Some Past Memories and... Your Circle is a Mess

Late at night, when everything was quiet, Lu Chen and Venti quietly snuck into the mansion district on the eastern outskirts of the city.

Far removed from the bustling city center, this area was pitch-black by ten o'clock, with barely a light in sight.

Of course, a few houses still had their lights on—like Gu Cheng's, which the two were currently staking out.

Their vantage point was a place most stalkers couldn't even dream of reaching—the top of a communications tower.

Ordinary paparazzi would have to sneak into the neighborhood, hide in cars or dark corners, hoping the celebrity would show up on camera and praying for a lucky shot.

But Lu Chen and Venti only needed to decide where to land. From their perch, they had a sweeping view of everything below...

Such were the perks of being able to fly.

Venti sat atop the tower, his legs swinging freely a hundred meters off the ground, making Lu Chen feel a bit queasy just watching.

From their angle, they had a clear view of the skylight in Gu Cheng's home. The living room lights were on, though the man himself was nowhere to be seen.

Lu Chen glanced at Venti, who gave a small nod. In his palm, Anemo energy began to form the shape of a feather, which then floated gently into the air.

The feather drifted on the night wind, heading straight toward the brightly lit mansion.

"The wind carries the seeds of stories. Time makes them grow..." Venti murmured softly.

"What a waste, using a move like this for something so trivial..."

Lu Chen chuckled. "As long as the mission gets done, it's worth it. Don't you want to return to Teyvat?"

As they completed more missions, the gate to Teyvat would eventually open—and when that time came, everyone could return to their homeland.

At that thought, Venti fell unusually silent, lost in thought.

"Hmm... I do miss Mondstadt, but I've been really happy living at your place too... What's that saying again...?"

Lu Chen offered, "Too happy to miss home?"

"Yes, yes, that's the one!" Venti's smile was radiant. "Ever since I got here, every day's been great. Lu Chen, you're a big reason for that!"

Probably because there was always good wine... Lu Chen gave him a sidelong glance. With a personal wallet like Lu Chen around, Venti could drink whatever he wanted—far better than the days he had to perform in Mondstadt just to earn a drink.

"It's my honor to serve the great Lord Barbatos!" Lu Chen pressed a hand to his chest, pretending to pledge allegiance to the Anemo Archon.

Venti laughed at the act. His emerald eyes were lost in the darkness, but there was no mistaking the joy in them.

"If we really could go back, what would you do when you returned to Inazuma?"

"Me..." Lu Chen realized he'd never actually thought about it.

In his past life in Inazuma, aside from the brief, carefree time with the two sisters, it had been nothing but constant farewells and loss. Everything he worked for collapsed in the end.

Fighting against "destined death," he'd been like a spinning top—never stopping for a moment...

He'd had enough of that kind of life.

Thinking about it, he copied Venti and let his legs swing freely as he stared up at the star-filled sky.

"If I go back, I won't wear myself out again. I'll stroll through the streets of Hanamizaka, challenge the kids to onikabuto fights... visit Naganohara's fireworks shop... or just lie in a bamboo chair in Konda Village and watch the sunset all afternoon..."

"As for Inazuma's affairs, Ei can handle them. She's grown a lot lately—I'm sure she can clean up the mess just fine..."

"So, what you're saying is..." Venti blinked, "You're going to slack off?"

Lu Chen blinked back and answered confidently:

"Absolutely!"

As one of Inazuma's former founders, even if the heavens themselves tried to stop him, he was going to take it easy this time!

"Barbatos Slacking Syndrome," plus one.

Venti welcomed the idea of Lu Chen joining the art of slacking... but still asked, a bit puzzled, "But what about all those things you've been worried about? The throne above the heavens, the corrosion, the laws of the world, the Abyss, and...?"

"One step at a time."

Lu Chen replied calmly, "That's why I've been working to grow stronger. I'll live freely and protect the people I care about. One day, I'll be strong enough to face any threat. Trust me."

Venti looked at the young man's face in the breeze. The moment was still and quiet, his tone soft.

But beneath that calm was something powerful—a resolve that brooked no doubt.

"Of course I trust you!" Venti scratched his head and, half-jokingly, added, "You're like the main character in a story. All these hardships are just trials from some cruel author. I believe we'll all have our happy ending someday!"

Lu Chen laughed too.

"I believe it.

I'm going to make sure we all get a perfect ending."

Venti's smile slowly faded as he glanced down at the glowing mansion below. His expression shifted.

"I hear something..."

Lu Chen had almost forgotten they were eavesdropping. He quickly grabbed the binoculars and cautiously peered into Gu Cheng's living room.

Knowing he was under scrutiny, Gu Cheng had been lying low at home ever since leaving Jia Shi Company.

But with Venti and Lu Chen here, his every move—every word—was laid bare.

At the moment, he was pacing the living room, talking on the phone.

"Hmm... it's his girlfriend," Venti relayed, though his face grew increasingly conflicted as he repeated the conversation—it was a lovers' quarrel, after all.

"Huh? Isn't he supposed to be focusing on his career and staying single?" Lu Chen raised an eyebrow. If Gu Cheng's secret romance got exposed, his female fans would probably lose their minds.

"Sounds like they're fighting..." Venti frowned.

Gu Cheng looked annoyed and hung up after a brief argument. Lu Chen figured that alone was juicy enough—but what came next was even better.

A moment later, Gu Cheng took another call.

His earlier irritation vanished, replaced by a soft, affectionate tone. The shift was almost instant.

"Hmm..." Venti dropped his hand from his ear and gave Lu Chen a puzzled look. "I thought in your world, it wasn't allowed to have two girlfriends at once...?"

"Uh..." Lu Chen actually paused to think. "Well... some rich, powerful guys dating multiple women isn't exactly new. Especially if they're good-looking..."

"Wait..." Lu Chen froze. "You're saying Gu Cheng has two girlfriends?"

"Yep!" Venti nodded. "He was on the phone with two different women—sounded very close with both."

Lu Chen's eyes lit up. Maybe he had a knack for this paparazzi stuff. Just one stakeout and he'd dug up dirt no one else had.

"'Gu Cheng Two-Timing Scandal'... 'Gu Cheng's Secret Mistress'... 'The Hidden Life of a Pop Idol'..."

Tomorrow's entertainment headlines basically wrote themselves.

But the surprises didn't stop there...

Venti added, "He just made another call. And unless I misheard... he might have a third girlfriend?"

Lu Chen was speechless. Gu Cheng was practically a role model. A true master of time management...

"And..." Venti's expression grew increasingly cryptic—Lu Chen's gossip instincts kicked into high gear.

"What? What is it now?"

"This third girlfriend..." Venti said slowly, "I think she's a big executive from Jia Shi Company. And she sounds... much older."

Lu Chen was silent for a long moment, then finally clicked his tongue.

"Your circle is a mess..."