In Search for the Lost Osmanthus Wine

Chapter 4: The Great Journey From The Stars; Qiongji Estuary:

As Zhongli paced back and forth Venti sighed, “Mor- Zhongli don’t you think that pacing around won’t help benefit anything.”

Zhongli stopped as he showed his famous thinking pose, he stared back at Venti and Venti could feel his spine shrink, “Don’t you think that wasting one's time will benefit nothing out of their sick humour.”

Venti chuckled, “I have no idea what you’re even talking about, Mr. Zhongli.. But whatever you say, you can keep it to yourself!” Venti exclaimed excitedly as he jumped off of the snowy log he was previously sitting on.

Kazuha stood emotionlessly as he watched the snow being lifted from the wind, being taken to a new place. He sighed, “So, Mr. Zhongli.” Zhongli hummed as he stared at the lone samurai. “What will you do now that the winds have led you to a dead end?” He turns around, to make things more dramatic the wind pushes against him harshly.

He winces at the wind pushing against his ear.

Zhongli sighed, “I must retrace my steps for a better fate, leaving behind these…” He stared at Venti, “Unhelpful guides.” Venti awkwardly smiled before spinning around and jumping.

“Well! I guess I’ll go and hit the tavern, y’know playing my songs as a bard should!” As Venti was walking away Zhongli quickly grabbed him by his cape. He gulped, “I think you should continue to accompany us, after all you guided us here. So why don’t you guide us around all of Teyvat to find this Osmanthus wine.”

Venti shivered, maybe it was the cold that caused him to feel this way, or possibly it was Zhongli’s ‘demonic’ demeanour. He nervously chuckled, scared to face the man right now, “R-right, don’t worry it was just a fluke..” Zhongli sighed as he let go of his cape. Venti falls on the cold snow on his bottom.

“I hope so, please don’t make me order anymore-”

“Bamboo shoots?” Xiao had answered, waiting for a reply from his father, or mother.

“Xiao, I don’t have any more bamboo shoots, I gave all of mine to you,” Zhongli said in a hushed tone. Childe shook his head as he looked at the rising sun, “Now that we found out we wasted our time, how about we waste it even more looking for this non-existent wine-”

SLAP

“Mom and dad are fighting..” Xiao whispered to Venti who rolled his eyes, “‘Mom’ and ‘dad’? Pff Zhongli? A father?” Venti replied huffing as he crossed his arms.

Childe winces as he reaches his hand towards the back of his head, “Yowch! Zhongli bro, what was that for dude? Thought we were cool!” Zhongli shook his head, “You’re very annoying, all the time actually. I’m not even sure why I brought you with me.”

“Well you need someone to buy you stuff.” Zhongli stiffened before closing his eyes as he nodded, “That’s right, I ordered you to be my sugar daddy.” Childe shrieked as he slammed his hands on Zhongli’s mouth.

“Don’t say that out loud. Unless you want to be-” Zhongli pushes Childe away, a disgusted look on his face, “Don’t touch me without my permission.”

Childe sighed as he nodded his head and as he was about to say something, Fischl yelled out loud towards the group, “We’ll be taking our leave now. Thank you peasants for guiding the Prinzessin der Verurteilung to safety.” Mona awkwardly chuckled before smiling back.

And so the two left the others in quite the speechless silence.

“Well then, shall we get going? We don’t want to lose the sun, now do we?” Zhongli quickly picked up his pace from walking down the mountain, leaving the others behind. Childe quickly catches up, “The only person who wants to lose the sun is me! I don’t want to have another heat stroke, Xiangshang!” Childe yelled as he hurried behind the taller one.

Zhongli quickly pulls out a cooler from who knows where before pointing inside, “Then you can stay in here for all I care.” Childe’s eyes sparkled as he dove into the box, enjoying the cold feeling of ice against this warm, too warm skin.

“Mmm, Zhongli..” Childe whispered under his breath as he cuddled against the ice, Zhongli’s eye twitched before he closed the cooler, as he looked back up towards the others Kazuha quickly grabbed Xiao’s hand, Xiao stared at him weirdly.

Kazuha’s stare showed no malice, but Xiao was wary of him, “Do you need something.” As Xiao looked into Kazuha’s eyes he was shocked to see Kazuha grinning like crazy, “I’ve heard a lot about you, Conqueror of Demons.. I’m very pleased to meet you and to douse myself in your presence.”

“Eh- uh.. Right.. I don’t remember the last time I’ve been to Liyue, wait- who are you?” Xiao’s vocabulary was small, his lack of knowledge diminished since he strayed from his father and home town, no one helped him in dragonspine instead they thought he was some sort of monster, who’d eat anyone in its path. That part was partially true.

Kazuha sighed as he closed his eyes, “What a poor child, witnessing, experiencing such drastic feelings.. An overflow of emotions overwhelms me for the state you’re presently in.. Let me relish this moment, for I have finally found someone who can understand me..”

Xiao scratched his head, “I think you’re thinking of someone else..”

“No, it’s you, you’re the one who will help me get myself out of this.”

“Get out of what? You’re literally outside, free as can be.”

“I, a lone samurai, is not free, my moms don’t even want me to stray too far from home.”

Xiao blanked out, “Wait mom’s? How were you born..?” Kazuha gave a small smile before walking in front of Xiao, and beside Venti before beginning a conversation with him. As he looked back his loose strands of hair flowing and as the fabric of his clothes sway gently with the wind, he smiled at Xiao.

“One does not need to know how I was born, but one shall know my mom’s are my everything.” And he turns around before continuing his conversation with Venti.

Zhongli sighed as he exited the borders of Dragonspine, no more was the cold snow hitting his flushed face, he sniffed before looking around, they have now entered Qiongji Estuary.