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What’s interesting are the moments after the dinner, when Hu Tao and co. are gathered to re-light the incense.

While Hu Tao makes her speech we see Venti looking contemplatively at Zhongli while everyone else is looking at the incense.

He applauds Hu Tao for her idea before nominating Zhongli as the most distinguished guest

This part is hilarious, to the humans present it sure is strange that Venti would immediately nominate this person he’s just met and chatted with briefly as opposed to one of his equally accomplished “old friends”?

But Venti gives his reasoning and finally this leads to another scene we aren’t talking about enough:

For the majority of the night Venti and Zhongli have been so un-serious with each other. At the dinner table they’re having fun with their ridiculous 4d compliments battle slash game of ‘Hey stranger’.

And it’s understandable that the masks are up tonight, the two of them can’t speak openly about earth-shattering plot-moving topics without giving away their identities after all.

But it’s here that we the audience get a glimpse of Venti and Zhongli at their most plain and honest about each other:

“If knowledge were a form of power, one could even say that you’re a wielder of unlimited strength.”

“But when it comes to having a way with words, the notable bard is certainly one cut above the rest.”

 Zhongli is genuinely impressed that his ‘new friend’ can spin such an ‘unexceptional skill’ into an ‘unparalleled talent’ and he humbly downplays the claim. 

But Venti is absolutely correct. Having a photographic memory is an extremely powerful and valuable skill to have in the world of Teyvat if we recall the events of Sumeru, and the purging of knowledge from Irminsul. 

Zhongli likewise acknowledges Venti’s exceptional literary skills as a bard. We know now that fiction can be used to depict knowledge that has been erased from Irminsul, anything that can be recorded into song or ballad is ‘safe’ and therefore can be retrieved later.

For all their bickering, Venti and Zhongli recognize each other’s strengths in the effort to record Teyvat’s history, and preserve the ‘truths’ of the world.

It’s easy to see then why both of them would be so important and invaluable to each other as friends, and why they’ve stuck together for so long.

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At the beginning of Lantern Rite Zhongli tells Traveler: “Setbacks are inevitable over the course of a long journey. If you wish to share what's troubling you, allow me to lend my ear. There is no need to shoulder all burdens by yourself.”

Through lore and gameplay we know that Zhongli and Venti are the last surviving members of the first iteration of the Seven.

Both have yet to personally reveal anything about their origins before the Archon War, only scattered hints that implicate Venti having strong connections to the God of Time Istaroth, and that Zhongli may not originally be from Teyvat.

But regardless of which theory you subscribe you, it’s clear both of them understand all too well the hardships of being on a long journey, and the importance of having someone there by your side to help shoulder those burdens.