Chapter 387

Along the way, surprisingly many workers greeted Xiangling enthusiastically.

"Chef Xiangling's back!"

"Are we having fried rice for lunch today?"

"We missed your cooking so much while you were gone!"

"Seriously! I don't even have the energy to work without your fried rice!"

"I dreamed about your fried rice last night!"

"Chef Xiangling! My brother fell from the scaffolding yesterday—his last wish was to eat your fried rice!"

Xia Zhi couldn't help but burst into laughter.

It was just like the early days of the Summer Shop.

Back then, customers queued up outside, claiming their dying friends' last wish was to drink Rainbow Juice.

Liyue folks… truly know how to joke.

Xiangling blushed furiously. "Master…"

Xia Zhi waved it off. "Don't be embarrassed. Food that brings people happiness is good food. I'm proud of you."

"Mm!"

Xiangling beamed. "The workers are really nice too. They helped a lot when I was experimenting with new recipes."

Xia Zhi felt a touch of sympathy. "Since everyone's working so hard even on New Year's Day, let's cook them a real feast for lunch."

Xiangling blinked. "We?"

"Of course. They deserve it."

"Mm!"

Keqing perked up immediately. "I'll take you to the kitchen!"

Yes! I get to eat Mr. Xia's cooking again!

The other girls chimed in.

"Boss, we'll help too!"

"You can help with something else," Xia Zhi said with a smile. "Shenhe, bring out the red paper."

"Alright."

From her ring, Shenhe produced several stacks of red paper.

The girls blinked in confusion.

Xia Ci, guessing correctly, asked, "Cousin, are we making red envelopes?"

"You know me too well," Xia Zhi said, grinning. "Everyone's worked hard building the school. As the headmaster, I should give them a small New Year's bonus."

Keqing lowered her gaze. "Thank you, Mr. Xia."

"No need for formalities. It's not a lot—just a token."

"It's worth thanking anyway."

Ying'er asked, "Boss, how much are we packing?"

"Same as Miss Ningguang's bonus. Three thousand per person."

Keqing's expression froze.

This is what you call 'not a lot'?

Xia Zhi paused, then added, "Prepare a bigger one separately for Miss Keqing and Mr. Zhongli."

"I understand!"

Keqing quickly protested. "I don't need it!"

"Please accept it. I know, coming from a noble family, you don't care about the money. It's just a little goodwill."

"…Alright."

At that moment, Yaoyao, who was peering through her binoculars, suddenly shouted, "Big brother! I see a huge sakura tree!"

Xia Zhen's expression twisted into pure confusion.

"A sakura tree?!"

Xia Zhen couldn't help glancing at Yaoyao, only to find that she was gazing across the sea, in the direction of Inazuma.

"Zhu Zi, is that the Sacred Sakura Tree in Inazuma you told me about before?"

"Let me see."

"Here you go."

Zhu Zi took the telescope from Yaoyao's hands, curiosity gleaming in her eyes as she peered into the distance.

Sure enough, through the lens, she saw the familiar cherry blossom tree from her homeland.

"It really is! I can even make out the shadow of the Grand Narukami Shrine! Yaoyao, your telescope can see so far!"

"You can actually see Inazuma all the way from Liyue?"

"Mhm! It's not very clear though, you can just barely make out the outline of the Sacred Sakura and the shrine."

"That's still amazing!"

"It's probably because the elevation here is pretty high. We're standing on the Sunset Vermillionite, after all."

"Fair point!"

"I wanna take a look too!"

"Here you go."

The telescope was passed around from one person to the next, satisfying everyone's curiosity for a glimpse of the distant land.

Most of them had never been to Inazuma, so they were naturally fascinated by the enormous Sacred Sakura Tree.

"That tree really looks like a fox."

"Doesn't it?"

"And it's so beautiful."

"Are those the same petals we used to make that Sakura Mochi last time?"

"They are!"

...

Eventually, the telescope ended up in Xia Zhen's hands.

She held it and looked out toward her homeland. It was a long while before she lowered it again, her expression vaguely unreadable.

"Sister Xia Zhen, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I just… I've been to Inazuma before."

"Really?"

"But that was a long time ago. Looking at it now… it feels a little unfamiliar."

"I've only been away for half a year, and I already feel nostalgic!"

"It's fine. Boss said we'll be heading over there this year for the Summer Festival."

"Mm-hmm!"

Xia Zhen smiled and handed the telescope back to Yaoyao.

The group headed to the kitchen on the construction site. Xia Zhi and Xiangling went inside to prepare the meal, while the rest sat outside, folding red envelopes.

Three thousand Mora was far too much and too heavy to fit into a single little envelope.

So they opted for a compromise: stuffing in special vouchers provided by Keqing.

With these, the workers could collect an extra 3000 Mora from the foreman at the start of the month when wages were handed out.

Xia Ci cast a sidelong glance at Xia Zhen beside him, noticing that she seemed a little distracted. He leaned in and whispered, "What's wrong? Feeling homesick?"

Xia Zhen shook her head and whispered back, "Just… a bit of regret."

"Regret?"

"Mhm. If Yaoyao's telescope could see a bit farther, a bit clearer… maybe I could've seen Ei and that little fox…"

"Ugh, you're so weird. You actually have voyeuristic tendencies?"

"What voyeurism? I haven't seen them in five hundred years! Wanting to see them again—is that so wrong?"

"Excuses, excuses."

"Don't you want to see your sister? If we can see Inazuma, then surely we can see Sumeru too."

"What for? I see her every night through the Akasha Terminal anyway."

"...Fine, fine. You have Dreamwalking Technique. You're pure. You're perfect..."

"Besides, Nahida stays holed up in the Sanctuary of Surasthana all day. Even if I used the telescope, I wouldn't see her."

"You could look at the people of Sumeru. Or the Aranara in the forest…"

"What's the point? Isn't looking at my cousin right here more delightful?"

"Ugh, you're the weird one!"

"Mokoto, you wouldn't get it."

"..."

"Anyway, if you really want the telescope to see farther and clearer, you could just ask my cousin."

"Hm?"

"He might be able to improve it for you."

Xia Zhen turned to look toward the kitchen, her expression thoughtful.

Once the envelopes were done, it was already noon.

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