After dinner.
Everyone mostly gathered in the living room.
Ningguang, Keqing, Jean, and Eula started playing mahjong.
In the first few rounds, not being familiar with the rules, Ningguang was beaten a few times.
But later on, the calculating Ningguang seemed to have activated a card-counting device, minimizing the element of luck in mahjong and elevating its difficulty to an uncharacteristically high level.
Leaving Keqing and the others sweating profusely.
Amber, with Klee and Diona, laid out a layer of foam mats on the floor, and the few of them played with Lego blocks, with joyous laughter occasionally echoing.
Lumine was reading manga, and Paimon was eating.
Lisa was applying her beauty mask, while Mona, as it was nighttime, was observing the stars from a temple in a mountainous area via a Teleport Waypoint.
Ganyu and Shenhe, the master and disciple pair, had basically nothing to do, so they accompanied Jack out.
As for Jack.
He was preparing to build a hot spring.
He had wanted to do it ever since the last time in Dragonspine, but there had been many things happening recently, so he only had time to do it now that he was free.
Fortunately, MC's physics rules could make Newton turn over in his grave countless times, so there was no need to consider stability factors like mortise and tenon joints.
Soon, a wooden hot spring house full of ancient charm was built.
"Good work. All that's left is to put in the water temperature adjustment device, and it can be put into practical use as early as tomorrow."
"A hot spring, huh? The last time I remember soaking in a hot spring was when Sister Yae took me during a business trip to Inazuma. It feels like a hundred years have passed already."
Ganyu said with a hint of emotion.
"Not bad, you're able to face your age now. It seems that knowing we are all long-lived species has greatly alleviated your sense of self-imposed loneliness, Ganyu."
"Mm-hmm, it's really comforting to have a group of companions who can spend a long time together!"
Ganyu clasped her hands together and said very earnestly.
Shenhe tilted her head, deep in thought.
"By the way, Jack, did you only build one hot spring?"
Ganyu looked left and right, not finding any partitions or similar structures. This was very different from the hot springs she had seen in Inazuma.
"What, Ganyu wants a private bathing room? Sure, I'll add one for you later."
"No, no, it's not that."
Ganyu waved her hand.
"That… isn't the Anemo Archon helping us maintain the alchemy equipment? Plus, there are male apostles like Diluc. They probably also need a similar place to relax, right?"
"Uh… I forgot about Venti until you mentioned it. Wait, did we forget to call him for dinner just now?"
Ganyu awkwardly lowered her head.
Jack coughed twice, and everyone tacitly skipped the topic.
"Continuing with the relaxation and entertainment venues from before, Diluc's focus is still on Teyvat. After all, MC can do without a high-level fighter, but Mondstadt cannot be without its Darknight Hero. Without Diluc, Jean's face would probably have a lot more wrinkles. Until the next successor of the Knights of Favonius appears, he'll probably have to stay there."
"As for Venti, a dignified Anemo Archon shouldn't mind a little spiritual fatigue. If worst comes to worst, he can take a bath in the waterfall and giant lake, can't he?"
Ganyu was shocked by his answer.
How terrifying! Is Traveler so harsh on men?
Recalling that she and the others not only lived in good places, had facilities to enjoy, could receive rain and dew, and also had a fixed monthly offering (world coin).
She suddenly felt a little ashamed.
"Thinking too much again, aren't you?"
Jack pinched Ganyu's fleshy horns.
"But speaking of Venti, this afternoon, because of him, I gained some authority over Teyvat. I wonder if I can now place a Teleport Waypoint in Mondstadt."
"I'm planning to go back to Teyvat to try it out later. Do you want to come?"
"I do!"
Shenhe answered quickly.
"I, I too."
Ganyu also followed closely.
"Alright, we'll go to Mondstadt to deliver dinner to a certain working Anemo Archon."
...
"Achoo!"
Entara Territory, Villagers' gathering place.
On the rooftop of a factory building in the industrial zone in the northeast corner.
Venti suddenly sneezed.
"Who is it? Cursing me, or thinking of me?"
Ever since arriving in this world, Venti's ability to perceive messages through the wind had become ineffective, so he couldn't determine where this divine sneeze premonition came from.
This made him feel an uncomfortable sense of deafness.
"But it's also quite nice to occasionally be an ordinary person. No need to worry about enemies hiding in the dark, and no need to manage the defecation and urination of millions of people. One person, light, easy, and free, how wonderful~"
Clang! Hiss! —
The sound of machinery stopping echoed.
Venti reflexively sprang up like a carp, then his face soured, "Albedo is really something. Can't he set the machine noise a bit lower? And it needs to be recharged every three hours, that's too inhumane."
Jumping off the roof.
Before Venti could continue working, a tempting aroma wafted from behind him.
It was wine!!
Venti's eyes flashed with brilliance, staring intently at Jack approaching him… and the red package in his hand.
"Such mellow, strong wine, Traveler, have you come to bring me wine?"
"Yes, I forgot to call you for dinner, so this is an apology. Given your temperament, wine alone can probably serve as dinner, right?"
"Hehe, Traveler truly understands me."
Venti happily took the package.
Jack also smiled.
One must be both benevolent and firm with subordinates.
Moreover, Venti was not just a subordinate, but also a friend, an elder with unique wisdom.
Although he would occasionally tease this Anemo Archon when joking or being mischievous, Venti had guarded Mondstadt alone for so many years, so a bit of inexpensive fine wine was certainly worth the respect.
Venti hastily tore open the packaging box and pulled out a white porcelain bottle.
He instinctively opened the bottle cap and sniffed the aroma of the wine that went straight to his head, feeling all the pores in his body open up.
"Good wine! What's its name!"
"It's a wine from my hometown called Flying Fairy Maotai, but I'm used to calling it Sauce-Flavored Erguotou, because besides being a bit more fragrant, its price is the same as Erguotou."
Venti automatically filtered out the second, somewhat common name.
"Naming it Flying Fairy is truly fitting; just smelling this makes me feel like I'm about to ascend!"
"No… I mean it's called Sauce-Flavored Er…"
"Traveler! Are you really not considering seeing my older sister's transformed appearance? You never know if you might find her attractive~"
Before Jack could finish speaking.
Venti began his reckless behavior again.
One sentence.
It was met with glares from three people, and a Calamity Queller.
"Stop, stop, stop! Heroine, please put down your spear, let's talk it out, let's talk it out."
Venti was breaking out in a cold sweat.
He couldn't help but panic.
Shenhe, as a dedicated Cryo support, wielded the Calamity Queller, which had the highest base ATK in the entire game, pushing her attack power directly to over three thousand, almost four thousand.
The external manifestation was that, in terms of normal attacks, it was at least as much as two Dilucs combined.
"Serves you right for being so talkative. Shenhe isn't as easy to talk to as I am; you'd best pray for yourself."
Jack pulled Ganyu's hand and walked to the side to watch the show.
Then Shenhe, as if the red ropes binding her had been untied, a red light flashed in her eyes, and she directly attacked the Anemo Archon.
"Hey, hey! You can hit me! But don't hit the wine!!"
Venti jumped and darted around like a monkey.
Even so, he still protected the fragile porcelain bottle in his hand, lest it be accidentally hit by the ice shards released by Shenhe.
Jack shook his head.
"This drunkard is truly hopeless!"
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