Genshin Impact: Pool Character, Nirvana of the Demon God

Chapter 859 Life is all about being busy

The Emperor's bedroom... perhaps it should now be more accurately called the "Marshal's Mansion".

After all, this magnificent palace, which once belonged to the Rock King Emperor, has now quietly welcomed a new master—

One of the three Liyue Archons, Marshal Junbai.

Above the upturned eaves and between the carved beams and painted rafters, one can still faintly see the lingering charm of the ancient celestial realm: mottled gold patterns and dusty jade steps, as if time has paused here to look back.

However, that once solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere has been quietly permeated by a cool and unrestrained new spirit.

Like a spring breeze brushing across a cold pond, it leaves no ripples, yet transforms the very essence of the world.

The bedroom door was gently pushed open from the outside, and a tall, slender figure slowly walked in.

Jun Bai carried large bags of groceries, a hint of helplessness and weariness in his eyes. He sighed softly, "Next time you want to do something that's not worth the effort, don't drag me into it, okay? It's just asking for trouble."

“If there is a next time,” Gan Yu followed, her voice as gentle as the wind rustling through the bamboo forest, yet with an undeniable firmness, “I will never mention a single word again.”

She casually picked up a wooden stool from the wall, ignoring the thin layer of dust on it, and sat down directly. Her shoulders slumped slightly, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and she sighed softly, "So tired."

"You're tired?" Jun Bai gently placed the package in his hand on the ground and chuckled. "You never even frown when you stay up all night reviewing documents and handling government affairs."

"It's just a couple of stretches of mountain road, and you're already complaining? Besides, I carried all the stuff back myself, Miss Gan Yu, where does your fatigue come from?"

Gan Yu rolled her eyes slightly, a playful glint in them, her tone tinged with teasing:

"Is this weight a problem for you, senior? You could lift an entire mountain with just one finger, right? Why bother arguing about this?"

She smiled slightly, a glint of light in her eyes: "Besides... if you really find it heavy, you can just put it in your lucky pouch."

"That's a magical artifact from the immortals. Not only can it store things without any problems, but it can also keep things fresh as if they were new. It can even keep the most delicate glass lilies from withering by keeping them covered in dew."

Jun Bai raised his hand, his slender fingers slowly sliding down his cascading black hair. In an instant, his black hair turned as white as snow, like the first frost under the moon, making the light and shadow in the room clear.

He scoffed, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Who told me to use the identity of a mortal just now, instead of the lofty and aloof Marshal Tianfeng?"

"Have you ever seen an ordinary person carrying a magical treasure that can contain all things?" He shifted his gaze slightly, a half-smile on his face. "Shen He sells iced drinks at a stall, but she has never used a magic pouch to transport her goods. She still pushes her cart and makes ice on the spot with her divine eye, without delaying her business at all."

Upon hearing this, Gan Yu pondered for a moment, then blinked and a smile spread across her face: "Is it possible... that she had no idea the Ruyi Pouch could be used like this?"

Jun Bai was taken aback, then chuckled softly, his voice low and gentle: "Hmm... it's not impossible."

Although Shen He now possesses the seven emotions and six desires, and can experience the joys and sorrows of life, he has, after all, cultivated alone on Hanyu Peak since childhood, far removed from the mortal world for many years.

Those trivial details of everyday life—

For example, how to move goods efficiently, how to bargain, and even how much Mora to sell a bowl of iced drink for—these are still things she needs to learn little by little.

To put it simply, they are the type who are "adorably naive, yet capable of living independently."

Therefore, it seems reasonable that she never thought of using supernatural methods to make her business more convenient. This clumsy honesty, in fact, is what makes her most endearing and down-to-earth.

Gan Yu covered her lips and chuckled softly, her eyes darting around as if she had caught some kind of secret pleasure:

"If Shen He knew we were sitting here discussing her, he'd probably be so angry he'd freeze the whole room in an icebox."

Jun Bai shrugged noncommittally, his expression indifferent, as if all his words had vanished with the wind, leaving no trace.

Gan Yu's smile lingered, but her gaze gradually softened, like the surface of a lake bathed in the glow of the setting sun, shimmering with a gentle light. She looked up at the darkening sky outside the window, as if lost in some distant memory:

"But... is this what ordinary people's lives are like? It feels quite different from what I imagined."

Jun Bai moved a chair over, sat down beside her, and turned his head to ask, "So what did you originally think life was like for ordinary people?"

Gan Yu looked up, a thoughtful expression appearing on her clean and natural face, her eyes clear as a spring: "I originally thought..."

"The people who live in Liyue Harbor may not have extraordinary abilities, and their lifespan is only a hundred years, but they can live their short lives in a colorful and fulfilling way."

Her voice softened, carrying an almost poetic gentleness: "Even if life is hard, if you can taste a bit of sweetness in the bitterness, you will be genuinely happy."

"A bowl of steaming hot tofu pudding in the morning, a flickering lantern on a holiday, a casual greeting between friends... those small but real moments of happiness make me feel... very romantic."

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if carrying some unspeakable emotion: "This is also why I initially felt out of place."

"Although I have human blood, I am ultimately closer to the Qilin clan in my bones."

“I once thought that I would never be able to truly understand their joys and sorrows and daily life—those fleeting joys, those unspoken understandings, and those deep feelings hidden in the trivialities.”

Jun Bai listened quietly, nodding slightly, his gaze as deep as the night sky.

Indeed, real humans do not transform into auspicious beasts, do not ride on clouds, and do not maintain peace in a region through the power of contracts.

Even after transforming into a human, Gan Yu still retains the horn of a Qilin, and his eyes hold a tranquility and remoteness that transcends the mortal world.

Though she's called a "half-immortal," her soul actually leans more towards the lineage of celestial beasts. Yet, she too can be saddened by a rain shower, smile at a simple snack, and laugh until tears stream down her face because of a casual remark—

This sentimentality, this longing for the everyday life of ordinary people, is precisely her most tender connection with this land.

Jun Bai sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and a detached acceptance of the world, and slowly began to speak:

"Don't put filters on your judgment when doing things."

He gazed calmly into the distance, as if examining those overly romanticized fragments of life amidst the everyday hustle and bustle.

"Things are not as you assume they are. What you perceive as romance is often just reality coated in sugar."

He paused, as if setting the stage for what he was about to say, "You think that drinking a bowl of hot tofu pudding in the morning is a simple and pure form of happiness?"

"But the truth is that it is popular because it is cheap, filling, high in sugar, and quick to prepare."

"People don't eat it because they enjoy it, but because they need to fill their stomachs in the shortest amount of time so they can get to work and get back to their lives."

"That bowl of steaming tofu pudding doesn't embody poetry, but rather the efficiency of survival."

Gan Yu listened quietly, her eyes flickering slightly, but she didn't interrupt.

Jun Bai continued, "You think that releasing sky lanterns during festivals is a romantic ritual where people make wishes under the stars? In reality, it has long become a custom that has been passed down through generations."

"Most people have even forgotten the original meaning and just follow the crowd. The person who lights the lamp may not have any desires, and the person who looks up at the sky may not have any aspirations."

"The so-called sense of ritual is often just a matter of habit."

His voice was a few decibels lower, yet sharper:

Do you think that a simple "How are you doing lately?" between friends represents deep affection and concern?

"But the truth is often that it is two people who have long since run out of things to talk about, trying to maintain a relationship that exists in name only in the safest way."

"A greeting is not a sign of concern, but a polite way of avoiding responsibility."

He turned to look at Gan Yu, a hint of mockery in his eyes: "You think that a husband holding his wife's hand as they go to the market to buy groceries in the evening is a heartwarming family scene?"

"But the truth might be that they deliberately go at that time because vendors will offer discounts on unsold vegetables as it's close to closing time. The Mora saved might be the money for the children's breakfast tomorrow."

A night breeze swept by, swirling up a fallen leaf.

Jun Bai's voice was exceptionally clear in the silence: "Happiness never comes from enjoyment. True happiness is born from suffering."

He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the air, as if depicting some invisible law: "When a person is suffering to the extreme, when even breathing feels like cutting their throat, even if they only taste sweetness for a moment, they will feel that it is the light of the whole world."

"That sip of sugar water, that word of comfort, that minute of peace—it may seem insignificant to ordinary people, but to those mired in the mire, it is enough to sustain their will to live."

He withdrew his hand and gently shook his head: "So don't mistake other people's ordinariness for beauty. What you see as everyday life may be the trivialities and hardships that others are desperately trying to escape."

Gan Yu remained silent for a long time, then suddenly smiled, her eyes shining like stars: "Indeed, senior is indeed worthy of being senior."

"I thought I was already able to understand all aspects of human nature, but I never expected to learn such profound truths from you today."

Jun Bai spread his hands, adopting a "take it for granted" attitude: "Just like when you first settled in Liyue Harbor, didn't I say that?"

"You don't need to force yourself to adapt to a lifestyle that doesn't belong to you, nor do you need to deliberately pursue so-called recognition."

"You are you, a half-immortal beast, why must you try to fit yourself into the mold of a mortal?"

He tilted his head slightly, looked at Gan Yu, and said with a teasing tone:

"The reason you feel that the daily life of ordinary people is full of poetry and warmth is precisely because you have never truly experienced the days of struggling for daily necessities."

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder, and ignorance breeds fantasy. What you see as romance may just be a compromise of life to me."

He chuckled: "In the end, a pampered young lady who doesn't know anything about life will only suffer losses if she goes to experience life... After all, you don't even know how to bargain."

Gan Yu raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing on her lips: "Oh? So, are you particularly good at this, senior?"

She pointed to the bulging package on the ground and said in a light tone, "If I remember correctly, this spare rib... Senior, you seemed to have cut the price down to one-tenth of the original price right off the bat, right?"

She couldn't help but chuckle: "With that aura, anyone who didn't know better would think you were fighting monsters on the battlefield again!"

"If I hadn't intervened in time, the pork rib vendor would have chased after you with a weight."

Jun Bai shrugged, looking completely at ease: "I learned it from Zhong Li. It's called business negotiation skills."

“He taught me that the essence of negotiation is to break the other party’s psychological expectations. I could tell at a glance that the boss had set a price trap, so I countered by lowering the price and disrupting his rhythm—that’s what it means to take the initiative.”

Gan Yu rolled her eyes and mercilessly exposed her: "Don't give me that. If the Emperor himself came, he would just say calmly: I want them all."

Jun Bai was taken aback for a moment, then grinned: "Hehe~ You found out. But, the effect is the same, it saves money and I can still buy meat, why not?"

By this time, Gan Yu had rested thoroughly.

She stood up from the stone bench, reached into the sachet at her waist, and smoothly took out a thick carpet. With a gentle shake, she laid it steadily in the center of the courtyard.

As she tidied up, she said, "Just buy groceries, don't make it sound like a 'strategic negotiation' all the time."

“I’ve seen life on the streets before – I’ve done detailed market research, and the profit margin of an ordinary vegetable stall could never reach ten times. Your bargaining is just an attempt to scare people.”

She looked up, her gaze falling on Jun Bai's casually raised foot, and her tone suddenly turned cold: "And, senior, if you don't want to help lay the carpet, then please—move your foot back."

Jun Bai didn't accept it; instead, he smiled and a faint spiritual light flashed around him.

The next instant, his figure shrank dramatically, transforming into a five- or six-year-old child, wearing the same black trench coat, yet his eyes still shone with a seasoned glint.

For him, "changing size wherever he goes" is as natural as breathing.

Gan Yu looked at the suddenly shrunken "senior" in front of her and was at a loss for words.

But she didn't say anything more, and continued to take out pieces of furniture one by one from her sachet:

A foldable fabric sofa can be pushed gently and automatically slide to the corner of the wall;

She casually tossed a few soft cushions onto the sofa, where they landed precisely.

Xiao Junbai sat cross-legged on the edge of the carpet, his hands supporting his chin, like a child watching a play, without saying a word the whole time.

Once everything was arranged, Gan Yu finally stopped what she was doing, turned around to look at him, crossed her arms, and asked condescendingly, "So, senior, you really don't intend to help, is that right?"

She narrowed her eyes, her tone meaningful: "If I remember correctly, the final style of this renovation was decided according to your personal preferences, right?"

"What, are you now washing your hands of this?"

Xiao Jun tilted her head, pondered for a moment, and answered seriously, "Every piece of furniture I bought was chosen by myself and matches my aesthetic sense."

"So no matter how you arrange it, I will like the final result."

Gan Yu sneered: "So, what you mean, senior, is—to hand over all authority to me?"

Xiao Junbai nodded solemnly:

"I trust your aesthetic sense."

The voice just fell.

"Boom!"

With a muffled thud, Gan Yu's fist struck his little head, neither too hard nor too soft.

"Fine, then listen carefully!" she said sternly. "If you're ever dissatisfied one day, don't expect me to fix it for you. Do it yourself, and don't come looking for me."

Xiao Jun rubbed her head, but showed no fear on her face. Instead, she said with a grin, "Don't worry, no matter how you do it, I'll be satisfied~"

He tilted his head up, a sly glint in his eyes: "After all, this house will be a place you'll come to often in the future. You wouldn't deliberately make a mess of your second home, would you?"

Gan Yu was taken aback, then realized he was implying something. Her cheeks flushed almost imperceptibly, and she gave a soft hum and turned her head away.

"Smooth-talking, still so annoying."

In the courtyard, the carpet was smooth, the sofa comfortable, a gentle evening breeze blew, and starlight sprinkled down. The atmosphere between the two shifted from the somberness of philosophical contemplation to a relaxed and tacit understanding.

Junbai—regardless of whether it's a big or small matter—always knows how to use a single sentence to both defuse awkward situations and bridge the gap.

Gan Yu also understands that this seemingly cynical senior has actually seen through the essence of life, but chooses to protect this truth in a gentle way.

Perhaps true romance is not found in the moment the lanterns are lit up into the sky, nor in the steaming hot tofu pudding.

And at this moment—

The two sat side by side, without empty words or ostentation, quietly building a home, bit by bit.