Tartaglia: "Straight as an arrow, Beidou's too much, I'm dying laughing!" he roared.
Xander: "I can't breathe, Ningguang's dropping hints, and Beidou just nopes out!" he wheezed.
Beidou: "Quit tying me to this farce, me and Ningguang? Pure fiction!" she barked.
Ningguang: "@Xander, keep this up, and Liyue might not welcome you much longer," she warned.
Xander: "Did I say something? Must've slipped my mind," he backpedaled.
Chongyun: "Beidou and Ningguang together? I'd root for that," he grinned.
Xingqiu: "Hehe, I'd cheer too, it's got a certain charm," he giggled.
Beidou: "You two want a swim with the fish? I'll arrange it!" she threatened.
The screen pressed on, unfazed by the chat's uproar.
Ningguang tilted her head, "Beidou, ever hear 'a spring night's worth a thousand gold'?"
Beidou blinked, "Wait, Ningguang, are you suggesting…?"
Ningguang smiled coyly, "Perhaps," she purred.
Beidou perked up, "Right now, then?" she blurted.
Ningguang faltered, "No, you're too blunt, I crave a touch of romance."
Beidou scratched her head, "Alright, what's romantic to you?"
Ningguang gestured to the night, "This ambiance begs for lyrical music, don't you think?"
Beidou nodded, "Easy enough," she said.
She cranked a phonograph, its needle kissing the disc with a scratch.
A haunting tune spilled out, soft and mournful under the moonlit pavilion.
"Oh, mother, by candle's glow, why did your eyes fade so?" it wailed.
Tears welled in Beidou's eyes, her rough edges softened by the melody.
Ningguang sniffled too, the song piercing her poised exterior.
The chat sobered, viewers brushing away unexpected tears for their own kin.
Ningguang wiped her face, "I meant lyrical, not soul-crushing, Beidou."
Beidou sobbed, "Isn't this what you wanted, something moving?"
Ningguang groaned, "Not like that, play something fiery, heart-pounding, got it?"
Beidou shrugged, "Sure, I'll switch it," she agreed.
She swapped records, a fierce rhythm bursting forth like a storm.
"The king defies, chaos reigns, grudges pile high," it thundered.
"Panic grips, fate marches on, what's to be done?" it roared.
"Mountains shift, rivers rage, swallowing the sky," it crescendoed.
"Rocks fall, sins fade—or do they?" it questioned.
The beat surged, igniting blood, but overshot into grim fervor.
Ningguang's patience snapped, "Get out, you hopeless lug!" she yelled.
The chat blinked, then dissolved into a mix of awe and hilarity.
Maurice: "That first song hit hard, reminds me of my late wife," he wept.
Yae Miko: "This was supposed to be funny, not a tearjerker!" she protested.
Wendy: "Such a sorrowful tune, new to my ears," he sighed.
Xander: "Beidou's still clueless, fake or real, it's gold," he chuckled.
Beidou: "@Xander, watch it, I'm docking in Liyue soon to sort you out!" she growled.
Xinyan: "That second track's a blaze, anyone know it?" she rocked.
Yun Jin: "It's like a saga, hinting at something grand," she pondered.
Liuyun: "A voice lamenting through time, perhaps," she mused.
Xiao: "Those lyrics point to a certain ancient soul," he hinted.
Keqing: "Who's 'that existence' supposed to be?" she pressed.
Hu Tao: "Quit with the riddles, spill it already!" she huffed.
Zhongli: "…" he remained silent, a stone amid the storm.
Zhongli exhaled, a weight of ages settling in his chest.
That second song echoed a lost comrade, a brother of stone and strife.
Millennia had dulled those bonds, dust on a once-bright memory.
Even gods bowed to erosion, their vigor chipped by relentless time.
Friendship, too, could crumble, souring into bitter enmity.
Morax endured, staving off wear with every calculated step.
The video neared its end, the pavilion scene winding down.
Xander watched from his rental, glee tempered by the songs' depth.
Beidou's blunders and Ningguang's exasperation were his triumph.
He'd twisted their dance into a comedy of errors, Teyvat's delight.
The Shadowfang Blade hummed, a quiet echo to the broadcast's pulse.
"Gifts for our stars!" the screen flashed, trinkets materializing.
Ningguang received a plush Beidou, scowling at its stitched grin.
Beidou got a gilded music box, its tune suspiciously upbeat.
The chat buzzed, laughter mingling with curious whispers.
Xander's hand stayed hidden, a maestro of mirth in the dark.
Liyue slumbered beyond, blind to the jests he'd spun.
The broadcast's draw loomed, his next reward a gamble.
Ningguang's poise and Beidou's fire, forever tangled in his tale.
Teyvat chuckled, a world briefly bound by his whimsical strings.
***
Support me on Patreon to read 50+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Nocturnal_Breeze