Previously, in order to draw a lucky card for Miss Shina's fan meeting, Arataki Itto emptied his coffers and owed Kuki Shinobu a mountain of debt.
Arataki Itto thought back, he was indeed a bit impulsive back then.
As happy as he was to borrow money, as painful as it was to pay it back by working odd jobs, he would never again make impulsive purchases, he swore on his honor as a man!
A mountain of debt!
Arataki Itto got a headache just thinking about it.
Since this commission was physical labor, Arataki Itto specifically called Ah Chu, an unofficial member of the Arataki Gang, to join him. As for the reward, a bundle of high-quality fodder from Mondstadt, and nothing more.
Any more and he wouldn't have money to pay off his debt.
Heave ho—
After working for a long time to deliver the fireworks to the backyard of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Arataki Itto felt physically and mentally exhausted. But the moment he received his reward, that heavy money bag made him feel invigorated. All this effort was worth it!
As he left the Grand Narukami Shrine, Arataki Itto cast a glance from afar and saw someone sitting in the center of the shrine, wearing a hood, listening to the prayers of those who came to worship.
Logically speaking, only one person was qualified to sit in the center of the shrine and listen to the people's worship, and that was the Shrine Maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine, Lady Yae.
But for some reason, Arataki Itto felt that the person sitting in the shrine was a little different from the fox lady he remembered.
Even though that person's face was obscured by the hood, his intuition told him so.
However, Arataki Itto had no interest in getting involved in this matter. He was trying to avoid that fox lady, so he quickly led his Arataki Gang underlings down the mountain to join the summer fireworks festival.
...
"Feng Yi, do you know? Many of the fireworks for the Liyue Lantern Rite Festival are ordered from our shop. I make them according to the requirements, and then ask Sister Beidou to ship them to Liyue by boat.
Although there was a Sakoku Decree before, and according to its rules, I shouldn't be sending these things out, but... where there are festivals, fireworks must not be absent!"
Yoimiya, while setting up large fireworks for the upcoming fireworks display with Feng Yi, strolled with him along the paths around the town.
"I didn't expect your family's fireworks shop's business to have opened international operations. This is also a recognition of your family's craftsmanship..."
Feng Yi gave him a thumbs up. Yoimiya was still young, and perhaps in the future, she would become famous in the fireworks market of the seven nations of Teyvat.
"After Inazuma was closed off, Sister Beidou helped me transport the fireworks out. To give her a surprise, I prepared a giant ship-shaped firework.
When the 'Northland Fleet' was about to depart, this firework shot out right before their eyes, soaring into the sky...
The crew thought it was one of the fleet's ships flying out and were startled. But Sister Beidou particularly liked the idea. She told me that a surprise should be both startling and delightful, haha..."
Yoimiya suddenly recalled this amusing incident and couldn't help but laugh heartily, then shared this interesting story with Feng Yi.
"A fireworks flying ship? Hahahaha, life at sea seems perilous and exciting, where you can fight sea monsters, ride the waves, and explore secret realms and the like, but most of the time, the fleet is sailing on the vast ocean. It's calm, monotonous, and boring. Beidou wishes you would give them more surprises!"
Feng Yi had traveled to Inazuma on the 'Northland' fleet and naturally knew the boredom of routine voyages.
Beidou often organized parties for the fleet, precisely to alleviate the crew's mental fatigue.
The fireworks surprise Yoimiya created for Beidou, after the initial shock, would definitely be something the crew would talk about for days over meals.
"Really? Then I'll create an even bigger fireworks surprise for Sister Beidou and the others next time!"
"Of course, I, Feng, never lie!"
"'After the lights left by the fireworks in the sky disappear, they turn into rain, turn into snow, and fall back to the ground.
They moisten the earth and nurture humanity, only to be sent into the sky once more to recreate their brilliant moments.'
This is one of my favorites among the many stories my dad told me."
Yoimiya glanced at the few fireworks scattered in the night sky. These must have been personally set off by residents who couldn't wait.
Yoimiya could tell at a glance that these fireworks were all works from the Naganohara Fireworks shop, and most of them were made by her.
"Let me tell you a secret, when I first got my Vision, I used it as a flint.
I used it to light fireworks and boil water, then I threw it into the storeroom and forgot about it.
As a result, it was my dad who found it and told me it was a very precious thing that needed to be taken care of.
Hahahaha... luckily, it wasn't confiscated by the General."
Yoimiya, who was slightly sentimental a moment ago, burst into laughter the next second, causing Feng Yi, who was about to comfort her, to swallow the words of consolation back.
However, this was the optimistic, cheerful, and positive Yoimiya that Feng Yi remembered!
"Actually, I don't care about what I'm doing, I care more about the people I'm doing it with. Like being with you, even if we're just looking at the scenery or kicking a can, I'm happy..."
"Be... because, I never get tired of talking to you."
Yoimiya's pretty face flushed, she paused, and then, with a clenched fist, mustered up the courage to say it.
It was a bit embarrassing to say something like this, but Yoimiya still bravely expressed her feelings.
"I also really like listening to you talk. You are so optimistic, cheerful, warm, and lively, like a warm sun that dispels all my bad moods..."
Feng Yi smiled slightly and sat on the ridge with Yoimiya, who had finished setting up the fireworks. Compared to the liveliness and prosperity of the streets of Inazuma City, he preferred the tranquility of the countryside. Occasionally listening to the sounds of nature like frogs croaking and insects chirping at night was also quite pleasant.
"This atmosphere is too rare. Sit properly, and I'll tell you about the story of the 'Naganohara' family that I'm most proud of!"
There was still some time before the mega-firework display for the fireworks festival. Yoimiya felt the atmosphere was right and decided to tell Feng Yi a proper story to pass the time.
"We have a long-standing tradition: we attach a slip of paper to every customer who orders custom fireworks. This slip of paper can only be understood by our family members and records the specific formula for the fireworks.
Whether it's been ten years or a hundred years, as long as the customer brings back this slip of paper, our family can make the exact same fireworks as before."
"The most beautiful fireworks, paired with the best moments. Those fleeting little feelings are sealed in fireworks and passed down in another form.
The slip of paper is like a key, waiting for those who wish to commemorate the past to open the door.
So, the job of a Naganohara fireworks artisan is to help everyone guard that door..."