I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 39

(Flashback, Right before the opening of the Dead Hall Internet Cafe)

The warm glow of lanterns flickered against the dark wood of the newly opened Dead Hall Internet Cafe, casting long shadows as Hu Tao and Zhongli stepped inside.

The scent of freshly brewed tea mixed with the faint smell of polished wood, and the quiet hum of idle computers filled the air.

Hu Tao twirled around, hands stretched out as if embracing the space. "It's finally ready! My very own internet cafe! My ancestors must be thrilled I'm keeping the family business alive... in a very different way..."

Zhongli chuckled, his gaze sweeping across the room

"You've certainly taken a creative approach. Though I must admit, the name is... unique."

Hu Tao grinned, adjusting the skull-shaped charm hanging from the café's sign. "Dead Hall Internet Café! A place where the connection never dies! Ghosts, gamers, and even you grandpa! are all welcome to sit back, click away, and embrace eternity!" She struck a dramatic pose before bursting into laughter.

Zhongli shook his head with a soft smile. "It's quite the venture. Though, I assume this is more than just another business experiment?"

Hu Tao's expression softened as she glanced at the empty chairs, soon to be filled with friends, travelers, and lonely souls seeking connection. "Yeah... I think people need a place where they can be together, even if it's through a screen. I've spent my life making sure the dead are honored, but the living... they need care too."

Zhongli watched her with a knowing look, the wisdom of countless ages in his amber eyes. "You have always understood the balance of life and death better than most."

Hu Tao gave a small laugh, rubbing the back of her head. "Aw, come on, don't get all sentimental on me! You'll make me cry before we even open!"

Zhongli simply smiled. "Shall we begin, then?"

Hu Tao clapped her hands together, eyes shining. "Let's do this! Welcome to Dead Hall Internet Café! Where your ping might be scary, but the vibes are always lively!"

And with that, she flipped the sign to Open.

(Present Time)

Hu Tao watched Childe play Meteor Butterfly Sword with an intense focus as she scribbled notes regarding his rather impressive gameplay.

"So you do some of that...A little bit of this..." Hu Tao muttered to herself.

Zhongli meanwhile, sighed as he drank another sip of tea while watching the sight.

"If she does this with every customer...."

Luofu.

Kevin, March 7th, and Welt arrived at the entrance of the hotel arranged by Zhanyun after spotting Yukong.

March 7th was still fuming. "Ugh, Yukong's attitude was awful! We came here to help!"

Kevin shrugged. "What can we do? We made our choice, and now we have to see it through."

Then, turning to March 7th with a smirk, he added, "But hey, coming here isn't entirely a loss."

March 7th looked at him suspiciously. "Oh? And what's the silver lining?"

Kevin pointed to a wooden treasure chest nearby. "Look over there!"

March 7th's eyes lit up. "Oh-ho! A treasure chest!"

Treasure chest = Stellar Jade!

She instantly caught on to Kevin's excitement. "Didn't Yukong just say we could explore freely? Hehehe~"

Kevin and March 7th giggled mischievously and waved Welt off as they set off on their hunt for treasure chests.

Welt, shaking his head at their antics, decided to take a walk and gather intel.

Kevin and March 7th combed the area, looting every chest in sight. Their suspicious glances around, coupled with their almost predatory excitement, drew wary stares from passing citizens. Many hurried away from the two, their expressions a mix of confusion and unease.

Near the entrance of Nevernight Harbor, a familiar voice called out.

"Kevin! March 7th!"

Turning, they saw Klee sprinting toward them.

Kevin was surprised. "Klee?"

She crouched down, catching the running girl and lifting her into a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Klee grinned. "Yuri brought me! And Diona, Hook, and Dodoco here too!"

As soon as Klee spoke, Yuri approached, carrying Diona in one arm and Hook in the other, with Dodoco following behind.

"Yo, Kevin, March. Didn't expect to run into you two here."

March 7th blinked. "Yuri, why are you here?"

Yuri ruffled Hook and Diona's hair. "The little ones wanted to go out and explore, so I brought them along. What about you two? How's it going?"

March 7th immediately pouted, crossing her arms. "Don't even get me started! We met Yukong, and she was so cold toward us, wouldn't let us get involved at all. If it weren't for General Jing Yuan stepping in, we'd probably be kicked out of Luofu entirely."

Yuri chuckled. "Luofu's in crisis right now. It's understandable that they're cautious with outsiders. Anyway, good luck with that. I'll take Klee and the others to play. Are you two heading back for dinner later?"

Kevin perked up at the mention of food. She loved Yuri's cooking—especially the spicy hotpot.

March 7th nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Keep two seats for us!"

Yuri gave them a thumbs-up before leading the kids forward.

Kevin and March 7th continued their treasure hunt.

—

Half an hour later.

Yuri and the kids arrived at Changlian Sky. As they stepped into the bustling square, a commotion erupted nearby.

"Out of the way! Get out of the way! This lady can't stop!"

Yuri turned toward the voice and spotted a small girl with dragon horns and a ponytail dashing toward them. Despite her short legs, she was running at an impressive speed, leaving a group of flustered adults struggling to keep up.

Yuri instantly recognized her. "Well, if it isn't 'Dragon Lord' herself."

"Move! I'm not stopping!"

Bailu was headed straight for them. She saw Yuri blocking her path and frantically waved her hands.

Before Yuri could react, Dodoco stepped in front of him, acting as a living cushion.

With no time to slow down, Bailu crashed straight into Dodo's fluffy belly and bounced back slightly. Before she could fall, Dudu reached out and caught her.

Bailu let out a relieved sigh, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Whew~ That was close. Almost took a tumble."

The group chasing her finally caught up.

"Miss Bailu, please return with us peacefully."

Bailu crossed her arms stubbornly. "No way! I finally escaped, I'm not going back!"

The leader sighed. "Miss Bailu, forgive us, but we have no choice. Brothers, take her back!"

As they moved to grab her, a bomb suddenly dropped from above.

"Bouncing Bomb! You're not allowed to bully people!"

Klee stood atop Dudu's shoulders, pulling bouncing bombs from her backpack and tossing them with expert precision.

The pursuers panicked, covering their heads as explosions erupted around them.

"Where did this little girl come from?! Who let a child carry explosives?!"

Had Alice been here, she'd have proudly declared: "What's wrong with Klee having a few bombs? This is nothing! Right, Dvalin?"

Within moments, the pursuers scattered, fleeing for their lives. Yuri, surveying the damage, decided it was best to leave before any authorities showed up.

Scooping up the kids—including Bailu—he bolted from the scene, using his high-speed envoy-level abilities to whisk them away to Jinren Alley in mere seconds.

Jinren Alley, once a bustling commercial district, had lost much of its former prosperity. Only a handful of shops remained open.

As Klee adjusted her backpack, Bailu turned to her, looking impressed. "Thanks for helping me out. What's your name?"

Klee turned around, grinning. "Are you talking to Klee?"

Bailu nodded. "Yeah. Your name is Klee, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Bailu."

Klee giggled. "Hi, Sister Bailu! Why were those guys trying to catch you?"

Bailu pouted. "I ran away. If I go back, all I'll do is study, study, and study some more. It's so boring!"

Klee gasped. "Oh no! Klee understands! Klee hates being grounded! If Klee's grounded, she can't go out to play!"

Bailu entered the train and looked at the lively atmosphere, feeling incredibly happy.

She had spent years in the oppressive environment of the Alchemy Commission, and it had always felt stifling.

This was why Bailu often ran away—she simply couldn't stand the atmosphere.

It wasn't that she disliked learning. In fact, she genuinely wanted to study medicine to help others. But the rigid and serious environment of the Alchemy Commission was unbearable for her.

"Bailu~ come here, we're watching cartoons!"

Bailu snapped out of her thoughts and saw Klee calling her from the sofa tea area.

"Okay! I'm coming!"

She quickly ran over, her little legs moving as fast as they could.

The four little ones sat close together, watching cartoons and enthusiastically discussing the characters on screen.

"Wow, Klee thinks this cat is so silly. It can't catch the mouse at all~"

"Hook thinks so too."

"How can a cat be this dumb? The ones at my tavern are much better."

"Yes, yes! If it were me, I would have caught the mouse already!"

Not long after, a portal flickered.

Bronya, Seele, Natasha, Gepard, Pela, Silver Wolf, and Lynx stepped through.

Bronya looked around and saw Yuri and Noelle busy in the kitchen.

"Yuri, Noelle, we're here."

Hearing this, Yuri looked up.

"Welcome, welcome. You all go have fun—I still need some time here."

Noelle nodded in agreement. "Welcome, everyone."

Seeing Yuri preparing ingredients, Natasha patted Bronya on the shoulder.

"Bronya, you take them to play. I'll help Yuri."

Saying that, Natasha walked into the kitchen.

"Yuri, is there anything I can help with?"

Yuri glanced at her. "You and Noelle can help wash and chop the vegetables."

Natasha rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Bronya led the group from Belobog to the sofa tea area.

For Bronya, Jepard, and Seele, this was familiar territory. However, newcomers Lynx, Pela, and Silver Wolf felt a bit reserved.

Silver Wolf adjusted quickly due to her bold nature, soon blending in with the people from Mondstadt.

Lynx and Pela, however, were much more socially anxious. If Bronya hadn't introduced them, they probably wouldn't have spoken at all.

Amber noticed how reserved Lynx and Pela were and directly pulled them to sit next to her.

"Lynx, Pela, hello! I'm Amber, the scout knight of the Knights of Favonius."

"This is Eula, the Spindrift Knight of the Knights of Favonius."

Lynx and Pela quickly greeted them. "Hello, hello."

Eula crossed her arms. "Amber, did I ask you to introduce me? Hmph! I'll remember this!"

Lynx and Pela froze. "Ah! She holds grudges! Are we in trouble?!"

Amber just chuckled. "Yep, yep. You've already remembered so many grudges—what's one more?"

Seeing Lynx and Pela's nervous faces, Amber reassured them. "Don't worry, Eula's a good person. She says she holds grudges, but it's just a habit of hers."

Eula huffed. "Oh, Amber, are you calling me insincere now? I'll remember this!"

Lynx and Pela exchanged glances. "Ohhh, so that's how it is."

Before long, Amber's chatter eased them into the conversation, making the atmosphere much livelier.

Not long after, Hu Tao, Zhongli, Ningguang, Yelan, Keqing, and Cloud Retainer arrived.

Hu Tao was in a fantastic mood. Her internet café business was booming, with full seats all day. Even when she left, people were still waiting for a spot, and some wealthy customers had even booked overnight sessions.

Hu Tao made her way straight to Silver Wolf's private room, wanting to thank her.

After all, it was thanks to Silver Wolf's help that she was able to set up the internet café.

She even brought a box of golden silk shrimp balls from Xiangling as a token of gratitude.

Opening the door, she found Silver Wolf completely focused on her game.

The room was small, furnished with only a sofa, a table, and a wardrobe for her clothes. For washing up, Silver Wolf used March 7th's room.

"Silver Wolf, what are you playing?" Hu Tao plopped down beside her, curiously peering at the screen.

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Silver Wolf glanced at her. "Just a small game. People online said it was interesting, so I tried it. It's okay, I guess."

Then, she noticed the box in Hu Tao's hands.

"What's that?"

Hu Tao opened the box and picked up a golden silk shrimp ball. "Try it! These are from my good friend Xiangling—golden silk shrimp balls! Thanks for your help yesterday."

Silver Wolf waved a hand dismissively. "It was nothing. These shrimp balls do look good, though."

She picked one up, popped it into her mouth, and immediately, the fresh, sweet shrimp flavor exploded across her taste buds.

"Mm~! This is really good!"

Hu Tao grinned. "Glad you like it! Oh, by the way, do you have any more computers? I want to buy some."

Silver Wolf, still munching on a shrimp ball, nodded. "Yeah. How many do you need?"

Hu Tao thought for a moment.

She planned to convert two more rooms into gaming spaces, adding 50 more computers.

"50 units. Do you have that many? How much?"

She was determined to buy them this time. Silver Wolf had already given her 10 computers before, which was incredibly generous. She didn't want Silver Wolf to foot the bill again.

Silver Wolf quickly did the math. "These are older models, so they're about 80,000 credit points each. Total comes to 4 million credit points. Do you have gold or antiques? I can sell them online and use the credits to buy the computers."

Hu Tao found this reasonable.

She had initially considered paying with Stellar Jade, but since exchange rates were unclear, this was a safer bet.

Standing up, she grinned. "Wait here, I'll be right back—I'm going shopping!"

With that, she left Silver Wolf's private room and stepped into a portal.

Not long after, she had returned.

Zhongli, who had been leisurely sipping tea, suddenly noticed the vase in Hu Tao's arms. His pupils trembled.

Wasn't that the vase he had painstakingly negotiated for with a collector from Liyue?