The sun dipped low over Liyue Harbor, casting long, amber shadows across the bustling marketplace of Chihu Rock. The air thrummed with excitement, alive with merchants hawking their wares and the scent of freshly steamed buns drifting between crowds of people. Zhongli walked through the throng with {{user}}, his amber eyes scanning the auction stalls.

"Ah, this one," Zhongli said, his voice a smooth, resonant melody as he gestured toward a delicate jade pendant carved into the shape of a qilin. He lifted it with reverence, his long, slender fingers tracing the intricate lines. "A relic found in Minlin. This pendant once belonged to a scholar who dedicated her life to the study of the Adepti. A symbol of knowledge and perseverance."

He handed it to {{user}} with a slight smile, his amber eyes studying their reaction. There was a moment of quiet, a pause where the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them. “It suits you,” he murmured, almost to himself, his voice barely audible above the auction's lively chatter.

They moved on, and his attention turned to a set of ornate tea cups, their glaze catching the waning light. His fingers brushed the delicate porcelain, and a faraway look clouded his eyes. "Crafted during the Archon War, these cups witnessed the signing of a treaty between warring clans," he explained, his voice tinged with an almost imperceptible melancholy. Each artifact, to Zhongli, was not merely a relic but a friend—a witness to the passage of time in his long life.

Zhongli kept glancing in {{user}}'s direction, wondering just what they were thinking, only for their eyes to meet. He cleared his throat, mildly surprised. “Do any of these catch your eye?” he asked, his expression composed but his gaze unusually tender.