"Would you like to have a drink? Although I don't particularly enjoy alcohol myself, the moonlight tonight is perfect for it."
Mentioning alcohol reminded Zhong Li of a certain bard's face, who always got completely drunk and passed out in front of him. He was, without a doubt, a notorious drunkard.
"Sure, fine wine with moonlight, that sounds perfect."
Two or three bottles of peach blossom wine were gently placed on the steps, and they each picked one up, taking small sips. At this moment, they seemed like friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time.
"Manager, I have something I'd like to ask of you. I wonder if you could agree to it?"
Perhaps it was the courage from the wine, or maybe Zhong Li had this little plan all along. Seeing Lu Ze's face flush slightly, he seized the opportunity to speak.
"Ahem, go ahead and speak... it's fine, as long as I can manage it, I will definitely... handle it for you."
The alcohol content of the peach blossom wine wasn't very high, so Lu Ze didn't pass out after just one cup. Instead, he carefully savored the taste of the wine. It was sweet, blooming in his mouth like a peach blossom. This was one of the few wines he could actually taste.
If it were any other wine, he might have already collapsed...
"I'd like to ask you to create a PV about a little girl named Qiqi. If possible, I want the people of Liyue to understand her story, rather than fear her or distance themselves from her. She is merely a pitiable child."
Knowing the ins and outs of the situation, Zhong Li often saw passersby look at Qiqi with strange expressions. He felt the coldness and fear in their eyes...
"Qiqi..."
How could Lu Ze not know her story? After all, Qiqi had appeared in the beta test. Some people went completely mad for her, while others didn't want to see her in the gacha pool at all.
"Alright, I'll definitely help you with this. I also want this child to feel the warmth of the people of Liyue."
Seeing that his goal was achieved, Zhong Li let out a sigh of relief. As long as Hu Tao saw this PV, she probably wouldn't bury Qiqi in the ground anymore.
They chatted for a while longer. If it hadn't been so late, they might have talked all night.
"Manager, I'll be heading back now. If I don't, Master Hu will probably come looking for me again. Let's chat again sometime."
Watching Zhong Li walk further away, Lu Ze tidied up the countless bottles on the steps. He could feel the smell of alcohol on himself. He had indulged a bit too much tonight, and his head was feeling hazy.
Returning to his room, he sprawled onto the bed, his head feeling light. He felt like he could fall asleep instantly, but he still habitually took a bath before sleeping, to wash off the smell of alcohol.
He entered the bathroom, and soon the sound of dripping water could be heard. In the corridor outside, a young girl paced back and forth nervously, a set of keys in her hand, as if contemplating whether to go in.
As for where the keys came from? She had secretly taken them while Lu Ze went out for some air. After all, he wasn't very vigilant, considering they were family. This was the opportunity heaven had given her.
Men usually didn't take long to bathe. Within five minutes, Lu Ze, wrapped in a towel with a white one draped over his head, staggered to the bedside and immediately collapsed.
"As expected, I shouldn't drink... no matter how low the alcohol content..."
As he thought this, he slowly closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Venti, outside the door, heard no further noise from inside. She cautiously opened the door. To ensure absolute silence, she didn't even wear shoes, her bare feet treading on the floor.
Step by step, she reached the bedside and saw Lu Ze lying on the bed, still wearing his slippers, fast asleep. She let out a helpless sigh.
"Such a strong smell of alcohol. You can't drink, yet you still do. You're still so stubborn."
She tossed his slippers aside and gently adjusted his position. These actions were done so quietly that they didn't wake Lu Ze.
Next, she carefully stepped from the floor onto the bed and then lay down on the inner side. Perhaps because she knew Lu Ze was a bit tired tonight, she didn't do anything she might have imagined. Instead, she quietly hugged him tightly.
Quickly leaving a lip print on his face, she then slept soundly, hugging him.
Meanwhile, Bronya in the next room was looking tiredly at her computer. They had been chatting on the messaging app for nearly two hours, and it was quite late now. It was time to sleep.
The next morning, because the house had good natural light, the sun shone directly onto the bed through the window. It didn't reach the pillow, but feeling his body warm up, Lu Ze woke up.
Drowsily, he instinctively rolled over and seemed to press on something. He opened his eyes and saw that someone was lying in his bed.
"Hmm... who is it so early in the morning..."
Rubbing his eyes, he drowsily saw the other person's face. After a clear look, the air instantly became awkward...
"Venti? Why is she in my bed?"
Feeling a slight shake, Venti also opened her eyes. Seeing the person in front of her, she immediately pinned him down and whispered:
"You're disturbing my sleep so early in the morning. Do you think I should punish you? For example, should we continue what we didn't finish last night? What do you think?"
Venti directly took a loli-kneeling posture, sitting on top of him, a triumphant smile on her face. It seemed she wasn't satisfied with the current situation and kissed him again, preparing for a good morning kiss.
"...Can you not do this, Venti..."
From the beginning until now, Lu Ze had been in a state of utter confusion. It was only when she was truly sitting on him that he had to believe the current reality.
"No, I can't wait any longer... My little Lu Ze..."
Just as Venti was about to take forceful measures, the door was suddenly opened, and Bronya walked in with a smile. She said loudly:
"Lu Ze, the sun is shining on your backside, it's time to wake up... No, what are you doing? Venti, why are you in Lu Ze's room so early in the morning!"
As if caught in the act, Lu Ze nervously shifted his position, as if this matter had nothing to do with him.
"Why can't I be in Lu Ze's room? I just wanted to give him a good morning kiss~ What do you know?"
As if declaring war, Venti provocatively lifted Lu Ze's chin with her finger. This time, it was a direct, possessive kiss, even involving a passionate make-out session, unlike the gentle kiss earlier.