Judging by the weight, there was a decent amount of Mora in the pouch.
Just how much exactly—she didn't know.
Hu Tao looped the pouch's drawstring around her finger and spun it lazily, an amused look on her face as she watched the show unfold.
Let's see how long it takes for Jiang Bai to realize the Mora he's looking for is right here in my hand.
Sure enough, Jiang Bai rummaged through the room like a man possessed, flipping drawers and digging through corners, nearly prying up the floorboards… and never once glanced in her direction. Naturally, he didn't notice that she was openly holding the money pouch in full view.
Hu Tao was speechless. What's this called again? Missing fortune right under your nose?
She plucked a single Mora from the pouch and flicked it upward with her thumb. It landed on the floor with a crisp, metallic clink.
That bright little chime finally caught Jiang Bai's attention. His eyes snapped toward the sound, then trailed up from the coin to the feet behind it, and slowly rose until he finally saw the pouch in Hu Tao's hand.
Hu Tao stared at him with a blank expression and half-lidded eyes, clearly unimpressed.
Jiang Bai's face froze for a beat—then cracked into a sheepish grin.
It had the distinct look of I've just been caught red-handed.
"Uh, Director… that pouch…"
"You mean this one?" Hu Tao twirled the pouch in her fingers again, tone dripping with mock innocence. "I saw it the moment we walked in. It was under the pillow. What, is this what you were searching so hard for just now?"
Jiang Bai wanted to kick himself.
He'd walked in and immediately fixated on the locked chest. That obvious distraction had completely thrown him off… and Hu Tao had swooped in and taken it from under his nose.
Though he was silently cursing his luck, his face remained all smiles.
He sidled up to her, totally unfazed, and launched into an expertly delivered flurry of flattery:
"As expected of Director! Such sharp eyes! I searched this whole room and missed it completely—and it was right under the pillow! My skills are clearly lacking… I should really just rely on you, Director!"
Flattery—done well—always goes down smooth. Hu Tao, like anyone else, wasn't immune.
She crossed her arms and named her price. "Ten free hair washes."
Seeing her relaxed attitude, Jiang Bai knew he had a shot. He agreed immediately.
"No problem, no problem!"
With a carefree flick, Hu Tao tossed him the pouch.
She didn't care about this little bit of Mora—she had no interest in Cartis' leftover belongings.
Besides, this was simply Jiang Bai receiving a "thank you gift" as part of his job. Situations like this would come up again in the future.
Being a spirit guide was no easy profession, and the salary at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, frankly, wasn't amazing.
As long as the compensation came through legitimate means, didn't violate Wangsheng's internal rules, and didn't break any contractual obligations, a little "side income" was perfectly acceptable.
As for why she'd taken half of his previous reward—that had been partly a punishment. Jiang Bai had, after all, impulsively agreed to destroy the Nail of Cold Sky without thinking through the consequences.
The other part was… well, watching his miserable expression had been pretty fun.
Their current business was still in its infancy, and it had already taken a hefty amount of capital to get it off the ground. Even with Wangsheng's deep coffers, it hadn't been easy.
Sure, commissions might be low now, but once their reputation spread and things picked up, Jiang Bai would be well taken care of.
Just look at Zhongli's spending habits—Wangsheng Parlor never shortchanged its own people.
Jiang Bai was genuinely moved. He'd misjudged her—again.
The Director isn't stingy. Not even close!
"You're the best, Director!"
Hu Tao put her hands on her hips and feigned a scolding look. "So if I give you money, I'm the best. But if I don't, I'm not, huh?"
"Of course not!"
Jiang Bai casually placed both hands on her shoulders and started massaging them while laying on the praise thick.
"You're always the best, Director! Without you, there'd be no Jiang Bai the Soul Guide. Your kindness and generosity are beyond words—I can only repay you by—"
"Okay, okay! Enough!" Hu Tao quickly cut him off, arms crossed in a giant 'X.'
"Save the bootlicking. Let's get back to business."
"…Oh."
Jiang Bai had been about to say something poetic about working hard in the future, but now had to swallow his words.
He let go and turned to leave the room, planning to talk to Bennett—but after taking two steps, he paused, twisted around in a ridiculously flexible pose, and leaned close to peer curiously at Hu Tao's face.
"Director, why's your face a little red? Is it too stuffy in here?"
The moment he said that, Hu Tao sprang up and smacked him on the head.
"If you knew it was stuffy, why didn't you open a window? Trying to suffocate your Director, huh?"
Jiang Bai rubbed his head and shuffled over to open the window. "Okaaay…"
Geez, I was just concerned. No need to go nuclear.
A breeze flowed in, clearing the air. The heat faded, and the faint flush on Hu Tao's cheeks quickly disappeared.
A little ghost spirit peeked out from inside her, tilting its head in confusion.
Hu Tao, clearly annoyed, grabbed it by the tail—like she was yanking someone's ear—and gave it a firm tug. With a soft pop, the ghost went sailing away.
By the time Jiang Bai returned to the living room, Bennett had finished tidying up. The place was practically sparkling.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Bennett asked.
Jiang Bai handed him the house key. "Yeah. And the wind's picking up outside—let's go scatter his ashes into Cider Lake."
Bennett nodded hard. "Right."
His eyes were still red, but he was doing his best to hold back the sadness.
He left Cartis' belongings in the house, carrying only the urn as he walked out the door. Jiang Bai and Hu Tao followed behind.
"Cider Lake's right in front of Mondstadt. I'll take you there."
It should've been a straightforward walk. Just a peaceful farewell.
Instead, in the span of a short walk, Jiang Bai watched in utter disbelief as Bennett was:
– hit twice by flying pebbles from who-knows-where,
– smacked three times in the face by wind-blown newspapers,
– tripped twice over bricks,
– and nearly managed to faceplant on flat, open ground.
It was like watching someone reenact the hardships of the Journey to the West—on an otherwise smooth, well-paved road.
Thankfully, through it all, Bennett cradled the urn protectively, never letting it get bumped or scratched.
Jiang Bai and Hu Tao exchanged a long look, both silently wondering: Is it really a good idea to let Bennett be the one to scatter the ashes?
Once they reached the city gates, Bennett scratched his head, embarrassed. "Sorry… I've always had terrible luck. At least I didn't drag you into it…"
Jiang Bai wasn't so sure anymore. This can't be just bad luck, can it?
He leaned over and whispered to Hu Tao, "Director… you think he's cursed or something?"
"Could be. Let me check."
Hu Tao cast an Open Eyes spell and examined Bennett.
But there was nothing. No lingering spirits, no malicious auras. Nothing abnormal at all.
She shrugged. "Nope. He's just genuinely unlucky."
---
T/N: HEHE FLUSTERED?