Genshin Impact: Dionysus reigns supreme, all demons retreat!

Xu Ning was calming down the group of students when the shopkeeper from Huai'an came over and called out to him.

When Xu Ning saw the first person to patronize his business, he greeted him with a smile, "Manager Huai'an, it's been a long time!"

The shopkeeper from Huai'an laughed, "It really has been a long time. And since you left, my good wine has also disappeared."

Xu Ning recalled the jar of wine that Huai'an had secretly hidden in Zhen Qiang's room, and raised the wine gourd in his hand with a smile.

"I have even better wine now. After I visit the old village chief, I'll have another good drink with you."

When Huai'an heard Xu Ning mention the old village chief, his expression gradually became serious. He glanced at Beidou, who was already sitting with the other trainees, eating and drinking heartily, and then pulled Xu Ning aside to whisper a few words to him.

"...It's best not to delay, we might still make it in time."

Xu Ning's mood immediately became extremely heavy.

Although he knew this day would come, Xu Ning still felt a deep sadness upon hearing the news that the old village chief was critically ill.

"I'll take Beidou there right now. I'll have to trouble you to look after my students."

Huai'an nodded, "Don't worry about these kids, I'll have Zhen Qiang take you by boat!"

Xu Ning didn't stand on ceremony and clasped his hands in thanks to Huai'an.

Upon hearing that they were going to see the old village chief right away, Beidou quickly downed the wine in front of him and excitedly pushed Xu Ning onto the boat.

Zhen Qiang was incredibly strong, and he rowed the boat very fast.

Now, Xu Ning wanted to check on the old village chief as soon as possible, but he also wanted Zhen Qiang to shake things up more slowly. He needed to think about how to give Beidou a heads-up in advance.

This moment is so incredibly contradictory!

"When we get to the village entrance, let's take out the gift for Grandpa Village Chief and carry it in our hands, so that when we go in..."

Seeing Beidou's happy expression, Xu Ning really didn't know how to start the conversation.

“That old man is almost dead, he won’t be able to use anything you bring.” Zhen Qiang, who was rowing the boat, suddenly interjected after hearing Bei Dou’s words.

Xu Ning immediately turned around and roared, "You idiot Qiang... I really thank you!"

Zhen Qiang chuckled憨厚ly, "Hey, we're family, no need for thanks!"

Xu Ning was almost driven mad by Sha Qiang.

How could you live to be this old? Which blind Bodhisattva is protecting you?

Beidou was stunned by Zhen Qiang's words, and after a long while, she softly called out, "Xu Ning..."

Xu Ning quickly hugged her tightly.

"Birth, aging, sickness and death are common occurrences in life, and each of us will face such a day."

"If he's still alive, be sure to be happy when you get there. Grandpa Village Chief loves seeing Beidou happy the most."

"Do you remember where we first met? There's a teleport point a little further north. I can quickly return to Liyue Harbor and bring Bai Shu over to treat Grandpa Village Chief. There's always a way."

Xu Ning tried every possible way to find words of comfort.

Beidou didn't lift his head from Xu Ning's arms until the ship docked.

Her ruby-like contact lenses, like the sun after the rain, made Xu Ning's heart flutter.

"Beidou..."

"Xu Ning, I don't have a handkerchief. Could you wipe my face for me, and then we'll go see Grandpa Village Chief?"

Xu Ning took out a handkerchief from his pocket, carefully wiped away Beidou's tear stains, straightened her slightly messy hair, and then took her somewhat cold little hand in his.

The road the two were walking on was the same road they had taken the first time they followed that poor, hungry dog ​​into the fishing village.

Xu Ning pulled Beidou along slowly.

As the two walked along this road, what came to mind was the village chief's sigh, the smell of the hot fish soup, and the splashing sound of the small boat cutting through the waves.

It was the village chief's hearty laughter, the wallet he stuffed into the package, and his figure standing on the shore as he left.

For Xu Ning and Beidou, who were both alone and isolated in Liyue, this village chief was the first person who truly cared about them, a person they could call family, in addition to each other.

Now, this family member lies on the bed, breathing heavily, his white hair disheveled, and his appearance emaciated.

The moment Beidou saw the old village chief, her eyes immediately reddened, and the tears she had been holding back for so long finally burst forth again.

"Grandpa Village Chief, Beidou is back to celebrate the New Year with you."

The village chief, who was lying in bed, heard Beidou's voice and tried with difficulty to sit up.

Xu Ning quickly stepped forward, and together with a young man standing by the village chief's bed, helped him up and sit up against the bed.

"Ahem, haha, I didn't expect you guys to be back so early. Well, that's perfect timing. Beidou, how are you doing in Liyue Harbor?"

With tears in his eyes, Beidou smiled and said, "We're doing very well. We've made a lot of friends. We earned a lot of Mora selling wine and built a big house. I even caught a group of pirates and received a reward from the General Affairs Department. They gave me a really, really big ship, and I want to take Grandpa Village Chief on a ride..."

As Beidou narrated, the village chief's spirits improved, he stopped coughing, his complexion gradually became rosy, and he would laugh heartily when he heard the interesting parts of Beidou's story.

Xu Ning and the young man standing by the bed exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of sorrow in each other's eyes.

After seeing Beidou, the old village chief's spirits finally reached their peak in a final burst of energy before death.

After the summit comes a long, dark night.

The village chief's laughter gradually subsided, but Beidou seemed oblivious, still lying on the village chief's lap, talking about his life in the port and his experiences at sea.

The village chief smiled slightly, beckoned Xu Ning to come closer, and gently patted Beidou's head twice.

Xu Ning understood and nodded, saying, "I will definitely take good care of her and never let anyone bully her, so that she can become the most respected strong person in Liyue."

The old village chief said with a soft smile, "That's good, that's good!"

With a slight smile on his lips, the old village chief finally passed away.

Xu Ning reached out and helped Beidou, who was still muttering to herself, into her arms. She gently patted her back and said, "Alright, that's enough. Grandpa Village Chief is tired. Let him rest for a while."

Beidou paused in his speech, then finally burst into tears.

The old village chief had long foreseen his impending death, and his coffin had already been prepared and placed in the open space in the backyard.

The news of the old village chief's passing was relayed to Wangshu Inn by Zhen Qiang. Upon learning this, Xing, Jie, and the other students all rushed to the fishing village.

The honest and simple young man who was guarding the old village chief's bedside was named Ah Zhong. Seeing that the village chief was sick and had no one to take care of him, he had been taking care of the old village chief's daily life for some time.

With his help, the village chief was buried according to the customs of Xiachuan. Xu Ning brought the new clothes and tea that he had brought for the village chief, and put them into the village chief's coffin as burial goods.

Other items such as grains, oils, and food, along with a whole box of Mora, were handed over to Ah Zhong.