Cross through Teyvat, and you'll become stronger by taking the hits!

"Lu Li, let's go on a date."

The Fool's Enforcer, codenamed "Girl," drifted silently to Lu Li's side like a wisp of smoke and gently invited him over.

"Please forgive me for declining, Lady Columbia. I have my own work to do and don't have time for a date with you."

Dressed in military uniform, Lu Li stood with his hands behind his back, righteously and firmly rejecting the girl named Columbia.

"What? Please, I'm begging you..."

Columbia leaned forward, grabbed Lu Li's arm, and shook it playfully.

"No! Unless... you become my girlfriend."

Lu Li withdrew his hand with a serious expression.

"Okay, as long as Lu Li is willing to go on a date with me, I'll do anything you ask~"

Columbia clasped her hands together in front of her chest, then moved closer to Lu Li and slowly tiptoed.

"Hehehe... Hmm?"

Just as Lu Li was grinning foolishly, something poked his face.

"You, how can you sleep so soundly in broad daylight? What are you dreaming about that makes you laugh so happily?"

Seeing Lu Li, who was sleeping soundly on the recliner, wake up, Hu Tao withdrew her fidgeting fingers and asked him curiously.

"Ahem, it's nothing, it's nothing. I just fell asleep because I was so worried about not being able to find a job in Liyue these past two days."

Lu Li quickly coughed lightly, as it was not appropriate to recount the events of his dream.

Since meeting Zhongli that day, Lu Li has temporarily settled in the Hall of Rebirth.

But it's not appropriate to live in the shrine for free forever, and the ten million Mora that D'Artagnan gave him will eventually run out.

After all, ten million Mora in Teyvat may seem like a lot, but it's not actually that much to spend. Paimon's normal monthly food expenses require 300,000 Mora from the Traveler.

However, after much thought, Lu Li realized that apart from joining the Adventurers' Guild, he didn't seem to be very capable of doing any other job.

Because he can't hold down the job for long, once the Traveler arrives in Liyue, any job he takes will have to wait.

"Who looks for a job by lying at home doing nothing? You're clearly just slacking off!"

Hu Tao walked briskly to the table and sat down.

"There's no other way. I really can't find a job, so I have no choice but to stay at the funeral home and live off my parents..."

Lu Li sighed with a helpless expression, then opened the thermos he had been holding since lying down on the recliner and took a sip of tea.

Throughout the entire process, his lying position remained unchanged.

"You, Lu Li, are you saying I look old?"

Walnut, who had just sat down, raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction.

"I didn't say that. More importantly, Walnut, are you taking today?"

Lu Li quickly shook his head in denial, then sat up slightly from the recliner instead of continuing to lie down.

"Hmph, as the head of the Hall of Rebirth, of course I can work whenever I want."

Hu Tao smugly picked up the teapot that Lu Li had left on the table after he had finished brewing the tea and put it into a thermos, and poured herself a cup.

Lu Li was already used to using a thermos, and he didn't want to get up to make tea while lying down, so even though there were ready-made tea sets, he insisted on pouring the tea into the thermos and drinking it while lying down.

"That's really true..."

"By the way, this tea is quite delicious. Where did you buy the walnuts?"

Lu Li took the teapot that Hu Tao had emptied and planned to add some more boiling water.

"Oh, this is a rare and precious tea from our guest elder's collection. I'm secretly taking some to drink, but you mustn't tell anyone."

Upon hearing Lu Li's question, Hu Tao looked around warily, then held up a finger in front of her mouth and explained in a low voice.

"..."

Lu Li had no choice but to shut his mouth immediately, looking around nervously and nodding hurriedly.

He's taken a bath several times in the last few days.

"Speaking of which, I have another important matter to tell you..."

After drinking a cup of tea, Hu Tao began to explain to Lu Li, and reached out to take out a piece of paper hidden in her sleeve and unfold it.

Under Lu Li's questioning gaze, Hu Tao slammed the paper onto the table and pushed it toward Lu Li.

"Lu Li, would you choose to marry me or give me 100 million Mora?"

He pushed the paper in front of Lu Li, a wicked smile on his face.

"That's a hundred million Mora, of course!"

Lu Li's eyes lit up, and he answered without hesitation.

I was just worried about not having enough money, and now I can get 100 million Mora for nothing, and I won't have to work anymore!

"Did you hear me clearly? It's 100 million Mora for this Lord."

Seeing that Lu Li didn't seem to understand, Hu Tao raised an eyebrow and repeated it word by word.

"...?"

"Then, may I ask you, Master, would you choose to marry me or one hundred million Mora?"

Upon hearing Hu Tao's words, Lu Li couldn't help but tilt his head, then turned around and asked in return.

"Um……"

"It should be 100 million Mora, that's more practical."

Faced with Lu Li's question, Hu Tao thought about it and decided not to go against her conscience.

"That's right then. Anyway, let me see what this is first. I can't believe you suddenly asked me this kind of question..."

Lu Li looked curiously at the piece of paper that Hu Tao had pushed over.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a contract.

Lu Li immediately picked it up and read the contents, discovering that it was an IOU in the form of a contract.

It says on it...

[The borrower, Lu Pingfeng, borrowed 103 million Mora from the 75th generation head of the Wangshengtang, with both parties agreeing on a maximum repayment period of 15 years.]

Before the debt is fully repaid, Lu Pingfeng's son, Lu Li, will stay at the Rebirth Hall as collateral. If Lu Pingfeng fails to return, the debt will be inherited by his son, Lu Li, along with his estate.

If the debt is not repaid by the deadline, his son Lu Li will be married into the Wangsheng Hall in accordance with the contract to offset the 90 million Mora.

Contract Witness: [■■]

Some of the text on the contract had been deliberately crossed out, but Lu Li could still make out the contents.

This is the contract his biological father signed when he mortgaged himself at the Hall of Rebirth.

Lu Li was fostered at the Wangsheng Hall when he was four years old, and he is now eighteen years old, a year and a half older than Hu Tao.

There is only about one year left until the fifteen-year term stipulated in the contract.

"..."

"Holy crap... Oh my god, so Hu Tao and I were childhood sweethearts!"

After reading the contents of the contract, Lu Li remained silent for a moment before speaking with a look of shock.

"Eek~ What do you mean by arranged marriage? I'll beat you up! Besides, didn't you choose 100 million Mora? Now you want to back out?"

Hearing Lu Li's words, Hu Tao shrank her neck in disgust, then put her hands on her hips and said to Lu Li.

"Alright, a gentleman's word is his bond, but this 100 million Mora is indeed a bit difficult to handle."

Lu Li scratched his head as he spoke, then continued looking at the contract in his hand.

Lu Li lingered on the name on it for a long time before folding it up and returning it to Hu Tao.

"But it's okay, I've already figured out how to make money."

"Don't worry, Walnut, I will definitely pay back Mora before the final repayment deadline in one year."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Li spoke to Hu Tao with a serious expression.

He didn't think Hu Tao would forge such a contract to deceive him, so he believed the contract was genuine. However, he had already figured out a way to make money from it.

However, this method cannot be used in Liyue at the moment, and it will probably have to wait until the main story progresses to Inazuma.

It shouldn't take more than a year, since travelers have no reason to stay in Liyue for a year without visiting other countries, since it's not a game where you have to wait for a version update.

"..."

Seeing Lu Li's serious expression, which didn't seem like he was joking, Hu Tao was slightly distracted for a moment.

"Hello, is this Wangshengtang? We have cash-on-delivery goods here. Please come out to sign for and pay."

Just then, the deliveryman's voice suddenly rang out from outside.

……