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"Miss Lumine...?"
The beautiful blonde traveler turns around to find the handsome gentleman from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor staring at her, mouth slightly agape. The flower adorning her hair is nowhere in sight, and is instead replaced with a hairclip that is reminiscent of a certain young, energetic chef's little friend, Gouba. Instead of her usual shining white dress that never seems to be affected by soot or dirt, a yellow maid's dress with brown and red accents that stop a few inches above her knees is hugging her petite frame, exposing her long legs. A ribbon is tied around her waist, seemingly like a belt, and on her feet, she dons black high heels and brown tights.
She’s a dangerously tempting but adorable sight, Zhongli thinks.
"Mr. Zhongli! I didn't expect to see you here!" Lumine exclaims, her lips forming a smile upon realizing that the uncertain voice that just called out to her came from none other than him. Zhongli clears his throat before giving her a polite smile. "I am currently on my lunch break," he confesses.
"Well, how about having a meal here in the Wanmin Restaurant? They're having a special discount value meal right now - Paimon recommends the Jueyun Chili Chicken and Triple-Layered Consommé set! The perfect harmony between spice and sweetness!" Lumine's cheerful floating companion suddenly exclaims, startling the pair. Paimon excitedly hands a flyer to Zhongli, who accepts and scans the paper. Lumine laughs and shakes her head at the little pixie. "You said that so perfectly, Paimon!"
"Ehe, well, Paimon needs to do a good job! Xiangling promised us a feast if we reel in a loooooot of customers you know!"
Lumine laughs again before looking back at Zhongli who is now sporting a curious look. As if reading his mind, she begins to explain. "Chef Mao and Xiangling came up with the idea to advertise their restaurant by handing out flyers to potential customers. They asked me if I could help and promised us food as payment. Predictably, Paimon made the decision for us then and there."
"Ah, I see. However, Wanmin Restaurant has been doing well in terms of business, no? I admit that I am a little surprised that they would resort to this kind of method."
"That's true. They don't really have a shortage of customers. But it can't hurt to draw in more business, don't you think?"
Zhongli nods in agreement. "I suppose you are correct..." he trails off, and finds himself gazing at the attire Lumine is currently wearing once again. Chef Mao and Xiangling are rather crafty businessmen, he notes. The traveler's popularity after saving the city of Liyue has skyrocketed and everyone knows and adores her, even more than they already had before. The children want to play with her. The elderly dote on her. The women invite her for girls' nights and other activities. The men find excuses to be close to her.
Having the charming heroine of Liyue advertise the restaurant would be a strong business tactic indeed, and with the attire she is wearing, the anticipated amount of customers, specifically the male ones, would surely double in number.
Zhongli is unsure how he feels about that.
"So? Are you gonna eat or not?!" Paimon's loud voice snaps the gentleman out of his train of thought. She is staring at him impatiently, arms crossed. Lumine is staring at him too, golden eyes sparkling in anticipation. Without thinking, Zhongli's words leave his mouth. "I'd love to."
Paimon and Lumine cheer. Another customer successfully reeled in!
"Mr. Zhongli! It's nice to see you here! What would you like to order?"
Xiangling has a notepad at the ready, waiting for Zhongli to state his order. The restaurant is packed, as he expected, but Lumine and Paimon got him a good seat after talking to Chef Mao. Despite the hectic atmosphere, the father-daughter combo seems to be managing really well. Even after stepping down as the Geo Archon, he still finds himself feeling pride for the industriousness, resilience, and business-savvy of the citizens of Liyue.
"I would like to order the Jueyun Chili Chicken and the Triple-Layered Consommé combo. According to Miss Lumine and her little friend, I should expect the perfect blend of spice and sweetness," Zhongli tells the young chef, who smiles as she jots down his order. "Hehe, those two are such good advertisers! I better make sure to save some ingredients for their reward later for all this business they're giving us right now," she says, throwing a glance at Lumine and Paimon outside the restaurant. They are currently cheerfully entertaining the growing line of customers waiting to be seated.
"Anyway, our food is sure to meet your expectations, Mr. Zhongli! One Jueyun Chili Chicken and Triple-Layered Consommé combo, coming right up!"
With that, Xiangling disappears into the kitchen to help her father. Zhongli takes the opportunity to observe the restaurant. To no one's surprise, the customers are mostly men, no doubt reeled in by the beautiful Lumine in her enticing attire. He feels the ugly feeling of jealousy bubble inside of him when he spots a man brush his hand against hers as she hands him a flyer. She smiles at the potential customer, who blushes and nods his head at whatever she is telling him. Soon, he gets in line to enter the restaurant.
Zhongli forces himself to look away from the scene and focus on the black tea Xiangling had poured for him when he sat down. Lumine is too kind and naive for her own good, and he doubts she even realizes the intentions of the men around her. He's pretty sure that even that Snezhnayan brat harbors romantic feelings for the oblivious girl.
The fact that Childe put in so much effort into pleasing her and fixing their broken friendship after his betrayal is a sign. The tender way he looks at her as she digs in the food he always treats her to is a confirmation. Despite Childe treating him like a friend, Zhongli finds that he cannot sincerely treat him as amicably in return, especially when Lumine is present.
Zhongli shakes his head. He is aware that he has no right to feel this way. Despite his growing feelings for the woman, he has made no effort into courting her properly.
Hm, courting her?
It's funny that immediately after giving up his gnosis, the very human experience of falling in love had come to Zhongli so easily. He didn't realize it at first - all he knew was that he appreciated Lumine's company. The pair (plus Paimon, if she didn’t feel like hanging out with Xiangling) often accompanied each other on walks, whether they be simply around the harbor, or out of confines of the city. They indulged each other's curiosities; whenever Lumine pointed to something she found interesting, Zhongli would either tell her a story revolving around it or encourage her to investigate it with him.
Lumine taught him many lessons as well; as someone who acted as the Geo Archon for many centuries, Zhongli still had much to learn about the intricacies of a human’s life and their way of thinking. He chuckles when he remembers how budgeting and haggling in the market were among the first lessons Lumine decided to teach him. She repeatedly beat into his memory the importance of having his wallet at all times.
Aside from the practical skills one needs to learn to survive the mundane life as a mortal man, Lumine also took the time to explain to him human emotions. That is not to say that Zhongli has never felt anything before, but he never could fathom how and why they come and go. She taught him how to analyze his feelings and how he may choose to act upon it; a pragmatic approach for sure, but he knew Lumine went for that method knowing that he would be able to absorb it easier that way. It is thanks to her that he can connect with the citizens of Liyue better and understand their pains, their fears, and their joys.
To express his gratitude for the golden-eyed traveler, Zhongli treated her to dinner at the Third Round Knockout one evening. As they dug into their food, the pair chatted about various topics, ranging from old folktales to modern politics. She had always been an excellent conversationalist, so it was no surprise that they lost track of time. The other customers had left, and the staff were getting ready to clean up. They quickly finished up and Zhongli paid for the food. Lumine beamed at him, evidently proud that he had not forgotten his wallet. He found himself feeling proud too, at how happy such a small thing made her.
Zhongli and Lumine decided to take a walk along Liyue harbor before they ended their evening. A comfortable silence fell between them as they matched each other’s pace, but it was broken when the shorter woman beside him let out a soft hum. He looked to her curiously and he found that her normally sparkling golden eyes were softened with melancholy. Before he could ask her if something was the matter, she spoke up. “It is during these quiet evenings that I find myself missing my brother even more than I normally do,” she whispered, a distant look in her eyes as she tilted her head up to face the starry sky.
Zhongli didn’t know what to say. Lumine shed no tears, but he felt the strong desire to console her. To embrace her and tell her that she will find him soon enough. But Lumine, he had come to know, was not the type to be comforted by empty promises and meaningless words. What could he offer her now to dispel the storm brewing behind those beautiful eyes?
“Thank you for being here with me, Mr. Zhongli.”
Lumine wasn’t looking at him when she said that, so she missed the surprised and confused expression that flashed across the gentleman’s face. “What for?” he asked and felt his heart skip when she turned to him, a smile on her face. Under the glow of the stars, she looked ethereal, as if she was an angel who came down from the heavens. She was beautiful.
Why had he noticed that only now?
“Missing the family who had always been with you everywhere you go is lonely. I have many friends who would accompany me in my travels, but at night, when I find myself alone, not even their presence could comfort me. But with you… Somehow, the loneliness doesn’t set in as much. Somehow... yours is the only presence that could dispel that feeling. I truly enjoy your company, Mr. Zhongli.”
When they parted ways that evening, Zhongli surprised himself and her by pulling the woman into an embrace. Before he could ponder about his spontaneity, he whispered to her, “I enjoy your company too, Miss Lumine. Please don’t hesitate to come to me whenever you’re feeling lonely.” Lumine’s eyes were wide with surprise but soon smiled and embraced him back. For the second time that evening, she thanked him.
Before he drifted off to sleep, Zhongli came to accept that he was in love with Lumine. However, fast forward a month, he has yet to make a move.
Zhongli sighs and takes a sip of the tea. His eyes wander once more to the traveler outside the restaurant and his heart skips. She is looking at him too, and she jumps upon realizing she had been caught. She gives him a nervous wave and quickly turns away. Paimon looks at Lumine and then to him, and smirks. What a mischievous pixie.
“Mr. Zhongli! Here’s your order!”
Now is not the time to contemplate about these things, Zhongli tells himself as he thanks Xiangling, who carefully places the dishes on his table.
It has been a rather eventful day.
Zhongli places the stack of papers he had finished signing on top of his boss’ desk. Hu Tao is nowhere to be seen, much to his relief. The mountain of work he had to do left him exhausted and he doesn’t want to deal with her antics right now.
I wonder if Miss Lumine has finished her work by now, Zhongli thinks, remembering their encounter at the Wanmin Restaurant earlier. Perhaps I should drop by there for dinner.
When Zhongli opens the door to exit the vicinity of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he finds himself face to face with none other than Lumine herself. They are both startled, but Zhongli recovers first. “Miss Lumine? What brings you here?”
She’s wearing her usual white dress now, Zhongli notes. He feels a little disappointed but also relieved.
“I came to invite you to dinner! Xiangling made a huge feast for us and Paimon and I couldn’t possibly finish it all by ourselves, and I remembered that your shift ends at this time. So I thought to ask you,” Lumine explains, a smile gracing her lips. “Unless you want to eat somewhere else for dinner instead of Wanmin again?”
“No, I’d love to have dinner with you, Miss Lumine,” Zhongli replies, almost too fast for his liking. Lumine looks happy with his response. “All right, come on!”
The pair make their way to the restaurant and Zhongli finds that Lumine had not been exaggerating. Paimon is already digging in the food, but there is so much that even the pixie admits that she doubts she can finish it all up. Xiangling says they might have gotten carried away, but they’re just so happy with the duo’s help. The lively group help themselves to the feast, conversing happily well into the night.
“We’ll go take a walk for a bit!”
Lumine calls out to Paimon and Xiangling, who are rubbing their stomachs in satisfaction after consuming all the dishes. Xiangling glances at the golden-eyed girl and smiles when she sees Zhongli right beside her. “Okay! Paimon and I will rest up here for a while then; see ya later, Lumi, Mr. Zhongli!”
Zhongli and Lumine wave and leave to make their way to the harbor, feeling the evening breeze. “Did you enjoy yourself?” the girl asks, smiling at the gentleman beside her. He nods, offering her a small smile. “It was certainly livelier than the dinner I was expecting I’d be having when I woke up this morning, but I enjoyed it. I am grateful for the invite, Miss Lumine.”
The two walk around the harbor in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. There are children playing near the docks and Zhongli smiles when he catches Lumine looking at them so gently. With a sudden boost of bravery, he clears his throat. “I believe I was not able to tell you how beautiful you looked earlier, Miss Lumine.”
Lumine freezes before she looks at Zhongli, a soft pink coating her cheeks. “E-excuse me?” she stutters, feeling shy all of a sudden. His smile is blinding, Lumine thinks.
“The attire the Wanmin Restaurant had requested of you to wear fits you very well. You looked stunning,” Zhongli says and he is pleased when he sees Lumine’s blush deepen. She averts her gaze and fiddles with the hem of her dress, a habit that she often does whenever she’s feeling nervous, he noticed. “Um, thank you, Mr. Zhongli,” she mumbles. Adorable.
“Miss Lumine…”
“Yes?”
“May I court you?”
Lumine shot up, her eyes wide upon hearing Zhongli’s request. Despite the calmness in his tone, Zhongli feels his heart hammering against his chest loudly. “Y-you… Do you even know what that means?” she asks, blushing furiously. He frowns at her question. “Of course. I am not as clueless as you think I am, Miss Lumine. I have been contemplating this for a while now, and the encounter at the restaurant has made me strengthen my resolve to do so.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“I find you to be a beautiful and fascinating woman, Miss Lumine… and seeing those men stumbling all over themselves earlier just to get a glimpse of you or brush hands with you was nothing short of upsetting.”
Lumine tilts her head in confusion, obviously uncertain of what he was talking about. Zhongli sighs and gives her a wry smile. “The mortal Zhongli is a rather selfish man. When I saw you today, the urge to hide you away and keep you all to myself arose within me. I realize now that if I do not take action, you may be taken away from me; and the mere thought of that brings so much pain to my heart.”
Zhongli takes her hand and lifts it up, kissing it gently. Lumine blushes but doesn’t take her hand away. “I am in love with you, Miss Lumine. I am aware that I have only become ‘human’ not too long ago and may make many mistakes, but there’s no one I’d love more to experience this very human act of falling in love with none other than you. Please, allow me to court you.”
“Mr. Zhongli…”
Zhongli finds himself growing hopeful as Lumine’s lips pull into a beautiful smile. “Yes. Yes, of course!” she replies in a hushed, but tender tone. His eyes widen when she embraces him, burying her face in his chest. “I love you too, Mr. Zhongli! I… never thought you’d feel the same,” she says.
I love you too, Mr. Zhongli.
Zhongli smiles and wraps his arms around her. “I feared the same about you. I promise to make you happy.”
Lumine giggles and looks up at him. “Shall we sign a contract?” she teases, earning her a deep chuckle from the former Geo Archon. She’s truly beautiful.
“I’ll prepare one for us later.”