He changed Tiwat

Although Han Fulai knew that wasn't the case, he had to admit that it felt really good to watch others busy while he relaxed. So many people on the continent of Teyvat liked to hire adventurers to do odd jobs; perhaps this mentality was partly at play...

The feeling of "using money to control other people's time" is indeed very easy to become addicted to.

"No, no, how come after getting together with Ningguang, my mentality has started to 'mutate' into that of a capitalist?" Han Fulai shook his head slightly and put down his teacup.

Paimon flew to Boss Zhu with a smug look on his face, holding a beautiful jade ring: "Hehe, is this the ring you were looking for? We went through a lot of trouble to get it!"

Mona and Ying both glanced at Paimon sideways.

This "we," who went to great lengths, of course does not include Paimon, whose combat strength is only one-fifth that of a wild boar.

Mona, a great astrologer who is very principled and regards money as dirt, made an exception to repay Boss Zhu's kindness in giving her a meal, and helped Boss Zhu to divine the location of his family heirloom jade ring, pointing out the best place to use "Elemental Bait".

For Ying, a professional adventurer who is also very principled, dealing with a few slimes is a piece of cake. With the two of them working together, the reward of 200,000 Mora is a piece of cake.

However, the very clever Paimon used a slightly larger dose when releasing the "Elemental Decoy" (meaning she released all the "Elemental Decoy" she was carrying), causing all the slimes within a few kilometers to be attracted by the decoy.

—So what should have been a simple task turned into a battle between Luminous and Mona against an army of hundreds of slimes...

And Paimon, the culprit who made them look so pathetic, is shamelessly taking credit and asking for rewards on their behalf.

Overjoyed, Mr. Zhu accepted the ring: "This is it, this is it! I thought I'd never see it again!"

Mona stepped forward and deliberately shielded Paimon behind her.

Although the reserved and arrogant astrologer didn't say anything, Boss Zhu still consciously took out his bulging money bag.

"Thank you very much. This is the Mora I promised you. Please accept it."

"Then I will..."

Paimon flew forward with a beaming smile, but just as he was about to catch the money pouch, it had vanished.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony!"

Before Paimon could react, the purse was already in Mona's hand—grinding it tightly.

"So fast! Even Paimon was no match for her!" Ying stared at Mona in amazement.

In the blink of an eye, Mona had finished counting the amount of Mora in her money bag and put it into her storage space.

With the money already in her pocket, Mona put on airs again: "Mr. Zhu, you must take good care of such precious items, otherwise you might not be so lucky next time."

Mr. Zhu nodded repeatedly: "That's right, that's right. If I lost this 253rd ring that my mother gave me, I wouldn't know how to explain it to my family."

Mona: "..."

Paimon: "…………"

fluorescent:""

The air fell silent instantly.

Looking at the three bewildered faces in front of him, Boss Zhu finally realized: "Oh, there might be some misunderstanding. My family owns the mining rights to three jade mines. My mother prepared a lot of jade jewelry as a family heirloom so that I could find a good wife—there are probably more than five hundred pieces in total."

There are more than 500 of these precious "family heirlooms"... Paimon looked at his two little hands and realized that even if he included his toes, he still couldn't wear that many rings.

"Then why do you still run an inn here?" Mona couldn't help but complain.

Mr. Zhu scratched his head: "Inheriting the family business too early inevitably makes one feel monotonous and bored."

Han Fulai coughed lightly and stepped forward, saying, "Let me reintroduce you all. This Mr. Zhu is the heir of the Liyue Jade Family, the son of Ms. Ruoyu, the head of the luxury goods industry and the director of Shenglu Hall. Running an inn is just a hobby of his..."

Mr. Zhu cupped his hands and said, "My ambition is to become a gourmet, which is why I travel all over the mainland to taste the cuisines of various countries and learn how to make snacks. To be honest, my cooking skills are better than my business acumen... Haha, Vice Minister Han, please forgive my poor service just now."

"Not at all, Young Master Zhu, you're too kind." Han Fulai returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

Previously, at the ceremony marking the reconstruction of the Qunyu Pavilion, this young master Zhu was also a top-tier guest of honor, and he had drunk with him.

Although Mr. Zhu's reluctance to inherit the family business was a headache for Ms. Ruoyu, she could also see that at least she wouldn't have to worry about him squandering the family fortune, right? Besides, running an inn was a legitimate business, much better than those idle rich kids who caused trouble for their families by running around everywhere. So Ms. Ruoyu let him run a small shop and enjoy himself.

The fact that Cuifengting has managed to stay in business for so long in such a remote and difficult-to-access location is undoubtedly because Boss Zhu's family is wealthy and powerful and he's not afraid of losing money...

As it was nearing noon, Boss Zhu warmly invited them: "It's a rare honor for Vice Minister Han to grace us with his presence. These gentlemen are also friends of Vice Minister Han. Why don't you stay for a meal and sample the culinary skills of our humble establishment?"

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Ms. Ruoyu will likely take over her position on Tianji Star soon. During the opening of the Layered Rock Abyss, Ms. Ruoyu and her Shenglu Hall made significant contributions. After the fall of Rouran, Ms. Ruoyu became the head of Liyue's luxury goods industry, making her practically one of Han Fulai's own people.

Since we'll be working together in the future, it's only right that we get to know her son better now.

Unable to refuse such a kind offer, Han Fulai naturally smiled and agreed: "Then I will accept it without hesitation."

Boss Zhu went to the kitchen to get busy, but Mona and the other two kept their eyes on Han Fulai—this Boss Zhu was actually a hidden top-tier rich second-generation heir in Liyue... So what is the identity of Young Master Han, who can make such a top-tier rich second-generation heir fawn over him?

Now all three of them had the same thought: it seems like "playing dumb to fool others" is very popular among the people of Liyue.

Paimon hovered curiously in front of Han Fulai: "Boss Zhu just called you 'Deputy Minister Han,' so you're a big shot in Liyue, right? A rich person?"

Chapter Nine: I'm More Like the Piano Troupe Leader

In response to Paimon's question, Han Fulai replied with a smile: "Oh, as I've mentioned before, I'm just a public servant in Liyue. Currently, I work under Gan Yu, the Liyue Executive Secretary, and serve as the Deputy Director of the Liyue Sea Pavilion Office and the Executive Deputy Secretary-General. I have some connections with the Liyue Seven Stars and the immortals. As for money, well, I have a little bit of it."

To be fair, his storage space already contains several million Mora from the allowance Ningguang gave him... and it also includes Ningguang's checkbook. If you ask whether he has money, he seems to be very wealthy...

“Hmm…” Paimon didn’t quite understand the meaning of these titles, but he understood that Paimon knew the Seven Stars of Liyue, so they must be important figures.

Mona, remembering his luxurious carriage, glanced at him sideways and asked, "Young Master Han, you're not going to tell us that your family actually owns a mine, are you?"

Han Fulai shook his head: "I really don't have that."

Although he can hand-craft quite a few ores and even has expertise in concrete and fertilizer production, he doesn't intend to profit from it. As for Ningguang, she seems to be able to hand-craft gems, and Keqing is also quite wealthy, but they're not married yet, right? If they're not married, their assets aren't considered joint property, so it's not a lie that he doesn't own a mine, hmm.

"You're rich, powerful, and have a wide network of connections, so... you're like Lord Diluc?" Ying thought of that Mondstadt "Night Hero".

What kind of person is he?

Han Fulai listed them off in detail: he is now the designated next Liyue Executive Secretary, successor of the Emperor, successor of the Salt God, son-in-law of the Celestial Clan, fiancé of Tianquan and Yuheng, close comrade-in-arms of Yaoguang, peer of Tianshu, sworn brother of the second young master of Feiyun Merchant Guild, founder of Liyue Labor Association, and acting leader of Guhua Sect...

But to be honest, what best represents him is the contract he made with Gan Yu.

The young heir to the highest power in Liyue smiled and replied, "If I had to say... I might be more like Jean?"

On her way to Wangshu Inn, Mona began to seriously consider whether she could afford to support her two newly taken-in "apprentices".

The lunch that Boss Zhu treated them to was undeniably lavish.

"Golden Shrimp Balls", "Crab Roe Tofu", "Stewed Bamboo Shoots and Pork", "Squirrel Fish", "Fragrant and Tender Spicy Chicken", and a delicious and beautiful "Pearl Jade White Jade Soup".

When Boss Zhu says he has excellent cooking skills, he is not exaggerating at all. With his ambition to become a gourmet, Boss Zhu's skills are more than enough to apply for the head chef position at "Xinyuexuan". It is a waste of his talents to run a small inn in the wilderness.

However, Mr. Zhu himself is enjoying it.

The key point is that such a lavish spread of food ended up mostly stuffed into Paimon's seemingly slender belly; one can only wonder how big her stomach is... And the Traveler seems to be a strong contender for the Teyvat gluttony title, eating at a speed that's in no way inferior to Paimon's...

Fortunately, this feast was paid for by Boss Zhu.

The Traveler and Paimon didn't leave a single drop of soup behind after Mona's incredibly lavish meal—Mona had originally planned to take some home.

If Mona knew that Paimon's monthly food expenses would cost at least 300,000 Mora, she might immediately back out of taking him on as an apprentice.

Han Fulai, on the other hand, gained a full understanding of Yingmei's culinary talent: this traveler actually had the same talent as in the game—to recreate any dish she had ever tasted.

She is currently discussing the Liyue specialty dishes she just ate with Paimon:

“‘Golden Shrimp Balls’ are made with large, plump shrimp wrapped in crispy fried potatoes, creating a wonderfully unique texture.”

"Crab roe tofu, although tofu is an ordinary ingredient, it is a match made in heaven with crab roe, it's like an elemental reaction that 'cracks' together!"

"'Yan Du Xian' is a dish where bamboo shoots, pork, and ham are cooked together to create a rich and flavorful broth. If you pour two spoonfuls of this into a rice bowl, no amount of rice will be enough!"

“‘Squirrel Fish’ is made by deboning a whole fish, cutting it into diamond patterns, coating it in flour, frying it until golden brown and set, then plating it and drizzling it with tomato sauce. It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and its shape is just like a squirrel’s tail.”

"And there's also 'Fragrant and Tender Spicy Chicken'..."

Seriously, if a traveler opens a restaurant, he'll definitely be a strong competitor to Xiangling.

"So, Ying, shall we have dinner again? You can cook!" Paimon said, drooling.

Ying reached out and poked Paimon's cheek: "Are you paying for the ingredients?"

Han Fulai couldn't help but smile as he watched Ying and Paimon playfully bickering. He actually quite enjoyed this noisy and lively journey; it was relaxing and comfortable, just like a real vacation.

Since transmigrating to Liyue, he hadn't experienced such leisurely time in a long time. Whether it was accompanying Keqing on her inspection or going to Qingce Manor with Xingqiu and the others, his mind was basically preoccupied with official business. Even this trip to Mondstadt was essentially a mission.

But the Traveler and Paimon, this pair of lively characters, really make it easy to forget about troubles and fully enjoy the journey; there's a natural, carefree atmosphere around them.

This is probably why travelers can make so many friends.

The group traveled through the night to Guiliyuan, where they abandoned their vehicle and took a boat to Wangshu Inn for the night.

Han Fulai specially invited Chef Yanxiao to demonstrate his culinary skills.

For example, there's the "Chicken Tofu Pudding," a unique dish that's "presentable, delicious, impressive, skillful, and stylish." Xiangling also mentioned the "Hibiscus Chicken Slices" and "Vegetarian Abalone" that she discussed with him last time. And there's the "Golden Crab," specially made for Mona, who was hesitantly clutching her wallet and thinking that just eating a vegetarian noodle dish would be enough.

Of course, Han Fulai paid for it all.

Food always tastes especially delicious when it's paid for by someone else.

Mona was so moved that tears almost welled up in her eyes: "Mmm! This 'Golden Crab' is so delicious! I've never eaten anything so delicious before!"

"The deliciousness of Liyue's cuisine is no exaggeration. Thinking about it, should I consider moving to Liyue...?"

Paimon looked at Mona with great concern.

"She seems so easy to fool, like she could be lured away with just one dish..."

Ying didn't hold back in criticizing Paimon: "You're the same way."

After the meal, Han Fulai introduced the demon-slaying Yaksha to the travelers, along with almond tofu.

It's true that he stole many opportunities to fight alongside Xiao, which is why the traveler only got to know this great demon slayer now. But it's not too late. Han Fulai believes that there will still be many opportunities for them to become friends in the future.

Of course, he also didn't forget to inquire about the current situation of Phil Gaudet's boss, Mond.

From Boss Filgodette, Han Fulai learned something—the Fools had been making some unusual moves in Mondstadt recently. His trip to Mondstadt didn't seem to be going to be peaceful either.

Chapter Ten: I Encourage Young People to Have Lofty Ambitions

The following morning, the group was taken by Xiao to the easternmost part of Shimen.

If you continue north for a while, you will enter the territory of Mondstadt.

"Finally, I'm on solid ground... Ugh, I'm so tired..." Mona patted her chest, looking like she was still shaken.

"Actually, it's very similar to the experience of Windwing, which reminds me of the time I learned to fly with Amber in Mondstadt," Ying also shared her thoughts.

Paimon swayed energetically beside Mona, even doing a somersault in the air: "Why am I not tired?"

Mona glared at the little guy: "Because you're floating in the sky, you're used to it."

Paimon scoffed, "Looks like astrologers aren't all that great after all; at least they can't fly."

Mona retorted, "That's because you have too many unrealistic fantasies about astrology! Only smokers and idiots like high places. Astrology is a wise and profound subject that requires you to be down-to-earth!"

"Ahem." Han Fulai coughed twice. Mona's words just now included Xiao Shangxian, who always stood on the roof of Wangshu Inn and often flew around, which was disrespectful to the immortal master.

It was Xiao who used his supernatural powers to fly the group here. To put it simply, he used wind elements to lift them up and move them quickly, similar to the legendary immortal technique "Wind Escape"—although the experience was definitely not very comfortable. The wind howled in our ears the whole time, and our faces were almost blown crooked. We didn't have a chance to look at the scenery along the way at all.

If Xiao could use some magic to embellish this escape technique, such as wrapping the wind escape in some clouds and mist, and creating a windproof barrier, it would have the feel of immortals riding the clouds and mist. Unfortunately, Xiao has no interest in such fancy tricks.

That being said, Xiao wasn't originally a professional in transportation, so they should be very grateful that he was able to help them fly dozens of kilometers of treacherous mountain roads to the Mondstadt border in just a few minutes.

The mountain roads were in terrible condition after the rainy season, with many places having fallen rocks and landslides. For an ordinary merchant, it would take at least several days to slowly make their way along this mountain road.

A few miles behind them was the border town of Stonegate in Liyue. Although it was small, roughly the size of a village or town, it had restaurants and inns where travelers could rest.

Stonegate was originally just a border outpost of the Thousand Rock Army. However, Liyue was a prosperous trading center with long-standing peaceful relations with Mondstadt and frequent trade. As a result, merchants gradually started to operate businesses at the border post to serve travelers, and over time, it developed into a market town.

Merchants traveling from Mondstadt to Liyue usually follow the trade route of "Dawn Winery" - "Stonegate Town" - "Wangshu Inn" - "Liyue Harbor", which takes about four or five days if the journey goes smoothly.

Xiao saved them two or three days of travel time.

Of course, this experience would be quite terrifying for Mona, who comes from the Land of Water.

In the city-state of the Wind God, people fly around on wings of wind. In Liyue, there are immortals and floating stones, and a huge Jade Pavilion floats in the sky. People are used to the idea that people can fly in the sky.

But Mona's hometown is full of waterways, and she has seen more aquatic creatures like bubble seahorses, armored crabs, and puffy creatures than birds. In fact, she has far more experience diving than climbing.

While she was in the sky, she kept her eyes covered by her pointed witch's hat the whole time and didn't dare to open them.

Yes, Mona is afraid of heights.

If Xiao Zhen had flown her all the way to Mondstadt, she probably would have fainted from fright along the way.

After a short rest and tidying up their wind-blown appearance, the group set off for Mondstadt. They would have to walk the rest of the way, aiming to reach the Dawn Winery by sunset, where there were guesthouses and carriages available for hire.

The area has become more lively along the way. News of the receding floodwaters in Liyue has spread, and merchants and travelers have begun to resume their activities. Several caravans with hired guards can be seen heading towards Liyue.

Along the way, there are towering mountains to the north and flowing blue waters to the south, which is quite a beautiful sight.