Back to the surface

Interest

Childe walked back with quick steps. But not to get to the show quickly, as he had just told the stranger, but to get back to the courtyard. If his wallet was really still there, and Pulcinella or someone else of the Fatui found it before him, then it could be dangerous for him.

He didn't even know exactly why he had actually been there and why he had wanted to save it. It had simply been his intuition. But while thinking back to his shimmering golden narrow eyes, he suddenly knew. How could he have delivered someone with such bambi eyes to Pulcinella? Besides, Asians were always so nice.... In a way, he also believed the stranger to be innocent, he seemed so overwhelmed and it wasn't an act. Only if he found out that he wasn't.... That already seemed suspicious... what if he had dropped the wallet on purpose? By now Childes brain was rattling with conspiracy theories, but all that was wasted unless he knew more. Only what would someone from Asia have to do with them? They were tourists here at best, and maybe he was too?

He turned into the courtyard and looked behind the boxes. There, in the corner, lay a brown, very worn leather wallet. He picked it up and looked inside. Inside was... hardly any money, hardly any cards, no credit card. He wondered if he didn't have any money. It was quite possible. His coat had looked a little like it had already belonged to his grandmother. How odd. I wonder what kind of person he was. Certainly not a spy. Certainly not someone from the underground. The ID card looked perfectly normal. Childe looked at the picture and smiled slightly. How anyone could look so good in an ID photo ...this was a mystery to him. Just an Asian thing probably... He always looked like a criminal on documents... well, maybe not wrongly...

He looked at the name and first recognized only Chinese characters, which he could not read, then the transcription. Zhongli something, he couldn't read or pronounce that, so never mind. "Zhongli" was difficult enough, what a strange name. As he read on, he was surprised to notice from the address that this Zhongli lived here in town. That meant he could, in principle, return his wallet to him. But because of the few bucks... unnecessary... just... To see him again...? Childe discarded the thought and pocketed the wallet. Then he really made his way to the club. If he was a little late, it certainly wouldn't matter....

#

Fortunately, Zhongli had more or less survived the day and was now sitting down with his friends for dinner and a glass of wine, because he really wanted to tell them what had happened last night. His friends, well, they were Xiao, his childhood friend who was now working for the police, Aether, his life partner, and Hu Tao. This young woman was incredibly difficult to describe. Somber and macabre on one hand, she had a cheerful personality on the other. Her humor was just sick and since she worked at a funeral parlor, certainly inappropriate. But with work subjects she maintained a respectful demeanor. With her friends, not so much. He had been pranked by her countless times. Never badly, of course. He wasn't so sure about that. Maybe he was just too good-natured.

When Aether and Xiao had come in, she had just laughed and pointed at his bandage on his foot.

"So to be clear right away, I'm not responsible for that," her words had been.

"What happened?", Xiao wanted to know directly and together they sat down. Now was Zhongli's moment. He could finally tell them what had happened.

"Well, I had a dinner date, and it was with Baizhu, if you know him," he began to tell them.

"Baizhu? That's the stoned pharmacist?," Xiao asked, "I went to him for a police search once, so why did you go on a date with him?"

"Probably because he's got good stuff," Aether said with a grin, catching the death stare of the century from Xiao in return.

"We know each other distantly from college and have a casual rapport. But that's not what I actually wanted to tell you," Zhongli explained, smiling slightly. It was clear to him that Xiao was also concerned about his surroundings by profession, but sometimes he really overdid it. Anyway, when you had him, you didn't need a bodyguard anymore.

"Okay. Here it comes!" said Hu Tao with a fat grin. The two stayed silent and looked at Zhongli expectantly.

"So I was looking for this new restaurant where I wanted to meet with Baizhu. I don't even remember the name, but I'm sure you know which one I mean. And on the way there, I got lost. I turned into a side alley until it got darker and darker and there were stairs and winding streets, everything was so gloomy.... I didn't know there was such a neighborhood here at all," Zhongli began his narrative.

"Oh my god! Totally cool! Where is that? I want to go there too!" said Hu Tao, absolutely flashed.

"No, you don't!" hooked Xiao, then looked at Zhongli with a penetrating gaze, "Don't tell me you were alone at night in the underground!"

"In the underground? Is that the name of the area? Uh... yeah, so I think I was there at night and alone, yeah," Zhongli replied sheepishly.

"Well, are you insane! It's fucking dangerous there! Not even the patrol goes in there alone and unarmed!" said Xiao reproachfully, "do you know how many criminals live there!!!?"

"It's not like he went there on purpose, honey," Aether said placatingly.

"Exactly. It wasn't on purpose. So, anyway, the area seemed very shady to me, too. Only I couldn't find the exit on my own, so I went deeper and deeper into it, possibly. Suddenly I was standing in a small, fenced-in backyard. The door was open, so I wanted to ask for directions. But the people there made a criminal impression on me, so I preferred to go back. Only then I was accidentally locked in the courtyard with them," Zhongli continued. The fear he had had seemed to have faded by now, and it felt only half as bad when he told about it.

"Oh fu--," Xiao said, grabbing his forehead. Aether calmed him slightly and looked at Zhongli curiously.

"So what happened next?"

"Yes, I want to know too!!!" added Hu Tao.

"I was noticed. The man who had locked me in talked to the other one in the building and told him that he heard something outside. This one wanted the problem fixed, whatever that means. Then he came back out and found me behind the boxes where I was hiding. He was wearing a red mask and a gray hooded jacket. He told me to keep quiet. And then he left again. He kind of... spared me, but I don't know why. He said there was no one in the yard and the door was locked. Only the screen door outside was still closed, so I couldn't get out. I had to climb over the fence and then.... I fell awkwardly," Zhongli recounted, pointing to his foot.

"I can't believe it. Do you even know how dangerous that was!!!?" asked Xiao in shock. The other two seemed a little speechless too.

"Well, good thing it's just a sprained foot, huh? But don't worry if something had happened to you, I've already planned everything for your funeral just in case...", Hu Tao said smiling proudly.

"Oh wow...", Aether muttered and sighed. Zhongli smiled apologetically.

"Well, that wasn't all.... so the most important part is yet to come..." he announced excitedly.

"Do we want to know?" asked Xiao annoyed. He was already completely fed up with the story. From the look on Zhongli's face, he knew nothing good was coming.

"Well, I do," Hu Tao said, propping herself up on her hands.

"I'll tell you. Well, I did say that I fell unhappily. I really did, back into the courtyard. And I didn't know how to get out of there. I couldn't reach anybody either, my phone connection was kind of completely down. And now it was getting difficult to even get away. I stayed there for a couple of hours and I had already lost all hope.... But then... I was saved!!!" said Zhongli, sighing rapturously at the last sentence.

Xiao contorted his face, Aether raised his eyebrow skeptically, only Hu Tao grinned broadly and asked excitedly, "By whom?"

"By an angel in white..." breathed Zhongli, smiling. Then he continued, "So there was this guy.... he wore such special clothes in white, with fur, leather and jewelry.... he was just there and he found me. He said his name was Childe and he could get me out of here. He helped me walking because I couldn't walk on my own and took me all the way outside. And then I didn't have my wallet and he even gave me money for the bus! He was so sweet to me!", Zhongli couldn't stop gushing.

"What's up with that name "child?" A child saved you?", Hu Tao asked laughing.

"Oh wow...", Aether said a bit overwhelmed.

"Hm. Why didn't you have your wallet?", Xiao only asked after a long, very skeptical hesitation.

"He's not a child. I don't know why he's called Childe, but that's how he introduced himself. And my wallet... well, I must have lost it in the fall," Zhongli explained.

"Um... ah well. Are you sure that this man in mask or this "Childe" rather didn't steal from you?" asked Xiao shaking his head, "Irresponsible..."

"Well and even if... I didn't have much money with me," Zhongli placated him.

"As usual, then," Aether commented. Hu Tao chuckled loudly.

"And I don't think Childe stole from me. He was so cute," Zhongli gushed with a smile.

Xiao and Aether looked at each other questioningly. Hu Tao winked.

"Maybe he stole your heart, too," she said with a laugh.

"Hm. I honestly didn't know you had a thing for men," Xiao said almost snidely. Aether looked at him with amusement and stroked his cheek.

"You're acting like that's a bad thing right now..."

"I just didn't assume it," Xiao grumbled in response.

"No... no no...", Zhongli replied laughing and blushing slightly. "You guys are getting it wrong. It's not like that. I'm just glad he saved me, I guess.... And I... thought he was nice. By the way, he told me he was a host at a club and invited me. Here," he said and put the business card on the table. Xiao took it and looked doubtful.

"That's underground, after all.... And a Variete... I'm out, and I also seriously advise you against it. Only if you really go, please don't go alone, okay?" said Xiao protectively but coolly.

"I can come with you," Aether said with a shrug.

"Don't come in-"put on Xiao but Aether put a finger to his lips and grinned.

"Aiya, I'll come too. I'll be the chaperone then, Xiao," Hu Tao said with a laugh, "besides, we want to set Zhongli up with the pretty host in white."

"What!!! Uh no, so we're just going to watch the show, but I'll be grateful if you come along! Yes, thank you so much!" replied Zhongli sheepishly. That could be something. But he was already looking forward to this show and to seeing Childe again.