A Generous Friend
Hearing Xiayu's words, Sonoko and Ran both let out a breath of relief.
Otherwise, it would have been a real shame for two close friends to end things in a falling-out.
Amuro Tooru, alias Okiya Subaru, had never expected this — so Kaveh apparently didn't get along all that well with Alhaitham. Then again, if Alhaitham had joined the organization, could it really have had nothing to do with Teyvat?
There was something else, too: Okiya was mildly taken aback to hear Alhaitham's name come out of Xiayu's mouth at all — and from the sound of it, she wasn't just close to Kaveh, but on good terms with Alhaitham as well.
Where on earth did this girl meet so many strange people? And why did every one of them seem tangled up with the Teyvat Syndicate?
Was she truly not one of its members? Or was a Vision simply not a prerequisite?
Before long, dish after dish of delectable food began arriving at the table.
Once everything was laid out, everyone picked up their chopsticks, ready to dig in.
Okiya, anticipation written on his face, lifted a piece of meat to his mouth and savored it slowly.
Seeing this, Sonoko asked curiously, "Well? Pretty good, right?"
Okiya nodded and offered his praise. "Mm, it really is delicious. Every dish is a feast for the eyes, the nose, and the palate alike. It's no wonder you two recommended this place."
The truth was, Okiya had never imagined that members of an underground criminal organization could actually cook this well. This was, hands down, the finest Chinese food he'd eaten to date.
At his evaluation,, a smug little smile bloomed across Sonoko's face.
......
Soon enough, the group finished their meal.
On their way out, Xiangling, seizing a rare lull in the kitchen rush, darted over to their table. "So the picky customer Xiayu mentioned really was Mr. Zhongli! How was everything today? Anything that could be improved?"
After greeting the group, she turned to Zhongli with the question.
Zhongli regarded her. "The flavors were excellent. Your craft has grown even more refined, Chef Xiangling." His gaze swept over the table's remains, and he added, "That said, one dish would have been perfect with just a touch more heat."
Xiangling gave a small nod, her face settling into earnest contemplation as she murmured her reply. "Mm, you're right. Whenever I ask you about these things, Mr. Zhongli, the answer's always a good one."
Meanwhile, Okiya quietly observed the exchange between Xiangling and Zhongli. Back and forth they went, looking for all the world like an ordinary chef and her regular customer — no hint of any other connection whatsoever.
Is their acting just that good? he mused. If I didn't already know they belonged to the same organization, I honestly wouldn't spot a single crack.
Yet it was precisely that flawless performance which deepened his curiosity, sharpening his desire to uncover the secrets hidden behind it.
As the discussion wound down, Zhongli slowly turned his head, his gaze coming to rest on the group waiting nearby.
He smiled and spoke. "My sincerest apologies for taking up so much of your time. Please, allow me to treat you all to this meal."
His tone was earnest and gentle, carrying the air of a man genuinely contrite for the inconvenience he had caused.
Before Sonoko and the others could refuse, Kaveh practically leapt at the chance. "No, no — the meal is on me! All of my recent work came together thanks to Mr. Zhongli's help. Without him, I never could have finished. Ahh, and the whole time, I didn't have a single other soul I could count on — Mr. Zhongli worked so terribly hard. So please, let me pay. Consider it a small token of my gratitude to him."
With that, Kaveh fixed Zhongli with a deep, lingering look, his eyes brimming with reverence and thanks.
Xiayu guiltily averted her gaze.
Paimon sneered down at her. Traveler, Kaveh's talking about YOU, isn't he? Paimon can't believe it — you really didn't get Mr. Zhongli a single helper? Paimon never knew you were THIS kind of person, Traveler.
"Th-that's just... the capable get saddled with more work, okay? There was nobody at the start, and then I just... forgot. Besides, the base is finished now, isn't it?" Xiayu argued, entirely unashamed of her flimsy logic. "And hey, you didn't exactly object back then either, did you?"
Paimon: I... I was only trying to keep things secret back then, okay...?!
"But as I understand it, Kaveh, your finances are rather strained at the moment," Zhongli said tactfully. "So it really ought to be me."
Xiayu shot Zhongli a look of naked complexity, abandoning her bickering with Paimon entirely as the question burst out of her. "Zhongli, you have money?!" Her tone was nothing short of incredulous.
At that, Zhongli frowned, pondering the matter for a moment before answering with a note of apology. "Ah... my apologies. I left in rather a hurry this morning — it seems I've forgotten my wallet..."
Everyone turned to stare at Xiayu, then swung their strange, searching gazes back to Zhongli.
Sonoko couldn't hold back, offering awkwardly, "Then... how about we treat you instead...?"
"Thank you, but there's no need to trouble yourselves." Zhongli gave a slight bow of his head, smiling graciously at Sonoko, before turning to Xiangling. "Please, put the bill on Tartaglia's account."
"You got it!" Xiangling nodded without a moment's hesitation.
"This Tartaglia person is...?" Sonoko asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"Oh, he's a friend of mine. A very generous man," Zhongli replied.