Chapter 2: Don't Let Your Guard Down

1340 Words
Your POV " (y/n)?" a familiar voice called out my name. I then saw Xiangling waving at me, I saw her greeting Zhongli, and Zhongli greeted her back. " Xiangling! " " (y/n)!" We both happily said in unison and hugged each other. " I missed you! So how's Mondstadt? " she asked me excitingly. " I meet a handsome bartender at Mondstadt. " I told her with a wink. " Haha. That's not what I meant! " She said with a laugh," I mean the exotic ingredients! ", she chimed. I chuckled and handed her a jar of fermented valberries. " Sorry, that's just what I got... That handsome guy from Mondstadt's the one that fermented it for me. " I told Xiangling and she hugged me tightly. " I could create exotic dishes with these! Thank you so much! " Xiangling said, I just scratched the back of my head. " Weird you mean... " I told myself. " I heard your sister's waiting for you at the restaurant, let's go! " She chimed and we both went to their restaurant, I can see Zhongli also walking towards their restaurant. " Xiangling, do you know that guy? " I asked her while pointing at Zhongli and she looked suspiciously at me. " You know, you're vision gets clearer when you see handsome guys. " Xiangling said and hit my arm with her elbow, we then both laughed at each other. " Don't ask me, ask him. He's a kind guy! He always gives me huge tips and cooking tips!" Xiangling told me with a smile. " I'm a little bit shy... He's kinda intimidating..." I told Xiangling and she just chuckled at me. " Of course you find him intimidating! You like him! " Xiangling said with a laugh. " N-no I don't! H-he's just... I don't know... He's... Urggg nevermind... " I told Xiangling as she laughed and playfully pushed me hard causing me to bump against Zhongli's back. " Hmm? " I heard Zhongli as he slowly turned around to face me. I slowly felt my face heat up. " Guess we meet again. " Zhongli said with a chuckle. " I-I-" " Mr. Zhongli! Meet (y/n)! You might not know but she's the Tianquan's sister! " Xiangling told him and his eyes widen. I immediately glared at Xiangling. " So you're the younger sister of- " " Lady Ningguang! A pleasure to have you here! " a local cut Zhongli off and my eyes widen. " Just in time. " Ningguang said and looked at me with a smile. " Lady Ningguang! Welcome! " Xiangling greeted her enthusiastically, I saw a soft smile forming at Zhongli's lips as he slowly backed away from me. " Mr. Zhongli. " We heard someone called for him. " Ahh. There he is." Zhongli said while looking at the ginger-colored hair guy. Ningguang and I looked at each other with our eyes widen. ' He's a Fatui... A harbinger.' I thought and stared at the guy. " What? You saw another cutie?" Xiangling playfully said, I just sighed and laughed and she excused herself to serve the other customers. " Excuse us, Mr. Zhongli." my sister told him formally. Zhongli smiled and nodded. " I may as well excuse myself, Lady Ningguang. " Zhongli said slightly bowing his head and then looked at me. " Lady (y/n)... " He continued and bowed slightly at me as well, he then slowly went to that Fatui Harbinger. " You know them? " Ningguang asked me, as we were also both heading towards our table. " Only Zhongli... But that guy..." I said and looked at her. She then nodded. " As expected. Be careful. " Ningguang told me and I nodded. " You too sis. " I told her and she chuckled. " I also saw a female Harbinger at Mondstadt. They call her 'Signora'. " I whispered to Ningguang. " I see..." She responded. " But they're a little bit lowkey for now. " I told her until Xiangling came and brought us some dishes. " What? But we haven't ordered yet. " I told Xiangling. " It's from Mr. Zhongli and that new guy beside him. " Xiangling said and playfully hit my arm again. Ningguang and I immediately turned our gazes on them, Zhongli smiled while the Fatui waved his hand at us. Ningguang just glared at them. " You'll be having a new mission. " my sister said, I smirked and nodded. I already knew what she meant. I turned my gaze on them once again, the Fatui guy was looking suspiciously at my sister, he then noticed me and smiled. I just glared at him and faced my sister. " Never let your guard down." Ningguang told me. ~ Time skip, evening ~ I spent the whole afternoon picking glaze lilies at Quince Village, I was planning on offering some of it to the lord of Geo since I've been gone for a long time and some to be made as perfume. When I was on my way to one of the statues, I saw a familiar figure staring at the statue. I immediately hid behind a tree as I watch him. He then turned his head to where I was hiding. " Come on now, there's no need to hide." I heard him say and I sighed and revealed myself. He then chuckled and stared at the statue again. I slowly went to the statue and stood beside him. " H-how'd you know I was there?" I asked him and he looked at me with a warm smile. " It's because of the strong fragrance emitted by the glaze lilies." He said, I feel so dumb. " Your voice does really complement your face." He continued. I raised a brow at him. " Huh? What do you mean?" I asked him, he then smiled at me. " Both beautiful. " He said and it made my eyes widen. I felt my heart skip a beat. " O-of course I am. " I said trying to play it cool. I then ignored him and placed a half bunch of the glaze lilies in front of Rex Lapis' statue. " Hmm? What are you gonna do with the others?" He asked, I glanced at him and chuckled. " Make them a perfume. " I answered and his eyes widen. I took a glaze lily and offered it to him. " Here, I guess you can have it." I told him and he just stared at me and the flower. " Why do you look so stunned?" I asked him as I playfully tucked the flower on his hair, above his ear and he finally snapped out of it. I immediately felt my head throbbing." Arg... " I groaned in pain. He immediately took my hand and pulled me closer to him which shocked me, I then tried to free myself but his grip tightened. " L-Let me g— " " Look at me. " He ordered with a strict commanding tone which made me did exactly what he said. " No... But why Glaze Lilies? " He asked me. ' No what? ' I questioned myself. " Uh... I-it's because I think Glaze Lilies are... Uhh... Perfect! I-I love strong scents!" I said and placed my free hand on my throbbing head. I can see my vision getting blurry. ' Is this because of too much wine last night? ' I asked myself as I feel like I was slowly fainting. I felt his strong arms on my back as he pulled me closer to him, making my head rest on his shoulder. " To cleanse the land and defend our safe Harbor, that was the first contract in Liyue. And now... " He said and raised my chin for me to face him. " The final contract too will be set in stone. " Was the last words I heard before I completely blacked out.
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