When Qiqi finally woke, her pillow was already soaked through. Her eyes, swollen and red, blinked dully as she slowly sat up.
"Go back... Little Fluff..."
She opened the birdcage, gently caught the tiny sparrow in her hands, then stepped to the door and released it into the open air.
Elliot didn't understand why she was doing this. Without time to think, he immediately followed after Little Fluff. The little bird seemed to sense his presence. Just as it was about to fly into the forest, it stopped midair. Seeing that, Elliot halted beside it.
"Little Fluff, Qiqi needs you."
He reached out a finger and softly stroked its head twice. The little bird then looked down.
Below, Qiqi had stepped out of the small wooden cabin alone, walking toward Liyue Harbor. As if sharing a silent bond, Little Fluff rose higher into the sky, following closely behind her.
...
Before long, Qiqi reached Liyue. A man noticed her and came forward warmly. After a short exchange, she continued on her way. Soon, she stood before the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Elliot paused, turning to look at the bird hovering in the air. At that moment, he finally understood Qiqi's intention.
Inside, Hu Tao and Zhongli quickly approached as soon as they saw her.
"Hu Tao... bury me..."
Elliot froze, a bitter smile forming on his lips. Just as he had expected. Qiqi had released Little Fluff—and now she wanted to be buried.
To her, his departure had stripped life of its meaning. Without Elliot, this home no longer held any value.
"Though I'd love to, Elliot won't allow it," Hu Tao said, shrugging helplessly as she took out a sachet.
"This is... a sachet..." Qiqi murmured, eyes widening.
Zhongli also produced one and said calmly, "By the principle of the universal contract, burying you would be a violation."
Moments later, Xiangling arrived with her own sachet. Then, one by one, everyone in Liyue who had received a sachet gathered around.
"Qiqi, welcome to Liyue."
Seeing the scene, Elliot smiled in relief.
"Little Fluff, you should go too."
As he spoke, the little bird seemed to hear him. It fluttered down toward Qiqi. She instinctively reached out her hands, and it landed obediently in her palm.
"Little Fluff...?" she whispered, surprised.
"Cheep... cheep..." The bird tilted its head and chirped twice.
Tears streamed down Qiqi's face as she smiled and nodded firmly.
"Thank you... everyone..."
...
After that, Xiangling brought Qiqi to the Wanmin Restaurant, where she became a quiet and gentle waitress.
Elliot returned to the cabin they had once shared. The place was filled with memories—memories of him and Qiqi together.
Before long, Little Fluff also flew back to the cabin.
"Little Fluff, you came too."
Elliot smiled softly, reaching out to gently stroke its head.
"Cheep..." It chirped faintly, eyes closed.
After playing with it for a while, Elliot resumed adjusting the flow of time. Every day, Little Fluff would return to the cabin. Eventually, it found a mate in the forest, and together they raised many chicks.
Whenever Elliot wasn't visiting Qiqi, he would return to check on the little bird family.
Years passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, while fast-forwarding time, Elliot noticed something strange and quickly reversed it.
"Little Fluff... are you sick?" he murmured as he saw the bird lying listless and weak.
Normally, Little Fluff would be released in the late afternoon, return to the cabin by night, and then fly back to the Wanmin Restaurant the next morning. But yesterday, it hadn't gone out at all. The food and water in its cage remained nearly untouched.
Qiqi soon realized that something was wrong. When Xiangling finally had a break, they hurried to take Little Fluff to the vet. Elliot followed closely, worry etched on his face.
"How long have you had it?" the vet asked.
"Sorry... Qiqi... doesn't remember..." she said softly, shaking her head.
"About four years," Xiangling answered. She still remembered when Qiqi and Elliot first brought Little Fluff home from the Wanmin Hall. After Elliot's death, Qiqi had kept living there with the little bird.
The vet nodded and explained Little Fluff's condition. Elliot stood silently by, listening.
"When the end draws near... they wait quietly at home for that final moment," he murmured. "It seems Little Fluff would rather stay by Qiqi's side than return home alone."
Standing beside her, he gently stroked Little Fluff together with Qiqi—just as they used to. The bird, eyes closed, used the last of its strength to lift its head, as if to respond to their touch.
They brought it back to the Wanmin Restaurant. Tears welled in Qiqi's eyes as she kept caressing its tiny head.
"Little Fluff..."
Even at the brink of death, it flapped its wings weakly, managing to perch on Qiqi's shoulder. It nuzzled her cheek as if to comfort her.
"Xiangling... let's go to the forest... I can feel it... Little Fluff wants to rest in Elliot's cabin..."
Xiangling's eyes glistened.
"Alright..."
They set out together, reaching the forest as night fell.
"Almost there, Little Fluff... just a bit longer..." Elliot whispered beside them, afraid it wouldn't make it in time.
Soon, they arrived at the cabin. Little Fluff opened its eyes one last time, looked at Elliot, and then went still forever.
"Let's go home, Little Fluff," Elliot said softly, brushing his hand over its small body.
Qiqi and Xiangling, their eyes red with tears, watched as a lone firefly descended gently onto Little Fluff. They looked up—and saw the entire forest glowing with countless fireflies.
Above the cabin, a dozen or so small sparrows were perched, tilting their heads as they watched the two girls. Then, one by one, they took flight, circling Qiqi and Xiangling and landing softly on their shoulders, arms, and around their bodies.
Qiqi looked down at the lifeless Little Fluff in her hands, remembering the vet's words.
"Little Fluff... so this is your home..."
Tears streamed down her face as she smiled through them.
Elliot gently placed a hand on her head and smiled faintly.
"No," he said quietly. "This is our home."