Chapter 39

After breakfast, Xia Zhi and Zhu Zi returned from Chihu Rock.

Before they even reached the wooden bridge across the rock crevice, Zhu Zi spotted what appeared to be a small figure crouching in front of their shop from afar.

"Boss! I think someone's looking for you!"

"Hm?"

Xia Zhi was stunned for a moment, as his detection ability only had a range of 20 meters and couldn't see that far.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know! I see someone leaning against our shop door, she seems to be peering inside to see if anyone's there. Could it be a thief?"

"Probably not, this is Feiyan Slope."

"But there aren't many people on the street this early."

"Let's go take a look."

"Okay!"

The two approached the shop entrance.

Getting closer, Xia Zhi finally "saw" the person Zhu Zi had mentioned.

Pale skin, small stature, carrying an herb basket, wearing a round hat with a Cryo Vision embedded in it, talismans stuck to the back of her hat, a long braid, bandages wrapped around her legs, and a golden progress bar floating above her...

Oh? Isn't this Qiqi?

Xia Zhi found it strange that Qiqi would appear in front of his shop. Judging by her appearance, she must have just finished gathering herbs and was heading back to Bubu Pharmacy.

Zhu Zi walked forward and gently tapped Qiqi's shoulder. "Hello? Are you looking for Mr. Xia Zhi?"

Qiqi turned her head, wearing a bewildered expression. "Um, Xia Zhi, sir?"

"Don't you know Mr. Xia Zhi? Then why are you standing at our shop door?"

"Your, shop?"

"Yes, Summer Shop, though we haven't officially opened yet."

"Don't know, inside, smells nice, fragrant."

"Nice? Fragrant? You mean the incense?"

"Incense, what is that?"

"Eh? Incense is..."

Zhu Zi looked at Qiqi's confused expression and found it difficult to continue the conversation. This girl seemed rather adorably dazed – could she be from a nearby household and got lost?

So she bent down and asked softly, "What's your name?"

"My name is, Qiqi."

"Where do you live?"

"Bubu Pharmacy, gather herbs."

Zhu Zi knew about Bubu Pharmacy, it was Liyue's most famous pharmaceutical establishment.

She glanced at the herb basket on Qiqi's back, which was indeed filled with freshly picked medicinal herbs.

This must be true then.

Zhu Zi turned back to report, "Boss, it's a girl, she says her name is Qiqi and she's an herb gatherer from Bubu Pharmacy. Seems like she was attracted by the incense from our shop."

Xia Zhi nodded and said, "Yes, I've been to Bubu Pharmacy before and know they have an apprentice herb gatherer named Qiqi. Must be her."

"I've never been to Bubu Pharmacy."

"That's a good thing. It means you're healthy. People only go to Bubu Pharmacy when they're sick and seeking treatment."

"That's true."

"Let's open the door."

"Oh, okay."

Zhu Zi took out the key and unlocked the shop door.

As soon as she pushed it open, the rich incense fragrance from inside found an outlet and rushed out like a wave, making one feel as if they were suddenly caught in a whirlpool of aromatic scents.

The fragrance was intense yet not cloying, elegant and refreshing, carrying a mysterious power that could calm one's spirit.

Qiqi tilted her small face up, greedily breathing in the incense's aroma.

Zhu Zi couldn't help but take several deep breaths as well, feeling her mind becoming clearer.

Xia Zhi lowered his head and said softly, "Since Miss Qiqi enjoys our shop's incense fragrance, why not come in and sit for a while?"

Qiqi turned her head, quietly looking at him, as if examining him or perhaps hesitating.

After a moment, she nodded gently: "Okay."

They entered the shop together. Qiqi carefully removed the herb basket from her back, placed it on the ground, then walked to the table with the incense burner. Standing on her tiptoes, she leaned close to the burner, closing her eyes while breathing in the fragrance wafting from it.

She clearly seemed to really enjoy the smell of the "Calming Incense."

Watching this scene, Xia Zhi recalled the effect description of the "Calming Incense."

*Can pacify humans, can please spirits and gods.*

Qiqi was a zombie, which should count as a type of spirit.

Since she liked it so much, it would be a good way to increase her progress bar.

Zhu Zi thoughtfully went to brew some hot tea, bringing it over and pouring a cup for Qiqi and one for her boss.

Qiqi held the cup, slightly furrowing her brow, but didn't drink.

Xia Zhi said softly, "Our shop's tea isn't very good, please don't mind, Miss Qiqi."

Qiqi shook her head and said quietly, "Not that, tea, too hot, Qiqi doesn't like."

Too hot?

Did she mean the tea was too hot because it was freshly brewed?

Xia Zhi paused for a moment and said, "I see."

Qiqi probably felt it was impolite not to drink the tea. The Vision embedded in her hat flickered slightly, and the wisps of steam rising from her cup instantly vanished.

She lifted the cup and took a small sip, her small face still expressionless, as if the tea she just drank had no taste at all.

Then, she put down the cup and continued breathing in the fragrance from the incense burner.

Xia Zhi looked at the [1%] progress bar above her and said, "Although our shop hasn't officially opened yet, since Miss Qiqi has come in, that makes you our first customer. Why don't I treat you to a special drink that we'll be selling in our shop?"

Qiqi adorably tilted her head. "Drink?"

"Does Miss Qiqi like drinks?"

"Like, coconut milk."

"Ah, coconut milk, I like it too, but what we sell here isn't coconut milk."

Xia Zhi smiled and said to Zhu Zi, "Zhu Zi, go wash some cups."

"Yes, Boss!"

Xia Zhi stood up and walked to the counter, then took out a bottle.

This bottle contained diluted fruit syrup that he had taken from Water Tank No. 3.

Zhu Zi eagerly ran to the back kitchen to wash cups and brought them over, then stood beside them, watching Xia Zhi intently.

Although she had now signed a contract with Xia Zhi and become the shop's server, she hadn't yet seen what the shop's special drink looked like, and she was truly curious about how the boss would prepare it.

Xia Zhi took three cups, filled them with cooled water, then added a drop of syrup from the bottle into each cup.

The clear water magically transformed into a seven-colored liquid, emanating an enticing light fruit fragrance. As light fell on the cup's rim, one could faintly see a subtle rainbow.

Zhu Zi watched in amazement: "Boss, is it done already?"

"Yes, this is our shop's special drink, Rainbow Juice."

Xia Zhi pushed two cups forward.

"Take one to Miss Qiqi, this one is for you, try it."

"Okay!"

Zhu Zi took one cup to Qiqi and held the other herself. First, she marveled at the seven-colored juice in the cup for a moment, then carefully leaned in and took a small sip.

It was like countless fruits exploding in her mouth, different flavors combining to create various dreamlike transformations.

Zhu Zi couldn't help but squint her eyes, reluctant to swallow: "It's so delicious!"

Xia Zhi smiled and looked toward Qiqi.

Qiqi was also holding her cup and took a sip, but her expression remained unchanged.

Xia Zhi couldn't help but ask, "How does Miss Qiqi find our Rainbow Juice?"

Qiqi pursed her lips and said seriously, "Cool, like it very much. Though there's no taste..."

Xia Zhi fell into silence.