"Hehe~ No choice, the smell wafting from this street is just too delicious, and I've been running around for so long that my mouth naturally started watering," Paimon stuck out her little tongue, smiling sheepishly, and then followed Lumine forward.
After walking for about ten minutes, they finally arrived at the entrance of a restaurant called Wanmin Restaurant.
"This is the place! The aroma inside is so captivating I can't bear to leave!" Paimon tugged at Lumine's clothes, her face alight with excitement.
"Okay, sure," Lumine replied with a smile. The two quickly entered the restaurant and found a seat.
Xiangling poked her head out from the kitchen, intending to greet the guests, but was surprised to find a familiar face.
"Welcome~ May I help you... Ah! Lumine?! Long time no see!"
"Xiangling?! This is your restaurant?!"
"Mhm! I can't believe I'm seeing you here! What brings you to Liyue? Traveling?"
Lumine shook her head and replied, "No, I'm here for the Rite of Descension. And to meet up with my... well... sister."
"Sister? You have a sister?"
"Yes, she looks very much like me... her face is a bit younger, and her personality is very kind. Her hair is a bit longer than mine. We separated for a while recently, and she wanted to scout ahead."
"Hmm... that sounds familiar... What's her name?"
"She's also named Ying, but it's the 'Ying' from 'Ying Guang'."
"Also named Ying... Ying... Ying?!"
"Huh? What's wrong?" Seeing Xiangling's shocked expression, Lumine couldn't help but feel confused.
"So she's your sister?! No wonder I felt like I'd seen her somewhere before! It's a shame I was too focused on cooking back then to think more about it! Ahhh! ≥﹏≤"
"What... you've seen Ying?!"
"Mhm, Hu Tao brought her to my restaurant a few days ago. She even gave me some recipes for dishes."
"Hu Tao? Who's Hu Tao? Why was she with Ying?" Lumine asked cautiously.
"Ah~ She's my friend, the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. As for why they were together... hmm... she said she kind of found her on the road, and they went through a lot together and became good friends."
"What?!" (Could that dream I had earlier have been a premonition?! This, this... no!)
Lumine's thoughts raced, and she anxiously asked, "Where are they now?!"
"Where they are... hmm... Ying seems to be staying at an inn... because Hu Tao mentioned to me yesterday that she was going to the inn to deliver some congee to Ying today..."
"Deliver congee?!"
"Yes, this morning."
"This, this... I need to go find them!" (How far has their relationship progressed already? ≥﹏≤)
"Huh? Aren't you eating first?!" Paimon asked in a panic, having been hungry for a long time.
"Paimon, you eat first, I'll just..."
"Xiangling, Xiangling, Xiangling! Your favorite Director is here to see you~" Hu Tao suddenly popped out from behind Xiangling, startling her greatly.
"Whoa?! Hu Tao, you scared me again! Hmph! I'm not talking to you anymore (￣へ￣)"
"Oh dear, oh dear~ Don't be angry, look, look, I brought you some preserved plum blossoms~"
"Wow?! Hmph... Given how sincere you are, I won't hold it against you~"
"Hehe~ Xiangling is so nice~"
Lumine: "Wait..."
Realizing that the person before her might be the one snatching her Ying away, Lumine immediately observed her with a stern expression.
(Is she Hu Tao? She really looks very much like the person in my dream... Tsk... And she does have some charm... but in some aspects, I'm still at an advantage!)
"Oh my? Ying, you're back from your commission?!
"Savior?!" (Ugh... hearing her say that, I might actually believe it...)
"Mhm~ You must be Ying's sister, right? I've heard about you from her~" (Hehe~ Ying, you can't blame me, you're the one who told me that in the first place~)
"Sister? I look like the older sister, don't I?"
"Is that so? Well, this Director doesn't know. Ying told me that when she was here. Let me imitate her for you..."
Hu Tao cleared her throat and imitated Ying's tone.
"She's my sister! As the older sister, I naturally have to indulge my little sister, so just tell me if you believe me or not! (￣へ￣)"
"You've replicated it so realistically... I can tell it's Ying speaking at a glance..." (She's gotten more skilled in just a few days...)
"Hehe~ Are you looking for Ying? She's not back yet. I knocked on her door at the inn earlier, but she didn't respond."
"Why are you looking for her?" Lumine became wary again.
"Ah, this... *cough cough*~ Nothing, nothing. In any case, since she's not back yet, let's eat first. Look, your little companion is so hungry she's lying motionlessly on the chair," Hu Tao said, pointing at the listless Paimon beside them.
"This... alright..." (She doesn't want to say... Although she doesn't seem like a bad person, I still need to be cautious since there's a risk she might steal Ying away... And Ying, that girl, after only a few days, she's almost found a new love. I'll deal with her when we meet! (￣へ￣) )
Lumine was openly feeling jealous...
Xiangling quickly prepared a table full of delicious dishes for the three of them, and Paimon, who was devouring the food, watched Hu Tao so intently that she forgot to eat.
"This... Ying's little mascot only eats two buns and she's full. But your mascot probably wouldn't even fill her teeth with two baskets of buns Σ(|||▽|||)"
"Hey! Paimon is not a mascot!" Paimon huffed and indignantly lifted her little head, which immediately made Hu Tao reach out and gently pat her head, apologizing.
"Ahaha~ Good, good, good, not a mascot, not a mascot~"
"Huh? Is there anyone else around Ying besides you?"
"Yes, don't you know that as her sister?"