Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [19]

"Of course, I came to see you!"

Xiangling placed a food box on the nearby table and opened it with a grin. "I brought you some snacks—try them and see if my skills have gotten rusty!"

Madame Ping chuckled when she saw the delicate Lotus Flower Pastries inside.

"No rush, no rush."

Her gaze shifted toward the young girl standing beside Xiangling.

"And this is…?"

Xiangling pushed Hu Tao forward enthusiastically.

"Master, this is my good friend—Hu Tao!"

"Hello, Granny!" Hu Tao greeted politely. "I'm Hu Tao, the 77th Master of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I've come to pay my respects."

As she spoke, she placed a carefully prepared gift onto the table.

Despite her usual mischievous antics and tendency to slack off, she was always serious when it came to important matters.

"Wangsheng Funeral Parlor…"

Madame Ping's expression showed a hint of recognition—she clearly knew of it, as well as its eccentric Director Hu.

"How is Mister Zhongli these days?"

Hearing this, Hu Tao's eyes flickered with curiosity.

Wait… does Madame Ping know Zhongli?

No wonder he didn't want me to mention him…

Her first instinct was to suspect some kind of dramatic past.

But then again, the age gap didn't make sense.

Zhongli looked young, while Madame Ping was clearly an elderly woman.

And besides, Zhongli didn't seem like the type to get involved in such entanglements.

"Are you close with Mister Zhongli?" she asked, intrigued.

"We're acquainted."

Madame Ping smiled warmly, as if her question had been nothing more than casual curiosity. She didn't elaborate.

"So then, what brings the young Director Hu here to visit an old woman like me?"

The way she smiled made it clear that she had already guessed Hu Tao's intentions.

Since she had been found out, Hu Tao didn't bother beating around the bush. She got straight to the point.

"It's like this—I want to commission a magical artifact, and I heard you're skilled in making them."

She explained her entire plan in broad strokes, omitting only the part about Zhongli's involvement.

...

Madame Ping found herself rather liking this straightforward young girl.

After a moment's thought, she gave a direct answer.

"Making such an artifact isn't difficult. However, the materials will be hard to obtain… and binding one artifact to each person seems wasteful."

After a pause, she added, "Tell you what—bring me the materials, and I'll only charge you a small crafting fee."

Hu Tao's eyes lit up.

"That would be amazing! Thank you so much!"

She had expected this to be a complicated process—one that would require multiple visits to find the right artisan. But instead, it was settled just like that!

Having connections is great.

Tonight, she had to treat Zhongli to a good meal.

Madame Ping handed her a list of required materials.

Looking at the densely packed names of rare and exotic items, Hu Tao's face scrunched into a frown.

Yeah… it was never going to be that easy.

After saying their goodbyes, Hu Tao and Xiangling left Yujing Terrace, the former sighing the whole way back to Wanmin Restaurant.

"This is gonna be tough… so tough…"

Where was she supposed to find all these materials?

Things like Magic Crystal Chunks and High-Quality Noctilucous Jade were rare, but at least Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had some in storage—leftovers from one of Zhongli's gambling sprees at the jade market. If she bought a bit more, she might have enough.

But Golden Firmament Jade, Xuan Rock Sand, Kongtong Spirit Jade, and Four-Aspect Essence?

She had never even heard of those before!

And the rarer the item, the more essential it was for crafting the artifact.

This was going to take forever…

"Why rush? It's not like this business is starting tomorrow—just take it slow," Xiangling reassured her.

"Lulu" Guoba tilted his head in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right…"

Hu Tao decided to stop worrying about it for now. She could dig through the storage room later, collect what materials she already had, and have someone else search for the ones she didn't.

And worst case scenario—she could just ask Zhongli. He probably knew where to find them.

"By the way, I'll cook a few dishes and go with you to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor later!" Xiangling announced, remembering their earlier conversation.

Her curiosity about Jiang Bai remained, but more than that, she genuinely felt sorry for him.

"Sure~"

Hu Tao plopped herself down on the doorstep of Wanmin Restaurant, resting her chin in her hands as she waited.

---

Meanwhile, at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor…

Following Hu Tao's suggestion, Jiang Bai woke up early and headed to Zhongli's courtyard to pay him a visit.

Since she had specifically told him to seek Zhongli's guidance, this gave him the perfect excuse to bother the man openly.

Today, Zhongli hadn't gone out.

Instead, he was in his courtyard, tending to his garden.

The courtyard was meticulously arranged, despite its small size.

Exquisite flowers and lush greenery were harmoniously placed throughout, with rock formations and potted plants creating an elegant aesthetic.

In the pond, red koi fish leaped from the water, the droplets catching the sunlight and turning golden midair.

At the courtyard's edge, bamboo stalks swayed gently, their emerald leaves rustling in the breeze.

Such an immaculately curated space, occupied by only one person, spoke volumes about Zhongli's standing within Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

At this moment, Zhongli was carefully pruning a flowering shrub.

The silver blades of his shears snipped away unnecessary branches with practiced precision. His movements were graceful—unhurried, yet efficient.

Jiang Bai knocked on the courtyard door, drawing Zhongli's attention.

"Good morning, Mister Zhongli. Have you eaten yet? I brought you breakfast."

Jiang Bai lifted the food container in his hands as he stepped inside.

He wasn't just here to pay a visit—he needed a good excuse to do so.

Bringing breakfast seemed like the perfect approach.

"I have not," Zhongli replied, setting his shears aside. "Come, join me."

He swept the fallen leaves into a neat pile, smoothed out his sleeves, and rinsed his hands before sitting down at the pavilion.

Watching his seamless, almost ritualistic movements, Jiang Bai couldn't help but admire his meticulous nature.

So refined…

Jiang Bai placed the food box on the table and began setting out breakfast.

Since he wasn't sure what Zhongli liked, he had grabbed a little bit of everything—along with a flask of fine Liyue wine.

Floral Pastries, Chicken Tofu Soup, Moonlight Eggs, Lotus Flower Crisps…

Looking at the spread before him, Jiang Bai suddenly felt like he had underestimated Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's financial resources.

If they could provide meals this extravagant, they clearly weren't lacking in funds.

Yeah… joining Wangsheng was definitely the right choice.

"I heard it was you who suggested Director Hu bury me rather than cremate me."

Jiang Bai poured a small cup of wine for Zhongli.

"If not for that, I might've turned to ash before waking up… I don't have much to offer, so please accept this small token of gratitude."

He gestured toward the breakfast.

Zhongli lifted his cup and took a slow sip.

"It was merely a passing remark. There's no need to be so formal."

After setting down his cup, his amber eyes studied Jiang Bai carefully.

"And you? How much of your past do you remember?"

Jiang Bai scratched his head, looking uncertain.

"I'm not really sure. When I see certain objects, I instinctively know what they are and how to use them… My survival skills seem intact too."

"But when it comes to memories about myself—I remember nothing."

"Baizhu said it might be a side effect of the suspended death state. Even I don't fully understand it…"

Zhongli set his wine cup down, seemingly pondering something.

Then, as if casually, he asked:

"Oh? Then tell me…"

"Do you think that this is your original world?"

---

T/N: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT