CHONGYUN X HU TAO || OF STORMS & SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS, OF FLAMES & FROST

wangshu inn?

Verr Goldet sighed, her ancient armchair creaking dolefully as she leaned back. Acting out of instinct, she pet Wei, as the cat-shaped annoyance jumped up and curled up in her lap immediately, his claws unsheathed. Little brat.

She couldn't really blame him for going straight to any heat source, though. Not this night.

There wasn't a weak, barely-there chill in the air tonight. No, it was downright freezing, the frost seeping deep into her bones even with the fireplace crackling merrily nearby.

And the behemoth of a storm raging outside certainly didn't help matters. Intermittent flashes of lightning and the never-ending torrents of icy rain would be all she'd have to accompany her through this long, lonely night. The inn shook and creaked balefully as the rain and hail slammed onto its tiled roof, but she didn't let it bother her - the building would hold. It always had and it always would.

She leafed through her ledgers with a critical eye, begrudgingly relaxing in her seat and trying to ignore the chill in the air. Huai'an was asleep, and while he really did deserve it - her husband had been awake for almost two days straight, serving the unprecedented rush of customers whilst she was in Liyue for an urgent meeting with the Tianquan - she did wish she could wake him up to join her.

She closed her eyes after a few moments, finishing up her calculations and leaning even further back in her seat as she stroked Wei's velvety fur. The night was making out to be even longer than she'd originally expected. If she was telling the truth, she really would have liked to sleep in herself, but sadly, no one else was available to take over the night shift. Shihua had already headed out to meet his family as he'd planned - poor man, she wondered where he was taking refuge from this storm - Xi, Yuhua, and Qiang were otherwise unavailable, and she didn't let Yanxiao do customer greetings, as a general rule.

And as for her husband, well, he's passed out in their bed because the poor man doesn't know to delegate at all, instead just doing every single task on his own until he crashes. She doesn't know how many times she's tried to put some sense in that thick skull of his, but he still thought he could shoulder the world on his own anyways. Still, she loved him, and wished he could be awake - and perhaps make this night a little less boring.

No matter. There would always be other days. Besides, she should be a little more happy - this had to be a record for the inn. Even if they're funded entirely by the Qixing, this is still possibly the most mora they've ever made in a single night!

Tonight, only seven single-bed rooms were left empty, out of the two hundred and seventy three that carefully wound around the tree's massive trunk, each room masterfully built. An unexpected party of adventurers here, a travelling family or three there, and what with the spring rush and the rapidly approaching storm... well, she honestly can't remember the last time the inn was at the point that they might have to use the rooms reserved for the Qixing for any strays wandering in.

But even with that many occupants, the building was still eerily quiet. Not a breath to be heard apart from her own, not a sound to be heard other than nature's rage, as she sat alone in the foyer. Patiently, she awaited any midnight travelers, eager to escape the frigid rain showers.

If any did come, she would find a place for them, but internally, she didn't expect anyone to join her tonight. The rain was overpowering, pouring mercilessly for hours - you'd have to be incredibly stupid or just plain blind to not have taken shelter already.

Faint, bickering voices wisped into the room past the entrance, almost drowned out by the rainfall. She laughed in surprise, slightly taken aback. Well, at the very least, she had two more clients who fit the description. She wondered if it'd be anyone she already knew, as Wei slipped off her lap and padded across the floor, the feline curious himself. Standing and shaking her head blithely, she made her way to the reception desk, awaiting the inn's latest clients.