im pretty sure my dad didn't leave for milk

"he owes me child support but gets a free pass because he's an immortal"

"He was a coward when it mattered, and owes me C99 Qiqi of child support"

Xi blinked. She did not expect this response. Her mother had just spoken of her father as if he was the most handsome man on earth a mere few seconds ago, and now this comes out of her mouth.

"And the worst part is he gets a free pass just because he's an immortal. I hate how the laws of the world works."

"Can you... actually tell me about my dad, not the child support he owes?"

Hu Tao blinked.

"Yes... as I was saying, he was fine. very fine. he had cake, but your step-grandfather Zhongli had the entire bakery."

"please can we not talk about his ass-"

"ok. And he would scowl whenever I said something smart, and he loved to eat almond tofu and snow. especially snow."

Xi did not know why her father liked snow, but she decided not to judge his meal choices.

"I loved him, and he loved me. But when he found out I was pregnant, he left. Of course, he came back a few hours later, and told me that he had to leave me. Then he left again, and didn't come back. I didn't even get to ask him about the child support. He probably already forgot (he forgor 💀) about me by now."

"ok, and who is he?"

"oh he was the emo u met in dragonspine lol."

"WHAT?!"

Xi could not believe this. she was so close to her father, but then he dissapeared.

"That's it. I'm going to look for him."

Hu Tao shook her head. "I tried. Do you think I succeeded?"

"I have. Once. And I'm determined to make it twice."

Hu Tao had tears in her eyes. "That determination... makes me feel young again."

"mom ur 33"

-----------------------------------------------------
Hu Xi went to Dragonspine, as that was where she last saw her father.

He wasn't there, so she headed for Wangshu Inn. It was where her father, Xiao, she learned his name was, usually resided. Why her mother couldn't find him there, she didn't know. Maybe he was in a different location at the time, or was actively avoiding her. If he was avoiding her mother, she didn't know why. Rules? Or was it just a personal thing?

She found him beside the railing.

"mom says you still owe child support," she said behind him.

After those words left her mouth, the adeptus jumped in shock. He turned around.

"oh... it's you. Li...?"

Xi scowled. "At least get my name right. It's Xi. So about the child support-"

"I can't pay it." Her father replied.

She scowled again. "Why? Is it because you wanna keep the money for yourself? Are you that greedy? Or do you just have no sense of responsibility?"

"If an immortal had to pay child support for every child they sired," her father began, "Zeus would be in pretty deep shit."

"Why have kids in the first place?"

"That," her father began, "Is a question that even I cannot answer. You would have to ask the ancient ones..."

"why do i need to ask boomers why people have kids"

"Because they are wise," Xiao said, "and because i don't know shit"

"I have another question."

Xiao raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Do you not love Mom anymore?"

He froze.

"...I do."

"Then why did you leave her?" She asked.

"Because I'm not allowed to stay," He said. "I am bound to my duty. And even if I stick with her, she is a mortal, who will die before me. If I get too emotionally attached, that won't be good."

"She spent two and a half days looking for you, hoping to find you," Xi fumed. "She never did. She waited for you for 13 years. You never came back. Can't you spare even a little visit?"

"You know I couldn't stay," Xiao said. "And I'm busy protecting Liyue. The monsters are more active than ever these days. It might be the Abyss Order, or something else. I can't stand by when Liyue is in very possible danger."

"You-" Xi was too angry to even finish her sentence. She stormed out of the inn, while Xiao looked at her with sad eyes.

"Hu Tao..." Xiao whispered, closing his eyes.

"I wish we had more time."
----------------------------------------------

Xi was furious.

Her fury was probably what kept her alive the whole trip. (Along with her Elemental Skill, too, which was a shield that was almost as strong and durable as big booty john lee's but we're just gonna stick to classical literature descriptions ok)

She didn't bother to use teleport waypoints. Instead, she wanted to walk the whole way, killing whatever monsters she saw in her path.

Hilichurls were slain before they could even say "Yaa!"

Abyss mages were lying on the ground before they could even generate their shields.

Whopperflowers were killed before they could sink into the ground.

Treasure Hoarders were obviously not in whatever plan that had involved the hilichurls, but she knocked them out, too.

Before she knew it, she was home, and she slammed to door to her room.

She wanted to be alone and think.