This shopping trip split into two groups.
One group consisted of the Seven Gods strolling together, plus Guizhong—who had already blended seamlessly into the gods' circle—and Jiang Yan.
The other group was made up of the various retainers, shopping together on their own.
How should one put it…
With a height nearing 2.8 meters, Azhdaha merely standing there already looked completely out of place among the retainers, none of whom were over two meters tall.
The Aranara stood directly on top of Azhdaha's head, arms spread wide.
As if standing atop the highest peak in the world, it amused Kitsune Saiguu and the others so much that they burst into giggles.
Compared to Jiang Yan's group, who were still wandering the streets, these retainers had already finished shopping early and arrived at the restaurant to wait.
Not long after, Guizhong and the other gods entered together, chatting and laughing.
"Huh? Where are Jiang Yan and the Lord of Geo and the others?"
Ganyu asked in confusion when no one else came in after Guizhong's group.
"Oh, them?"
Guizhong thought for a moment before saying,
"Jiang Yan suddenly said he had something to take care of, then dragged Morax and the Anemo Archon from Mondstadt away."
"But judging from the bright smile on the Wind God's face, it's probably something good, right?"
"Something good?"
Ganyu exchanged glances with Azhdaha and the others.
Raiden Ei, Kitsune Saiguu, and the rest also wore puzzled expressions.
The gathering was about to start, yet Jiang Yan was acting so mysteriously—it naturally made them curious.
At the peak of Mount Tianheng.
Jiang Yan had brought Barbatos and Morax to a certain spot on the mountaintop, where the three of them were digging nonstop.
"Hey, Jiang Yan, why haven't we dug anything up yet?"
After digging for ages and finding absolutely nothing, Barbatos began to doubt the truth of Jiang Yan's words.
When they were almost at the restaurant earlier, Jiang Yan had suddenly pulled Morax and Barbatos aside, saying that he had buried a few bottles here on Mount Tianheng when he was experimenting with brewing new wine, and that he wanted to take them to retrieve it.
That had made Barbatos overjoyed.
Before they even got far, the impatient Barbatos had directly played the Song of the Sky, carrying Jiang Yan and Morax straight over on the wind.
And now—nothing at all!
Morax, meanwhile, looked at Jiang Yan with a helpless expression.
Why did I have to come along for something like this anyway?!
Jiang Yan frowned, looking puzzled.
Strange… I clearly buried it right here?
Suddenly, he remembered something and slapped his forehead hard.
"Damn it!"
Seeing Jiang Yan's frustrated expression, Barbatos and Morax exchanged confused glances.
"What's wrong?"
Morax asked.
"I remembered the wrong spot. It's on the neighboring peak, not this one."
Jiang Yan scratched his head awkwardly and let out an "ehe" laugh.
Barbatos and Morax both immediately darkened their expressions.
"You little—!"
Barbatos' furious roar echoed across the peak of Mount Tianheng.
Not long after, on another mountain peak.
Jiang Yan and the others successfully dug up the fine wine buried in the soil.
Grinning broadly, Jiang Yan patted the large ceramic jars in front of him and said cheerfully,
"See? I didn't lie to you. There really is some!"
"Heh. It would've been better if you hadn't messed up the location,"
Morax said flatly.
Because Jiang Yan remembered the wrong place, he and Barbatos had wasted a long time digging dirt for nothing.
"Ahem… accident, accident! Hehehe…"
Jiang Yan's smile instantly turned awkward.
"Alright, the wine's retrieved. Let's head back quickly."
"Everyone else is probably getting impatient."
As Morax spoke, Jiang Yan and Barbatos nodded as well.
"Oh, it's fine. If anyone's going to get scolded, it'll just be Jiang Yan,"
Barbatos shrugged nonchalantly.
"After all, this was his mistake to begin with."
"Hey! Barbatos, you're not being loyal at all!"
Jiang Yan exploded in anger.
Who was it that had been slinging arms over shoulders on the way here, saying that true brothers share fortune and hardship alike?!
So it's sharing the blessings together, but dodging trouble alone, huh?!
Barbatos didn't even look at Jiang Yan's expression. The Lyre of the Sky appeared in his hand as the Song of the Sky rang out once more.
Carried by the wind, the three of them swiftly headed back toward the restaurant.
Inside the restaurant.
Things weren't as restrained as Jiang Yan and Morax had imagined.
With "Jiang Yan's childhood" as the topic, Guizhong, the Geo Archon's retainers, the other gods, and their followers were all chatting enthusiastically.
After all, this was one of the very few pieces of truly juicy black history belonging to Liyue's Tianquan—the man who had once wreaked havoc across their nations!
How could they not be excited?
And among them was Ganyu.
As someone who had grown up alongside Jiang Yan since childhood, she knew even more—and in far greater detail—about his past!
At first, Ganyu was reluctant to speak, but shy as she was, she ultimately couldn't withstand the curiosity shining in the eyes of the five female gods.
Especially Raiden Makoto, Raiden Ei, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
When they learned that Ganyu and Jiang Yan were childhood sweethearts who had grown up together, their gazes dimmed slightly—though they quickly returned to normal.
Only Raiden Ei's eyes lingered on Ganyu from that point on, their emotions subtly shifting.
Even Jiang Yan himself had never expected that the small amount of nonsense he had pulled during his childhood, relying on his juvenile body, would all be shaken out by both Ganyu and Guizhong.
No one knew how much time passed before Jiang Yan and the other two entered, carrying the wine they had dug up from Mount Tianheng.
"Azhdaha! Marchosius! Come on, come on!"
Jiang Yan laughed loudly, draping an arm over Barbatos' shoulder.
"Today, I've got backup—there's no way I'm not drinking you two under the table!"
No explanation was needed as to who his backup was.
The scenes of him being drunk senseless in past drinking bouts had all been carefully recorded in his little mental notebook.
"Oh? That confident, huh?"
The Azhdaha Dragon King and Marchosius exchanged a glance, both revealing knowing smiles.
The people around them burst into laughter as well.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Jiang Yan naturally sat down beside Ganyu.
The moment he sat, he took advantage of the timing to gently squeeze Ganyu's small hand.
Ganyu's pretty face instantly flushed red, and she lightly slapped him in reproach.
Jiang Yan just grinned.
No one around noticed his little action—
Except Raiden Ei.
Raiden Ei and Jiang Yan were seated toward the lower end of the table, since the seats of honor belonged to Morax and the other gods.
Strictly speaking, Jiang Yan shouldn't have been sitting there. As Liyue's second-in-command, he should have been seated in the role of accompanying drinks.
But for the sake of going head-to-head with Azhdaha and the others in a drinking match, Jiang Yan chose to sit beside Ganyu—right next to Azhdaha.
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