Swift bikes was quiet, the morning rush having passed, and he found Atsuko and Xingqiu chatting near the counter.
Atsuko looked up as he entered, a smile spreading across her face. "Henry! We didn't expect you back so soon."
"I had some business to take care of," Henry said, walking over. "And I have some news."
Xingqiu set down his ledger, his expression curious. "What kind of news?"
Henry took a breath. "I've handed over shop operations to Ningguang. Her network will be handling distribution and sales in all of Liyue from now on."
"Oh." Atsuko's face fell slightly, a flicker of worry crossing her features. " So... does that mean—"
Henry held up his hands quickly. "No, no. Your jobs are still here if you want them. I've already informed Ningguang that you're both staying."
Atsuko's shoulders sagged with relief, and she stepped forward, grabbing his hand and shaking it vigorously. "Thank you, Henry. I was so scared I'd have to leave. I didn't know what I was going to do."
"You don't have to worry about that." Henry squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You're both excellent at what you do. I'd be an idiot to let you go."
Xingqiu nodded, a small smile on his face. "That's generous of you."
"Generous? No." Henry shook his head. "It's practical. You know the shop, you know the customers, you know the products. Training new people would take forever."
Atsuko laughed, finally releasing his hand. "Well, when you put it that way..."
"I'll still be around," Henry assured them. "I'm not abandoning Liyue. I'll visit regularly."
"We'll hold you to that," Xingqiu said.
Bidding them goodbye, Henry had just stepped out of the shop when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Henry! Henry!"
He turned to find Hu Tao bounding toward him, her hat bouncing with each enthusiastic step. Her face was bright with excitement, her eyes sparkling.
"There you are!" She skidded to a stop in front of him, slightly out of breath. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Hu Tao." Henry blinked, surprised. "What's going on?"
"Thank you!" She grabbed his hands, squeezing them excitedly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
"I... you're welcome?" He tilted his head, genuinely confused. "For what?"
"For the deal!" She released his hands, spinning around in a small circle of delight. "The bike discount! Do you have any idea how many people have come to Wangsheng because of it?"
Henry's lips twitched. "I... honestly, I hadn't thought about it."
"People buy a bike, they get a discount on our services! And then they tell their friends, and their friends tell their friends, and suddenly everyone's talking about Wangsheng!" She beamed at him. "Business has gone up by thirty percent!"
"That's... actually really good."
"I know!" She threw her arms around him in a quick, impulsive hug, then pulled back just as quickly. "You're a genius, Henry!"
Henry laughed, the sound caught off guard. "I wouldn't go that far."
"Oh, I would." She was practically bouncing. "I owe you one. A big one. If you ever need anything—anything at all—just let me know!"
Henry looked at her, at the way her eyes sparkled with joy, at the way her smile lit up her entire face. She was so genuine, so earnest, so completely unguarded.
"You know," he said, his grin turning playful, "you're really cute when you're excited."
Hu Tao froze.
Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. Nothing came out.
Henry watched, amused, as a flush crept up her neck, spreading to her cheeks.
"I—what—you—" She spluttered, completely lost for words.
"Is something wrong?"
"I'm—you—nobody's ever—" She took a step back, her hand flying to her chest. "I sell funerals! I'm the Director of Wangsheng! Nobody flirts with the Director of Wangsheng!"
Henry raised an eyebrow. "I just did."
"But—but—" She gestured at herself wildly. "I'm—I'm the creepy funeral lady! I talk about death all day! I don't look like a girl!"
"You're not creepy." Henry stepped closer, his voice warm. "You're cheerful and energetic and you care about your work. That's not creepy. That's passionate."
Hu Tao stared at him, utterly stunned.
"And for what it's worth," Henry added, "you don't look tomboyish at all. You look like a girl to me. A very pretty one, actually."
The flush deepened to a shade of crimson that would have put Liyue's finest silk to shame.
"I—you—" She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again, her eyes darting around as if searching for an escape route. "I have to—there's—I have a funeral to plan!"
She spun around, her hat nearly flying off in the process, and bolted in the opposite direction with surprising speed, her coat flapping behind her like a banner of retreat.
"Bye bye, Hu Tao!" Henry called after her, a grin spreading across his face as he watched her disappear around a corner.
[Well, that was entertaining.]
Henry chuckled, shaking his head. Then he turned and made his way through the winding streets of Liyue Harbor, searching for a quiet corner where no one would see him disappear. He found a secluded alley behind a closed shop, checked both directions to ensure he was alone, and focused on the familiar pull of Mondstadt.
The world blurred around him, and he was gone.
Henry appeared in his room inside the newly constructed café building, the familiar walls and furnishings welcoming him back.
He made his way downstairs, his footsteps echoing on the wooden stairs, and found Alina in the main dining area. She was standing near the counter, a clipboard in her hand, her expression focused as she reviewed whatever was written on the pages. She looked up as he approached, and a smile spread across her face.
"Well, well, well," she said, setting the clipboard down. "Look who finally decided to come back."
Henry grinned, walking over to lean against the counter. "Miss me?"
"Not at all." But her eyes were warm, the faint smile tugging at her lips betraying her words. "How did it go?"
"Better than expected." Henry recounted the highlights as Alina listened, her attention focused entirely on him. "The ingredient supply is secured. Ningguang's network will start shipping within three days."
Alina nodded, making a mental note as she filed the information away. "Good. That gives us time to prepare."
"Speaking of preparation," Henry said, glancing around the café at the neatly arranged tables and the polished floors, "how did everything go here?"
Alina picked up the clipboard and handed it to him. "Everything that was remaining is handled. Staff hiring is complete. Full team ready to go."
Henry scanned the list, his eyes moving down the neatly written names and positions.
Manager — Alina
Cashier — Anna
Sits at the front counter, processes payments, and hands bills to the waitstaff.
Waitstaff (Service)
Mona – Serves tables, takes orders, delivers food and drinks.
Fischl – Serves tables, takes orders, delivers food and drinks.
Adrian – Serves tables, takes orders, delivers food and drinks.
Kitchen Staff (Food & Drinks)
Diane – Handles all beverages—teas, coffees, and specialty drinks.
Siegfria – Works on both food and drinks.
Beatrice – Works on both food and drinks.
Norma – Works on both food and drinks.
Henry looked up from the list, genuinely impressed. "You did all this in two days?"
Alina shrugged, but there was a pleased smile on her face. "I did it on the very day you were gone. Interviews and trials. Everyone I hired seems competent and willing to learn."
"That's incredible." Henry set the clipboard down. "I don't know how you managed all of this while I was gone."
She smirked. "It's called being organized. You should try it sometime."
"I am organized," Henry protested.
"You were planning to open this café from last month. Yet something new came up each time which pushed the opening date further away."
Henry opened his mouth, then closed it. "...Fair point."
"If people read about your organizational skills, they would get bored by how much time you took."
"Ouch." Henry grimaced, the truth of her words hitting harder than he'd expected. She was right—he had been so disorganized, so scattered, that the simple act of opening his café kept slipping further and further away.
"I'm good at my job, unlike you." She playfully winked at Henry, then added, her tone softening just slightly, "Still, you weren't idle this entire month. Even though it was disorganized, everything you did was in favour of opening this café. And if you hadn't secured the ingredients from Liyue, we wouldn't even be opening the café at all."
Henry blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected praise. "Thank you for praising me after ripping me apart."
"You are most welcome, dear boss."
"What about uniforms though?" he asked.
"Only their uniforms remained to made. Gerda will finish them in two or three days."
"Perfect." Henry nodded.
Alina glanced toward the kitchen, where faint noises drifted through the closed door. "Actually, I was training everyone the last two days you were gone."
Henry followed her gaze. "Training?"
"Kitchen drills, menu familiarization." She gestured toward the door, a hint of pride in her voice. "They're still at it."
Henry listened more closely, and through the wood, he could hear the distinctive sounds of activity—the clatter of pots, the rhythmic clicking of utensils, the murmur of voices working in.
He looked back at Alina, a grin spreading across his face. "Keep up the good work, Miss Manager!"
"Hmpf." Alina folded her arms under her chest, raising her chin with exaggerated confidence. "What would you do without me?"
___
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