After Qiqi spoke, the three of them fell into a brief silence as they walked along the coastal road.
Lu Chen glanced at her. She was dressed in loose children's clothes, probably for ease of stretching, which made her limbs look even smaller.
She wore the bright yellow fisherman's hat that Miko had given her. Under its wide brim was her adorable, chubby-cheeked face, and the talisman stuck to her forehead was hidden inside the hat.
The only pity was that her pretty eyes remained lifeless—only when she saw seabirds gliding through the sky did they flicker with a hint of vitality.
Eventually, it was Zhongli who broke the silence.
"Qiqi harbors a deep aversion to death, and her desire to live surpasses anyone else's. She's a child who's endured a great deal."
Lu Chen reached out to gently pat Qiqi's head. She really was so quiet and obedient, it tugged at your heartstrings.
Every time he opened her diary, he'd see lines and lines of densely written text—a testament to her determination to keep living.
Zhongli added with a touch of humor, "Every time Master Hu sees Qiqi, she wants to bury her again so the dead can rest in peace. But Qiqi's will to live is astonishing. The two of them end up chasing each other all through the streets of Liyue—quite the spectacle."
The moment Qiqi heard "Hu Tao," it was like her PTSD kicked in. Her blank eyes went wide in alarm.
Lu Chen chuckled and tapped the brim of her big hat.
"Relax! Master Hu isn't here."
Only then did Qiqi let out a sigh of relief.
Zhongli shook his head with a smile and continued, "Qiqi's tenacity moved Hu Tao. After looking into her situation, her attitude shifted dramatically. She went from chasing Qiqi around to fussing over her daily needs."
Lu Chen glanced at the still-startled Qiqi. He figured Hu Tao must be like a walking disaster in her mind. It'd probably take years for her to let it go.
Zhongli turned to him. "I bring this up because Qiqi's life hasn't been easy. Now that she's living with you, you should treat her well."
Lu Chen nodded. Of course.
Still, hearing it from Zhongli made it feel like some kind of solemn moment where an elder was entrusting his granddaughter.
"Don't worry..." Lu Chen said with a resigned smile. "Qiqi loves staying at my place. Just ask her."
Zhongli looked at Qiqi.
She raised her little face and nodded hard.
"It's nice and cool at home... really comfy."
"And there's endless coconut milk..."
"Qiqi likes it."
"See?" Lu Chen grinned. "Everyone says staying at the Lu Chen Guesthouse is the best!"
...
They continued walking down the seaside boulevard. The area grew visibly livelier—rows of old apartment blocks, the streets filled with the sound of street vendors hawking their wares. This kind of grounded bustle was exactly the kind of atmosphere Zhongli enjoyed.
Drawn by the clamor, the three wandered into a flea market. Lu Chen spotted a dingy white cloth laid out on the ground, covered with all kinds of "antique" trinkets that looked laughably fake.
Old Zhong stood there a while, seemingly searching for something. Lu Chen, bored, picked up a beaded bracelet—but it was filthy, and he immediately set it back down.
Aside from the layer of grime, it had a weird smell. Just thinking about how many years it had been fondled by sweaty hands was enough to kill any interest in buying it...
"How much for this, sir?" Lu Chen asked casually.
The old vendor chuckled, "I won't charge you much—eighty thousand!"
Lu Chen shot him a side glance. Whatever makes you happy, old man.
Honestly, this stall was a real eye-opener. After putting down the bracelet, Lu Chen stopped in front of a delicate, intricately crafted bust.
Wait a second... Ultraman?
Right there among a pile of dusty "antiques," this crystal Ultraman bust stood out like a sore thumb—totally out of place but oddly mesmerizing.
"Sir!" Lu Chen pointed. "How much is this one?"
The old man grinned as always, gave Lu Chen a once-over, then stroked his chin as if deep in thought.
"This one..." he said, lowering his voice. "A developer dug it up while laying a foundation the other day. Took me some effort to get my hands on it."
Lu Chen's smile froze.
Still going, the vendor added, "Look at the texture, the color. I won't overcharge—just sixty thousand, how about that?"
"Maybe you should keep this as a family heirloom..." Lu Chen muttered, backing away from the freshly unearthed Warring States crystal Ultraman.
He led Qiqi over to where Zhongli was, who stood staring intently at a few objects.
"Something good?" Lu Chen asked in a low voice.
Zhongli nodded slightly, eyes still fixed on a few items at his feet.
Lu Chen looked down. There were several battered clay jars, still caked with dried dirt. Behind them was a faintly painted human figurine with an indistinct face.
They looked worthless, but if Zhongli said they were valuable, then they were.
Lu Chen pointed at the items. "Boss, how much for these?"
The stall was run by two rugged men in plain clothes. Their faces were deeply lined, skin tanned a bronze hue.
Their appearance made Lu Chen frown slightly—not because he judged by looks, but because these two were rough to an unsettling degree.
Built like tanks, faces weathered like old bark, they looked like they'd aged decades under the sun.
"You decide what it's worth," one said in a gravelly voice, holding up three fingers.
"Three thousand?" Lu Chen started to ask, but Zhongli gently nudged him.
Lu Chen turned, catching the serious look on his face.
"Uh... I'll take a look around first." Sensing Zhongli had something to say, he let the matter drop.
The two men looked disappointed.
As they strolled farther down the market, Lu Chen turned to Zhongli.
"Those items... something wrong with them?"
Zhongli nodded slightly. "I'm fairly certain they were burial objects."
Funerary items... Lu Chen's heart skipped. Freshly dug up from a grave?
He glanced back. No wonder he'd instinctively disliked those men. Now that he thought about it, they did reek of raw earth.
Grave robbers!
What a scene! "Treasure Hunters," huh?
Lu Chen made a mental note of their faces, then asked, "How could you tell? I thought the artifacts around here weren't exactly the same as Liyue's?"
"I can smell it," Zhongli replied simply. "Also, that painted figurine—you see many like it in Liyue tombs. They're usually burial goods. The broken piece on its head was likely for holding a candle."
So it was a candlestick. Lu Chen nodded. Good thing he hadn't bought it. It might be worth something, but bringing it home would've been a hassle.
After seeing reeking bracelets, Warring States crystal Ultraman, and freshly dug-up funerary relics, the three continued wandering the market.
But the trip wasn't a total loss. Zhongli and Lu Chen stopped at a stall selling stones.
Stones—now that was Zhongli's specialty.
Lu Chen glanced down at the pile of colorful pebbles. This wasn't one of those places selling jade ore—it was a chaotic mix of random rocks. Lots of stock, low prices, and picking a gem depended entirely on your eye.
Trying to stifle a grin, Lu Chen looked over at Zhongli.
This... this was their shot at striking it rich.