Mister Zhongli and the Fatui Guy

- chapter 1 -

Liyue

It was raining, again...
Zhongli looked out of the window and was unfocused.
He was dreaming all day, all night, almost every time.
He had a lot of work to do, but couldn't think of any of that.
It was almost lantern rite and he just wanted to relax.
Hu Tao told him, that they had to finish all the work first and then he could have a bit of vacation.

"Sigh, if this weather keeps going like that, lantern rite will probably be canceled..."

He then stood up and went outside for a bit.

The rain was refreshing and he was standing there for 5 minutes.
He heard some voices, turned around and saw a couple of girls standing there.
They started to chuckle when they saw that Zhongli looked at them.
He waved at them and they ran over to him.
They were all blushing and then gave him letters.

"Thank you, but for what are these for...?"

He couldn't finish his sentence, because the girls already ran back.
Zhongli looked at the letters and then wanted to go inside, when someone touched his shoulder.
He turned around and didn't see someone.
Then Zhongli looked back and saw a girl with black clothes, standing in front of him and smiling at him.

Hu Tao.

"Hello Zhongli, why are you outside, when it's raining like this?
Your clothes are all wet, you need to change them, before you get sick."

"Hello to you too.
I was just about to go inside, then you appeared out of nowhere."

"Hehe, sorry about that!",

Hu Tao said and went inside, Zhongli followed her.

---------------------------------------------------------

10 minutes later

"Zhongli~ did you change your clothes already? If not, it's also ok ;)"

"Hu Tao, stop please."

"Don't take it too serious, it was just a joke."

Hu Tao smiled at him and then looked around the room.

"Gosh, we've got really much work to do, but that also means a lot of money, hehe.
I just hope we'll finish before lantern rite..."

Zhongli agreed and then went back to his desk, where all the paper work was waiting for him.
He looked all over his desk and then saw the letters.
He just thought about them when Hu Tao appeared behind him.

"Heey Zhongli, do you have a second because I-
Are these letters?
Did you wrote them?
....
OOOOO NOW I KNOW!
These are love letters!
Am I right?!"

"Actually I didn't read them."

"Well then go on! Oh my god, this is kinda exciting", Hu Tao said.

Zhongli laughed and then opened some of them.

"Aaaaaaand?"

"Again invitations for lantern rite... I don't even know if I'm going."

Hu Tao stared at him and then shouted:

"You have to go!
Some of the girls are really nice.
You should give it a try!"

She then paused.

"Aren't you happy about it?"

Zhongli started to think and then looked at her.

"I am honored, really, but I worked a lot the last months and I really want to take a break, alone."

Hu Tao nodded and said:

"I'll unterstand you and you're also right but maybe you should hang out with more people?
Then you also have company and won't be alone all the time."

He looked out of the window.

(Company, huh? But that's the thing. I'd rather be alone at the moment)

It was silent for a moment.
Then Hu Tao started talking.

"Oo right, I almost forgot."

She got a paper out of her pocket and gave it to Zhongli.

"We have a new client, he told me if we do his favor fast we'll get a lot of money!
The name and the address are on the paper, so you know what to do."

Zhongli nodded and looked at the paper, while Hu Tao went back to do her work.

(Hmm, isn't that the new hotel at liyue harbor? Only rich people can afford that... Well Hu Tao already said that this guy has a lot of money.
I'll just go now, so I can finish it fast.
What's his name again...?)

"Tartaglia?"

(Well then let's go see, Mister Tartaglia)