Chapter 10: Qiqi
There are four great sufferings in life: birth, aging, illness, and death.
Birth is the beginning, aging is the decline, illness is the affliction, and death is the end.
Illness, however, is a stage that no one can escape.
Fortunately, Liyue has a miraculous place known as Bubu Pharmacy.
Whenever someone in Liyue falls ill, they come here. All it takes is for the renowned herbalist, Mr. Baizhu, to take a look, and most illness can be cured with his medicine or treatment.
Even foreigners from Mondstadt and Sumeru seek this place out.
Bubu Pharmacy is located in the northwest of Liyue, nestled amidst mountains and water, with breathtaking scenery.
Even on days without illness, a stroll through the pavilions and towers in front of Bubu Pharmacy can lift one's spirits.
Especially the spring that flows down from Tianheng Mountain, filled with lotus flowers and occasionally visited by koi fish. When night falls, the chorus of frogs and insects creates a symphony that makes people reluctant to leave.
But the pharmacist, Gui, does not share this sentiment.
The daily task of preparing and mixing medicines already gives him a headache.
At night, the incessant croaking of frogs and chirping of insects makes him feel like his head is about to explode.
"Qiqi, only pick seven lotus pods, no more!" Gui instructed with a hint of concern as he stood by the spring.
"Okay... Qiqi understands," came the slow reply from the girl standing in the pool, her bare feet submerged in the water.
By all accounts, someone of Qiqi's age shouldn't be doing such dangerous work.
In fact, the tasks Qiqi undertakes are often more dangerous than this.
At the ruins of Qingxu Pool, atop the cliffs of Qingyun Peak, by the water pools of Jueyun Karst...
Wherever there are medicinal herbs to be found, Qiqi can be seen.
As the herb-gatherer for Bubu Pharmacy, most of the medicinal herbs in the cabinets are hand-picked by this girl.
It's not that Bubu Pharmacy employs child labor; if you calculate her age... she's actually older than Gui's grandfather's grandfather.
Because... Qiqi is a zombie.
She is both an immortal and a zombie.
"Gui, still working this late?"
"It's just that Miss Chenxiang can't stand the bitter medicine and wants to... Lady Ningguang!"
At first, Gui only thought the voice sounded familiar and didn't pay much attention.
But when he turned around and saw who was greeting him, he immediately felt a bit flustered.
"Relax, I'm not here to check your accounts today. I need to see Mr. Baizhu," Ningguang said, her tone calm.
Gui's reaction didn't surprise Ningguang. As the powerful Tianquan Star, Ningguang commands respect, even from those working at Bubu Pharmacy.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Baizhu is not home; he's on a house call in Qingce Village. Should I send someone to notify him?"
Qingce Village, located on the other side of Wuwang Hill, is known as a peaceful and idyllic place. It's often considered a retirement village, with its picturesque landscape and tranquil lifestyle. But because it's so quiet, many young people have moved to the more bustling Liyue Harbor, leaving behind mostly the elderly and children.
To care for them, Mr. Baizhu often visits Qingce Village to tend to the villagers' health.
"There's no need to disturb Mr. Baizhu. May I speak with Qiqi alone?" Ningguang asked, glancing at Qiqi, who was still in the spring, hesitating between picking seven or nine lotus pods.
"Well... alright, please follow me," Gui agreed after a moment of hesitation.
Mr. Baizhu had previously instructed Gui not to let anyone get too close to Qiqi, especially not the Hall of Rebirth's director.
However, considering Ningguang's status, Gui decided to make an exception. After all, this wasn't the first time Tianquan Star had come to see Qiqi.
That was one of the reasons why Gui agreed to her request.
After calling Qiqi over from the spring, Gui led them to the consultation room behind Bubu Pharmacy.
By evening, there were usually no more patients, making it an ideal place for a private conversation.
"Qiqi, how have you been lately?" Ningguang greeted as she gently placed a box down, the sound of clinking bottles accompanying it.
"I'm sorry... I think I've forgotten you," Qiqi responded, her expression falling as she studied Ningguang's face.
She had a vague impression of Ningguang, which meant she did recognize her. But as a zombie, Qiqi's memory was notoriously poor, and she couldn't recall exactly who Ningguang was.
Fortunately, she always carried a notebook where she wrote down things she couldn't afford to forget.
"Please wait a moment; let me check my notes," Qiqi said, pulling out her notebook and flipping to the page marked "Must Remember."
"Big... white... yellow... ah, are you Lady Ningguang, the Tianquan Star?"
"..." Ningguang was momentarily speechless.
She was tempted to take Qiqi's notebook and see what else was written there, but she knew better. This seemingly harmless herb-gatherer was far more capable than she appeared.
"Yes, it's me. A friend of yours asked me to bring you a gift," Ningguang said, waving her hand. The box lid opened, revealing bottles and jars inside.
"Is this... coconut milk?" Qiqi asked, her tone soft and obedient. Despite her love for coconut milk, she didn't rush. Only after receiving Ningguang's permission did she take out a bottle and begin to drink.
"How does it taste?" Ningguang asked.
"I don't know... I can't taste it. But it is coconut milk, and I like it," Qiqi replied earnestly.
"This is from Xiao Bai. Do you remember him?" Ningguang continued, seizing the opportunity to ask while helping Qiqi wipe the milk from her lips.
"Xiao Bai... do you mean Mr. Baizhu?" Qiqi asked, thinking of Mr. Bai, just as Ningguang and Beidou had done upon hearing the name.
"No, not Baizhu. I mean another Xiao Bai, an old friend of yours," Ningguang explained, though she wasn't sure how to make a zombie with poor memory recall someone from her past.
"An old friend? I don't know. If it was a long time ago, I probably hadn't started taking notes yet... I might have forgotten him," Qiqi said, her expression sorrowful at the thought of forgetting a dear friend.
It was similar to how she felt when Mr. Baizhu returned empty-handed after she had asked him to hunt for the legendary coconut sheep.
"Is that so?" Ningguang frowned slightly, realizing she hadn't anticipated this. She didn't know when Qiqi had started taking notes, so if Xiao Bai was someone she met before that, there might be no way to trace their connection.
Looking at Qiqi, Ningguang saw that she had already taken out a brush and was carefully writing Xiao Bai's name on the "Must Remember" page of her notebook.
Xiao Bai, Qiqi's dear friend.
Qiqi must never forget him again.