Zhongli: So It Really Is You!
Luo Li: "La Signora"? Or Should I Call You Rosalyne Instead?**
The private room on the far right.
The room was not large, yet there were four people inside.
Aside from the man and woman seated in the main seats at the front, the other two stood silently to the side wearing masks—clearly bodyguards.
After the woman finished speaking, one of the guards behind her hesitated before asking,
"Lady Signora, should we inform Lord Childe about the matter already agreed upon with the Geo Archon?"
The one addressed as Lady was none other than Rosalyne—the woman who had taken Venti's Gnosis in Mondstadt.
Even though she knew Luo Li was still alive—and even residing in Mondstadt—she did not dare to go see him.
The emotions she had bottled up for five hundred years had nearly frozen solid, yet now they were slowly beginning to melt.
To restrain herself from going to Luo Li, Signora left Mondstadt at the first opportunity and came to Liyue to conduct a contractual transaction with the Geo Archon, Morax.
That very man was now seated beside her—the handsome gentleman known as Zhongli.
"There's no need to inform him. That was part of the agreement," Signora said coldly.
She sneered. "As a piece on the chessboard, his duty is simply to perform properly for the one beside him."
Unlike forcibly seizing Venti's Gnosis, Morax had already signed a contract with the Cryo Archon long ago. As long as his conditions were fulfilled, the ancient god would willingly hand over his Gnosis.
That was why Signora could sit here calmly listening to an opera while negotiating terms.
As for selling out a colleague?
The Fatui were hardly one united, harmonious family. Selling out teammates was practically routine.
Of course, she had no idea that one day she herself would also be sold out.
But for now, that possibility had nearly vanished.
Zhongli remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the stage below as the performance continued.
"This is also a test," he said calmly. "A test of whether Liyue now possesses the ability to face risks on its own."
To that end, he intended to personally orchestrate a grand play.
He would bring all of Liyue's existing problems to the surface at once, to see how far humanity alone could go in responding to them.
Signora neither agreed nor disagreed. Success or failure meant nothing to her—she would obtain the Gnosis either way.
As for what Liyue would become afterward, it had nothing to do with her.
"I wish you success."
The words carried sharp mockery, utterly devoid of sincerity.
Zhongli did not mind. His cultivation of character ensured he would not lower himself to argue with the woman beside him.
Besides, her life had not been a happy one either—she, too, was a pitiable soul.
Watching Yun Jin's staggered steps as though trudging through snow, Zhongli's lips curved slightly upward, and he nodded unconsciously.
"At such a young age, to reach this level—she truly deserves the title of 'Master.'"
Signora didn't even want to respond. She curled her lips, about to retort, when a voice of agreement suddenly came from the neighboring private room.
"What you say is correct. Mr. Yun excels in both singing and movement—supporting the voice with breath, delivering words through sound, conveying emotion through diction, and transforming emotion into melody. Truly flawless."
Zhongli turned his head, surprised that someone could offer such a precise evaluation of Yun Jin's performance.
Wait…
That voice.
As he pondered, he replied,
"Indeed. The spoken lines rise and fall with rhythm, the singing shifts from gentle to passionate. The young male roles, painted faces, and court boots carry weight; the old female roles and flowing sleeves extend gracefully."
This was a level typically reached only by veteran performers—yet Yun Jin was barely in her youth. Even with talent, one could imagine how much effort and sweat she must have poured in behind the scenes.
As soon as Zhongli finished speaking, praise came once more from the opposite room.
"At Heyu, countless variations of opera styles converge—over a thousand facial patterns, hundreds of costumes. Pure and comic roles transform into the full spectrum of characters, while renowned performers sing and act with natural grace."
Zhongli's interest was fully piqued. He immediately extended an invitation.
"Excellent. You must be a learned individual as well. Why not come over and appreciate the performance together?"
There were only two or three people in the entire world who could prompt him to speak so proactively.
As soon as his words fell, footsteps could be heard from the neighboring private room.
Moments later, there was a knock at the door.
Signora frowned slightly—the voice from earlier felt strangely familiar.
Under the silent, questioning gazes of her Fatui guards, she ultimately said nothing and coldly replied,
"Do as he says."
The guards stepped aside, opening the door to allow the visitors in.
As the door opened, both Signora and Zhongli looked toward the entrance.
But upon seeing who it was, their expressions differed entirely.
Zhongli's surprise was tinged with sudden understanding, followed by a faint smile—as though he had already expected this.
Luo Li met his gaze and shook his head helplessly.
"How boring. Looks like you had already guessed it was me."
"Not quite," Zhongli replied honestly. "I only truly confirmed it just now."
He showed no excessive excitement at seeing an old friend—completely different from Venti's dramatic reactions.
Perhaps it was because he had learned earlier that Luo Li was still alive, and had already prepared himself mentally.
And with thousands of years of experience behind him, he was not someone prone to emotional turbulence.
After five hundred years of separation between life and death, their reunion amounted to nothing more than a calm nod.
But on the other side, things were very different.
Luo Li shifted his gaze to the curvaceous, mature woman beside Zhongli. The moment he looked at her, he clearly saw her instinctively step back, the panic on her beautiful face replacing her former cold arrogance.
Signora quickly turned her head, presenting only the side with her crown-like mask, as if afraid of being recognized.
Luo Li's expression grew complicated. He had once believed he had changed the fate of this pitiable girl—yet in the end, nothing had changed.
She still became the Crimson Witch of Flames, still hated the Abyss, and still devoted herself to the Cryo Archon.
She discarded the name Rosalyne, proclaiming herself to the world as La Signora, an Executor.
"So much time has passed," Luo Li said gently. "Yet to think I'd still meet the shy Windblume Festival princess from the plaza of the Anemo Archon."
As his words fell, Signora's body began to tremble uncontrollably.
She knew—it was no longer hidden.
Despite changing so much, she still could not escape his eyes.
Luo Li said nothing more. He glanced at the two Fatui guards by the door and spoke in an unquestionable tone,
"You two. Leave."
The guards scoffed inwardly, unmoved. Who are you to order us around?
Before they could speak, a furious reprimand erupted from their superior.
"He told you to get out—do you not understand?"
Fatui Guards:
Sorry. Our mistake.
The two left the room in disgrace, leaving only three people behind.