"Oh right, Rex Lapis, here's my husband's wedding invitation. Inazuma has invited the other six nations' gods to attend." Ningguang took out the invitation and handed it to Zhongli.
"Since it's an invitation from an old friend, I'll naturally attend," Zhongli replied with a smile as he accepted the invitation. "Will the two of you be part of this wedding?"
Ningguang shook her head. "This time, my husband is only forming a marital contract with the Inazuman ladies. But he's already promised us that he'll come to Liyue and host a ceremony just for us."
"Oh? That's good to hear." Zhongli nodded. "Akio may be a bit of a romantic, but he'll make a fine husband."
"Our husband cherishes us deeply. He would never mistreat us," Ningguang said with a sweet smile—the kind that only appeared when she talked about Akio.
Mora is just worldly wealth; it brings no joy to the heart. Only Akio is the true balm for their souls.
"..." Zhongli shuddered slightly at the sight of her expression.
Even a six-thousand-year-old bachelor dragon felt a chill run down his spine watching that display.
"Well, since you've answered my questions, I'll take my leave. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is busy, and sneaking away for even half a day is already pushing it." Ningguang gave Zhongli a polite bow and left with Baiwen in tow.
Zhongli watched her figure retreat into the distance, then quietly sat back down, gazing over Liyue from above as he sank into thought.
Not long after, two pale hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind. A playful voice chirped, "Guess who~?"
"Of course, it's our lively and adorable Director Hu." Zhongli smiled like a doting father. To him, Hu Tao was like his mischievous little daughter. That's why he always tolerated her antics.
"Boooring… Huh? Did the old fossil just compliment me?" Hu Tao dropped her hands and plopped down beside him. "Strange, how come Boss didn't drag you off today?"
"I was lucky enough to run into Lady Ningguang. I answered some of her questions, and as payment, she settled my tab," Zhongli replied with a chuckle.
"Hmph..." Hu Tao pouted. "You know, Zhongli, Ningguang's loaded. Why not just have all your bills go under her name from now on?"
"I don't think that would be appropriate. I'm a guest consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor now," Zhongli said, shaking his head.
"I'm gonna lose it!" Hu Tao threw her arms up like a wronged soul, dramatically waving her limbs in protest.
But after a few seconds, her expression turned curious as she looked at Zhongli. "Hey, Zhongli, I remember you once sat down to sip tea and listen to music with that guy Akio from Inazuma, right?"
"Yes, we're friends," Zhongli nodded.
"He's a god of Inazuma, and yet you managed to become friends with him? Guess you're not just some boring fossil after all." Hu Tao looked at him with a sly glint in her eye.
"Ahem..." Zhongli cleared his throat awkwardly. "Akio may be a deity, but he isn't aloof. We get along, so naturally, we became friends."
Hu Tao raised a brow but didn't comment further. Instead, she said, "By the way, I tried to pitch him some funeral parlor services, but he told me he can't die. What do you make of that?"
"..." Zhongli's lips twitched. Oh dear. Even he was reverent toward Akio, and yet Hu Tao had gone and said that to him?
"Akio is the god who governs life and death itself. Death is... indeed an impossibility for him," Zhongli explained.
"Ugh, all of you are the same. Why's everyone so scared of dying?" Hu Tao muttered.
"Hey, Zhongli, tell me more about Akio, would you?" she asked suddenly, her eyes gleaming with interest. "I want to get to know him better."
"Hm?" Zhongli's gaze grew cautious. He stared at the hopeful girl beside him and suddenly got the odd sensation that his little daughter was about to run off with some man.
"He's the god of Inazuma. What more is there to know?" Zhongli somehow produced a cup of tea, took a sip, and spoke nonchalantly.
"Oh come on, tell me~" Hu Tao pouted. "Ever since I met him last time, I've been dreaming about him non-stop. I just want to know more…"
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, and her cheeks started turning red.
Uh-oh... Though a lifelong, Zhongli still understood the signs. Wasn't this exactly what a girl looks like when she's falling in love?
Hu Tao was already sixteen—prime age for romantic awakenings—and in Liyue, that was a perfectly acceptable age for marriage. Could it be…
She'd always been loud and carefree. When had she ever looked this bashful? Zhongli suddenly felt like the daughter he'd helped raise was about to be stolen away.
"Akio, you bastard... you're really asking for it..." he cursed silently, gritting his teeth as he looked at the starry-eyed Hu Tao.
Meanwhile, far away in Inazuma, a certain someone hanging out with Jean and Lisa suddenly sneezed… and felt an ominous chill crawl up his spine.
"Akio is a big flirt. He's got loads of female admirers—goddesses, even," Zhongli said seriously.
"Oh." Hu Tao's expression didn't change. She looked straight at him and said, "He's a god, isn't he? And like you said, someone that amazing—having a lot of admirers just proves how capable he is."
"If he can get them all to get along with each other, that just means he's really powerful!"
"???" Zhongli froze for a moment, then his face darkened. "So... what exactly do you want to know?"
"Hehe, I just want to know what kind of person he is! Is he easy to get along with?" Hu Tao chattered excitedly.
Zhongli's face grew darker by the second. In the end, he let out a long sigh. "Fine, I'll tell you a bit about him."
"Yay! Go on, go on!" Hu Tao beamed.
"Akio, you absolute menace!!!" Zhongli was seething. Even six thousand years of cultivated calm couldn't save him now.
…
"Achoo…" Akio sneezed again. He rubbed his nose. "What's going on? Someone talking smack about me?"
"Maybe it's one of your bitter exes?" Lisa teased, giggling. "Or maybe our dear lover-boy ditched someone recently?"
"How could I?" Akio patted his chest righteously. "I'm a responsible, stand-up guy! That's slander! Watch it—I might sue for defamation!"
"Hehe." Lisa giggled as she took his hand. "I know, darling. You're the most responsible man there is."
"That's more like it. No slandering your darling, got it?" Akio pinched her cheek.
"Looks like I'll need to lay down some house rules," Akio said with a smirk. "Rule one: no slandering your darling. Break it, and face the punishment!"
"Oh no, whatever could the punishment be? Lisa's so scared." She pouted at him playfully.
"It's… to devour you thoroughly, of course. So I can assert my dominance as your man," Akio whispered in her ear.