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ArabicGenshin Impact: A Guide to the Unofficial History of Teyvat — Chapter 26
Chapter 26: The Living Yaoyao and Yuegui!
The Travels of Shi Po Chen: Part Two, with its uniquely absurd charm, had once again swept through the bustling streets of Liyue Harbor.
Naturally, the true identity of its mysterious author, the enigmatic Mr. “Li Xin,” reclaimed its throne as the hottest topic of gossip among the locals. The speculations grew increasingly outlandish by the day. Some claimed the author was a reclusive adeptus observing the mortal realm, while others swore it was a bored deity amusing himself. A few even dared to guess it was a secret pen name used by the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s erudite, mild-mannered consultant during his spare time.
Lovia hid safely inside her dim little shack, her sensitive antennae pricked up to catch the ridiculous rumors drifting in from the streets. As she listened, she happily went crunch-crunch-crunch on her newly acquired local delicacy: a fresh Jueyun Chili.
It had a clean, crisp snap to it, followed by a searing spice that melted into a faint, sweet aftertaste of pure Geo energy. It was, without a doubt, her absolute favorite new snack.
“Hmm, a reclusive adeptus? A deity? The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s consultant?” she mumbled through a mouthful of fiery chili, her blue tail wagging with smug satisfaction beneath her heavy cloak. “Human imagination really isn’t rich enough.”
This thrilling sensation of hiding behind the scenes, watching the entire city laugh, argue, and ponder over the silly little stories she wove, was entirely addictive. Better yet, the sheer financial security brought in by her massive royalties allowed her to calmly plan her next move without worrying about starving in a foreign land.
“What should I write next?” She licked a stray chili crumb from her finger, her gem-blue eyes sparkling in the shadows of the shack. “Writing about Lord Rex Lapis all the time is definitely popular, but it might make this Melusine look like a one-trick pony.”
She needed a fresh spark of inspiration to weave… ahem, to research and compile an even more exciting narrative.
Thus, on a perfectly sunny afternoon, Lovia once again bundled herself up tightly in her oversized hooded cloak, double-checking that her inhuman antennae and tail were completely concealed. Suitably disguised, she strolled down to the lively Liyue docks.
Out of habit, she found a secluded, sun-drenched corner where she could bask in the warmth while observing the bustling crowds of merchants and sailors.
Feeling a bit bored as the afternoon dragged on, Lovia reached into her pocket and pulled out a strangely lustrous rock she had picked up earlier. She focused on the stone, turning it over in her hands, seriously evaluating its potential as a mid-day snack.
Her large hood draped over her face, concealing everything except a pair of vigilant, curious blue eyes.
Crunch.
She experimentally tapped the edge of the stone against her teeth and nodded in quiet approval. “Hmm, just the right level of crispness.”
“Um, friend with the hood, are you alright?” a clear, childish voice laced with genuine concern suddenly rang out from right behind her. “That… rock isn’t edible, you know!”
Lovia jolted, nearly fumbling the stone into the ocean.
Darn it, I was too careless! She hadn’t even heard anyone approaching!
She whirled around to find a little girl with twin braided buns standing just a few steps away. The girl’s large, round eyes were filled with pure, unadulterated worry. She wore a green outfit, carried a massive bamboo basket on her back, and stood at roughly the same height as Lovia. Crouched faithfully beside her was a plump, long-eared yellow rabbit, who was also staring at Lovia with a look of deep concern.
It was Yaoyao! And Yuegui!
Lovia’s heart hammered wildly against her ribs. Half of her panic stemmed from the sudden ambush, while the other half was the sheer, unbridled otaku excitement of seeing a famous figure in the flesh.
The living Yaoyao and Yuegui!!
She hurriedly shoved the rock deep into the folds of her cloak, cleared her throat, and forced her voice into what she hoped was a casual, professional register. “Uh, thank you for your concern! I-I wasn’t eating it! I was just… studying it! Yes, geological research! Very scientific!”
Yaoyao tilted her head, clearly not buying a single word of that flimsy excuse. But being the kind-hearted child she was, she didn’t press the issue. Instead, her worried expression melted into a sweet, sunny smile. “Oh, I see! You’re so diligent! I’m Yaoyao, and this is my partner, Yuegui. Are you here all alone doing your research? Do you need any help?”
Yuegui let out a perfectly timed, friendly coo in greeting.
“I-I’m Lovia,” she replied nervously, tugging the edges of her hood down to ensure her sensitive antennae were safely hidden. “I’m just looking around casually. There’s no need to trouble yourself, thank you!”
She absolutely did not want this warm-hearted little girl sticking around and accidentally exposing her true identity.
Yet, despite her panic, Lovia’s gaze was magnetically drawn to the fluffy, exceptionally soft-looking creature resting on the docks.
The tip of her tail, hidden beneath her heavy cloak, twitched frantically—an instinctive Melusine reaction she simply couldn’t suppress when she saw something cute.
I really want to pet it… just once…
The intrusive thought hit her so hard her fingers actually twitched. She had always heard that adeptus creations felt absolutely divine to the touch. She wondered if the rumors were true. Shocked by her own audacity, she pinched the palm of her hand hard.
Wake up, Lovia! Right now, you’re a highly suspicious, hooded geological researcher chewing on rocks at the docks! You are not a Melusine who can just extend her claws toward a casually met adeptus companion!
“Sister Lovia?” Yaoyao tested the name on her tongue. It sounded a bit foreign, but with merchants constantly flowing in and out of Liyue Harbor, meeting someone with an unusual name was an everyday occurrence.
Noticing Lovia’s incredibly peculiar attire—bundled up in thick fabric despite the warm, sunny weather—Yaoyao reached over her shoulder and pulled a fresh, dewy lotus seedpod from her massive basket.
“Sister, it’s a bit hot out today. Would you like to try this? It’s refreshing, sweet, and quenches your thirst—much tastier than rocks!”
Looking at the offered green seedpod, and then up at Yaoyao’s blindingly adorable smile, Lovia’s internal defenses completely crumbled.
She cautiously reached out from beneath her cloak and accepted the gift. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome!” Yaoyao beamed. “Sister Lovia, do you live in Liyue Harbor? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around before.”
“Um… sort of. I just arrived not too long ago,” Lovia answered vaguely. She peeled a fresh lotus seed and popped it into her mouth. The faint, crisp sweetness was actually quite delightful.
“That’s great! Liyue Harbor is always so lively!” Yaoyao, naturally sociable and eager to chat, immediately launched into the local gossip. “Did you know? Everyone in the harbor is talking about this super amazing writer lately!”
Lovia’s heart skipped a dangerous beat, but she forced her face to remain entirely blank. “Oh? R-Really? What do they write about?”
“They write stories about the Lord of Geo! Mr. Li Xin!” Yaoyao’s eyes sparkled with the obvious passion of a true fan. “His Travels of Shi Po Chen is so funny! He portrays Lord Rex Lapis as a clueless young master who goes out without a single Mora in his pocket, and just tells all the shopkeepers to go get reimbursed by Lady Ningguang! Even though big sister Ganyu says it’s definitely entirely made up, it’s really hilarious!”
Lovia: “…”
Senior Ganyu, I am so, so sorry!
“And there’s more!” Yaoyao, completely oblivious to Lovia’s sudden, rigid posture, continued her excited rambling. “His latest writing is even more incredible! He wrote that Lord Rex Lapis was originally two separate deities, called Mora and Kex. Later, Mora sacrificed himself to save the world, and the two merged to become the present Lord Rex Lapis! That’s why the Lord can’t create real Mora anymore and never carries money when he goes out! Even though it sounds totally unbelievable, he writes it with such detail that it feels true! Even my master said the author’s imagination is truly, truly ‘out of this world’!”
Lovia felt her tail actively trying to twist itself into a panicked knot beneath her cloak.
Master…?
Granny Ping?!
You’ve read my trashy fanfiction too?!
That was a… rather tactful way for an ancient adeptus to call her a liar!
“I-Is that so? Sounds… very interesting,” Lovia managed to squeak out, her voice stiff as a board.
“Yes, yes!” Yaoyao nodded vigorously, her twin buns bouncing. “Everyone is guessing that Mr. Li Xin must be a very knowledgeable, well-traveled old scholar. Maybe even an adeptus in disguise! Otherwise, how could he possibly know so many ancient secrets?”
Lovia, the so-called ‘knowledgeable, well-traveled old adeptus scholar’: “…”
No, please, everyone is giving me way too much credit. I just have a massive otaku imagination and I’m a bit short on cash.
“Sister Lovia, have you read these books?” Yaoyao asked, tilting her head curiously.
“I’ve… heard a little bit about them…” Lovia’s gaze drifted nervously toward the ocean.
“Do you like them? Do you think Lord Rex Lapis could really be like that in real life?” Yaoyao pressed, eager to share her fan theories with her new friend.
Faced with Yaoyao’s bright, innocent, inquisitive gaze, Lovia felt a sudden, sharp pang of guilt strike her conscience.
How was she supposed to answer that?
Should she just say, ‘Yes, I don’t think it’s made up at all. In fact, I think Lord Rex Lapis might, perhaps, probably, maybe be exactly like that broke young master in the story’?
As Lovia hemmed and hawed, desperately searching for a safe response, Yaoyao suddenly gasped and clapped her hands to her cheeks. “Oh dear!”
“I almost forgot! I still need to deliver these freshly picked herbs to Mr. Baizhu at Bubu Pharmacy!” The little girl patted her own head in dismay. Beside her, Yuegui hopped anxiously a couple of times, as if reminding her of the time. “Sister Lovia, I have to go now! It was really nice meeting you! You can keep the rest of this lotus seedpod!”
“I’ll come find you to play next time!”
With that cheerful promise, she stuffed the remaining lotus seedpods into Lovia’s hands, waved enthusiastically, and skipped away down the docks with Yuegui bouncing faithfully at her heels.
“Goodbye, Yaoyao…” Lovia cradled the armful of green seedpods, watching the little girl’s retreating figure until she disappeared into the crowd. She let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.
Good. No slip-ups.
However, her brief chat with Yaoyao had just confirmed a terrifying reality: her books were an absolute sensation. Even the direct disciples of the adepti were reading them.
“Including the adepti… ‘knowledgeable old scholar… adeptus’…” Lovia chewed on Yaoyao’s words. Slowly, her gem-blue eyes began to light up as a brand new, highly lucrative spark of inspiration sprouted wildly in her mind.
“For the next book… maybe I could write some ‘unofficial history’ about the adepti?”
The more she thought about the sheer gossip potential, the more feasible it seemed. She couldn’t stop a mischievous grin from curling her lips.
“It’s decided, then!”
Lovia gathered up her lotus seedpods and turned away from the docks, her mood soaring as she prepared to return to her shack for her next great creative undertaking.
As she spun around, the hem of her heavy cloak lifted just a fraction of an inch, briefly revealing a glimpse of a small, swiftly wagging blue tail.
Fortunately, all of this went completely unseen by the bustling crowds of Liyue Harbor.