NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 62: It's Qiqi
Bubu Pharmacy was one of the largest in all of Liyue, run by the well-known physician Baizhu. He was often away on charity visits or medical missions—but the one constant at the shop was his assistant, Qiqi.
Technically, Qiqi was just a little pharmacy helper.
Practically? She was a few centuries old.
A long time ago, she'd been caught in the crossfire of a brutal battle between gods and demons. Mortally wounded, she awakened her Vision just before death. The Adepti, seeing what happened, intervened with powerful magic to try and save her.
They succeeded—but Qiqi's new lease on life came with consequences.
She couldn't control her energy. She rampaged, lost in a storm of raw power.
Eventually, they had no choice but to seal her away.
Centuries later, the seal weakened. Qiqi awoke again—free, calm, and in control... but forever trapped in the body of a child.
And with the memory of a goldfish.
Xu Zheng, Xiangling, Yanfei, and Eula had only just stepped out of Wanmin Restaurant when they ran into a familiar face.
"Morning, Hu Tao jie-jie!" Xu Zheng called out cheerfully.
"Morning! So friendly today—I'll give you a 30% discount at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor next time you drop by!" she beamed.
Xu Zheng's smile froze.
"Ahaha, that's... very generous, but I'll pass. I still want to live a little longer."
"Really? It's free, you know! No hidden charges!"
Yanfei snickered. "Look at him closely. Don't you find anything... familiar?"
Hu Tao squinted, leaned in, then even gave him a sniff—classic Hu Tao behavior.
Her eyes widened. "Wait a minute... You're not... little Xu Zheng?!"
"Bingo. Congrats, Hu Tao jie-jie," he grinned.
She didn't believe it at first. She circled him like a ghost inspecting a mortal soul. Only her ability to sense spirits clued her in—same soul, different body.
Because bodies may grow or change, but souls? Souls never lie.
"What happened to you?! You're not cute anymore!"
Hu Tao puffed her cheeks and grabbed his face, squishing it in all directions.
Unfortunately for her, Xu Zheng was no longer the passive baby she used to tease.
He squished her cheeks right back.
Wow. Soft.
"Grrh—lil' Xu Zheng—what are you doing?!"
"Going to see Qiqi," he replied casually, still pinching.
Hu Tao's eyes lit up. "I'm coming too!"
"Sure, let's go."
Along the way, Xu Zheng gave Hu Tao a rough summary of his mysterious growth spurt. She was surprisingly understanding—and endlessly curious.
"But if your body changed so much, why does your soul still feel like... you?"
"Hu Tao, you're asking the wrong person." Bonk. Xu Zheng flicked her on the forehead.
"OW!" She rubbed the red spot, sulking. "You've changed! You used to be so respectful!"
"And you used to ask fewer questions."
There was no way he could tell her the real reason: transmigration from another world. That was one death discount he didn't want to redeem.
Their lively bickering continued until the group arrived at Bubu Pharmacy.
Inside, they found Qiqi sorting herbs quietly.
The moment Hu Tao stepped through the door, Qiqi instinctively took a big step back.
Hu Tao, ever the sunshine, waved happily. "Qiqi! I came to see you~!"
Qiqi's face remained as deadpan as ever.
Xu Zheng recalled their in-game lore.
Hu Tao, the funeral parlor director, believed all souls should pass on when their time came. Qiqi, a zombie clinging to existence, was the ultimate violation of that balance.
Hu Tao wasn't malicious—but she had tried multiple times to "free" Qiqi. And by free, we mean dig a hole and bury her under the stars.
Each time, Baizhu caught her red-handed.
Qiqi had once been too innocent to understand Hu Tao's intentions. But she'd figured it out eventually.
And now?
Now, Hu Tao's very presence gave her zombie instincts a chill.
"Qiqi, is Baizhu around?" Xiangling asked gently.
Qiqi tilted her head, her voice monotone and soft. "He went to... where? I forgot."
Poor thing. Memory of a sieve.
"That's okay," Xu Zheng said. "We're not in a hurry."
He pulled out a dried Glaze Lily—the herb they'd been experimenting with for flower tea.
"Qiqi, do you remember anything about this flower's effects?"
Qiqi stared at it intensely. Her little brows furrowed. Then she softly muttered, "Qiqi doesn't remember. But Qiqi will check the notes."
She shuffled over to her personal notebook.
It was filled with names, facts, and moments she refused to forget. Without it, she'd forget everything—friends, feelings, even herself.
After flipping for a bit, she found the entry and read it aloud.
Xu Zheng smiled. "Thanks, Qiqi. You're amazing."
That little hint was all they needed to make real progress on their tea project.
Qiqi looked up at him. "Big brother, what's your name? Your smile... it feels warm."
"Xu Zheng. That's Zheng, like 'righteousness.'"
She nodded seriously and wrote his name in her notebook, in the important people section.
Right then, Baizhu walked in through the front door and blinked at the group.
"Xiangling? Yanfei? Who are these two?"
It was Xu Zheng's first time meeting Baizhu. Same for Eula.
Baizhu, likewise, had no idea who they were.
"Hey! What about me?" Hu Tao pouted from the corner.
Xiangling stepped in. "This is Xu Zheng. And the lovely blue-haired lady is Eula."
"Pleasure to meet you both," Baizhu said with polite grace.
"Likewise, Dr. Baizhu," Xu Zheng said. "We actually came to ask for your help."
He explained his idea: creating flower tea based on the medicinal effects of various herbs, hoping to popularize it across Liyue. But without knowing the true properties of some flowers, their progress had stalled.
"Hmm," Baizhu said thoughtfully. "An interesting concept."
While flowers were used medicinally in Liyue, no one had ever developed a tea tradition from them.
Baizhu could see the potential—flavor, health benefits, even cultural significance.
"I do know the effects of Glaze Lily," Baizhu said. "But there are precautions. Certain groups might have adverse reactions. I'll need to double-check the medical texts."
He took the sample from Xu Zheng and began flipping through his books.
"Ah—right," Baizhu added. "I've got some herbs that need delivering. I don't really have time to go myself. If someone would be willing to help, I'd be grateful."