Genshin Impact's Sweet and Hard Free People

Stanley's presence has clearly been spotted several times.

Left with no other option, Stanley stepped out from behind the tree and awkwardly greeted them, "Ah, hahaha, isn't this the bard! What a coincidence, you're here for a stroll too?"

“Yeah, we came out for a walk after dinner, and helped a friend find something.” Wendy didn’t expose him, but instead went along with his words.

Both Ying and Paimon thought that Mr. Stanley might be a fraud, no, he must be a fraud. He deliberately came here a step ahead to set up the sword and shield so as not to hurt Jack's feelings.

Should we expose him?

Ying hesitated. Stanley had been so protective of his story; if she exposed him here, the latter would probably break down.

Stanley then nervously said goodbye to the group and hurriedly left.

Wendy said helplessly, "There's nothing I can do. He made such a boast to Jack. But... watching it again is indeed interesting."

"A person who is unwilling to forget the past and abandons the present... if forced to take the first step towards the future, in what direction will they step?"

The question then became somewhat self-talking, leaving both Ying and Paimon puzzled.

"By the way, traveler. Let's go check out [Angel's Gift] tonight."

【The Gift of the Angels】is a winery run by Diluc, the owner of Mondstadt Winery, and is frequented by wine connoisseurs who enjoy tasting fine wines there.

Wendy, naturally, couldn't let this rare opportunity pass by. Accompanied by Ying and Paimon, they came to the tavern, only to find Stanley there once again.

The group observed silently from the side.

Stanley seemed to be completely drunk, slumped over the wooden table, almost unconscious.

At that moment, Stanley murmured some words.

“Stanley… tell me, what should I do…”

Was he calling himself?

Paimon was clearly puzzled, and just as he was wondering, Stanley's crying came from beside him.

"Waaah! Ugh... Stanley..."

The crying sounded almost desperate, followed by his muttering to himself.

"Why wasn't it me who died in the Sea of ​​Ashes?! Why didn't your spirit stop me when I used your name? Stanley!"

This was like a major secret discovery, greatly shocking Ying and Paimon. They stared at each other in astonishment, each needing a moment to recover.

Stanley's sobbing voice rang out again: "If it weren't for protecting me, a newcomer, you wouldn't have died in that windless place!"

"You already have the title of a great adventurer, but... but because of a piece of trash like me, you can never become a legend..."

All signs indicate that he did indeed find the Silent Sea back then, and the crisis he encountered there was real. However, the companion he claimed to have explored with was the true "Great Adventurer Stanley." The real Stanley died saving the "Stanley" we know.

Ying and Paimon both became somewhat saddened, their expressions filled with pity, and they couldn't help but look at the middle-aged man who was lying on the wooden table, crying alone.

Stanley's sobs seemed unstoppable: "Stanley... I've been afraid for so many years, afraid that the people of Mondstadt would forget you completely, so they'd go around telling you your adventure stories..."

Then Stanley's expression and voice turned fierce, "I want everyone in Mondstadt to remember that Stanley reached the heart of the Ember Sea... He is the greatest adventurer, and he is still alive!"

“Stanley won’t die, because I am him!…Because I am…Stanley…”

The performance conveyed a resolute message, yet it ironically sounded somewhat melancholic.

"I'm sorry, Stanley... I'm getting old too, I'm getting old..."

Ugh…

I really don't know what to say to comfort Stanley.

However, he had clearly noticed Ying and Paimon's presence and, looking drunk, tried to drive them away.

However, Jack suddenly arrived at this moment to deliver his good news—his parents had agreed to let him become an adventurer.

Seeing Stanley already passed out drunk on the table, Jack said goodbye with gratitude: "See you tomorrow, sir. Tell me some more stories when you're sober, okay?"

He was actually pretending to be asleep, because Jack's genuine passion for adventure was so pure that Stanley didn't even dare to look at him.

He considered himself a tired and useless conman, but the kid was still a shining newcomer, and he couldn't let his dream be destroyed no matter what.

After Jack left, he decided to face reality.

"Actually, by now, my memories of the adventure, of Stanley... are all blurred. That's my biggest secret, my greatest fear..."

Isn't it ridiculous that someone who tells the story of that great adventurer almost every day, someone who dreams of becoming him, has actually... forgotten what he looked like...?

A sense of desolation welled up in Ying and Paimon's hearts.

Stanley also lamented, "The only thing I can't forget is that he died in the windless, desolate sea; the wind cannot carry his soul away!"

That's right... the real Stanley, in his memory, is no longer even that vibrant friend. Instead, he is forever frozen in the image of a scarred warrior, binding the present [Stanley]'s entire life.

Stanley's final moments were marked by wailing: "I'm old... no matter how unwilling I am to let go, I can't hold onto much... I'm so useless! Useless..."

"But adventurers cannot die that way... they cannot..."

Such heart-wrenching weeping is probably still a knot in Stanley's heart that he is struggling with to this day.

At that moment, a soft call seemed to come from afar, yet also seemed to be right next to her ear.

"Hans Jacibord?"

It was Wendy's soft voice. He remembered the name of every Mondstadt resident.

A gentle breeze suddenly arose around the boy with short black hair, carrying with it shimmering blue feathers that drifted slowly towards him.

The wind whispered past Wendy's ears, a gentle whistling sound, and this refreshing breeze seemed to be endless, centered around her.

Stanley immediately realized what was happening, and incredulously reached out to grab the wisp of wind: "The wind... it's the sound of the wind that is sought but not found in the Sea of ​​Ashes..."

Wendy brought Stanley into his barrier, allowing the latter to feel the wind more clearly.

The orange ground within the barrier, the azure sky on the horizon, and the constantly dancing azure and gold specks of light seemed to instantly pull Stanley back to the Desolate Sea.

The gentle breeze swirling around Wendy made him realize that this was the wind god Barbatos, whom the Mondstadt people had always worshipped.

"I...I've always believed in your existence..." He was so amazed that he was almost beyond words.

Wendy then extended his left hand, a faint smile on her face, and said softly, "May I have the soul of my old friend?"

Hans Jaczibold was incredibly surprised; if his deceased friend could rest in peace, it would undoubtedly be a relief for him.

The latter took Barbatos's hand. A bluish-green light, tinged with rainbow colors, emanated from their palms. At this moment, Wendy had transformed into the true form of Stanley, his face scarred, but he looked at him gently.

Slowly, Stanley's phantom faded away; in the gentle breeze, the wind... ultimately carried away his soul...

Chapter Fifty-Six: Pampering and Warmth

After Hu Tao stayed at Yiyu Pavilion for a few days, Xin Hui started to feel a little uncomfortable. As for why he felt uncomfortable, he could only say that it was too much of a strain for three people to share a room.

The same goes for the main hall. It's fine when there are no guests, but if guests come to Yiyu Pavilion and Keqing and the others are all sitting in the main hall, the space is obviously not enough.

Even if Ke Qing and the others didn't say anything, Xin Hui had seen it all, and the problem urgently needed to be solved. However, he really hadn't had time to deal with it these past few days.

After working through several sleepless nights, Xinhui finally finished processing all the orders on his hands. After hanging all the clothes neatly on the wardrobe, he slumped onto the table with a look of utter despair.

All he wants to do right now is lie down and get some sleep.

Xinhui had come to realize what it meant to be physically and mentally exhausted, so much so that even with his elbows as a pillow, he would fall asleep in no time.

On the desk, the boy was absorbed, forgetting everything, with only his breathing gradually becoming calm.

At the table, the young girl gazed at the table with gentle eyes, not daring to disturb it, only enjoying the pleasure of slowly appreciating it.

After a while, the girl's blue-purple eyes suddenly widened in surprise, as if she had thought of something important, so she slowly got up.

Gan Yu's blue skirt gradually turned blue, and the skirt swayed slightly, gently touching her light steps. Her slender and well-proportioned legs moved, lifting her long blue hair that hung down her back.

Wherever it goes, it leaves behind a refreshing fragrance.

A few breaths later, Gan Yu returned, but this time she had a clean white pillow in her hands.

As for why it wasn't a blanket, it's because the sun was shining brightly, and under its rays, Yiyu Pavilion became warm and inviting. A pillow, on the other hand, would be different; if Axin kept resting her head on her left forearm, she would wake up feeling very sore.

Gan Yu sometimes rests her head on her elbow when she's tired. Although she doesn't go to sleep, it's a way to relax. So she knows that this position is both comfortable and a little awkward, which is why she specifically went to get a pillow.

But when she took the pillow and walked lightly to Xinhui, she was in a dilemma.

How do we put the pillow under Xinhui's head?

Helpless, Gan Yu could only gently lift Xin Hui's head and try to stuff the pillow inside. But just as she was trying, Xin Hui, who was lying on the table, woke up.

"Ah? It's Gan Yu? What's the matter?" Xin Hui merely raised his eyelids slightly and asked softly.

"I...I came to bring you a pillow," Gan Yu said, sounding somewhat flustered.

"Oh, is that so? Well then, thank you, Gan Yu." Xin Hui yawned first, then casually snatched the white pillow from Gan Yu's hand.

Immediately, he buried his face in the pillow, his head resting on it. It felt soft and much more comfortable than his elbow.

Seeing this, Gan Yu blushed with embarrassment. Although Xin Hui couldn't see her embarrassed expression, she still said softly, "Xin, this is my pillow, you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xinhui sat up abruptly, still somewhat dazed, but his earlier drowsiness had largely dissipated.

"You mean, this is your pillow?" Xinhui asked tentatively.

It wasn't until the black and red horns on Gan Yu's head swayed up and down that Xin Hui realized how shameful his behavior had been.

I actually buried my head in that girl's pillow! No wonder it has a faint fragrance!

Well... let's give it back to Gan Yu first, but the latter was somewhat unwilling and insisted that he continue to rest on it.

"Xin, you've been very tired these past few days. You need to rest well. Don't worry about anything else."

Gan Yu's soft, sweet voice was so pleasant to listen to, warm and comforting. Suddenly, an idea popped into Xin Hui's mind.

He grasped Gan Yu's small hand and looked straight at her.

"What's wrong, Ah Xin, you..." Gan Yu was a little stunned by his gaze, and the blush on her fair face deepened.

A strange sensation seemed to emanate from Xinhui's large hand, a tingling, numb feeling that made her unbearably itchy.

"Would you like to move to a different place?" Xinhui then revealed his purpose.

Actually, he just wanted to move Yiyu Pavilion to a different location, but because he didn't express it clearly, it caused a big misunderstanding.

Girls' thoughts are sometimes very simple, which led Gan Yu to misunderstand his meaning.