Chapter 317

Summer Shop, second floor.

Inside the room, Xia Zhi held a delicate red lipstick, twirling it in his hand.

This was something Ying'er had brought over to him earlier that evening, hoping he could take a look and offer some feedback.

"It's a bit too thick, and the color is a little too light…"

Xia Zhi gently dabbed a bit of the lipstick with his finger, bringing it to his nose to sniff carefully.

"The fragrance is nice."

He then gave it a slight taste.

"It's slightly sweet, with honey added, and it has a moisturizing effect…"

Thanks to his mastery of fragrances, Xia Zhi's mind instantly deduced the complete formula and production method of this red lipstick.

On the table, there was also a box containing lipsticks of other colors.

Xia Zhi inspected each one, pondering for a moment before taking out the [Blazing Incense Burner] and adding the same materials into it.

After closing the lid and giving it a slight twist, the burner heated up, and soon, a vibrant red balm formed inside.

Xia Zhi took the balm out of the burner and used a black iron dagger to shape it into the appropriate thickness and length. 

Then, using [Midas Touch], he casually crafted a silver tube. Combining the two, he created something resembling a lipstick from his previous world.

"This looks about right."

Xia Zhi twirled the lipstick in his hand, inspecting it once more. Satisfied with the quality, he set it down and began his daily routine of low-level enhancement work.

After using up his daily enhancement quota, Xia Zhi remembered Zhu Zi's report from the evening that the [Silver Dew] tea was running low.

The tea had been used up quickly because he had been giving it away to many people recently.

Xia Zhi opened the [Shop] and purchased a new batch of [Silver Dew] tea.

[Silver Dew]

Quality: Silver 

Type: Consumable 

Trait: None 

Effect: Refreshes the mind, enhances thinking, boosts inspiration and intuition. 

Hidden Effect: None.

Xia Zhi placed the tea into the enhancement interface and used a double-point enhancement. After only two failed attempts, he succeeded.

[Silver Dew]

Quality: Gold 

Type: Consumable 

Trait: Simulation 

Effect: Refreshes the mind, enhances thinking, boosts inspiration and intuition, and allows for mental simulation of desired scenarios. 

Hidden Effect: Can recall any past memory fragment and relive previous moments.

After the upgrade, the tea gained a new trait: "Simulation."

Curious, Xia Zhi took a leaf of the tea, brewed a cup, and took a sip.

The taste was even better than before.

At the same time, he felt a strange shift in his thoughts.

He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the room.

Instantly, a virtual room, identical to the real one, appeared in his mind.

With a thought, Xia Zhi pushed an empty cup on the virtual table, causing it to fall and shatter into pieces.

One, two, three…

Xia Zhi carefully counted the shards—there were nine in total.

He opened his eyes and focused on the real world. Looking at the empty cup on the table, he reached out and pushed it with the same force he had used in the simulation.

The cup fell, shattering into pieces.

Xia Zhi observed the shards from a god's eye and counted them. Just like in the simulation, there were nine pieces, and they were identical in size.

So this was the "Simulation" effect?

Xia Zhi's expression turned thoughtful.

In a way, this ability was akin to foreseeing the future.

As for the hidden effect of [Silver Dew], which allowed one to recall any past memory fragment, it had no effect on Xia Zhi. 

Thanks to the [Ancient Wisdom] he had obtained from Zhongli, he could already remember everything he had ever experienced.

Xia Zhi picked up the shards and stored them away.

Though they were unusable now, they could still serve as raw materials for [Midas Touch], so they wouldn't go to waste.

Xia Zhi picked up the teacup and took another sip.

For him, the simulation effect of the tea wasn't particularly useful—it was mostly just a mental refresher.

But for Yun Jin, this tea would be invaluable.

During her rehearsals for the new opera "The Divine Damsel of Devastation," she had been working tirelessly, practicing her lines repeatedly, putting a lot of strain on her voice.

With this tea, Yun Jin could simulate her performances in her mind, identifying and correcting her mistakes in a virtual environment, making the process much easier.

For Yelan, the tea would also be incredibly useful.

As an intelligence officer, she dealt with vast amounts of information daily.

As a regular human, she couldn't possibly remember every detail. With this tea, she could instantly recall any memory fragment, making her work much more efficient. 

The simulation trait would also allow her to build mental models of cases, helping her deduce the true culprits.

For Ganyu, the tea would be a great aid in handling her administrative duties.

For Zhu Zi, who often struggled with writer's block, the tea would allow her to easily simulate scenes from her novels, making her writing process smoother.

For Diona, it would help with her brewing and mixology.

And for Keqing…

Xia Zhi thought about it and concluded that this tea was indeed quite valuable.

He decided to store it away for now.

A soft knock came from the neighboring wall.

It was time to spend some quality time with Shenhe.

Xia Zhi walked over and opened the door with the [Master Key].

Shenhe noticed the items on the table.

"Boss, is this the lipstick Ying'er made?"

"Yes."

"and this one"

"This is something I just made, with a few improvements. Would you like to try it?"

"Sure."

Shenhe picked up the red lipstick and, mimicking a scene she had seen in a movie, gently applied it to her lips.

Then, she lightly pressed her lips together.

The gesture felt very feminine.

"Boss, how does it look?"

"It looks good."

"It's a bit sweet."

"Right, I added honey to it, but the formula is still Ying'er's."

"Ying'er is very talented."

"She's indeed gifted when it comes to fragrances. Now that the weather's getting colder, lips tend to dry out. If you use this lipstick daily, it'll help prevent that."

"Then I'll take this one."

"Sure."

"Boss, I don't think there's anything like this on the market in Liyue."

"No, but there are folk remedies like applying animal fats to the lips—pig fat, fish oil, and the like."

"Those smell terrible."

"Exactly."

"So this lipstick has a lot of market potential, right?"

"Yes, it's a cosmetic product. I'm planning to bring it up with Ningguang tomorrow afternoon to see if she'd be interested in collaborating with Ying'er. After all, there are many wealthy people in Liyue, especially the women of Yujing Terrace. They'd definitely be willing to spend a lot on a sweet, fragrant lipstick like this."

"If she agrees to collaborate, Ying'er might become rich."

"Haha, let's hope she doesn't quit her job if she does."

"She probably won't."

"Alright, let's get some sleep."

"Okay."

And then, there was nothing more to say.

Except, perhaps, that the lipstick tasted soft and sweet—quite nice.

The next morning, after teaching Shenhe a set of spear techniques, Xia Zhi got out of bed and walked over to open the window.

A cold breeze hit him in the face.

He immediately closed the window and returned to bed, snuggling up to Shenhe.

The warm bed, enhanced by the [Warmth Talisman], was much more comfortable.

"It's really cold outside."

"Boss."

"Hmm?"

"I want to make a few more [Warmth Talismans] to give to everyone."

"That's a great idea. I support you, Teacher Shenhe."

"Say it again."

"Teacher Shenhe…"

And then, there was nothing more to say.

Except, perhaps, that Shenhe, as a teacher, once again corrected his brush-holding posture.

Afterward, the two chatted for a while, and Shenhe got out of bed, took out the tools from her hairpin, and began crafting talismans on the table.

The [Warmth Talisman] was relatively simple.

For Shenhe, it was no challenge at all. In just three minutes, several new [Warmth Talismans] were completed.

Xia Zhi picked up the jade comb and naturally began combing Shenhe's hair.

"Boss, the construction site officially starts today."

"Yes, after breakfast, you'll need to deliver the [Sunset Vermillionite] over there."

"It's no trouble."

"Also, take some instant noodles with you. I made a lot yesterday afternoon. The food at the construction site isn't great, and we can't let Keqing and Vice Principal Zhongli go hungry."

"Got it."

"Oh, and take two boxes of this tea from the table."

"Is this [Silver Dew]?"

"Yes, but it's a more aged batch, so the effects are better."

"Understood."

After tidying up, the two went downstairs to wash up.

When Zhu Zi and Diona returned from buying groceries, they were already talking about the cold weather.

"It's so cold today!"

"Yeah, I woke up in the middle of the night because it was freezing and had to add another blanket."

"Me too!"

Only Qiqi silently wiped the table—she was the least affected by the cold.

Shenhe then took out the [Warmth Talismans] she had made earlier and handed them out.

"Stick this talisman on your bed, and you won't feel cold at night."

"Wow, thank you, Senior Shenhe!"

"Shenhe, you're amazing!"

Qiqi looked at the talisman Shenhe handed her, hesitated, and shook her head. "Thank you, but I don't need it."

Shenhe said seriously, "Everyone gets one. You can keep it as a memento."

Qiqi hesitated for a moment before accepting it and softly said, "Thank you."

Shenhe replied with a quiet "You're welcome" and handed the last talisman to Xia Ci.

Xia Ci gave her a knowing smile. "Does my cousin have one?"

Shenhe replied calmly, "Of course."

Xia Ci nodded, accepted it, and said, "Thank you."

Who would've thought Shenhe would also learn to win people over!

At the construction site, work had already begun early in the morning.

Zhongli and Keqing stood on a high platform, watching the bustling scene below as they discussed the next steps in the construction plan.

"The basic work arrangement is the same as when we rebuilt the Jade Chamber. We'll divide the school's construction into two parts. Before the [Sunset Vermillionite] Mr. Xia mentioned arrives, we'll first build the foundation on the ground."

"Once the [Sunset Vermillionite] is ready, we'll combine it with the foundation, lifting the semi-completed school to the same height as the mountain peak. The remaining construction will be done in the air. Once everything is ready, we'll retract the chains, allowing the school to rise to its intended height…"

Zhongli nodded. "Agreed."

Keqing continued, "The school is different from the Jade Chamber. It doesn't need to be as luxurious, and the design is simpler. Xia Ci has already discussed the details with me. The main focus will be on the construction of the teaching building…"

As Keqing was explaining the key points of the school's construction, she suddenly heard a commotion from the workers below.

"Look over there! What's that…?"

"It looks like a mountain!"

"The mountain is flying!"

Keqing looked up and was momentarily stunned.

In the distance, she could see what appeared to be a small mountain flying toward them…

"Wait, no! It's not the mountain flying—there's someone underneath it!"

"It looks like a woman!"

"I remember her! She's the one who defeated Beisht at sea!"

"I heard she's a disciple of the adepti!"

"No wonder she can lift something so heavy!"

"Adepti above, bless me with a raise next year!"

The construction site erupted in exclamations of awe and prayers.

Keqing finally saw the scene clearly—it was Shenhe, carrying a massive piece of [Sunset Vermillionite], flying toward them.

And she was doing it with one hand…

Keqing fell silent, recalling the time during the battle at Guyun Stone Forest when Shenhe had wielded a spear to suppress Beisht. Back then, Ganyu had mentioned that her junior sister was born with immense strength.

But that battle scene paled in comparison to the sight of Shenhe single-handedly moving a mountain.

What on earth did she eat to grow up like this?

Keqing sighed inexplicably.

A moment later, Shenhe landed at the construction site.

"Miss Keqing, this is the [Sunset Vermillionite] Boss asked me to deliver. Does it meet your requirements?"

"The size and quality are excellent, and it's in perfect condition. It's even better than the [Sunset Vermillionite] we used to rebuild the Jade Chamber. It's perfect."

"Good. Where should I put it?"

"Over there, on that large open area."

"Got it."

Shenhe flew over and, with a slight exertion of force, carefully placed the [Sunset Vermillionite] on the ground.

Even so, the ground trembled slightly.

The workers' expressions turned even more awestruck.

Truly, an adeptus!

Shenhe ignored the gazes around her, wiped the dust off her hands, and flew up to meet Keqing and Zhongli.

She took out a stack of instant noodles and two small boxes of tea from her hairpin. "Boss asked me to bring these."

"Thank you, Mr. Xia."

"I'll head back now."

"Take care on your way."

Shenhe nodded and left gracefully.

Keqing looked at the pile of instant noodle boxes on the ground, recalling the taste of the two boxes Ningguang had given her last night. She couldn't help but secretly swallow her saliva before saying with a straight face, "Mr. Zhongli, let's divide these up."

"Agreed."

As the Yuheng Star, Keqing naturally had a spatial storage item.

She stored the items away and glanced at Zhongli, surprised that he also had a spatial storage item.

But she didn't ask any questions. Looking at the high-quality [Sunset Vermillionite] below, she said, "Mr. Zhongli, it seems we'll need to revise our construction plan."

"Indeed."

Zhongli nodded, his expression as calm and composed as ever.

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