Rosalyne and Childe showing up together only confirmed Gu Sanqiu's expectations. Rosalyne's injuries hadn't fully healed, and Childe was more like her protector than a companion on this mission.
Guess hate really is the driving force behind work motivation.
Gu Sanqiu rubbed his chin, but he wasn't particularly concerned about the state of Rosalyne's recovery. What truly piqued his interest was something else entirely.
I brought my Kamera with me this time. If Venti gets his Gnosis ripped out by Rosalyne in one clean move, should I take a photo? Or maybe... take a photo?
A sly grin crept onto his face—a grin that practically screamed mischief.
Collecting dirt on powerful figures is way more fun.
Sure, Venti was an old friend of Rex Lapis, and two thousand years ago, he'd managed to pull the Geo Archon out of his workaholic tendencies with nothing but a bottle of wine. But really, what did any of that have to do with Gu Sanqiu?
Besides, if Rosalyne—Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter, a Harbinger who could freeze Barbatos in one strike and steal his Gnosis—truly wielded Archon-level power, what could a mere mortal like him possibly do?
It's not that I don't want to save you, Venti. It's that I physically can't. All I can do is collapse to my knees, cover my face, and let out the pitiful wails of a powerless bystander.
Of course, just how much of that wailing would betray his amusement, glee, or outright schadenfreude was a matter that would test Gu Sanqiu's acting skills.
Hold on—there was one more issue to sort out: how to ensure he actually captured the photo.
Close-up shots were obviously out of the question. Based on his encounter with Rosalyne back in Liyue Harbor, the moment he stepped into her line of sight, she wouldn't hesitate to strike.
As the night breeze stirred, Albedo had been silently observing Gu Sanqiu's peculiar grin for several minutes while nursing his wine.
"Could you be a little more restrained?"
Gu Sanqiu's expression immediately returned to a neutral calm. "Did I do something?"
"You were smiling rather... arrogantly."
"Oh, I see." Gu Sanqiu nodded without a hint of remorse. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."
With that, the two fell into silence—two men teetering between introversion and extroversion, both unsure how to break the conversational deadlock.
The original topic had been the Traveler, but they quickly realized that without even basic information, there wasn't much to discuss.
Should Gu Sanqiu probe Albedo about the events of 500 years ago?
Absolutely not. That sort of self-sabotage wasn't his style. Besides, Albedo had never pried into the Gu family's secrets, and their mutual restraint was a key component of their cordial relationship.
Ah, right!
Gu Sanqiu reached toward his waist, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a book.
"Ta-da! The Chronicles of Chenqiu!"
Albedo flinched slightly at the sudden, childlike outburst, then focused on the book Gu Sanqiu was presenting.
"A novel you've written?"
Gu Sanqiu handed it over, shaking his head. "Not quite. If I'd written it, it'd start with the protagonist being rejected by the daughter of a prominent family among the Qixing. After shouting 'Don't look down on me just because I'm poor!' he'd rise to become the strongest in Teyvat."
Albedo opened the book, glancing at the pages. "Your premise sounds a bit illogical, but if the key elements were handled well, it could still draw readers. What do you want me to do with this book?"
"I was wondering if you could create illustrations for it. If your art turns out well, I might even say his novel was inspired by your masterpiece!" Gu Sanqiu laughed. "It hasn't sold well in Liyue because some parts are written too obscurely. I thought maybe adding illustrations could boost its popularity."
And if I can use this opportunity to send batches of books to Inazuma—complete with embedded intelligence agents among the shipping crew—all the better.
Albedo finished flipping through the book. "The concept is fresh, but as you mentioned, the narrative is overly convoluted. It's not well-suited for publication as a novel."
Gu Sanqiu leaned in, intrigued. "What's your take on it?"
"It's not so much a matter of opinion as it is a clear principle," Albedo explained.
"In recent years, thanks to Mondstadt's thriving wine and tourism industries—and the overall peace—the city's economy has developed rapidly. Beyond a rise in the standard of living, we've seen the emergence of entirely new wealthy classes."
"New money?"
Albedo shook his head. "Not entirely. Let me finish."
"Alright, alright, go on." Gu Sanqiu made a zipping motion over his lips.
"This economic growth has led to an accumulation of desires—or to put it another way, a growing gap between the needs of the populace and the current policies and infrastructure, resulting in societal tensions."
Albedo sipped his wine. "You can speak now. Do you understand what that means?"
Gu Sanqiu winced. "Yeah, I get it. But could you maybe... simplify it? I'm not a fan of overly long official jargon."
"Simplify it?"
Albedo thought for a moment. "It's like the difference between an alchemy textbook for experts and an introductory guide for beginners. Does that make sense?"
"Ah, got it," Gu Sanqiu replied. "You're saying this Chronicles of Chenqiu is like handing a specialized textbook to someone with no foundational knowledge?"
"Exactly. For an expert, a brief note on a topic suffices. For a layperson, you might need several pages to convey the same idea."
Albedo continued, "There are two ways to fix this. The first is to tone down the complexity and adjust the writing style to suit the market."
Gu Sanqiu sighed, pinching his brow. "Just give me the second option. I know for a fact he'll never go for the first one."
Change his writing style?
Xingqiu, future literary master and gallant knight, bowing to market forces?
Gu Sanqiu could already hear Xingqiu's outraged declarations, complete with specific phrasing, playing in his head.
"The second option," Albedo explained, "is to introduce a character or narrator within the story who interprets its cryptic metaphors in a way that's accessible to the average reader."
As he spoke, Albedo sketched a quick concept illustration and tucked it into the book.
"This way, the overall narrative remains intact, but the reading barrier is lowered. It should help."
So, it's like the difference between unlocking everything at once and gradually revealing things in a strange game.
Who exactly was being "unlocked" here was up for debate.
Albedo set the book aside. "If this doesn't work, then you'll need to refine the content itself—or start from scratch."
"By the way," Albedo added, "why did you think to ask me to illustrate? I don't recall mentioning any expertise in that area."
Ah, knew you'd get suspicious.
Gu Sanqiu didn't let even the corners of his lips twitch, ensuring Albedo wouldn't detect the well-prepared excuse he had ready.
"I noticed your sketching skills back in that domain we explored together. So, I thought I'd ask for your help. Besides, finding an illustrator in Liyue might be tricky—I've got to look out for my friend's pride."
Gu Sanqiu shrugged. "Oh, and one more thing—your illustrations are free, right?"
---
T/N: lmaoooo looking for free labor? i would love free labor also...