Time slipped slowly by.
In the blink of an eye, dusk had fallen.
Although the snow had stopped, the sky was still thick with clouds. At dusk there was none of the usual magnificence of the setting sun dyeing half the heavens red.
The sky was dim and gloomy.
Liyue Harbor had lit its lanterns early.
Although Yun Jin had not yet taken the stage, the Heyu Tea House was already packed with people.
The place was abuzz with chatter.
"Just finished watching Your Name, and now straight into Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother—how delightful."
"This Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother seems to be a joint creation by Master Yun and that old thief Fang Qiu. The ending won't be another big cleaver, will it?"
"Very likely. After all, when it comes to being ruthless, Old Thief Fang Qiu has never once shown mercy."
The spectators buzzed with discussion. Beyond worrying about the plot, most of them were filled with anticipation.
On the second floor of the Heyu Tea House.
"Mr. Zhongli, this is fresh tea that was just brought back from Qiaoyingzhuang today."
The waiter carried over a pot of tea, walked to Zhongli's side, and said respectfully, "Allow me to pour for you."
"Mm."
Zhongli nodded.
The waiter acknowledged with a word, lifted the teapot, and poured Zhongli a cup of tea.
The tea was a pale green in color, pure and clear, without a trace of cloudiness or foam.
Its fragrance was rich and mellow.
Zhongli lifted the cup, took a small sip, then nodded and said, "Not bad. The color is bright, the taste mellow with a hint of sweetness, and the temperature just right. Not only the tea leaves—your brewing skill has also improved since last time."
"Thank you for your praise, Mr. Zhongli."
The waiter's eyes lit up slightly.
To earn such an evaluation from Mr. Zhongli was truly an honor.
"Mm."
Zhongli nodded, lifted his cup, took another sip, and then turned his gaze downstairs toward Fang Qiu and the others, who were seated at the open-air teahouse by the ocean.
"Interesting."
Zhongli smiled faintly.
When he had listened to Yun Jin's Walking in the Snow before, he had wondered what kind of story this young girl Fang Qiu would write if she penned an opera.
He hadn't expected that Yun Jin and Fang Qiu would collaborate and release a work so soon.
He couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation for what kind of story their collaboration would produce.
Time drifted slowly on, and in the blink of an eye, the sky had turned completely dark.
Liyue Harbor had entered the night; beneath the full moon, the harbor was cloaked in darkness.
A cold wind swept past, carrying the damp air of the ocean. Fang Qiu couldn't help but shrink into herself and press her legs together.
"Have a cup of hot tea."
Shenhe lifted the teapot and poured Fang Qiu a cup of hot tea.
"Mm."
Fang Qiu smiled, gently lifted the cup, and took a sip. The moment the hot tea slid down her throat, her body warmed considerably.
"A story co-created by Fang Qiu and Yun Jin—I'm so looking forward to it."
Paimon also lifted her cup and took a sip, then realized something was off and said, "You wouldn't have written a tragedy, would you?"
"Don't worry, not this time."
Fang Qiu said with a smile.
"I can vouch for it—it really isn't."
Xinyan, whom they'd run into at the Heyu Tea House, chimed in.
"That's good, then."
Paimon said with a smile.
Just as they were chatting idly, the sound of konghou and zither rang out.
"It's starting, it's starting."
Paimon said, her face full of excitement.
Fang Qiu turned her gaze to the stage as well, and everyone fell silent, their eyes fixed on the stage.
This time, it was not Yun Jin's solo performance, but a grand production performed by the entire Yun-Han Opera Troupe together.
The first to appear were Liu Yanchang and the Third Holy Mother.
It had to be said that, apart from Yun Jin, the other members of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe were also extremely skilled in their craft.
Under their performance, the story of the Lotus Lantern began to unfold.
At first, the crowd would still occasionally comment, but as the plot deepened, everyone present became captivated by the Yun-Han Opera Troupe's performance.
When they saw that the Third Holy Mother's own elder brother, Yang Jian, disregarded their kinship—ordering the Howling Celestial Dog to steal his sister's Lotus Lantern, and even sealing away his own sister with his own hands—many were filled with indignation.
After that, Chen Xiang was born.
The Third Holy Mother entrusted a yaksha to deliver Chen Xiang to Liu Yanchang's side.
Although Liu Yanchang longed for the Third Holy Mother, as a mere mortal he was utterly powerless to save the one he loved, and could only raise Chen Xiang to adulthood.
With a passage of operatic narration, Chen Xiang grew up.
Chen Xiang, played by Yun Jin, took the stage.
Seeing Yun Jin in costume, many in the audience perked up.
Master Yun has taken the stage!
"I didn't expect Yun Jin to look so convincing playing a young man."
Paimon said.
"Mm... quite handsome."
Hu Tao nodded, her face full of critique as she spoke.
In search of his mother, Chen Xiang endured countless hardships and arrived at Mount Hua, only to discover that he had no power at all to rescue her.
At that moment, an immortal appeared, took Chen Xiang in, and taught him the arts of cultivation.
As time passed, Chen Xiang gained power.
And so, he came before Mount Hua, preparing to split it open and rescue his mother—only to be blocked by his own uncle, Yang Jian.
As the story progressed, everyone present was moved by the fate of Chen Xiang's family.
Fortunately, in the end Chen Xiang defeated Yang Jian, split Mount Hua open, and rescued his mother. The family of three was finally reunited.
At this scene, many in the audience shed tears, moved to weeping.
Chen Xiang had finally saved his mother.
It was only when the members of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe took their bows that the audience came back to their senses, and then burst into enthusiastic applause.
"Bravo! Beautifully sung!"
"What a fine show!"
"So moving."
The crowd cheered one after another.
Fang Qiu's eyes shone with wonder as well; even she hadn't expected the Yun-Han Opera Troupe to perform this opera so deeply and movingly.
"A happy reunion—it wasn't easy at all! At the end, when he faced that big villain Erlang Shen Yang Jian, I really thought Chen Xiang was going to lose! Thank goodness for the help of the other immortals."
Paimon wiped away her tears and looked at Lumine, only to find her staring blankly at the stage, tears glistening in her eyes. Paimon couldn't help but pat Lumine's head and asked, "Traveler, don't worry—I'll definitely be by your side to help you find your brother, and by then, you two will surely be reunited, just like Chen Xiang's family."
"Don't worry—you and your brother will be reunited in the end."
Fang Qiu added.
"We'll help look, too."
Xiangling, Hu Tao, and Xinyan chimed in as well.
Shenhe nodded too and said, "I'll help keep an eye out as well."
"Mm, thank you all."
Lumine nodded, smiled, and then joined them in discussing the plot of the opera.
When Yang Jian was mentioned, they all showed looks of disgust.
And when others mentioned Yang Jian, they hurled even harsher words at the character.
"Hmph, this Yang Jian is truly devoid of humanity! For the sake of merit, he cruelly sealed his own sister beneath Mount Hua!"
"It's no wonder this is an opera created by Old Thief Fang Qiu and Master Yun—not only do the good characters win people's hearts, but even that bastard Yang Jian is portrayed so vividly and memorably."
"If you ask me, Chen Xiang should just chop this son of a bitch to death with one swing of his axe—he deserves to die!"
"What use is it for someone who cares nothing for family to climb so high? Having lost the people's hearts, even if you made him the Jade Emperor, he wouldn't last long!"
"I have to say, this Old Thief Fang Qiu really has a knack for portraying people—she can depict a villain so despicable you can't help but loathe him."
Listening to the crowd's comments, Fang Qiu looked toward Yun Jin, who played Chen Xiang on stage, and at the actor playing Erlang Shen standing beside her, looking a bit awkward from all the cursing. She smiled faintly and said nothing.
Yun Jin, meanwhile, gave Fang Qiu a helpless glance, then looked at the crowd cursing Yang Jian as they discussed the opera, sighed, and also said nothing.
Miss Fang Qiu really is wicked at heart....
On the second floor of the Heyu Tea House.
"Mr. Zhongli, how was this opera?"
A middle-aged wealthy merchant took a sip of tea, nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Zhongli beside him and asked.
"Not bad. It could be counted a fine performance."
Zhongli nodded, lifted his cup, took a sip, and said.
As he spoke, he cast his gaze downstairs at Fang Qiu.
There was approval in his eyes.
After instructing the waiter to send the bill to the Northland Bank, he rose and departed.
The others present also began to leave one after another, still discussing as they went.
Before long, Yun Jin had removed her makeup, changed into everyday clothes, and came out from backstage.
"Good evening, everyone."
Yun Jin asked with a smile, "How was our performance just now?"
"Wonderful."
Fang Qiu nodded and said, "That was exactly the Splitting the Mountain to Save Mother in my heart."
Hu Tao and the others also spoke up in praise.
"It was performed so wonderfully—I cried just now watching it."
Paimon said.
"Thank you for the praise."
Yun Jin smiled softly and said, "It's all thanks to Miss Fang Qiu's story. If it were me, I could never have written such a moving tale."
"Miss Yun Jin, you're being modest. If you hadn't turned it into an opera, together with the perfect performance of everyone in the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, this story would never have achieved such an effect."
Fang Qiu said with a smile.
After a round of mutual professional flattery, it was only natural to go gather together, and so they headed straight for the Wanmin Restaurant.
Xiangling personally took to the kitchen, and dishes of all sorts of flavors were served one after another, satisfying everyone present.
Watching Xinyan and the others eat until their lips turned red, Fang Qiu couldn't help but cast an envious glance.
How nice it must be to handle spicy food....
She wanted to eat it too.
But she didn't dare....
If only she had the constitution of that new owner of the Yanshang Teahouse she'd met before—the one called Yelan—who could chew raw Jueyun Chili dry.
Although such a constitution was a bit masochistic, being able to eat spicy food really was a great happiness.
In her past life, she couldn't handle spice either.
Whenever she went out for hotpot with friends, every time she ordered the split mandarin-duck pot she'd receive the condescending, weakling-scorning looks of the customers at nearby tables and of her friends.
They chatted as they ate.
By the time dinner was finished, it was already very late, and so they each went their separate ways home.
Snow began to fall from the sky once more.
A drifting snowflake slipped into the back of Fang Qiu's collar, making her shiver violently.
So cold.
After making her way home with Shenhe.
The first thing Fang Qiu did was light the fireplace.
Feeling the warmth of the flames, Fang Qiu finally stopped trembling.
Once the cold was driven away, Fang Qiu peeled off her somewhat damp clothes, and then removed those white silk pantyhose.
Once completely naked, she wiped her body down with a soft towel.
Then she hesitated for a moment, but in the end chose not to bathe.
It was simply too cold.
Better not, then.
She deftly changed into her panda pajamas, then wrapped herself in a blanket and lay down on the sofa.
After curling up on the sofa for a while, Shenhe finished her bath, changed into the same style of pajamas as hers, and walked over to sit on the sofa.
However, Shenhe seemed to have changed into her pajamas without drying herself off. A trail of water droplets was making its way across towering peaks and treacherous ravines down toward the plains, and the fuzzy panda pajamas clung tightly to her body, perfectly outlining her figure—she looked exceptionally alluring.
Seeing this, Fang Qiu couldn't help but speak up:
"Remember to dry your body before changing clothes, or else it won't just be uncomfortable—you might also..."
At this point, Fang Qiu's words halted, and she forcibly swallowed back the words "get sick."
It wasn't as if Shenhe would....
With Shenhe's constitution—mighty enough to uproot mountains and overshadow the age—forget wearing wet clothes; even standing stark naked in the snow all night probably wouldn't make her sick.
"Mm, understood."
Shenhe nodded.
While chatting with Fang Qiu, she took a book from the tea table.
It was her book, The Forest of Fireflies' Light.
After taking out the book, Shenhe settled onto the sofa and began reading it carefully.
After resting for a while, Fang Qiu recalled the words Paimon had said earlier.
So she propped herself up, stretched lazily with all her might, then rose and sat down at the desk near the fireplace.
For the sake of the Cryo Empress.
After grinding the ink, Fang Qiu let out a long breath.
She picked up paper and pen, hesitated for a moment, then slowly wrote four elegant characters on the paper with her quill.
Weathering With You.
With each stroke of Fang Qiu's pen, the story of a boy named Hodaka Morishima and a girl named Hina Amano began to unfold.
And outside the window, the snow fell heavier and heavier.
The cold wind carried the snow off into the distance, blowing westward all the way, carrying Liyue Harbor's snow to the Jueyun Karst.
The night was dim.
No light could be seen in the mountain wilds; those who lived in seclusion in the Jueyun Karst had long since put out their lamps and gone to bed.
Atop Qingyun Peak, howling gales swept in gust after gust.
Two figures swept past amid the swirling snow, disturbing the gales, and after flying over Qingyun Peak, the two human forms transformed back into the original appearance of their adeptal bodies.
After flying over Qingyun Peak, they did not rest, but flew all the way to Mt. Aocang, landing before the mountain.
"Cloud Retainer, we're back."
Mountain Shaper said.
However, inside the abode there was dead silence, and all around was only the howling of the snow.
"Hmph!"
After a moment of silence, a cold snort came from within the abode, and then Cloud Retainer appeared before the two of them.
Cloud Retainer looked at Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver, her eyes brimming with coldness.
"So you two remembered to come back?"
She hadn't been entirely certain whether these two had abandoned her to go wandering together, since Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver had left separately.
She had no proof that the two of them had ditched her to go off and have fun together.
But now that Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver, these two adepti, had returned together—that meant they really had abandoned her to go wandering!
"On this trip we went to Liyue Harbor, to safeguard the security of Liyue Harbor and its surroundings."
Mountain Shaper said, "We saw you tinkering with that mechanical cooking contraption of yours, so we didn't call you along."
"Is that so?"
Cloud Retainer's expression eased slightly as she spoke.
"On this trip we met the Fang Qiu you spoke of, and also watched the animation she created together with Ningguang, the Tianquan."
Moon Carver said.
"Animation?"
Cloud Retainer was somewhat puzzled.
And so, they explained the principles of animation to Cloud Retainer.
After hearing the principles of animation, Cloud Retainer couldn't help but marvel.
"What was the name of the animation you watched?"
Cloud Retainer asked.
"It's called Your Name."
"Your Name?"
Hearing their answer, Cloud Retainer was momentarily stunned.
Wasn't that the most heart-wrenching one?
No, wait, that's not the point—weren't the two of them supposed to be protecting Liyue? How did they end up watching animation instead?
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