Little Hu Tao had no idea that Zhongli's true identity was Rex Lapis, the great Geo Archon of Liyue. To her, he was simply a lazy man with vast knowledge.
But when she spoke with him and discovered the depth of his knowledge, she finally understood why her grandfather had given the thrush to this young man. He must have seen Zhongli's talent. So Hu Tao trusted her grandfather's judgment and entrusted Zhongli with great responsibility, hoping he would help Wangsheng Funeral Parlor grow stronger.
To her disappointment, Consultant Zhongli was far too lazy. Aside from walking his bird, drinking tea, and listening to stories, he was unwilling to do anything else. Hu Tao had no choice. For the sake of the parlor's development, she let him drink tea, walk his bird, and promote the business at the teahouse.
Surprisingly, his promotions worked wonders. Before long, he brought several customers to the parlor to pre-order funeral services.
Hu Tao beamed. "Hehe, you may look lazy, but you're really effective when you work. Keep it up! Work a full year, and you'll earn a free funeral."
Zhongli said flatly, "I will. By the way, my tea bills have been put on Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's tab. You should settle them when you have time."
Hu Tao: "…"
At the mention of Mora, her smile vanished. She had just managed to attract a few customers and earn a little Mora, but a big chunk had already been spent. After other expenses, there was almost nothing left. Still, Hu Tao wasn't stingy.
She puffed out her chest and said with a laugh, "Don't worry. Next time I go to the teahouse, I'll settle all your bills."
Zhongli: "Good."
And so, under Director Hu Tao's wise leadership and Consultant Zhongli's encyclopedic knowledge, the parlor's service quality not only didn't decline but became even more attentive. Business grew steadily, and Hu Tao's smile grew wider.
She became more active, often standing alone on the streets of Liyue with flyers, promoting the parlor's latest deals. Buy one, get two free. Pre-order a funeral and get a coffin. Get buried and receive a souvenir. She held events like these every day, putting her grandfather's promotional methods to shame and creating even more interesting campaigns to attract customers.
Not only that, Hu Tao loved to wander. Sometimes she would go to the entrance of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and treat the two lifelike stone lions as her pets. She even gave them names: Big Mimi and Little Mimi. Since the lions didn't object, she happily made the names official. She often came to chat with them, or brought a bucket of water and a big brush to give her adorable pets a bath.
Such strange behavior naturally drew the attention of the locals. Hearing their murmurs and seeing their odd looks, Hu Tao said matter-of-factly, "Your pet cat is cute, so why aren't my Big Mimi and Little Mimi cute? Their fur may be a little stiff, but it's still fluffy! Any animal that brings joy is a pet. And in terms of majesty, no cat can match Big Mimi and Little Mimi."
The passersby were speechless. Strange. So strange.
Ever since her grandfather passed away, the people found it harder and harder to understand Hu Tao's behavior. But no matter what they thought, she continued chatting with the stone lions and giving them baths.
Until one day, she gave them their final bath and never came back.
The curious onlookers asked, "Why aren't you visiting your pets anymore? Why aren't you bathing them?"
Hu Tao looked at them as if it were obvious. "Big Mimi and Little Mimi have grown up and become independent. They no longer need my care. Now I'm busy discussing life with the statues."
The passersby were dumbfounded. They couldn't figure out what went on in this little girl's head.
Her eccentricities didn't stop there. In her free time, she would take out a deck of cards and happily play alone. If someone offered to join, she would firmly refuse.
"It's called a four-player card game, but that's just a name. Playing alone has its own joys. You wouldn't understand. Just watch and learn."
The games she played often defied people's expectations. And when the mood struck her, she would put down her cards and recite poetry on the spot.
"Big Hilichurl fell ill, Little Hilichurl went to see—"
"Third Hilichurl gathered herbs, Fourth Hilichurl brewed the tea—"
"Fifth Hilichurl passed away, Sixth Hilichurl carried the bier—"
"Seventh Hilichurl dug the grave, Eighth Hilichurl buried him here—"
"Masterpiece! I must write it down. Maybe it'll get published someday."
Excitedly, she pulled out her little notebook and jotted down the Hilichurl Ballad.
Though she didn't actively spread it, the poem quickly made its way through the streets of Liyue and became a sensation. Children ran around singing it, thoroughly entertained. Those who loved it praised Hu Tao's talent as a genius. Those who hated it dismissed it as utter nonsense.
But Hu Tao didn't care. She continued to carry stacks of flyers, humming her strange poems as she crossed the bridge and walked through the streets of Liyue.
As time passed, she composed more and more poems. Though they seemed odd, they were catchy and full of wit. Upon reflection, they even carried profound life lessons.
Gradually, Liyue's poetry critics began to take notice of Hu Tao. They started to acknowledge her work. But her style was so different from traditional Liyue poetry—so unique that it defied categorization anywhere in Teyvat.
Hu Tao didn't mind. She simply declared herself an "Alleyside Dark Poet."
When asked why she chose that title, she would reply, "That's just what it should be called. Why so many questions? If you really want to know the origin... hehe, there's an alley, there's darkness, and there's a poet—isn't that fun? Don't ask so many questions. Some things can't be explained."
Her unique style even drew Xingqiu and Chongyun to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, where they exchanged poetry tips with her and even held poetry gatherings.