["Mr. Zhongli, don't you want to know why those little pests showed up?"]
[Zhongli gave you a knowing look.]
["Liyue is full of secrets. There's no need to dig into every single one. I know you bear no ill will toward Liyue, Mr. Kael, and that's enough for me."]
[You smiled faintly, lifted your cup, and drained the wine in one go.]
[You and Zhongli sat quietly in the courtyard, drinking together until the sky began to pale and the moon gradually faded from view.]
[You stood up from your chair.]
["Thank you for the wine. I hope we'll have another chance to admire the moon together in the future."]
[Zhongli raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning in his eyes.]
["It seems you've already made your decision?"]
[You didn't answer him, leaving behind only a lonely silhouette as you walked away.]
[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was no longer the best place for you to hide.]
[The assassins would only come more frequently, and their attacks would grow more vicious.]
[You should not stay here selfishly, clinging to that small warmth.]
[Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had fulfilled the final wishes of countless departed and brought solace to their families. It was a sacred place.]
[Yet your own intentions were tainted. You had taken advantage of others' suffering and pried into too many secrets.]
[It was time to leave Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and return this place to its peace.]
[You went to Hu Tao to resign from your position.]
[As expected, her reaction was intense.]
["No! You can't!"]
[Hu Tao snatched the luggage from your hands and hugged it tightly to her chest.]
["You've been doing just fine at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Why do you have to leave? You're our most senior undertaker. Without you, we can't even hold many of our funerals!"]
[You forced yourself to put on a cold expression.]
["I've accepted Miss Yelan's invitation. I'm going to work at Yanshang Teahouse."]
["Yelan, Yelan, Yelan! It's always Yelan!"]
[Hu Tao shouted angrily.]
["I already felt something was wrong when you sent Chenxi over there! You must've been bewitched by her!"]
["Your Talent is so rare. You were born for Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Why go to some stupid teahouse instead!"]
[Hu Tao's eyes turned fragile.]
["You… did you… fall for her?"]
[You lowered your gaze and didn't answer.]
[Hu Tao took it as confirmation. Tears immediately filled her eyes.]
["I knew it…"]
["Liar… You promised you'd wait for me to grow up. You promised you'd like me… You big liar…"]
[No.]
[I didn't lie to you.]
[I really do like you.]
[But… I know how important Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is to you.]
[Before I hurt the place you love most, I have to leave…]
[Your heart ached, yet you still stepped forward, trying to pull the luggage from Hu Tao's arms.]
[She held on too tightly. No matter how many times you tried, you couldn't free it.]
[Hu Tao looked at you, tears falling like beads from a broken string.]
["Kael… please don't go, okay?"]
["I won't bother you anymore. I won't force you to like me anymore…"]
["Could you please not leave Wangsheng Funeral Parlor…"]
[To Hu Tao, you were not just someone she liked.]
[You had grown up with her, stayed by her side through the hardest days after her grandfather passed away.]
[In her heart, you were her only friend, her closest friend, her pillar of support.]
[She relied on you completely.]
[If you were gone, she didn't know how she was supposed to live from then on.]
[Even if you never came to like her, that was fine.]
[As long as she could see you every day and talk to you, that would be enough…]
[Hearing Hu Tao's plea felt like knives carving into your heart.]
[That lively, mischievous Hu Tao was speaking to you in such a voice.]
[How could you not be shaken?]
[Just as you were about to lose control and wipe the tears from her face, a voice snapped you back to your senses.]
["Director, since Mr. Kael has already made his decision, you should respect his wishes."]
[Zhongli walked in at an unhurried pace.]
["He does not belong to you. Forcing him to stay would only leave resentment behind in the end."]
[At Zhongli's words, Hu Tao's strength gave out. She loosened her grip and let the luggage fall.]
[You nodded gratefully to Zhongli.]
[It was a good thing he had appeared. Otherwise, you might have stayed at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor out of weakness, just for Hu Tao.]
["I'm leaving. I'll have to trouble you to look after Wangsheng Funeral Parlor from now on…"]
[You said this to Zhongli, only to be cut off by Hu Tao's tear-choked voice.]
["If you're leaving, then don't worry about me anymore! From now on, everything about me and Wangsheng Funeral Parlor has nothing to do with you!"]
[After saying that, Hu Tao turned and ran away.]
[Tears scattered across the ground as she fled, leaving faint marks behind.]
[When it came to you working at Yanshang Teahouse, Yelan showed tremendous enthusiasm.]
["We're honored that you're willing to stay at Yanshang Teahouse."]
[Yelan looked at you with concern.]
["I was worried about your safety, Mr. Kael. You're a Fatui defector now, and the bounty on your head has reached an astronomical level."]
["Only by staying at Yanshang Teahouse can I better protect you."]
[You sneered inwardly.]
[If she truly wanted to protect you, then why, after so many assassination attempts, had you never once seen her subordinates?]
[A hypocritical woman.]
[Having just parted with Hu Tao, your mood was terrible. You had no interest in playing along with Yelan's false politeness.]
[You shut the door without hesitation, blocking her outside.]
[Yelan was long accustomed to your coldness. Looking at the closed door, she didn't mind at all. Instead, a satisfied smile curved her lips.]
[At last, she had taken another step closer to you.]
[She walked through Yanshang Teahouse and softly instructed a subordinate who was sweeping nearby.]
["You can recall the people we placed around Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."]
[Now that her goal had been achieved, there was no need to waste manpower there any longer.]
[Because Yelan was an agent, you had always harbored suspicion and prejudice toward her. Because of that, you missed certain details.]
[In truth, the moment your bounty appeared on Liyue's underground market, she immediately stationed people near Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to keep constant watch over you.]
[Your safety had always been under her control.]
[Any assassin allowed to appear before you had already been assessed by her.]
[She knew they could never truly harm you, which was why she permitted them to show themselves.]
[The purpose was to force you to leave Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.]
[Once you left it, Yanshang Teahouse would become your final, and only, choice.]
[Yelan rolled the dice in her hand and smiled faintly.]
[Who said gambling relied solely on luck?]
[With enough brains and the right methods, one could stand undefeated as well.]
[Yelan gently pressed a kiss to the dice in her palm, her expression devout, as if she were kissing a lover.]
[She would be the final victor.]