Finally, at Ryan's request, Baizhu agreed to let him first retrieve his alchemy furnace and the scissors he had thrown out.
"Wow, it really is an alchemy furnace! You, a junior, actually practice alchemy?"
Seeing the shrunken alchemy furnace that Ryan put away, the white snake named Changsheng around Baizhu's neck poked its head out and said in surprise.
"Yes, Ms. Snake."
Ryan put his precious alchemy furnace into his Bolsa Qiankun and replied.
"What 'Ms. Snake'? That sounds terrible. Just call me Changsheng."
After seeing the alchemy furnace, Changsheng's attitude towards Ryan seemed to improve significantly.
Subsequently, led by Baizhu, Ryan and the Damselette returned to Liyue Harbor together.
On the way, Ryan also learned the Damselette's name: Hu Tao.
Similarly, the Damselette also learned Ryan's name.
Upon arriving at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Keqing, who was working overtime, learned it was another Qiqi kidnapping case and personally came to interrogate.
"Director Hu, this isn't your first offense, and this one... why is it you?"
It wasn't the first time Baizhu had rescued Qiqi from Hu Tao, so it wasn't the first time Keqing had seen Hu Tao at the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
It was only when she saw the other culprit next to her that Keqing was a little surprised.
She had just taken that Mind Soother Pill, and her mental state was excellent, so she specifically came to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to work overtime.
But how long had it been, and how had Ryan committed an offense and been sent to the Ministry of Civil Affairs?
"H-hello..."
Ryan greeted Keqing guiltily.
"Hehe, This Master's duty is to lay the deceased to rest, so this shouldn't count as breaking the law, right?"
Hu Tao, unlike Ryan, wasn't timid; she acted as if she were at home when she came to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The Liyue Qixing naturally knew that Qiqi was a zombie.
After all, even the suddenly appearing demon was almost dragged to the Ministry of Civil Affairs by Keqing for registration.
"Hmm... throughout the years, whenever zombies caused trouble in Liyue, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was responsible for cremating them. This matter indeed has its reasons..."
Keqing pondered for a moment, then looked at Baizhu, who was waiting nearby, and Qiqi, whose hand he was holding.
Seeing that Baizhu and Qiqi had no objections, Keqing continued:
"But even if there are reasons, it doesn't negate the fact that Director Hu scared Qiqi. So, Director Hu, I require you to write a letter of apology of at least three thousand words. You may not leave until it's finished."
After stating Hu Tao's punishment, Keqing turned to look at Ryan.
"What's wrong with you? Why did you also follow Director Hu to kidnap Qiqi?"
"If Ganyu knew about this, what would she think of you?"
Keqing said to Ryan sternly.
Although she greatly appreciated Ryan's alchemy abilities, Ryan's current situation resembled those dissolute young masters who committed evil deeds by relying on connections.
"I didn't kidnap her..."
Ryan weakly began to explain, starting from coincidentally encountering Hu Tao putting Qiqi in a sack, all the way to his heroic feat of outsmarting the evil Hu Tao and bravely rescuing Qiqi to escape.
Hu Tao, at the side, raised an eyebrow. Although what Ryan said seemed to be the actual sequence of events, she felt something was off.
"Hmm..."
Keqing glanced at Hu Tao and saw that she didn't seem to intend to refute.
"Then, one last question: what was your original purpose in approaching Qiqi?"
After a moment of thought, Keqing asked the final question, carefully watching Ryan to confirm if he was lying in his answer.
From what was just said, it could be inferred that when Ryan encountered Hu Tao putting Qiqi in a sack, he had already stealthily approached Qiqi himself, which was why he met Hu Tao's gaze and reached a "consensus."
"I was going to cut Qiqi's hair for alchemy..."
Ryan had no choice but to confess honestly.
"Hair..."
Hearing Ryan's words, Qiqi, whose hand was held by Baizhu, raised her other hand and touched the hair at her temple.
Indeed, a part of her hair was missing there.
"Using a zombie for medicine? What a bold junior. Although I approve of your willingness to try, bullying my Qiqi is not allowed. Don't do it again, understood?"
Hearing that Ryan wanted to use Qiqi's hair as an alchemy ingredient, Changsheng couldn't help but nod her head and comment.
"Understood, Qiqi, I'm sorry..."
Ryan honestly apologized to Qiqi.
'Hehe... as long as I got the hair, it wasn't a wasted trip...'
While apologizing with a guilty expression on the surface, Ryan was secretly delighted in his heart.
"Qiqi, it's okay."
"Dealing with Hu Tao, good person, Qiqi, thank you."
Qiqi didn't mind that some hair was missing from her temple. She still remembered the scene where Ryan held her and fled from Hu Tao's pursuit, so she thanked Ryan in return.
"Alright, although you didn't subjectively intend to kidnap Qiqi, you objectively became Director Hu's accomplice. So you also write a letter of apology. You may not leave until it's finished."
Although Ryan received Qiqi's forgiveness, Keqing still added a sentence.
"Okay..."
Ryan nodded, his expression uglier than crying.
And so, Ryan and Hu Tao were left to write letters of apology, while Baizhu first took Qiqi back.
Ryan sat at the table and glanced at the paper and pen on it, finding himself in a predicament.
How do you write a letter of apology?
Just as Ryan was distressed, he suddenly noticed Hu Tao at a nearby position, writing furiously without any pause.
Ryan rolled his eyes and quickly ran to the seat next to Hu Tao and sat down.
"What are you doing?"
Hu Tao noticed Ryan's approach and quickly covered her half-written letter of apology with both hands.
"Hehe, um... Director Hu, it was all a misunderstanding just now~ We're both good people~ Let's not hurt our harmony~"
Ryan scratched his head and explained with an awkward smile.
"Oh, This Master is a good person now? First, tell me what you want to do."
Hu Tao looked at Ryan with amusement.
"Can I copy your letter of apology? I'll just copy a little bit..."
Ryan clasped his hands together, requesting shyly.
"Hmph, well, well, This Master isn't some narrow-minded woman; I'll let you copy it."
Seeing Ryan's pleading look, Hu Tao's eyes darted around, then she agreed with a grin, moving her hands away from the letter of apology.
Ryan immediately leaned in next to Hu Tao and started copying, while Hu Tao continued to write her unfinished letter of apology.
During the copying process, Ryan naturally didn't forget to change Hu Tao's self-address to his own.
Hu Tao had started writing earlier than Ryan, and soon she finished everything.
"I am very sorry, Yuheng Star, my Director has caused you trouble."
At this moment, a man's voice talking to Keqing came from outside the door.
"Hey, why is this Guest Elder fellow here to pick up This Master... I'm leaving first. Remember to give both to Keqing when you're done copying."
Hearing the voice outside the door, Hu Tao hurriedly stood up and walked towards the outside.
After Hu Tao left, Ryan also sped up his copying, as he didn't know if Keqing would come in immediately to check.
After a while, Ryan finally finished copying the letter of apology, handed both letters of apology to Keqing, and was then able to leave the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The next day, Qiqi of Bubu Pharmacy received two letters of apology sent by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Qiqi, who no longer remembered what had happened, opened the letters of apology in confusion.
[My dearest friend Qiqi, This Master is deeply sorry for failing to bury you. This was all due to This Master's slow hands and feet. Next time, I will definitely strive to lay you to rest before Baizhu arrives.]
Seeing this passage in the letter of apology, Qiqi rubbed her eyes, confirmed she hadn't misread it, and immediately put it aside, picking up the other letter of apology and moving a little further away before reading it.
[Little zombie Qiqi, this fox is very sorry for failing to stuff you into the alchemy furnace. This was all due to this fox's slow hands and feet. Next time, I will definitely strive to refine you into a pill before Baizhu arrives.]
...
"Mr. Baizhu, Qiqi, received, a threatening letter..."