"In the mountains."
She looked up and immediately encountered a strange tension in his voice. Surprisingly, Hu Tao has already said goodbye to the gift forever.
Xiao froze, straining his arms and shoulders harder. He was silent, looking down somewhere, and Hu Tao could bet that his cheeks were flushed. He frowned sternly and, turning away, walked with a firm step to the stairs.
"He just happened to catch my eye. If it's yours, take it. And don't lose anything else."
"Thanks for finding him!"
"I'm not-" Xiao closed his eyes and slowly sighed wearily. "Fine."
Hu Tao, not hiding a smile, clutched her umbrella to herself, and caught up with her confused Yaksha, who pretended not to see her. "In gratitude, almond tofu is on me today!"
"I don't need gratitude."
"This is a very important thing. So you have no choice, I'm buying."
They went down together while Hu Tao was telling another story in her work, about the rains, the winds, and also the excessive care of Zhongli. Xiao listened while eating tofu and nodding in time to her words. Hu Tao, enjoying the dumplings, was suddenly distracted, glancing at the umbrella that rested on the edge of the table next to her.
"Oh yes, Xiao! Do you know the bird Adeptus? So handsome, with beautiful golden wings?"
Then there was a strange cough at the table.
Looking up, she saw Xiao pounding his chest, trying to suppress his own cough. Surprised, she watched as the always calm Yaksha choked on his favorite almond tofu. After he cleaned himself up, he stared at her with his fierce golden eyes that seemed ready to kill her on the spot.
Xiao clenched his jaw and pointed at her dish. "Mortals shouldn't be interested in this. Eat."
She pouted resentfully, but sighed heavily, deciding that she would find out about it when she returned to the parlor. Probably, the Adepti also had an unspoken rule not to betray their acquaintances, so Hu Tao could understand such secrecy. Apparently, will have to raise the old records of the archive, because the Director remembered for sure that somewhere in her distant childhood she heard the legend about the Golden-Winged Adeptus.
She stuffed the dumpling into her mouth with a loud snort, forgetting about her question and enjoying the pleasant taste of her favorite dish. She didn't really hope that Xiao would tell her everything so easily.
Xiao's gaze slowly lowered to the side, carefully examining the red patterned fabric.
And just as silently, he returned to his dish, trying once again not to look at the edge of the table where the umbrella stood.