Almost reflexively, Shao Yun drew his revolver—so fast it didn't even require him to consciously activate the Deadeye. In a flash, the hammer was cocked, and the barrel was aimed squarely between Lisa's eyebrows.
Lisa flinched in surprise. To her, it felt like Shao Yun had drawn his weapon in the blink of an eye. If he had truly been an enemy and fired, she wouldn't have had the time to dodge—or even react. She'd be dead.
Despite this, Lisa's composure held. Her heartbeat quickened, but her expression remained calm. She knew she wasn't an enemy—Shao Yun must've just reacted instinctively to her ambiguous words.
With a slight pout, Lisa leaned in closer, her sultry gaze tinged with a playful scold. She gently traced her finger along the barrel of his revolver.
"You really can't take a tease. Pointing a weapon at a lady? That's so ungentlemanly."
Shao Yun's heart skipped. He snapped out of it, realizing what he had just done. His reaction had been completely subconscious.
Embarrassed by his overreaction, he quickly released the hammer and holstered the revolver, offering an immediate apology.
"Sorry, Lisa. I was a little… jumpy just now."
He rubbed his lips, trying to play it off, adding a weak excuse. He couldn't risk letting anything slip—if the story veered too far off course, it could derail the whole plot.
"And... I don't know what you were talking about. Angel's Share? Never heard of it."
It was a flimsy lie—and Lisa wasn't buying it. If he didn't know what Angel's Share was, then why draw the gun?
She rolled her eyes at him—a rare gesture from Lisa. Still, she was too curious to drop the matter.
Lisa pushed Shao Yun gently back into his seat, resting both hands on his shoulders, leaning close enough for her breath to tickle his ear.
"You don't need to hide anything. We're on the same side. This morning, Master Diluc from Dawn Winery snuck into Acting Grand Master Jean's office. Must be about the missing Holy Lyre der Himmel, right?"
Sensing Shao Yun's tension, she kept her tone steady.
"Relax. I'm just curious. What could the former cavalry captain possibly want from our acting grand master?"
She tilted her head, her voice teasing again.
"Could it be… Diluc wants to date Jean? Come on, the Gunnhildr and Ragnvindr families—talk about a perfect match. Talented, beautiful… it's like they were made for each other."
To avoid trouble, Shao Yun played along with the joke and confirmed the fictional romance.
"You're absolutely right. I even heard he's taking her to the Whispering Cape to confess."
From what he knew, Jean was just a romantic at heart. Having a crush on someone like Diluc—her senior and a model citizen—wouldn't be unusual.
Lisa blinked, stunned. She had only been joking—but now Shao Yun had turned it into a full-blown love story. If that rumor got out, Jean would cancel every afternoon tea they ever had in fury.
"I told you, you didn't need to be so tense. I already know most of it."
Lisa tried to steer the conversation back, hoping to coax more from Shao Yun.
"If you already know, then why ask me?"
That shut her up. She hadn't expected him to be such a tough nut to crack. He was acting like state secrets were on the line.
"Ugh… you're no fun."
She tapped his cheek with a finger, pouting exaggeratedly.
"You eat my food and still keep everything from me? That's just stingy."
Shao Yun was speechless. All that for some tea and cake? Was the dessert made of gold? Was the tea brewed from money leaves?
"I thought the tea was repayment for the potion I gave you."
Lisa scoffed. Did he really think she was that petty?
"What? Your potion was way more valuable. You think I'd offer a few snacks as payment for that?"
Shao Yun perked up. Was she really going to give him something valuable—maybe a new outfit?
"So, what's the real gift then, Miss Lisa?"
His eyes sparkled with anticipation. He only had the sharpshooter outfit on him right now—great stats, but a bit… plain. One more set wouldn't hurt.
Lisa massaged his shoulders and replied confidently:
"Not so fast. Let's talk about something else first."
Shao Yun wasn't sure what she was planning, but that gift was his priority. That potion wasn't cheap.
"Alright, talk. What's on your mind?"
Lisa took a breath, leaned in close to his ear, and said clearly:
"You're not from this world, are you?"
She didn't expect any explosive reaction. And indeed, Shao Yun's expression didn't shift. Instead, he laughed.
"Hahaha—my goodness, Miss Lisa. I didn't know you had such an imagination!"
Watching him laugh so nonchalantly, Lisa frowned slightly and pulled out the potion from yesterday, waving it in front of his face.
"This potion's ingredients… not a single one is native to Teyvat. So just admit it, you're not from here."
Shao Yun remained calm, a slight smile playing on his lips, like he didn't even understand what she was talking about.
"My ancestors were from Fontaine. I spent some time in Liyue when I was a kid. Since then, I've been wandering."
He pointed at the potion in her hand.
"As for the potion, I got it from an old man named William. I helped him find some rare herbs, and this was my reward. He calls himself a botanist. Maybe he knows things you don't—plants you've never seen."
He added quickly:
"I'm not questioning your education, Miss Lisa. I know you're incredibly knowledgeable. But knowledge has no bounds, right? There's always someone out there who knows more. Maybe that potion is from Teyvat, just using ingredients you've never encountered."
He didn't flinch or stumble the entire time, keeping his tone and expression steady. Lisa, for a moment, almost believed him.
What he said did make logical sense. Even if it was a lie, it was airtight.
Lisa sighed, her expression turning complicated. The soft smile on her lips faded into a flat line.
"You're a hell of a liar, Shao Yun. I didn't feel even a flicker of emotion."
"That's because I'm telling the truth."
Lisa huffed and turned toward the bookshelves. She started scanning for something.
"My friend, the lovely Miss Alice, once visited another world. To witches, other worlds aren't taboo. We find them fascinating. Just like how Mondstadters love wine and wonder why Liyue people are obsessed with tea."
Her fingers traced along the spines of the books, searching for the one she'd shelved the day before.
"Let me think… where was it?"
Suddenly, her fingers paused. Her eyes lit up. She carefully pulled a beautifully bound book from the shelf.
"Found it!"
Cradling it with care, she returned to Shao Yun and held it out.
"Here. Read this."
The book was exquisite—gilded lettering on the cover, finely pressed spine, reinforced corners. It had both elegance and durability.
"Chronicles of Another World?"
Shao Yun looked at the title. Wasn't this a three-star "filler" book? He never expected it to be this ornate.
He flipped through. The story told of an ordinary man who died and woke up in another world—one full of dangers, mechanical beasts, and advanced technology. People could heat homes and light up the night with a flick of a finger.
…
"It's a great story, but it's just fiction. Doesn't prove anything."
Trying to use a novel as evidence he was from another world? Come on.
Lisa, however, pointed at the book with conviction.
"This is Alice's personal experience. She only edited it a little—changed the main character to third person. It's real."
True or not, Shao Yun had already decided to deny everything. As long as he didn't admit it, nothing could be proven.
"Miss Alice must be a brilliant writer. To imagine all this—she's clearly gifted."
Lisa was almost impressed by how smoothly he dodged every question.
"You really are a genius at playing dumb." She sighed, finally giving up.
"Fine. You're not a threat. If you won't say it, I won't pry."
She'd pieced most of it together anyway—but if he refused to confirm, there wasn't much more she could do.
Shao Yun looked at the book again. Honestly, it would make a perfect gift for Paimon.
"Can I have this book?"
Before the words were fully out, Lisa had already snatched it back and returned it to the shelf.
"Nope. Library books aren't gifts. You can borrow it—but it must be returned."
Worth a try. He could always buy a regular copy elsewhere. Maybe not deluxe, but good enough.
Shao Yun stood. This time, he really needed to leave.
"Alright, thanks again for the tea. But I really should be going—I promised Lumine I'd cook tonight."
It was just a cover story. In truth, he still didn't want Lisa tying any of this to the Angel's Share plan.
"Wait. I haven't given you your thank-you gift yet."
Lisa called out, stopping him just in time.
Oh right. He looked back with renewed anticipation. "So what is it?"
Lisa walked to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a carefully wrapped pendant.
"This was my good luck charm back in my student days. I wore it every time I brewed potions—and they always turned out perfectly. I think it might come in handy for you."
Shao Yun took the pendant, and a window popped up in his vision.
[Lisa's Alchemical Charm:Doubles harvest yield when picking herbs.Special Effect: Reveals exotic, non-Teyvat plants that only the user can collect for use in potion-making.]
Nice. This would definitely save time—and the effect was a rare one.
He'd been wondering what to do when his potion stash ran out. Now he had a sustainable source. Jackpot.
"Thanks. This is… a really valuable gift." He carefully tucked the charm into his pack.
Lisa hadn't expected him to appreciate it so much. The item wasn't particularly useful in combat—but its sentimental value was high. She'd been worried he might find it underwhelming.
"I thought you'd call it 'cheap' or something. But since you like it so much, you'd better take good care of it."
If Shao Yun could read her mind, he'd probably laugh. Practicality aside, it was a one-of-a-kind keepsake. How could he possibly dislike it?
With the gift safely stored, Shao Yun stepped back with a slight bow, his right foot sliding behind, body angled forward.
"I'll take good care of it. Until next time, Miss Lisa."