Chapter Text
The gentle afternoon breeze brushed against Ganyu’s skin as she walked out of Yuehai Pavilion. As the afternoon sunlight shone over Liyue Harbor, Ganyu took the time to notice the little things she was suprised not to have noticed when she was busy: the chirping of the birds in the distance, the rustling of leaves from the trees, the people bustling around to complete certain business matters, the Milllelith patrolling the streets to ensure the city’s safety, and the sight of Madame Ping from a distance looking at her before giving her a small wave.
As Ganyu kept noticing these tiny details as she walked around Liyue Harbor, she tried to figure out the peculiar feeling that was building up inside of her. It somehow made her feel lighter, as if someone had been lifting the weight off her shoulders one by one.
Ganyu didn’t know exactly what this feeling was, but one thing was for certain: this feeling was exactly what she needed after centuries of hard work. She was oddly mesmerized with the several mundane things she would have recognized for quite some time now. Yet instead of setting these trivial discoveries aside, Ganyu chose to etch all of them in her memory.
“All these little things that I was too busy to notice,” she thought. “I never realized Liyue Harbor is actually so… beautiful.”
A familiar voice suddenly caught her attention. “Taking in the sights now, are we?”
Ganyu averted her gaze at the source of the sound and found Zhongli standing a couple of feet away. He was staring at him with a faint, yet gentle smile. Seeing this, Ganyu’s face turned slightly red as she slowly walked towards him.
“M-My apologies for spacing out, Mister Zhongli,” Ganyu stammered. “It’s just… I’ve never had the time to notice a lot of things in Liyue Harbor before.”
“And how did that make you feel, if I may ask?” Zhongli asked.
Ganyu paused for a moment and looked around her once more. After taking a look around the city, she answered, “I can’t say for certain, but this weight that I’ve been feeling in my chest is somehow slowly starting to disappear. I think I could say that it felt kind of… liberating, to say the least.”
Zhongli nodded in response as he continued to stroll around the city streets. Ganyu followed suit. As they walked, Zhongli spoke: “Liyue Harbor… Once a place of refuge from our invaders, it has now become the most economically prosperous city in all of Teyvat. Just look around you; all that you see thrives because of our efforts to defend this place and its people. But now that the era of the adepti has come to pass, I think it’s high time that we give ourselves a little break, if I could say so. After all, we sought to fulfill our duty for thousands of years; any form of relaxation from time to time should be in order now that Liyue Harbor is under the care of humans. What do you think, Ganyu?”
“Ahh, well… I think… Umm…”
Ganyu stammered for she was too conflicted to answer. Indeed, she wanted to leave work from time to time and maybe find a hobby that she’d enjoy; it’s the only thing she ever really wanted. Maybe if she went out more often, she could meet with nice people and spend some time getting to know them more. Perhaps she would have more time appreciating everything around her, just like what happened earlier.
But could she really do all those when she’s still bound to a contract? Could she truly “give herself a little break” as Zhongli said? At the back of her mind, she knows that she still has a duty to fulfill. She wouldn’t even have a minute to do anything else besides burying herself under a pile of documents and sleeping when her schedule is free.
This internal conflict between Ganyu’s human half and adeptus half had always been nagging Ganyu for the longest time. It bothered her so much to the point that she would slip up on certain work-related matters because of it. Sure, the Tianquan would be kind enough to let it slide for the most part, but for Ganyu, sloppiness due to this kind of distraction is utterly unacceptable. Even at that very moment, standing in front of the doors of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Ganyu couldn’t make up her mind.
“I… honestly can’t say for sure, Mister Zhongli,” was the only reply she could come up with.
Ganyu sheepishly glanced at Zhongli, checking if there were any signs of impatience in his eyes. She didn’t mean for him to wait so long for a reply, especially since her answer was one that made her uncertainties apparent.
Thankfully for Ganyu, Zhongli nodded slightly and said, “No doubt that you’re having difficulty answering my question, for you are a human with qilin blood in your veins. You can’t decide whether to pursue your mortal desires or to continue carrying out your mission to ensure the safety of this city, as with the other adepti. Don’t worry, I’m sure a conversation with Director Tao can ease those doubts a bit.”
As Ganyu stared at the entrance to the funeral parlor, she couldn’t help but wonder exactly how talking to Hu Tao would ease her confusion. Maybe she’d offer Ganyu more discount coupons courtesy of the funeral parlor. Now that wouldn’t help at all…
However, Ganyu realized that if Zhongli hadn’t suggested talking to Hu Tao in the first place, then doing so wouldn’t benefit her in any way at all. With that promising thought in mind, she gently opened the doors of the funeral parlor and walked inside.
The interior of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor could be best described as a very simple reception area. At the far end of the room, there is a small, wooden counter with a door behind it. In front of it, there’s a small, square table with two chairs at each end. The room was dimly lit, with only four candle-lit lanterns in each corner to illuminate the area. The only pieces of decoration in the area were the potted plants beside the counter and a painting depicting funeral customs at the right side of the room.
Ganyu slowly walked towards the counter while examining each detail of the room. Although the area doesn’t look the most comfortable, Ganyu somehow felt a cozy warmth emanating from her surroundings. Maybe it’s because the staff here always ensures its clients have the warmest welcome into the afterlife. This was strange; Ganyu always thought that death was something cold and agonizing. Perhaps she’s wrong…
Her attention quickly focused on the table just in front of the counter. “Only one table in the reception area, Mister Zhongli?” she asked.
“Yes, just the one,” Zhongli replied. “We don’t usually get clients who come inside of the parlor. They always fear the chilling sensation of death slowly creeping on their skin.”
“I think otherwise,” Ganyu objected. “I think this place feels nice and comfortable. It’s like thousands of souls in the afterlife are enjoying themselves there because of you.”
“I’m glad you think that way,” Zhongli remarked. He pointed at the small bell sitting on the counter. “Go give that a ring. It’ll let her know that someone who just entered here is truly of the mortal realm.”
Ganyu wasn’t exactly sure what Zhongli meant, but she slowly approached the counter and hesitantly picked up the bell. After giving it a small ring, she heard a muffled voice coming from behind the door.
“Oya, new clients! Hold on just one second, I’ll be right there!”
Ganyu heard a few crashes and thuds, and she could’ve sworn she heard the voice saying something about naughty spirits ruining her work. As Ganyu was just thinking about excusing herself from the funeral parlor, the door opened to reveal a beaming woman of short stature. She had a fair complexion, and a rather petite build. Her scarlet eyes decorated with flower-shaped pupils at the center. Meanwhile her brown hair was tied into very long pigtails, while a black porkpie hat with a wooden talisman and red plum blossoms rested on top of her head. She also wore a traditional red shirt, a brown coat, and black shorts with golden accents.
With this, Zhongli cleared his throat and said, “Ganyu, this is Director Tao — Miss Hu Tao, if you will. I believe you two have met before, yes?”
Before Ganyu could even respond, Hu Tao butted in, “Oh, we have! You’re the secretary at Yuehai Pavilion, right? Have you finally come to claim discount coupon I offered you last week?”
“N-Not really,” Ganyu stammered. “I’m simply here to talk to you.”
“Oya? What is it? Have people been complaining about my marketing strategy again? Hmm, maybe I should have made it a bundle of three premium coffins instead of just two…”
“Don’t worry, Director. It’s nothing of that sort,” Zhongli said. “Ganyu is here to have a nice conversation with you about anything under the sun. You may consider her a friend rather than a business partner for the time being.”
A friend… Ganyu didn’t recall anyone who considered her a friend. It made her feel a bit happy when Zhongli said that she could be considered Hu Tao’s friend.
“A simple conversation about anything under the sun, got it!” Hu Tao said. “But uhh… I still have to sort the records of those who had their funerals last month…”
“I will handle them, Director,” Zhongli said. “You two have a little chat for now. I’ll be at the back whenever you need me.”
“Thanks Zhongli! I owe you big time!”
“No need to repay me, Director. Just make sure that you two get comfortable.”
After Zhongli went to the back of the funeral parlor, Hu Tao looked at Ganyu and gestured towards the table just right behind them. “Let’s take a seat then, shall we?”
Ganyu nodded and took a seat. Hu Tao sat on the opposite side.
“So, Ganyu, right?” Hu Tao started.
“Yes, that’s my name,” Ganyu replied politely.
“Before we begin, are you sure you really don’t want to avail one of our coupons? If you don’t want to, there’s always a bunch of packages and promos to choose from! Listen to this: if you purchase one of our specialty coffins, you’ll get two for free. Or how about this one: by the time you start your journey to the afterlife-”
“Please, I do not wish to be rude, but I won’t be availing any of your promos. I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t be needing them at the moment.”
“Hehehehe. Well, I tried anyway. So, what is it that you want to talk about, exactly?”
Ganyu hesitated to speak for a moment. She didn’t really know what could be a good conversation starter besides work. However, judging from Hu Tao’s attitude when she’s on the job, Ganyu can safely assume that it won’t get awkward when she brings it up.
“Well, I’ve heard from Mister Zhongli that you’re the director of this funeral parlor. Is that correct?” Ganyu asked.
“Yup! The 77th director to be exact,” Hu Tao replied cheerfully.
“I see. Well, if you don’t mind my asking, what do you think of your job?”
“What do I think of my job? I love it, that’s for sure! As to why… well, I just happen to take an interest in life and death and all this supernatural whatnot. Maybe it’s because my grandpa — who inherited me the job, mind you — made it seem way more interesting than what people would normally think; maybe it’s because I just have the natural interest in everything about the field. Heck if I know. All I know is that I love it, and I do not ever regret managing this funeral parlor, ever.”
“Duly noted…”
There was a long pause after that. Ganyu frantically tried to think of something else to talk about, but to no avail. She didn’t even know what Hu Tao likes outside of work. It didn’t even help that the funeral parlor director kept staring at her intently; it made her tense a bit.
Ganyu was just about to resort to asking what promos the funeral parlor can offer to alleviate the awkwardness. However thankfully, Hu Tao finally spoke, “You know, while I’m kind of interested about how much you like your work, I’m curious about those things on your head. What are they, exactly?”
“O-Oh, these?” Ganyu asked as she gently touched her horns. “These are ornamental heirlooms. They’re one-of-a-kind hairpieces given to me by my mother.”
Since Ganyu didn’t like people touching her horns, that was the alibi she came up with. Most of the time it satisfies the curiosity of those who ask, however in this case, much to Ganyu's shock, Hu Tao replied by saying, “Oooh, pretty. Can I hold on to them for a sec? Pretty please? I promise I’ll be gentle with them.”
Ganyu shook in anxiety, doing her best to cover her horns with her hands. She couldn’t believe that she’d come across someone as persistent as Hu Tao. Why did Zhongli ever suggest talking to her in the first place anyway?
“I-I’m afraid I can’t let you hold them,” Ganyu replied. “It’s pretty hard to put these hairpieces on again, and I don’t really want to go through the effort of doing so.”
“Bummer,” Hu Tao muttered. “Well, can I at least just touch them?”
“I cannot let you do that either.”
“Pleaaase? I won’t take too long.”
“Really, I am doing my best to take care of these hairpieces, so I would appreciate it if you don’t touch- Eep!”
Ganyu’s body froze when she felt Hu Tao rubbing her hands gently on the horns. After a few seconds, she saw Hu Tao leaning forward, gently caressing the horns. With every gentle stroke, Ganyu wished that this would stop soon.
Unfortunately for the poor secretary, Hu Tao was still touching them for the better part of a minute. “They feel… different, for some reason,” she whispered. “It’s as if they’re actually a part of you. These hairpieces really are something else.”
“T-That’s because they are a part of me,” Ganyu blurted.
“Oya? They are?”
“Yes. They’re… They’re actually my horns, and they’re quite sensitive. So please, for the last time, stop touching them.”
Hu Tao sat down obediently, looking a bit satisfied. Ganyu let out a sigh of relief; at least the cheeky funeral parlor director wasn’t too persistent.
“So they’re horns, right?“ Hu Tao asked. “What are you exactly, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Ganyu didn’t want to reveal her lineage to anyone in Liyue, but since she already revealed the truth about her so-called hairpieces, it probably wouldn’t hurt to answer Hu Tao’s question.
“I am part human, part illuminated beast,” Ganyu replied. “Well, qilin to be exact. I’ve been alive for thousands of years now, and I’ve even fought under Rex Lapis’ name in the Archon War.”
To Ganyu’s surprise, Hu Tao gave a loud gasp and bowed her head down. “So that must mean you’re an adeptus!” she exclaimed. “Oh, I am so so so so sorry that I disrespected your personal space by touching your horns. Please don’t be mad at me!”
“C-Calm down, Miss Hu Tao,” Ganyu stammered. “I’m not mad at you, and you don’t need to be sorry. I was just surprised and a bit uncomfortable, that’s all. And like I said, I am still part human. You don’t have to be so reverent towards me.”
“Are you sure? I mean, aren’t you even going to ask me for something to make up for what I did?”
“No need to do that, Miss Hu Tao. Just promise me not to touch my horns ever again, and don’t talk about my ancestry to a single soul.”
“Alright, alright. I promise I won’t do it again!” Hu Tao finally straightened her back and giggled lightly. Ganyu was glad to see the director behaving herself after opening up about part of her past.
Come to think of it, Ganyu never told anyone about herself at all, as she always feared that people might see her in a different light, that people might distance themselves from her. But seeing Hu Tao’s warm, reassuring smile, Ganyu thought that maybe she shouldn’t be too reserved about sharing stuff about herself next time.
“Oh yeah, that reminds me,” Hu Tao started. “I did want to know about what you think of your job as well. Since you’re like, thousands of years old already, I guess it’s safe to say that you’ve been doing your secretary job for a pretty long time now, right?”
“Yes, I’ve been on the job for quite some time to fulfill my contract with Rex Lapis,” Ganyu replied.
“What’s your contract about?”
“I can’t disclose the exact details of it, but my mission is to meet the interests of all living beings in Liyue. I’ve been working as a secretary in Yuehai Pavilion to dutifully accomplish such task.”
“Ooooh, interesting. But since you’ve been doing that for centuries, don’t you ever get tired of working there?”
“On the contrary, I love my job a lot. Sure, there are times that I strive for the best too much to the point that I make mistakes, but generally, I like working as the secretary for the Qixing. I find a sense of fulfillment when I analyze certain records and making suggestions during Qixing meetings. It’s like I’ve been contributing a lot to make Liyue Harbor as prosperous as it is today. It’s such a very wonderful feeling but, umm…”
“Buuuut what?”
Ganyu hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should tell Hu Tao about what she really wants to do. Unlike her, the director is fully mortal. Could Hu Tao really understand what it feels like to be lonely for decades just to fulfill the duty entrusted to her by their deity? Could she be able to relate to Ganyu’s desire for human companionship?
Ganyu took a deep breath to compose herself. She thought that she never told anyone a lot about herself anyone, so it wouldn’t be too much harm to tell it to Hu Tao. After organizing her thoughts, Ganyu finally began to speak:
“Well, from time to time I’ve been spacing out in the middle of work, imagining myself having someone close to me. At first, I thought it was just a mere distraction that hinders my work. But as it keeps coming back, I came to realize that it’s not just me fantasizing; it’s really my desire for human companionship. I realized that my mortal half longs for someone to care about. It also longs to be cared for by someone so dear to me. I finally came to terms with the fact that… I really am lonely.
“Yes, I carry on with my job as diligently as ever. I submit the documents on time as per the Qixing’s request, resolve certain disputes that can be handled without the help of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, record the current state of the market, et cetera et cetera. But as the days go by, these thoughts come by to bother me more often. Every time I think of having a close friend, the weight of loneliness slowly gets heavier and heavier. There were times that I couldn’t bear it anymore. I know that I have a job to do, but I absolutely want to have someone I can trust; someone I can care about; someone who would care about me. But I couldn’t… I want to have friends, but I just couldn’t. I don’t want to be lonely anymore…”
Ganyu couldn’t help but shed a small tear as she explained what she’d been feeling after all this time. She felt her chest tighten a bit as those thoughts came flooding in again. However, as she turned her gaze to Hu Tao, Ganyu couldn’t help but notice the director staring intently at her with a gentle look on her face. It wasn’t like the time when she was curious about the horns, rather it seemed as if she genuinely wanted to understand Ganyu more. Ganyu couldn’t help but lighten up because of that fact. “This must be what it feels like to have someone to understand me,” she thought.
“Hey now, there’s no need to be sad,” Hu Tao said, patting her back. “If it makes you feel better, you’re talking to me about something outside of work; something about yourself. That’s a step towards to having people who accept you, right?”
Ganyu smiled a bit and wiped her tear after hearing Hu Tao’s response. “I suppose so,” she replied. “But there’s still my job. What would happen to Liyue if I abandon my duty?”
“Ahh, if you ask me, that’s pretty diligent of you,” Hu Tao started while tapping her fingers on the table. “But continue doing that, and that loneliness will eat you up until you die regretting a lot of things in life. I mean, you are still part human, so you can die right?”
“Well, I should be able to. I am not wholly an adeptus after all.”
“Right. And from the looks of it, you’ve been trying to resolve this conflict for like hundreds of years now, and it’s slowly eating you up. You need to fulfill your duty as an adeptus, but you really want to have friends like any other human being. My advice is, well, go for what you want!”
“Go… for what I want?’
“Yup! To make things a bit clearer, let me tell you a little secret about the afterlife. Just make sure you don’t tell anyone about it, okay?”
“I promise.”
“There’s this border that separates life and death that I, as the director, should keep an eye on. When someone dies, it’s as simple as they either die happy or die regretful. Those who die regretful stay at the border and just haunt the mortal realm if they have to. They’ll only move on once they make peace with whatever’s keeping them from crossing the border. Those who die happy basically have a wonderful time in the afterlife. Who knows what they’re doing over there; all I know is that that’s where I want to be when I leave this world, and I bet you want to go there too.”
Ganyu tried to imagine what it is like there in the afterlife. She thought it would be a nice, cozy mountainside where she can sit down and have a nice talk with all the friends she would make. They’d laugh together, eat together, do anything that is fun together. It was a heartening thought.
“Yes, I believe I want to go to this afterlife that you speak of when I pass,” Ganyu muttered.
“See? Told you so. There’s also this one thing about every director who came before me; all of them passed without having to be stuck in the border. That meant that every single one of them never regretted about running this funeral parlor. Even my grandpa immediately passed through when he kicked the bucket. I guess that’s probably why I’m doing a lot for this job: I want to follow the old man’s footsteps when my time is up.”
Ganyu nodded to let Hu Tao know that she was intently listening. She slowly started to understand why the director was so eager to market the funeral parlor she’s running. She immediately remembered what Zhongli said as they were on their way to meet Hu Tao: “Sure, she may be… oddly enthusiastic in advertising our services to the populace at times, but rest assured, she is quite the likable person if you learn to understand where she is coming from.”
Ganyu started to see Hu Tao in a different light starting that moment. She finally realized why Hu Tao is the cheerful, mischievous girl that she is.
“I’m glad that your grandfather was happy during his final moments,” Ganyu remarked.
“Thanks,” Hu Tao said before clasping her hands together. “Anyways, the point I’m trying to make here is to just do what makes you feel happy. You want to get to know some nice people, then go for it! Try going out of work sometimes, talk to anyone you meet if you’re curious to know more about them. Not too comfortable socializing a lot yet? Then you can start with people from your workplace. I’m sure that there are interesting people there who you could be friends with. Do whatever you can do that makes you feel complete! I wouldn’t want a director from the future to see you sulking around in the border just because you didn’t get to do what you want. I’d genuinely feel sad for you if that’s the case. And I don’t think gramps would like that either; I do plan on telling him a lot about you once I reunite with him.”
Ganyu looked down for a moment to think about what Hu Tao just said. The director’s right; life shouldn’t be lived without any regrets whatsoever. Ganyu realized that she should get out there and do what she wants, actually, needs. After all, she did feel like she deserved a break after hundreds of years of service. However, at the back of her mind, she knew that her contract with Rex Lapis was yet to be fulfilled. She couldn't truly be free until her mission is accomplished.
Despite these uncertainties, Ganyu gave Hu Tao a small smile. “Thank you very much for your advice, Miss Hu Tao,” she said. “You’ve made me realize the importance of living life the way I want to. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, too. It feels nice to share a bit of myself to someone who willingly listens to me and validates my feelings. You’ve been of great help to me.”
“No need to thank me, Ganyu,” Hu Tao replied. “Consider me your first friend from here on out! If you want someone to talk to, you can always count on me.”
“Of course. Thank you again for this… my friend.”
Hu Tao beamed once more before she looked out the entrance’s windows. The orange late afternoon sunlight slowly started to fade, and Hu Tao stood up in response. “Well, I’m sorry to cut our little chit chat short, but I need to get out and do something work-related,” she told Ganyu before walking outside. She took one last peek at Ganyu before she continued to speak, “Like I said, come and find me if you want to talk next time! I want to know about you a bit more.”
“Same goes to you, Miss Hu Tao,” Ganyu replied.
“Just call me by my name, please. No need to call me Miss. Anyways, I have to go now. Toodle-oo!”
Ganyu gave her new friend one final wave before the doors of the funeral parlor were shut.