From Mt. Yougou, through Konda Village, they reached Inazuma City.
On the way, they passed a wildwood clearing known as Byakko Plain.
Many foxes lived there, bold and unafraid of people—some even begging for food.
They stopped to play with them a while, charmed by the little creatures.
Finally, in the city, Zhu Zi led them to an ordinary-looking house.
"This is my place. Hold on, I'll get the door."
She ran ahead and knocked.
A woman's familiar voice answered from inside. "Who is it?"
"Mom! It's me!"
"Zhu Zi?!"
(Just to clarify, Zhu Zi's canon name is Atsuko. At the beginning, her background wasn't properly explained, so I used Zhu Zi instead. But since everyone's already familiar with that name, I don't think I should change it now.)
The door swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman whose face resembled Zhu Zi's. Her eyes shone with joy.
"You're home!"
"Of course. I told you I'd be back after the new year."
"Good, good. You haven't lost weight either."
"I've been doing fine out there! Oh, right—Mom, let me introduce my friends."
She quickly introduced the group.
That was how everyone learned her mother's name was Michiru, while her father was Yoh—though he was out working at the moment.
Michiru immediately clasped Xia Zhi's hand, her tone earnest. "Boss Xia, thank you so much for taking care of Zhu Zi. If you hadn't given her a place at your shop, I don't know what she would have done."
Xia Zhi chuckled. "No need for thanks. Zhu Zi is capable. I can't see, so she's the one who helps me in daily life. Even my laundry—she's the one who washes it."
Zhu Zi flushed with embarrassment.
Back then, she used to compete with Shenhe for the privilege of washing his clothes. Later, when Cloud Retainer joined and built laundry automatons, she hadn't properly done his washing in ages.
Michiru warmly invited everyone inside for tea.
Their house was modest, one of the city's many ordinary homes. With so many visitors, they had to split between two rooms just to sit down.
Zhu Zi brewed tea and served snacks, her movements quick and practiced.
Her mother watched with quiet pride—her daughter had grown so much more dependable.
They were chatting over tea when a knock came at the door, followed by a familiar girl's voice: "I'm back…"
The room went still.
The voice sounded exactly like Zhu Zi's.
Without waiting for anyone to open, the girl pushed the door open herself, as though she belonged there.
A girl stepped in—her face identical to Zhu Zi's.
She froze at the sight of a house full of guests.
Zhu Zi, holding a tray of snacks, froze too.
After a long beat, she asked, bewildered, "Who are you?"
The girl's face went pale with panic. "S-sorry, I… I walked into the wrong house!"
She turned to leave, but a sudden gust slammed the door shut.
She bumped into it with a pitiful "Ow!"
Xia Zhen glanced sideways at Venti, who was clearly the culprit.
Michiru emerged with more snacks, smiling as if nothing was strange. "You're back."
The girl clutched her face, turned around, and nodded meekly. "Yes… Auntie."
Zhu Zi looked around in confusion. "Mom, what's going on? Who is she?"
Michiru explained with a smile, "A while back, your father and I found a little tanuki with an injured leg. Poor thing was crying, so we brought it home to care for it. Once it healed, after hearing us talk about you every day, one day it just… turned into you. Said it wanted to take your place looking after us."
Xia Zhi remembered the story Zhu Zi had once told him about The Tanuki's Gratitude. He'd even given her a tanuki doll back then. Who would've thought something like this would happen to her in real life?
Zhu Zi gawked at the girl who looked exactly like her. "Wait—you're a tanuki?!"
The girl shrank back shyly. "Sorry… for suddenly copying your appearance…"
Zhu Zi shook her head. "That's not the point. You're really a youkai?"
"Yes," the girl admitted honestly. "I only just managed to take human form…"
She darted a nervous glance at Yae Miko.
Of course she knew the great fox youkai of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Yae Miko smiled faintly. She'd long known about the little tanuki. Ever since Kirara had told her Zhu Zi worked at the juice shop, she'd had people keep an eye on Zhu Zi's household.
"How did you transform?" Yae Miko asked.
"I… don't know. I think I ate some of the treats you sent home, and then it just happened."
"Those must've been the boss's cooking, right?"
Xia Zhi wasn't certain. Zhu Zi had asked Kirara to deliver some of his pastries before, though some had also been local Liyue specialties she bought from shops.
Hanachirusato, watching the exchange, suddenly frowned.
It felt like she was forgetting something important… something to do with a tanuki.
But what was it?
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When they suddenly learned that the old folktale about [The Tanuki's Gratitude] had come to life right beside them, everyone was a little surprised. But after chatting with the little tanuki youkai for a while, they realized her thoughts were actually very simple, and she didn't understand much about common sense. Her eyes were filled with a kind of pure, clueless innocence.
Just like Xia Lin when Xia Zhi had first brought her home.
After all, she'd only recently managed to take human form.
The adepti looked at her, their gazes unconsciously softening with nostalgia.
In a way, spirit beasts and youkai weren't all that different.
A long time ago, newly transformed adepti had gone through the same stage—clumsy, curious, and naïve.
Ying'er tilted her head and asked curiously, "What did you originally look like?"
The little tanuki lowered her head and whispered, "I originally looked like this."
Ying'er blinked in surprise. "Huh? You mean you've always looked exactly like Zhu Zi?"
Yae Miko spoke up, explaining, "When a youkai transforms, their form can usually be whatever they like. But if, at the moment of transformation, they hold an especially strong wish in their heart, then afterward they may take the form of the one they admired most."
"Oh, so that's how it is… Wait, but that doesn't make sense. Zhu Zi left home last year. How could you know what she looked like?"
"Well… I… I used to live nearby. I saw Zhu Zi many times before, so I knew…"
"Oh, got it."
A small, amusing little episode.
After tea and snacks, everyone got up to leave.
But Zhu Zi's mom was warm and insistent, pulling Xia Zhi to stay, saying they absolutely had to join them for a meal.
Xia Zhi just laughed and said they'd come back in the evening, when Zhu Zi's dad would be home from work too.
Her mother nodded. There were so many guests and not enough dishes at home anyway, so she'd go shopping that afternoon.
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