Chapter 68
Nightfall.
After washing clothes for both of them and hanging them on bamboo poles behind the shop, Zhu Zi carried a four-sided lantern to the storefront. After confirming the shop door was locked, she quietly went upstairs.
Returning to her room, she closed the door without locking it.
Zhu Zi first went to her bed, clasped her hands together before the omamori hanging there, and made a devout bow. Then she sat at her desk, took out a piece of white paper, and began writing a letter earnestly.
"Dear Father and Mother..."
"...I'm now in Liyue and found a wonderful job. I'm very happy every day, so please don't worry about me..."
"...Master Xia Zhi is a very good person..."
"...The Lantern Rite festival in Liyue is coming soon. The city is so lively these days. I miss you both, and I miss Mother's sakura mochi..."
"...I won't be coming back for now, perhaps not until next spring..."
After finishing the letter, Zhu Zi carefully folded it, tucked it into a prepared envelope, and placed it on the desk.
After extinguishing the lantern, she climbed into bed. Hugging her soft pillow and staring into the darkness, she suddenly thought of her boss.
This must be what he faces every day, right?
Zhu Zi lay there with her eyes open, staring blankly into the darkness for a while before changing her sleeping position.
Her tired body felt comfortable as she spread out in a starfish position.
Especially her legs—they had been sore from standing all day, but after a hot bath, they felt relaxed again.
Lying in bed, Zhu Zi felt her body becoming languid.
Thinking about how the shop would be closed tomorrow and she wouldn't need to wake up early, she didn't want to move at all.
How wonderful.
Five working days with two days off, nine-to-six schedule, meals and lodging provided.
Free juice whenever she wanted, clothes provided, and the boss even gave foot massages...
Thinking about the massage, those pleasant sensations from her memory started affecting her again.
Zhu Zi couldn't help but squeeze her legs together, then, blushing, hugged her soft pillow tightly.
---
At the dead of night, with heavy dew—perfect for herb gathering.
Qiqi left Bubu Pharmacy alone with her herb basket, heading towards the outskirts of the city.
Past the lotus pool was Feiyun Slope.
The shops along the street were tightly closed, silent—completely different from their daytime bustle.
Qiqi paid no attention, just walking with her head down.
Only when she reached the end of Feiyun Slope did she slow down, stopping in front of a shop to carefully read the posted business hours twice.
Then she looked up at the rooms above.
The windows were dark; Master Xia must be resting.
Qiqi looked away and continued on, quickly passing through Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's territory.
Her small figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
---
Under the eaves of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao emerged from the darkness, silently watching Qiqi's retreating figure.
She couldn't help but think of the story of the "herb-gathering girl Qiqi" that she had learned from Madam Ping this afternoon.
"Divine fate, huh..."
She frowned slightly, her expression becoming uncertain.
Chi Yu suddenly appeared behind her and softly asked, "Are you troubled?"
"Yes."
"Although our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor bears the responsibility of maintaining the boundary between life and death, sometimes the line doesn't need to be drawn so clearly."
"Sister Chi Yu, what do you mean?"
"Take myself for example—am I alive or dead? If you say I'm alive, I have no physical form; if you say I'm dead, the boundary doesn't claim me. In the end, I'm just like that girl Qiqi, both of us are rare exceptions."
"Divine fate?"
"Yes, divine fate..."
"Is this kind of divine fate really what you wanted, Sister Chi Yu?"
"Whether it is or not doesn't matter anymore. I'm content just being able to watch over the Funeral Parlor from the shadows."
"...I understand. Then we'll leave Qiqi be."
---
At his desk.
Xia Zhi took out the [Blazing Incense Burner], using up all the remaining materials from this morning to make 8 portions of [Joy Incense].
After collecting them, his points had increased to 19.
Xia Zhi checked his character information and saw his Spirit value had decreased by 40 points.
He began to feel a hint of fatigue creeping in.
That should be enough—he'd stop crafting for tonight. If he consumed any more energy, he feared he would end up like last night, falling into deep sleep the moment his head touched the pillow.
For him, earning 8 points net per day was barely sufficient for the current stage.
In two more days, his points would reach 35, enough to buy the [Silver Corpse Pearl] that cost 30 points.
Then he could find a suitable excuse to give it to Qiqi, allowing her to live like a normal person...
Xia Zhi lit a piece of [Calming Incense] and went to bed.
After browsing the [Shop] for almost an hour, the female ghost finally came through from next door.
This time she looked better, not immediately hugging the incense burner to inhale deeply, though her expression seemed somewhat downcast.
Xia Zhi looked at her and noticed her golden progress bar had become [15%].
Until the night before last, when this progress bar suddenly appeared on her, he hadn't had any interaction with her. It should have been [0%] like Miss Yun Jin's, so why had it suddenly become [15%] today?
If anything had been missed, it was because he had been too tired last night and fallen straight asleep without observing her.
So, had something happened last night?
Had she done something strange to him while he was in deep sleep?
Ghost sleep paralysis?
While Xia Zhi was pondering this question, he suddenly saw her progress bar inexplicably increase by [1%], becoming [16%].
Huh?
What's going on?
He hadn't done anything yet!
Xia Zhi found it strange and continued watching her.
He noticed she wasn't doing anything unusual, just lazily lounging at the table, smelling the incense.
After a while, her progress bar mysteriously increased another [1%], becoming [17%].
What kind of self-advancing progress bar is this!
How can it move on its own?
Xia Zhi thought carefully, his gaze falling on the incense burner on the table.
Humans drink tea, ghosts consume incense.
Since Zhongli's progress increased from drinking his juice, it made sense that her progress would increase from the incense he crafted.
From a certain perspective, this was indeed a type of "feeding" interaction.
This explained the strange phenomenon.
Xia Zhi laughed silently to himself.
This made things easier.
If one incense could add [15%] progress, then seven pieces would max it out.
Why did everyone around Hu Tao seem so easy to progress with?
Her own treasure chest was maxed out at lightning speed just by chatting with him.
Zhongli, whom she had introduced, just needed to drink juice daily.
The female ghost came on her own and just needed to smell incense daily.
Director Hu was truly a great person.
He wondered who else with Visions she knew—he definitely needed to ask for introductions when he had the chance.
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