From Wangshu Inn, you could see all of Yaoguang Shoal stretching out under the sinking sun.
The view was stunning—golden waves in the west, silver snowcaps shimmering in the east.
And finally, Lumine understood why Jiang Chen wanted to build a home here so badly.
Behind the Shoal was the snowy mountain range.
In front of it, the endless sea.
The peaks were snow-covered year-round, the water always clear.
"Live here, and you can go skiing whenever you want… or take a swim whenever you feel like it."
"A perfect vacation paradise."
"Alright—decision made. Buy it!"
Lumine stared at the distant coastline, fully convinced.
She completely agreed with Jiang Chen.
Not buy a house—
Buy land and build one.
"Tomorrow we'll take a look in person," Jiang Chen said.
"Pick a spot, then head to Liyue Harbor to file the paperwork."
"There used to be a small village near Yaoguang Shoal."
"But most of the old folks have already passed on. The place is practically abandoned now."
What remained were a couple of elderly locals refusing to leave.
Honestly… Jiang Chen was speechless with how Liyue developed its land.
Sure, there was residual god-corruption scattered across the region,
but there were also plenty of areas perfectly safe and livable.
Liyue Harbor was already nearing capacity.
If the population kept concentrating there, the city would burst one day—
and expanding outward would become harder and harder.
Especially considering Zhongli would eventually retire.
Once the old god let go of governance, Liyue's path forward would be dramatically more complicated.
Jiang Chen shook his head and stopped thinking too much about it.
He wasn't in a position to influence Liyue's development yet.
Besides—Zhongli already sensed his arrival.
Once Jiang Chen reached Liyue Harbor, Zhongli would undoubtedly "happen" to meet him.
They would talk then.
"But we're outsiders. Is it really okay for us to buy land here?" Lumine asked, frowning.
Technically speaking, they didn't have proper local residency.
Yes, they could prove their status through Mondstadt…
But buying land in another nation was usually a big deal, right?
Jiang Chen snorted.
"What, you think this is another world where you need visas to cross borders and piles of documents to buy property?"
"Mondstadt and Liyue don't work like that."
"There are papers, but hardly anyone checks."
"If you have identification it's convenient. If you don't? Still fine."
"…That actually makes sense," Lumine admitted.
Teyvat was not like Earth.
Paimon, floating nearby, suddenly asked:
"Um… Jiang Chen, when you build the house, can you save a room for me?"
"I wanna live there too!"
The mention of a beach house had already made her imagine mountains of seafood she could eat every day.
"Of course," Jiang Chen said.
"You're welcome any time."
"Hehehe~"
"Jiang Chen, you're such a good guy!"
He'd already heard that title from her several times.
Paimon might be greedy, but she knew who treated her well.
Jiang Chen looked back toward the glittering coastline.
Speaking of which…
Wasn't Yaoguang Shoal where Ningguang's old home used to be?
In the game's lore, Ningguang's story began in Yaoguang Shoal—
which meant one of the abandoned villages around here was likely her childhood home.
Interesting.
If he asked Ningguang to restore this area one day, she might even be happy to do it.
That was for later.
He pulled his thoughts back and said:
"Come on, let's go eat.
Afterward, get a good bath.
Tomorrow we'll head to Yaoguang Shoal first, then go into Liyue Harbor."
"Okay!" Lumine nodded immediately.
Paimon perked up at the word eat and rushed ahead like a bullet.
The three of them headed to the inn's dining area.
Meanwhile, Verr Goldet had already forwarded everything she learned about the group to Liyue Harbor.
Ningguang, of course, was already aware that Mondstadt had gained an Honorary Knight.
She also knew Lumine was searching for her brother.
And more importantly—
she had learned through her own channels that the ones who solved the Stormterror disaster were this very trio.
More specifically—Jiang Chen.
When the report arrived, Ningguang smiled faintly.
"Someone Lady Jean wants to recruit, hm?"
"How amusing."
And with that level of strength, she also wanted him.
Who wouldn't want a powerful force on their side?
Especially when the adepti watched from above.
A strong protector in Liyue Harbor was a blessing for the entire region.
From the intel, they would be arriving soon.
Then she would simply meet them herself.
Jiang Chen, on his end, wasn't surprised in the slightest.
He knew his information had reached Ningguang.
He didn't mind.
While he enjoyed his meal, Lumine glanced toward a nearby table where someone was drinking.
"By the way… Jiang Chen, what do you think happened to Venti?" she asked.
"We've been gone from Mondstadt for a while.
And you left him so many bottles of alcohol…
That stuff knocks him out for days at a time."
"Did we… uh… accidentally kill him?"
Jiang Chen's expression twitched.
"He's probably awake by now."
"He should've finished all the bottles I left."
Diona's mix was deadly—in its own way.
Even the Anemo Archon wasn't immune.
"I just hope he didn't die of alcohol poisoning," Lumine murmured.
"If he did, that would make us criminals."
"Die? As if!" Jiang Chen scoffed.
"If he did die from alcohol, I'd mock him for the rest of eternity."
"Of the original archons, some died in war, some due to tragic circumstances—
But Venti? Dying because he drank too much?"
He snorted.
"If that really happened, I'd summon him as a heroic spirit just to drag Zhongli and Ei over and laugh at him together."
"That would be way too embarrassing!"
Lumine burst out laughing at the image.
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