The night had fallen low, stars twinkling faintly as Shao Yun left the Knights of Favonius and returned to his warm home.
With a soft turn of the key in the lock, the door creaked open gently.
Shao Yun stepped inside and said happily, "I'm back! What a joyful day it has been."
The light in the house was warm and gentle. Shao Yun's gaze swept across the living room and finally rested on the two exhausted figures lying on the sofa.
Lumine and Paimon were sprawled on the couch, eyes half-closed, already fast asleep.
Shao Yun tread softly to their side, crouching down and calling out quietly.
"Lumine, Paimon, I'm back. Why didn't you two go upstairs to sleep?"
Hearing his voice, Lumine slowly opened her eyes. She tried to sit up, a faint smile curving her lips as she spoke weakly, "Shao Yun, you're back..."
Seeing Lumine's weary appearance, Shao Yun felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He asked with concern, "How busy were you two today? You look absolutely exhausted."
Lumine sighed, as if trying to exhale all her fatigue in that one breath.
She shook her head and said weakly, "Don't even bring it up. There was so much to do today, my head was spinning."
Lumine told Shao Yun that she and Paimon had first gone to the wineries in Windrise to confirm which ones would be part of the festival.
After that, they took some Knights of Favonius to start setting up the venue. Since there weren't enough people in the Knights of Favonius, they had to recruit a whole bunch of adventurers to help with the preparations.
The workload was intense—even Noelle collapsed from exhaustion by the end.
Shao Yun was stunned after hearing Lumine's account.
"Noelle collapsed? Was the workload really that massive today?"
Lumine leaned against the sofa, looking at Shao Yun's bright and energetic face. She pouted slightly, with a hint of playful complaint in her tone. "Yeah! Next time we take Klee out to play, you do the work for us!"
Seeing Lumine's mischievous expression, Shao Yun touched her cheek with a smile.
"Hahaha, next time I'll do the work, and you keep Klee company. For now, go rest. Want me to carry you two upstairs?"
Lumine gently shook her head and said slowly, "No rush, Shao Yun. Tell me what you did today first."
Shao Yun told her about taking Klee to Falcon Coast to collect seashells, playing hide-and-seek at the Thousand Winds Temple, picking Cecilias at Starsnatch Cliff, and even going fishing.
But he left out the part about the Lawrence family coming to find him—no need to worry Lumine during the holiday.
After listening to Shao Yun's day, Lumine sighed with envy.
"Ah, I'm so jealous. Why didn't Master Jean let Paimon and me go with Klee?"
Seeing the envy in Lumine's expression, Shao Yun couldn't help but joke.
"Maybe she was afraid you couldn't handle Klee. After all, you do look a little too cute."
"I'm scary, okay!" Lumine puffed out her cheeks and bared her teeth, trying to look fierce.
But her adorably fierce attempt only made her look even cuter, and Shao Yun couldn't help but laugh.
Feigning being frightened, Shao Yun clutched his chest and exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Oh! That really is a deadly move!"
His theatrical performance made Lumine burst into laughter, and all the day's gloom vanished in that moment.
After the laughter faded, and seeing that Lumine's mood had lightened, Shao Yun reminded her, "That's the end of my story. Time for you two to get some rest. Master Jean said the Weinlesefest is in two days—you'll need to be in top shape!"
Lumine nodded in understanding. She stood up, stretched, and carried Paimon upstairs to rest.
…
The night was inky black, and all was silent.
Shao Yun quietly pushed open Lumine and Paimon's bedroom door, letting his gaze sweep over the room. Once he confirmed both were sound asleep, he nodded lightly and left the house with peace of mind, heading toward the Lawrence family estate.
The streets were empty under the night sky, the only light coming from the yellowish glow of scattered streetlamps, casting broken shadows on the ground.
As Shao Yun walked down the deserted street and confirmed no one was around, he called up some mostly useless code.
"System, get your ass out here!"
At his command, the system interface instantly popped up, like a loyal servant awaiting orders.
Shao Yun glanced at the screen and issued a direct order.
"I'm out of dynamite. Get me a few sticks—now."
A prompt quickly appeared on the interface: [Dynamite x1: 25,000 Mora/$0.50].
Shao Yun's eyes narrowed as a scornful smile tugged at his lips. With bravado, he declared, "Give me eight! Use PayPal to pay!"
The interface flickered again, rapidly updating the transaction.
[-$4]
Immediately, eight sticks of dynamite materialized in Shao Yun's hands.
The system's voice echoed respectfully.
[Dynamite x8 issued]
Clutching the dynamite, a glint of cunning flashed in Shao Yun's eyes as he muttered, "Lawrence family, didn't you want me at your estate? Well, here's the 'gift' I've carefully prepared for you—let's see if you can handle this 'generosity'!"
…
Under the cover of darkness, Shao Yun arrived at the Lawrence estate.
Memories from months ago flashed through his mind—when he'd strolled leisurely through Mondstadt, passing by the Lawrence estate. Back then, he never imagined he'd return here under such circumstances.
Outlined by moonlight, the manor exuded solemnity and mystery.
The palace-like mansion shimmered under the lights, telling stories of the Lawrence family's former glory.
Delicate flowers bloomed silently in the garden, releasing faint fragrances into the air. The 24-hour fountain added liveliness to the estate.
Standing outside the gates, Shao Yun's gaze swept across the brightly lit manor. He sighed quietly and muttered under his breath, "Their ancestors must've really done favors for Barbatos… Even if they've fallen, this estate still holds its grandeur. Such a shame—it's going up in flames tonight."
As he spoke, Shao Yun pulled a stick of dynamite from his bag and said to himself, "The issue with the Lawrences might be under Master Jean's charge now… but that doesn't mean I'm letting it go. With Klee and the festival as reasons, tonight I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget."
With that, Shao Yun quickly put on a face covering, vaulted over the wall, and slipped into the estate.
The lightest of his revenge was about to unfold in the Lawrence manor.
…
Deep inside the Lawrence family's villa, light from the meeting hall pierced the heavy curtains, casting a solemn atmosphere.
A dozen core members of the Lawrence family sat around a long table, their faces reflecting anticipation and tension.
They all assumed Shao Yun would show up. Not a single one doubted it.
People really do let their imaginations run wild—especially these near-ruined nobles with barely anything left.
Schubert Lawrence—Eula's uncle and the current head of the family.
He sat at the end of the long table, frowning slightly, his demeanor impatient.
His gaze swept across the others and finally settled on Milton Lawrence, with a hint of reproach in his tone.
"Milton! Ross! Did you really make it clear to that hillbilly that he must arrive tonight?"
Milton Lawrence immediately stood upon hearing the family head's question and offered a perfect aristocratic bow.
Then, with a steady voice, he replied, "Yes, Head of the House. Though he was crude and even insulted both Ross and me, we maintained the dignity of the Lawrence family. We gave him our final warning—if he doesn't come, he'll bear the consequences."
Schubert nodded in satisfaction, his gaze approving.
"Good. That is the decorum our family must uphold. Even if we are not what we once were, our pride and dignity are not to be insulted."
Milton, thrilled by the praise, slipped up in excitement.
"I'll remember your teaching, Father—"
Realizing his mistake immediately, he corrected himself.
"I mean, Head of the House. Please forgive my slip."
Schubert's brow furrowed again, his eyes falling on the slightly awkward Milton Lawrence across the table.
"Ah… Milton, the younger generation of the Lawrence family… still can't match to Eula. If only she hadn't joined that Knight Order, things might be different now."
A wistful look crossed Schubert's face as he let out a light sigh, drifting into memory.
"Big Brother, Sister-in-law… why did you leave so early? The future of the Lawrence family should've been led by Eula. But she was blinded by the 'glory' of the Knights of Favonius. If you were still here, you'd never have let her walk that 'wrong path'."
Seeing this, Milton quickly tried to console him.
"Please don't worry, Head of the House. Even if Eula joined the Knights of Favonius, I believe her heart still belongs to the Lawrence family. Once that commoner helps us regain control of Mondstadt, I'm sure she'll realize where her true loyalty lies—and return to us."
Schubert nodded slightly, satisfied with himself.
"Once that wretch shows up, I'll make sure to give him a proper lesson. Making us wait this long—he clearly holds no respect for the Lawrence name. I'll show him that the dignity of our family… is not to be trifled with."
The dignity of the Lawrence family isn't even worth the insole of Lumine's shoe!