"There's still some time before tonight's banquet. Do you have any plans in the meantime?"
At the docks, Beidou gave orders to her sailors while casually asking Luo Li and the others.
Judging by the unloading progress and the preparations still underway, the banquet wouldn't begin for at least another two hours.
Luo Li pondered for a moment, then said,
"Perfect. We'll take this chance to stroll around the streets of Liyue."
For him, this was a return after five hundred years—a chance to properly look at this still-prosperous city.
Although most traces of his past were long gone, leaving behind only faint remnants.
Beidou nodded.
"Sounds good. Then I won't keep you. Let's meet at Wanmin Restaurant in an hour or two! Oh, right—do you know Chihu Rock? That's where the banquet will be held."
Fearing they might get lost, she added the reminder.
"No worries." Luo Li waved his hand dismissively.
"I know this place well. Things have changed over the years, but the overall layout and structure are still the same."
Looking at the port and city—now even more magnificent than five hundred years ago—nostalgia flickered in Luo Li's eyes.
"Alright then, see you later tonight!"
After bidding farewell to Beidou, Luo Li led the group up from the harbor, passing by the General Affairs Department's warehouses.
Perhaps because such a group was rarely seen, they drew countless gazes along the way.
Whether it was their appearances or their attire.
Noelle attracted the most attention—not because she was the most beautiful, but because of her strikingly unfamiliar maid outfit.
Black and white fabric trimmed with lace, a long skirt reaching her ankles, hands neatly folded at her abdomen—she exuded the air of a maid serving nobility.
Liyue's people, accustomed to seeing household maids, had never encountered such a style before and stared at her with curiosity.
Fortunately, everyone was already used to being watched.
Well… perhaps Eula wasn't.
Back in Mondstadt, the gazes directed at her were filled with disgust and rejection. How could they compare to the admiration and burning interest she was receiving now?
Luo Li couldn't quite understand it. Had Mondstadt's resentment toward the Lawrence Clan grown strong enough to override Eula's beauty?
If it were him, he'd seize every opportunity to approach a girl like her—someone unloved and unsupported—and shower her with encouragement.
Despite her icy exterior, her affection level rose astonishingly fast once you got close.
With minimal effort, you could win her heart.
Ah… people blinded by hatred truly couldn't see the beauty of the world.
Noticing the strange look in Luo Li's eyes, Eula glanced at herself uneasily.
"Is there something wrong?"
"No," Luo Li replied.
"It's just that a change of outfit gives a completely different impression."
Raiden Makoto examined her as well and nodded.
"Mm. You look more like an elegant noble lady than a knight. It's a pity you didn't change into formal attire—otherwise your charm would be even greater."
Eula snorted softly and answered matter-of-factly,
"I am the eldest daughter of the Lawrence Clan. Though fallen, our inherited etiquette is something I've fully mastered."
She casually brushed her short hair back, and her words were no exaggeration.
After all, even a starving camel was bigger than a horse.
The Lawrence Clan's thousand-year-old aristocratic poise and etiquette carried a depth that no nouveau riche could ever hope to reach.
Just the rhythm of her steps and her tone of speech alone had dozens of refined variations.
Though the training was tedious, the result was undeniably eye-catching.
Luo Li nodded in agreement, then added,
"Still, even the most beautiful flower needs green leaves to set it off. I hear that Mingxing Jewelry in Liyue is famous across the Seven Nations—why don't we go pick out a few pieces for you?"
Eula was clearly tempted.
Makoto wasn't particularly interested in worldly objects, but if the gift came from him, it carried a different meaning. She agreed with a smile.
Perhaps only Noelle seemed indifferent—
Though, judging by the slight lift at the corner of her eyes, she wasn't as unmoved as she appeared.
Luo Li knew that none of the three women were moved by jewelry itself.
Still, seeing them share almost the same feelings at this moment gave him a strange sense of accomplishment.
Walking past the General Affairs warehouses, the four arrived at a bustling street surrounded by clear ponds.
"So this is Chihu Rock?" Eula murmured after glancing at a signboard.
"It's really lively."
She had to admit that compared to Mondstadt, Liyue—being a city of commerce—was on a completely different level in terms of crowd flow.
Rising from mining, Liyue had gradually expanded into a vast commercial hub, attracting people from all over the world.
On this single street alone, Eula was dazzled by the sheer variety of goods.
Stalls and shops stretched for miles, seemingly without end.
Vendors sold toys, masks, and kites; carts steamed with skewers and braised delicacies.
Elsewhere, crowds gathered around jade-gambling stalls, pointing and shouting—sometimes screaming in despair, sometimes roaring in excitement. Profit or loss was instantly clear.
The farther they walked, the more curiosities appeared.
Eula spotted a shop filled with antiques.
The shopkeeper claimed one porcelain vase was worth half of Chihu Rock, another incense burner had been offered before the Geo Archon's statue for a thousand years, and yet another teapot had once been used by Rex Lapis himself.
Every item was said to be a priceless treasure.
What amused her was that the shop wasn't even selling anything.
The owner merely displayed his collection to show it off.
Hearing customers ask for prices only to be told "not for sale," then leave with regret, Eula couldn't help clicking her tongue.
"The people of Liyue are really rich."
Opening a shop just to show off—she'd never heard of such a thing.
If someone did this in Mondstadt, they'd be scolded for having something wrong with their head.
Luo Li chuckled and glanced over at her.
Though the shopkeeper's tone was indeed boastful, some of the items inside were genuine.
As for their exaggerated value—that depended on the beholder.
To someone who loved them, they were priceless.
To the indifferent, they were worth nothing.
As they ventured deeper into Chihu Rock, the number of eye-catching sights only increased.
Compared to the game, this lively atmosphere was magnified by at least a hundredfold.
When they reached the middle of the street, a sudden round of cheers erupted ahead.
"Tian Tiezui! That was brilliant! Tell another one!"
"You can't stop there! If you do, I'll smash your studio!"
"Hurry up! What happens next? Don't keep us in suspense!"
Hearing the impatient urging, Luo Li lifted his gaze.
A large crowd sat around tables, sipping tea, while a middle-aged man on a stage spoke animatedly.
"Oh," Luo Li said with interest,
"this is… storytelling?"