"Clang-clang-clang~"
"Surprise incoming~!"
The kitchen door swung open.
Hu Tao came running out, excitement written all over her face, carrying a tray with a lid on it.
Under Taro's watchful gaze, her cheeks were still as pale and pristine as ever. She stretched out both hands.
"Here. The surprise I prepared for you is inside."
"Curious? Wanna see? Like it?"
"The answer's about to be revealed~"
No idea about the color or taste yet.
But that faint, wafting fragrance couldn't be faked.
Taro's heart settled halfway down from his throat.
Looks like Hu Tao wasn't planning to prank him after all.
Good. Very good.
"Then I'm opening it?"
"Mm-hm, open it, open it!"
"..."
Taro slowly raised his hand.
Under Hu Tao's expectant stare, he lifted the lid off the tray.
A thin white mist immediately rose up. For a split second, it almost looked like some strange white thing vanished along with the steam.
Taro's eye twitched, and a bad feeling bloomed in his chest.
He knew what he'd just seen was only white steam—nothing spooky, nothing ghostly.
But of all times for the steam to look like a phantom, it had to be the moment he opened the lid. That was not a good omen.
When the mist finally dispersed, Taro's gaze dropped to the food on the plate.
The horrifying "what fresh nightmare is this" shape he'd imagined didn't appear. It wasn't cute either.
And it definitely wasn't the kind of special dish you'd expect to pop up in-game—like Ghostly March.
"This…"
Staring at three bite-sized snacks—golden-yellow on the outside, wrapped around a pink filling—Taro blinked.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is a modified version of Mingyue Egg, right?"
"Correct!" Hu Tao lifted her chin and—somehow—freed up three hands to give him a big thumbs-up.
"Heh-heh, this is my exclusive signature dish. Even Zhongli hasn't gotten to taste it."
"It's called Mischief Egg."
"Come on. Try it!"
"..."
Hearing that, Taro's first reaction wasn't being moved.
It was the sudden urge to sweat.
So he was the first test subject. Unlucky, truly.
Taro… did not feel brave enough to commit.
He decided he'd cheat.
If the first bite tasted wrong, he'd immediately use magic for a purely physical, highly effective "elimination."
"Honestly, you're so slow~"
Seeing Taro's expression, Hu Tao narrowed her eyes, snatched up a pair of chopsticks, deftly picked up one piece, and thrust it straight to his mouth.
"Here. Aaah~~~"
"Aaah—"
Taro accepted his fate.
He opened wide and swallowed the entire Mischief Egg in one go.
First impression: the outer skin was normal.
The filling… he couldn't taste it.
Second bite—okay, now he got it. Red beans, glutinous rice, and red dates.
So this Mischief Egg—an improved Mingyue Egg—was actually vegetarian?
Kind of like… a fancy red-date sticky rice dessert?
Mm. It tasted pretty good.
Just… a little on the sweet side…
"How is it?" Hu Tao squinted, waiting for his verdict.
"Mm, it's good~" Taro nodded decisively and gave a thumbs-up.
No traps. And the flavor was genuinely sweet and pleasant.
Who said Hu Tao couldn't cook?
Definitely not Taro.
"Heh-heh~"
Hu Tao set the tray on the table, climbed up onto a grand armchair, propped her chin on her hands against the backrest, and let her twin-tails sway with her bobbing head.
"Before you tasted it, you weren't thinking that, right?"
"I could totally tell."
"..."
Taro felt a little embarrassed.
He couldn't help it. Preconceptions really did kill people.
He kept reminding himself this was the real world…
…but certain deeply carved memories still attacked him out of nowhere.
Yeah. About that… hard to say.
"Ahem."
Taro cleared his throat. "Tao—so, as an apology, how about I give you a present?"
"Oh?" Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "There's a gift too?"
"What is it? Let's hear it."
"If I like it, I'll forgive you properly—nice and generous."
Snap.
Taro lightly snapped his fingers.
The most primordial elements gathered in his palm. The formless, intangible power, under his control, condensed into something real.
A purplish-red branch.
An oval-shaped bud.
Soft pink petals.
Taking shape, bit by bit.
A plum blossom that would never wither.
"Here."
Taro offered the flower to Hu Tao.
"I wish Hu Tao-dono's blossom would always shine—forever brilliant, never fading."
"..."
The flower was beautiful.
She liked it.
But she didn't dare reach out to take it.
That word—forever—was too heavy.
Hu Tao blinked, and for a long moment, didn't move.
"I…"
"You don't like it?"
"That's not it…"
"Then?"
"It's… heavy."
"..."
Taro thought for a second, then chuckled.
He stood up, plucked the plum blossom from above Hu Tao's head, and put it on his own instead.
"Mm. Not bad."
He nodded in satisfaction and dismissed the flower in his hand.
"Taking matters into your own hands~" Hu Tao puffed her cheeks. "You're the one who forced it onto me."
"I haven't even—"
"Yeah, yeah~" Taro smiled and nodded. "Hu Tao-dono is prettier than any flower."
"My craftsmanship isn't great. Sorry for the crude offering."
"Hmph…"
Hu Tao huffed and turned her head away.
She grabbed another Mischief Egg and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing hard.
This guy… is that really what she meant?
At this rate, she might as well hand the 78th Director position to Zhongli.
Ugh. I'm so mad.
No wonder he's surrounded by beauties—his mouth is so sweet, what beauty couldn't he trick?
The more Hu Tao thought about it, the angrier she got. Like she'd decided the Mischief Egg in her mouth was Taro himself, she bit down viciously.
An angry Hu Tao…
Yeah. Cute.
Taro didn't interrupt. He just held his book and quietly watched.
He wasn't very good at saying comforting things.
Hu Tao was special.
She carried a very, very heavy sense of duty.
Her mischievous side was real—but it was also her camouflage.
A lot of things, she wouldn't say. She'd just bury them deep in her heart.
Taro had never had that kind of intense sense of mission.
He couldn't truly feel what she felt.
So even if he understood Hu Tao's past—
he wouldn't casually define her with a few easy conclusions.
Sometimes, "experience" just wasn't useful.
That plum blossom carried her most sincere blessing and hope.
He said it before…
It was a flower that would never wither.
"Hey, Taro~"
After finishing the last two Mischief Eggs, Hu Tao turned her head slightly.
"I heard you're going abroad in a few days?"
"Mm." Taro nodded. "I'm planning a trip to Fontaine to gather some materials."
"After that, I might swing by Sumeru and Natlan too."
"I'll be back before Lantern Rite."
So he was coming back.
She'd thought he was leaving for good.
Damn it—gossip really was unreliable.
Never trusting that again.
"Oh~ reaaally…" Hu Tao seemed less angry now, her smile returning. "Then remember to bring me local specialties."
"I haven't really been abroad much."
"Of course." Taro replied lightly, lifting his gaze with a smile. "But when I bring them back, you're not allowed to dislike them."
"..."
(End of Chapter)
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