'Stories worth telling' || Genshin Impact Fanfiction

Chapter Three - :

Chapter 3 - : || Wrapping up ends and creating new beginnings ||

Relationships :
Xiao x Aether
Zhongli x Venti
Hu Tao x Yanfei

It was a cool morning in Liyue. Hu Tao, Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, had given each of her employees the day off. She'd even closed the parlor for the day to take her girlfriend on a date for New Year's eve. 

Zhongli was standing at Yujing Terrace, overlooking the lively streets of Liyue Harbor. Today was his birthday, though he didn't intend on celebrating that holiday. Today was the day before the end of a beginning, and the eve of a beginning of an end. He smiled at that notion, continuing to run over that thought. Was that even the right order in terms of word choice? Perhaps he should have decided on an easier way to describe the event that is New Year's eve.

Amidst his thoughts, he missed the footsteps coming up behind him. "Mr. Zhongli!" A voice called. A familiar one at that. "Yes, Traveler?" He turned to face Aether and his floating companion, Paimon.

"We heard today was your Birthday!"

"Ah - indeed, you heard correctly."

"I have a few things for you!" Aether began to dig through his bag while Paimon supervised, making sure they had everything.

"We were in Mondstadt and ran into Venti. He seemed to remember your birthday and told us to give you this -" He pulled out what looked like a bottle of Osmanthus wine. "- He said you'd know what he meant."

Indeed Zhongli did, but that could wait until the Traveler was done. When the two still openly held the title of Archons, when Barbatos couldn't deliver it himself for whatever reason, he'd have someone else deliver it to Morax. He'd always hide a message somewhere on the bottle. Typically attached to the cork or tied to the bottom or around the bottle. Usually explaining what was holding him up from doing this himself, and inviting him somewhere. 

"Thank you. I'll figure it out later. Is that -"

"Nope! It is not all! On our way here, we stopped by the Wangshu Inn and came across Xiao. Don't know if that was on purpose or if that encounter was solely luck -"

"I'd say it's safe to assume it was on purpose. Xiao is hardly ever in one place for too long."

"Right. We reminded him about it though, and he seemed to remember he had an item he wanted you to receive as well!"

Aether handed him what appeared to be a piece of jewelry. Upon further inspection, Zhongli found it was a pendant made with a gemstone that glowed as bright as a Geo Crystalfly. He found himself wondering how it was made. Was this Xiao's work or that of an experienced jeweler? How did the jeweler get the Crystalfly core inside to give it that glow? He decided he'd ask the Yaksha the next time he saw him.

"And then lastly, something from me and Paimon!"

Aether handed him an envelope. "Read it once you get the time! We'll be off now!"

And just like that, Aether and Paimon ran off. The two appeared to be mumbling about a plan of theirs for this evening. Zhongli chuckled and opened the envelope.

"Dear Zhongli,

Happy birthday! Myself and Paimon would like to invite you to Yujing Terrace at around 9:00 PM this evening. Please do notify us if you run into issues making it! By the way, do bring a dish of your choice!

- Aether"

Zhongli smiled and made note of the location and time. A dish, hm? He pondered what he'd find suitable and what recipes he found most delectable. As he did so, he picked up the wine bottle assumably from the Anemo Archon and began to inspect it. He pocketed the letter from the Traveler and began to unwrap the branded wrapping around the wine bottle. He flipped over the wrapping and found a small, delicately written message on the back.