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sharkiestory · 1 year

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diluc x male!reader x zhongli

cw : angst w/ comfort, breakups, exes, alcohol (cuz bar), zhongli being emotional, diluc being SO FINE.

notes : i listened to mortals & fools from death note the musical while writing this, go figure !!

this was the fourth time Zhongli didn't show. after promising you a romantic dinner at the Xinyue Kiosk and a night of wandering the town together, browsing the market and looking for holes in the wall you two haven't discovered yet. you sit alone at the table for two, having ordered nothing. you've been in this position before, you know he's more often a no show than not.

you know exactly where he is too. with that ginger, sparring, playing cards, probably getting dinner with him and forgetting about his boyfriend. you stood up from the chair abruptly and walked out, walking back to our shared home, this time you were going to give him a piece of your mind. this is the fourth time he's done this. other times he gave excuses, 'oh darling you know work gets busy', 'childe needed me, you understand of course', 'i got distracted in a heated debate with a scholar!' he'd say, never thinking for a second how it made you feel.

the chill of the night air nips at your skin roughly through my shirt, almost tauntingly, making fun of the fact his jacket isn't draped over your shoulders gently. the breeze is bittersweet. it pushes you eastward, towards distant lands. maybe the wind knows you've had enough, maybe it wants you to seek out Mondstadt.

you arrive to an empty home, of course he'd still be out at this hour. you opt to go up to your shared room and see your safety travel bag tucked safely away in your closet. you packed it the third time he ditched you, it was a getaway bag incase everything became too overwhelming. no, you don't think it's ever going to be used, but you knew you needed it for peace of mind.

the door opens, pulling you from your thoughts. you walk down the stairs with an angry air to you.

"whats your excuse this time Morax." you spat out. he looked up at you with seemingly innocent eyes, until realization passed through his eyes. you could tell by the way his eyelids hung heavy on his eyes, and the way his arms hung loosely he was drinking, presumably with Childe.

"oh my Lapis i'm so sorry dear, i forgot we were going out tonight.. i was with Childe" he admitted. you hated how the petname came out of his mouth, as if it was a bandaid that could heal the wounds he'd inflicted on you.

"this is the fourth fucking time Morax." you wanted to say more, wanted to curse him out while sobbing, but you decided to save your air. no matter what, he wouldn't hear you. you realized this. no matter if you were easy to forgive him like the first time, or you cried in his arms like the second time. or even giving him the silent treatment like the third time he forgot about your dates, he just didn't get it. and you doubted he ever would

he approached you, with his arms out. he reeked of wine and ginger.

"don't touch me. i'm going out. don't follow me." you said dryly.

"please [name], you know i didn't mean it" he pleaded.

"doesn't matter Morax. it doesn't matter what your intention is. you've hurt me four times. is that not enough for you to think about me for once? why is it always about how you didn't mean it, why is it never about me. i've done everything to make you notice me, and none of it works." you said grabbing your coat this time, so the wind wouldn't pester you with its taunts.

"please my darling--" he said placing a hand on your shoulder.

"no! get off of me Morax. i told you not to touch me. if its not one thing its another!" you yelled, closing the door just a tad too harshly behind you. you briskly walked through the winding streets of Liyue, fat tears threatening to spill from your eyes.

you made your way down to the harbor, sitting on one of the benches and watching boats pass you by. how easy it would be to just leave, to board one of those cruise boats and stay where it brought you. to just get up and walk to Sumeru, pursue a life as an academic and study the audacity of men, or to be a bartender in Mondstadt. how easy it would be.

why the hell not. why not get up and do it. you decided you would. you rushed back home with an adrenaline coursing through your veins like never before. you walked into the house, and quickly realized it was empty. Zhongli had gone, his coat and shoes weren't there anymore.

whatever, he doesn't need to know you left. he can find out whenever he gets back from bar hopping with the Fatui. you knew the Divine tended to have different moral compasses from humans but this was unbelievable.

but it didn't matter anymore, you were leaving for good. no more Zhongli, no more getting stood up, no more chop suey, no more anything. you decided to go to Mondstadt, you considered Sumeru, but decided that you didn't want to have to find your away around the Chasm, and Mondstadt was closer anyways.

grabbing your bag, your weapon of choice, and a bit of food and water you headed out. you debated on stopping to see people you knew would actually miss your absence, like Madam Ping, who loved to tell you stories and listen to your, or Jifang of Wanwen Bookhouse, who you visited quite often to buy books. you decided against the idea though, the quicker you got out of Liyue the better.

and thus began your trip to Mondstadt.

---

three months later you found yourself settled in a small apartment in Mondstadt, working at Angels Share as a bar tender. when asking around for jobs, you overheard they were in dire need. with only two bartenders they were desperate for even someone to work part-time. which you took. the part-time job was relatively easy, the bulk of it was memorizing how to make specific drinks, as there were a lot of them with strange names and ingredients.

you got on easy with Charles, the co-worker you often bartended with. he was the one who trained you when you first started three months ago and was quite friendly to you and the customers, so you respected him as a superior. he was much more approachable than your boss, Diluc. he wan't exactly scary, but he was intimidating. he knew who he was, and was self assertive.. or at least pretended to be.

you were particularly nervous when you were working with him alone. he was so good at what he did, and being fresh into the business, you were still shaky on a couple things. it didn't help that he kept sending glances your way every now and then, for what you couldn't say, but you could only assume the worst.

a few hours later, a customer came in and asked for a particularly tricky cocktail to be made, a Vieux Carre. you'd only watched Charles make it once before, probably for the same customer, so you decided to try your hand at it.

you mixed a few liquors to create what was... not a Vieux Carre, but at that point it was close to one in the morning so you served this man the most bullshit.

well, turns out this man was not going to accept bullshit.

"what is this" he uttered.

"a Vieux Carre" you said only half listening to the man as you were tending to other patrons.

"this isn't no damn Vieux Carre, i want Diluc to make it" he slurred out, clearly under the influence.

"Diluc's busy right now, i can make it, you can drink that, or throw it out" you said, finally turning to the man to give him your full attention. he narrowed his eyes at you and you watched the gears turn in his head before he threw the drink at you, glass cup and all. the stench of the not so Vieux Carre filled your senses as the liquid stained your white shirt.

you stood their speechless, not sure what to say or do, until you heard a soft but strong voice behind you go,

"get out. now." you turned to see diluc behind you, his arms caging you in the bar.

"whaddya mean diluc. your worker can't make a damn Vieux Carre. i want a refund" he said, sipping on the 'terrible' drink you made.

"out" Diluc said once more "don't make me call the Knights" he said, you couldn't help but hide the surprise on his face at the mention of his least favorite group of people.

"diluc c'mon. its me"

"i don't care who it is. you don't come in here and disrespect my workers. get out."

"i..." the man sighed "fine." he stood up defeatedly and left.

despite all the people looking at you two, Dilucs attention remained on you. considering he had you caged against the bar, it was natural so many were looking. you don't think you'd ever seen someone be as close to Diluc was right now.

"are you okay [name]?"

the usage of your name made your heart thump in a way it hadn't before with Diluc. you wondered where that reaction came from. was it the way he spoke directly into your ear, under his breath? was it was the way he just stood up for you? you couldn't say.

"[name]?" there it was again.

"ah- yes Diluc?"

"i asked you if you were alright"

"oh! right- yes, i think im okay. i just smell like a failed attempt at a Vieux Carre."

he gave a hearty laugh at that comment. you removed the button down, revealing a partially soaked white shirt underneath.

"sorry to break dresscode boss, but this'll have to do" you say to him and he waves you off.

---

tonight was the night the bar closed early, some law that the bar couldn't be open late on Fridays. why? you couldn't say, probably some dumb ancient law.

nonetheless, you and Diluc prepared to close up, the bar completely empty, just you two and your rags. again, he was throwing you glances. and again, you only assumed the worst. not wanting to wait for him to initiate, you begin.

"is there something wrong Master Diluc?" you use his title, to hopefully butter him up. he looks over at you taken aback, he thought he was being slick.

"oh- just" you caught him off guard "i was wondering if you wanted to come to my mansion for dinner tonight"

now he caught you off guard. you looked at him with hesitance, as this was not the Diluc you knew. the Diluc you knew was closed off.

you realized you were hesitating a bit too long and quickly spit out.

"sure-"

"please don't feel pressured because im your boss [name]. think of this more as a date"

right because that makes it better. a date with your boss, or a date with a handsome rich bachelor in his mansion. which is easier.

the idea of a date shook your core slightly, you didn't want a repeat of Zhongli. a date meant vulnerability, and vulnerability meant putting trust in another.

"a date?"

"if you'll have me, that is? we could set up a picnic by the grape garden and watch the sunset together?"

how was Diluc Ragnvindr a romantic. this seemingly emotionally constipated man, a romantic.

"i'd love that Diluc"

---

Diluc certaintly did not disappoint, his maids prepared a lovely meal titled Northern Smoked Chicken, a delicious chicken meal with a side of salad. the maids prepared some Goulash as well. Diluc poured you his own personal wine, he told you he brewed it himself and hadn't found anyone to share it with.

you two sat on a quilt and shared your meal, overlooking the path towards Liyue. it was ironic almost. even more ironic that Diluc brought it up.

"have you ever been to Liyue?"

"yeah, i used to live there"

"what made you come to Mondstadt, i hear it's lovely there"

"well, i had a shitty ex who i ran away from" you notice how his face contorts with a mix of anger and suprise "not- shitty like abusive- just shitty" you spit out quickly to relieve his oncoming emotions.

"well, im very sorry that happened to you [name]"

"its okay, its over now. hes in Liyue, im here" you gave him a reassuring smile. he smiled back, the light of the setting sun lighting his features in the most perfect way.

"stay here dear, ill go get us the desert" you felt a firework explode in you, you'll pretend it was for desert and not the petname.

while you waited, you saw a traveler approaching in the distance, coming from Liyue. you mostly ignored him as you sipped on the rich wine Diluc provided for you, awaiting Dilucs return.

as the traveler gained distance, coming closer, you noticed he had a familiar air to him. you learned over time to trust your intuition, and now more anxiously awaited Dilucs return.

you went to stand up, and walk to the grape fields, to shield yourself from the oncoming "stranger" whom you didn't trust. but before you could, you heard him utter a soft,

"[name]?" you cursed under your breath, you knew that voice. you didn't respond, didn't even look at him, you refused to believe he was here right now. interrupting this perfect moment. you basically manifested his presence.

"[name] i finally found you, i've been searching for you for months now.. i've sent out so many search parties, to sumeru, to inazuma, and i-- i've found you... my [name]."

you internally cringed at his possessive use of your name. you continued to ignore him. thanking every Archon that wasn't him when Diluc came outside carrying a platter of sweets.

ignoring Zhongli being you, you ran to Diluc, placing your hand in his arm, hoping this act of affection would give you some form of protection.

the look you gave Diluc set off his fight response, he understand. Archons knows how he understood, but he knew something was wrong just by the look in your eyes.

he scanned the area and saw the man, standing close to your picnic.

"im sorry, is there something i can help you with?" Diluc asked, though you knew his apologies were fake.

Zhongli straightened his back at the confrontation,

"yes- you see" he looked between the two of you and simply uttered, "[name]?"

"what business do you have with name?" Diluc was quick to shoot back

"i've been looking for them for months, we used to be lovers, you remember me don't you [name]?" despite yourself, you felt your heart shatter. you've never seen him like this, in all the years you'd known him. so disheveled, so vulnerable. he'd never shown this side of himself to you.

despite yourself, you approach him.

"[name]... [name].." he repeated, as if you were going to disappear again, "oh my [name] how i've missed you"

"zhongli- no- stop." you said. your heart broke to see the man you once loved shatter with your words. you watched the way his brain processed the fact you truly left, and wanted to stay gone. you watched him process that this wasn't just another miniscule fight.

"[name].." he said again, tears starting to form in his eyes. you knew they were real tears.

you felt Diluc come up behind you, he placed a hand on your shoulder gingerly. protectively. just as he did earlier in the day. you looked up at Diluc, he could feel your pain.

"im sorry Zhongli" you said, taking Diluc's hand, and walking away with him. you made your choice.

Diluc led you into his estate. you didn't look back. Diluc's hand in yours felt secure. more secure than Zhongli's ever did, because at least Diluc showed up to your dinner date.

#diluc x reader #diluc x y/n #zhongli x reader #zhongli x you #diluc x you #zhongli x y/n #genshin impact x you #genshin x you #genshin impact x y/n #genshin x y/n #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #fanfiction

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cosmicangsts · 1 month

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the doctor has spent a good little while wandering around the . . . china - adjacent area? liyue, he's learned it to be called. oh, the city is breathtaking, and the food is exquisite. it's unlike anything he's ever had before— he'd had lunch at a place called xinyue kiosk, and their vegan options had been expansive. he may have overeaten, by his standards . . . stuffed, he is! so he elects to walk his sins off by the harbor. he stands out. he knows he does ( it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see THAT ) , but he doesn't really have any period - relevant clothing in the TARDIS wardrobe, and it's not really his style to change his appearance on account of blending in, anyway. so he lets it be, taking the strange gazes at his fair hair, bright clothes and murmurings of ' mondstadter ? ' in stride as he happily admires the gorgeous waters and the countless vibrant lanterns floating in it. from what he's overheard, the locals are observing a celebration known as lantern rite, and it seems to be quite a big deal! no complaints here. the city is decorated to the nines, the streets are jam - packed, and the doctor is elated to have happened to have crash - landed upon whateverplanetthisis at the time that he has! quite fortuitous indeed to have planted his feet at the peak of the festive season and to have not been kidnapped or murdered yet. his gratefulness cannot be overstated enough! ( oh, foreign ground, i could kiss you! ) color him a bit surprised when he is approached directly by someone, however; a tall, handsome man with fine features, an intense ( yet simultaneously relaxed ? it's odd ) expression, and wise eyes. the doctor himself is tall, so it's not often that he's made to look up to talk to someone. yet, he has to just an eence to make eye contact with this well - dressed gentleman.

❝ hello, there! ❞ he removes his panama hat and offers a bow to the dark - haired stranger, whose youthful appearance and contrasting aged amber hues tell vastly different stories, but he himself is in pretty much the same boat, so. ❝ i'm the doctor. ❞

✦ ( @bleachbrainrotbro liked for a starter ! )

#🏏 ( ic . )#( starter . )#( closed . )#bleachbrainrotbro #i love zhongli . . . hehe #thank u for waiting a billion trillion years mwah

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sunniews · 3 years

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Like or reblog if you save

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qierxing · 3 years

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Comfortable

Yan!Ningguang x Reader

Word Count: 901

Your best friend, Ningguang, has always been ambitious.

“Is the tea to your liking, dearest?”

The Jade Chamber is opulent and grand, a testament to Ningguang's hard work and patience--a feat that no one thought possible, until now. The grand splendour still overwhelms your eyes today. Even her personal room is decorated with priceless antiques, from the porcelain vases, the ink paintings showcasing the Rite of Decension, to the mother in pearl embedded tea table that holds a ridiculous amount of snacks.

Ningguang is as attentive as ever to your needs, eyes meeting yours with a warm glow. You feel even more flustered at her focused gaze upon you, squirming under the undivided attention.

"Yeah, this tastes really good!" You reply hastily. And it really is good. The famous Golden Oolong tea is light on the tongue but the flavor is sweet, not dissimilar to the taste of qingxin flowers. You try not to think about the amount of mora that went into procuring it.

"I'm glad to hear it." She gives a rare genuine smile and you feel your heart practically soaring.

There's quiet for a moment as you both continue sipping tea until--

"How's your career going? Your art?" You stiffen and your heart drops into your stomach at the straightforward question she poses.

"I...I haven't made much progress." You confess sheepishly, looking down at your tea cup. Ningguang frowns as you refuse to look her in the eyes. "I'm...I...I might give up and just work at a restaurant."

"But you spent so much time practicing your art," Ningguang gently asserts, concern taking over her face. "Surely your talents will garner the respect it deserves?"

And you nearly start crying, because you don't want to tell her how a legendary master tore your paintings apart and sneered at the quality of your pieces, how your parents are muttering about when you'll get a real job, and the financial pressure of being unmarried and still a burden upon your family weighs on your shoulders. It's too much, too much for you, who is already so tired. You've never had the ambition and drive that Ningguang bared with her even in your childhood days, could not sacrifice a part of you without your whole soul cracking and collapsing in on itself, like an unstable rock foundation. Prayers to Morax would be lost on you.

But even as envy eats you alive as you look upon Ningguang's fortune, you cannot bring yourself to blame your closest friend. After all, who was there to ever ask after you? To talk to? The Tianquan's schedule is well known to be packed till the next year--and yet she still continues to make time for you. Deep down, you're afraid--that one day she'll realize how pathetic you are and abandon you in the dust for people who are more deserving of her friendship.

"I-It doesn't deserve that much respect," You try to wave it off, your lips quivering with trying to hold in the sudden torrent of emotion racing through your body. "Plus, I'll make more mora if I work at the Xinyue Pavillion than selling one measly painting."

Ningguang's eyes are burning into you now, and hot shame fills your being. For across you sits a woman who did not let anything stop her, much less discouragement.

"[First Name]-"

"Tian Niang." Ningguang's eyes widen, for it has been a long time since you have called her that. Lady of the Sky. A light hearted joke, made when you first met her in Yaoguang shoals. The sky was so blue that day, and her, a glowing amber star amongst the warm clouds. Now, the nickname is most befitting of her. "I appreciate your support but it's okay. I'm going to be okay."

You don't know whether you're telling her this, or trying to reassure yourself.

She surveys you for a moment before deciding to drop the subject. Before she can open her mouth though, the door opens and one of her secretaries(Baixiao, if you remember correctly) steps in.

"Lady Ningguang, we need you, there's a situation happening."

She sighs deeply, before nodding her acknowledgement. "Understood." Her duties did not stop for anyone, not even you.

As she gets up, she turns to give you one final look and farewell. "[First Name], no matter what happens, you can tell me anything. You can always rely on me, my dearly beloved."

She's gone before you can blink.

Ningguang is ambitious.

She knows this, because even though you try so hard to be independent, to be able to walk on your own two feet, she continues pursuing you relentlessly. For an intense desire within her whispers for her to take care of her dearest friend, to make them hers, to make sure that no one ever made them sad ever again. No longer will they have to strive to live.

And so she quietly sets up a bedroom. Buys numerous expensive painting supplies. Prepares even more delicious food and luxurious comforts. All for you to realize that she loves you and only wants the best for you. Even if your life is dictated by her power and the confines of the clouds.

When the Millelith arrive at your doors with the proclamation of the Tianquan's marriage proposal, there is no running.

Ningguang is ambitious, and she won't stop until she has you in her arms.

#yandere genshin impact #yandere genshin x reader #yandere ningguang #yandere ningguang x reader #everyone shut up i'm projecting #my work

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wesimpforxiao · 3 years

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Inception: Chapter 5

"Pft! I-Ahahaha!" You were doubled over the table trying to stop yourself from choking on your food while Ajax crinkled his nose in disdain. The two of you were at Xinyue Kiosk for a late-night dinner that he had insisted was his treat. You've only ate at fancy food places like this every once in awhile; these meals were so freaking expensive! Your initial hesitance to join Ajax on the basis of money was soon overshadowed by the entertaining sight sitting across the table.

"Tch...tsk..." With every effort, he grew more impatient and frustrated. It didn't help that you were watching and laughing at his incompetent efforts to use chopsticks! "Ugh! Forget it!" He gave up and stabbed one of his sushi rolls rather violently before shoving it into his mouth with a pout. Ajax turned away from you as his face grew redder and redder, but he couldn't help glancing back to see the smile on your face and the tears of joy rolling down your cheeks. Well, as long as this brought you joy...at his own expense...He let out a huff before reaching for his drink. At least whatever bitterness you held towards him last week seemed to disappear.

"I-I can't believe you...! I can't take it!" At long last your laughing fit died down enough so you could breathe, and you reached up to wipe your tears away. "Pft...! I'm sorry, but this is too funny!"

"Yeah yeah," Ajax sighed yet again, his confidence deflating like a balloon and his posture slouching. What a way to impress a girl. He should've went for the fork first!

Noticing his sudden change of attitude, you slipped out of your seat and joined his side, leaning over him. "Here," you swiped the chopsticks off of his plate and placed them in his hand once again, this time so they were in the correct positions. "Now you've got the right hold on them." Your fingers were still draped over his while you guided the sticks to another piece of sushi.

Contrary to your concentration on helping, Ajax was a bit more flustered than usual and it wasn't because of the chopsticks. For some reason his heart fluttered at the sudden lack of distance between the two of you, just like that night under the light of the Mingxiao lantern. 'You think I'm in love with childhood friend? My my my, Mr. Zhongli, perhaps you've finally lost your marbles after spending so much time with mortals,' he recollected. No...there's no way Zhongli's right about this. This is all a fluke! But your hand was so warm, no doubt because of your pyro vision...how long had it been since he felt such gentleness from another person? The closest he's ever come to human contact was by beating his foes senseless! And when was the last time he had a genuine hug? It's been years, he realized, since before the inception of my Fatui status.

"There, see? You'll get the hang of it." He snapped back to the present when your hand quickly left his. Whatever light had begun to gleam in his eyes faded just like the heat from your touch, and he watched you sit back down at your end of the table. "You're not completely hopeless at chopsticks," you smirked.

"You're right, ojou-chan. One day I'll surpass you when it comes to these cursed utensils!" He hid his feelings by attempting to put your lesson to use, but failed drastically again and again. It was obvious he didn't pay attention to a single thing you had told him to do! The boyish desire to one-up his best friend made you giggle again.

Somewhere behind the decorated divider that made up your private dining space sat the eyes and ears of the wolf. Following Master Childe around proved to be fruitful just as expected; while the harbinger often held private meetings and dinners to get closer to clients, this one felt different based on all the others that Charlie had followed him to. There was a distinct familiarity--one that Childe was definitely not faking for the sake of deceit and was shared with the mysterious girl sitting at the other end of the table.

I see, thought Charlie while his ears strained to pick up the other noncoherent whispers on the other side of the screen. He'd been following Childe around all week and had quickly picked up on the harbinger's avoidance of his own men so that he could spend time with you. Clearly, this woman must hold a special place in Childe's heart--an old flame, maybe? Regardless of the specifics of your relationship with him, it would make the most sense for you to be the vigilante Childe has neglected to capture; the merciless blood-thirsty harbinger would've gone in for the kill if it were any other person, but since it's you...you'd be protected. Sheltered. Allowed to get away with tormenting the Fatui since you're so close to Childe. You're untouchable.

Of course, this was all just a theory. To properly identify you as the vigilante Master seeks, he'd have to follow you around instead.

A chill ran down Childe's back out of nowhere; something's wrong. While he continued to struggle with the remainder of the sushi, his gaze darted to every which-way to identify anything out of the ordinary. He was sure the two of you weren't followed, and he had made every effort possible to avoid his subordinates on the way here, even setting up a private room that isn't too common in the Kiosk. Still, he couldn't help but feel like he was being watched. You noticed the sudden tension in the air around him, and stared until he noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing," his voice lower than a minute ago, "Please excuse me, ojou-chan. I need to use the restroom." He slipped out between two of the dividers and froze once he was out of your sight. The remainder of the room was deserted. How odd...the tension in his shoulders slowly faded as he was put at ease.

"Excuse me," a petite voice drug him out of his thoughts and he was greeted by the waitress. She held a silver platter with a pair of matching deserts on it. "Oh, have you changed your mind on desert after all?"

"No, not at all. Please, allow me." He took the tray from her and watched her exit the room. With one final skeptical glance around the room, he returned to the inside of the dividers.

"Oh, and before I forget," Childe began to dig into a delicious chocolate desert you didn't remember the name of but seemed to be some sort of cake. "I have a business trip coming up at the end of this week in Mondstat."

"Oh really? That sounds fun. How long will you be gone?"

"For a few days at the least. Actually, I was wondering if you'd join me."

Your forkful of chocolate-something froze in midair. "...Join...you...? But I don't have anything to do with your company...I'd be a distraction, don't you think? Plus there's my business with the funeral parlor and I don't think I can request days off on such short--"

"I've already spoken to Zhongli about it. He and Hu Tao cleared you as of last night. So, what do you say? Wouldn't this also give you the chance to visit some of your friends there anyway?"

"Well...yes..." you mumbled with a slight blush.

"What do you have to lose? Think of it as a much-needed vacation. You work too hard from what I've heard from Zhongli! Besides, we can use this opportunity to learn more about each other, don't you think?" Seeing your hesitation, he let out a defeated chuckle and shrugged. "Of course, that's if you want to come with me. If not, I understand."

"I..." Well if my superiors approved, then I guess there's nothing wrong with taking a trip, right? "Okay, I'll come with you."

................................................

The quiet peacefulness of Liyuan wilderness was disrupted by an exhausted groan and the dragging of feet. "Ugh, since when was it ever this hot in Liyue?" Your clothes were soaked in sweat from the summer-like heat despite your vision granting you resistance, but Childe appeared mostly unbothered--mostly. He didn't show it, but when you'd look elsewhere he'd often pull at his collar and reminisce of the harsh winters of the Motherland. "Thank the archons that the sun is finally setting."

"We've already passed Wangshu Inn, but it's not too late to turn back and spend the night there. Are you sure you want to sleep in the woods, Reed? You'd be passing up the chance to cuddle me, you know." He reveled in your half-disgusted, half-flustered reaction while you struggled to fully comprehend his words.

"Q-Quit it! Like I've said before, this wouldn't be my first trip to Mond. I have no problem lying on the ground! Or are you saying you can't handle it?" Flipping the subject onto him did no good at hiding your flushing skin; the arrogant smirk on his face proved it. "...Why don't we stay here? There's the creek nearby, and a clearing up ahead."

Childe eyed the surrounding area and set his pack down. "If the lady insists." The pleasant aroma of packed food filled the two of you with delight. "Shall I begin cooking dinner?"

"I wouldn't mind," you practically drooled. Ajax's cooking was amazing! After that initial dinner when both of you reunited, he would sometimes surprise you with homecooked meals to take home and man were you excited for the next time he offered. A toy seller and a cook...his younger siblings must live a luxury! "I'll get some water!"

The creek wasn't too far away--perhaps some fifty feet or so. The crystalline waters murmured quietly over the pebbles and stones, some spaces louder, others quieter where the fish gathered. If it wasn't getting darker by the minute and the threat of hilichurls wasn't so prominent, you could've stayed here much longer. Not that hilichurls posed that much of a threat to someone acquainted with your fighting skills, but you've only come across them once or twice, and the giant ones could easily bulldoze through you if given the chance.

Once the pot of water was full you rose to walk back to your little makeshift camp. Ajax had insisted on bringing fresh produce since the trip to Mondstat wasn't a particularly long one and the trip was rather straightforward. Maybe he was going to make stew? Whatever he chose, you just hoped none of the food spoiled from the sun beating down on the packs all day.

By the time you got back, Ajax had already managed to start a fire and was humming some unknown tune while preparing the produce. You couldn't help but raise a brow and tighten your hold on the pot. "Um...really?"

"Hm?" His eyes slid to you, then back to the fire. "Oh! Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Don't worry, Reed. It won't bite you."

"I'm not coming close enough to feel the heat on my skin. Here," you thrust the pot towards him and he made sure to grab it before the water spilled over. Your light footsteps got quieter the further you strayed from Ajax and the fire, taking shelter beneath one of the far trees where your packs lay.

"Relax, ojou-chan. I won't let it hurt you." A small chuckle escaped him before he resumed his humming session without a second thought or noticing your silence.

You really don't remember...You fidgeted with the hem of your shirt. What did they do to you, Ajax?

Your silence carried on until the crickets duetted with the occasional hoots of a nearby owl and the crackling of the fire weighed heavily on your mind. "I'm sorry, ojou-chan."

"Mm?" He had stopped rambling about some disagreement he and a coworker had about communication and was now looking directly at you.

"I'll put out the fire," he moved.

"No, you need to stay warm."

"I wouldn't say that." He drug out a blanket from his pack and laid it in the space between where he sat by the fire and you, who sat at the tree behind him. "Here. You'll lay on that side, I'll lay next to the fire."

Your eyes narrowed at the flickering flames behind him. "Is that even safe?"

"Well if the fire ever gets out of control, you or I can put it out," he reasoned and pat the spot next to him until you reluctantly obliged. He didn't lay down until you were settled in with your back facing him. Silence befell the campsite until he took a deep breath. "What's on your mind, Reed?"

It took a few minutes for the answer to come out. "Do you not remember our last encounter before my mother and I left Snezhnaya?"

"Now that you mention it, not really." He remembered a vague goodbye, but nothing else about it. It was sometime right after he returned from the abyss if he got his timeline correct. Feeling a tad nervous for whatever reason now, he let out a small laugh. "Could you possibly enlighten--" You rolled around so you faced him and met his gaze with tears. That's when his memory came rushing back.

"Ajax! Ajax!" You ran at him full speed with hot tears spilling down your cheeks until you collided with him in a tight embrace. "I--I thought they got you too!" He seemed to freeze under your touch, so you pulled away to look him over. He appeared tired and wild for lack of a better term, with eyes as wide as saucers like a snow leopard meeting a human for the first time. He was different, but you couldn't put your finger on how.

"'Too?'"

"The Fatui," you sobbed. "A day after you went missing, my house...my daddy..."

His words came out as harsh as the cold with not a hint of his kind demeanor shining through. "Spit it out."

"You know how my daddy fights against the Fatui in my town? They burned my house down and...and daddy..." Was your face red from crying all day or from the cold? "...he burned with it." Ajax didn't seem injured, so some of the stress weighing your shoulders down dissipated a bit now that you knew your dear friend wasn't hurt.

But instead of Ajax explaining where he was or consoling you for the loss of your father, a horrid giggle pierced through the snowscape. It was inhuman, what with its pitch sending an icy chill down your spine and instantly replacing your expression of sorrow to one of confusion and horror. "Ha...Hahahaha! Hahahahah!"

"Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!"

"Ahahaha! Silly Reed," he chided and pat your head like one consoles a younger sibling, "in this world, only the strong survive. Your father wasn't strong enough." The girl before him trembled at his words. "He was too weak if he died like that."

"Th--This isn't funny, Ajax! Cut it--OW!" You were shoved into the snow with an unfamiliar strength. Ajax never raised a hand at you, even when you two played together. What was he--

A dangerous glint danced in his eyes like the fire that consumed your house two days ago. "No, you cut it out! You're gonna get yourself killed if you keep acting weak. The world has no mercy on people like us. It's kill or be killed. Do you understand that, Reed?"

"Why are you...What is the matter with you?! Don't you care? What did the Fatui do to you?! Who even are you?" Hot tears rolled down your cheeks until the cold froze them in their tracks. Yet the boy that stared down at you was uncaring, cruel, and held no life in his eyes.

"It wasn't the Fatui," he muttered to himself. "Hurry up and get on with it already. What was really so important that you needed to tell me your dad died?"

"My mama and I...we're leaving tomorrow. I came to make sure you were okay and to say goodbye. We won't see each other again, Ajax," you finally rose to your feet and clenched your fists. "But you don't care, do you?"

"No. I don't. Leave me alone already."

"I..." Ajax blinked several times as he processed his long-forgotten memory. "I'm so sorry, Reed."

"If you're so sorry, then tell me what happened. What did the Fatui do to you?" Even in the dark, you could see a hint of sadness in the depths of his eyes. "If they hurt you too I swear...I swear I'll make every single one of them pay." Heat radiated from your body at the thought. "I promise." Yet even as you said this, there was another, darker, more bittersweet emotion in his expression.

"I...fell into the Abyss." Those were the only words he muttered before rolling onto his other side, facing away from you. And though you didn't really understand what he meant, his empty tone struck a cord within you. Warm arms gently wrapped around his torso with a heat softer than the campfire that lulled him to sleep.

#genshin x reader #childe genshin impact #tartaglia x reader #tartaglia fluff #childe tartaglia #wesimpforxiaoupdates #genshin impact

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lucientelrunya · 3 years

Text

Like a lonely house pt 6

So, they continue being stupid... Yeah, that's it. Not much happening here.

@nope4ever I'm weak for clothes-sharing :) I'll have to come up with a reason why Rishan needs to wear a changshan, because I just love that look <3 Your comments always make my day/week, thank you so much :) @gaiahenshin Thank you, it's already much better :) Not that that could keep me away from those two for long... @psychic-waffles Thank you :D @kholran Thank you, I'm already much better :) And Rishan is absolutely gonna angst a lot more, especially at the end of this whole thing, hehe.

~*~

The moment lasts until Ba Ye opens his mouth, inhaling like he wants to say something. But then he seems to reconsider, closing his mouth again and swallowing visibly. He looks down at the sweater in his lap and strokes the soft wool with one hand. Zhang Rishan wonders what he wanted to say and why he chose not to. But since Ba Ye decided not to say anything he doesn’t ask.

“I should get dressed, shouldn’t I?” Ba Ye asks without looking up again. “If you want breakfast, then you should get dressed, yes. Do you want me to pack up your changshan?” Zhang Rishan asks and gets up again when Ba Ye hums in a mixture of affirmation and thoughtfulness. Carefully he rolls up the silk fabric and packs it away in his bag while Ba Ye gets dressed. Combined with the dark trousers he normally wears beneath the changshan, it makes him look surprisingly normal. Even the white undershirt peeking out doesn’t look out of place.

“This is surprisingly comfortable," Ba Ye remarks, tugging the turtleneck almost up to his chin while a small smile appears on his lips. “Okay. I’m ready. Let’s go eat!” Zhang Rishan is just glad that Ba Ye seems to be in a good mood again and that whatever had made him so unhappy has passed. At least for now. He nods, all of his things are already packed and since Ba Ye doesn’t have anything (yet), there is no need for him to pack and they can go eat with the others.

Breakfast is not as loud and boisterous as the dinner the evening before, possibly due to a lack of alcohol. But it's still nice. There are delicious steamed buns and noodle soup and really good tea. None of them seem in a hurry to leave, enjoying the easy chatter and company a bit longer than strictly necessary. Wu Xie is indeed very happy to hear the news from Zhang Haike and makes him promise to celebrate that another time, either in Hangzhou or Beijing. Liu Sang on the other hand is not very happy to learn this way that the karaoke machine is indeed Wu Xie’s.

“Please, take me with you, you just need to get me as far as the nearest train station," he pleads at one point and Zhang Rishan can’t tell if he is actually serious or just joking. Because he does sound really serious about it. Pangzi throws an arm around Liu Sang’s shoulders, patting him and grins at Zhang Rishan. “Ah, don’t listen to him! Jinx, Kan Jian is waiting for you, can you do that to him, huh?” Liu Sang glowers at Pangzi, plucking the hand off his shoulder, but he seems to think that he can’t just leave Kan Jian hanging. “Fine, fine," he mutters, but still looks quite unhappy, sitting rigidly next to Pangzi.

“Why do you dislike karaoke that much? I thought it sounded quite nice?” Ba Ye asks the still sulky Liu Sang, who frowns at him for a moment. “I have very sensitive hearing," he replies rather curtly and glowers at Pangzi again when he snickers and adds, “You see, he just doesn't know what’s good.” He winks dramatically at Liu Sang, who splutters indignantly but actually seems to be trying to fight against a smile that twitches at the edges of his lips. Zhang Rishan watches their banter with quiet amusement.

“Ah! Just like the hearing maids of Xinyue Hotel! Is that why you always wear those strange earplugs?” Ba Ye asks, gesturing with his half eaten bun in the general direction of Liu Sang’s face. “Yes, those are noise cancelling earplugs, they help a lot to tone all the noise down.” Liu Sang nods to Ba Ye’s earnestly interested question and even explains how they work when Ba Ye looks a little confused.

“So, they already had people with exceptional hearing at the hotel back then?” Pangzi asks, to which Ba Ye nods enthusiastically and ends up recounting how much trouble those hearing servants had been when they had tried to steal the cure for Yatou.

Zhang Rishan knows most of what happened then, but he had never heard the full story told like this so he listens, too. It has been so long since he last heard someone tell a story about something Fo Ye had done who had actually been present at that time. Surprisingly it doesn’t make him sad, just a bit nostalgic. Because those are fond memories of Fo Ye, willing to sell everything he owned just to help Er Ye and his wife, only to come back from Beijing with a fiancee of his own.

“And in the end Er Ye had the cure for Yatou, Fo Ye had Miss Yin and poor old me didn’t even have a place in the car!” But Ba Ye doesn’t seem too broken up about that fact anymore, because he laughs with the others. “Huo Xiangu said nothing about all this, she made it sound like he lit the sky lantern just to get Yin Xinyue!” Wu Xie exclaims, positively delighted. Zhang Rishan can only share an amused look with Ba Ye who is outright laughing at that. Even if they married in the end and were really happy, Fo Ye had no idea he would end up bringing Yin Xinyue back to Changsha. And in the beginning he had tried to get rid of her quite a few times. That had been a really awkward time for everyone involved.

“So did everyone who ever lit a sky lantern end up destroying your hotel or was it just us?” Wu Xie grins at Zhang Rishan mischievously, while Ba Ye gapes at his words. “Eh? What do you mean his hotel?" he exclaims, almost throwing his half eaten bun at Zhang Rishan in astonishment. “It’s not my hotel, it’s Yin Nanfeng’s. I’m just one of the managers,” Zhang Rishan corrects Wu Xie, who just keeps grinning. “But you are technically her boss, aren’t you?” Pangzi asks with a confused expression, obviously thinking of their meeting about the recorder.

“Not really, no. We are co-managers, no one is the other’s boss.” He shakes his head. She had tried going against him in the past and had wanted to get rid of him for quite some time, but he understands why she did it. She just wanted to protect Xinyue (which is basically her baby) and honor the wishes of her ancestors. They had made peace with each other after Gutong Jing, especially since she had become friends with Liang Wan.

“So you can’t lift that ban she put on us?” Pangzi asks casually, like he doesn’t know and like they had ever shown an interest in that before. “No. She is the one who banned you, so she is the only one who can lift that ban. Her hotel, her rules.” Out of the corner of his eye Zhang Rishan can see Luo Que smiling to himself, probably glad that both of his bosses get along so well now. Pangzi on the other hand doesn’t seem too sad about the ban. Instead he seems to wait for Ba Ye’s “Ban? Why were you banned?” so he can start recounting how Wu Xie accidentally lit a sky lantern and then ran away with the auctioned good.

While Pangzi describes in vivid detail how they fought off Huo Xiangu’s bodyguards and the servants, Zhang Rishan finds Wu Xie watching him thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, you were already the manager back then, weren’t you. You could have stopped us. Why didn’t you?” he asks thoughtfully after Pangzi finishes his story with a big grin. Zhang Rishan raises both eyebrows. “Why? Did you want me to?" he asks, a little ironic smile on his lips. “No!” Wu Xie protests instantly, eyes wide, but a smile is already spreading on his lips again.

“I’m sure President Zhang just wanted the seal to be in good hands," Pangzi adds in a pointedly serious tone, elbowing Wu Xie lightly to make him drop the subject. And Wu Xie does, patting Pangzi’s elbow affectionately. Zhang Rishan wonders for a moment if he suspects the Wang clan had already been watching back then and had their eyes on the seal. Either way, he is glad that they decide not to question his lack of involvement further, because he doesn’t really want to explain himself or think too much of that time. Looking up again he finds Ba Ye watching him with slightly narrowed eyes.

“It feels like you don’t have a lot of different stories but one very long one," he says, looking from Zhang Rishan to Wu Xie. “Um… yeah, I guess you could put it that way," Wu Xie answers, blinking. “We’ll come visit you in Beijing and then we can tell all the stories that need to be told.” Ba Ye seems to be okay with that promise and Zhang Rishan doesn’t mind another visit.

But then Wu Xie seems to think of something else and suggests they book the same hotels on their way home, because the way to Yucun is in large parts the same as to Beijing. “And you’ll have to take the car, right?” He seems genuinely disappointed when Ba Ye tells him they are going to Changsha before they will return to Beijing.

This bit of information seems to upset Luo Que, especially when he hears that Ba Ye can’t drive a car (and even if he learned it back then Zhang Rishan wouldn’t let him drive now). He suddenly seems reluctant to leave, too, and even offers to postpone his vacation and visit another time so he can drive them (or at least share the load of driving hours), obviously not trusting in Zhang Rishan’s ability to drive himself across the country. Zhang Rishan is not sure if he should be offended or moved by his concern. The normally so stoic and quiet Luo Que showing his worry like this is not something that happens everyday and Zhang Rishan appreciates his loyalty very much. Maybe he does lean more towards being moved. Even if Pangzi and Wu Xie laugh at the whole thing.

“Your boss told you to have a nice vacation. And Kan Jian prepared some jokes just for you, there is no getting out of that," Wu Xie says and for a moment Luo Que looks like he would consider that another reason to not go. But then he just nods with a hint of a smile on his lips.

They pack some of the leftover buns for later and get their bags to leave the little inn. Wu Xie pulls Ba Ye away to give him something while Pangzi comes over to Zhang Rishan to say his goodbyes. "So, is he like your Wu Xie?" Pangzi grins at him, patting his shoulder companionably. Zhang Rishan can only lift a questioning brow at that. "Oh, you know, the idiot you have to look after so he doesn’t touch anything he is not supposed to touch in a tomb?”

Judging by his tone, ‘idiot’ is absolutely meant as an endearment, but Zhang Rishan still frowns. Ba Ye is certainly not an idiot, but neither is Wu Xie. And he doesn’t really like being compared to Zhang Qiling (or maybe to Pangzi himself, who knows). It reminds him too much of how often he still feels like he just barely fills the hole Fo Ye left behind, especially in the eyes of other people. But even if Yin Xinyue herself had once said that he was like Fo Ye, he is not Fo Ye and he is not Zhang Qiling either. He really doesn’t appreciate this comparison, even if Pangzi probably meant it in a flattering way.

“I think several people would not approve of this comparison,” he says, looking over at Zhang Qiling for a moment, but if he heard those words he doesn’t show any reaction. “Ba Ye is really not at all like Wu Xie. He only ever went into tombs for Fo Ye, he wouldn’t do that by himself.” Zhang Rishan still remembers various threats of bodily harm he had to deliver to make Ba Ye join Fo Ye at all. And while Ba Ye was certainly willing to risk something to help the people he cared about, he wouldn’t set out on some adventure just out of curiosity. “So it’s not likely that you two will join us if we happen to find any other interesting tombs?” Pangzi asks, a little disappointed. “No, not very likely.”

They say their goodbyes then, before the others pile into Wu Xie’s van and drive away, leaving Ba Ye and Zhang Rishan with the rental. Ba Ye gets in the back, immediately scooting to the middle seat, probably out of habit. “You can sit in the front, if you want?” Zhang Rishan offers, while he looks up the nearest shopping center. “But the important people always sit in the back," Ba Ye quips and grins at him when Zhang Rishan looks at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Zhang Rishan only huffs a little laugh at that but nods, starting the engine, which makes Ba Ye scramble to his door to get out and back in on the front seat. “No, I changed my mind, I’d rather sit here. The view is better.”

They slowly leave the rural area, the streets getting wider and wider. “So, you work at Xinyue hotel?” Ba Ye asks, looking out the window. “Why didn’t you say so?” Does he now regret declining his suggestion of staying there? “Would it have changed your mind about staying there?” he asks, eyes focused on the road. Ba Ye can still stay there if he wants to, Zhang Rishan can always arrange that. “Do you live there?” Ba Ye answers his question with another question instead. “No, I just work there," which is most of his time if he isn’t away from Beijing on other business, like this trip. “Hmmm, no…," Ba Ye mutters, still looking out the window and sounding glum again.

“Ba Ye, it’s not that I was deliberately hiding that fact, but there are 80 years of life you don’t know about and what I told you yesterday is barely a fraction of that.” Because that part had been mostly about the people that they both lost. And it had been a very, very compressed summarization of events. “So, just ask anything you want to know, we have at least four days of boring driving ahead of us.” Ba Ye hums thoughtfully at that and then actually starts asking things. A little more about the hotel, who Yin Nanfeng is and lastly who Kan Jian is. Zhang Rishan tells him about the message in Kan Jian’s shoe, just to make him laugh and thankfully it works.

When they enter the city Ba Ye gets visibly distracted by the first skyscrapers and the sheer number of cars, scooters and other people participating in traffic one way or the other. He obviously tries to hide it when they enter the shopping center and all of it gets a bit overwhelming. Zhang Rishan assumes it’s a ‘too much’ of everything, too many people, too many new things and aggressively blinking advertising boards everywhere. And this is just a small town shopping center.

He doesn’t like places like this very much himself, but it must be even worse for Ba Ye, who hovers really close to his shoulder but doesn’t seem to dare to grab his arm with so many strangers around. His fingers are gripping the back of Zhang Rishan’s sweater in a vice-like hold instead and he is definitely ducking behind him, rather than complaining about other people bumping into him. And that’s never a good sign. So Zhang Rishan decides to find a quiet little place in one of the cafés where they can rest for a moment and drink some tea.

“There really are so many more people," Ba Ye sighs, sipping his tea carefully and it’s not really a complaint or his usual whining, but it’s a start. Zhang Rishan just nods and quietly hums his agreement. This might take longer than he thought and he adds another day to his planning. But he doesn’t really mind, it’s not like he is looking forward to another meeting with the Chens.

They get the phone first (“Whatever you have.”), then some of the daily necessities (“Electric razor? Is everything electric nowadays?”). Clothes take most of their time even though they are only looking for simple things. Zhang Rishan firmly believes suits should be custom made and that Ba Ye should get most of his new wardrobe in Beijing. He basically only needs a change of clothes and a pair of shoes that are more suited for hiking right now (even though they are done with the hiking part of this vacation. Hopefully). Their last stop is a supermarket for some supplies, which seems to be Ba Ye’s favorite so far and then they are off again, with a few more hours of daylight to drive.

It’s a rather quiet drive, Ba Ye is fixated on studying the manual of his new phone while he tries various snacks and just occasionally comments how much he likes them. He also offers Zhang Rishan some, every time he opens something new, but he doesn’t want sticky fingers or crumbs all over his seat. Ba Ye ignores his protests with a “Oh, this is really interesting, you have to try!” and he ends up with half of a flowery pastry stuffed right into his mouth. “No crumbs, no sticky fingers, if you let me feed you," Ba Ye comments with a grin and seems to enjoy himself tremendously.

“What is this?” Zhang Rishan asks around his mouthful of actual flower petals, wrapped in puff pastry. “Rose Cake.” Ba Ye is looking at him like he is waiting for something, probably a comment on the taste. “I don’t like puff pastry," he has to disappoint and Ba Ye pouts at him for a moment before he starts looking through the various packages. “What about pineapple cake?” Zhang Rishan peeks at the packaging and then just shrugs, accepting another piece of food from Ba Ye’s fingers.

They reach their next hotel late in the evening. “Would you like your own room?” Zhang Rishan asks while they get their bags. Ba Ye looks almost affronted for a moment. “That would be stupid, I don’t want to leave my room in my nightclothes when I want to talk with you," he says, holding onto his new bag with both hands and pressing it to his chest. “Unless… unless you want your own room," he adds more quietly and looks away.

“I don’t mind sharing," Zhang Rishan answers. He really doesn’t mind sharing, he had been a soldier for far too long and he actually likes Ba Ye’s company. He just wanted Ba Ye to know he had options, that he doesn’t have to share if he doesn’t feel like it and would rather be alone for a while. After all, they had slept next to each other so many times in the past on their various journeys.

So they get one room with two beds and hand all of Ba Ye’s new clothes over to the laundry service. After a rather quick dinner at the hotel restaurant Ba Ye finally starts up his new phone and immediately adds all his new contacts. He quickly finds out that he doesn’t have to type his messages and can just use voice messages. He also tests his new camera, taking pictures of almost everything in the room (including Zhang Rishan) and ends up making a video call to Wu Xie.

While he is busy Zhang Rishan rummages in his bag to find his laptop and start on a little research and give Ba Ye his changshan back so he can pack it into his own bag. He has packed the zip-lock bag which they have used to secure what was left of the strange white liquid into the same pocket as the laptop to keep it safe, so he gets both of them out only to find the zip-lock bag completely flat and empty. It’s still sealed and the bag has no holes, but it’s completely empty. There is absolutely no trace of its content left, it looks like it has never been used.

#zhang rishan #fuba #ba ye #qi tiezui #mystic nine #dmbj fic

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