Shroud of the Great Detective (latter section)

Xingqiu and Chongyun make their way back... only to stop in their tracks at the unexpected sight before them.

Lu: "Haolan! Where have you been?! I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Xingqiu: "Oh, that's the man we saw shouting earlier."

Chongyun: "But the person he's yelling at is..."

Before Lu is none other than Haoran, looking down at the ground, shoulders shaking, quietly sobbing. Gaming is standing next to Haoran, tense and silent.

Lu: "Why do you always have to disappear when I ask you to help with work? And on the day before Lantern Rite, no less!"

Haoran: "B-but Father, I have a good reason this time! I swear...!"

Lu: "No more of your excuses!" He snaps, cutting Haoran off. "I only let you go off and freely do your 'detective stuff' for your mother's sake... but enough is enough! Clearly we've been spoiling you too much!"

Gaming: "E-excuse me, Mr. Lu, but Haolan really..."

Lu: "Stay out of this, Gaming. I appreciate you looking after her all this time, but I've had it with her rebellious attitude!"

Gaming's eyes widen as he glances behind him, spotting Xingqiu and Chongyun awkwardly standing there watching everything. Haoran notices them too, face turning pale. Haoran curls up on the ground, not wanting to look at anyone.

Xingqiu: "P-pardon us, it seems we've arrived at a bad time..."

Lu: "Are you two friends of my daughter as well?"

Chongyun: "U-uh..." He stiffens unnervingly at his question. "Wait, your daughter is...?"

Gaming's eyes widen even more, noticing a familiar woman rushing towards them in a huff.

"Weimin, what are you doing?! I'm sure everyone all the way in Sumeru can hear your shouting!"

Lu Weimin: "Meiling, this is because you spoil Haolan way too much! She snuck off again when she was supposed to be helping me with work!"

She notices Haoran curled up next to her, and the other three looking at the exchange awkwardly. She glares at her husband angrily.

Lu Meiling: "It's Lantern Rite! She should be having fun with her friends, not working! And also..." She slaps Weimin across the face. "How many times do I have to tell you not to call her 'Haolan' and 'my daughter' in public!? You remember what we agreed on, don't you?"

Lu Weimin: "It's exactly because of things like this that she never takes her responsibilities seriously!"

Lu Meiling: "I'm doing my best to support her dreams! As her father, you should be doing the same!"

Haolan: "That's enough!" She suddenly cries, no longer curled up on the ground, tears running down her face. "Please, stop! I don't want you both to argue because of me again!"

Weimin & Meiling: "H-Haolan..."

Haolan: "F-fine, I get it! I'm sorry, okay?! I'll help you with your dumb tour guide stuff, just stop fighting already!"

Lu Weimin: "Haolan, listen." He says to her with a calmer voice. "It's not that I don't approve of you taking your own path. I simply want you to be aware of your responsibilities, and not go off playing all the time..."

Chongyun: "Excuse me for interrupting, but..." He suddenly cuts in, approaching Haolan's father. "But, your uh... child hasn't been 'playing'. Haoran was helping someone find a lost item."

Xingqiu: "Indeed, it's most certainly not some of game to Haoran." He adds, arms crossed. "Detective work is work as well."

Haolan: "C-Chongyun... Xingqiu..." She utters, sniffling.

Lu Weimin: "I-is that so...?"

Lu Meiling: "It's like I said. You say I spoil her, but I think you're the one that's too harsh on Haolan. She has her own duties to fulfill as a 'great detective', right?" She winks to her daughter, a small smile appearing on Haolan's face in response.

Lu Weimin: He sighs, shaking his head. "Urgh... alright, fine. I'll let it slide this time. But the next time I ask you for your help with work, don't go wandering off to do your own thing instead. Understood?"

Haolan: "Y-yes, Father..."

With that, Weimin takes his leave, leaving the others in awkward silence for a bit.

Lu Meiling: "What fine young gentlemen you are! Thank you so much for defending my dear Haolan~!" She clasps her hands together, smiling warmly at them.

Chongyun: "Don't mention it... But..."

Gaming: "I'm guessing you... have some questions?"

Chongyun: "That'd be an understatement..."

Haolan: "I'm... ashamed you both had to see such a thing..." She covers her face with her detective's cap in shame. "But still, I thank you immensely for... standing up for me like that..."

Xingqiu: "No thanks are necessary, my friend. I merely spoke the truth."

Chongyun: "But... uh... Haoran? You're a... girl?"

Haolan: "Huh? Oh, yes." She says casually, as if it's no big deal.

Gaming: "Sorry about keeping this from both of you. I'm sure this must be pretty confusing..."

Chongyun: "So, you knew about this too, then?"

Xingqiu: "I figured as much myself." He adds with a nod. "Rather, I had a hunch about it, at least."

Chongyun: "S-seriously?! How?"

Xingqiu: "Haoran mentioned to me once, having a father that works as a tour guide in Liyue Harbor. When we heard the man yell about his 'daughter' going missing, I suspected she might either be Haoran's sister, or..."

Chongyun: "Haoran himself. Or... herself, I suppose?" He shakes his head in confusion. "I'm sorry, but could you explain to us what this is all about? Why even hide this from us in the first place...?"

Haolan: "Apologies, Chongyun. For a great detective like myself, the last thing I want to do is keep secrets like this. Especially from my own comrades..." She crosses her arms, frowning. "But if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to go out and be a great detective at all..."

Xingqiu: "What do you mean?"

Lu Meiling: "I'm very sorry you two, this was all my doing." She explains calmly. "Ever since she was a little girl, Haolan's always loved detective stories. I'd often times see her 'playing detective' with Gaming and a couple other boys... None of the girls, however, had any interest in such things. If anything, it alienated her from them. So, because of that, even now she gets along a lot better with boys than girls. I don't have an issue with that per se, but..."

She turns to Gaming.

Lu Meiling: "If I could have Gaming watch over her at all times, I'd have nothing to worry about, but... He's gotten busier with his own work and other duties lately, and Haolan's love for adventuring has only grown over time. Not to mention she can be rather... oblivious when it comes to certain matters. Haolan doesn't have a Vision, and has never trained in any way to defend herself, so... this is the only thing I could think of to help keep her safe."

Gaming: "She told me about it as soon as she came up with this... 'idea'. Even now, I don't like it very much, but since it's for the sake of protecting Haolan, I decided to go along with it anyway..."

Lu Meiling: "I hope you can understand that... As her mother, I'm simply afraid she may be... attacked by wolves, so to speak."

Haolan: "Wolves?" She tilts her head in confusion. "I've seen the wild boar here and there when going out, but I've never run into any wolves, Mother..."

Xingqiu: "... Ah, I see..."

Chongyun: "Y-yeah, I think I get it now..."

Haolan: "Huh? Get what?"

Gaming sighs, shaking his head.

Haolan: "There's no need to worry about me! I've even encountered Hilichurls and Slimes during my outings! And I've managed to escape from them, no problem! I've only gotten a few scrapes here and there at worst."

Lu Meiling: "... Gaming, sweetie, please don't let my daughter go out on her own anymore..."

Gaming: "U-understood, Mrs. Lu..."

Haolan: "So, anyhow, my mother told me I had to keep up this ruse, or she wouldn't allow me to go out a fulfill my dream of being a great detective. Even though I still don't understand why I have to do it..." She shrugs, finding it more annoying than anything.

Chongyun: "I get it..."

Xingqiu: "Me too."

Haolan: "You do?! In that case, could you explain it to me?"

Chongyun: "I get it."

Xingqiu: "Me too."

Haolan: "You both already said that!"

Gaming: "Heheh... So, Xingqiu, Chongyun, I'm sorry to have to ask this, but you wouldn't mind keeping this all a secret, would you?"

Xingqiu: "As you said, as it's for the sake of protecting her, I promise to keep my lips sealed on the matter as well."

Chongyun: "I will too, I guess... Does anyone else know about this?"

Gaming: "No, I don't believe so..." He pauses. "U-uh, with one possible exception..."

Xingqiu: "Could it be... Miss Mona Megistus?"

Chongyun: "Mona... Megistus?" He questions.

Xingqiu: "I told you about her the other day, didn't I? You really missed out on an incredible deduction, Chongyun!"

Chongyun: "Yeah, yeah, that's right..."

Haolan: "Hm? Why would she know about it, Gaming?"

Gaming: "Remember when she performed that reading on you? She was confused about the name that showed up."

Xingqiu: "Ah, of course. I noticed you've been calling her 'Haolan'. Which means Haoran isn't your actual name, correct?"

Chongyun: "Now that you mention it, Haoran is a boy's name, so..."

Haolan: "Heh heh, and it's a name I came up with myself!" She puffs out her chest proudly, a smug smirk on her face. "Since I'm not able to use my real name publicly for the sake of my cover (for some reason), I came up with Haoran to use instead! A perfectly grandiose name for a great detective like myself, is it not?"

Chongyun: "U-um... But you only changed one letter..." He utters in disbelief.