[ Zhongli peers down at the earth much like an owner would look at a favorite puppy that is misbehaving, fond yet exasperated. Did it not understand that Zhongli was busy trying to entertain a Sovereign in his home country?

Not that the earth should care about such matters of mortals and gods. The ex-Archon pauses for a moment, listening to see if he is somehow missing something that could be the cause of the disturbance. But unlike that time so many millennia ago, he does not hear the voice of anything calling or the song of an elemental. He just hears the whistle of the wind as the earth pauses in its rumbling.

It's a little bit disconcerting.

And thus Zhongli continues the conversation as if he didn't space out into his element and nostalgia for a few moments. ]

Monsieur Wriothesley— ah, yes. Your friend from the Fortress of Meropide. That's a very thoughtful gift which I hope he finds to live up to its reputation.

[ Zhongli himself had yet to read the Steambird article but the Ministry of Civil Affairs would not allow anything but the best to be written about beloved tea of Qiaoying village. ]

Would you perhaps like some company to the teahouse? I was planning on visiting there myself later today and —

I must admit I have an ulterior motive for such a request.