Mr. Zhongli, we can't slack off anymore!

The traveler abruptly raised his head to meet his gaze, and the anger that had been temporarily quelled by the chaos and avoidance was reignited by his matter-of-fact attitude.

She no longer hid her dissatisfaction: "I don't eat with people who don't even say 'goodbye' and disappear after leaving a letter."

She directly addressed the core issue, rejecting his roundabout arguments about etiquette and waste, and bringing the problem back to its origin—his abrupt departure.

Faced with her direct accusation, Zhongli did not show any offense or anger on her face, but instead showed a patient understanding.

His tone was sincere, even carrying a hint of apology as if he were "thinking of you": "The incident happened suddenly and the situation was urgent, so it was a last resort. It was already late at night, and I didn't want to disturb the Deputy Hall Master's peaceful sleep, so I didn't say goodbye in person. Fortunately, the important matters have been taken care of in time, and now that I'm back, there's still plenty of time... so I can see the Deputy Hall Master off."

His expression was sincere, and his words were logically clear. He was the perfect subordinate who always considered the "Deputy Hall Master's" needs and handled both official and personal matters properly.

It was as if the letter from his sudden departure and all the chaos and embarrassment caused by his sudden appearance were just insignificant interludes, while his return and "escort" were the obvious focus.

"Hmph." The traveler let out a short, cold snort, feeling that arguing with a guy like him, who could always justify himself and always had the upper hand, was a complete waste of breath and energy.

She decided to take a more direct and effective approach—out of sight, out of mind. She turned to Elheisen, who was standing quietly to the side, and said decisively, "Elheisen, we're leaving."

As he spoke, he was about to walk around Zhongli, who was blocking his way.

"Wait." Zhongli moved slightly, almost imperceptibly, and once again blocked the traveler's path.

This time, he didn't explain further, but looked into her eyes and admitted, "This matter... was my fault."

"And then?" The traveler stopped, crossed his arms, and tilted his chin slightly as he looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Simply admitting she was wrong isn't enough; she needs an attitude, an explanation, or... some kind of "statement" that she can accept.

“We shouldn’t bring personal emotions into work interactions and responsibilities,” Zhong Li replied earnestly, as if conducting a profound self-examination.

"Who asked you about your job!" The traveler was almost laughing in exasperation.

He's downplaying the real issue again, using "work" as a high-sounding excuse to cover up the real problem! Our relationship has never been just about "work"!

“As for me,” Zhongli’s voice suddenly deepened, and a complex and heavy emotion seemed to slowly flow from the depths of his usually calm golden eyes: “The word ‘friend’ is not enough to encompass all the ties and past between us. Therefore, I have no choice but to leave temporarily and consider how to proceed.” His sudden words completely deviated from the scope of “work,” pointing directly to the most subtle and difficult-to-define core of their relationship, causing the previously aggressive traveler to freeze in place, opening his mouth but not knowing how to respond.

"I... I mean, the thing about leaving a letter and then disappearing!" The traveler's face flushed slightly, and he tried somewhat flusteredly to steer the conversation back onto his familiar "accusation" track, emphasizing the specific wrong action.

“Between you and me, we cannot stop here.” Zhongli’s gaze did not waver, and his words did not deviate from his own line of thought. Instead, they landed more firmly on the more fundamental question.

The traveler stood there, her mind in turmoil. The questions and anger she had prepared were rendered useless. He had steered the conversation in a more complicated and unsettling direction.

The eerie atmosphere of silence between the two, filled with unspoken words and complex emotions, quickly drew the attention of the surrounding diners and attracted their subtle stares.

Even the tavern staff noticed the unusual situation and hesitated, seemingly considering whether to come over and intervene so as not to disturb other customers.

Pressure was gathering from all directions.

The traveler felt a headache coming on. She raised her hand to rub her temples and finally gave in, somewhat wearily, saying, "...Sit down first."

Standing and being the center of attention was really uncomfortable, and her mind was indeed a bit of a mess; she needed to sort out her thoughts, which had been disturbed by Zhong Li's words.

I initially thought his abrupt departure was the key issue, an absolutely unforgivable mistake, but now it seems that this matter is temporarily... not important.

His "reason" was even more unsettling.

"I apologize, I acted rashly and said the wrong thing." Zhongli immediately followed up and apologized: "You don't need to give me an answer now. There are some things that you do need more time to clarify. I was presumptuous today."

He paused, then made a gesture of concession: "Now that we have met and I have conveyed my message, I will not disturb you any longer. Please enjoy your meal, Vice Hall Master and your friend. I will return to my inn to wait for you."

After saying that, he actually turned around and made a move to leave the tavern.

Seeing that he was really about to leave, the traveler sighed softly and called out to him:

"Zhongli".

It's not like I can't stand sharing a meal with someone. What, are you leaving?

The figure stopped but did not turn around, seemingly waiting.

"Stay for dinner." The traveler decided to handle the situation in the most mature and appropriate way.

Zhongli slowly turned around, his face expressionless. He simply nodded in the direction of the traveler and then walked back.

The minor storm seemed to have subsided for the time being. The group finally sat down at the table again, but the atmosphere was more subtle and unsettling than before.

Jin Moli naturally sat down next to the traveler. Elhesen, being closer and seemingly uninterested in this "emotional entanglement," sat directly in the empty seat opposite the traveler.

"I'm sorry to have made you laugh." The traveler took a deep breath, looked at the calm-faced Elhesen opposite him, and said somewhat awkwardly in a low voice.

"It's alright. Conflicts and clarifications in interpersonal relationships are common social phenomena. Through today's observation, I have indeed gained a deeper understanding of you. Some questions that arose in the past based on limited information now have reasonable inferences and answers." Al-Hysen clearly had no intention of interfering further or giving any personal evaluation of this incident; he was simply stating his observations.

However, there was an empty seat next to Elhesen. Zhong Li was standing next to that empty seat, not sitting down immediately.

Zhongli's gaze calmly fell on Elhesen, and he asked politely, "Excuse me, sir, would it be possible... for you to give up this seat?"

Without even fully raising his head, Al-Hysen answered crisply and decisively, without a trace of hesitation or politeness: "No."

The refusal was clear and unequivocal, leaving no room for negotiation.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. A debate about seating arrangements was about to quietly unfold around this small dining table.

Meanwhile, the traveler wasn't idle either. Just as Zhongli and Elhesen were exchanging words, Jin Moli, sitting next to her, had already begun her "attentive service" once again.

“Deputy Hall Master.” Jin Moli leaned slightly closer to the traveler’s ear, her voice soft and pleasant, her face bearing an impeccable gentle smile, seemingly oblivious to the subtle atmosphere between the other two men: “Now that we have an extra guest, the dishes on the table may not be enough. Perhaps… I should order a few more of your favorite dishes. After a busy day, you deserve a proper meal.”

She spoke with a smile, her words filled with familiarity and care for the traveler's preferences, appearing entirely devoted to her superior.