After picking the lotus flowers and leaves, Jiang Bai headed straight to Hu Tao's courtyard.
It was already deep into the night, and he wasn't sure if Hu Tao was asleep yet.
Scaling the courtyard wall, he peeked over toward Hu Tao's bedroom window.
The lamp in her room was still lit. Judging by the silhouette against the window, Hu Tao was seated by her desk, chin resting on her hand, lost in thought.
Jiang Bai knew that the passing of Rex Lapis had dampened her spirits, but he hadn't expected her to stay awake so late.
Hu Tao usually appeared carefree, but she was deeply sentimental—just restrained enough not to invest too much emotion into certain people or events.
Having experienced countless farewells didn't mean one became accustomed to them.
It was like the stone lion she'd once befriended. Being an inanimate object, it couldn't leave, so there'd never be a painful farewell.
If you didn't get too attached, it wouldn't hurt as much when the goodbye inevitably arrived.
Leaning over the wall, Jiang Bai deliberately made a noisy show of peeking around. "Director~ Are you still awake?"
Snapping from her reverie, Hu Tao opened the window and stuck her head out.
Seeing Jiang Bai, her mood lifted considerably.
"What are you doing awake at this hour?"
"Hehe, I brought something for you!"
Jiang Bai hopped over the wall into the courtyard. Walking over to the window, he dramatically revealed a large bunch of lotus pods from behind his back.
"I went all the way to Mt. Aocang to get these—they're tender and sweet!"
Hu Tao's eyes lit up. Bracing herself on the window frame, she vaulted out gracefully.
Peeling a lotus seed, she tossed away the bitter core and popped the fresh seed into her mouth. It was indeed as fresh and sweet as Jiang Bai promised.
"There's more!" Jiang Bai stuffed the lotus pods into Hu Tao's hands before pulling out several vibrant lotus flowers.
The night sky was dark, the moon hidden behind clouds. Only the warm glow from the bedroom window illuminated the small patch of earth where they stood.
Light fell softly on the lotus leaves and on Jiang Bai's bright, eager face. Framed by blooming lotuses, his joyful smile was especially dazzling.
He offered the flowers like a carefully prepared gift.
Hu Tao felt her heartbeat quicken involuntarily. Holding lotus pods in one arm and flowers in the other, she almost couldn't carry them all.
Her eyes drifted down to the mud-stained cuffs of his trousers. "You didn't strip all the lotuses from there, did you?"
"What does it matter? No one ever goes there anyway. Besides the flowers, I dug up lotus roots too!"
As he spoke, Jiang Bai promptly created a large, permanent stone basin using his [Geo Vision] beside Hu Tao's window. He carefully placed the muddy lotus roots, along with their flowers and leaves, inside. Then, he dashed into the backyard, returning moments later to pour two buckets of water into the basin.
The previously drooping lotus leaves quickly regained their vitality upon touching water.
"Tadaa! How about that—pretty, right?" Jiang Bai pointed at his lotus arrangement with exaggerated pride.
Holding her flowers and pods, Hu Tao leisurely ate lotus seeds as she watched him bustle around. "Very nice indeed!"
"I have plenty more lotus roots stored in my Sanqing Bell artifact. I'll deliver them to the kitchen later so Uncle Ge can cook something delicious tomorrow."
"Weren't you busy preparing your apprenticeship ceremony for Mr. Zhongli? Why'd you run off somewhere so far away?"
"To find the ceremonial gifts, of course."
"Mr. Zhongli agreed to accept you?" Hu Tao was even more delighted.
"Yeah, but it's not official until I serve him the ceremonial tea," Jiang Bai didn't give a definite answer yet.
"Knowing how particular he is, I'm sure this ceremonial tea is quite a hassle," Hu Tao teased.
"You have no idea. I have to collect seven days' worth of morning dew from freshly bloomed Glaze Lilies, then pick tea leaves from some ancient tea tree branch…" Jiang Bai sighed dramatically.
Seeing his exhausted expression, Hu Tao leaned close, whispering mysteriously into his ear. "Let me tell you a secret… Our Mr. Zhongli isn't an ordinary person."
Warm breath brushed gently against Jiang Bai's ear, sending a tingling sensation through him. His ears flushed slightly, and he momentarily missed what Hu Tao was actually saying.
"...He's actually an adeptus who's chosen to live quietly among mortals. If he accepts you as his disciple, you'll become a disciple of an adeptus."
"Huh?" Jiang Bai took a moment to catch up.
An adeptus living quietly among mortals? Zhongli?
"Director, how do you know this?"
"He's been staying at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor all this time—how could I not know?" Hu Tao gave him a look clearly saying, Is your brain even working properly?
"Remember last time when he drank wine from that special cup and lamented the flavors of the past? Clearly, he once drank with Rex Lapis himself. According to the ancient records I found, there wasn't just one of those cups—Rex Lapis created seven to drink alongside his closest companions. The one he gave you is just one of them."
Hu Tao freed one hand to gently pat Jiang Bai's shoulder. "Several adepti have already passed away. Even the adeptus Yixiao Daotianzhenjun sacrificed herself to protect Liyue during the Archon War, and many others followed. Those cups were gradually lost among mortals. Zhongli probably didn't want to keep it as a reminder of sadness—and now, even Rex Lapis himself…"
Her voice trailed off, and her mood visibly dimmed.
"Sigh… You better cherish it properly."
Jiang Bai nodded earnestly. "I'll definitely take good care of it."
Seeing Hu Tao saddened again, Jiang Bai deliberately exaggerated his surprise. "I never expected you to know so much, Director! I really thought Mr. Zhongli was just an ordinary guy who happened to live an extraordinarily long life."
Buoyed by his playful praise, Hu Tao's mood quickly improved. "It's no surprise you didn't know. Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has over three thousand years of history—if we have anything, it's ancient texts. I dug through a bunch recently, even finding records on the 'Sending-off Ceremony'."
"Sending-off Ceremony? I've only heard of the Rite of Descension. Does that mean there's also a farewell ceremony for Rex Lapis?"
"No, it's different," Hu Tao shook her head, walking over to sit on a stone bench in the courtyard.
"The Sending-off Ceremony is held when adepti pass away, guiding their souls back to the heavens. Because it's such a rare and lengthy ceremony, only ancient records in Wangsheng Funeral Parlor mention it now. Even as the Director, I can't guarantee that I can properly handle Rex Lapis's Sending-off Ceremony."
Hu Tao's expression grew downcast again.
Though she regularly dealt with matters of life and death, the loss of someone close was never easy. Rex Lapis may not have been family, but to the people of Liyue, he was no different.
With her hat removed, long hair cascading down her back, she looked like a forlorn kitten hanging its head.
"Don't worry—Mr. Zhongli's here. He's deeply knowledgeable and also an adeptus himself; he's the perfect person to handle it. Although funerals aren't my specialty, I'll do whatever I can to help."
Jiang Bai gently patted her head, comforting her with both touch and words.
The warmth radiating from his palm seemed to lend her strength.
"I thought the same." Hu Tao smiled again, recovering her confidence as she patted Jiang Bai's shoulder authoritatively. "I have great expectations of you! When the Sending-off Ceremony comes, make sure to do your best with Mr. Zhongli, and properly see Rex Lapis off on his final journey!"
Jiang Bai smiled warmly, eyes curving with sincerity. "You can count on it!"