“See you later! Enjoy your meal!” Xingqiu left Childe with a smile then took Chongyun by the sleeve of his shirt to lead him to his table.

“If we finish eating before you, we’ll stop by to say goodbye!” Chongyun promised, letting himself be guided by the other boy to the corner table already prepared by Xiangling, on which a large basin containing blue icicles was placed.

Puzzled by that lunchtime food choice, Childe wanted to inquire further, but Zhongli was already seated across from him, chopsticks gripping what was left of his tempting mushroom noodles. He looked almost out of place in such a noisy restaurant with his composed posture and dark, elegant clothes.

Childe observed him more closely, unable to help but think that not only was his attitude unusual but also his appearance. His long, raven hair was tied in a low ponytail, illuminated by light brown locks on the tips.

A single gold earring hung from his left ear like a small bright star between the dark shades of his attire, and the sharp cut of his eyes was accentuated by two dark lines of makeup, framed by scarlet eyeshadow. He was undoubtedly a well-groomed man, covered from head to toe despite the high temperature. He even wore gloves while he ate.

“Please, help yourself.” Zhongli handed him the menu. It was a handwritten sheet of golden paper, as if to highlight how much the restaurant was tied to its ancient traditions. Childe narrowed his eyes as he tried to decipher it. He understood the language spoken in Liyue well, but he still had to do a lot of practice with reading.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Childe replied. He made himself more comfortable in the wooden chair, dragging it under the table. He looked up from the menu, determined to postpone the analysis for a moment. He had managed to distinguish some words but was still completely ignorant of the names of the recipes, which he could not concretely associate with any dishes he knew of.

Childe remembered how Xingqiu and Chongyun had extolled Zhongli's extensive acquaintances. He would have asked Zhongli for an explanation, but not before he understood better why the mysterious man had invited him to sit down. Childe looked at his almost empty plate, slightly shaking his head, raising the corner of his mouth in a half smile.

“But you’ve already had lunch. You want me to believe that you will only drink tea while I wait for my food and finish it?”

“You will be surprised how long it takes me to consume a cup. It is my favorite drink,” Zhongli replied, his serious expression stretching out into a smile. “Xiao is often in a hurry but would have run off, anyway, if he had had to wait for me until the end. It didn't seem right, keeping a whole table all to myself.”

Upon hearing of Xiao, Childe couldn't help but be annoyed. His harsh words still burned like a flame in his soul, and Zhongli's precious response to him had left him even more disoriented.

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, the man had told Xiao, and now he sat across from him, peering at him intently. He had not taken his defense directly, but at the same time he had not even accused him. He had declared that he wanted to know him, so as not to judge him too hastily. He was giving him a possibility, which—Childe knew well—was a rare gift.

Still inevitably nervous about being watched, Childe bit the inside of his cheek, taking a moment before replying. He had to behave in the most natural way possible and try to enjoy the meal. After all, Zhongli had showed himself to be a kind man. Although his intentions were still unclear to Childe, at least he knew he was not dealing with a superficial person.

"Your friend really hates me, huh?" Childe said, masking his annoyance behind a falsely amused snort. He did not know Xiao and, as a rule, cared little about what strangers thought about him, but he was somewhat hurt by the judgment he had expressed.

Surprisingly, Zhongli’s expression turned sad. His eyebrows arched in a worried crease before he raised the glass to his lips, taking a sip of water.

“Don’t worry. Xiao doesn't hate you,” Zhongli assured him. “Of this, I am sure. He is one of my closest friends and one of the best person I've ever met. He's like a brother to me, and I have known him for many years. I grew up in a temple in Jueyun Karst, so they always kept in touch with people like him.” Zhongli resumed a firm and reassuring tone. “Perhaps I should explain who he is, to make sure you understand his way of acting and thinking.”

Childe nodded and continued listening to him, intrigued.

“See, Xiao is an Adeptus of Rex Lapis. Like the other Adeptus, he is an immortal creature who has entered a contract with the god of this place, together with the promise to protect his land at any cost.”

Childe couldn't help but widen his eyes at that revelation. Every clue should have led him to that conclusion. Xiao didn't look like a human and, having to protect Liyue, he must have been even more suspicious at the arrival of the Fatui.

That information could bring him closer to Rex Lapis, the God Signora and he were looking for. He wondered if he should tell Signora, or if he should investigate the matter on his own. The second option seemed far more intriguing, he realized, as he continued to follow Zhongli's speech.

“For centuries, Xiao has been battling the dark forces that still roam Liyue. Although he still struggles and is no longer forced to fight, he wants to keep his contract with Rex Lapis, the god who once freed him from slavery. Before Rex Lapis, a tyrant and cruel god lived here in Liyue, of which Xiao was a victim. It’s for this reason he feels so strongly the gratitude toward the archon of the geo, Rex Lapis. He also lost many companions because of the old god, unfortunately.”

Zhongli spoke with all the sorrow and concern clearly visible on his face. The affectionate way in which Zhongli was talking about his friend inevitably began to scratch the armor of distrust in which Childe had protected himself. There was a rare concern and forethought in the way Zhongli defended Xiao, enough to make Childe understand how faithful he could be toward those close to him.

Childe wondered how one could enter Zhongli’s good graces. Was he selective or open to anyone?

Childe hadn't expected to sympathize with a grumpy guy like Xiao, but Zhongli's explanation certainly didn't leave him indifferent. A battle-tested immortal warrior who had endured slavery and mourned the past certainly made him a figure worth admiring. He also thought back to how he and Signora had spoken of Rex Lapis as an indifferent god, always far from his people. Perhaps they had misinterpreted him if he had cared enough to free oppressed creatures and slaves.

Perhaps it would be easier to have peaceful contact with Rex Lapis but, at the same time, more difficult to come to an agreement if he was so protective of Liyue.

“Well, that explains his fear of my arrival,” Childe deduced, a void squeezing in his chest. As much as he loved the thrill of battle and confrontations with his enemies, the idea of hitting innocent civilians or being associated with dark figures made him sick to his stomach. Seen externally, however, he understood how one might come to that conclusion about the Fatui.

“After observing someone for a long time, Xiao is able to sense if they have a negative aura. If you are not a bad person, he will know,” Zhongli said with a more reassuring tone, as if he had noticed Childe’s unease.

“How do you know if someone is a bad person?” Childe couldn't help but ask, looking him in the eye. There were so many different sides to him that he felt difficult to classify. Who knows which side had begun to grasp the man in front of him?

Perhaps he would find out soon. Zhongli did not seem like a person who refrained from speaking openly, and so the first grip of nervousness gradually abandoned him. The funeral consultant gave him explanations and tried to ease his doubts. They were still merely strangers, but for the moment it was enough for him to continue their conversation.

“You are not afraid of me, are you?”

Zhongli let out a brief amused snort, a small smile lighting up his face for an instant.

“No, I'm not afraid,” he declared without hesitation. “To me, your Harbinger title is just a shell. Organizations are nothing but a scheme. I prefer to understand who the person behind these classifications is. What pushed them to follow that particular lifestyle?” His face was back to thoughtfully resting on the closed fingers of his hand. “After all, you've just arrived in town. There is time to understand who you are. Not to mention that our organizations work side-by-side, not far from each other. We might as well start a friendly relationship. We will meet often, Xiao too, along with so many others.” He glanced at Chongyun and Xingqiu's table. “I see you are already making friends. I am glad for you.”

Childe took a moment to ponder his words, pretending he needed a glass of water. He was doing his best to ignore the relief he felt at hearing Zhongli declare that he saw more in him than just an enemy. Perhaps now he could actually relax for the meal. He didn't even realize he had given him a look of gratitude when he replied, hoping to lighten the mood.

“Well, thank you, Zhongli. And don't worry about Xiao. I understand his type. I have a friend of mine who is quite similar: small and perpetually pissed off, but deep down…very deep down…he is bearable. He's a Harbinger like me, named Scaramouche.”

Zhongli also let out a brief smile, before shaking his head. “I am glad to hear that. But I have a tip for you when it comes to Xiao: do not tell him that he is short and perpetually ‘pissed off.’”

Childe hid his smile behind the menu, pretending to read it. “So…what do you think I should order?”