He changed Tiwat

Fortunately, Han Fulai's three months were not wasted.

As a top student who emerged from the fierce competition of the single-plank bridge in China, he came to Liyue to study under Gan Yu and experienced many major events that ordinary people could not experience in their entire lives. It is no exaggeration to say that he is shrewd and calculating.

Once he established his confidence, what he had in abundance was composure.

The saying "remain calm in the face of great events" perfectly describes Han Fulai's current state.

In terms of connections, he actually has quite a few.

His contractor and superior, Gan Yu, who controls the Moonsea Pavilion and is determined to reform Liyue, is his strongest support.

As the overseer of the Seven Stars of Liyue, Tian Shu Xing Yun Tian has now joined forces with him and is the most powerful ally of the Moonsea Pavilion.

Yuheng Star Keqing, as his other superior, is upright and incorruptible, devoted to the country, and has a close personal relationship with him, so she can also be an asset.

His sworn brother, Xingqiu, the second young master of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce, is backed by the Liyue Yun Clan and is also the current head of the Guhua Sect. He has money and manpower.

Furthermore… among the seven stars of Liyue, there is also a "Po Jun" who has not appeared for a long time. If we can find this Yao Guang Star to cooperate with, Han Fulai might not be unable to get his hands on the Qianyan Army's weapons.

Of course, the most important thing right now is the counterfeit money circulating in Liyue Harbor.

With his ten-day appointment with Ningguang approaching, Han Fulai had already made plans.

This time, he wouldn't let anyone else take the credit—he wanted the Northern Bank to do the work for him, making him famous throughout Teyvat!

Under such circumstances, he not only managed to prepare for the struggle for the highest power in Liyue in an orderly manner, but also did not forget the people around him.

Time flew by and it was March 10th.

March 10th is Shen He's birthday.

Chapter Ninety-Four: Descending to Earth, Protecting You for a Thousand Years [4k5]

On the afternoon of March 10, Han Fulai booked out the Heyu Tea House to celebrate Shen He's birthday.

Shen He has only been down the mountain for less than a month and has not yet fully integrated into human society. She doesn't know many people in Liyue Harbor. In fact, she is still quite awkward at even going out shopping and often needs Yan Fei's company. Naturally, things like having a birthday party are not on her mind.

When Han Fulai dragged her to the Heyu Teahouse, Shen He looked completely bewildered, but when she saw a group of familiar faces congratulating her, she immediately understood what was going on. Come to think of it, this was the first time she had ever celebrated her birthday in human society.

Besides her senior sister Gan Yu, those present also included Ge Chenlang City True Lord, whom she had met during the Lantern Festival, and her beautiful and kind-hearted landlady, Yan Fei.

Needless to say, the free-spirited Yan Fei was very happy to attend Shen He's sister's birthday party.

Grandma Ping was already living a secluded life in the city, and when Han Fulai and Yan Fei invited her, she gladly accepted and came to celebrate Shen He's birthday.

Gan Yu, the busiest person in Liyue Harbor, still managed to make time for her junior sister today, showing her deep care and concern.

Besides these three, Shen He's human relatives and friends are also indispensable.

Yun Jin, a renowned performer in Liyue, was Shen He's first human friend, and even sang a song called "Goddess Splitting the Temple" for this "goddess." This time, at Han Fulai's invitation, she brought a new piece of music. Han Fulai's reason for booking the Heyu Teahouse was, of course, for Yun Jin's stage.

Yun Jin didn't come alone; she brought her good friend, Xin Yan, a famous rock singer from Liyue Harbor. Although Xin Yan wasn't familiar with Han Fulai and Shen He, she couldn't refuse Yun Jin's invitation. They would be performing together on stage later.

Shen He's blood relatives in Liyue Harbor, Chongyun, a young sorcerer from an exorcist family, were naturally among those invited.

Upon seeing Han Fulai and Shen He, Chongyun first called out "Auntie," but when it was Han Fulai's turn, he scratched his head for a long time, looking quite troubled.

Seeing this, Xingqiu playfully tapped Chongyun on the head: "Chongyun, you should be polite when you see your elders. Call them by their proper names."

Han Fulai patted Chongyun's shoulder generously and said reassuringly, "From now on, we'll address each other separately. You can call me Uncle, and I'll call you Brother."

Even the aloof Shen He couldn't help but smile upon seeing this scene.

As a disciple of the immortals, Shen He had lived on the mountain since childhood, and her memories of her so-called "birthday" were only vague scenes from before she was five years old. Immortals do not value material possessions, and True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng did not want to evoke her painful memories of the past, so he would only give her a faint blessing on her birthday.

Over time, she forgot about her birthday and never imagined that so many people would celebrate it for her.

However, Shen He forgot, but Han Fulai did not. Aside from Liu Yun Zhenjun's wishes, the main reason Shen He stayed in Liyue Harbor was for Han Fulai's sake. He didn't want Shen He to continue living a lonely life in Liyue Harbor. Human kindness was the warmest thing in Liyue Harbor.

In addition, he also remembered the night he first opened up to Shen He, who told him that she missed the "longevity noodles" her biological mother made for her on her fifth birthday.

He had already made plans to make a special "longevity noodle" for Shen He today.

As a student from a small, obscure town, Han Fu had been helping out at his father's breakfast shop since he was a child. He was skilled at kneading and mixing dough, a skill he developed from a young age, and it came in handy now.

The tables and chairs in Heyu Teahouse had been rearranged according to Han Fulai's requirements. In the center was a stage, and in front of the stage were a simple stove and a long table. On the long table was an object wrapped in lotus flowers and lotus leaves, which attracted much attention.

This is the gift that Han Fulai prepared for Shen He today.

Han Fulai and Shen He thanked everyone for their blessings and took their seats in the main seats at the front of the stage. Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Yun Jin and Xin Yan walked onto the stage.

As everyone knows, Yun Jin's Yunhan Society has a contract with Heyu Tea House and performs there. She has performed countless classic pieces on that stage.

Although Han Fulai had never seen Yunhan Society's performance at Heyu Teahouse, Xingqiu was a regular. Yun Jin was, after all, Xingqiu's relative, and Xingqiu would often go backstage to bother her. However, Yun Jin was different today; she wasn't wearing her Liyue Opera costume, but just a white dress with light makeup, which made Xingqiu curious about what Yun Jin was going to perform on stage.

Yanfei was surprised by Xinyan's attire today. She often saw Xinyan holding rock concerts at Tiger Rock when she was busy running errands for clients in Liyue Harbor. Although Xinyan was a native Liyue girl, she had dark skin, much like a desert dweller from Sumeru. Coupled with her chili pepper-shaped hairstyle and spiked performance outfit, she gave off a rather unrestrained impression.

But Xin Yan's outfit today was very ordinary, a dress commonly seen on Liyue girls, and even her hair was down, naturally draped over her shoulders, making her look like a gentle and lovely girl next door. If there was anything different about her, it would only be the guitar she was carrying, a symbol of her identity as a rock singer.

Xin Yan took the guitar off his back, his fingers plucked the strings, and the music filled the teahouse. The melody was surprisingly soothing and gentle, with a hint of opera flavor, quite unlike Xin Yan's rock style—because this song was written by Han Fulai for Yun Jin based on the tune he remembered, a song he often listened to in China, the tune of "Puppet Show".

The lyrics were also written by Han Fulai for Shen He.

Xin Yan took a deep breath and sang the lyrics: "Dancing in the clouds, a lone wild goose flies in autumn. Circling in the house, my mother is critically ill. My father is heartbroken and in tears, searching for ancient books in a daze. Believing in the words in the book, his foolish heart leads to resentment and ruin."

The mournful melody accompanied the singing, echoing in the teahouse. Unexpectedly, Xin Yan, who gave people a bold impression, could have such a gentle and melodious voice.

"With a single finger, I am condemned. In this solitary calamity, I should offer sacrifices to the divine. Without a word, without a tear, I followed my father into the cave to listen to the dew. As the sun waned, my father's shadow vanished forever."

Shen He's childhood experiences unfolded like a scroll before everyone. The lyrics stirred up memories of the past for Shen He, and her fingers trembled slightly. At that moment, Han Fulai took her hand.

A clear, ethereal voice rang out; it was Yun Jin's voice.

"The cold wind in the cave chills to the bone, and evil spirits haunt the outside. Holding a broken dagger in my hand, I grow haggard day and night."

"Covered in wounds, with a broken heart controlled by murderous intent, she falls like a white feather, watching the wind drift by as she falls asleep."

In just two short sentences, the image of Shen He fighting against the evil god in his childhood is vividly portrayed. Grandma Ping recalled how the child was taken to the mountain by True Lord Liuyun and couldn't help but sigh softly.

The music suddenly changed, like a surging tide, and Yun Jin's tone suddenly rose. She was now using the opera style of Liyue Opera.

"I live in seclusion with cranes, never to return to the mortal world. A three-foot-long red silk ribbon locks away all joy and sorrow."

"With a pure and ethereal heart, I follow the immortal's destiny; this body is no longer subject to worldly concerns. The white jade comb at the end of my hair transforms into silver threads that hang down..."

The first comb removes the clouds of sorrow, the second comb brings neither joy nor grief, the third comb brings no regrets even in old age. Shen He recalled the jade comb with emerald inlay that her master gave her when she entered the immortal realm. If it weren't for Brother Han beside her, she might have spent her life on the mountain with Qingxin Liuli.

"Decades later, I returned to my hometown. I heard my neighbors sighing, things have changed. They said that my father regretted his past actions, and sent his soul away with a white silk ribbon around his neck. He wished that in the next life, he could repay the shame in his heart."

As Yun Jin sang this part, she couldn't help but feel emotional. This story was one she had experienced with Han Fulai and Shen He, and singing it now made her sigh.

Xin Yan's voice followed immediately, harmonizing with Yun Jin's. The two voices, one high and one low, blended perfectly, their melodious singing filling the teahouse and touching everyone's hearts.

"Heartless, sorrowless, without hatred, resentment, or tears, yet one glance from her is enough to fill my heart. I only wish to be with you day and night, to taste the flavors of the mortal world again, and to descend to earth to protect you for a thousand years."

Shen He turned her head to look at Han Fulai, who was also looking at her. Their eyes met, their fingers intertwined, and no words were needed.

"Join hands to fight against demons and evil spirits. Raging waves crash against the shore, and frost falls from cold eyes. A single talisman can stop the calamity, turning towering waves into ice spikes, sending hundreds of crossbows flying, and the disaster of Liyue will recede!"

Yun Jin's opera singing rose again, its sound shaking the heavens and moving the soul.

The crowd seemed to be transported back to that great battle once again, witnessing the goddess untying the red rope, the thousand-meter-long tsunami freezing over, the hundred crossbows flying in unison, and the panicked escape of Ba Che.

Gan Yu, who had personally experienced the battle, stared silently at the back of her hand. On that day, the golden trefoil knot had lit up on the back of her hand.

"Hand in hand, we've witnessed the joys and sorrows of life, like cranes dancing in the wind and wild geese flying in pairs in autumn. As the dance ends and the song concludes, we gather here to cherish this joyful moment. When the music ends, we raise our glasses again, and it will all be perfect."

As the song drew to a close and the music was about to end, Yun Jin on the stage twirled and danced, her silk skirt swirling like a ball, her black hair flying in the wind, a truly beautiful sight.

With a sudden leap, her white robe sleeves billowed out, making her appear like a crane circling in the air before gracefully landing back on the stage as her curtain call.

Applause erupted from the audience, and everyone raised their glasses in praise.

Yun Jin bowed slightly and addressed Shen He and Han Fulai below the stage: "Today's poem, 'Puppet Show,' was written by Mr. Han for Miss Shen He. I dare not take credit for it, so I will compose a poem here to express my feelings."

She winked playfully and recited in a clear voice: "The red curtains rise, the figures are graceful and charming, a perfect match, side by side. You possess all the blessings and wisdom of the world, and you, like mandarin ducks, are destined to be immortals."

Only then did everyone notice that Shen He had unknowingly leaned on Han Fulai's shoulder.

Shen He blushed slightly when everyone stared at him and quickly separated from Han Fulai.

Han Fulai was quite generous. He stood up to express his gratitude to Yun Jin, then bowed deeply in all directions and said, "Thank you all for gracing Shen He's birthday banquet today. I am deeply grateful for your hospitality and have no way to repay you. So, I will treat you to a bowl of my special longevity noodles as a token of my appreciation."

After he finished speaking, he leaned close to Shen He's ear and whispered, "Ah He, do you remember what I promised you?"

Shen He blinked. "You mean, 'longevity noodles'?"

Han Fulai nodded.

He walked to the long table and uncovered the object wrapped in lotus leaves and lotus flowers. Everyone stared at it and saw that it was a white dough ball.

Han Fulai still remembers the bowl of noodles Shen He described as she was currently making in her memory—

"The noodles are stretched thin and long, like the legendary dragon's whiskers. When you pick them up with chopsticks, they look like a waterfall cascading down the mountain. The soup is golden and is served with delicacies such as mushrooms, poultry, and ham. It has a softer and more lingering texture than ordinary noodles, making it hard to put down your chopsticks."

What he wants to make is "longevity noodles," or rather, "dragon beard noodles"!

The so-called "dragon beard noodles" are thin and long like dragon whiskers, and they are a single strand from beginning to end, never breaking.

The second day of the second lunar month in the Chinese calendar is also known as "Dragon Raises Its Head," and there is a custom of eating "dragon beard noodles" on that day. Shen He's birthday, if calculated according to the lunar calendar, happens to fall on the second day of the second lunar month.

Dragon beard noodles originated from "stretched noodles," which is simply what is known as "pulled noodles." The dough is stretched, folded, and patted into strips, and each step is called "one fold."

Each turn thins the noodles and doubles their number. The more turns, the thinner and longer the noodles become, with more strands. This is the ultimate test of a chef's skill. For ordinary dragon beard noodles to be sold as a dish, a chef needs at least ten turns of technique.

These noodles, as thin as an autumn hair, belong to the most exquisite category of Liyue noodles, requiring the most meticulous craftsmanship. It would be extremely difficult for an ordinary chef to master a single dish of dragon beard noodles without three to five years of training.

Han Fulai was not a professional chef, and naturally had never practiced the art of stretching dragon beard noodles—but now he was a powerful being with the remnants of a demon god and immortal power, and his control over his body and strength far exceeded that of ordinary people. Using his extraordinary power to make noodles was of course a great advantage.

Xiangling's rapid rise to become Liyue Harbor's top chef at such a young age is undoubtedly aided by the Vision of the Gods. Liu Yun, the Windwalker, is also a master of culinary arts, frequently using his divine powers in his cooking. Keqing, on the other hand, went even further, directly using her lightning elemental powers to fry fish…

Meanwhile, a certain "meticulous person" who likes to personally go to the kitchen to guide the chefs in cooking is not a chef by profession, but his skills far surpass those of ordinary chefs, relying on his divine strength that is unparalleled in the seven kingdoms.

So, Zhongli set a good example by using the power of demons and immortals to cook, and Han Fulai just followed suit.

He simply ran his fingers along the dough on the table, dividing it into nine equal parts according to the number of people present, without the need for a knife.

Next, he kneaded one of the dough pieces into a long strip, held both ends in his hands, and stretched it out to be more than a meter long.

He crossed his hands, rolling and unrolling the long strip in his hands several times until each strand was clearly distinct. But Han Fulai's "performance" had only just begun.

With a slight flick of his wrist, the noodles in his hand rippled and danced as if alive, like silver snakes twirling wildly, like raging waves, like a cascading waterfall, like billowing clouds. But Han Fulai did not stop there. Golden light flashed across his body, and wherever his immortal power spread, dragon whiskers rose without wind, swirling endlessly around him.

He stretched a noodle that was only a meter long into a long, flowing sleeve, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet capable of stretching for several meters.

By the time he finished the final tap, Han Fulai had already tapped the noodle eighteen times. The single noodle had transformed into 262,144 fine strands, resembling Shen He's cascading silver hair.

Even if Xiangling came in person, she wouldn't have done a better job than him.

With a flick of his finger, the dragon beard noodles flew into the already heated oil pot beside him. At the same time, a small pinch of powder, as white as snowflakes, also entered the pot with his movement.

Yes, he used the power of the Salt God to sprinkle some "divine salt" into the pot. Salt made with divine power is purer and tastes better than ordinary sea salt.

Because the noodles are thin, they are cooked through in just a few seconds of frying, turning golden brown.

Han Fulai scooped up the noodles, placed them in the broth that had been prepared beforehand, arranged them carefully on a plate, and served them to Shen He.

The dough, resembling a thousand strands of black silk, was bathed in a rich broth imbued with the essence of mountain delicacies, its color a dazzling golden hue. Moreover, the steaming vapor carried a refined and ethereal fragrance—Han Fulai wrapped the dough with lotus flowers precisely to infuse the lotus's aroma into it.

As disciples of immortals, we should naturally use immortal delicacies. Without the elegant lotus fragrance that rises from the mud unsullied, how can the ethereal beauty of this dragon beard noodle dish be revealed?

However, everyone's attention was drawn to the presentation of the noodles. In that instant, at least three people were thinking the same thing: Will he make this noodle dish for me on my birthday?

—A heart-shaped fried egg sits atop a slice of mushroom in the broth of the dragon beard noodles. This is Han Fulai's thoughtful gesture.

“Ah He, this ‘Heart-to-Heart Noodles’ is my gift to you.”

Shen He blushed and, under everyone's gaze, stood up, hugged her Han-gege, and kissed him on the cheek.

"I have no intention of pursuing a long life, but I wish to spend a long time with the person I'm destined to be with. From now on, please... always be my red thread."

Chapter Ninety-Five: The Dark Ambassador Han Fulai [4k]

March 15th, Liyue Calendar Year 37xx.

This is a day destined to be remembered in history, because two momentous events occurred on this day that will be recorded in history and have a profound impact on future generations.

[Event 3: On the morning of March 15th, the Liyue National Bank held a press conference regarding the 'forged Mora' incident. In addition to reporters from major newspapers, attendees included specially invited leaders of various merchant guilds within Liyue. These included representatives from large local guilds such as the 'Flying Cloud Merchant Guild,' as well as representatives from overseas businesses such as the 'Northern Bank' from Winterfall and the 'Dawn Winery' from Mondstadt.]

This press conference was hosted by Ms. Keqing, the Yuheng Star and a member of the Liyue Permanent Council, and Ms. Gan Yu, the Director and Executive Secretary-General of the Moonsea Office. The speaker was Mr. Han Fulai, the then Deputy Director and Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the Moonsea Office. (Note: Hereinafter referred to as Secretary-General Han)

[Second Incident: Zhiyi, an alternate member of the Liyue Permanent Council, used unfair competition tactics during the selection process for the successor to the Star of Heaven, colluding with Yusupov, the then-ambassador to Winter, to poison the former Star of Heaven, Yuntian. Following the incident, Zhiyi defected from Liyue on the night of March 15th, seeking political asylum in Winter. The subsequent handling of this matter was delegated to Yuehaiting, who had participated in the selection of the Seven Stars.]

[A document from the Liyue General Affairs Department, attributed to Shenhua, once indicated that the incident was actually a covert operation codenamed "Willing People Take the Bait," secretly orchestrated by Secretary-General Han. However, since the Liyue General Affairs Department denies the source of this information and claims that no such person exists within the department, adhering to the principle that a single piece of evidence is insufficient, this document is presented here for readers to verify independently.]

From a historical perspective, the current academic consensus is that these two events mark Secretary Han's formal entry onto the political stage of Teyvat.

Prior to this, Secretary Han, as the secretary of the Moonlit Pavilion in Liyue, typically played the role of a staff member and planner. However, based on recently declassified documents from relevant departments, we have discovered that Secretary Han may very well have been involved in planning these two important events and personally propelled the historical process.