Chapter 2 - Standard Blend
Hu Tao tugged at Keqing, ignoring her protests as she dragged her down the street.
"Come on, move those feet of yours! Doesn't the term 'swift as lightning' mean anything to you?"
"Yes, when I'm using my Vision!" Keqing tried to break free, to no real avail. "Hu Tao, could you please let go? People are looking at us!"
"Why? So you can use that stiletto of yours to leave and get right back to work?" She made sure to link her arms, despite Keqing's complaints. "Sorry, but me and everyone else agreed that you needed to take a break. And I've got the perfect place!"
Keqing sighed, choosing to give into the situation, even if she didn't really have a choice in the matter. It wasn't her fault! With the Osial incident a few weeks ago, there was work that had to be done. Work that could only be done by her no less!
Sure, she may have lost a few hours of sleep the past few days, but she always made sure it never affected her work. Despite what Hu Tao may think.
"Where are you even taking me?" She asked.
"Just a new place that opened up near the harbor. A café of sorts." Hu Tao explained, whilst keeping a firm grip on Keqing much to her annoyance.
Well, that sounded rather suspicious. Give it to Hu Tao to find something out of the ordinary. And did she really have to pull so hard?
She huffed, falling into Hu Tao's pace to ease the pressure on her arm. "What do you mean, 'of sorts' if I may ask?"
At this, Hu Tao paused. "Well, it's called the Amber Teahouse... but it isn't exactly a tea house."
"...You lost me."
"Trust me, I had the same reaction."
Keqing made sure to make a mental note that this was one of the few establishments to have the one-up on Hu Tao. Though it did question whether she was mentally prepared to face something to that degree. Was this place as prank heavy as her friend? Or were their dishes crazier than Xiangling's 'experimental' concoctions. She had to admit, the curiosity was starting to kill her.
Hu Tao continued to lead them through the southern part of Liyue Harbor, and eventually near a corner past a few food stalls and small restaurants. Soon enough, the two found themselves in front of a building with a sign depicting 'Amber Teahouse' atop the front door.
"Huh, surprised it's still here to be honest."
"Are you saying you expected this establishment to close down?" Keqing scoffed. "You said you were here just the other day!"
Hu Tao winced at her response, mainly because it showed how little trust she had in Chris' ability to maintain the store. She felt a tad guilty about that. But come on! The name is the definition of false advertisement!
Hu Tao peeked through the glass window, squinting as she made out the figures inside.
"Perfect! He's still in business." Just when Keqing thought she was about to be free, she linked their arms again. "Come on, Princess!"
Keqing's protest was drowned out by the chime of the bell as Hu Tao pushed through the door, earning a quick look from the few customers inside.
Keqing took this moment to take a quick glance around the store. The place looked normal. It was relatively clean, and the tables were orderly enough. Though she raised a brow at some of the clearly mismatched chairs. Ningguang would have an aneurysm if she saw the color choices here.
If the chairs were comfortable enough, it's not as though she had any reason to complain. The interior proved itself to be spacious, which helped alleviate her concerns. Keqing noticed as a black-haired man behind the counter stopped to look at the two of them.
He put a mug down as he saw them. Hu Tao waved maniacally, dragging her hand (much to her dismay) along for the ride.
"What's up Chris! Told you I'd come back."
"Hu!" Hu Tao folded her arms, finally letting go of Keqing's in the process. "...Tao! S-sorry, I forgot that didn't really work with your name."
Keqing watched as the man's eyes lit up, sincerity oozing off in droves. She chuckled. Well, that was a first. Someone happy to see Hu Tao. Usually, it was quite the opposite.
"And I forgive you...as long as you're keeping that deal we had with the coffin in mind."
"I did say I'd think about it." He looked over at Keqing. "And who's your friend?"
Keqing's eyes widened at this revelation. Her features were distinct and while she wasn't one to brag, her status as the Yuheng is well-known through the city. Even children knew her!
"This is Keqing! A pretty important people person."
Keqing rolled her eyes at Hu Tao's 'explanation'.
She held out a hand which the young man graciously accepted, before returning it with a firm handshake.
"As my friend said, I am Keqing. A pleasure to meet you, mister...," Keqing inquired.
"Hm?" He looked down at his apron confused, then dismayed. "Knew I forgot something."
He let go of her hand, reaching into his pockets before pulling out a small clip that he quickly fastened onto his apron.
A clip with a name tag that merely said 'Chris'.
"And there we go. The name's Chris, as you can see. And a friend of Hu Tao is a friend of mine. Er, if you're ok with it. I'm not trying to overstep any boundaries here."
Keqing smiled at Chris' earnest reaction. It was a bit cute she had to admit. "Don't worry about it. You're fine."
Keqing sighed in relief, now that Hu Tao left her poor arm alone as they were both led to a cushioned stall near the frontside of the café.
"Are you sure about this seating? I would hate to take up all this space if you're looking to seat more customers later."
"I wouldn't worry about that."
Keqing tilted her head. "And why is that?"
Chris made a show with his hands, taking the menu from under his arm with a flourish and waved it across the cafe. "This is busy as it'll get."
As she followed the motion of his arm, she noted that while most of the tables were occupied, it was only ever by two people at the most.
What was even stranger was the fact that none of the occupants even seemed to be Liyuean. She recognized Ivanovich, a businessman from Snezhnaya, as well as Lan from the Adventurer's Guild.
She remembered having to read out a letter directed to her because she was illiterate. How she managed to become branch manager despite that was beyond her. She knew the woman has a few S-Rank commissions under her belt. And while the city, herself included, are grateful for it, she can't possibly be the only one who thinks it's weird that someone in her position can't read.
"Hellloooo! Earth to Keqing! You're staring!"
Keqing jumped in her seat as Hu Tao reached over the table to jab a finger right in her side.
"H-hey! What was that for!"
Hu Tao smirked as she tilted her head in Chris's direction.
"So... the menu?" Chris asked, as he held it out for her to grab.
"O-oh. I'm sorry. Work must be getting to me." Keqing took a menu and paused, then seemed apologetic as she realized he'd been trying to hand it off to her while she was lost in her thoughts. She looked to Hu Tao for help, but only got a shrug in response, followed by her mouthing the words 'told you so.'
Curse herself for unintentionally blaming this on work. Hu Tao will never let her hear the end of it. Wanting to ease the tension, she put on her best work smile and decided to ask Chris a simple question.
"How did you meet Hu Tao?" This, she was honestly curious about. Given that anyone who does end up meeting her typically wants nothing to do with her by the end of the day.
He glanced at Hu Tao as he scratched the back of his neck. "Oh, you know how it is. First customer and all. Barging in through my door despite the sign saying it was closed and demanded I serve her a drink."
Hu Tao groaned, pulling her hat down right as Keqing shot a glare towards her. She glared at Chris in response, who merely took it in stride, amused to see that Keqing had believed the small embellishment in his retelling. Goes to show just how chaotic the little gremlin could be.
"He's over-exaggerating. I didn't demand a drink. I asked for one. He could've said no."
Luckily enough, it didn't seem like Chris was all that unhappy about the encounter in Keqing's eyes.
"I could've. But why do I get the feeling you would've pestered me until I said yes?"
"Because you're entirely correct. I'm sorry to say that you're only about the 100th person to fall victim to her whims," Keqing chimed in, then made way for a dramatic pause, "...just for this month alone."
Hu Tao's cheeks tinged a small red as everyone else in the café stared at her. Her two 'friends' with amusement and the other patrons in thinly veiled annoyance. Victims of her pranks no doubt.
"Not my fault you're a pushover."
"I'm just very tolerant." Chris replied. "Anyhow, are you two ready to order?"
Keqing returned to reading, after her small joke at Hu Tao's expense. "I know what snack I'd like to order, but I've never heard of these tea blends before." She lifted the menu and pointed at one of the options. "The Sumeran Desert Oasis, for example. Care to explain?"
The pen in Chris's hand froze at Keqing's inquiry.
"And there's the million-mora question." Hu Tao laughed. "Yea, what is up with the tea, Chris?"
Chris ignored her, focusing his attention on Keqing. "That's because we don't serve tea here. T-those are coffee blends."
"But I thought this was a teahou-," It all clicked in Keqing's head. So, this is what she meant by false advertising. No wonder the 'tea' names were all unfamiliar territory. She was no tea connoisseur, but all the items being coffee explained why she couldn't pin down a single one.
...This also means she's even less prepared than she thought. The descriptors under the blends only seemed to help those who already had some form of knowledge regarding coffee. Something she has zero idea of.
She glanced up awkwardly. "I-I'll have a standard coffee?"
Ugh, she must sound so stupid. There must be a hundred different variants of coffee and she had to go and say 'standard.' How would that be of any help to Chris?
Hu Tao played with the menu, a tiny smile gracing her lips as she watched Keqing nervously approach the topic.
"O-ow!" Hu Tao hissed.
It didn't seem to stop Keqing from kicking her leg underneath the table, however.
"Tell you what. I'll whip a little something up for you and if you're not satisfied, we can say it's on the house." He proposed.
"Oh no, you don't have to. Payment isn't an issue for me."
He held up a hand, the awkwardness from the exchange having all but disappeared. "Consider it compensation for my," he paused to give Hu Tao a sideways glance, "...my false advertising. That and I like a little bit of a challenge. I'll make sure the first coffee you have's a good one."
Keqing blinked at him. "That obvious, huh."
"Well...no one who drinks coffee orders a 'standard'. Well, there is black I suppose, but I digress! I'll be back in just a moment with a drink that'll knock your socks off."
"She's wearing tights though."
""And you shut up."" Chris and Keqing spoke in unison.
"Yeesh, tough crowd."
Chris turned to leave, and then stopped to turn around. "Wait. You said you knew what snack you wanted? Sorry about that."
"The Bai Tang Gao please." Keqing had almost forgotten herself.
"And you?" He addressed Hu Tao.
"Nope, I'm good. The complimentary nuts are all I need."
The two watched him stride behind the counter, and then Hu Tao looked at Keqing with a wry grin. "Told you this place was weird."
"Naming scheme aside, the place certainly could use some touch-up," Keqing observed. "The atmosphere is nice enough, but I can't form a full opinion without trying any of their food or drinks."
"Food? Please, we both know the first thing you looked for on that menu was Golden Shrimp Balls."
"E-excuse me? I was not." Keqing growled. Going by the look on Hu Tao's face, she wasn't entirely convinced. "And even if I was, so what? Those are a staple of Liyue cuisine. Would it be so wrong of me to use it as a means to test his culinary ability?"
"That's an excuse if I've ever heard one," Hu Tao giggled. "I love you, but you really should be more honest with yourself. Life's too short for that, you know?"
Keqing grumbled at her teasing and resisted the urge to kick at her feet again. Sometimes she wished she could be more liberal with the use of her stiletto, but unless she wanted to send Hu Tao to an early grave, she'd have to bear with it for now. Really, it wasn't even the teasing that got to her, it was how Hu Tao was so readily able to say 'I love you' so casually.
She doesn't even remember how they became friends in the first place. It just happened! How was she supposed to respond to something like that? Do friends say 'I love you' back? She's probably missed the opportunity to say so at this point. Ugh, first it was Xiangling, now it's Hu Tao. Why couldn't she find more… quiet friends?
The clink of a tray ripped Keqing out of her thoughts as she whipped her head to see Chris with an awkward smile on his face. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." He apologized.
"Ai ya ya, you're doing it again! Are you sure you've been getting enough sleep?" Hu Tao asked.
"I get enough. I just… have a lot on my plate is all. You know. With work." Work was definitely a factor, but she won't give Hu Tao the pleasure of knowing that she was also part of the problem.
"Rough day?" He leaned in a bit and made a small hum. "Nah, I know the look on your face. Rough week is more like it."
"And what makes you think that?"
"Because I had the same haggard look when opening my business."
She leaned into her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Is it that obvious?"
Hu Tao and Chris gave each other a nod. ""Yep."" They both said.
Keqing sighed. She prided herself in keeping up appearances, and if a normal civilian easily pointed it out, then she really was doing something wrong. She could deal with either Hu Tao or Osial's wreckage, but certainly not both.
She looked between the two of them, deciding that the atmosphere was getting a little too suffocating with their attention on her.
"E-enough about me. What about the coffee?" She looked at the tray with the sponge cake, as well as the drink she ordered. Well... Order is a strong term. She left the choice entirely up to Chris in the end.
"Right! Uhm. I went with something simple since this is your first tasting. I overheard your conversation earlier with the Golden Shrimp Balls and all, so I decided to go with a caramel café latte." He explained, but noticing the lost look on the girls' faces, he continued to elaborate.
"So, in this drink, we have a shot of espresso, about 8 ounces of steamed milk, topped with a thin layer of foam for texture. A little caramel and two teaspoons of sugar to give it a sweet touch all the while retaining the coffee flavor." He dashed to the counter, returning with a bag of coffee beans.
"You see, I went with beans from Natlan since it has low acidity with subtle vanilla undertones. Which pairs it well with the milk in lattes. It also lends well to a more earthy taste, which is more desirable in the wake of the lighter flavor of coffee beans. Also! Also… Oh gods, I'm rambling aren't I?"
The girls stared at him, eyes wide.
"And people say I talk too much." Hu Tao laughed.
"Hu Tao!" Keqing glared at her, giving Chris an apologetic smile. "For the record, I enjoyed hearing your explanation. This is all new for me."
Not wanting to keep him waiting, she picked up the cup and sipped at it. She paused, pulling her head back, licking her lip to retain more of the flavor before giving it another sip.
"It may not mean much from me, but I think this drink of yours is good."
He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Thank goodness. I'm glad you like it. Anyways, I'd hate to take up the rest of your time. Just give me a call when you guys are ready to head out and I'll clean up right after."
"Nuh-uh!" Hu Tao reached up, pulling him into the stall beside her to his surprise. "You're gonna stay and chat with us."
"But the rest of the customers-"
She wasn't having any of it. "But the rest of the customers will call for you when they actually need you." She spoke up louder so the other patrons could hear. "Isn't that right?"
"Not like you're getting any more customers in the next hour Boss! No offense, of course." One of the patrons spoke up, laughing it up all the way.
Hu Tao beamed. "And there you have it. So, how's the store doing? Give us the details."
"Even if the café doesn't have as many customers as I'd like, I'm still doing fine." He looked around the café with a small chuckle. "It may not be a hit with a few of the locals, but my coffee's good enough to drag in most of the out-of-towners." His face fell. "Truth be told, a few Liyueans did come by a few times this week. Though, they had some rather….choice words at the fact that I didn't serve any tea. Probably the name at play there."
Keqing raised a brow. "Probably?"
He rolled his eyes. "Ok, fine! Definitely the name's fault. But I'm keeping it for now. Some of them did stop to try some coffee and I think I've managed to snag a regular or two, so that's great."
"What about that schedule of yours? There's no way you get any real free time to yourself." Hu Tao drummed her fingers against the table. "I've seen you move around the morning markets working on your supply and setting up your deliveries, but all this?" She waved her finger in a circle. "You'll end up like our purple princess over here at this rate."
"I resent that." Keqing chimed in. She'd elaborate, but the Bai Tang Gao was a lot better than she gave it credit for. It was no Golden Shrimp Balls, but it paired well with the latte on hand.
"Anyways, I can respect you for following your heart and all, but there's always a breaking point." She wrapped an arm around his shoulder, shaking him back and forth. "I'm just saying a little moderation will do you some good. Lest I drag you out myself, like I did with Keqing over here."
"She means it, just so you know." She hummed in agreement. "She went out of her way to bother my subordinates, so they had no choice but to give me a break. Barged right into my office and here we are."
"Yea, and lucky for you. I happen to like this place. I don't want to find this place closed down because you dropped dead from exhaustion. Especially since you still haven't struck a deal with the funeral parlor."
He flinched under her gaze. "I know, I know. Trust me, I get it. I do have plans to hire a few employees down the line once my place gets busier but as it stands, I can afford to go at it solo. Last thing I'd want is a full house complaining that the queue is too long."
Hu Tao pulled her arm back. "Just remember. A little bit of fun goes a long way.""
Keqing dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, after finishing the last of the Bai Tang Gao. "You'd be helping me indirectly too. Should you choose to manage this building properly."
He tilted his head, unsure of the implication. "How come?"
"I help manage real estate and construction in Liyue." Keqing answered. "Meaning it would do me some good if you develop this building in a way that helps benefit Liyue Harbor."
He nodded. "That makes sense. So, are you responsible for the land in the southern part of Liyue Harbor?"
Keqing smiled. He really was clueless to her identity.
"Yes and no. It's not just the southern district. I'm responsible for all of Liyue Harbor." She pulled out a business card, signifying her status and passed it off to Chris. "I do believe proper introductions are in order. I am Keqing, Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing."
Oh. Was this a bad time to reveal her identity? While she had been happy that Chris treated her well, whilst ignorant of her station, she felt guilty keeping him in the dark. Even if it wasn't intentional on her part.
He pocketed the card, before bending into a full bow, inciting a small yelp from Keqing.
"If that's the case, then I wholeheartedly thank you for allowing me to use this building for my business."
Ugh, this was exactly the kind of thing she wanted to avoid.
She placed her hands on his shoulders, silently pleading him to stop so they could talk face to face. "You don't have to thank me. If anything, it would've been one of my subordinates who approved the process. It's not like I overlook every single case in Liyue Harbor."
"I dunno. You sure act like you do sometimes." Hu Tao interrupted.
"Hu Tao! Not now!"
She zipped her mouth in a mime-like fashion.
Chris finally spoke up. "Can I ask you for a small favor then?"
"What is it?"
"Is there anything you could recommend when it comes to sprucing up my store?"
Hu Tao groaned from her seat. Great, now they were talking business. Well, she did what she came here to do. She could allow Keqing this one instance of business talk seeing as she managed to wind down with some food and drink. Baby steps, Hu Tao reminded herself. Baby steps.
"When it comes to comfort, I think the shop has that aspect covered. But in my professional opinion, you're not utilizing the space to it's potential. A few of the tables are slightly uneven in distribution, and the mismatching chairs doesn't lend well to the eye. A lot of the locals take feng shui into account, I'll explain that later. But essentially, the more uniform your store looks, the more likely it'll appeal to the locals in the area."
Hu Tao continued to watch them as they were engrossed in their talk, Chris even going as far as to bring in some of the patrons in for their input. Most of the details were beyond Hu Tao, but she couldn't say much seeing as Keqing (and Chris for that matter) looked quite at home in their 'work mode' atmosphere.
Well, she could tell when she's outstayed her welcome. Looking at the price of the snacks, Hu Tao dropped enough coins to pay for Keqing's snack as well as a little treat of her own. He was too busy to notice as Hu Tao helped herself to one of the biscuits in the display behind the counter and promptly left the Amber Teahouse.
Chris waved to Keqing as she left the store, all the while thanking her for the business tips. He didn't notice Hu Tao leaving, much to his disappointment. Did he not give her enough attention? Or maybe he gave off the impression he was too enamored with her friend, and it put her off. He'd like to think he gave the two the proper amount of distance a barista should have with their customers. Maybe he was thinking too hard on it. Hu Tao is apparently well-known for her eccentricity and general weirdo behavior, so it shouldn't come off as a surprise that she comes and goes as she pleases.
That does mark the second time a Vision Bearer has visited his café. A Vision Bearer he's aware of at least. Keqing brought it up herself in their idle talk about business and he couldn't help but think that maybe he wouldn't have given up being an Investigator if he had a Vision of his own.
He shook those thoughts aside. Him not having one just means that the Archons didn't find him worthy enough is all. Nor would he have any need of one with his current state of employment. What was he going to do, use a Cryo vision to freeze his wares?
On second thought, that did sound rather useful now, didn't it?
He took a moment to regain his bearings. The more he dwelled on his former occupation, the more he'd feel like shit, he found. He truly loved his new job, but the idea of abandoning his former dream still hurt from time to time.
He stared at the display on his counter, now bereft of its contents, thanks to Keqing. She decided to buy out the rest of his cakes for her colleagues in her office, seemingly impressed with the Bai Tang Gao. To the point where he had to tell her that he only made about twenty percent of the snacks he had on deck. Most of his stock was ordered from the other vendors after all and he wouldn't take credit where it wasn't due.
Keqing seemed particularly pleased with his admission, which was a bit weird, considering all he did was tell the truth, but he wouldn't read into it. What had she called him?
Ah, right. Too honest. When it comes to business, he wasn't near cutthroat enough as some of the other competition he could imagine. But it wasn't exactly in his nature. He hoped so at least.
The chime rang, as a person in purple robes entered his store. A uniform that belonged to the Fatui from what people have been telling him.
He could tell it was a woman by her physical features. The curves were there and she was rather…endowed. And past her mask, he could tell that she had brown hair that tapered off in a side-braid.
"Enjoying the view?" She said.
He nodded. Wait, no. He wasn't supposed to do that.
"Er. I mean, how can I help you?"
Strangely enough, she didn't seem too upset with his actions, thank the archons.
"Heard from a friend of mine that you make a mean brew. You have any Snezhnayan blends?"
Now this was the part of work he really enjoyed.