║║•釉百合• Genshin Impact Oneshots║║

║Zhongli║In Return

This is requested by Boo-BitchImAGhost! Thank you so much for the request.

Word count: 1.2k

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Zhongli is indeed wealthy in terms of knowledge, having noticeably a much greater understanding than any scholar of any field. But when it came to mora? Count him out. He was not the best at managing his mora and still isn't now, so that is why you were there to step in every time he is in dire need of money.

"Mr. Zhongli, you can't go around Liyue saying that you will buy everything that the store has when you know that you don't carry a wallet," you say depressingly, handing a pouch full of mora to the person behind the counter. This fact, however, did not phase the man himself, staring blankly at you, a hand on his mouth as he observes.

You took the bag of the things that Zhongli wanted to buy and walked out of the store, dragging him along. "Here." You turned around to face the male and outstretched your arm with the bag. "Do you.. Have anywhere else that you want to check out?" you ask, not wanting to leave him without mora to pay for anything. You were lucky-- wait, no, he should feel lucky that you were around and to peek curiously inside the store he was at so that you could pay for his things. "Hm, I do have one more place to go," he says.

You nodded. "Alright, we'll go to that place, but promise me that you won't go shopping for today," you say, to which he agrees. You were busy today so you couldn't go shopping with him, but you can't just leave him alone. Sometimes, you wonder how such a composed man that basically has all the knowledge of Teyvat, not even have a single mora on him.

After ensuring that Zhongli was safe to be alone, you bid farewell and did your own things to be completed.

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"Make sure you come to work on time!" Hu Tao warns with a smile, bidding you bye. She may be an irritating person to deal with that loves to pull pranks, but as the master of the Wangshen Funeral Parlour, she could take some matters such as time seriously. You nod your head and returned a wave to your boss before going off to shop for dinner.

The night life of the city was much more crowded than that of day-- probably because the darken sky can hide many secret encounters-- be it for civil citizens or crooks lurking in alleyways to trade wanted items for their benefit. You couldn't care less of what they do-- you just wanted to buy food and go home.

A familiar whiff of food made its way to your nostrils and made your stomach growl, deciding that it wanted to eat that specific food. You jerk your head to find the place that sells it, which you found in mere seconds upon your hunger and trotted over immediately. "Woah! They are selling these again!" you exclaim happily, eyes reflecting stars as you slightly drool.

Wiping the drool off with the back of your hand, you reached for your pouch money, but when you opened it, it was completely empty! "Eh!? I swore I had mora in here. I'm sure I didn't even spend--" Your words were cut short, remembering that you had used up your paycheck yesterday to help Zhongli. You sulked, knowing that you'll have to go hungry till your next paycheck.

"Maybe I can ask Hu Tao for extra money?" you ask yourself, feeling sad tears welling up in your eyes. About to come to the conclusion and go home, a voice spoke up from behind. "(Y/N), what are you doing here so late at night?"

Turning to look over your shoulders and craning your head up a bit, you were met with amber eyes that seemed to glow brighter than the lights in the city.

"Mr. Zhongli, what are you doing here?" you ask, full of surprise that a man such as himself would be caught loitering around food vendors such as the one you were at. "I.. Went for a nightly stroll, is all," he answers. "May I ask about you as well?"

"Uh, well.. I was going to buy dinner, but I used up all my mora, so I'm going to go home.." you answered honestly, though a bit embarrassed saying it out loud, especially to the man you like. "Oh, is that so? Well, if that is the case, I will pay for you," he says and looks towards the person who ran the food stall. "Excuse me, I'd like to buy a dozen of these." He points at the food you were just drooling about not too long ago. The person nods smilingly and took out a bag to place the right amount of demand inside.

"M- Mr. Zhongli, aren't you forgetting your wallet?" you ask, swear dropping frivolously. You coming there and not having mora was embarrassing enough and will be more embarrassing with Zhongli, knowing that he most likely forgot his wallet at home. He eyes you, a small smile tugging his charming face as he places a hand on your head before taking out what seems to be his wallet. "Here you are, boss," he says, handing a pouch full of money, not even asking for the price or counting the money. "U, uh, sir, this is quite a lot." And indeed it was. "It is fine. You may keep the extra," he states. The vendor thanked Zhongli and even put in a couple extra of the food ordered with no added charge.

Once far from the stall, Zhongli hands you the bag. "U, uhm, I'm surprised that you brought your wallet.. But I'll pay you back, I promise!" you say determinedly. Zhongli smiles and shook his head. "There is no need to. As I had said, I need not such materialistic thing," Zhongli states. He loves to repeat those words and it was kind of funny that even when saying it so many times, you didn't think of it.

"Then is there anything I can do to make it even?" you ask. "You have already paid for my things more times than I could ever hope to repay you," he says softly. But even when he says that, it didn't sit right with you. You have been helping him because you liked him and wanting nothing more than to care for him, but he is probably doing it to repay your kindness.

Noticing your expression and guessing your thoughts, Zhongli added, "You can, however, pay it by joining me for dinner." Upon hearing it, your eyes lit up as you stare at the man with a surprised face. "I confess, I have found a liking to you, (Y/N). I a unsure of any other method to court you other than to take you out," Zhongli says, full of confidence that it even reflects his eyes.

"I.. I would love that!" You smiled. Who knew that a man like him would be found courting for an average local such as yourself. "I am pleased to hear that." Zhongli returns your smile with a smile of his own and walked you to a restaurant that he had been planning take you to for a long while.

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