Through The Eyes Of A Corpse

The Snake Man

Qiqi notices that Xiao has been notably happier lately.

Qiqi notices that he has been traveling to Mondstadt more and more often.

Qiqi notices he disappears from time to time, usually smiling like some love struck Mondstadter.

Qiqi watches as the green-clad man walked up to Xiao in the Glaze Lilly field.

Qiqi watches as Xiao, the one who hates physical contact even more that her, brings his lips up to the green-clad man and touches them to his.

Qiqi watches as Xiao pushes their lips together, the green clad man being the one to finally pull away.

Qiqi doesn't understand what they are doing.

Qiqi doesn't understand why they're doing it.

Qiqi doesn't understand why Xiao is touching lips with him, a complete stranger, when she was like a little sister to him.

So Qiqi goes to Master Baizhu.

So Qiqi asks him a question.

So Qiqi can understand.

"Master Baizhu?"

"Yes Qiqi?"

"I have a question."

"Ask away. I shall provide you with an answer to the best of my knowledge."

"Do you know who the man is that hangs out with Adeptus Xiao?"

"Ah, I do not know him, per say, but I have heard of him. His name is?"

Master Baizhu often did this with Qiqi when he wanted her to try and remember something.

"Venti."

"Good girl! Yes, his name is Venti. What about Venti?"

That was another thing Master Baizhu did. Repeated names until Qiqi remembered them.

"He... ah..."

"Can you not find the right words?"

"What does it mean if you kiss someone?"

"..."

"...Qiqi..."

"Tell me, please."

"Ah. Okay. How do I put this. Yes. Um... so familial love is how Xiao loves you. He loves you like you're his little sister, and he looks out for you and protects you, yes?"

"Correct."

"Then there's what you and I have... um, that's more of a mentor-student relationship. I teach you things, answer your questions, provide you with a place to live-"

"And I am your pharmacy assistant."

"Correct. Now then there's friendships, like you and little miss Yaoyao. You two look out for each other, and you play together and get along."

"Yes."

"And then there's more... personal... relationships. Like... um... lovers. That's a level of love that you would, per say, kiss someone. You're usually more intimate with a lover than say, a random family member. They make you feel happy and safe, loved and warm."

"Okay. What's the difference between that and familial love?"

"Well, I suppose intimate love is more romantic, more expressive. Some might say sexual."

"What is-"

"Forget I said that last part."
Qiqi starts to get sleepy after her talk with Baizhu.

"Master Baizhu?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sleepy."

"Okay. Come here darling, let's get you to bed."

Qiqi falls asleep wondering if Master Baizhu really knew what he was talking about.

Qiqi falls asleep feeling safe and content, more like Master Baizhu cared about her more than he let on.

Qiqi falls asleep.

When Qiqi wakes up, she gives herself orders for the day.

When Qiqi wakes up, she goes to follow those orders, which are to go collect herbs.

When Qiqi wakes up, Master Baizhu is standing in the doorway.

"Have you given yourself orders for they day yet?"

"Yes."

Baizhu scoops the child zombie up from behind.

"I love you..."

As always, Qiqi knows it's not sincere. But Baizhu has never been good at expressing his emotions. And the instructions on how to cancel her orders were kinda strange. She sighs.

"I don't believe you."

"Okay."

"What do you want."

"It's your birthday?"

"Yes."

"So you get an off day."

"Oh."
"Do you want to go to Jueyun Karst? It's pretty right now."

"Sure. Why not. You could use the exercise."

"Ugh- Happy Birthday, Qiqi."

Authors Note:
I know a lot of people hate Baizhu because of the character lore about Qiqi's order cancellation thing (you have to hug her from behind and tell her you love her) because it says that he "is not sincere" when he says it. In my opinion, this doesn't mean he hates Qiqi. In fact, I think he does regard her as someone very close to him. "Not sincere" can mean a multitude of different things, from he doesn't love her like, say, a father, or a partner (obviously,) to him having a hard time expressing his emotions. In my opinion, they have kind of a mutual family/ teacher-student relationship. But you can have your own opinion. Anyways, I thought that maybe, these "order cancellations" could lead to Qiqi being confused about the concept of love as a whole, because so many people say it to her. That's all for me. Goodbye!

All artwork used belongs to the original artists.

No characters or world belongs to me. The only thing belonging to me is the plot.