Spending Time

"Who is she, Aether?" Amber asked him while holding Aether's hand. Klee was holding his other hand and looked at the person in front of her curiously.

They were currently walking around Liyue Harbor. The others wanted to go shopping around Liyue themselves so Aether let them.

"The little girl is Qiqi. She is a zombie. And I'm about to adopt her." Aether replied. Amber looked at him with a shocked face. Klee smiled happily at him.

"New sister!!" She shouted excitedly.

"Hello Qiqi. Do you still remember me?" Aether knelt down in front of the little zombie. Qiqi looked at him for a while with an emotionless face. She then took out her notebook and flipped through it.

"Oh. Hello. You're the person that wanted to adopt Qiqi." Qiqi greeted emotionlessly. Aether smiled.

"Yes. It's me. Do you want to be in my family?" Aether asked. Qiqi tilted her head.

"Qiqi has asked Baizhu what 'family' means. He didn't say anything." Qiqi replied emotionlessly.

" Klee can answer! Family is family! You are happy around them! And you do fun things with them! " Klee helped Aether.

" Do they have Cocogoat milk?" Qiqi asked. Aether smirked.

"Yes they do. Speaking of Cocogoat, I found her Qiqi." Aether smiled. Qiqi widened her eyes a little.

"Really? You're not lying to Qiqi right?" Qiqi asked Aether to confirm. Amber giggled and picked the little zombie up.

"Aether doesn't lie to children. We'll go see he now okay?" Amber said while carrying her. She kissed Qiqi on the cheek and Qiqi smiled with an emotionless face. Aether picked up and carried Klee and put his hand on Amber's shoulder.

They appeared in front of Ganyu who was sitting beside a sleeping Jean. The adepti, Rex Lapis and Venti were chatting under a tree.

"Ah! You're back! " Ganyu got up and walked towards Aether. Qiqi looked at her for a moment.

"Cocogoat. Cocogoat. She's real." Qiqi stretched her hands out at Ganyu. Ganyu blushed in shock and embarrassment.

"Cocogoat.... Is that me? " Ganyu asked herself. Aether chuckled.

"A child's imagination, Ganyu. Here, do you want to hold her?" Aether asked. Ganyu stretched out her hands.

"Gimme her." Ganyu muttered timidly but excitedly. Aether smiled and transferred Qiqi into Ganyu's hands.

"You're so cute. What's your name?" Ganyu asked the little zombie.

"Qiqi. I am a zombie." Qiqi introduced herself. Ganyu smiled and ruffled her hair.

"What a nice name. My name is Ganyu. I'm an adeptus." Ganyu introduced herself to her.

" Oh. I see. Do you know what family is? Qiqi has no idea and he doesn't know what it means too. " Klee pointed at Aether. Ganyu had a thinking face for a while.

" Family, they're precious to you. The memories you share with them will always stay in your heart. That's what family is, dear Qiqi. " Zhongli said when he suddenly appeared beside them.

" Ah! Dad! don't scare me like that!" Ganyu shouted at him. Zhongli chuckled. He looked at Qiqi.

"Hello. Do you remember me, dear Qiqi?" He asked the zombie girl. Qiqi stayed silent for a while.

" Mr. You're the one who bought Everlasting Incense from us right? Our Everlasting Incense is still very expensive though. " Qiqi said finally remembering him. Zhongli smiled.

" Don't worry Qiqi. I have no need for them anymore. So Ganyu, how is it carrying her? " Zhongli changed the topic.

" I feel like I have a responsibility now." Ganyu answered still not sure about what she was feeling.

"What is this responsibility?" Zhongli pressed for more answers.

"A responsibility of protecting her. I actually like this responsibility. " Ganyu smiled a little. Qiqi looked in between the both of them.

"Qiqi feels bored." Qiqi commented with an emotionless face and voice. Amber laughed.

"Here. Put Qiqi down. Klee, do you want to play with your new sister?" Amber asked her. Klee nodded and grinned excitedly.

"Of course I want to! C'mon let's explore the forest together Qiqi! " Klee said and held her hand. They ran off to the woods together.

Aether summoned a clone.

"They don't need protecting since they're very strong themselves but as an added bonus, protect them with your life." Aether ordered. The clone nodded and followed them. Zhongli looked at Aether.

"You adopted her as well?" He asked Aether. Aether nodded.

"Why not. She needs loving family. We are all family aren't we Ganyu?" Aether asked while wrapping his hand around her shoulders.

"U-ummm..... Uhhh.... Yeah, we are." Ganyu answered timidly.

"Ahem! I'm still here you know." Zhongli reminded them. Aether and Ganyu blushed in embarrassment.

"Ugh.... Didi I hit my head or something?" Jean muttered while slowly waking up. Ganyu rushed over to her.

"Slowly now Miss. You just fainted and woke up." Ganyu reminded Jean slowly got up.

"Why did I faint again? Oh.... Oh.... I remember now.... I'm going to strangle Albedo the next time I see him. "Jean muttered darkly. Amber shuddered for a second.

Meanwhile, Albedo who was exploring the freezing mountains of Dragonspine sneezed loudly.

"What the shit. What made me sneeze like that? I better prepare myself for what is to come." Albedo muttered before climbing up to the peak of the mountain.

"Yeah. I'm going to execute you and parade your head around with a stake stabbed through it. Hehehehehe...." Jean giggled like a maniac.

"With her child's innocence lost, she has descended into madness. I fear for this Albedo gentleman who taught the girl about the unknown." Zhongli muttered shaking his head in pity.

"How about we forget about Albedo for a while. Aether has adopted another child just now." Amber changed the topic skillfully. Jean looked at Aether.

"I don't see her anywhere." Jean commented while looking around.

"That's because she has gone to play in the forest with Klee." Aether explained. Jean nodded and smiled softly.

"Glad they're getting along. Klee always bothers me about when is she getting a new sibling. " Jean grumbled.

" Yeah I wonder why? " Amber looked at Aether. Aether sweat dropped and looked at her nervously.

" What's wrong bunny? " Aether asked the Outrider.

" Nothing~" Amber huffed and turned away. Aether shook his head.

*BOOOOOMMMM!!!!*

Everyone stopped what they're doing and looked at where the explosion came from. Smoke was coming from the forest.

"I said play not blow up shit....

To be continued....