moment of bloom.

✰ LANTERN RITE 2025 ! – reblog & send to earn Peace Talismans.

[XINYUE KIOSK] - Back again, Xinyue Kiosk’s keeping up the competition, offering sweet treats, savory dishes, and even refreshing veggies for all those looking to share a snack.

[TEA TASTING] - Third-Round Knockout is once again bringing the new year on with plenty of new tea options for all those caffeinated connoisseurs that want to branch out. Including, for the first time in quite a while, specialty imports all the way from Natlan!

[DRAGON DANCE] - Uh-oh! It seems like the main crew that would lead the dragon dance are two members short, and need two sets of hands NOW! Grab someone and help keep this dance from falling through.

[KAMERA BOOTH] - Liyue is as scenic as it is busy. Several Kamera’s are set up on the docks, surrounding mountains, and some of the best balconies in the area. Make a memory with someone important to you, or keep the lens' attention for yourself!

[LANTERNS] - Like a sea, lanterns float up and flood the night sky. Meaning often dictated by color, they contain our hopes for the new year. Gather with those most cherished and wish for blessings.

[FIREWORK SHOW] - While noisy, fireworks are an incredible display of beauty and color. Make your mark on the new year with a bang!

[JADE HEARTS] - A popular shape for a popular stone in the land of Geo, these Jade Talismans sold quite well. Now, they’re made as a profession of love and desire to ring the New Year in with the company of another.

[BURNING INCENSE] - Even with all the raucous celebration, it is always important to find a quiet moment and remember those who now belong among the stars.

[TOUR GUIDE] - With as many sights to see as Liyue has, join up with a group of strangers to garner the best sights across the city and countryside!

[GIANT JENGA] - While not necessarily a Liyue classic, a recent uptick amongst the younger generation has brought this classic game to the port, and with blocks bigger than ever! Will you best your friend, or will all the pieces come crumbling down? 

[RED ENVELOPES] - Customize your own envelope as a gift to those most cherished. Whether you slip in some mora or a confession of love, even the smallest of envelopes can be life-changing!

[SNAKE PETTING] - As the mascot animal of the year, an exhibit has been set up with several non-venomous and super friendly snakes, if you’re not afraid of these scaly babies.

[JADE MYSTERY] - Shitou is running a special promotion! Guess the correct Noctilucous Jades to find out what it is, just don't gamble all of your mora away...

the cat's tail had an interesting atmosphere. on one hand there were plenty of adorable felines that warmed every patron's hearts. and on the other hand, the fire of competition burned fiercely from the genius invocation fanbase. of course, as natural in any tavern, there were also the drunkards around that had a little too much than they can handle.

a mixture that brewed into a chaotic cocktail. all of which hu tao didn't mind being around. who could resist the cute cats? definitely not her who held a feather toy to try and attract an unamused calico under a table.

"great! with that settled and out of the way i need to go and make some important preparations for your grand finale."

a lot of timber needed to be gathered overnight, but she was quick and efficient when it came to business matters. fortunately, fire was also easy enough to start thanks to her vision. other items in her mental checklist included a shovel, urn, and perhaps some oil.

"this won't do, aiya. first order of business— how about i come up with a new name until you can remember?" she points at the squirrel in her hand, now calm and happily nibbling on its nut. "see this lil guy here? he's hu eats-a-lot! and he has two siblings named hu preens-a-lot and hu tweets-a-lot. i think he's taken a liking to you so maybe you could be..."

she puts on her best thinking face before exclaiming, "hu (got) stabbed-a-lot! if not then well, is there anything you like to use instead?"

"...how long has death eluded you?" a long sigh left her lips. her heart sunk and panged with sympathy upon hearing the man's situation. "you must have suffered for so long, but don't worry. i, hu tao, your new friend and 77th director will help deliver you to eternal peace."

the girl extends out her hand and goes up on her tip-toes to pat his shoulder. she's reminded of her past attempts with qiqi. all which ended in failure. not due to her methods, but surely only because of the doctor's timely interventions.

she made a silent vow to properly restore the natural order this time. at the very least, her previous experiences should account for something.

the man seemed upset. was there a flaw to her marketing strategy? surely not. and yet his true intent remained a vague puzzle for her to decipher.

"tell me what exactly you're looking for and i'll wash off all those doubts away! we offer many services such as burial, cremation, ceremony, paperwork—" the list continued to grow as she used her free hand to count with her fingers.

And indeed it didn't. Any worry he may have had or concerns were washed away by the small creature at his feet. So small, life so fleeting. It dropped its meal and seemed frozen. After a moment of hoping that it would pick it up and skitter away, return to whichever tree it was it had made its way from, he leaned down to impart upon it the nut it had unfortunately dropped. As he did his best to place it back in the tiny creatures hand, he noted the tag and the inscription. "Your owner...?"

for eternal rest, we are the best — wansheng funeral parlor. 50% off on your next visit.

"today's your lucky day!" she reached to pick up the squirrel, leaving only the tag on blade's hand, "you're talking to wangsheng's very own director right now and you just won a coupon! the costs of living keeps rising, but that doesn't mean the cost of your funeral should too. but well, you don't exactly look like you'll drop dead at any moment.."

her voice trailed off as she gave him a closer observation: a seemingly healthy, young man. unlike the poor squirrel who seemed to be one scare away from passing on. a gentle finger attempted to soothe hu eats-a-lot with slow strokes against his head.

"fortunately, there's no expiration date. you can even use it for friends or family instead. but in my professional opinion, it's best to prepare ahead of time! we'll always be ready for your arrival even if it takes fifty years or more. and well, no one can predict an accident."

liyue harbor knew hu tao simply as the director of a funeral parlor. or as that one weird girl to avoid. however those weren't her only identities. she was also a poet! a visionary! an excellent chef (questionable) and now a mother to three adorable children.

"we all know what to do, right?" her hands clapped together as she gave a bright smile to the crane, squirrel, and finch in front of her. each animal had their own tag with inscription wrapped around their neck:

for eternal rest, we are the best — wansheng funeral parlor. 50% off on your next visit. we are the last people to let you down — wansheng funeral parlor. buy 1, get 2 free. people are dying trying to get this deal! so don't wait — wansheng funeral parlor. family plan available.

"everyone loves cute animals. and also good deals. so our new business model will definitely be a hit!" her voice exuded absolute confidence, "now go out there and find us new cli— . .wait! hu eats-a-lot where are you running off to? i haven't finished yet!"

the finicky, brown squirrel graciously named hu eats-a-lot suddenly darted across the grass fields. true to its name, the rodent began to look for anything remotely edible on the ground. a nut here and some seeds there. and then. . . a shoe! two shoes in fact!

"come back! i have food here if you're hungry!" the young girl shouted while running. "finally, i got you now— oh!" hu tao gasped and stared at the tall stranger next to her son. the smallest tear began to form in her eye as her chest swelled with pride, "to think you took our family business so seriously and were just eager to find our first client." she then crouched down to lay across the grass in a poor attempt to hide herself to watch the squirrel work his magic.

When the Adventurer's Guild initially reached out to her for help during the busy holiday period, Lumine assumed that she would be assigned as a guard to one of the trade routes - or perhaps asked to forage materials in the wild which they would then in turn use during the festivities.

ー But no, the task given to her was a simple yet unexpected one.

"Fit out your nearest outpost with as much holiday cheer and decorations as possible."

Which brought her here - to Liyue Harbor - where the nation's very own Adventurer's guild is stationed. As easy of a task as it may seem, it should not be underestimated. Decorating can take an awful lot of time, especially when one has to do it alone.

Fortunately, they showed some mercy and called some back-up to aid her in this task. Who was the lucky individual who would get to decorate the Liyue Adventurer's Guild with her? None other than the 77th Directing of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor ー Hu Tao.

The Traveller was relieved to find out it was someone she knew and on relatively good terms with. Hu Tao is known to be a cheerful and talkative girl, so there surely would not be any awkward silences either. There was just one little issue...

"Hu Tao...We are decorating for Christmas, remember?"

A heavy sigh fell from her lips as she peered inside the cardboard boxes filled with little props and decorations which seemed more fitting for a certain holiday at the end of October.

"You know...Snowmen, stars, wreaths and reindeer. All I'm seeing in here are ghosts, skeletons and pumpkins!"

But that was not the worst, oh no. When she looked to the side, there was a huge poster advertising the Parlor's 'holiday services', offering some nice discounts for anyone who kicks the bucket between Christmas and the New Year. Because surely your own death is what you want to think about during the holiday period.

"I don't think this is what Katheryne had in mind when she said 'festive'..."

the rising sun kissed the horizon. which signaled the ghost member's waltz outward with boxes in tow. she sings to pass the time while she works. the morbid lyrics being masked by a jubilant tone. "in the whispering woods a tiny tombstone guards the cold corpse of a hilichurl~ ♫"

pride swelled as she basked in her progress. she was even able to hang up a poster whose letters read: out with the old, in with the new! we'll help you start the new year right. however lumine seemed to hold a different opinion upon arrival.

"no, no, no!" the girl shakes her head, ready to defend her creative decisions, "everyone is doing the same thing so we should stand out. ghosts and skeletons are perfect to showcase the transition of the year's end into a new beginning after christmas is over. plus they can help families remember the departed. all the while reminding people to enjoy the holidays as if it was their last."

"let's see.." hu tao hums under the sunlight with a list in hand. she reads while seated carefree on top the harbor's rails with a leg crossed. "a dozen apples, check. some salt and fish, both check. juyuen chilis, cabbages, lotus heads... all here! we're just missing matsutake, ham, and raw meat. then we can go finish this commission."

she jumps back onto stable ground before passing the bags of groceries to zhongli. only the weight of mora burdened her so she moved swifter. once she's several paces ahead, her foot pivots so she can twirl back to face him with a grin.

"by the way, mr. zhongli, how did you end up being an adventurer—?" the curiosity of the question seemed innocent enough. if it weren't for the subtle teasing tone that came with it. "i can't imagine you going out and fighting hilichurls or big ruin guards. if your back is giving too much trouble to deal with them just call for your director, ok?"

he rests his chin on his hand, deep in thought. not miniature replicas. yet spacious enough to sleep in, and small enough to be deemed "snug." mobile houses, perhaps? but then again, how popular is that sort of business in liyue anyhow? surely not enough to be posing as the sort of competition the seller alludes to, he thinks. otherwise, he'd have caught wind of such a boom in the industry.

"poor boy. he has no clue what he's getting into."

"quick. walk away before the director tries to reel us in as well."

"we're here, but watch your step." hu tao warns. the light from the parlor's windows painted her friendly smile into an unsettling one. "we wouldn't want you to end up having to use your new home too early now, do we?"

there were those who believed the entrance of wansheng funeral parlor was a gateway to the afterlife. but to hu tao the building was just a regular office. a quaint, boring one in fact. the undertakers inside greeted the two. with a wave of her hand they resumed their duties as she continued to lead kaveh down the hallway. the smell of incense grew stronger as they drew closer to their destination.

"Well," he begins gently. Constructively. "Ingesting a fully mature pinecone requires one of two things: highly skilled preparation, or an iron stomach. For one, it's quite fibrous, as you have excellently observed..."

Albedo gestures vaguely to the stove. "...so it would need to be cast in a rolling boil, then simmered for approximately two hours."

The dilemma of it all is that Hu Tao is not even wrong. All parts of a pine tree, in fact, are technically edible. Perhaps he should give it a chance, along with the Calla Lilies. Maybe he is just far too quick to assume the worst.

Pensively covering his mouth, he takes another long stare at the items before rolling up his sleeves.

"... I suppose we could use them." No matter. He is certain that with his supervision, they can make something decent. He can keep the notes subtle. Cooking is not too far from alchemy.

But life comes at you fast. Some time later, smoke erupts from Albedo's kitchen.

"o-of course we should use them!" as albedo reached for the calla lilies, it became too late to back out now. the long twin tails she sported were tied into two tight buns after she rolled her own sleeves.

perhaps today would mark the birth of the hottest new cake that even celestia couldn't replicate. her mind began to race. a savvy entrepreneur such as herself could always smell a business opportunity. she could bring the recipe back home and start a promotional period: buy one coffin and receive a complimentary cake at your funeral!

however her excitement had ended before it could bear fruit. the smoke burnt her dreams into cinders while denying mercy to the defenseless cake.

"urgh.. i announce that this cake is.. dead." she speaks between coughs. with hands clapped together, she gave a short prayer. "such a short-lived life with unfulfilled potentials."

"err, well." her attention moves back to albedo. a foot moves nervously on the messy floor as she attempts to salvage the situation, "we still have lots of chocolate! so let's go with your previous idea and besides the sun is still out."

everything seemed to have been going well— should've been going well. the ingredients and recipe was followed with strict perfection. but it wasn't just smoke that began seeping out from the sides of the oven door. in just a half-hour the cake itself had combusted into flames.

tests of courage, cryptids in the marsh, unbefriendable tigers and the absence of a brain—these are the bread and butter of a fool's itinerary. these are what throw tourists in trouble. when tighnari scales up the eerie wuwang hill, he does not do so for leisure, he does not tease the spirits. he is armed with a botanical goal, and a bow for good measure.

with surgical precision he snips the root of the violetgrass, careful not to disturb the rest of the plant as he opens his satchel and tucks away the last sample. by the time he emerges over the hill's crest, dusk has fallen, bringing with it the stupid.

the eerie glow of wuwang hill illuminates her pale face in front of the frightened spectators. captors best described them though. her words captivated them into a stunned stupor. she rises from her seat and stalks behind with steps quieter than a ghost, "it's all thanks to you."

she leans, whispering into the ear of an unfortunate adventurer partied with her. a cold hand rests against his shoulder, causing his teeth to chatter more noticeably. it wasn't enough to scare just one however. so another hand finds its way on top someone else as she shares her attention. a wicked smile carves upward as her voice drops to a hushed whisper. "you too of course."

"only after feasting on the flesh and blood of delicious, green adventurers are they able to become regisvines!" the flames of the fire suddenly roars, burning and cackling brighter than before. startled, someone jumps in surprise only to be caught between the clutches of hu tao's arms. "but after tasting such delicacies how could they ever stop?" her fingers taps against his tear-streaked cheek, "they need more so they learn to adapt and fly to chase after their ne—"

she's interrupted by a new voice, the logical reasoning piercing and shattering the haunted immersion she had craftily built. right at the best part too. everyone turns around to meet the stranger: dressed in unfamiliar clothes and fitted with furry ears and a tail. she's reminded of the small calico girl that had attended the poetry gala. but most who were born and raised in liyue would be unfamiliar.

"y-you're right!" the man on her right started, his pants half-wet. tighnari's presence was quickly becoming the sun towards what would have been a very long, dark night. "with s-so much trees around... we'll be safe. we can't be e-eaten, right?"

"aiya." hu tao shakes her head with a sigh. her hand, still on top his shoulder, began to pat it in mock reassurance, "don't you remember what i said earlier? that's clearly a mimicry. obviously he's here to—"

her throat began to imitate the sound of a growling monster that was chewing on its prey. and perhaps right now, she was the monster. not ready to give up her three toys to such a bore that almost broke her spell.

he's not sure what tugs at his heartstrings harder— the claim of not being understood, or the fact that she'd painstakingly crafted something that people had little regard for. in more ways than one, it reminds kaveh of his own circumstances.

it appears that tonight will take a fortunate turn for hu tao after all. though he still has some questions, kaveh relents, unsuspecting and unaware of wansheng funeral parlor's unorthodox methods. the final nail in the coffin is hu tao's big, imploring eyes, which do much to garner additional sympathy.

"miniatures? trinkets?" she repeats before giving a short laugh. given how infamous her work was, the thought that the stranger wasn't aware of the exact nature of their dealings had yet to cross her mind. "of course they're not that small! i sleep in one every other day and, trust me, the space is perfectly snug and comfortable."

It can be said that most in their right mind would not bake a cake with Calla Lilies. Albedo halts in the open doorway of the kitchen, staring askance at the bunch of dirty flowers and a now-dirtier floor. While it is not unspeakable to incorporate floral notes in a dish, it requires a practiced hand and nuance that he doubts Hu Tao has brought with her. In any case, they would not need the entire bulb. Or bouquet. Or...

"I apologize for the wait." Albedo strides up to the counter as if he has seen nothing, reaching for a cloth to spread across their cooking space. Utensils are drawn next, and proper ingredients laid out.

"Hm. Did you..." He starts, slowly gesturing to the flowers. "...need a vase for those? It would be best to place them away from any food surfaces before we begin."