While I was in Mondstadt, I never imagined becoming a god.

"Then I won't be polite to you."

Xingqiu smiled too, the curve of his eyes softening slightly.

A hint of gratitude appeared on that overly delicate face.

"I'm ready to serve you anytime."

Chapter 138 The Young Girl's Ambition

The two did not stay at Feiyun Trading Company for long.

After politely declining Xingqiu's offer to stay, Hu Tao grabbed Xu Chuan and ran into the streets and alleys of Liyue Harbor.

While returning Qianyanjun's suicide note to his family, he also took the opportunity to promote the business of the Wangshengtang (a traditional Chinese medicine clinic).

This move seems to be an attempt to establish the reputation of the Reincarnation Hall's guest elder before Xu Chuan leaves Liyue Harbor.

Xu Chuan couldn't help but sigh, this guy really has a strong sense of career ambition.

Hu Tao paused, then suddenly turned around, her eyes sparkling beneath her hat brim.

"By the way, when I introduce you later, remember to show off your spirit-binding ability."

Xu Chuan raised an eyebrow: "Isn't it a bit too high-profile?"

"You don't understand." Hu Tao lowered her voice, leaned closer, and said with a hint of slyness.

"It's only natural for older people to be afraid of death."

"But what they fear most is that they will know nothing after they die."

"Are the children and grandchildren crying their hearts out at the grave genuine or feigning grief?"

She straightened up, put her hands on her hips, and said confidently, "If you can let them see for themselves whether their children and grandchildren are filial after they die, that would be a new service for our funeral parlor!"

"Moreover, only the entire Rebirth Hall can do this."

Xu Chuan opened his mouth, but was speechless.

The first household we visited was Grandpa Sun's house on East Street in Liyue Harbor.

He made his fortune in the ore business, and at seventy-three years old, he is still in relatively good health, but he has already begun making arrangements for his funeral.

"Grandpa Sun, Walnut has come to see you!"

Before the gatekeeper could announce their arrival, Hu Tao had already led Xu Chuan across the threshold, as if she knew the place like the back of her own home.

Grandpa Sun was lying on a rattan chair in the yard, basking in the sun.

Hearing the noise, he opened one eye and saw it was Hu Tao. The wrinkles on his face smoothed out: "Little Hu Tao, you're here again?"

"That nanmu coffin you recommended last time, I think it's alright, except for the carvings..."

"Grandpa Sun, let's not talk about coffins today."

Hu Tao pulled up a chair and sat down, then gently pressed Xu Chuan to the seat next to her. "I brought you a treasure today."

Grandpa Sun squinted at Xu Chuan and asked, "Who is this young man?"

"Our new guest elder at the Hall of Rebirth, Xu Chuan."

Hu Tao patted Xu Chuan on the shoulder, her tone carrying the excitement of promoting a rare treasure, "He has a skill that you'll definitely be interested in."

Xu Chuan knew he couldn't avoid it, so he simply stopped hiding.

To complement Walnut, he extended his right hand with his fingers slightly spread, and a wisp of pale blue light emanated from his palm.

The temperature in the courtyard suddenly dropped a few degrees the next moment.

Skvornugg's figure suddenly appeared in front of the two.

After seeing the humanoid soul that appeared, Grandpa Sun suddenly sat up straight in his rattan chair, his eyes wide open.

"This is……"

"Binding Spirits," Xu Chuan said calmly, his fingers clenching together. Before Skvornugg could say anything, he was back in his spatial ring.

Upon seeing this, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Grandpa Sun's voice trembled: "Little Walnut, tell Grandpa about this skill... after I'm gone."

"Can I see for myself whether my sons are truly sincere in seeing me off in my final days?"

Hu Tao smiled like a little fox who had stolen a chicken: "Of course."

"As long as the contract is clearly signed, our guest master will personally perform the ritual to ensure you see everything clearly."

"Sign! Sign it now!"

Old Master Sun turned and called into the house, "Butler! Bring me pen and ink!"

Xu Chuan watched as Hu Tao deftly pulled out a pre-prepared contract from her bosom, thinking to himself that this girl was far too well-prepared.

The next few households followed almost the same pattern.

Hu Tao was in charge of making small talk and chatting, while Xu Chuan was in charge of demonstrating his ability to bind spirits. Then, as if they had found the last guarantee in their lives, the old men and women rushed to sign the contract.

Some people want to see if their children and grandchildren are filial, some want to confirm whether the distribution of the estate is fair, and some are simply curious about what the world after death looks like.

Xu Chuan agreed to each of their requests, but inwardly he was struck by the fact that these people's obsessions were far deeper than he had imagined.

After running around for most of the day, Hu Tao flipped through the booklet in her hand. On the originally densely packed list, less than 20% had been crossed out.

"No, this is too slow." She frowned, a rare look of distress on her face.

The two returned to the Hall of Rebirth and plunged into the archives.

Xu Chuan pushed open the heavy wooden door and was greeted by the smell of old paper, mixed with the fragrance of ink and the scent of time.

Inside the warehouse, rows of tall wooden shelves stretched deep inside, piled high with files and contracts, the oldest of which were said to date back hundreds of years.

"This looks like a library..." Xu Chuan looked up at the file rack that was taller than him and couldn't help but mutter.

Hu Tao had already rolled up his sleeves and was directing the staff at the Rebirth Hall to start searching.

"Group Three is checking the records from the past fifty years, Group Four is going through the archives of families whose lineages have ended, and Group Five is checking the list compiled the day before yesterday. Let's get moving!"

For a moment, the warehouse was filled with the sounds of paper being rummaged through and coughs from people choking on the smoke and dust.

Xu Chuan also helped flip through several stacks, but the efficiency was indeed not high.

Five hundred years is a huge time span; the records of many families are fragmented, and some people simply cannot be found.

Half a day passed, and the few groups of people who had gathered the information had very little of any useful information.

Hu Tao wiped the sweat from her forehead and made a decision: "This won't work. We need to ask the General Affairs Department for help."

Xu Chuan looked up at her: "Would the General Affairs Department be willing to handle this matter?"

"Five hundred years have passed, and it's too much for Wangshengtang to handle alone."

Hu Tao tucked the booklet into her bosom. "This matter should have been led by the General Affairs Department. They have far more complete household registration records than we do."

Xu Chuan nodded. Although this girl was unconventional in her actions, she was very clear-headed when it mattered most.

Liyue Harbor, General Affairs Department.

On my second visit, the place was still bustling with people.

Merchants, adventurers, and scholars from all over the world came and went, with mountains of documents piled up on the counters. They were so busy writing that they barely had time to rest.

Xu Chuan, with his sharp eyes, immediately spotted the striking red figure in the crowd.

Yan Fei was carrying a stack of files that was half her height, and she walked quickly across the hall, muttering something to herself, as if she was rushing to deal with some urgent matter.

"Yanfei!" Hu Tao waved and called out.

Yan Fei paused, turned around and saw the two of them. Her expression first showed surprise, then quickly switched to a subtle wariness.

She moved closer and lowered her voice: "What brings you two here?"

"Just so you know, I might not be free today."

"Relax, relax." Hu Tao waved her hand, her eyes crinkling with laughter. "I didn't come to the General Affairs Department to poach your clients."

Yan Fei didn't reply, her eyes conveying the message, "I don't believe it."

This girl had dealt with Hu Tao quite a bit, and she always had to be careful every time they met.

"Last time, Hu Tao said she was just visiting, but she ended up poaching a valuable funeral package from one of her clients."

"The time before last, I invited you to dinner, and we ended up negotiating a joint contract between the three companies right there at the dinner table."

Seeing Yan Fei's expression, Hu Tao sighed helplessly: "Weren't those times a win-win situation for us?"

"You take your consulting fee, I take my commission, it's a win-win situation."

Yan Fei's lips twitched: "..."

Chapter 139 Silky's Farewell

Yan Fei felt a little frantic when she thought about these things.

Who tries to sell coffin packages while discussing consulting services?

Seeing the two staring at each other, Xu Chuan smiled and stepped forward to smooth things over, briefly explaining the whole story.

After listening, Yan Fei's expression gradually became serious.

There was a hint of respect in her gaze as she looked at Xu Chuan.

It is truly rare to find someone who is willing to work for the wishes of those who have passed away.

“That’s a good thing.” Yan Fei nodded and said decisively, “Count me in.”

This is exactly what Hu Tao was waiting for.

She clapped her hands, grabbed Yanfei's wrist, and dragged her deeper into the General Affairs Department.

"Let's go, let's hurry up and find those people in charge, and then we'll go get the files after we reach an agreement."

The two girls disappeared at the end of the corridor in the blink of an eye, leaving only a series of hurried footsteps.

Xu Chuan stood there, looking at the empty space beside him, and couldn't help but chuckle.

As I stepped out of the General Affairs Department gate, the setting sun was already casting a warm orange-red hue over the rooftops of Liyue Harbor.

Street vendors began packing up their stalls, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of each household.

Xu Chuan didn't rush back to the Rebirth Hall, but stopped in front of a roadside stall selling candied hawthorns.

"Boss, I'll take the rest."

The stall owner, a man in his fifties, paused for a moment upon hearing this: "All...all of it?"

Xu Chuan took out a Mora and placed it on the stall, took the large bundle of candied hawthorns stuck on the straw target, looked around, and walked towards a quiet alley not far away.

At the end of the alley stands an old locust tree, and beneath it are several stone benches for people to rest on.

Xu Chuan chose a clean spot to sit down and stuck the candied hawthorn target into the ground next to him.

He took a skewer, bit into one, and the sweet and sour taste exploded in his mouth, mixed with the crunchy shell of rock sugar and the slight astringency of hawthorn, making him feel cheerful.

"You've been following me for so long," he said without looking up, as if talking to himself, "is there something you need from me?"

The alleyway was deserted, with only a few fallen leaves swirling in the evening breeze.

Xu Chuan took another bite of hawthorn and chewed it slowly.

A moment later, the air on the stone pier beside him suddenly distorted, and a tall figure appeared out of thin air.

Silky sat there with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Xu Chuan.

“I’m just a little curious,” she said.

Xu Chuan didn't reply, but reached out and took a string of candied hawthorns from the target and casually handed it over.

Silky looked at the bunch of bright red fruit, neither accepting nor refusing.

Just then, three small figures ran over from the other end of the alley.

The one leading the group was a little girl with pigtails, about seven or eight years old, who was panting heavily as she ran.

Two little boys followed behind her.