Y/n had a very good way of dealing with her problems. Ignoring them.
Aether and Paimon were puzzled, trying to figure out why y/n was ignoring their existence and refusing to acknowledge them.
It was partially on purpose but at the same time, y/n was seventy-five percent sure she'd been hearing someone whispering her name all day.
It was a little scary to be honest...
The voice seems to grow happier everytime y/n looked in the general direction of Guyun Stone Forest but would stop whenever someone else spoke to her.
Tf was that about?
AHEM, back to business.
The first thing they'd need for the Rite of Parting was radiant grade noctilucous jade.
Y/n suggested that they go to Jade Mystery to look for the noctilucous jade.
"Welcome to the Jade Mystery, my good friends!" the Shop Owner, Shitou if y/n remembered correctly, greeted, "Would you like to try your luck betting on jade? This could be your lucky day!"
Y/n frowned, '...what'
"Betting? No, no, we're here for..." Paimon began then looked to y/n and Zhongli for an answer.
"Noctilucous Jade, of radiant grade at the very least." Zhongli informed the pixie.
"Radiant grade Noctilucous Jade? I see, you're not tourists. My apologies. I have some here for your perusal." Shitou exclaimed then presented three pieces of jade, "What do you think? Just look at that wonderful quality! Rex Lapis doesn't often bless us with such finery. Go on, pick whichever one you like!"
Aether and Paimon curiously stared at the Jade in amazement while y/n and Zhongli watched on quietly.
"These three pieces really do look pretty, not like the ones you usually dig up..." Paimon commented, "But how do we pick? Should we just grab one and go?"
"Mm, no. I wouldn't recommend it." y/n said with a small shake of her head.
"A man who makes his living off betting on stones can't be trusted so lightly." Aether added and y/n nodded her agreement.
"What do you think, Mr. Zhongli? How should we pick from these pieces of Noctilucous Jade?" Paimon asked.
"If it were me, the answer would be simple." Zhongli replied and y/n deadpanned.
"And that would be...?" Paimon pressed.
Zhongli turned to the store owner and began, "I'll take them al-"
"NO" y/n cut in, "We're not taking them all, that's exactly how you lose all your money, Zhongli! Money management! Remember?"
Zhongli paused, "Oh."
"Don't oh me!" y/n snapped before sighing, "Here, I'll take care of this..."
Aether and Paimon watched curiously while Zhongli looked extremely proud of y/n as she turned back to the store owner.
"A sample of each piece of jade would work." y/n said simply, "It doesn't have to be big. Just not too thin or too small."
"Oh, a sample? What are you going to do with it?" the store owner asked.
Y/n's expression visibly darkened and the storeowner squeaked, surprised by the sudden intensity from the young lady.
"A sample of each. Please." y/n repeated.
Better get to moving, Shitou, y/n ain't playing games rn. She's being serious.
Y/n smiled when the three samples were presented to her and everyone watched in anticipation as she took one and held it in her hand.
It was thin but it would work.
'Electro can generate heat if used properly.' y/n reminded herself, 'The heat will cause jade as thin as this to explode but I'll have enough time to see which glows the brightest.'
Y/n smiled warily as electricity crackled around the fist that held the thin piece of jade, 'Hopefully.'
Everyone, aside from Zhongli, flinched when the Jade suddenly exploded in y/n's palm, causing y/n to purse her lips.
"Okay, next..." she murmured then picked up the next jade sample.
This process repeated with the next two samples before y/n paused for a moment.
Everyone seemed to hold their breath, eagerly awaiting y/n's decision.
"The third one was the brightest." y/n announced, "A box of the third type please."
"Huh? You decided just from breaking the samples?" Paimon asked y/n.
"No, I watched to see which was the brightest before they burst." y/n replied simply, "It would've would've best just to use pyro and some hydro to keep the jade from exploding but I didn't want to waste time."
"But... don't you have an Electro vision?" Aether asked the young lady.
"I do. I just find creative ways of using it." y/n said with a sheepish smile.
Zhongli took notice of how blood was running down the hand y/n had held the jade in. She was bleeding. A lot.
I mean, it's to be expected if jade were to explode in your hand. Almost guaranteed.
"Y/n, could you come here for a moment?" Zhongli asked and y/n's brows raised.
She didn't say anything, wandering over. When I tell you she damn near fainted when Zhongli held her injured hand in his, OH MY ARCHONSSS.
She watched as the man took off his tie and wrapped it securely around y/n's hand instead, using it to stop the bleeding.
"Be sure to get that checked, okay?"
"Y-Yes sir! Will do, sir!"
'Simp.' Paimon and Aether thought in unison as Shitou brought the boxes of jade.
"Pardon me for asking, but I'm curious. Whatever do you need this much top-quality Noctilucous Jade for?" he asked as y/n checked the boxes.
"Hmm... I suppose it would not hurt to tell you." Zhongli murmured, "We need them to make implements for the Rite of Parting."
"Parting...!?" Shitou gasped, "Oh dear... I'd heard the rumors but hadn't given much thought to them. This... this means that Rex Lapis really is..."
Y/n frowned. She didn't quite understand how the people of a nation could be so fond of their archon...
But then again, she hadn't lived in Liyue for long. Though her prayers for a friend had been answered,, it could've been coincidence alone that her lizard friend appeared the next day.
"...It's hard to believe. Even though the Jade Mystery has been in decline, we have always been under his protection." Shitou continued solemnly, "It is said that when our Lord lost his way while going incognito in the city two hundred years ago, it was a spoon from The Jade Mystery that he had used to sample the local delights."
'Wait, seriously?'
"Alas, alas, all things must pass..." Shitou sighed, "Well, if this is to be used to say farewell to Rex Lapis, then I shall sell this to you at half the price."
"W-Wait, you don't have to, honestly...!" y/n began to protest, a little taken aback.
"No, I insist. If not for our Lord's protection, this city wouldn't exist as it does now. No proprietor could earn money off such a thing." Shitou replied.
"Aww... I'm sure Rex Lapis will feel your sentiment, boss." Paimon chimed.
Y/n simply hummed, biting back the comment she wanted to let out. She was picking up bad habits again...
"In the safe hands of the Liyue Qixing and good, honest merchants such as yourself, I, for one, believe that Liyue will continue to prosper as it always has done. So let's not get ourselves down just yet." Zhongli said gently.
'...huh?' y/n halted to looked at Zhongli curiously, 'Now that I think about it... he-'
"Alright... thank you, my friends. Hah, what's with me, getting all sentimental like this? I'll practically be giving away all my fortune at this rate." Shitou chuckled as y/n easily picked up the box with a little huff.
"Good to go!" she exclaimed.
"Good. Now that we've made our choice, let's take this Noctilucous Jade back-" Zhongli began but Paimon stopped him.
"Hey, wait a minute! He said it was half price, not that we could leave without paying!" Paimon reminded the man.
"Oh, right, I'm sorry. I must have forgotten to do that too." Zhongli murmured, "Let me see... as I thought, I didn't bring any."
Aether deadpanned, "Mora, right?"
Zhongli nodded almost sheepishly.
"Good grief, Zhongli..." y/n and Aether sighed.
"My apologies, another oversight on my part." Zhongli apologized and y/n shook her head.
"Classic Zhongli..." she murmured the glanced at Aether, "Hey, Aether? I have a pack of mora in my bag. Could you grab it?"
"Sure." Aether replied simply, reaching into her bag and pulling out a bag of mora.
"Shake it, please."
Aether lightly shook the bag and y/n's brows furrowed in concentration before she looked back at Shitou, "Five thousand mora. Is that enough?"
Shitou blinked, a little surprised, "Yes, that would be enough I suppose."
"Alright then, come on." y/n ordered as Aether gave the money to the store owner, "This needs to go to Yujing Terrace."
They all watched her stroll away before Paimon finally spoke, "Did she just tell how much mora was in the bag by listening?"
"It seems as though she did. There is indeed five thousand mora in here." Shitou confirmed.
Aether looked to Zhongli for some kind of explanation only to find the man walking after y/n with a delighted little smile.
'They're both simps...'
~~~ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ•°*
That strange voice only got louder when y/n neared the water.
To be honest, it was creepy-
She scowled at the water and quietly snapped, "Hush, I'm trying to focus-!"
The voice stopped saying her name, wtf was happening??? Is this normal???
"Okay then..." she murmured as Paimon and Aether stopped at the spot where a guy named Bolai had set up shop.
"Hey boss. Do you sell Silk Flowers here?" Paimon asked as y/n and Zhongli joined them.
"Silk Flowers?" Bolai echoed then nodded, "We certainly do! Which kind would you like?"
"Which kind...?" Paimon repeated.
"The, uh... the good kind. The best kind?" Aether tried hesitantly.
Y/n chuckled and shook her head before speaking, "Golden House Maiden, Valley Weaver and..."
She looked to Zhongli, "?"
"Fate's Yearning." he finished for her.
"Yes, one of each please!" y/n chirped.
Paimon and Aether were looking at her as if she'd grown a third eye or something.
Was knowing this much really so strange. I mean, it's only a matter of time before you pick up on things when you work with a man like Zhongli.
"My goodness! This gentleman and young lady are quite the connoisseurs!" Bolai exclaimed then waved a hand at the traveling duo dismissively, "You two must be his servants. Please refrain from any further attempts to contribute."
"Wait... You don't even recognize me!?" Aether protested, seemingly shocked.
Bolai observed Aether for a moment before nodding, "Ah, yes... We've met before, haven't we? Sorry, Traveler, I shouldn't have spoken to you in that tone."
Y/n looked at the two with a curious expression but did not make any attempt to ask any questions.
"Now then... please peruse at your leisure. Do let me know if you have any further thoughts." Bolai told them.
"Thank you!" y/n said with a smile.
After receiving the three silk flowers, y/n passed them to Zhongli, internally preparing for whatever was to come next.
She was sure it'd be a really long speech about the Silk Flowers and how well preserved they were-
"Silk Flowers exhibit different properties based on how their environmental conditions differ from their ancestral habitat..." Zhongli began, "Nevertheless, these are fine specimens. Excellently preserved."
Well would you look at that.
"Just look at the abundant foliage here. And these stamens, glamorous as a maiden of the Golden House. This strain is an evergreen, and mostly grows-"
Zhongli stopped talking as soon as y/n gave him a look. It wasn't threatening or anything, she just looked as though she were begging him not to say anything else.
And she was.
Y/n didn't think she could take another one of these long ass speeches. And my fingers are going to fall off if I have to type another one of these-
"My apologies..." Zhongli said, mainly to y/n before looking back at Bolai, "I'll take them all, boss."
"Again!?" Aether and Paimon demanded.
"Zhongli, no!" y/n protested, "How many times do I have to say this, mora doesn't grow on trees! We can't just use it all on one thing!"
"Hey, Aether?" Paimon whispered as y/n continued scolding Zhongli about money management, "Paimon thinks Zhongli likes being scolded by y/n."
"What makes you think that?" Aether whispered back with a small frown.
"Well just look. He's smiling." Paimon pointed out. Zhongli was indeed smiling while y/n gave him an entire list of reasons why he needed to learn money management.
"Just one of each." y/n told Bolai, "We only need that to make each type of perfume anyways. To buy a whole bunch of each type and then Rex Lapis choosing only one perfume would leave us with a lot of perfume and nothing to do with them."
"Can't we just offer all the extras?" Aether inquired and y/n shook her head.
"No, that's like offering to give someone extra fish when they don't even like seafood." y/n told him, crossing her arms.
"If I may interject... Did I hear you say that these flowers are to be an offering to the Lord of Geo himself?" Bolai asked.
"Yes... in a sense." Paimon murmured.
"Gosh. Well, why didn't you say so? I heard the awful news about what happened at this year's Rite of Descension..." Bolai said while y/n's neutral expression gradually turned into one of disbelief, "It would be bad luck to say it out loud. But I've been worried about our dear Lord ever since... i'm worried that everything I've heard is true..."
'I still don't understand.' y/n thought.
"Since these flowers will be used to glorify our Lord, they're free of charge. Just don't forget to pass on my regards." Bolai told them and y/n wheezed.
"H-Hold on now, at least let me pay half-" y/n began to say but Aether covered her mouth before she could finish.
She didn't protest, only listened.
Y/n truly was puzzled by this. But she kept her mouth shut. It was almost always better if she just listened.
(Smug Xiao is best Xiao)