Chapter 36

After dinner, Xia Zhi thanked Xiangling for treating them.

Xiangling waved her hand and smiled, "Mr. Xia, please come to Wanmin Restaurant often! I have so many new innovative ideas, I really want to make them right away for you to taste and see what needs improvement."

Xia Zhi's expression stiffened slightly as he "looked" at Guoba behind the kitchen stove, and replied seriously, "Sure."

He didn't mind the golden chest; he mainly didn't want to disappoint such a young girl who loved cooking.

By now, Wanmin Restaurant was getting busy with diners again, and Xiangling had to attend to them, so Xia Zhi and Zhu Zi bid her farewell and left.

Walking on the street, Zhu Zi suddenly asked curiously, "Boss, why is the Come Come Dish called that?"

"I didn't know the origin of the name before, but later a fish vendor told me that although this seemingly hodgepodge dish doesn't have any particular requirements for ingredients or cooking method, it often appears during Liyue festivals. When this dish is served, the head of the table would say 'come come, eat,' inviting everyone to start eating, hence the name."

"Oh, so that's why! What an interesting origin!"

"Yes, Liyue is a place with a long history after all. Inazuma must have similar foods too, right?"

"Let me think... does Dango count?"

"What's that?"

"It's a snack cooked on an iron griddle. You mix flour with water to make a batter, add vegetables and meat, cook it on the hot plate, and finally top it with sauce and bonito flakes. No matter how many ingredients you add, it always turns out delicious, making people feel the more the better, so people call it Dango."

"Oh, that counts. The snack sounds quite nice. They should sell it in the harbor area, right?"

"Yes, I used to frequently visit a stall there. The vendor is also from Inazuma, and the Dango he makes tastes just like I remember."

"In that case, let's take a walk by the sea."

"Eh... Boss, do you want to eat Dango?"

"Yes."

"But we just finished dinner."

"It's fine, we'll walk around first, and buy some when we get hungry."

Zhu Zi blinked, looking at the serious-faced Xia Zhi, feeling that the boss was actually quite cute like this.

They changed direction and headed through Mt. Tianheng to reach the harbor area.

The night sea breeze was cool and refreshing as it brushed against their faces.

Zhu Zi couldn't help but squint her eyes, showing a relaxed expression.

Inazuma was an island nation, and as an Inazuman, she was essentially raised by the sea. The ocean's essence had long since permeated her body and soul; hearing the ocean's sound and seeing its waves made her feel incredibly at home.

Xia Zhi leaned on the dock's railing, quietly looking into the distance.

Zhu Zi turned her head and asked softly, "Boss, where are you from?"

"Me?" Xia Zhi paused, then replied casually with a smile, "Just an outsider from the mountains."

"The mountains... I heard there are adepti living in Liyue's mountains. Have you seen any, Boss?"

"Zhu Zi, I'm blind. Even if an adeptus were right in front of me, I wouldn't be able to see them."

"Ah, that's right... I forgot..."

Xia Zhi glanced at Zhu Zi, feeling that this Inazuman girl could be quite adorably silly sometimes.

Zhu Zi pointed to the distant sea and said excitedly, "Boss, that's the Guyun Stone Forest over there. I heard it's made from the stone spears that Rex Lapis threw down!"

Xia Zhi nodded, saying, "I've heard about it too. They say it's a memorial forest of the gods, where countless archons were defeated by the Geo Archon and sealed beneath."

It was actually quite strange to think about so many archons being sealed together in one place. Perhaps Rex Lapis was worried they'd be lonely by themselves and wanted to give them some companions?

Zhu Zi's expression showed some awe as she said quietly, "A while ago, the god of vortexes broke free from its seal. The sea became so frightening then, but thankfully Lady Ningguang used the Jade Chamber to seal it again."

Xia Zhi had arrived too late to witness this event, but showed some interest: "Did Zhu Zi see it?"

"Yes, I was hiding in the inn at the time and saw it from the window. The Jade Chamber fell like a huge meteor from the sky, creating enormous waves..."

"The Jade Chamber, huh."

"Boss, don't you know about the Jade Chamber? It was Lady Ningguang's private palace floating above Liyue Harbor, it was so magnificent! I was amazed when I first saw it, but sadly it's at the bottom of the sea now."

"That is quite a shame."

His current little shop would cost 5 million Mora to buy, but a floating palace of that size would be unimaginably expensive, yet it was just Ningguang's private residence that she discarded without hesitation. Truly befitting of the world's richest woman.

What kind of treasure chest would such an extraordinary woman represent?

Probably... just a golden chest at most?

After all, no matter how powerful the Qixing were, they were still mere mortals.

Even the popular celebrity Yun Jin only represented a silver chest, not even matching up to that little raccoon at Wanmin Restaurant.

Thinking about it this way, the mighty Tianquan Ningguang seemed less impressive.

Xia Zhi shook his head and turned away, saying, "Zhu Zi, let's go get some Dango."

Zhu Zi quickly followed: "Alright, Boss, I'll show you the way!"

They soon arrived at a busy stall where many customers were queuing.

The vendor was a middle-aged man with an honest face, wearing a white cloth headband to prevent sweat and hair from falling, busily working at a hot iron plate.

Zhu Zi thoughtfully said, "Boss, wait here, I'll go queue!"

Xia Zhi nodded with a smile, "Alright."

Zhu Zi ran to join the queue. The process of making Dango wasn't complicated, and several could be made at once, so it was soon Zhu Zi's turn.

The fellow countryman vendor recognized Zhu Zi and greeted her with a smile. When he heard she wanted two Dango this time, he looked up at Xia Zhi quietly waiting in the distance, and his face showed a knowing expression as he smiled kindly.

Zhu Zi paid and returned with the Dango, her cheeks red as she handed it to Xia Zhi, saying, "Boss, eat it while it's hot. It's not as good when it's cold."

Xia Zhi was blind, so he pretended not to notice why she was blushing and took a bite of the steaming Dango.

The texture was crispy on the outside and soft inside, with both the freshness of vegetables and the richness of meat juice. It truly was a delicious snack.

Xia Zhi ate mindfully, and Zhu Zi ate mindfully too.

This taste of home brought forth many tender emotions in her heart.

Perhaps it was because she had finally found a job today, establishing a stable foothold in this foreign land.

As Zhu Zi swallowed the familiar taste, her eyes grew warm, and she suddenly felt a bit homesick.