Chapter 168

Diona quickly finished all the pastries on the plate, even cutely licking her lips afterward.

She really looked starving, probably hadn't eaten properly while traveling these past few days.

However, Diona immediately realized her actions were somewhat impolite and said with reddened cheeks: "I was just... just checking if there were any crumbs stuck..."

She seemed to have a strange tsundere trait in her personality.

A young girl's self-esteem is always particularly strong and sensitive.

"Are you full?"

"Mm! I'm full! It was delicious! Thank you for treating me, Boss!"

"No need for thanks. Have some more tea, eating too many pastries can make you thirsty."

"Okay!"

Diona poured herself a cup of tea and drank contentedly. She saw Qiqi bring out a bowl of strange-smelling and colored liquid from the kitchen and hand it to Zhu Zi.

Zhu Zi put it on the table to cool, grimacing.

Diona was curious and asked: "What's that?"

"Medicine."

"Is Senior Zhu Zi sick?"

"Mm, she's not feeling well these days. She'll feel better after drinking the medicine."

"Oh."

"Qiqi, take Diona shopping for daily necessities, bedding and such, and also visit the tailor shop you went to yesterday to order some uniforms for her."

"Okay, I understand. Let's go."

"Thank you for the trouble, Senior Qiqi!"

Diona followed Qiqi out to head towards Chihu Rock market.

On the way, Diona couldn't help asking: "Senior Qiqi, why does Boss wear black glasses?"

"Because Boss can't see."

"Ah? Is Boss blind?"

"Not blind."

Qiqi stopped walking, looking at her seriously and saying: "Boss just temporarily can't see things, but his eyes will get better later."

Diona felt somehow uneasy being stared at so expressionlessly: "I understand."

Qiqi nodded and continued walking.

Diona followed behind her, not daring to ask anything else for a while.

After walking past several blocks, a completely unfamiliar but extremely busy and lively marketplace suddenly appeared before Diona's eyes.

She unconsciously held her breath, eyes widening.

So many people! So many goods! So many fish!

Much more impressive than Springvale... than Mondstadt's market!

Qiqi walked a few steps, turned back to see her standing there dazed, and quietly waited a moment before saying: "Let's go."

Diona hurriedly caught up, and along the way started asking curiously again: "What's that? And that? That's so pretty! That fish is so big!..."

Qiqi patiently answered her various questions in a soft voice, first taking her to the tailor shop to get measured for uniforms, then shopping for daily necessities and bedding.

On the way back, passing a pastry shop, Diona looked twice and asked quietly: "Senior Qiqi, where did our shop buy those delicious pastries?"

"Boss made them."

"Boss made them?!"

"Mm."

"But isn't Boss... unable to see?"

"Boss is very capable. Even without seeing, he can make very delicious food. You'll know at lunch."

"Oh!"

Returning to the shop, as soon as they entered, Diona smelled an especially enticing food aroma in the air.

She couldn't help swallowing, then looked hurriedly at Qiqi like someone who'd done something wrong and was afraid of being seen.

Only after discovering Qiqi hadn't noticed did she sigh in relief.

Such a nice smell, is Boss cooking in the kitchen?

Despite being mentally prepared, when mealtime came, Diona was still shocked by the table full of elaborate dishes she didn't recognize at all.

Do people in Liyue all live this well?

"Welcome Diona's joining us. Don't be polite, help yourself to whatever you like, eat more."

"Okay!... Isn't Senior Zhu Zi eating?"

"She's not feeling well these days, can only eat light food."

"Oh."

After lunch, with nothing else to do, everyone started playing mahjong.

Diona sat beside Xia Zhi, watching curiously.

Xia Zhi casually asked: "It must have been tough traveling in the rain these past days?"

"It didn't rain these past days."

"No rain on the road?"

"Right, it was very hot."

"So it only rained around Liyue Harbor. Coastal weather really is changeable."

"Coastal areas have lots of fish!"

"You like eating fish?"

"I love eating fish! Fish as a main dish... fish my dad makes! But... not as a drinking snack, that's disrespectful to the fish!"

"Then you've come to the right place in Liyue. Fresh fish are caught here daily, and they're very cheap."

"Mm!"

Diona's eyes sparkled with visions of a wonderful future.

After playing mahjong for a while, Xia Zhi opened his system panel.

[Skill Steal]'s cooldown had finished.

No customers in the shop today, could only use it on employees.

Xia Zhi thought for a moment and selected Diona sitting beside him, to see what the cat had.

"[Skill Steal] successful, learned skill [Water Spirit's Blessing] from target."

"[Water Spirit's Blessing]: Passive, when making alcoholic beverages, always successfully create fine wine."

A strange passive skill.

Xia Zhi looked at the skill description, recalling what Diona had said earlier.

With this blessing, she could casually make fine wine - no wonder she could become Cat's Tail's bartender.

As for that "lizard-salt wine," though the ingredients were bizarre, it must have actually tasted good...

He had wrongly blamed Mondstadt's drinkers.

Right, Diona said her home was in Springvale.

Springvale... Water Spirit... there seemed to be some connection between these?

Later, Yaoyao came to play.

The little girl surprisingly got along very well with Diona after meeting her, and they quickly became good friends.

Good thing Qiqi didn't get jealous.

Afternoon tea was rainbow juice with pastries.

When Xia Zhi was making juice, Diona stood beside him watching intently without blinking.

Though eager to learn, she didn't learn anything.

Xia Zhi smiled and handed her a glass of rainbow juice.

This was Diona's first time drinking it. Before at Cat's Tail, that adventurer only had a little in his flask, not enough to share with her.

After one sip, her expression became even more excited and determined.

This is it! She must learn this! Use it to destroy Mondstadt's wine industry!

Later still, Shenhe returned from her visit.

When hearing about Diona's joining, her expression froze slightly before she nodded and softly said welcome.

Zhu Zi whispered to Diona: "Miss Shenhe is just like that. She doesn't dislike you, you'll get used to it later."

Diona nodded, suddenly feeling everyone in the shop seemed a bit strange.

Ghost, zombie, sick person, ice mountain, blind person...

At least there's Yaoyao!

----

You can join my P@treon to read 40+ chapters early and support me and my work.

P@treon.com/rivyura