Another familiar voice suddenly cut through the crowd.
"Well now," Hu Tao said cheerfully as she stepped through the entrance with both hands behind her back, "business really is booming."
Henry turned toward her immediately, feeling several nearby customers shift aside almost instinctively as the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor walked further inside with her usual carefree steps.
"Director Hu," he greeted. "Here to buy a bike? I missed you on opening day."
"Yes, my apologies. I was working." Hu Tao leaned forward slightly before tilting her head with clear interest toward one of the display bicycles nearby. "But it depends whether I take the bike or not. Will you give me a discount?"
Henry's eyes narrowed instantly.
Orianna had repeatedly reprimanded him over the last several days that he needed to stop thinking with his cock and start thinking with his brain instead, and embarrassingly enough, Henry was beginning to realize she might actually have a point. He had spent so much time eagerly meeting, flirting with, or internally panicking over every attractive waifu entering his life that somewhere along the way he had apparently forgotten one very important fact.
He was supposed to be making money too.
To make matters worse, Orianna had already informed him that future missions would likely require earning specific amounts of Mora before completion conditions could be met, which meant casually throwing away profits because a beautiful woman smiled at him was no longer a sustainable business strategy.
That thought alone made Henry suddenly realize another problem entirely.
How exactly did Orianna even have the authority to adjust mission requirements in the first place?
The suspicion that had quietly existed in the back of his mind for a while now began growing stronger again, because the more time passed, the less Orianna felt like some emotionless game system and the more she resembled an actual living person pretending to be one.
[What! No! I am a system only.! I am NOT a living person!]
"Sure. Sure."
"No."
Hu Tao blinked.
The answer had arrived so quickly and mercilessly that even several nearby customers looked surprised.
[Character development detected.]
Hu Tao placed a hand dramatically against her chest. "You wound me, Henry. Is this how you treat someone who came personally to support your business?"
"Yes."
Henry remained firm for nearly three seconds. He looked thoughtfully toward Hu Tao, then toward the crowded street outside where another rider nearly crashed into a fruit stall before barely recovering at the last moment.
An idea suddenly formed.
Actually…
"Hu Tao," Henry said slowly, "how about this instead? You owe me a favor, and I can help your business too."
Hu Tao's eyes immediately brightened with interest.
"Oh?"
Henry folded his arms with growing confidence as the concept rapidly developed in his mind.
"You offer twenty percent discounts on all Wangsheng Funeral Parlor packages to anyone who purchases one Swift Bike."
For a moment, Hu Tao simply stared at him.
Then her entire face lit up.
"That's brilliant!"
Several nearby customers immediately looked alarmed.
Hu Tao, meanwhile, had already grabbed both of Henry's hands excitedly before he could retreat.
"Henry, you're a genius!"
"I know."
Hu Tao immediately began muttering excitedly to herself about advertisement slogans and promotional banners as she skipped happily toward her Parlor.
[So what favor are you thinking about?]
Henry folded his arms thoughtfully.
"She's the one person even the Geo Archon has to listen to," he replied internally after a moment. "It's probably a good idea to keep her close and treat her well."
---
The following day, Henry found himself once again ascending toward the Jade Chamber, though this time he noticed the guards greeting him with noticeably more respect than before, because news traveled quickly in Liyue whenever Mora became involved, and currently Swift Bikes was generating enough discussion to make nearly half the harbor curious.
As Henry stepped into the luxurious hall, he immediately spotted Ningguang waiting near the window, golden eyes reflecting the sunlight pouring through the chamber while the entirety of Liyue stretched beneath her like a city already resting comfortably in her palm.
Honestly, it should have been illegal for one person to look that elegant while conducting economic warfare.
"Henry," Ningguang greeted warmly as she turned toward him. "I was beginning to wonder whether your business success had caused you to forget me."
Henry recovered quickly enough, though only because he had mentally prepared himself during the entire trip upward. "How can I forget you Miss. Ningguang."
Ningguang laughed softly before gesturing toward the prepared tea waiting nearby, and Henry sat far more carefully because the last time he had visited the Jade Chamber, Ningguang had nearly killed him through flirtation alone.
Today, however, something about the atmosphere felt subtly different, and although nothing in Ningguang's expression openly revealed her intentions, Henry could already feel his instincts warning him that this conversation was probably heading somewhere dangerous.
Ningguang poured tea gracefully before finally speaking again.
"Your bicycles are becoming quite the phenomenon."
Henry accepted the cup cautiously. "So I've noticed."
"And naturally," Ningguang continued smoothly, "many merchants have already begun discussing future expansion opportunities."
The slight shift in her tone immediately put Henry on alert, because that no longer sounded like casual conversation.
That sounded like negotiations.
Ningguang's smile deepened slightly as though she had noticed the exact moment he realized it too.
"I imagine distribution throughout Liyue will not remain simple for very long," she continued while calmly stirring her tea. "Supply chains, merchant agreements, transportation routes, regional coordination… such matters become increasingly difficult once growth reaches a certain scale."
[Henry you realize what she is doing don't you.]
"I do. Don't worry I won't fall in her trap"
"And of course," Ningguang added with effortless elegance, "with proper investment, those burdens could become significantly easier to manage."
Henry finally understood why merchants throughout Liyue feared this woman so much, because Ningguang never cornered people aggressively. Instead, she guided conversations so smoothly toward her objective that by the time you realized what was happening, she was already halfway through wrapping chains around your finances.
"What kind of investment?" Henry asked slowly.
Ningguang folded her hands together atop the table.
"The Qixing could assist with distribution rights throughout Liyue Harbor."
Henry blinked once.
"…Distribution rights for Swift Bikes."
"Mhm."
"And in exchange?"
Ningguang smiled beautifully enough that Henry immediately became suspicious.
"Why not simply give those rights to me free of charge?" she suggested pleasantly.
Henry stared at her completely dumbfounded for several long seconds before Ningguang finally inclined her head slightly, the amusement in her expression becoming impossible to hide now.
"My apologies," she said lightly. "I simply wished to see how you would react."
Henry blinked again, because apologies from Ningguang were probably rarer than Mora rain.
Then her expression softened slightly as she studied him more carefully. "You truly intend to expand further, don't you?"
Henry's own expression eased a little at the question.
"Yeah," he admitted after a moment. "Not just bicycles either."
"I want to build things here properly. Things that actually improve daily life."
Ningguang watched him quietly for several seconds before smiling again, though this time the expression carried far less teasing than before and considerably more thoughtfulness.
And as Henry looked back at her, he finally admitted something to himself that he had been unconsciously avoiding ever since Swift Bikes became successful, because while he already had the products, ideas, and momentum necessary to attract attention throughout Liyue, what he still lacked were the connections capable of spreading those ideas efficiently across the nation.
Ningguang, unfortunately, possessed those in terrifying quantities.
Henry exhaled slowly before leaning back slightly in his chair.
"…Alright," he admitted at last. "I changed my mind."
One of Ningguang's brows lifted slightly.
"You can handle distribution rights throughout Liyue," Henry continued carefully after several moments of thought, "but Swift Bikes remains entirely under my ownership."
"Then allow me to counter properly," Ningguang replied as she set her teacup down with practiced elegance. "Seventy percent to my side, thirty to yours. My network would be handling transportation, warehousing, merchant coordination, expansion, and regional sales throughout all of Liyue and not just Liyue Harbour."
Henry nearly choked.
"Absolutely not."
Ningguang's eyes sparkled immediately at the speed of his rejection, and although her expression remained composed, Henry suddenly realized she was genuinely enjoying this negotiation far more than a normal person probably should.
"Fifty-fifty, then," she offered smoothly without missing a beat. "That would already be considered extremely generous for a regional distribution arrangement of this scale."
Henry remained silent for several seconds while mentally calculating everything.
Honestly, under normal circumstances, fifty-fifty probably was reasonable. The problem was that Henry was no longer thinking short-term.
He already had a functioning store, manufacturing capability in Mondstadt, and a product that was rapidly becoming successful even without major infrastructure support, while bicycles themselves were only the beginning of what he intended to introduce into Teyvat.
If he surrendered too much now, future negotiations would become a nightmare.
Henry finally set his teacup down.
"No," he said firmly this time. "Because realistically, I can eventually build distribution myself."
Ningguang's expression did not visibly change, though her attention sharpened immediately.
"It would take time," Henry admitted, "but it's possible. I already have manufacturing, demand, and the product itself. What you're offering is speed, convenience, and influence."
Henry continued before she could interrupt.
"And those are valuable," he admitted honestly, "which is why I'm willing to pay for them. But I'm not willing to lose control of my company because I got impatient during my first successful business venture."
For several quiet seconds, Ningguang simply watched him. Then, very slowly, she smiled.
Approvingly.
"…Seventy-thirty," she agreed at last. "In your favor."
Henry blinked.
That had actually worked?
Ningguang rested one hand lightly against her cheek while studying him with visible amusement.
"You should understand something, Henry," she said calmly. "Under ordinary circumstances, a distributor managing an entire nation-wide network would never accept such a small percentage. In most negotiations, the distributor possesses the leverage necessary to demand considerably more."
Henry listened carefully.
"I am giving you favorable terms because this arrangement is not entirely about bicycles," Ningguang continued, golden eyes remaining fixed on him. "Earlier, you spoke about introducing new things that would improve daily life in Liyue, and I have been waiting to see whether those words were merely ambition… or genuine intent."
A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Consider this my investment in that possibility."
"So we have a deal?"
"We do."
Ningguang reached calmly beneath the table before producing a neatly prepared contract, which she placed in front of Henry with the same smooth elegance she seemed to apply to everything else.
"You may take this with you," she said lightly. "Read it carefully, have it appraised by a lawyer if you wish, and return another day if the terms satisfy you."
Henry blinked once as he stared at the document.
Honestly… he had fully expected Ningguang to somehow trap him into signing the agreement immediately while smiling at him across the table like a beautiful financial predator.
Instead, she was calmly encouraging him to verify the contract himself.
Ningguang noticed his expression almost instantly.
"What?" she asked with faint amusement. "Did you expect me to pressure you into signing it immediately?"
"…A little," Henry admitted honestly.
That earned another soft laugh from her.
"I prefer friendly partnerships," Ningguang replied as she rested one hand lightly against her cheek. "I am not some financially hungry, shrewd merchant."
Afterward, Ningguang personally escorted him toward the exit platform near the edge of the Jade Chamber, where the distant sounds of Liyue Harbor drifted upward through the clouds below while guards respectfully stepped aside to let them pass.
Just before Henry stepped onto the descending platform, Ningguang spoke again.
"I was testing you earlier," she admitted, causing Henry to glance back toward her. "You do indeed possess business insight, and if you had immediately folded and agreed the first time I asked, I would have liked you considerably less."
Then she winked at him before turning around and calmly walking back toward her office, long white hair swaying gently behind her while Henry remained standing near the platform, quietly watching her disappear into the distance.
Henry finally descended from the Jade Chamber, his mind felt exhausted after dealing with Ningguang.
Then suddenly, a familiar blue screen appeared before him.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
MISSION COMPLETED
Sell 300 Swift Bikes in Liyue Harbor.
Reward: Instant Teleportation
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
"Finally!!!!!!!!!"
[Congratulations.]
[You may now teleport to any location you can clearly visualize.]
Henry's eyes widened.
"…Any location?"
[Within previously visited destinations.]
No more bike travel.
Henry practically rushed all the way back to the inn, and the moment he entered his room, he locked the door before sitting cross-legged on the bed while excitement steadily rose in his chest.
"Alright…"
He could visit Mondstadt instantly now.
Closing his eyes tightly, Henry carefully imagined his Mondstadt room — the placement of the bed, the windows facing the street below.
Then space suddenly twisted around him as Henry felt himself getting sucked through something impossibly narrow for a single horrifying second before the sensation abruptly stopped altogether.
When he finally opened his eyes, the room looked correct enough that a triumphant grin immediately spread across his face.
"Hah! First try!"
[Remarkable.]
"Told you—"
Then Henry turned around and immediately stopped breathing, because Alina was standing near the wardrobe wearing a floral black corset and matching pantsu while apparently halfway through changing.
Henry's brain shut down completely.
Alina stared at him while Henry stared right back, both of them frozen in absolute silence.
---
Longer chapters finally begin with this one. Enjoy! 🎉
Also, thank you for listening to me and supporting the fic with Power Stones last time.
If you enjoyed the chapter, I'd really appreciate your support again this time too.
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