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Zhongli walked quietly along the path of Yujing Terrace. Glad that the ruckus about his supposed death, has finally ended. He gazed from the Yujing Terrace; a clear sight of Liyue Harbor presented to him. Everything was back to how it was. Time seemed to have stilled when Morax died, but with the coping skills of humans, everything was now falling into their rightful places.
'My job is done.' Zhongli thought with a gentle smile on his face, fondly gazing over the people of Liyue. He thought that the Qixing had done well in managing the whole harbor, and he will be forever grateful to them. But amidst the content and happiness he felt, was an endless nagging at the back of his head. Telling him that he was missing something, something that he held in importance and was closely tied to his heart.
"Aiya, have you heard? There seems to be a young man wreaking havoc in Qingce Village."
Zhongli felt a pain in his heart, even without a description nor a name, he somehow knew who it was. He wished that he was wrong but that persistent voice at the back of his mind said otherwise.
Prior to this peaceful moment was a heated argument between the God of Contracts and the 11th Fatui Harbinger. Both were being unreasonable and got engulfed by their own emotions. Heartless words were thrown and said-- insults that would both forever scar them, and their relationship never to be mend again.
Zhongli shook his head, shaking away the nasty memories of the heated argument. But despite his efforts, the memories of the day flooded his mind clouding his judgement that made him question himself if what he said was right.
"Childe, you are mortal. And you will leave me."
He heard the same words over and over again. A deafening ring inside his head and a mind-splitting pain in his heart. Was he wrong? Did he make a mistake?
He didn't want to be vulnerable to another human, he had learnt his lesson. He should not falter for he has learned the worst way possible. He lost far too many to count, he has too much to remember yet so little has stayed and fulfilled their promises. Their contracts.
Every day he looked at how the days of Liyue Harbor unfold, merchants that changed over the long years of his life. And people he held dear leave and pass away before his eyes. He had learned; to not be vulnerable, care but do not love, protect but do not cherish, keep but do not wish them to stay.
"It is better like this. I have learned."
The sun has fallen and the sky was pitch dark, the animals now in their shelters as the creatures of the night ran and hunt. The bustling harbor was now quiet and dark, residents has resided and rested for the night. The stalls close at the side of the streets, no more 'hot chop suey' displayed on their cart. Everyone has fallen asleep and only several remain awake.
And one of them was Zhongli.
His mind was filled of questions for himself. It was the hardest questions he had faced, for even with all the knowledge that he held in his mind, he could always find no answer. And he disliked this feeling, he felt weak and vulnerable. And when he faces times like this, it was Childe he confided in, it was Childe who answered his questions. It was Childe.
