Chapter 73: One Task After Another

Shao Yun rested his right hand on the grip of his revolver, cautiously approaching the man hiding behind the wall.

Keeping a safe distance, he politely asked, "Hello, sir. Is there something I can help you with?"

The man was startled by Shao Yun's sudden approach. He looked around, then pointed to himself, his tone laced with confusion.

"Ah? You mean me?"

There was a hint of nervousness in his voice, clearly unsettled by Shao Yun's presence.

Shao Yun nodded slightly, keeping a polite tone. "I noticed you've been staring at us. I thought perhaps you needed some assistance."

His voice carried concern, but his hand remained on the revolver, ready in case the man made any sudden moves.

The man grew flustered at Shao Yun's words and quickly waved his hands, trying to explain. "Ah, you've misunderstood, I was just—"

Before he could finish, a clear childlike voice interrupted.

A little girl came running from another direction, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she leapt into the man's arms. She exclaimed joyfully, "Daddy! I found you!"

The man broke into a warm smile upon seeing his daughter. He gently lifted her and doted, "Ah, Daddy's been caught by Lili. Lili is amazing!"

Seeing the sweet scene between the father and daughter, Shao Yun's guard eased a little.

He slowly took his hand off the revolver and said with slight embarrassment, "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you two were playing. My apologies for spoiling your hide-and-seek game."

The man, Rudolf, nodded apologetically in return, smiling. "I should apologize too. I'm Rudolf, and this is my daughter, Lili. We were playing hide-and-seek. I was keeping an eye out while hiding to make sure Lili didn't get hurt. I didn't expect to cause a misunderstanding."

Looking into Rudolf's sincere eyes and Lili's innocent smile, Shao Yun's suspicions dissolved. These two didn't look like bad people at all.

"If it's just a misunderstanding, then I'll leave you two be."

However, Rudolf called out to Shao Yun just as he turned to leave. He hesitated, then said, "Actually, there's something I wanted to ask you for help with. I just couldn't bring it up while playing with my daughter. Would you hear me out?"

Shao Yun paused, turned back, and looked at Rudolf.

Damn this mouth of mine... One job after another today!

Lumine, who had been standing nearby, observed their conversation with growing curiosity. She walked over gracefully, her clear eyes glinting with interest.

"What's going on?"

Her voice was gentle with a touch of concern as she looked at Shao Yun, hoping for an explanation.

Shao Yun glanced at Lumine and Paimon, then sighed, thinking of the busy morning they'd had. He explained, "It's nothing major. This man, Rudolf, seems to have a request for us. But I think we've done enough for today, so I suggest we pass."

Lumine turned her gaze to Rudolf.

She saw the hopeful look in his eyes, and her heart softened.

"Let's hear him out first. We can decide after that."

Rudolf looked visibly moved by her kindness and quickly thanked her.

"Thank you. Do you happen to know Sister Jilliana?"

Shao Yun shrugged with a smirk. "Didn't before, but I do now."

A brief silence of awkwardness fell over the group.

Rudolf cleared his throat, trying to ease the mood. He took a deep breath and explained his request.

"Haha, Jilliana is my wife, and Lili is our daughter. I cherish my family very much. I love my daughter, and I love my wife even more. I want to give my wife a gift, to thank her for building this family with me."

Paimon gasped in admiration. "Wow, you have such a happy family!"

Her voice was full of wonder and longing—it really did sound like a happy home.

Rudolf smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm so grateful for everything Jilliana has done. She's not only a wonderful wife but also a loving mother. I want to give her something special to show my appreciation and love."

Shao Yun had already guessed the nature of the request. He raised an eyebrow. "So, your commission is?"

Rudolf's cheeks turned a little red, his voice carrying a mix of humility and hope.

"I'm a man, I honestly don't know what women like. I'm afraid I'll pick something wrong and upset her instead. So, I was hoping someone could help me figure it out. And seeing the legendary Honorary Knight nearby..."

Shao Yun had no words left to complain. Next time they visited Liyue, he was going to make sure Lumine stayed low-profile. These Teyvat folks were really getting too familiar!

"Alright, I'll help you."

Lumine, flattered by the praise, readily agreed.

Since she had accepted, Shao Yun could only go along.

He stroked his chin. Gifts should match the recipient's tastes—girls usually liked pretty jewelry or clothes, right?

With that in mind, he turned to Lumine, ready to test the idea.

"Lumine, if I were to give you a gift, what would you want?"

Lumine was taken aback by the question. She blinked, surprised, then started thinking seriously.

"If it were me, I'd want to visit a place with beautiful scenery, like a field full of flowers as far as the eye can see."

Her voice was soft and sincere, filled with quiet yearning.

Shao Yun nodded. Beautiful sights lifted one's mood—it was a solid idea. Duly noted.

He turned to Paimon—this little one always had wild ideas. Maybe she could offer something useful too.

"And what about you, Paimon? What kind of gift would you like?"

The moment she heard the word "gift", Paimon's eyes sparkled. She licked her lips like a child and said, "Yummy things! Tasty drinks! Fun toys! Those are my favorites!"

Very characteristic of Paimon—pure, innocent preferences.

Lili overheard and chimed in excitedly, "Me too! I love yummy, tasty, and fun things!"

Shao Yun gathered everyone's thoughts and tried to give Rudolf a practical suggestion.

After a moment of reflection, he said, "Maybe you could take her on a trip to see beautiful places. It'd help her relax and bring you two closer."

Rudolf sighed and shook his head. "My wife says the church has been really busy lately. She's working every day, barely gets time to rest."

Shao Yun nodded in understanding and made another suggestion.

"Then how about making her a delicious dinner when she gets home? Let her feel the warmth of home."

Rudolf considered it, but shook his head again.

"I already do all the cooking at home. I'm happy to do it, but it feels too ordinary. I want something that truly expresses my feelings."

Shao Yun looked a bit exasperated but didn't give up. He thought for a bit, then made a third suggestion.

"Then how about some jewelry? Most women like sparkly things."

But Rudolf gave a pained expression—this idea seemed even less appealing.

"A nun wearing jewelry feels inappropriate, doesn't it? Besides, we're not well-off. Even if I did buy her something nice, she'd probably sell it to help with the household expenses."

Lumine, observing Rudolf closely, realized none of the suggestions had hit the mark.

She knew that guessing someone's preferences could only go so far. Better to ask someone more knowledgeable.

She turned to Shao Yun. "Why don't we ask around?"

Shao Yun looked at her with some concern. "Lumine, aren't you tired? We've already run around a lot today."

Lumine shook her head with a relaxed smile. "I'm not tired. We don't have anything else to do this afternoon anyway—helping Mr. Rudolf is just passing the time."

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Shao Yun nodded, still a bit puzzled. "Who would we ask? If Rudolf is asking us for help, who could we turn to?"

Lumine thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

"For gifts, there's Miss Marjorie at With Wind Comes Glory. She runs a gift shop and knows all about that stuff. Or Miss Sara at the Good Hunter—she's passionate and understands what customers like. And there's someone named Vile. She's an informant in Mondstadt and knows everything about everyone. We could ask her too."

Shao Yun looked surprised. "Who's Vile? Never heard of her."

Lumine explained, "She's an information dealer here. Keeps a low profile, but she knows her stuff. Paimon and I helped her out the other day. I remember she hangs around near the Anemo Archon statue during the day."

Shao Yun nodded, a faint smile playing at his lips.

"Feels like we're using a cannon to kill a mosquito... but it's definitely thorough."

Listening to their conversation, Rudolf felt deeply moved. He stepped forward and said sincerely, "Thank you so much. No matter the outcome, I'm truly grateful for your help."

Yeah, heartfelt thanks are nice and all, but nothing says sincerity like actual Mora.

"Mr. Rudolf, what's your budget for this gift?"

This was crucial. Not knowing the recipient's tastes was one thing—if the budget was too low, Shao Yun was ready to drag Lumine and leave.

Rudolf hesitated slightly, then held up one finger. "Emmm, under ten thousand Mora would be ideal."

He seemed nervous, unsure if that would be enough.

Lumine furrowed her brow slightly at the number. She thought for a bit, then said, "Ten thousand Mora... might be tough at Marjorie's shop. It's mostly luxury items. But we can try other options."

She turned to Shao Yun. "You go talk to Vile. Paimon and I will check with Miss Sara. She's warm-hearted—maybe she'll inspire us."

Shao Yun nodded. "Alright. I'll head to Vile now."

He turned and headed down the steps, making his way toward the statue in the plaza to find Vile.

Watching the two part ways, Rudolf was filled with gratitude. Not knowing what else to say, he once again expressed his thanks. "I really appreciate it. I'll definitely make sure you're rewarded."

Lumine waved her hand with a smile. "No need to be so formal. We're just helping out. I hope you find the perfect gift to make your wife smile."

And so, the trio split up to begin their gift quest.

Lumine and Paimon made their way to the Good Hunter to find Miss Sara, while Shao Yun set off toward the plaza's Anemo Archon statue to look for Vile.

Hopefully, within this modest budget, they'd find something both fitting and meaningful.