Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

Qing Nuoyan thought for a moment, then, as if he had a sudden realization, poured half a bowl of osmanthus wine from the pot and handed it to Xiao Xiong, tentatively asking, "Do you want some?"

The little bear held the wine bowl, which was a bit too big for its size, looked at Nuoyan, then turned to look at Zhongli, raised the cup, and gulped it down. After the osmanthus wine went down its throat, it let out a small burp and wiped its mouth.

"Young friend Nuoyan, what are your plans for the future?" Zhongli suddenly asked.

"Me..."

Qing Nuoyan scratched his head. He had no plan. After all, his dream in this life was to live as he pleased. When someone asked him about the future, he didn't know how to answer.

First, fulfill all the agreements.

He really didn't have any plans for what to do next.

After thinking for a while, he gave up.

"do not know."

He spoke frankly, with a self-deprecating smile:

"Don't laugh at me, Brother Zhongli, but I'm not a very ambitious person... I'm quite carefree."

"This trip is to fulfill the Old Testament. After completing all the Old Testaments, I'll take it one step at a time. The most important thing is to live happily—I may have been living too hard before."

Unexpectedly, his idle talk did not elicit Zhongli's disdain; on the contrary, Zhongli even quite agreed with his philosophy of giving up, nodding in approval.

"really."

The Old Testament... Zhongli smiled.

"Really?" Qing Nuoyan was somewhat surprised.

"It's really good."

“From a generally rational perspective,” Zhongli said, picking up a bite of almond tofu and feeding it to the little bear who was watching eagerly, “I think your idea is great.”

"You've done your job very well; you should get some rest."

He was speaking in a language that no one could understand.

"Listen to operas and walk your birds, drink wine and admire flowers. On a sunny day after a light rain, go for a walk and pick flowers. Or, at dusk when the mountains are bathed in the glow of the lanterns and the lights are on, sip a little wine. Go to Heyu Teahouse to listen to Mr. Yun's opera, go to Yanshang Teahouse to play cards, order the most expensive red-clad actors, order the most expensive food. My friend, you have a long life, you should live it to the fullest."

"Mr. Zhongli..."

Qing Nuoyan said he didn't quite understand what you were saying.

"I don't need to take on too many burdens for myself. I understand now that I may not be as important as I thought. Liyue can still function without anyone."

Qing Nuoyan nodded, indicating that it made sense.

The words of cultured people are different; even their declaration of giving up makes more sense than his own. What a reasonable declaration of giving up!

Holding his wine bowl, he said he had met a kindred spirit today and insisted on having a drink with him.

So they drank a toast.

When lazy dogs with similar interests meet, they naturally have a lot to talk about and feel like old friends.

The aroma of osmanthus wine is rich and lingering, and the slight intoxication feels like the passage of time.

"Being carefree is a great way of life."

Zhongli was indeed a meticulous person, very eloquent, and his words were also erudite and insightful. "A person with a heart will die. A friend of mine once said something very true."

"What did he say?" Qing Nuoyan asked.

"Ah, him. He was holding his wine gourd and said to me, 'Don't bother with official duties. Liyue will keep turning without you. The one who lives the longest is the one who's carefree.'"

Zhongli shook his head, revealing a slightly helpless smile: "'Let's go have a drink!'—that's what he said."

"What a drunkard."

Qing Nuoyan mocked, saying that the guy who loved drinking so much would surely not live long. Ying was right, alcoholism would shorten one's life!

As for drinking myself... drinking alone is definitely different, because Qingnuoyan's wine has goji berries added.

"What happened to that friend later?" Nuoyan asked.

"Later..." Zhongli looked at him for a long time before saying, "Later he passed away. He passed away a long time ago."

Qing Nuoyan scratched his head somewhat awkwardly, and tentatively asked, "Did he die from drinking...?"

"Do not."

Zhongli shook her head, her bright golden eyes reflecting Nuoyan's face: "It's because he has a heart and a lung, but he pretends to be carefree and advises others to be heartless and carefree."

He was more serious and worked harder than anyone else, so he died.

I don't quite understand.

However... for some inexplicable reason, Qing Nuoyan felt somewhat sad.

"What an idiot," he muttered under his breath.

"From a purely rational standpoint, he is indeed a fool. Not very smart."

They drank another glass.

Time passed slowly, and as the sun rose high in the sky, the shadows of the leaves cast outside the window became increasingly scattered as the sun moved.

"So, my friend, I think your idea is very good."

Zhongli poured himself another cup of osmanthus wine. He stared at the rippling liquid with a slightly absent-minded expression, and after a while said:

"From now on, focus on clothing, daily necessities, jewelry, porcelain, wine, food, snacks, tea, spices, flowers, insects, birds, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. Don't worry about anyone else. Just live life to the fullest. You should rest now."

He's right.

Qing Nuoyan wanted to live a good life.

This is his dream.

"Well then." The osmanthus wine was almost finished, so the boy poured three bowls and handed one to Xiao Xiong and one to Zhong Li, keeping one for himself.

He was slightly tipsy from the alcohol, and asked, "Can I still come to drink with Brother Zhongli in the future?"

Can I still come to drink with Brother Zhongli in the future?

Zhongli paused for a moment, then nodded:

"If I have drinking buddies inviting me, I will gladly oblige."

He said very seriously.

The little bear patted its belly, jumped up, and tapped Nuoyan's knee, indicating that he shouldn't forget about it!

"Haha."

Qing Nuoyan smiled, feeling a little dizzy. "Cheers—"

"cheers."

[The third agreement is complete.]

[Reward: The recipe for making Osmanthus Wine]

If you want to buy sweet-scented osmanthus with wine, it doesn't seem like you are a teenager.

The broken branches yield nothing more; promises made lightly are broken again, and we must start all over again.

Zhongli quietly watched Qingnuoyan, who was drunk and passed out on the table, and shook his head helplessly.

His alcohol tolerance has clearly declined.

In the past, let alone osmanthus wine, he would have swallowed even the 'Sinful Immortal Wine' brewed by immortals in one gulp.

The slightly dim spring sunlight shone on Qingnuoyan, and Zhongli was lost in thought.

He said he came into this world to 'keep a promise'.

After fulfilling all his promises, he will go do what he wants to do.

Zhongli was an intelligent man, and he could guess some of the secrets about Qingnuo Rock.

Therefore, Qingnuoyan's appearance here today is to fulfill the promise he made to himself to "drink osmanthus wine together".

Zhongli frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something.

The agreement they made wasn't just about 'drinking osmanthus wine together'.

He is the God of Contracts, and he remembers every agreement made in the first place.

Upon careful consideration, there were three agreements. Zhongli had already fulfilled one of them more than two thousand years ago. Including today's agreement, only one remains to be completed.

I've come to keep my promise, but am I also going to keep that promise?

That promise...

Zhongli did not achieve this more than two thousand years ago.

And that agreement was...

A vague unease settled in my heart.

He shook his head, dismissing the inexplicable idea. Zhongli looked out the window and saw that Liyue Harbor was peaceful and prosperous, a stark contrast to two thousand years ago. Naturally, karmic obstacles no longer existed.

Therefore, this promise will never be fulfilled in this lifetime.

He paused for a moment, then someone arrived.

She was fast, walking with a brisk pace; she was a young girl. She pushed open the doors of Wanmintang, her bright golden eyes scanning the area before spotting Qing Nuoyan, who was slumped over the table, fast asleep and completely drunk...

This guy...

I called him to have breakfast, but he was drinking and got drunk.

The girl's bright golden eyes widened.

Resentment, anger, grievance, resentment...

Countless emotions swirled in her eyes, but when the waiter from Wanmintang handed the bill to Ying, all that remained was pure anger.

She even considered leaving the guy outside and not letting him go back to his room to sleep.

"..." Zhongli also felt a little embarrassed, and he coughed: "From a generally rational point of view..."

Ying, supporting Qing Nuoyan, glanced at Zhongli with the stern look one would give a fair-weather friend.