Chapter Text
“Ms. Yelan, we have some new information here.”
“Ms. Yelan, how much does the information cost?”
“Oh, Lady Yelan, please help us organize the investigation?”
Yelan was a worker at an office downtown. Her work was exclusive to info gathering, and being very good at it. Organized as she is, her work is never subpar. It could get quite difficult though, as she works in Liyue’s biggest city. Her papers were finished at record time, and she finishes her job before her hours are up. But in a bustling city, large complex, and multiple co-workers, the environment could get quite stiff. Everyone needs time to relax during the day and stretch their legs. Luckily, it was just about time for that.
Yelan checks her watch on her wrist, and stands up quickly. She hurriedly shoves papers and her wallet in the purse.
“Out on break again, Yelan?” Manager Ningguang asked the emerald eyed lady who was about to grab her white coat from the hanger.
“That’s the plan, ma’am,” she replied quickly.
“You have an hour,” Manager Ningguang called, as she saw the lady run out the door.
“You really shouldn’t be so lax with her. She’s in way too good of a mood after her break,” a co-worker comments from another table. “What if she’s doing something…immoral?”
“I hear she gambles and then wins the jackpot,” one worker suggested.
“I hear she’s got a new prescription for pills,” said another.
“What if she’s gone drinking?”
The whispers of rumors continue to spread like a deadly virus.
Yelan smirks confidently. All according to plan. The lady is a woman of mystery and she knows it. In fact, she purposefully asks the casino owner to talk about her luck aloud, and she’s asked the pharmacist for prescription recommendations. It was all to lead a pile of crumbs to the wrong idea. Yelan’s true intentions are secret, and safe.
Once out the door, the office worker quickly dives into the shadows of the alleyway. She looks in all her directions cautiously, making sure nobody is on her back. In this part of the plan, there is no relaxation, at least not yet. The office worker dodges any and all crowds, commotions, or people in general. She escapes the large city, hearing the bustles get quieter with clack of her heels. Contrary to popular belief, she's not going to a casino, bar, or anywhere big. The small town south, called The Karst, is her true destination.
A peaceful village, the locals are older folk who would rather bird-watch than discuss anything to do with politics. Greenery fills up the path more than the cement, which is almost gone after so much time. Every patch of grass is complimented with golden covered trees and purple lavenders. The air feels easier to breathe in. Yelan finally comes to a stop at small coffee shop, called “Where the Adepti Rest.” She opens the door slowly, hearing her favorite jiggle of the bell greet her. She smiles, as she hears her favorite voice.
“Welcome, again, Ms. Yelan. What would you like for today?”
The cashier greets her customer, without a lick of expression on her face. She wears the basic collared shirt and pants attire, with a cap and a tag spelled “Shenhe.” Her eyes are colorful yet strict like a tundra. Her hair is long yet neatly braided. The cashier is a mystery on her own, leaving no hints of what kind of person she actually is. This, naturally, excites Yelan.
“Drop the Ms,” Yelan whined like a child, “I think we’ve known each other for long enough now, riiiight?” She plots her elbows onto the desk and pushes her cheeks up with her fingers.
The cashier blinks. “Right, sorry, I’m still learning.”
On second thought, maybe she isn’t so much of a mystery, as she is such an oblivious dork. With that thought, Yelan’s smile only gets bigger.
“Right. Could I get a garlic egg bagel with jalapenos and a black tea?”
“You mean you want a custom bagel?” Shenhe asked, scrunching her eyebrows.
“Bingo,” Yelan glowed, snapping her fingers.
“Will that be all.”
Yelan pretends to think intensely, then says, “And could I get…a hot worker from this place out on a date?”
She flashes another smile, bouncing her eyebrows up and down mischievously.
Shenhe stares blankly, and then shrugs, “Yeah I can ask Ganyu-”
“Nevermind,” Yelan interrupts quickly. Ganyu was another worker, usually making the sandwiches and ten other chores at the same time. While, yes she is also quite good-looking, she was not who Yelan wanted to date, no not at all. Mission failed, we’ll get 'em next time.
As Shenhe takes the order through the machine, Yelan takes her seat with a calm mind. She chooses the old booth with the ripped cushions and the wide windows, the one where she could see the garden of medicinal herbs the older people have planted. Even though her plan crashed, it wasn’t anything new (or any good to begin with). Shenhe and her booty is the densest planet closest to the sun, that’s how she’s somehow never been on a date before. So because of that, Yelan doesn’t pay too much attention to those failed attempts.
Instead, the office worker concentrates on the flowers outside. The weather has been getting colder, and so the flowers are wilting. The petals dip down, soon to fall with just a touch of a feather. Suddenly, a white dot appears and disappears when it contacts the dying leaves. The first snowflake has just fallen. To some people, they are sad to see the plants around them start to die. They are sad that life is dying in general. But that’s not actually the case for plants. The snow comes to comfort the plants, blankets them as they relax and sleep. A certain person comes to mind for Yelan. The snowflakes are slow, but gentle. They're cold, but beautiful. With one touch, however, they escape. To some people, it’s the wilting plants that make people sad. To Yelan, it’s the fact that the snow has to melt eventually.
Shenhe finally delivers the food to her customer, popping Yelan out of her thoughts and back into reality. Oh yeah, hot cafe worker. The real mission.
“Deep in thought again? Is everything alright?” the waitress asked. Her voice had a tint of concern. Which makes sense, some days Yelan feels so tired that she enters the shop and then she falls asleep right on the table before her food is given. Shenhe would later patiently wait until the customer wakes herself up. Naps are not allowed to be disturbed inside of the cafe, they are important to the shop’s work value(especially for the older folks).
But Yelan just shakes her head, “No, I’m fine. Thanks for asking, and for the food.”
“That's good. I hope you enjoy. Is there anything else you’d like?” Shenhe asked respectfully.
Yelan thinks with her finger on her chin.
“Hmm, actually there is something I want to ask you. Did you know you can't touch your teeth with your tongue while your teeth are showing?” Yelan questions innocently.
"Really?" With an iconic head tilt, the gullible Shenhe tries out the theory herself. Her lips form a grin, and then trying to make the plan work, she tries to smile. She sighs in disappointment.
“I don't think I’m doing it right,” the waiter admits.
“Gotcha,” Yelan smirks, “you look so much cuter when you smile, you know?”
Shenhe silently stares at Yelan, then takes out the check.
“So the total is this plus tax plus a smile-”
Yelan interrupts, “Hold on, I got charged for a smile?”
“I asked you if you wanted anything else. And this was something else.”
For once, Yelan did not predict this.
“Ehem,” she said, trying to bounce back, “So how much does your smile cost? I’ll pay as much as I can~”
“...I’m not sure,” Shenhe admits. She turns around and then calls Ganyu behind her(who was working in the kitchen). “Ganyu! How much does a smile cost?”
“No cost!” the goat calls back cheerfully. Shenhe shrugs.
“Nevermind, that will be all. Thank-you-for-your service-and - for coming- to - Where The Adepti Rest. I said it right, right?” Shenhe asked the chuckling customer. The way Shenhe tries so hard, yet still fails so miserably is, it's just too endearing.
“Closer. Thank you for your service AND patronage. We hope you come again to Where The Adepti Rest. And say it in a more relaxed manner,” Yelan corrects.
“ I see," she sighed, "what would I do without you.”
I could say the same thing, Yelan thought.
The hour was almost up, so unfortunately, Yelan had to get ready to go. But before she got right to the door to leave her favorite coffee shop, she looked back at the hot blank cashier, winked, and blew a kiss. In Yelan’s mind, she doesn't even have to look back to already predicted her reaction. Shenhe will just a head tilt, shrug, and then continue back to work. That waitress, Yelan thinks, is so mysterious yet so not at the same time. For sure she'd never find someone like that at her workplace. It's like another clue is waiting for her in her next break, and so she comes back to work as more joyful than before.
A few hours had passed, and the sun wasn't visible anymore. Ganyu had finally finished cleaning up the tables and the last of the dishes. As she wiped sweat from her forehead, she found her co-worker slumped on one of the bean bag chairs, her hands covering her face.
“Is something wrong, big sis?” Ganyu asked nervously.
Shenhe whimpered loudly. She signed, putting her hands down and staring up at the ceiling. Her cheeks were tinted red, and her lips quivered. Her face wasn’t expressionless anymore.
“…she called me cute…”