Down the Same Path [(Y/n) x Genshin Impact] (Prologue!)

Chapter 4

  "Hey you! Who do you think you are!?" I turned to see a middle aged man stalk towards me with a furrowed brow and dark, heated eyes, his voice laced with hatred. Although some people turned to look at the commotion, most snickered as they watched him tower over me.
  "First, you and your family came to Liyue seeking refuge. And now, you dare walk our streets in broad daylight!?"
  I hadn't notice before, but I had indeed taken a Main Street to get to the tea house. Stupid! I thought, flinching at the grave mistake.
  "I'm sorry, I didn't realize-"
  My cheek burned as the mark of his hand appeared etched on my face. The forming crowd cheered, asking him to do it again.
  "Teach that filth a lesson!" One voice cried from the crowd. Another asked him to slap me again.
  The man signaled for all to be quiet, and sneered at my shocked figure. "For too long, Liyue Harbor has put up with your presence. You dared to get bold and cocky in front of us, waking these streets like they were made for you!"
  Tears brimmed in my eyes, and I bit my lip to keep it from quivering. I tried to put on a bold face. This has unfortunately happened before, but not while so many people were watching and rooting for my oppressor. My cheek stung and my eyebrows trembled as I tried my best to glare at the man. He didn't take it to well.
  I gasped as a cold hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me closer to the man's horrendous face. "Liyue doesn't want you! In fact, none of Teyvat does! Disrespecting the archons and then escaping your rightful punishment is the most shameful thing one can do!"
  He paused and gripped my wrist harder. I yelped at the sudden wave of pain, causing people to laugh in the crowd. The man, encouraged by the noise, gripped my face with his other hand and sharply turned my head towards the crowd. "Look at them! Nobody wants you here!"
  Tears trickled down my face at the hostile glares and mocking faces pointing at me. I shook with each breath, clawing at the man's hand clenching my jaw.
  I couldn't break free. He was too strong! I looked again towards the crowd and saw someone give me a sympathetic look before trying away and running. Wait! Don't go! I couldn't say anything. Why wouldn't my mouth move? I let out a whimper, trying to block out everyone.
I want to go home! Aster! Dahlia! Johanne! Someone, please!
  The man finally let go, pushing me violently away. I grunted as my back came into contact with something behind me. I closed my eyes in desperation.
  "Who gave you permission to touch her?" A deep voice spiking, causing me to look up. Towering over me was Zhongli, his face twisted i anger and his voice sharp with anger.
  "Mr. Zhongli, you can't possibly be defending her! She'll bring the archons' wrath to Liyue if she stays for much longer! No one in the world wants her and her family alive. They'd be better off dead." I backed up at his menacing look, but bumped into Zhongli's chest instead instead. He hadn't moved at all.
  "Have you no shame? You call yourself a devout follower of Rez Lapis yet ignore his morals? Leave the judging to those who are appointed to do so. So long as she walks the streets of Liyue Harbor in peace, she should be treated with the same respect as others."
  No one responded, too scared to say anything. Zhongli's vision had started glowing sometime in between his speech, and no one wanted to find out what a skilled vision-bearer could do when he was angry. The man seemed to think so too, as he muttered a few curses and walked away.
  I turned to Zhongli as the crowd dispersed, trying to make sense of what had just happened. A strong sense of deja vu overtook me as I remembered how he did the same thing in our first encounter.
  "T-thank you..." I whispered, trying not to cry any more then I already had.
  He looked at me with caring eyes and gingerly touched my cheek where a red mark was forming. I couldn't help but look into his eyes, swirls of sadness and compassion all at once.
  Why was he so bothered? I didn't want him to care. The look on his face stung, and I wondered why he cared so much for me when we had only met a few times.
  "Liyue has been unkind to you..." he murmured in a silky voice, his eyes scanning my wrist. Purple crescents marked the area the man had grabbed. His warm hand still held the side of my face stinging, and I couldn't help but melt into his arms. He felt so familiar, and his body seemed to radiate warmth. Somehow, his words seemed to calm me, as though someone finally understood my pain.
  I didn't know how long we stayed like that: me holding on tightly to him while he studied me sympathetically, but it felt like an eternity, one that I never wanted to let go of.