Early in the morning, Lu Ze arrived at various regions and opened the gates of teleportation. As agreed, all relevant personnel passed through the teleportation gate and arrived in Liyue.
Most were familiar friends, while many from Sumeru were not as close. However, seeing Lu Ze, they all behaved exceptionally well.
After all, that scene was too terrifying. A giant sword of fire nearly chopped down the Sacred Tree. Then, word spread like wildfire. Almost everyone had a poster of this man, and his fame spread far and wide.
The stories even became more exaggerated. Was he the husband of the Dendro Archon? Although, that did seem to be the case…
A large crowd suddenly poured in. If they hadn't been notified in advance, the Millelith would have surrounded the place.
As the sun gradually set, the true Lantern Rite was about to begin.
Little by little, lights illuminated the streets and alleys. The entire street was filled with brilliance. Liyue was adorned with lights everywhere.
Crowds came and went, creating an atmosphere of family joy.
Lumine and Paimon strolled through the streets. Seeing such a grand celebration, they both smiled.
It's a festival, after all. Happiness is the most important thing!
"Traveler, what about the Sweet Madame you promised me? Why haven't you given it to me? And my red envelopes, why did you take them away?"
"Little Paimon, don't be anxious. I'll give them to you eventually. As for the red envelopes, I'll keep them safe for you. This is to prevent you from spending recklessly, as our assets aren't that substantial to begin with."
"Alright! You're the boss, I'll listen to you."
Not far above, Hu Tao, Xingqiu, Chongyun, and Xiangling were walking along the road, laughing and chatting. Chongyun held a small popsicle, taking a bite every now and then.
"I say, Hu Tangzhu, please don't scare us on such a festive occasion, or I'll be unhappy," Xiangling said with a hint of annoyance. Just moments ago, Hu Tao had startled her, and she was always scared by her. Hu Tao was practically her nemesis.
"Hahaha, speaking of which, Xiangling, let me try the next dish. It was tough on Chongyun this time, having to eat so much..." Xingqiu felt a pang of guilt since he was the one who pushed it onto Chongyun. Therefore, he decided he would be the one to taste the next dish.
"Okay, then it's settled. You'll be tasting it next time, and don't push it onto Chongyun again." Hu Tao was unwilling. What did she mean by not scaring her? Much of her fun came from scaring Xiangling. However, on such a festive day, she'd let it slide. A bit of festivity was quite important.
Not far away, Keqing and Ganyu, the "Heartfelt Harmony" duo, were handing out Sky Lanterns to children, their faces beaming with smiles. It's a festival, after all; happiness is the most important thing.
"Here, take it carefully. Don't drop it. Be careful not to get burned by the fire, and then wait over there to release the lantern. Don't release it too early," Keqing said while handing a lantern to a child. She was worried the children might release them prematurely.
"Keqing, Happy Lantern Festival… I hope next year, you can work overtime with me." Ganyu turned her head and smiled faintly. Keqing was momentarily stunned, then her face broke into a smile.
"Work overtime, work overtime. All you think about is working overtime. You need to learn to balance work and rest, don't you know?" Poor Ganyu was being lectured again.
Behind them, someone familiar walked by. Jean, the Acting Grand Master, strolled along, enjoying the scenery. Perhaps putting aside work and relaxing during the festival was a good choice.
"Balancing work and rest, huh? It seems I really need to do that. Liyue… is truly beautiful. Lu Ze, thank you for the invitation too." Standing beside her was her sister, Barbara. It was her first time traveling far away to a foreign land. However, seeing such beautiful scenery, her heart settled down. A smile appeared on her face. Looking at the children not far away, she wondered if she had been this happy as a child.
"Sister, Happy Festival~"
"Okay, Happy Festival." Here, there were no others around, so Barbara could freely call Jean "sister." At the Knights of Favonius, there were still some constraints.
Near the seaside, Beidou leaned against the railing, quietly observing the lively young girl beside her.
"Say, Yoimiya, be careful not to fall. Didn't your family just receive a large order? I heard it was from the Raiden Shogun. Congratulations."
"Not at all, not at all! It's not even half of what the great Beidou earns, hehe… But it's truly beautiful here. The sea breeze feels very comfortable, and the festive atmosphere is quite warm."
On the railing behind them stood a pink-haired fox, Yae Miko. Beside her stood Guuzai-Miya.
"Is this the scenery of a foreign land? Lantern Festival… it sounds like a rather nice festival~"
"Haha, Guuzai-Miya-sama, don't look so unworldly. You look like a country bumpkin," Yae Miko teased. Guuzai-Miya slowly turned her head, a vein popping on her forehead. Her eyes were fixed on Yae Miko.
"Hmm? What did you just say to me?"
"Uh, nothing. You must have misheard. I didn't say anything."
"That's more like it. Don't speak carelessly, little fox."
On the street, the Kamisato siblings strolled leisurely. Although this wasn't their first time in Liyue, the current festival had transformed the entire street. It was a familiar place, yet it felt brand new.
"Brother, this Lantern Festival is truly wonderful. If Ms. Himeko hadn't invited us yesterday, we would have missed it entirely."
"Indeed. Look at the masks over there, would you like me to buy you one? I think it would suit you well." This pair of siblings was truly enviable. Both handsome and beautiful, how could they not be envied?
Suddenly, someone ran past quickly. Kamisato Ayaka hadn't even had time to react when she saw someone dart by.
"Kid, don't run! Your Yoimiya sister is coming to catch you!"
As expected, it was Yoimiya, who loved playing with children. Even in a foreign land, she enjoyed playing with them.
On the other side of a bridge, Klee weaved through the crowd, pulling her new friend along. Her face was filled with a happy smile. She never thought she'd be able to celebrate the festival here someday, all thanks to Lu Ze's help. Hehe.
"Qiqi, I'll take you to catch fish right now! I saw a place with lots of fish! And it's a pond, I think we'll have a great harvest today!"
"Bu… but next to it… is Bubu Pharmacy…"
The two little ones ran quickly, their childlike nature at its peak. The adults smiled and made way, as everyone wants to see smiles on a festive day.