Hu Tao x Reader - A Morbid Curiosity

Chapter 2: You've Been Pranked!

It had been a couple of days since Dr. Baizhu had let me live within his clinic alongside himself and Qiqi.

It wasn't an entirely charitable decision mind you, he let me spend my first day in Liyue Harbor looking around - to try and get my bearings and perhaps see if anything were to jog my memories. Unfortunately I didn't find anything of the sort...

The city itself was quite easy to navigate however, as it was all split into several districts:

1) The lowest, and closest to the sea was the actual harbour of the city, full of ships, sailors and market stalls.
2) Then came the next level up from the harbour, I've not gotten around to asking if there is an actual name for it but I've been thinking of it as the residential layer- where the majority of the residents live but also where you find the better established shops and restaurants.
3) The highest level... well, the highest level connected to the ground that is, was where all the big buildings could be found, for the more wealthy and powerful citizens of Liyue. Other than the rather pretty garden there really is no reason for me to go up there.

There was also technically another layer of Liyue Harbor, the Jade Palace. From what I understand, it's a manmade structure using these floating rocks called Plaustrite so that the whole thing hovers over the Harbor. The whole thing was due to the ambitions of this lady named Ninguang... she has a title, but I'm still learning about the leadership of this region - there are a lot of unfamiliar words!

* * *

But after the first day of getting my bearings I was then put to work joining Qiqi out in the wilds of the area searching for herbs. 

Fortunately Qiqi had made a note of all hotspots for each type of herb in her notepad. And considering I was quite a bit taller than Qiqi I was able to carry a larger bag so we could collect a lot more herbs than Qiqi usually could. I could also reach a lot of these herbs much easier... even though she was an amazingly strong climber, she could climb a completely vertical surface with little issue!

After a couple days of this I guess I had managed to end up in Qiqi's long-term memory, she stopped asking me the same questions she had the day before and I'd like to think she's warmed up to me somewhat now.

* * *

At least, she definitely liked me more than this person called Hu Tao! Occasionally Qiqi would mention this Hu Tao, them and their punchable face!

Qiqi: "I despise Hu Tao, I need cold, but she is hot-blooded. I cannot smile easily, but she cannot smile convincingly. She wants to bury me, so I wish she was dead."

Y/N: "That seems... a little much no? Why does she want to bury you?"

Qiqi: "Qiqi does not know..."

Baizhu: "Ah! There you two are! I am glad to see the two of you getting along so well."

Y/N: "Dr. Baizhu?"

Baizhu: "I have business to attend to at Monstadt, I will be gone for a few days so I will be leaving the daily duties to the two of you. Qiqi has it all written down in that delightful notebook of hers."

Qiqi: "Qiqi understands."

Baizhu: "So whilst Qiqi here manages the administration I think you would be best suited on deliveries. In fact I have one for you now: Lan, the Branch Master of Liyue's Adventurers' Guild put up a request for one of her commissions."

Y/N: "The Adventurers' Guild? Yeah... Yeah, I can do that."

Baizhu: "Excellent, I'll leave you to that then! Well, me and Changsheng will be off then. It's about time for your nightly exercises is it not Qiqi?"