ChiLi | Beauty and the Beast.

Chapter 8 | Down the hills.

As Zhongli rests down surfacely on the sheets.
He grabbed the cloak and muffled it over him.
The weather of Snezhnaya surely is making him feel cold.
He'd get used to it someday soon.

But he seems unaware of how the Beast acts.
He surely is oblivious about all of it.
But even so ..
He thought of Liyue.
How's it going right after this departure?

He prepared tea and as he took a sip.
*Knock, knock*

A knock is on the door again.

"You may come in."

To his surprise, it's The beast that knocked the door.
He looked flushed (just a bit).
He then entered the room and sat beside Zhongli.

"Would you like to read .. A book together?"

Zhongli was astounded.
"Why, yes. Of course."
"Would you like to learn about some cultures?"

"I .. Also like how you tell them."

Zhongli looked at the beast, both awkward.

"Oh? T-that's subtle to hear."

"Can we go to the library now?"
Said the Beast, slightly bashful.

"Yes."
"W-we may go."

That ended up very fiddly.
I'm sure it ended up fine, right-
When they sought out to the library.
Zhongli finds a book that might interest the Beast.

"Anything will do."

"Hm?"

"Just .. Read them for me."

Zhongli found a book about the caricatures of some certain folklores.
Zhongli read them out for the Beast.
And while he does, he can feel the beast really is enjoying his company.
So, he continued.
And as an hour passed by ..

"It's all finished."

"What? Already?"
The beast seemed eager for more parts of it.

"Oh? You wanted more?"

(Of course .. The way you tell makes me very relaxed.)
"Yes, are there more for you to tell?"

"I can find some over the bookshelves, if you'd like."

"Yes, please. I'd love to."

Zhongli never felt in joy when no one thinks he talk so much without annoyance.

They spent all noon in the library as Zhongli tells them, while the Beast lovingly listened to him.

Maybe his feelings are starting to grow.
To grow out for a God?
Now, that's something.
What about for Zhongli ..?
Can he feel that the beast has grown the littlest feelings for him?

Meanwhile at Liyue.
Xiao is still in the covers of Liyue Pavillion to gather much information as possible to make sure he isn't doing something very foolish.
Then something caught his eye.

"In Snezhnaya, as the ball was held, was a folklore led that the castle was covered in gloom when such a storm striked. There are mysteries that are some unable to confirm but there is a hidden secret within that all people that stepped in, will be lost forever."