Can't Stop Loving You | Childe x Zhongli | Genshin Impact [COMPLETED]

Arc 1: Chapter 11: Misery

"Argh!"

Zhongli towered over the old man, his expression more deadly than ever. For one, he already disapproved of the man for taking a loan supposedly for business but used it for something else. The fact the man hired killers to kill the person that was trying to collect debt just made it even worse. But he couldn't let Childe kill him. It simply wasn't right. Justice would be served in the court.

They arrived in Guili plains near a statue of seven. Zhongli knew he couldn't let the old man fall into the hands of the fatui. He knew they would do a number of inhumane things to him, though the old man probably deserved it for signing his life away as well as meddling with the fatui.

He bent down, grabbing the collars of the old man who was sitting on the dirt ground. "What did you do?" He demanded, "why did you do what you did?"

"I—I'm sorry, I was desperate!" The old man wheezed. "I thought I could kill him and escape!"

"What makes you think you can take another person's life?" He bellowed.

"I couldn't let him take me or my house or my wife away..." He whimpered quietly, flinching violently when Zhongli yelled at him.

"Where did you get the money?"

"It was the last bit of money I had left from taking from the Fatui... I was going to start a business, but my wife fell ill and I had to take care of her. P—Please don't hurt me."

Zhongli let go of the old man, turning away and taking a few steps away to calm himself down. He couldn't let the man off like that, especially not after he hired killers to kill Childe. He also knew Childe wouldn't let them both off and would come hunting for them. The fatui would definitely go after Li Wei's wife if they couldn't find the man so he decided he'd hand him to the Qixing but also pay for his debt.

"I'm handing you to the Millelith," Zhongli said firmly, turning back to Li Wei. "But, I'll pay for your debt if you come quietly and admit to everything."

"I... I can't."

"You know the fatui will hunt you and your wife down if you don't pay your debt."

"..." Li Wei looked down at the ground miserably. He knew he couldn't turn down Zhongli's offer. He also knew he had no choice but to do as he said if he didn't want his wife to be dragged into all this. "I... please just take care of my wife. Promise me."

"I promise." Zhongli hadn't intended to let her die on her own. She was innocent after all.

-

The Millelith arrested Li Wei after he admitted what he had done. Spotting the fatui hovering around the two entrances, Zhongli decided to enter through the back, where Mount Tianheng was. With him safely taken away, Zhongli immediately headed to Northland Bank. Judging by how the fatui didn't seem to try to attack and arrest him, he knew Childe hadn't told them about what happened. He didn't know that Childe had indirectly ordered the fatui to kill him. Perhaps not all hope was lost yet.

"Welcome to Northland Bank, how can I help you, Mr Zhongli?" Ekaterina greeted him.

"Ah yes, I'd like to pay for Li Wei's debt."

Ekaterina raised an eyebrow slightly, but her expression quickly returned to the pleasant and polite one from before. "Sure, please hold on for a moment." She went through the files in a drawer and pulled out a brown folder. "That'll be one million mora in total."

Zhongli hadn't realized that the amount was so large. It seemed like Childe's deal was considered really unfair for himself. Despite what he had done, Tartaglia had tried to honour their promise and Zhongli felt really bad. It was a mistake on his part and he had to apologize.