one more chance (zhongchi)

chapter 5

THATS RIGHT IM NOT DEAD, DID YALL ENJOY THE CLIFF HANGER? WELL THIS ONE ENDS IN ANOTHER ONE. *evil giggle*

'was this his girlfriend? no... she looks too young... daughter then? WAIT ZHONGLI HAS A WIFE???' Childe scrunched his brows and was overthinking the entire situation.

"Dear uncle! What a surprise to see you here, you rarely visit the family you know!" Hu Tao waved.

Childe let go a sigh of relief at the sound of Hu Tao calling Zhongli uncle.

"Ah, I've been quite busy with work recently. We can chat some more and catch up after you place your order, you don't want other customers waiting." Zhongli smiled.
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Childe watched enviously as Zhongli happily chats with Hu Tao, wanting to keep Zhongli all to himself.

"What's wrong? the sight of another girl talking to your beloved hurts your heart?" Lia teased.

"JEESUS, STOP JUST APPEARING EVERYWHERE!! GO TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMERS." Childe jumped.

"My shift is over, your turn." Lia shrugged.

"Whatever." Childe grumbled as he walked up to the register.
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"Mom wants me to take over the funeral business but i wanna go start a bakeryyyyyy" Hu Tao whines as she sunk into her seat.

"Aw i'm sure she wants what's best for you, maybe you could run a small bakery on the side with some of your friends while also working at the funeral?" Zhongli suggested.

"But that's too much workkkkkkkk"

"Haha, well, if you want to achieve your dreams or goals you have to work hard you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Hu Tao's phone lights up. "Oh! Thats mom. I have to get going now! Bye Uncle Zhongli!"

"Bye! Be careful on the road." Zhongli waved like a caring grandfather.

Just as Childe thought the coast was clear to talk to Zhongli, a group of girls walk in.

"Woah, is that Zhongli? At a cutesy cafe?" snickered Lisa.

'Archons, why do zhongli know these many girls?' Childe could feel jealous build up in his heart as it twisted and turned at the sight of his love looking at other people.

"Ah, Librarian Lisa... what a coincidence..." Zhongli said uncomfortably.

"Ah, no need to be do uptight now, we're just here for some afternoon tea and snacks." Kujou Sarah says as she looks at the menu. "What do you guys want?"

Childe observes carefully from a distance, seeing if any of them got too close to Zhongli as they talk about what seems like stuff about their teachings at their job. None of them seemed to be a obstacle that childe needed to discard on his quest to achieve Zhonglis love and try to return his memories.
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The girls soon leave as Zhongli also start to pack up.

'Maybe it's better for me to just not say anything, maybe he forgot I was going to talk to him too. Lia isn't here either so she can't force me...'
Childe bit his fingernail.

"Childe?" Zhongli suddenly turns around and looks at the ginger. "Weren't there something that you were going to say to me?"

'Ah fvck now I have to...' Childe blushed.

"Uh, yeah!" He looks around. All the other customers have left too and Lia was upstairs so it was just the 2 of them.

"I... I l-love y- I LOVE YOGURT! That's right!!! I was planning to make tarts with yogurt fillings, should we try that? I just wanted your opinion ahahahah!" Childe wanted to punch himself at his own stupidity.

"Oh, so that's it..? I though you are going to.. never mind. But yeah! Yogurt tarts sound delicious I love your strawberry flavored things you should start with a strawberry yogurt!" Zhongli smiles.

"Y-yeah thanks, great suggestion. I-I'll start on it soon!" Childe wanted to slap himself so much.

"Well then I'll be off. I might be busy for a bit so i wont be back often for the next few weeks." Zhongli waves.

'WHAT? HE WONT BE BACK FOR A FEW WEEKS? NO NO NO-' Childe panicked.

"WAIT! U-um, here, my phone number... I uh, we are friends right..? friends have each others phone numbers, yeah?" Childe stumbles and gets a paper and pen to write down his number.

"Ah, yes. I realized I didn't have your personal numbers. Thanks for reminding me Childe." Zhongli takes the paper with a smile and leaves.
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"Haaaaaaa.... I finally did it." Childe immediately falls to the ground right after Zhongli leaves.

"Yeah good thing you did the last part, you coward can't even confess your love." Lia rolls her eyes at childe from by the door way. "I was going to slap you but that phone number tactic came in clutch."

"Yeah, yeah..." Childe says, already getting used to Lia popping up out of no where.

"What's with the sad look dude? You gave him your phone number that's good enough."

"Now I have to talk to him about another topic if I ever tell him I like him."

"And that is?..."

"Ah, that's right, i've never told anyone. Well, do you believe in reincarnation?"