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Chapter 71: Director Hu's Prank
🕑 Added 2025-04-18 07:00:10 +0000 UTCXiangling explained to the two what the "Wanmin Funeral Combo" was, leaving them both sweating. Was this kind of underworld-themed combo really something a carbon-based life form could come up with? While they knew Xiangling loved experimenting with new recipes, this one was a bit too much...
"Haha, actually, this combo wasn't my idea. It was the brainchild of a friend of mine," Xiangling said awkwardly. Even though she hadn't invented it, the combo was indeed being sold under the name of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
As for why it was being sold... let's just say Director Hu offered a lot—1 million Mora, to be exact. For Wanmin Restaurant, which prided itself on affordable prices, this was no small sum. Moreover, Director Hu only asked for it to be on the menu for two weeks. With that money, Xiangling could buy some special or rare ingredients.
Two years ago, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor had launched a service called the "End-of-Life Experience." At first, people were curious about this unprecedented service, but due to their fear of death, few actually tried it.
However, this didn't last long. One day, Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, personally visited the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to experience the service and gave it high praise.
From then on, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor became "famous" in Liyue. People flocked to try the service, and the parlor's coffers swelled. The young Director Hu no longer had to personally go out to solicit customers. And with money came the desire to realize some unique ideas, which led to the creation of the "Wanmin Funeral Combo" under Hu Tao's whimsical imagination.
"This Director Hu is quite the character. Xiangling, can you introduce us to her sometime?" Paimon, having heard about the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's recent exploits, was now very interested in meeting Director Hu.
Poke, poke—
"Traveler, stop messing around," Paimon said, feeling someone gently poke her shoulder. It was a bit ticklish, so she scratched the spot and continued chatting with Xiangling.
Poke, poke—
"Traveler, stop poking Paimon!" Paimon crossed her arms, annoyed, and turned around. But the moment she did, her expression froze.
A small white ghost had suddenly appeared right in front of her, so close that it was almost touching her face.
The little ghost tilted its head, looking confused, and a big snot bubble popped out of its invisible nose.
Pop~
As the bubble burst, Paimon's scream echoed through Wanmin Restaurant, startling the chefs so much that some nearly dropped their pots.
"Gh-Gh-Ghost!!" Paimon was so scared that she shot out of the kitchen like a rocket, disappearing in an instant.
"Hahaha..." A plain-looking girl wearing a "Qiankun Taiguo" hat appeared before Lumine and Xiangling, laughing uncontrollably, her whole body shaking with mirth.
Lumine looked at Hu Tao expressionlessly, though her trembling shoulders betrayed her amusement.
"You two, how could you scare Paimon like that? Especially you, Hu Tao. It's very rude to treat a stranger like that," Xiangling said, exasperated. What kind of nonsense was this?
"Hehe, don't worry about it, Xiangling. That little one wanted to meet me, right? Now we've met," Hu Tao said nonchalantly, waving her hand. Then she turned her gaze to Lumine, who was trying not to laugh.
"Hi, I'm Hu Tao, Xiangling's good friend," Hu Tao said, extending her hand to Lumine with a big, carefree smile. But deep in her eyes, she was observing Lumine carefully. Years of experience told her that Xiangling's friend was no ordinary person.
"Hi, I'm Lumine," Lumine said, shaking Hu Tao's hand while also sizing her up, wanting to get a good look at this legendary figure from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Hu Tao and Lumine stared at each other, their hands still clasped tightly. Seeing this, Xiangling, who was standing nearby, suddenly felt a strange sense of unease. She stepped forward and coughed lightly. "Alright, let's not stay in the kitchen. We're disturbing the chefs. Let's go to the front."
Xiangling ushered the two out of the kitchen, though she seemed to have forgotten something. Guoba, who had been busy, looked up to see his master gone and immediately teared up.
"Lu, lu, lu...!"
In a private room at Wanmin Restaurant, the four of them sat around a table. Paimon, who had been scared off earlier, had been retrieved and was now glaring at Hu Tao with puffed cheeks. She was very wary of this person who had scared her at first sight.
"By the way, Xiangling, is it okay for you to leave the kitchen like this? It seemed pretty busy earlier," Lumine asked uncertainly.
"It's fine, it's fine. Don't underestimate our chefs at Wanmin Restaurant. They can handle it," Xiangling said, though her eyes darted around. In reality, her absence would probably leave the kitchen in chaos.
"Is that so?" Hu Tao gave Xiangling a mischievous look, making her even more nervous. Fortunately, Hu Tao eventually looked away, and Xiangling breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hu Tao, how did you come up with the 'End-of-Life Experience' service?" Lumine asked curiously. She had traveled many worlds and had seen similar things, but this concept was quite advanced for the relatively backward world of Teyvat. She wondered how this young girl had thought of it.
"Hehe, actually, it wasn't my idea. It was suggested by a relative of our consultant, Mr. Zhongli," Hu Tao said, a bit embarrassed. After all, she was essentially taking credit for someone else's idea.
"Oh, you mean Yun Fan!" Xiangling suddenly remembered, punching her palm with a look of realization. She had a deep impression of Zhongli's distant relative, especially since who would casually deposit 1 million Mora in a restaurant?
"I knew Hu Tao's stubborn brain couldn't come up with such a great idea."
"Yun Fan?" Both Lumine and Paimon exclaimed, looking at each other in surprise before calming down. It made sense—Yun Fan had come to Mondstadt from Liyue, after all. Moreover, the Yun Fan they knew might not be the same person Xiangling and Hu Tao knew.
"Oh? From the way you two sound, do you also know Yun Fan?" Hu Tao leaned on the table, her black-painted nails lightly tapping the wooden surface.
"Yes, the Yun Fan we know is..." Paimon described Yun Fan's appearance to Hu Tao, who nodded repeatedly. In the end, the four of them confirmed that they were all talking about the same Yun Fan.
