"There you are! Just in time!" exclaimed the young cook of the restaurant where Xingqiu and Chongyun accompanied Childe. She was wearing an apron lightly stained with sauce when she greeted them, proudly waving a wooden spoon. "Ready to try the special dish? Spicy slime condensation with fried spiders and snail shells, I'll bet it's delicious!"

At Chongyun's troubled expression, Childe burst out laughing, thus making himself noticed by the cook who looked up at him curiously. She was a little shorter than her two friends, her midnight blue hair cut into a bob and braided at the back in a typical local hairstyle. Her golden eyes were so lively that they seemed to be illuminated by their own light with hundreds of clear and sparkling fragments to animate them.

"Hey, I'm just kidding!" the girl reassured Chongyun, giving him a friendly pat on the back before looking to Childe. "You brought a friend? Nice to meet you. My name is Xiangling. I am the local chef!"

Childe squeezed her outstretched hand with a smile, wondering if she knew where he came from or where his political alliances were. That he was a foreigner was easily guessed from numerous elements, such as his accent, his features, the cut of his eyes, and his fair complexion. But without the Fatui uniform, he must have looked like an ordinary tourist.

In any case, Xiangling kept whatever opinion she had about him to herself, concentrating on her work instead.

"I guess you're here to eat, too. Damn! I hope there's a free chair!" She beckoned them to follow her out onto a large terrace.

The Wanmin restaurant where Xiangling and her father worked was one of the most renowned in the whole kingdom, but only recently had they expanded the amount of seating onto a large raised open space. With its flower-decorated tables, prized teapots, and splendid view of the sea, Childe wouldn't have been surprised if people booked a seat at Wanmin every day of the week.

"Let's see if we can find you a seat." Xiangling gently guided them until she stopped, widening her eyes when she noted that the only empty table was the tiny one she had already reserved for Chongyun and Xingqiu.

"What a pity. I'm sure you've travelled so far to be here, and I can't even find you a seat." Xiangling sighed with a piqued air.

"I come from Snezhnaya, yes, but please don't worry. I can look for another place to eat," Childe reassured her while Xingqiu and Chongyun gave him a sorry look.

"Snezhnaya? That's great! You will have to tell me about your cuisine. I try to learn recipes from all cultures!" Xiangling replied with a big smile, surprising Childe once again. He was not expecting such a positive reaction, but he greatly admired her dedication and open-mindedness.

"If it doesn't bother Mr. Childe to sit with me, Xiao's seat will be empty soon. The time devoted to my tea will not be short, so you can eat there as long as you please."

That voice Childe had heard only a few moments earlier, at the funeral ceremony, made him turn abruptly. It didn't take long to spot Zhongli's figure sitting next to a boy with tattooed arms and two tufts of teal hair framing his sharp, serious face. Childe couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in puzzlement as Zhongli waved at him and then motioned for the group to come closer. The look Zhongli gave him was firm and gentle at the same time. He tapped his fingers on Xiao's side, showing Childe where he would find a place shortly thereafter.

"Thank you, but...I don't want to chase anyone away. I've only just arrived. I can't unseat customers already!" Childe laughed lightly. He was so taken by surprise that he found himself having difficulty speaking, and then fell silent, noticing the furious glance that Xiao gave him.

Childe took advantage of that moment to observe Zhongli's friend a little bit better while he was intent on finishing his dish of tofu and almonds. Something about his appearance made him completely different from all the other Liyue residents he had seen so far. The strands of his hair mingled with bright light, his irises like two golden gems, and the green tattoos on his arm glowed phosphorescent as if they had a life of their own.

"I'll be gone in five minutes, regardless. I'm certainly not doing you a favor. Why would I? I don't even know you," Xiao retorted with a sharp tone.

He stood up and looked Childe straight in the eye, crossing his arms over his chest. He was at least a notch shorter than Childe, but the energy that emanated from his annoyed expression made him far more intimidating. So much so that Childe didn't have too much trouble letting go of the jovial expression he had kept up until that moment, letting his own gaze become cooler. The instinct to defend himself was as strong in him as the one trying to be affable in more peaceful situations.

"Well, I'm sorry you can't drink tea with us, I guess. What do you want me to say?" Childe retorted with a wry smile, shaking his head. Behind him, he felt the tension from Chongyun, Xingqiu, and Xiangling, as they all instantly froze. Zhongli frowned, trying to maintain a calm demeanor despite his unmistakably worried look.

"Yeah, as if your damn Fatui association never made people run away," Xiao said bluntly, narrowing his gaze. "Maybe no one has told you yet, Fatui—and my friend here is way too kind— so let me be the one to tell you: here in Liyue, you are not free to do as you please, as you're used to. You should know, given your background, that you are not welcome here. Now, enjoy your lunch."

The nervousness went through Childe like an electric shock as Xiao challenged him so openly, insinuating in no uncertain terms how unwelcome people like him were, how well known and feared the crimes of those in his own association were. The more rational part of him couldn't blame the boy knowing that in his shoes, he would also fear the arrival of a strange organization known for its illicit methods of conquest and dominance.

But the other part of him, the one that had begun to love the colors of the streets of Liyue and had felt warmed by the prospect of new friendship, felt like it had been stabbed by a knife. It reminded him that, as on other occasions throughout his life, he would forever be different and misunderstood by anyone around him.

"All right. I'll leave, then. I have better things to do," Childe replied, trying to mask the wounded pride and suffering that the stranger's words had caused him behind a half smile, ready to turn on his heels.

"Xiao," Zhongli intervened with a surprisingly calm tone considering the situation.

Xiangling seemed to have been petrified on the spot. Although, fortunately, the other guests at the restaurant apparently hadn't noticed, immersed in the noise. Chongyun and Xingqiu themselves seemed agitated and ready to intervene, perhaps to disprove Xiao's words. Zhongli, on the other hand, had followed the scene unperturbed and was now watching his friend with a note of regret.

"We leave it to experience to understand if you are right or wrong. Mr. Childe is not his people, so we must judge him by his actions, not by his reputation. From what I know, he did nothing wrong."

Xiao dropped the grim expression, nodding to Zhongli. Apologizing must've been too hard for him, for he just snorted before leaving. "As you like. Just be careful, Zhongli."

"Thank you for your concern, Xiao. It really is nice of you to worry about my safety. But I will be vigilant, I promise," Zhongli reassured him, looking back at Childe who was undecided about what to do.

Why Zhongli insisted on having him sit there was completely unknown to Childe, and he couldn't help but be slightly suspicious. Maybe he wanted to show him kindness, but how would that benefit him if it led to infuriating his friend, Xiao? Childe hoped Zhongli didn't want to simply analyze him, even though he doubted that a funeral consultant would be too interested in politics.

"Of course, I don't want to make your time here unpleasant. I would thoroughly regret that. I understand if you would prefer to go elsewhere. You came here with your friends, after all. If not, however, know that I do not consider someone 'unwelcome' before I've met them," added Zhongli, his fingers elegantly resting on the chopsticks he was still holding.

Childe made a considerable effort not to give him a questioning and utterly perplexed look. That elegant man, with his exaggeratedly refined language and calm manners, seemed more and more strange and entrancing every time he ran into him. And for a decisive moment, curiosity got the better of him.

Not only did he want to save Xingqiu and Chongyun from further trouble, since they still had lunch, he also had far too many questions to ask Zhongli. But most of all, he wanted to thank him, which would have been much more complicated to say out loud.

"Let's see what the menu has to offer, then," Childe said cheerfully, taking the seat in front of Zhongli.