Time passed slowly.
In a flash, it was dusk.
The dim sunlight poured down, stretching the shadows of the buildings long against the ground. Curling smoke from cooking fires rose into the air.
In many places, lamps and candles had already been lit.
Wanwen Bookhouse.
The readers gathered here also began to pack up and head home, one by one.
Xingqiu stood up and stretched lazily, his delicate body unfurling under the dusk night.
"Seeking immortals between the heavens and earth, wielding a sword within the mortal realm. Truly a good book. I didn't expect it to be this late already."
Looking at the few books on the table, Xingqiu nodded with satisfaction, then glanced at the gradually blurring night scenery.
"It's getting late. I should head back."
Thus, he packed up his books, turned around, and left Wanwen Bookhouse.
Just as he was walking toward the Feiyun Commerce Guild, he suddenly saw a young man with blue-white hair, dressed in ice-white clothes.
"Chongyun."
Xingqiu's eyes lit up, and he immediately waved his hand to call out.
"Xingqiu? Why are you here?"
Hearing Xingqiu's voice, the young man paused in his steps, stood still, and followed the sound to see Xingqiu.
"Just stealing half a day of leisure from this floating life. By the way, I didn't expect such a coincidence. Why have you come to Liyue Harbor?"
Xingqiu smiled and spoke.
"I heard a rumor that a 'butt monster' has appeared over at Chihu Rock. It specializes in hiding in the grass to ambush passersby. As soon as one gets close, it sucks the vital energy of the passerby. Those who have their vital energy sucked will be listless and muddled the next day."
Chongyun spoke with serious solemnity.
"Sucks vital energy? How does it suck it?"
Xingqiu was stunned, somewhat puzzled.
According to reason, in books of the Records of Jueyun genre, the demons and monsters inside always suck vital energy mouth-to-mouth.
"I'm not too clear on that either. In short, I came this time to investigate this matter."
Chongyun shook his head and said, "This time, it is said that many people have seen this butt monster, so I might be able to see it too."
"Sounds very interesting. I'll go with you."
Xingqiu raised an eyebrow and spoke with interest.
"Mm."
Chongyun nodded.
"Since the incident happened at Chihu Rock, let's go to Wanmin Restaurant for dinner first."
Xingqiu said.
"You aren't... going to have Xiangling hide Jueyun Chilis in the cold dishes again, are you?"
Chongyun complained.
"How is that possible? In your heart, am I that kind of person?"
Xingqiu immediately denied it flatly and expressed solemn protest.
"Then how do you explain the time you added Jueyun Chili powder into the shaved ice and tricked me into saying it was fruit powder?"
Chongyun said.
"Wasn't that an accident? I mistook the Jueyun Chili powder for fruit powder."
Xingqiu said with a beaming smile.
"But, that was a shaved ice stall. Everything is sweet and sour. Where would they get Jueyun Chili powder?"
Chongyun retorted.
"Isn't it very normal for a shaved ice stall to have Jueyun Chili powder? I heard Mondstadt even has some kind of spicy beverage."
Xingqiu smiled and said.
"But afterwards, you clearly returned the Jueyun Chili powder to the beef offal stall next door!"
"Aiya, don't mind these details. Let's go, let's go, my treat."
Xingqiu smiled, wrapped his arm around Chongyun's shoulder, and walked all the way toward Chihu Rock.
"By the way, what book is that in your hand?"
"This? This is a Xianxia novel I hunted down at Wanwen Bookhouse today. I've already finished the first two volumes. I can lend it to you to read."
"No need."
"The story is very exciting, believe me."
"Fine then."
Unable to out-stubborn Xingqiu, Chongyun nodded helplessly.
"After we deal with that butt monster tonight, let's go to my house to read novels."
Xingqiu said.
"Mm, but we have an agreement: you can't play tricks on me later tonight."
"Don't worry, don't worry."
At this moment.
Inside the editorial office of Liyue Publishing House.
"Ugh... so tired. Another hard day... Why are we so tired? What is it all for?"
"To eat something good."
"No, you misunderstood. I meant what is the meaning of life?"
"To eat something good."
"This... Forget it. How about we go for a drink later and eat something good?"
"Sure."
The editors conversed with faces full of fatigue. They decided to go to a tavern for a drink to relax.
"Ah Qing, do you want to come along?"
They all looked toward Bai Qing and asked.
"You seniors go ahead. I still have a lot of tasks I haven't finished; I have to take them home to work overtime."
Bai Qing glanced at the manuscripts and Inazuma books stacked on her desk, sighed helplessly, and spoke.
Hearing Bai Qing refuse, the senior editors showed no displeasure.
Nor did they forcefully drag Bai Qing to the bar. Instead, after reminding her not to get too tired and to just ask them for help if she couldn't finish, they left together.
Not long after they left, Bai Qing put down Xingqiu's manuscript in her hand, then leaned back, looking up at the ceiling.
Finally finished reading it.
Reading Xingqiu's manuscript was simply too exhausting.
The settings were as outrageous as ever, the story as old-fashioned as ever, and the handwriting as messy as ever.
She still didn't quite understand how such a story could explode in popularity in Inazuma.
Maybe this was cultural difference.
After tidying up her desk, Bai Qing picked up the book placed right on top of the Inazuma stack—Junior Sister, Go Easy, Senior Sister Hurts—and walked all the way toward her home.
She was too tired today. She would just do some simple proofreading after work...
She would read Fang Qiu's and the other authors' books tomorrow...
After all, proofreading didn't require much thinking.
She ate a casual dinner outside. By the time she returned home, the sky had turned completely dark.
After taking a quick shower, Bai Qing sat on her chair wrapped in a bath towel.
Feeling the tactile sensation of her body contacting the hard chair, Bai Qing couldn't help but furrow her brows.
"I've been sitting for a bit too long recently. I really should go to the market to see if they have that same plush chair as Fang Qiu's."
Bai Qing rubbed her slightly sore waist and muttered, "I should find a place to get a massage with the seniors some other day."
She rubbed her waist, and by the light of the lamp, she opened the pages of Junior Sister, Go Easy, Senior Sister Hurts and began to proofread the book's content.
"It's actually a Xianxia story too."
When she saw the opening where Senior Sister Zi Ling was practicing with her sword on the mountain—one swing of the sword causing the frozen pool to explode with a boom—Bai Qing's brows couldn't help but raise slightly.
It was actually a Xianxia text.
Thus, she continued reading downwards.
However, as she read on, Bai Qing's originally slightly tired pretty face suddenly turned red.
Her delicate body wrapped under the bath towel couldn't stop trembling a couple of times.
Although it was also Xianxia, it was completely different from the Xianxia Fang Qiu wrote. The book was entirely full of plots describing intimate contact between girls!
She finally understood why this book was called Junior Sister, Go Easy, Senior Sister Hurts...
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