At 5 PM sharp, the shop closed for the day.
Xia Zhi was slightly surprised by Ganyu's sudden arrival.
After all, it wasn't Friday.
She must have had sothing important to discuss with either him or Shenhe.
With a smile, Xia Zhi greeted them and invited Ningguang to the back room first.
Her long, flowing hair swayed gently, carrying a faint floral fragrance.
Xia Zhi silently noted to himself:
A rich lady is truly ticulous. For so many days now, her scent has never repeated itself even once.
---
Sitting on the bed, Ningguang began to untie her sash with practiced ease.
After all, when it cos to serious discussions, one must be honest and open.
By the ti Xia Zhi had lit the calming incense, Ningguang was already lying down, ready.
Regular custors are so convenient. No need for extra instructions.
After a friendly exchange, Xia Zhi and Ningguang wrapped up their conversation about papermaking and the school project, moving on to a new topic—Ying'er's latest creation: lipstick.
"Lipstick?"
"Mm, it moisturizes the lips and adds color. It's essentially a costic product."
"Do you have a sample?"
"Yes, I do."
Xia Zhi took out an intact lipstick and handed it to Ningguang.
This was a refined version of the original formula he had improved upon.
Ningguang sat up from the small bed and curiously examined the little item in her hand.
The cylindrical tube had a rotating base, and the solid red balm inside rose smoothly when turned. Its slanted tip was perfectly shaped to fit the curve of the lips.
"So, you just apply this directly to your lips?"
"Yes."
"…It's so smooth."
"Isn't it?"
"The color is nice too."
"Do you think this lipstick would have a market in Liyue?"
"Of course, and a large one at that!"
"Would you be interested in taking over this business venture?"
"Well, even if I weren't interested, for Ying'er's sake, I'd still be willing to handle it."
"And the profit split…?"
"Let's do a 50-50 split."
"You and Ying'er seem to have a close bond."
"When I first ca to Liyue, I didn't have much money. I couldn't even afford new clothes. Every ti my old ones tore, Ying'er would nd them for . Later, I didn't want to trouble her too much, so I asked her to teach so sewing skills. Looking back, those difficult days were actually the most carefree ti of my life."
"True."
"I even tried to recruit Ying'er to work at Yuehai Pavilion, but she refused, saying it wouldn't give her enough freedom."
"That's very much in line with her personality."
"She's all talk, though. She's got a sharp tongue but no real experience. I don't even bother arguing with her anymore."
"She cares about you more than you realize."
"Oh?"
"These past few days, Ying'er's been feeling unwell because of her monthly cycle. I checked her condition and prescribed so dicine for her."
"That's an old issue of hers."
"You have the sa problem, don't you, Miss Ningguang?"
"Mm, Xia Zhi, your dical skills are truly impressive to have noticed that…"
Xia Zhi shook his head with a smile.
"I didn't notice it myself; Ying'er told in secret."
"?"
"She said the dicine I prescribed worked wonders for her and asked to help you out as well. She even made promise not to tell you it was her idea."
"…"
Ningguang fell silent for a mont.
"So, would you like to take a look at your condition?"
"Alright."
"Let see your wrist."
"Mm."
"…No major issues, just so weakness, likely a lingering problem from the past. I'll write you a prescription. Take it five tis, and you'll be fine."
"Thank you, Xia Zhi."
"But you should be prepared."
"For what?"
"My prescriptions are… unique. They're all poison."
"I trust the principal."
"Haha, the dicine will be bitter, though. No sugar allowed."
Ningguang chuckled softly.
"No problem. I've endured all kinds of hardships."
She said it with such confidence, but wrapped in just half a bath towel, her sultry deanor didn't quite match her bold words.
---
Once Ningguang went off to soak in the bath, Xia Zhi gave Baishi a quick massage and checked her health as well.
She was perfectly fine.
After finishing the massage, Xia Zhi washed his hands and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
At one point, he stepped out to ask his cousin to go into her [Serenitea Pot] and gather so mushrooms for Ganyu's vegetarian dishes.
After dinner, Ningguang collected the lipstick formula from Ying'er, took the new tea leaves Xia Zhi gifted her, and left with Baishi.
anwhile, Ganyu joined the group for a stroll around the port.
Xia Ci managed to haggle down a Fontaine rchant and purchased a Kara.
This peculiar device from Fontaine could capture images perfectly, much like a cara from Xia Zhi's original world.
Xia Ci quickly got the hang of it, and the group posed under the dock's lights, asking a passing older sister to take a few photos for them.
"It's too dark at night; the pictures aren't very clear."
"We can co back in the morning. The sunrise over the sea is beautiful!"
"I doubt I'll wake up in ti. Here, take this with you and snap a few shots when you're out buying groceries tomorrow morning."
"Alright!"
The girls were thoroughly fascinated by this new gadget, snapping photos non-stop along the way.
But this was just an old-fashioned Kara.
Xia Zhi opened the [Shop] and glanced through it, finding various types of caras for sale, including large film caras for shooting movies, all priced at just 1 point.
After all, they were just ordinary-quality items.
There were also extraordinary caras from other worlds, like the silver-tier [Spirit-Cleansing Kara], which looked old and worn but emitted a flash of white light capable of harming and dispelling spirits.
Xia Zhi closed the [Shop].
Though the caras were cheap, introducing them now didn't seem appropriate.
They required electricity, which ant he'd also need to bring out generators, transforrs, computers, and outlets—a hassle he wasn't ready for.
For now, it was better to let everyone enjoy the simple Kara. When the ti ca to modernize the house, he'd revisit the idea.
---
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