Genshin Impact, I'm Slime

Watching Qi Ping leave with a satisfied expression, Bo Lai just breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up and saw Ke Qing, the Traveler, and Paimon approaching.

As a well-informed dock merchant, he naturally recognized Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Seven Stars, as well as the rising Traveler and the little flying guide.

Bo Lai's thin face immediately broke into the warm smile typical of businessmen, and a few ingratiating lines appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"Lady Keqing, the Traveler, and Paimon, what rare guests you are! What brings you to my humble shop?"

Bo Lai's tone was warm, and his gaze quickly swept over the three of them, revealing a businessman's shrewdness.

Before he could finish speaking, Bolai's arm had already nimbly reached up to the high shelf next to him and accurately grabbed a beautifully packaged gift box. He took two steps forward and handed the box to Keqing with both hands, his movements carrying an eagerness that brooked no refusal.

"Come, come, Lord Keqing, you've worked hard. Our shop has just received some Sumeru specialty coffee, top-quality stuff!"

"Just a small token of my appreciation, would you like to try it? It's nothing much, just a little something from me to show my respect to the Seven Stars!"

Bolai hunched slightly, his face full of smiles, but his eyes were fixed on Keqing's reaction.

Ke Qing stood ramrod straight, her purple eyes calmly looking at the gift box Bo Lai was offering, without any ripples. Just as the gift box was about to touch her, Ke Qing decisively raised her right hand, palm facing outward, making a clear and forceful gesture of stopping it.

"Boss Bolai, no need for that. We are here on official business and will not accept personal gifts."

Ke Qing's voice was steady, with a formal, businesslike quality, and she emphasized the word "official business" clearly.

Bolai's handing motion froze instantly, his smile stiffened for a moment, then he smiled back as if nothing had happened, though a hint of embarrassment flashed across his eyes.

He withdrew his hand very naturally, tucked the gift box under his arm, and awkwardly rubbed the corner of his clothes with his other hand.

"Lord Keqing, your integrity is truly admirable!"

Bolai quickly offered a flattering remark, his neck instinctively turning towards the dock, glancing warily at the spot where Qiping had disappeared. Then, lowering his already somewhat high-pitched voice, he leaned forward slightly, displaying the calculating and wary nature typical of a businessman, his fingers nervously tapping on the baskets filled with sunset fruits on the ground.

"However... let's make this clear first, Lady Keqing, and the other two, this batch of Sunset Fruits was just finalized between Brother Qiping and me, with payment exchanged on the spot. In business, credit and first come, first served are the most important things..."

He spoke rapidly, his gaze darting nervously across the three faces.

"You are all of high status, you certainly wouldn't want to cause trouble for my small business, right? We can't do something like this, stealing their business!"

Bolai was lost in thought. Perhaps his experience of being resurrected made him more wary of his surroundings, even a little paranoid, and he even fantasized that Keqing and the Travelers would come to steal his Sunset Fruit.

The traveler and Paimon, who were involved, simply tilted their heads and stared at Bolai.

The other party was clearly unaware that the traveler's four-dimensional bag contained at least several thousand Sunset Fruits.

When Yingmei and Paimon went on an adventure in the wild, they didn't just take the Sunset Fruit, they even took the Fragrant Wood that grows the Sunset Fruit.

Do you even know what a "Sunset Fruit killer" is, who plucks feathers from every passing goose?
Paimon floated in front of Bolai and spoke up for the travelers: "Boss Bolai, actually we wanted to ask you about someone... Zhiyi, have you heard of him?"

"Knowing the easy?"

Upon learning that the group wasn't there to steal his business, Bo Laisong slapped his thigh in relief, a look of sudden realization on his face, and raised his voice.

"Oh, so that's what happened. I know, that guy's reputation around the docks has been quite something lately!" Bo Lai stroked his beard, his voice carrying a deliberate sigh, adopting a storytelling posture:
"I've heard a lot about him. They all say that he came from a poor family, lost his parents early, and suffered a lot of scorn and neglect from his neighbors when he was young."

"But I heard that the neighbor who was the most mean to him back then later went bankrupt and fell on hard times. Hey, not only did Zhiyi not hold a grudge and seek revenge, but he also helped them out every now and then and took good care of them. Tsk tsk tsk..."

"To repay evil with kindness, to be upright and peaceful—how come I never noticed such a person before?"

Bolai clapped his hands suddenly, his eyes shining as if he had discovered a huge business opportunity.

"It's not too late to find out now, Lady Keqing. You see, a person with such a good reputation is so admirable. If we could invite him to be the brand ambassador for our Wanyou Shop..."

The topic gradually veered off course, and Bolai started rambling on about business. After listening to Bolai's evaluation and Zhiyi's story, Paimon's face was full of relief.

"That's great! Zhiyi sounds like a really good person. Now we can rest assured!"

Bo Lai's smile vanished, and he looked at the three of them suspiciously.

"Wait, you all came all this way to inquire about him. Could it be that Lord Ningguang's merchant guild or the General Affairs Department also wants him to be their spokesperson?"

Bo Lai suddenly became wary when he recalled the recent rumors that Ning Guang was going to rebuild the Qunyu Pavilion.

"Alright, alright, since that's the case, let's do it according to the rules, highest bidder..."

Before he could finish speaking, Bo Lai caught a glimpse of a figure by the pier in the distance out of the corner of his eye. He immediately changed his tune, pointing excitedly and saying, "Hey! Perfect timing! Zhiyi is standing on that pier over there!"

"Wait a minute, I'll go get the employment contract right away. Let me make this clear first, you're not allowed to hog the job, it has to be fair competition!"

Bolai turned around and ran into the shop.

"Where?! Where?!"

Paimon immediately looked up in the direction Bolai was pointing.

Keqing's purple eyes locked onto the direction of the pier, and she whispered:

"It really is Zhiyi, talking with Linlang, the owner of Linlangzhai..."

Ke Qing decisively stepped aside and gestured to the traveler, "Come on, let's get closer and listen. Be careful to stay hidden so he notices us and we won't hear the truth."

Paimon immediately covered his mouth, and the others quickly shunned Bolai, who was still searching for the contract, and silently moved into the shadow cast by a pile of tall cargo boxes, holding their breath.

The South Wharf of Liyue Harbor is at its busiest time of day right now.

Huge cargo ships sounded their long whistles as they slowly approached or departed the port. Dockworkers chanted in unison as heavy wooden crates rose and fell on their bronze shoulders, thudding against the stone pavement.

The carts laden with fish creaked and groaned as they rolled by, carrying with them the fresh, fishy smell of the sea.

The shouts of vendors, the clamor of bargaining, the rough laughter and curses of sailors, and the clattering of anchor chains being thrown down from ships in the distance, all intertwined to create a background symphony that made one's eardrums buzz.

Under the cover of this bustling crowd and busy scene, Keqing and her group's presence was perfectly diluted. (End of Chapter)