While Hu Tao was happily munching on fried chicken...
On the streets of Liyue, Tartaglia, also known as Childe, was wandering through the city.
He had just left the harbor. Originally, he'd planned to visit the Steam Battleship, but upon arrival, he discovered it had already set sail. A pity.
Although he hadn't boarded it, he was certain of one thing: Captain Beidou's battleship definitely came from the mysterious shopkeeper's jars.
"My Lord! My Lord!"
As Tartaglia strolled back toward the Northland Bank, an urgent voice called out.
A man was running toward him.
Tartaglia raised an eyebrow. It was that guy—the one who had borrowed money from him at the bank three days ago.
To this day, Tartaglia didn't even know the man's name.
At the time, he'd been baffled by his own actions. Why had he lent the money?
He didn't know the guy's name, didn't know where he lived, yet the moment the request was made, he had agreed instantly. He hadn't even given himself a chance to reconsider.
The loan was due yesterday. It was now one day overdue. Tartaglia had assumed the man would default.
Although he was rich, he wasn't stupid. But since the money hadn't returned, he'd written it off as a loss.
To his surprise, on the third day, the man was actually approaching him. Was he here to repay the debt?
"Here to pay me back?"
Tartaglia smiled pleasantly as Xie Jun stopped in front of him. "I thought you'd run off when you didn't show up yesterday. By the way, I never got your name. I'm Tartaglia."
It was ridiculous that he still didn't know the debtor's identity.
"I'm Xie Jun."
Xie Jun looked embarrassed, extending a hand cautiously. "Lord Tartaglia... actually, I came to borrow money again. Can you lend me a bit more? I'll pay back the previous loan next time."
Tartaglia: "????"
His brow furrowed. "We barely know each other. You borrowed 100,000 Mora three days ago, promised to return it in two days, missed the deadline, haven't paid me back, and now you want to borrow more?"
As he spoke, Tartaglia found himself nodding. "Sure. I can lend it to you. How much do you need this time?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Tartaglia froze.
Why did I agree again?
Xie Jun, hearing the confirmation, looked ecstatic. He glanced at his hand—the one fused with the item—and said excitedly, "Thank you, Lord Tartaglia! I need 200,000 Mora. This time I'll definitely make a profit. I'll pay you back with interest in two days!"
"Okay."
Tartaglia nodded, pulling a heavy pouch from his pocket and handing it over. "Here is 200,000 Mora. Take it."
As the pouch left his hand, Tartaglia's frown deepened. Why? Why did I just give him 200,000 Mora?
He wanted to refuse. He tried to refuse. But the words wouldn't come out.
"Thank you, Lord Tartaglia!"
Clutching the money, Xie Jun beamed. He stashed the Mora and sprinted away before the Harbinger could change his mind.
He was thrilled. This item really was incredible.
It let him borrow money from anyone, uncontrollably!
Amazing. Thank you, Jar Shop!
"I..."
Watching Xie Jun run off with his money, Tartaglia's expression was stiff.
I did it again.
"It doesn't matter. It's only 300,000 Mora," he told himself, trying to rationalize the bizarre compulsion. "I'll lend to him one last time. If he doesn't pay back with interest in two days... we'll settle accounts then."
Shaking his head to clear the confusion, Tartaglia continued toward the Northland Bank.
...
Meanwhile, on the vast ocean.
A small boat bobbed on the waves.
Zhang Xuepeng sat on the deck, gazing at the endless horizon, then up at a bird circling overhead.
"Sigh. I sent the letter ahead. I wonder if the Boss received it."
He sighed again. "Based on the bird's speed, he should have got it by now. Shame I couldn't get back in time myself. But soon... It's a pity about the photos. I left in such a rush that sending the letter and sketch was the best I could do."
He patted the pocket containing the photographs.
He had taken them with his personal Kamera while touring the Steam Battleship.
He had considered sending them with the bird but feared they might get lost or damaged. Photos were proof; he had to deliver them personally.
Thinking back to the steel leviathan docked in Liyue Harbor, he was still shaken.
How could such a battleship exist? And built by Liyue?
It made no sense.
But it didn't matter. He would bring this intelligence back to Fontaine. The engineers there would analyze it and replicate it.
If Liyue could build one, surely Fontaine—the nation of technology—could build a fleet.
The thought of Fontaine possessing an armada of similar battleships made him giddy with excitement.
...
Back at the Jar Shop.
Hu Tao, stuffed to the brim, was lying on Felix's lounge chair. She rubbed her slightly distended belly, looking pitifully at Felix, who was advancing on her.
"Shopkeeper... I can't eat anymore. Really. I'm full."
On the table covered by the Gourmet Tablecloth, two steaming dishes remained untouched: Golden Shrimp Balls from Liuli Pavilion and Vegetarian Abalone from Wangshu Inn.
And in Felix's hand was a spoon full of Full Moon Egg.
Hu Tao hadn't touched any of them.
She had been seduced by the fried chicken. A whole bucket had gone into her stomach, followed by a loud burp. Now, she couldn't fit another grain of rice.
Felix, expressionless, held the spoon to her mouth. "I told you. If you couldn't finish it, I'd force-feed you. Open up."
Ordering so much and wasting it? Shameful.
Didn't she know wasting food was a crime?
"Mmph—"
Before she could protest, Felix shoved the spoon in. She couldn't speak, only make muffled noises of distress.
She managed to swallow, her face flushing red.
She shook her head frantically. "No more! The Director eats no more!"
She struggled to sit up.
Her stomach felt like a tight drum. One more bite and she might actually explode.
"The Director is leaving! See you tomorrow!"
Covering her mouth in humiliation, Hu Tao scrambled off the chair and fled the shop.
"Hmph. Women," Felix scoffed.
Why order so much if you can't eat it?
He looked at the untouched Golden Shrimp Balls and Vegetarian Abalone.
What to do with these? He couldn't eat them either.
While he pondered, the two Millelith guards returned from their lunch break. They saw Hu Tao running out, face red, covering her mouth.
"What happened? Why is Director Hu leaving so fast?"
"Yeah... and was she blushing? Or looking sick?"
They returned to their post and peeked inside. The Shopkeeper was staring at two dishes on the table.
"Eh?"
Wenqi blinked, recognizing one of the plates. "Did the Shopkeeper order Golden Shrimp Ballsfrom Liuli Pavilion? How?"
"Doesn't Liuli Pavilion require reservations months in advance?" Doyle asked, surprised.
Liuli Pavilion and Xinyue Kiosk were the pinnacles of Liyue cuisine—Li cuisine and Yue cuisine respectively. Their prices were astronomical, and they were reservation-only. You couldn't just order takeout.
Doyle glanced at the steaming food. "Maybe he reserved it days ago and it just arrived?"
"Must be." Wenqi nodded.
...
Meanwhile, outside Wanmin Restaurant.
A crowd had gathered.
Chef Mao stood at the entrance, face stony and cold, staring down two men in expensive silk robes.
"If you aren't here to buy food, move aside. Don't block my entrance."
His voice was icy.
"What's going on? Why does Chef Mao look so angry?" a bystander whispered.
"It's the reps from Liuli Pavilion and Xinyue Kiosk," someone explained. "They came to ask for the Instant Noodle recipe. They wanted to 'collaborate,' but it looks like the talks failed."
"Yeah. Liuli Pavilion wanted to sign an exclusive contract to monopolize the noodles and force Chef Mao to raise the price. He refused."
"And Xinyue Kiosk just tried to buy the recipe outright. He refused that too. Now it's a standoff."
"Bastards. I knew those two restaurants were vultures. They saw the noodles getting popular and wanted to snatch them. If they monopolize it, the price will skyrocket."
"Exactly. Their food is good but too expensive for normal people. Chef Mao gave us cheap, delicious noodles. If he sells out, we starve."
"Chef Mao hates them anyway. Remember the 'Food War' back in the day? They cornered the market on ingredients and bankrupted half the restaurants in the city."
"Even Wanmin Restaurant almost went under. If Lady Ningguang hadn't stepped in to regulate the market, Liyue's culinary scene would be dead. But they're still at it, just quieter."
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