Genshin Impact: Watch me turn the tables and kill my servants at the start!

A light, quick flapping sound came from outside the door, like something small flapping its wings, trying to land.

Zhongli was sitting on the threshold, almost finished eating the last grain of rice in his bowl, when he was interrupted by the sound. He turned his head and saw a black dragon the size of a palm squatting on the steps in front of the Hall of Rebirth, tilting its head and looking in his direction. Its amber vertical pupils held a curious look as if it were assessing whether the object in front of it matched the description in the database.

Little Black tilted its head and let out a short cry, as if confirming in its own way that the door was indeed an accessible passage.

Zhong Li looked down at the empty bowl and said, "Don't look at it anymore. The person you're looking for is inside."

Zhongli picked up another deep-fried river shrimp, chewed it, swallowed it, placed the empty bowl on the ground next to the threshold, and began to contemplate life!

Xiao Hei glanced at him. It glanced at him again. Then it barked twice, the sounds shorter than before, as if it were confirming the information in its own way.

Then it took a step, stepping on the edge of the threshold and entering the hall of the Hall of Rebirth. Its footsteps fell and bounced on the wooden frame of the threshold, making a uniform "tap-tap" sound. It made a few sounds in the porch before turning to the inside.

Zhongli sat on the threshold with the empty bowl in his hand, and glanced at the doorway—Xiao Hei's figure had already entered the hall and was walking around the screen further inside.

The light in the hall was softer than at the entrance. Fanes was lying on the sofa against the wall, his head resting on Funina's lap.

Funina sat on the sofa, leaning against the cushions, with one hand on Fanes' shoulder.

Walnut squatted on a low stool opposite the sofa, holding a fruit plate in her hand, and was using bamboo skewers to put small pieces of honeydew melon to Fanes' mouth.

Fanes opened his mouth and took the piece of melon, chewed it a couple of times, then turned to look at Walnut: "This piece is sweeter than the last one. Which side did you cut it from?"

Walnut pointed to the left half of the fruit plate: "This side. Those were cut from the right side, so they're not fully ripe yet."

Fanes nodded: "Next time, cut from the left. Remember the position."

Walnut handed him another piece: "Okay, next time I'll cut you two plates on the left." Fanes opened his mouth to take the second piece of melon, chewed and swallowed it, and then, still lying on his side, glanced at the edge of the sofa and saw Little Black standing there.

"Little Black, come here."

Little Black jumped from the edge of the sofa to his chest. During the jump, its size shrank continuously and evenly, like a sheet of paper being blown by the wind. Without changing its own outline, it gradually narrowed its side profile, and finally stabilized into a black ball slightly smaller than a pillow when it landed.

After curling up against Fanes' chest, Little Black rested its head on its front paws and closed its eyes.

Fanes reached out and touched the warm scale on its head. The luster on the surface maintained a stable and even angle of reflection after his palm touched it, as if it had been properly placed in the right position.

"Little Black is so obedient."

Walnut placed the fruit plate back on the table, tilting her head to look at the small black creature nestled on Fanes's chest: "It flew in quite steadily, and didn't bump into anything when it landed. Is it usually this quiet?"

Fanes remained lying there, his hand still resting on the scales on the little black dog's head: "It's usually quieter. Sometimes it sits on the windowsill for an entire afternoon, just looking out the window without moving."

Walnut reached out and gently touched the tip of Little Black's wing, which twitched slightly but quickly returned to its original position: "Is it not afraid of strangers?"

Fanes thought for a moment: "It was shy at first, but it gradually became less afraid. If it were afraid of you, it would have flown away long ago and wouldn't have stayed there for you to touch."

Funina looked down at Little Black, its tail tip resting beside the back of her hand, the end rising and falling slightly with its breathing, as if adjusting the width and curvature of the contact surface to achieve the most comfortable state. She gently moved her finger, her fingertip tracing the curve of the tail tip. Little Black didn't open its eyes, but simply moved its tail a little closer to her hand.

Seeing this, Hu Tao put the bamboo skewer in her mouth, then stuck a piece of melon on the edge of the fruit plate and handed it over, aiming it at Fanes' mouth. The movement was smooth and natural, as if she had done it many times before.

As Fanes opened his mouth to catch the melon, Little Black rolled over on his chest, revealing its belly. Walnut looked down at its posture, thought for a moment, and said, "Is it waiting for you to touch its belly?"

Fanes reached out and gently scratched Xiao Hei's belly twice. Xiao Hei let out a soft purr, like a confirmation signal sent by a newly powered drive circuit after completing its self-test.

The little black cat's tail rested on the back of Funina's hand, as if confirming in another way that it was participating in the conversation that had been going on for some time.

The last rays of twilight were sinking down along the eaves of the building outside the window, and the crystal lamps in the main hall of the Hall of Rebirth were lighting up one by one, spreading out in sequence from the corner of the table to the screen and then to the counter.

Fanes was still lying on the sofa, his head resting on Funina's lap, while Hu Tao squatted on a low stool and Xiao Hei curled up on his chest.

Fanes: After working so hard outside for so long! Can't you enjoy yourself a little?