Genshin Impact: Watch me turn the tables and kill my servants at the start!

Fanes slid off the bar stool and led Ningguang toward the backyard storeroom. Yakoda followed behind him, her little leather boots making a soft pattering sound on the stone floor. As she passed the counter, she casually grabbed a candy from the fruit bowl and popped it into her mouth, her cheek puffing out slightly.

After the warehouse door was pushed open, four tin boxes were neatly stacked against the wall, the Northern Bank emblem sealed with wax gleaming a dark red in the dim light.

Water Fatty stood guard beside the boxes. When he saw Fanes enter, he stepped aside, revealing the row of heavy iron boxes behind him. Fanes walked over and squatted in front of the first box, holding a copper key in his hand. He looked up at Ningguang.

"Sister Ningguang, would you like to open the box and check it yourself?"

Ningguang nodded slightly, her skirt trailing gently on the ground, and knelt down beside Fanes. Her posture remained elegant as she knelt, the hem of her long skirt neatly gathered at her knees, without touching the dust on the ground. Her amber gaze lingered for a moment on the wax seal on the box lid, then she reached out and took the brass key Fanes offered, inserting it into the lock and gently turning it.

Click.

The lid of the box popped open a crack, and Ningguang lifted it up, revealing neatly stacked Mora coins that gleamed with a warm yellow light under the lamp.

Ningguang reached out and picked up the top stack, flipping through it. The Mora coins twirled between her long, slender, white fingers, their serrated edges shimmering in the light. After setting them down, she opened the remaining three boxes one by one, carefully inspecting each one. Her movements were unhurried, her expression focused but not tense.

Fanes squatted on the ground next to her, propping his chin up as he watched the entire process of her inspecting the box. He silently thought to himself that there was a reason why this person would become Tianquan Star in the future—people who are this serious about their work will basically not suffer losses in the business world.

Fanes wanted to say something to liven things up, but after opening his mouth, he felt there was nothing to say, so he simply continued to squat and watch.

After Ningguang finished examining the last piece of Mora in the box, she stood up, dusted off her hands, and turned to face Fanes.

Her expression was no different from when she arrived, still calm and composed, but Fanes noticed that the fingertip holding the bronze key tightened slightly—a very small movement, as if some emotion was being forcibly suppressed beneath her calm exterior.

"The numbers and seals match."

Ningguang said in a steady voice, "Northern Bank did a very efficient job in the transfer of money and goods."

Fanes got up from the ground, dusted off his knees, looked up at her and smiled: "Of course, at least we at the Northern Bank won't tamper with money, let alone anything else."

Fanes paused for a moment, then took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. "Here, this is the receipt. Sign it, and the money is officially yours."

Ningguang took the paper, unfolded it, glanced at it, then took out a slender brush from her sleeve, dipped it in the ink from the inkstone placed by the door, and signed her name below the certificate.

Ningguang's handwriting was neat and elegant, with sharp strokes, a stark contrast to Fanes's crooked signature. Fanes glanced at it and quietly moved his signed contract slip further inside, not wanting his scrawled handwriting to be noticed.

Ningguang signed the document, folded it neatly, and tucked it into her sleeve. She looked up at the four metal boxes and said, "As for transportation, I've prepared the manpower myself. These boxes will weigh about eight people, so it should take two trips to carry them. It shouldn't be too much trouble for your firm."

Fanes waved his hand: "Move it as you like, no rush. Ningguang, just be careful when you transport it back. Although Liyue Harbor is quite safe, it's still a large sum of money, so it's better to be cautious."

After saying that, Fanes remembered something, turned around and ran to the fruit plate on the counter, grabbed a few more candies, and handed them to Ningguang. "Oh, right, this is for you. I just got it from the front, it tastes good."

Ningguang looked down at the few candies wrapped in colored paper in Fanes' outstretched palm, her expression shifting slightly. She reached out and took one, not immediately unwrapping it, but simply holding it in her hand, the smile on her lips becoming more genuine than before: "Mr. Twelve is truly an interesting child."

Fanes stuffed the remaining candy back into his pocket and chuckled, "It's not exactly interesting, just carefree. Her Majesty the Queen said that all I need to do in Liyue is survive, nothing else. So I've come to terms with it, and I'll help out if I can, since I'm just killing time anyway."

Ningguang paused for a moment, her amber eyes lingering on Fanes' still-chubby face, her gaze holding something that Fanes couldn't quite decipher—a mixture of scrutiny and admiration. In the end, she simply nodded.

"Since Mr. Twelve has said so, if Ningguang achieves something in the future, she will never forget the help she received today."

Fanes held up one finger and waved it: "Forget about 'later,' things are fine as they are now. Once your dock trade project grows bigger, just remember to keep in touch with the Northern Bank. I'm not much of a person, I just enjoy seeing other people's businesses thrive."

Akoda slipped over from the corner again at some point, her starry eyes scanning back and forth between the four boxes, before leaning close to Fanes and whispering something in his ear.

"Boss, Ningguang is so imposing. When she stood in front of those four crates, I felt like those crates of Mora were already growing legs and running into her pockets."

Fanes almost burst out laughing. He coughed lightly to cover his mouth, pretending not to hear.

While waiting for the movers to arrive, Ningguang chatted with Fanes for a few more minutes at the warehouse entrance. She asked some questions about the Northern Bank's future business plans in Liyue, and Fanes honestly replied, "I don't know either, I'll just do whatever they tell me to do."

Ningguang was amused by his frank answer and smiled slightly. She said, "People like Mr. Twelve are rare in the business world," and then stopped talking.

When the eight porters arrived, Ningguang instructed them to load the four boxes onto two carts, cover them with burlap, and tie them tightly. After explaining the transport route, she prepared to leave. As she reached the door, she glanced back at Fanes and nodded slightly: "If you have time next time, come to my newly built dockside teahouse for a cup of tea."

Fanes waved to her from the warehouse doorway: "Definitely! Take care, Ningguang!"

The cart creaked and groaned as it drove away from the back alley of the Northern Bank and disappeared into the afternoon crowds of Liyue Harbor.

Fañez leaned against the doorframe, watching the two carts turn the corner. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the eaves, warming his face and making him squint.

Yakoda stood beside him, looking up at the direction the two cars had gone, peeling the wrapper off the second candy she had taken from the counter.

Yakoda stuffed the candy into her mouth and mumbled, "Boss, when you gave Ningguang the candy just now, I felt like she softened a little bit. Really, just a little bit. She was as stiff as a rock, but when you handed her the candy, her shoulders relaxed a tiny bit."

Fanes looked down at her: "Is this where you use all your observational skills?"

"I call this the ability to capture details!"

Yakoda said confidently, "People who do business in Nordkalai say you have to read their little tricks to judge a person. When Ningguang received the candy, her fingertips curled slightly, which means she was in a good mood but didn't want to show it. Boss, your investment this time is a sure thing."

Fanes flicked her cat-ear hat: "Come on, let's go. Go back and rest for a while. I have to go out this afternoon to let Seven Stars know I'm still alive."

-

Note: ① Mora actually has denominations, as mentioned in the items obtained from the Prince's Legend quest.

②And if Ningguang can't pay back the money later, well...

They'll take over the port she built, and then Liyue will have to buy it back. After all, the port right in front of their house belongs to the other country—what are they going to do about that?!