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With bated breath, all of Liyue Harbor watched as the sky cleared, letting the sun shine through. The water reflected its golden glow in celebration. While the city was not one to experience rain thanks to the Archon’s protection, the rest of Liyue, from Wangshu Inn to Qingce Village, was not as lucky. Should the rain have persisted, it would mean that much of Liyue would be missing out. With skies now clear as far as the eye could see, that only meant one thing.
This year’s Lantern Rite was going to be one to remember.
Hustle and bustle filled the streets as the citizens of Liyue and abroad, near and far, went from stand to stand; sampling tiger fish, flying kites, and creating Xiao lanterns. Mora transferred from hand to hand as businesses flourished under what was undeniably the biggest day of the year. Honestly, it could be overwhelming-- something that Baizhu of Bubu Pharmacy was feeling the effects of all too soon.
“Well, this is certainly a predicament…”
Even during days of celebration, life carried on its tumultuous course. Ailments took not a moment's rest and knew nothing of the joy they ripped away. Neither did he. And how could he? If he had the power to relieve someone’s pain for even just a moment to see those fireworks light up the sky, then he’d dedicate every second to that endeavor. A lack of materials, however, made his undertaking difficult. Ideally, he would have had a full stack of glaze lilies placed on top of each other in their designated box. Baizhu plucked out a light blue petal from the box and held it out, his brows furrowing. There was not much one could do with just a singular petal. He couldn’t even brew tea with this, much less make a whole salve.
“So, what will you do now, Doctor?” The white snake, Changsheng, flicked her tongue at the petal. She faced him, looking as worried as a snake could look… Which honestly wasn’t very much considering that reptiles lacked the facial muscles to showcase such emotion. However, Baizhu could hear the ever so slight increase in her voice, her ‘s’s sounding slower and more unsure.
What would he do now? Aside from Changsheng, the number of assistants in Bubu Pharmacy was currently zero. He considered himself a fair employer. How could he make Gui work on such a special day; especially when the rest of his family had the day off? As for Qiqi: She would’ve been the perfect person to turn to, but Baizhu also wanted to consider himself a fair father. Qiqi was such a kind girl; always taking responsibility for her tasks, even if it meant missing out on enjoyable moments. For too many years, she had followed Baizhu closely on the day of the Lantern Rite. Self-aware of her own poor memory, she knew she wouldn’t be able to remember each Lantern Rite to the next, yet if she could at least have fun in the moment…
Before Baizhu had profusely thanked Gui for allowing Qiqi to join his family in celebrating the festivities, Qiqi had him make a promise: To join them for the fireworks. Admittedly, it caught him off-guard as much as it filled him with joy. No, she probably wouldn’t remember this day, but Baizhu would. Interlocking his pinkie with hers in promise was his only choice, and one he made gladly.
Which made the current situation all the more pressing. He was on a strict time limit. He gazed out the entrance of the pharmacy. Pristine blue painted the skies in a deep rich hue. Soon, the sky would turn into a calming combination of oranges and purples before night enveloped Liyue. Roughly, he’d say he had a little more than an hour and a half before that second stage, and it wouldn’t do to give a medicinal salve while it was dark out.
“Changsheng,” Baizhu laid his hand on the table, coaxing the snake to slither down his arm. “Watch the pharmacy for me. It is of the utmost importance that I deliver that salve to my patient today and I cannot do so without the necessary ingredients. I made a promise to them.”
Changsheng slithered down his arm and coiled herself up upon the table. She shook her head. “You make too many promises.” She didn’t push back any more though as he grabbed a bamboo basket from the back and rushed past her, making her reel back in shock. “Slow down! It only just stopped raining. Don’t slip!” she called out, but he was already out the door.
Baizhu weaved past festival goers, making a beeline to his destination. It was unfortunate to run out of any herb, but he thanked Celestia that it was something more obtainable like glaze lilies rather than violet grass. Determination and a bad back was a terrible combination.
Soon, the crowd of people thinned as he got closer to the edge of the city. Dewdrops speckled the grass from the previous rainstorm and a pleasant scent wafted in the air. He slowed down from his rushed pace, taking it in. It was a far departure from the environment that he was usually surrounded by during Lantern Rite. And look! There, just steps away from him, were the glaze lilies he so desperately needed. It almost felt like a crime to be faced with such good graces after a moment of unfortunate luck. It was a moment of respite and he gladly took it, kneeling down to pick his first plant.
A swift winter breeze blew past him, causing him to shiver. The dewdrops on the petals of the glaze lily shook and were swept away. Baizhu's gaze followed them, likening them to shimmering crystals. As he lifted his head, his eyes widened with recognition.
There was no reason for another person (other than him) to be so far from the main event; especially so close to the release of the fireworks. Though it had its charm, it was not the most scenic firework-viewing spot. There were plenty of other locations that even the most introverted of people could go to that would have a much better view. Yet, there, standing stoically past the field of glaze lilies at the edge of the hill and staring off into the distance with his back turned to him, was Liyue’s greatest enigma of a man: Zhongli.
Baizhu opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it shut. What would he even say about their unusual meeting; especially in his current position, kneeled to the ground and in the middle of plucking flowers? Who knew what had led Zhongli to choose this place to contemplate? Perhaps he sought the solace that the location provided? If so, then why did he feel the need to be alone on a day of togetherness? Despite being curious, he didn’t want to pry. He would just pick the rest of the glaze lilies and--
“Doctor? What brings you here?”
Baizhu froze at having been caught, his hand holding a freshly-plucked glaze lily. Of course Zhongli could sense his eyes staring right at his back. It was fruitless to think he could just grab and go. His chest tightened slightly when he saw Zhongli walking his way.
“Mr. Zhongli!” After regaining his senses, Baizhu didn't waste a second on getting back on his feet. But it was all too sudden. What was it that Changsheng had called out to him before he left? Don’t slip.
The heel of his foot slid over the muddied ground, and he toppled backwards. However, before gravity could fulfill its course, his back hit something hard. A hand whizzed past him and landed with a slam by his head. For a moment, time seemed to stop. If Baizhu had read more romance books, then perhaps such a scene would seem familiar. As it were now, he was just a little more than shocked at the speed in which Zhongli had erected a construct made out of Geo to catch his fall.
The close proximity of Zhongli who had him effectively trapped between himself and the pillar was also rather shocking. What a peculiar expression he had too. The only thing moving were his widened eyes, which seemed to scan every inch of him. No doubt checking for some sort of injury. As a doctor, he could appreciate the attention to--
“Oh!” Just as quickly as time seemed to stop, the hands on the clock spun again at a rapid pace to catch up. Zhongli wasted no time in hastily stepping back-- No, he practically jumped back. “Are you alrig--”
Baizhu watched in slow motion as history repeated itself. Regrettably, the mud that Baizhu had slipped on hadn’t magically disappeared after claiming one victim. Zhongli wouldn’t be a victim of a head injury if he could help it though! In one fluid motion, Baizhu called upon his Dendro vision to create anything that could break his fall. A snake-like vine materialized and slithered to the funeral consultant, wrapping around him like a bow on a present. Unfortunately, Baizhu had barely any time to breathe out a sigh of relief and he was dragged down too. It seemed that gravity still had a plan in store for him. How troublesome. How mortifying.
As soon as Zhongli hit the muddied ground, he assumed the accidental role of a pillow, catching the poor doctor who trailed after him. Baizhu’s breath hitched at the sudden impact. He barely had time to catch himself from falling flat on top of Zhongli and placed his hands on either side of him, propping himself up. The name for Zhongli’s peculiar expression from earlier came to Baizhu suddenly as he hovered over him and gazed down at his bewildered face: Embarrassment. It was the kind of embarrassment that would haunt him for days, months, and years, for while he indeed was never much for romance books, even a fool could tell that their current predicament was precisely the type of material perfect for such a tale.
Baizhu lifted one of his arms and swung himself on his back next to Zhongli. The mud squished around him. His mouth felt so dry as he struggled with what to say, and he focused his attention on the dark blue sky. A lazy cloud floated above him at a snail’s pace. “I apologize for causing more harm than help, Mr. Zhongli.”
“There is no need to apologize. Do you need any help getting up?”
Baizhu continued to keep his eyes glued on the cloud above. There was something very cathartic about the simple action. “No.”
Zhongli made no sign of moving either. With every passing second, the doughy, chilled soil felt more and more comfortable. The sky deepened gradually as a calm silence kept them company, but this was soon broken by a small chuckle.
“I cannot say that I’ve ever had a Lantern Rite begin in such a way before, Doctor.” Confused, Baizhu turned his head to the side, gazing at Zhongli’s profile. A bemused smile was on the funeral consultant’s face as he continued to look up at the sky. He continued, “I hope that you can say the same?”
Baizhu certainly did not make it a habit to fall on top of people-- bad back and all-- so, yes. This was a unique turn of events for him too. “And how do you typically celebrate Lantern Rite? I’m afraid that I have never had the opportunity to see you before on this day.”
“Is that due to the fact that you venture only to where you know you may be found?” Finally, Zhongli twisted his head toward him, making Baizhu suddenly self-conscious by how close their faces were. “Perhaps the reason you have not seen me before is because you experience Lantern’s Rite precariously through the happiness of the people who depend on you. It is not a problem.” The mud around Zhongli easily let go of him as he sat up and crossed his legs. Baizhu released a deep sigh at the newfound distance between them. “A life is a precious yet short-lived treasure and only you can define what will make yours shine. You cannot keep polishing the same coin forever though.”
How long did he spend creating such a hard-hitting metaphor? No doubt, it just came naturally to him. Baizhu shook his head and began to sit up, pausing only when Zhongli outstretched his hand toward him. Gingerly, he took it and was hoisted up to his feet as the two stood up. Baizhu nodded his thanks. “Typically, I am the one reading people’s true feelings. I did not take you to be a doctor as well,” he quipped with a smirk. “This is not to say that you are completely correct, but…” A sweet and innocent violetgrass, a proud and mysterious glaze lily, and a comforting and sturdy qingxin flower suddenly came to mind. Rather than coins and gemstones, perhaps Baizhu’s life treasure looked more like a garden. He wanted nothing more than to grow alongside them and see how they would continue to bloom. The thought filled him with warmth. He looked down at his scattered glaze lilies. “There is no time to waste. I promise you that there will be no reason to worry about me. After all, what kind of doctor would I be if--” As Baizhu took a step forward, he flinched and hobbled back and forth. Zhongli held his elbow, supporting him.
Baizhu looked down at his leg and tsked in frustration. When he slipped in the mud, he must have twisted his ankle. Just when he was filled with a sudden wave of determination, it was quickly taken away. No. He couldn’t let go of it. He made a promise. He couldn’t even afford to be late. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Zhongli,” he said, carefully gathering up the flowers. Zhongli stayed nearby, ready to keep Baizhu steady as he continued to move forward. “You truly are a fountain of wisdom. I must go now.” He clenched his teeth, keeping his breath as steady as possible as he prepared for his journey back to the pharmacy.
“Doctor, if I may…”
“Hmm?” Baizhu looked over his shoulder just as his feet were swept out from under him. “Hmm?!” In the blink of an eye, he felt all of the pain in his ankle soften as he was lifted up in Zhongli’s arms. His face froze and yet heatened up in embarrassment. “What are you…”
Zhongli wasted no time in heading down the hill, carrying Baizhu all the while. “As a doctor, shouldn’t you know that it is not right to place pressure on any twist or sprain? If you were planning on taking it slow, perhaps I could excuse your actions, but,” he looked down at Baizhu, quickening his step. “You made a promise, didn’t you?”
He wanted to make a valid excuse so badly. How had he even know about the promise he had made? Was he that readable of a person or had he let his guard down around the illustrious funeral consultant? Baizhu covered his eyes with his arm and sighed. “At this rate, you really will steal my job.”
Zhongli’s mouth curved into a satisfied smile. “I could never take that from you.”
Fortunately for Baizhu, they didn’t meet a single soul on the way back to the pharmacy. No doubt, everyone's focus was turned to the main festivities away from the outskirts at this time of day. Changsheng’s mouth gaped open when they entered Bubu Pharmacy.
“Doctor Baizhu!”
“I’m quite alright, Changsheng. I just had a little slip.” Zhongli carefully lowered Baizhu back to his own two feet and Baizhu waltzed to the front desk, setting his basket of glaze lilies down. He laughed. “You have every right to say 'I told you so’.”
Changsheng said not a word and slapped her tail against the desk. She looked past him. “Thank you for taking care of this fool.”
Zhongli bowed his head. “It was my pleasure. If there is anything else I can do, you need only ask.”Oh, how Baizhu hated to ask more out of him, however he was not ignorant to his limitations. “May I trouble you with performing a delivery? I shall pay you back!”
Naturally, Zhongli did not hesitate to accept.The minute he was out the door with his freshly-crafted prescription prepared concisely and with care, Baizhu rushed to change out of his muddied clothes. The rush provided a much needed distraction from his racing thoughts. He was almost able to even forget the swelling of his leg. He would have to thank Zhongli later. But how? He had been nothing but a nuisance. He pressed down on his clean coat and kneeled, bandage in hand. Changsheng wrapped around his neck, serving as a reassuring presence as he tied the bandage around his ankle with a bow and cleared his mind.
Now was not the time to think of regrets. His garden was waiting for him.
However, Baizhu froze as he took a step out of the pharmacy. How did he return so quickly? More importantly, why did he return? “Zhongli?”
Zhongli gazed up at him, looking as impeccable as ever, as he made his way up the stairs. “May I name a possible form of payment?” Trust Zhongli to be as competent as ever. He hadn’t even broken into a sweat.
Baizhu raised an eyebrow at the unusual request and nodded. He was shocked when Zhongli held out his hand for him to take. “Then, would you allow me the opportunity to see the way that you celebrate Lantern Rite this year?”
Zhongli was full of surprises, yet his compassion was something to always expect. It was one of the things he loved about him. Baizhu placed his hand on top of his as the first firework painted the sky.