By the stove, Guoba looked tearfully at the Sakura Mochi in Xiangling's hand. He'd forgotten that Su Bai had given Xiangling some before, and Xiangling loved them too. In a moment of inattention, Xiangling had snatched away all the cookies.
"Mmm~ The taste is really wonderful. If I ever get to go to Inazuma, I must visit the young lady of the Kamisato Clan and ask her how she makes such delicious cookies. Mine always seem to be missing something."
"Lumine, you try one too."
Xiangling picked up a cookie and stuffed it into Lumine's mouth as she was washing vegetables. A delicate sakura flavor mixed with a hint of sweetness burst open in Lumine's mouth. Having not tasted such a delicacy in a long time, Lumine slightly narrowed her eyes. Perhaps she knew what Xiangling was missing.
"Xiangling, you've never been in love, have you?"
"In love? Huh?! Me? I-I haven't met anyone I like yet."
Lumine's words made Xiangling's hand, busy chopping vegetables, tremble, nearly slicing her finger. The innocent Xiangling was still in a state of ignorance regarding matters of love and romance. Lumine's words directly painted Xiangling's face a shade of red.
"What does cooking have to do with being in love? Don't trick me, Lumine."
"Tsk, Xiangling's blushing. These Sakura Mochi are infused with the unrequited feelings of a certain young maiden. If you, Xiangling, had someone you liked, you could definitely make cookies like these too."
Lumine snatched two more cookies from Xiangling's arms and stuffed them into her mouth. The youthful, budding affection within the cookies reminded Lumine of her own younger days. Back then, I didn't have a sweet romance; I just spent all my time trying to find a partner for my brother. Thinking about it now, I regret it so much, wuwu...
She wondered how her brother was doing lately. Would he be somewhere in Teyvat, waiting for her to rescue him? She wondered if he was bored.
Xiangling, her face burning from Lumine's teasing, splashed cold water on her face to try and calm down. Guoba, who had been protesting Xiangling's cookie-snatching banditry, was caught off guard and got a face-full of the cold water.
"Lu-lu-lu!"
Drenched, Guoba felt his life was bleak. No cookies to eat, and a headful of cold water from Xiangling. Today was just too unlucky for him.
Guoba slumped to the ground. Tired. Let the world end. Even if a Sakura Mochi appeared before him now, he probably wouldn't get up.
Wait... Sakura Mochi? Why was a Sakura Mochi floating in front of him? Was this a gift from the heavens? Guoba jolted up from the ground, stretching out his little paws to grab the cookie floating in mid-air.
But every time Guoba reached out, the cookie would float a bit higher. When Guoba lowered his hand, the cookie would descend again.
Simple-minded Guoba wasn't about to give up on this cookie that was practically at his mouth. He found some rocks to stand on, stood on tiptoe, stretching his legs unsteadily, trying to hook the Sakura Mochi in the air.
The mastermind behind all this, Paimon, giggled happily at Guoba's adorably silly actions. First, Lumine used a fishing rod to 'fish' for Paimon; now Paimon uses a fishing rod to 'fish' for Guoba. This did satisfy Paimon's fishing dreams somewhat.
Paimon, still giggling, suddenly felt a heavy weight on the tip of her fishing rod. Before she could let go, the leaping Guoba yanked her down from the sky, and she landed heavily on Guoba's back.
"Lu-lu-lu~"
Having gotten the Sakura Mochi, Guoba hummed an unknown tune happily. This infuriated Paimon on his back. That Sakura Mochi was the last one from Su Bai's stash. Once it was gone, there were no more.
"Su Bai..."
Paimon flew to Su Bai's side, hugging his arm and starting to whine again. Su Bai could only shrug. Aside from the few pieces reserved for Diona, there really were none left.
"What are you all doing over there? Su Bai, if you know Mr. Draff, go call him out quickly. I've finished my dish; how come the judge isn't out yet?"
Xiangling placed a plate on the table. The scent of Sweet Flowers and fowl instantly attracted Paimon. Auntie Brook, not to be outdone, also brought her Sweet Madame to the table.
For a moment, the aroma of Sweet Madame filled all of Springvale. Many hunters picked up their bows, ready to hunt a few pigeons to satisfy their cravings.
Accompanied by this fragrance, the door to Diona's house was kicked open with force. Diona walked out, her face dark.
"What's wrong, little Diona? You look unhappy. Where's your father? Have him come out and taste who made the better dish, me or the chef from Liyue."
Auntie Brook was very confident in her culinary skills. Diona's face grew even darker at her question. After a moment of silence, she ground out through clenched teeth:
"My father and my ancestor are drunk inside, swearing brotherhood. You'd better not disturb them."
"Swearing brotherhood? Well, we really shouldn't disturb that... Wait, what? Swearing brotherhood? Is your family that... flexible about generational hierarchy?"
Su Bai was shocked by Diona's words. In Liyue, generational hierarchy was very important. He had personally witnessed a man in his thirties or forties greeting a child of eight or nine. (I once wished a Happy New Year to a six-year-old maternal uncle... and then the little uncle generously gave me all his New Year's money. Ehe.)
"Forget about them. Big Fox, didn't you say you're an adeptus? Then you be the judge. I'm going to prepare hangover soup for them."
Everyone looked at each other, dumbfounded. This situation was unheard of, not just for them, but even for Lumine, an 'ancient one' who had lived who-knows-how-many years.
"Um, how about we all taste it together? After eating, everyone should just go home. I have a feeling if we stay any longer, Mr. Draff might drag us into swearing brotherhood too."
As it turned out, sometimes a premonition coming true isn't necessarily a case of a crow's mouth; it could also be a fox's mouth. No sooner had Su Bai said this than Draff stumbled drunkenly out of the house. Seeing Su Bai still at his doorstep, he grabbed Su Bai, wanting to pull him inside to swear brotherhood.
"Me and Sir Su Bai are like that Liyue saying... we hit it off at first sight! Today, Sir Su Bai, let us drink a cup together and become sworn brothers!"
"Father! You let go of the Big Fox! If you swear brotherhood with him, wouldn't that make me lower than him? How am I supposed to play with the Big Fox in the future?"
Su Bai admitted, the moment Diona said that, his heart stirred. If I become sworn brothers with Mr. Draff, then Diona would become my niece. Then I could bully her as much as I want, stroke her tail whenever I please...
But in the end, reason prevailed over the wicked thoughts in his heart. To prevent the drunken Draff from dragging him into swearing brotherhood again, Su Bai said goodbye to Xiangling and the others and left Springvale directly.
"Mr. Draff's drinking manners are... truly something else."
Arriving in Mondstadt city, Su Bai sighed toward the Cat's Tail tavern. Now I finally understand why Diona hates alcohol so much. With a father who has such poor drinking etiquette, even if Diona inherited the Katzlein love for drink, she probably wouldn't touch a drop.
"Sir Su Bai, this is from Master Diluc."
"Diluc? What is it, so secretive?"
Su Bai opened the sealed envelope. The few brief lines inside made his head spin. He, a full-fledged Liyue adeptus, had his home... vandalized?
"Damn it! The Lawrence Clan, is it? Last time Eula saved your skins, and now you dare to mess with me? Fine. Today, I'll test out Inazuman curses on you lot."
"I think you Lawrences are truly dancing on the edge of a cliff. Your good days are over."
"Master Diluc also asked me to relay a message. He said, apart from Eula, there are no good people in the Lawrence Clan. He asked Sir Su Bai not to hold back."