Shen Qin didn't dwell too much on the matter.
Chatting and laughing, the group soon arrived at the Good Hunter restaurant, where Sara greeted them with a bright smile. When her gaze fell on Shen Qin, her eyes lit up.
"Come on in, everyone!"
Amber waved at her. "Miss Sara, how's business been lately?"
"It's been great —never been busier than ever! Since Mr. Shen Qin invented the hoverboard, we've got visitors from all over the country. Their first choice for dining is always the Good Hunter!"
"Yeah!" Amber chimed in with a sigh. "Even the people taking the flight license test include many faces from other nations. That never used to happen."
Most of these foreign test-takers were aiming to purchase a flying skateboard at its original price.
According to Diluc, flying skateboards were being sold outside Mondstadt for over 250,000 Mora—a shocking markup.
Even Jean, usually calm and composed, had suggested accelerating market expansion. But both Shen Qin and Diluc believed the timing wasn't right.
After all, how much market could those scattered merchants claim ahead of time?
The group chose a corner table, and Shen Qin generously declared, "Order whatever you like—this one's on me!"
The other three didn't hold back, picking dishes they usually couldn't justify ordering, reserving them for special occasions.
"Shen Qin, just between us—how much Mora have you made so far?" Amber asked curiously after placing her order.
The Knights of Favonius' salary was decent, but it somehow always seemed to vanish quickly—especially for Amber, who frequently violated flight rules, got fined, and wore out her wind gliders.
"I honestly don't know. You know me—I'm not interested in Mora," Shen Qin replied nonchalantly, waving his hand. "My real passion lies in alchemy."
His smug expression gave Kaeya the urge to strangle him.
"If you don't like Mora, Brother Shen, Klee can spend it for you!" Klee said earnestly, blinking her big eyes.
"Sure! If you ever need Mora, just come to me," Shen Qin replied grandly, waving his hand.
"What about me, dear friend?" Kaeya asked, draping an arm over Shen Qin's shoulder with mock sincerity.
"Go as far as you can—I don't know you."
"Alas, it seems our bond was shortlived," Kaeya sighed dramatically, trying—and failing—to squeeze out a tear.
"Hehe, getting a free meal is enough for me. Next time I'm broke, I'll come find you again!" Amber swung her head back and forth, eagerly awaiting the food.
Soon, the dishes arrived. Just as Kaeya was about to dig in, Sara approached.
"Mr. Shen Qin, I heard the library management system was custom-made by you for Miss Lisa?"
"That's correct."
Upon his confirmation, Sara's smile grew even brighter. She quickly regained composure and made a sincere request: "Would you be willing to design an ordering system for the Good Hunter? The compensation isn't an issue!"
"No problem! Just give me a copy of your menu, and I'll have it done by tomorrow afternoon," Shen Qin agreed readily.
Lisa had mentioned this to him before, but he'd been preoccupied with the flying skateboard project and had forgotten after the competition ended.
Sara cheered quietly, then solemnly thanked him. "Thank you so much! I'll get the menu copied right away. To show our gratitude, today's meal is on the house!"
'Free… meal?' Kaeya set his knife and fork down, suddenly finding the food less appetizing.
He'd come specifically to exploit Shen Qin's generosity; the food was secondary. But his plan had clearly foiled.
Amber gave him a sympathetic glance before continuing to enjoy the meal. She had no ulterior motives—she was just here for the free food.
"Ah, life—it's always so unpredictable," Shen Qin mused cryptically, making Kaeya feel even worse.
After the meal, Kaeya left with a parting threat: next time, he'd make sure Shen Qin paid through the nose. Amber took Klee out to play, while Shen Qin returned to his alchemy workshop to work on the ordering system.
With his previous experience designing the library management system, this new project only took him half a day. By the time it was done, it was already 10 PM. Shen Qin locked up the workshop and collapsed into bed.
That night, he dreamed of returning to Teyvat under different circumstances. This time, he didn't awaken any system or meet Klee. Instead, he stumbled across Lisa returning to Mondstadt with overdue books.
She brought him to the library, where he became an assistant. His daily tasks involved organizing and tracking borrowed books.
For some reason—perhaps Lisa's sense of humor—the books he painstakingly organized would be completely rearranged by the next morning. Every day, he had to start from scratch, finishing only by midnight.
After a month of this grueling schedule, Shen Qin reached his limit. Even the notorious 996 work culture offered a day off! But here, he worked from the moment he woke up until bedtime, with no weekends.
When he tried slacking off, Lisa's lightning magic promptly "motivated" him.
"Sweetie, I'll supervise you personally. For every book that's been misplaced, I'll give you a therapy that's on the house," she warned, lounging on her chair, sparks crackling at her fingertips.
By the ninety-ninth zap, he finally escaped the nightmare and woke up in a cold sweat.
'…4 AM.'
Is this what they mean by 'daytime reverie, nighttime dreams'? He calmed himself, but unease lingered.
Unable to sleep, he dressed and went to his workbench, sketching ideas.
"Fixed the bookshelves sortation… simpler mechanical arms on tracks… and a basic program to automate sorting…"
By 6:30 AM, with daylight breaking, Shen Qin had finished his plans. Ignoring his growling stomach, he headed straight to the library.
"Sweetie, oh my, why are you here so early? The library isn't open yet," Lisa greeted him mid-breakfast. She looked at him closely. "Oh dear, those dark circles! Youth is an advantage, but don't neglect your health!"
"Ahaha…" Shen Qin scratched his head awkwardly, handing her his notebook. "This is an updated library system proposal. I added an auto-sorting function, though the library will still need some modifications. See if it works for you."
"So much detail!" Lisa flipped through it briefly and set it aside. "I'll review it later. Thanks for bringing it by, so early, dear. Now, care to join me for breakfast?"