“Hmm—we have the staple food and side dishes, so for me, let’s have a dessert, let it be Tea Full, Moon Round.” Xingqiu looked at the desserts on the menu and tangledly chose Tea Full, Moon Round.
“Emmm, we lack a heavy dish, so finally, let’s have Matsutake Meat Rolls.” Beidou added the final touch to tonight’s feast.
“Alrighty, esteemed guests, please wait a moment.” Xiangling of Wanmin Restaurant was still as brisk and hurried as ever.
— This is the divider line waiting for food — “Speaking of which, the three of you seemed to have known each other before enrollment, right?
I wonder how the three of you met before?” During the wait for the food, Keqing brought up the topic first.
“Ah, this?
Hehe.
Keqing, take a guess.” Hu Tao’s eyes rolled, seeming to think of some mischievous idea.
“By the way, let’s add a wager.
If you guess wrong, hehe, then tell me what happened at the Rite of Descension when Kuaixue was 5 years old!” Kuaixue, who had boredly picked up her chopsticks and intended to stare at them until patterns formed, instantly lost her composure, violently turning her head to warn Keqing beside her with a fierce, “super fierce” look.
“Haha, sorry, I can’t say that.” Regarding this matter, Keqing naturally knew Kuaixue’s attitude.
If he leaked the matter today, tomorrow the entire Liyue Harbor would know about what happened on Keqing’s third birthday.
Keqing didn’t like doing things that resulted in mutual destruction either.
“Alright, stop teasing Kuaixue.” Beidou glared at Hu Tao, signaling her to be quiet.
“Actually, Hu Tao and I got to know each other because Yun-Han Opera Troupe performed a play before, which featured a scene of a funeral during the Archon War period.” “Because this scene occupied an important position in the story, questions like what form funerals of that era took and what etiquette needed to be followed troubled my grandfather for a long time.
In the end, it was resolved by consulting the Master of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, who is Hu Tao’s grandfather.” “My grandfather and Hu Tao’s grandfather chatted very happily and felt they met too late, so they frequently visited each other.
Back and forth, Hu Tao and I have known each other since childhood.” Although Hu Tao was rather mischievous, her emotional intelligence was still very high.
Through Kuaixue and Keqing’s reactions at this moment, she knew that Kuaixue genuinely didn’t want anyone to know about that matter.
Even though Hu Tao was still very curious, relying on Beidou’s warning, she made a funny face, took the opportunity to back down, and began to tell the story of how she and Xingqiu met: “As for how this young lady and Xingqiu met, it was because of a poem.” “A poem?” Keqing listened with growing curiosity.
Even Kuaixue was somewhat interested in what Hu Tao said at this moment, her gaze shifting from Keqing to Hu Tao.
“That’s right, this young lady is the dark poet of Liyue alleys, and that famous ‘Hilichurl Ballad’ is my work.” Hu Tao looked smug.
“Hilichurl Ballad?” Seeing that Keqing had never heard of it, Kuaixue rarely opened her mouth to explain: “A strange poem circulating in the alleys of Liyue.
I remember it seems to go like ‘Big Hilichurl is sick, second Hilichurl looks, third Hilichurl picks herbs, fourth Hilichurl brews…'” “Not bad, Kuaixue, so you also know my poem.” Until Kuaixue finished reciting the ‘Hilichurl Ballad’, Hu Tao finally spoke in praise.
“I didn’t expect you to pay attention to poetry as well.
Oh right, you’re the author of that ‘Ode to the Goose’.” Hu Tao only then remembered the intelligence she obtained before the start of school.
“A work for entertainment, not worth mentioning.” Kuaixue sipped her tea.
After all, it was someone else’s work from her past life; Kuaixue had just seen a similar scene at the time and blurted it out unconsciously, not expecting it to be remembered by someone attentive.
“You haven’t told us the process of how you and Xingqiu met yet.” Hu Tao, who originally wanted Kuaixue to compose a poem at the table to liven up the mood, could only continue first: “When this ‘Hilichurl Ballad’ came out, I, Hu Tao, could be said to have been infinitely glorious for a time; people coming to visit were endless, and even the second young master of Feiyun Commerce Guild competed to come and make my acquaintance.” Everyone suddenly became somewhat incredulous, looking at Xingqiu, who had been quietly listening to Hu Tao show off just now.
“What she said is correct.” Xingqiu gave official certification: “At that time, I also wanted to catch a glimpse of the extraordinary person’s true appearance, so I specially chose an auspicious day and brought gifts to visit.
Hu Tao and I could be said to hit it off immediately, composing poems impromptu in the courtyard of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and comparing skills.
During the sparring, Hu Tao’s ingenuity and strange words made me full of praise.
Thus, Hu Tao and I became friends.” “My acquaintance with Beidou took place during the play where Beidou obtained her Vision.” “At that time, I originally wanted to find Hu Tao to spar, who would have expected Hu Tao to have an appointment with Beidou to go see the play starring Beidou.
Seeing that Hu Tao, who was always talented and arrogant, held Beidou in such high regard, I also became curious, so I bought a ticket and went in to watch.” “As for the result—a drama recognized even by Rex Lapis, why would I need to add more ink and words to describe it?
After the performance concluded, through Hu Tao’s bridging and introduction, I became friends with Beidou.” “I was also at the scene for that ‘Walking in the Snow’.” Kuaixue’s words shocked everyone present, especially Keqing, whose gaze at this moment was as if he were meeting Kuaixue for the first time.
Disregarding everyone’s reactions, Kuaixue recalled the scene at that time: “Back then, I remember it was the day Wanwen Bookhouse released new books, and I went to pick out new books according to my usual habit.
As a result, the quality of the new books that month was rather poor, with not a single readable work.
Feeling dispirited and preparing to head back home, I accidentally saw the promotional board placed downstairs by Heyu Tea House opposite, thinking that I hadn’t yet savored Liyue’s operas, and since fate brought us together today, I bought a ticket.” “Later on, Beidou’s opera could be said to be in harmony with heaven and man, breathtakingly wonderful.
I still remember halfway through the performance, Rex Lapis favored us, and fine snow slowly drifted down with the sound of the music.
‘The chaotic clouds lower at twilight, the hurried snow dances in returning winds; the gourd is discarded, the goblet lacks green wine, the stove remains, its fire seems red.
Heaven and earth are of one color, vast and boundless without end.’ At that moment, not only Beidou on stage, but even I off stage seemed to have transformed into the protagonist in the play, making a difficult trek through the boundless heavy snow.” As she spoke, Kuaixue became intoxicated in that year, that day, that snow, that opera, and that person.
“The chaotic clouds lower at twilight, the hurried snow dances in returning winds; the gourd is discarded, the goblet lacks green wine, the stove remains, its fire seems red.
Heaven and earth are of one color, vast and boundless without end.” Xingqiu chewed on it repeatedly in his mouth a few times.
“Good poem, what a good poem.” For a long time, he could only give a pale evaluation.
Keqing’s eyes also flashed with brilliance, then he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, continuously savoring it in his heart.
Although he had never seen Beidou’s famous opera before, this poem seemed to transport him through time, back beneath the stage of that year and that opera.
Hu Tao opened her mouth several times to speak but stopped, ultimately running out of words, and looked with a complex expression at Kuaixue, who had fallen into memories.
As for Beidou, the moment Kuaixue recited that poem, she was already blushing deeply with shyness, burying her head deep like an ostrich and staring fixedly at the table in front of her, seemingly counting the tree rings on it.