Lu Heng rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
Opening two new branch stores at once was a big deal for him.
Without hesitation, he picked up his phone and posted a status update:
Lu Heng: Heading to Mondstadt this afternoon to open a new branch.
Three seconds later, before he could even put his phone down, it buzzed to life.
It was a video call from Venti!
Lu Heng tapped to accept without a second thought.
Venti's excited face filled the screen, his voice practically bursting with enthusiasm. "Bro! Are you really coming to Mondstadt to open a proper branch?!"
After all, the current setup in Mondstadt was only half-functional—a shop run by smart robots selling equipment and phones. A store without a card-drawing function? That hardly counted as a real card shop. Venti had been waiting for this day for ages.
"Yeah, I'm heading over soon," Lu Heng said with a nod.
"Where are you at?" Venti asked eagerly. "I'll come pick you up!"
Venti was so thrilled he half-wished he could teleport to Lu Heng's side, scoop him up, and fly him straight to Mondstadt to watch the store open. He was practically vibrating with impatience.
Despite his carefree, slacker vibe, Venti hadn't been able to fully relax until Lu Heng opened a proper branch in Mondstadt. Now that the moment was finally here, he could barely contain his excitement.
"Pick me up? Nah," Lu Heng said, shaking his head. "I'll just open a portal and be there. You might as well wait for me at the shop."
"Fair enough!" Venti nodded, already sprinting while holding his phone. "I'll be waiting at the store!"
"Cool, I'm on my way," Lu Heng replied, hanging up.
He popped back inside to let his wives know, then opened a portal and stepped through, arriving instantly at the Mondstadt branch. Venti, true to his word, had just dashed into the shop, panting slightly.
"Hey!" Venti's face lit up when he saw Lu Heng. He was practically glowing with joy.
"This excited, huh?" Lu Heng teased with a grin. "People might think you won the lottery."
"Isn't it basically the same thing?" Venti said, rubbing his hands together with a cheeky smile. "You opening a branch here? That's like hitting the jackpot for me! The thrill, the nervous anticipation, the fear it might not be real, the sheer longing for your arrival—man, you wouldn't get it."
Lu Heng leaned back, raising an eyebrow. Was this guy seriously laying it on this thick? But, well, he had to admit—it felt pretty good to hear.
"So, should I listen to more of your flattery, or should I get to opening the store?" Lu Heng asked, smirking.
"Why not both?" Venti shot back with a grin.
Lu Heng chuckled and shook his head. He pulled out a full-function store upgrade card and activated it on the shop. A burst of colorful light enveloped the building, transforming it before their eyes.
The Mondstadt locals waiting in line to buy equipment and phones were buzzing with excitement. From Venti's earlier words, they'd caught wind of the news: the shop was about to become a proper branch.
That meant the people in line, originally there for gear or phones, could now draw cards too!
"Aw, man, I didn't bring enough Mora!" one customer groaned.
"Haha, lucky for me, I brought extra!" another laughed. "Not much, but enough for a few pulls. Hope my luck holds out—please, Barbatos, bless me!"
"We're luckier than the folks who came before us," someone else chimed in. "We haven't even reached the front of the line yet, and the store's about to get fully upgraded!"
Word spread like wildfire. Within seconds, everyone nearby knew what was happening.
Moments later, the shop transformed.
The sign above the entrance now proudly read "Card Shop." Inside, the decor shifted to match Mondstadt's aesthetic, and the long-awaited card-drawing counter was up and running.
"Mr. Lu!" the person at the front of the line called out, voice trembling with excitement. "Can we start drawing cards now?"
"You bet," Lu Heng said with a smile. "Buy your gear or phone, top up with Mora, and you're good to go."
"Sweet!" The customer quickly bound their equipment, topped up their Mora, and started drawing cards.
"Tier-3 card! Insane effect! Oh my gosh!" they shouted, practically bouncing. "And that was just one pull! New stores really do bring good luck!"
In their excitement, they kissed the card, then—to Lu Heng's bemusement—dropped to their knees and bowed three times before sprinting off, grinning like a maniac.
"Mondstadt folks…" Lu Heng said, choosing his words carefully, "sure are passionate."
"Haha…" Venti scratched his head, looking slightly embarrassed. Sure, bowing to Lu Heng made sense, but did they have to be that extra? Dancing around like that—people might think they were performing some wild ritual!
"Now you can relax, right?" Lu Heng said, turning to Venti with a smile. "This is a proper branch now."
"Man, it's amazing," Venti said, his voice full of emotion.
Mondstadt had been lagging behind, only half a step into the modern era compared to places like Fontaine or Liyue Harbor. But now, with a real card shop, they'd finally caught up.
In this world, a card shop was the foundation of progress. Without one, even if you'd drawn cards elsewhere, you were like a leaf floating aimlessly. But with a shop in your own nation, you had roots—confidence.
Drawing cards at home versus traveling to another nation for it? Totally different vibe. It wasn't just about convenience; it was about access, about pride.
"How about I treat you to dinner tonight?" Venti offered, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
"You? Afford it?" Lu Heng teased, shaking his head. "Let's do it another day. I've already got plans."
"Plans?" Venti blinked, surprised.
Right on cue, a jeep screeched to a stop outside the shop. Amber hopped out, sprinting over with her usual energy.
"Boss Lu!" she called, grinning. "You got here quick!"
"Speak for yourself," Lu Heng said, chuckling. "Come on, have a seat."
"Heh, the second I saw your status update, I was out the door and in the car!" Amber said, plopping down without hesitation. "Last time, Eula and I wanted to treat you to dinner, but we never got the chance!"
"I'm free anytime," Lu Heng said with a laugh. "It's your schedules that are the issue. I'm easy."
"We're free too!" Amber said brightly. "I called Eula on the way here—she's on her way back now!"
"Guess I'm the odd one out, huh?" Venti said, smacking his lips before flashing a grin. "Alright, I won't crash your plans. I'm out!"
With that, he bolted before Amber could say anything, leaving her scratching her head in confusion. "What's up with Lord Venti?"
"Who knows?" Lu Heng shrugged. "Probably sulking because I teased him about being broke. Bet he's off to busk for some Mora to treat me later."
"Oh!" Amber's eyes widened in realization. "I heard his retirement pension is in the works."
"How much is the Knights of Favonius planning to give him?" Lu Heng asked, curious.
"Probably something like what they do in Liyue," Amber said, thinking back. "The Knights don't have a ton of Mora, but they can afford this. And they have to. It's only right."
"Fair point," Lu Heng nodded.
Venti might act like a carefree goofball, but he'd done a lot for Mondstadt. You couldn't just ignore the Anemo Archon because he seemed unreliable half the time.
"I heard he didn't even want it at first," Amber said, lowering her voice. "Took some convincing."
"Really?" Lu Heng raised an eyebrow.
"Yup!" Amber nodded. "I don't know the details, but in the end, he's still dedicated to protecting Mondstadt. Giving him that pension? It's like investing in the city's strength. Once you see it that way, it's not so hard to accept."
"Makes sense," Lu Heng agreed.
Gods cared about their pride. Getting a "retirement pension" from their people might feel weird at first. But with a card shop in town, they could use that Mora to draw cards and boost their power, which in turn strengthened the nation. It was a win-win.
As they chatted, Jean arrived.
"Mr. Lu!" she said, bowing respectfully. "Thank you for choosing Mondstadt."
"No need to be so formal," Lu Heng said, waving it off with a smile. He poured her a cup of tea. "I promised your Anemo Archon I'd do this ages ago. Now it's convenient for everyone—I make money, and you all don't have to travel far to draw cards."
Sure, the shop had portals, so distance wasn't really an issue, but the feeling of having a card shop in your own city? That was something else entirely.
Jean bowed again, then gradually relaxed. She'd met Lu Heng enough times to feel at ease around him.
While they talked, Lu Heng asked about Mondstadt's current state.
Diluc, ever the crusader against injustice, had made life impossible for the Fatui in Mondstadt. With external threats gone and internal corruption cleaned up, the city's official systems were running smoothly.
The card shop's influence had also shifted Mondstadt's laid-back culture. People here used to be relaxed—lazy, even. But now? If you slacked off, someone else was out there grinding for Mora, drawing better cards, and climbing the social ladder.
Nobody wanted to be left behind, calling their buddy "sir" while they stayed stuck. It wasn't just about status—it was about pride. If you needed help, you didn't want to be the one begging. So, Mondstadt had started to hustle.
Everyone was working harder, saving up for card pulls. The city's carefree "live and let live" vibe was giving way to a new drive: strive, earn, draw.
"Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Lu Heng asked.
"Good, I think," Jean said. "It's competitive, but not out of control. The economy's booming."
"Glad to hear it," Lu Heng said with a smile. "I was worried the change might throw people off."
"Not at all," Jean said, shaking her head.
She was the queen of overworking, after all. Lisa might struggle with the new pace, but Jean? She thought Mondstadt still wasn't working hard enough.
Jean was the kind of person who could go toe-to-toe with Ganyu in work ethic—just without the same stamina. Lu Heng's take? She was a born workaholic.
"So, you're probably not handling small stuff anymore, right?" Lu Heng asked.
Jean shook her head. "Not much anymore."
She used to jump at every little task—finding lost cats, you name it—out of a sense of duty. But now, she'd learned to let go. Stepping back from trivial matters gave her more energy to focus on the bigger picture.
"That's the way," Lu Heng said. "Congrats, you're officially a top-tier Knights of Favonius leader."
Jean shook her head modestly. "I still think I'm not doing enough."
Being praised by someone like Lu Heng felt great, but she couldn't help feeling she was falling short.
"Chasing perfection's a heavy burden," Lu Heng said, chuckling. "Why not send out a survey? I bet Mondstadt's approval rating for you is at least ninety-seven percent."
If the people weren't happy with someone like Jean, Lu Heng would call them downright unreasonable.
Jean fell into thought, not about surveys but about her own performance. She'd changed a lot recently. Her workload was the same, but her perspective had shifted.
After a long pause, she let out a breath. "The path ahead is getting clearer. Thank you for the changes you've brought."
Lu Heng just smiled, saying nothing.
"Mr. Lu, are you free tonight?" Jean asked.
"Nope!" Amber cut in immediately. "Captain Jean, no cutting in line! Eula and I have been planning to treat him to dinner forever, and tonight's finally our chance!"
"Oh?" Jean blinked, then laughed. "Alright, I won't steal your spot."
"Man, my schedule's getting tight," Lu Heng joked. "Seems like everyone wants to treat me to dinner. I can't remember the last time I paid for a meal in Teyvat."
"That just means you're popular," Amber said with a grin.
"Being able to treat Mr. Lu to dinner is an honor for most people," Jean said seriously.
Lu Heng was approachable, sure, but his status wasn't something just anyone could match. Even Jean felt privileged to secure a dinner slot with him.
"You guys," Lu Heng said, shaking his head with a laugh. "Alright, it's settled. Jean, we'll have to push yours back a bit—I might be heading to Inazuma tomorrow."
"Inazuma? To open a branch?" Amber asked.
"Yup," Lu Heng nodded.
Amber threw her hands up. "Wow, the line to treat you to dinner's gonna get even longer. Captain Jean might not even make the cut!"
"I'm not in a rush," Jean said calmly. "Whenever Mr. Lu has time, I'll make it work."
"Sounds good," Lu Heng said, then turned to Amber. "So, where are we eating tonight?"
"Don't go overboard," he added. "No need for some fancy, expensive place. I'm happy with something simple like the Good Hunter."
"Huh?" Amber laughed. "You're the one being treated, and you're worried about us spending too much?"
"Well, yeah," Lu Heng said, grinning. "A meal costing a few hundred Mora versus a few thousand? Big difference. I'd rather you save that money for card pulls. Who knows? Maybe that extra Mora gets you a gold card."
"You're too nice," Amber said, genuinely touched.
"Didn't you know?" Lu Heng said, crossing his arms with a smirk. "They call me Lu Heng, the Nicest Guy in Teyvat."
"Fits you perfectly," Amber said, nodding earnestly.
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T/N:
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