Chapter Text
Verr Goldet sighed heavily. It'd been a week since anyone had stayed at Wangshu Inn. The halls were always unusually quiet in June, and Ningguang had been breathing down her neck for more information. Forget Ningguang; pretty soon the inn would make too little Mora to breakeven....
They had tried everything possible!!! Discount packages hadn't worked, and neither had their surveys. All the feedback they got was useless! A visitor had jotted down 'Idk the vibes here are just Not It', and yet another one had written 'Not welcoming enough'. What the HELL did all that mean?? Genuinely, what the fuck was she supposed to do about Vibes?
"You look troubled." A voice came from somewhere 10m to her left. She didn't bother turning her head; already knowing that Xiao, Wangshu Inn's resident freeloader, would be standing there.
"Was it that obvious?" Goldet sighed. "It's just that we haven't had much business lately..."
"Is that a bad thing?" Xiao asked. "I'd imagine it feels more relaxing not having tourists running about, breaking staircases, and being a nuisance."
Golden shook her head. "Some rest is fine and all, but at this rate we'll start running short on Mora, and we like Mora. Besides, it's also important for us as innkeepers to find out why customers think Wangshu Inn is unfriendly, isn't it?"
Xiao tilted his head to one side, bemused. "They said that? Really? I suppose it must be Yanxiao's food. All that chilli must have scared them away."
Goldet smiled. "Don't let him hear you say that. Anyway, do you have any ideas? You're always watching anyway."
Xiao thought on it a moment, then said: "Why not ask Lumine and Paimon? I'm sure they'd be willing to help."
She chuckled. "I wish, but I'm fresh out of primogems OR mora, and I don't think Paimon would work for free, do you?" She glanced at Xiao, and something occured to her. "Hey, actually, why don't we station someone at the entrance to welcome visitors? Surely that's welcoming enough?"
Xiao thought on it a moment. "It's a good idea, but who's free to do that? Yanxiao's busy, so is Huai'An, and we're short-staffed as is."
Goldet stared at him pointedly, and a few seconds passed before her meaning dawned on Xiao. He flushed and backed away, saying: "Err, actually, I think I'm a bit busy right now. Cloud retainer is testing her new device-"
"HOLD on!! As someone who lives here, for NO CHARGE I might add, don't you think you should contribute every once in a while? Besides, this is partly due to you! Do you know how many negative reviews we’ve got featuring you?" Goldet fired.
"I can't help my karmic debt! I already try my best to stay away from visitors-" Xiao snapped.
"It's not about your karmic debt! Visitors don't like, and I quote, "A short angry-looking apparition scoffing at me from the corner of my eye and muttering mean things about humans". It's your attitude that's gotten us in this mess! You're doing this, no excuses. I'll look to see if we have an extra staff uniform for you in the backroom." Goldet walked off, and Xiao groaned, secretly contemplating a quick escape. But... if Goldet was to be believed, he was partly at blame for the lull in business. He could at least tolerate this for a week.... Perhaps, like this, he would finally understand why Rex Lapis chose to work as a mortal.
At this moment, in DiHua Marsh:
"Lumine, I'm soooo tired.... Can you hear that? It's my stomach grumbling! I'm going to die if I don't eat something soon..." Paimon hung in the air, looking like a wet (albeit floating) rag. Her companion sighed. "Okay, okay, we've just finished our commissions, so we can take a break.... What do you want me to cook for you?"
"Let's go to Wangshu Inn! Paimon's missing Yan Xiao's cooking, hehehe ~"
"And I guess I'm paying today, again?" The blonde traveller fixed a pointed stare on the fairy.
"Aaaa you're so kind for offering! Since you're asking, I just can't say no ehe!" The shameless fairy practically sang.
Sighing, Lumine let it drop, and they headed towards Wangshu Inn.
*An hour later at Wangshu Inn*:
Xiao was an immortal. A demon above gods. Countless foes he had slain, many centuries he had survived -- and, in his elderly folly, he thought he had seen it all. Apparently not.
Looking in the mirror, he had never been so mortified.
"Come out! How long are you going to stay there?" Verr Goldet called from outside the changing room, amusement in her voice.
Slowly, Xiao skulked out of the changing room, refusing to look up. He was a Yaksha! He would not give her the satisfaction, he would NOT-
A barely concealed laugh burst from Verr Goldet as she saw Xiao, in all his ageless glory, adorned in perky cat ears and a frilly dress.
"That's enough!! I'm taking this off!" Xiao said angrily, to Goldet's instant pacification. "No, no, but you look so good in that!! Do it, please? For the Wangshu Inn's income statement? Pleaseeee? I promise it's just for today!"
At that exact moment, a shrill voice sounded through the inn: "YAN XIAOOO!!!", and both of them stopped dead. That insufferable voice.... it had to be....