Although I know this is beyond the scope of an assistant's duties, I would like to tidy up your desk for you before work. Something as simple as stacking your books into a neat pile helps manage one's inner biases and distractions. Would you like to try, Doctor? Don't worry, I'm here to help. Why don't we start with this little mountain of documents?

Why do I have all these bottles of ink on my desk? Are you an ink enthusiast too? Hehe, of course you can borrow some. I have Ceramic Gray for dignity, Feldspar Gray for simplicity and Cloud Gray for elegance. Which are you most partial to...? Oh, they all look the same to you...? Well, I do have some ink the Logistics Department gave to me. Let's get you started with that, shall we?

Baizao fare is defined by delicacy rather than dearness. The lingzhi mushrooms used in Fortune Soup need three years to mature. Tea leaves need prior removal of stems before they can be made into a bowl of tea soup rice, which imparts a light sweetness to the final dish. Whether a meal is frugal or abundant should not change the feeling with which you cook it. Whether your life is poor or rich should not change the feeling with which you live it. That is the bone and soul of Baizao.

Blaze is spreading rumors that I deal in ancient texts? Aww, this is but a collection of historical records. I simply cannot bear to see them lost in the long river of time. Ballads, proverbs, poems, even accounting ledgers. They all harbor secrets between their lines... Hmm...? Doctor, what was that you were hiding just now? Don't worry, I won't conduct any research without permission. Soooo, what is it you're hiding?

The first time I challenged my superior was over his demand to soften a satirical poem into something more pleasant. Yet to what degree is the truth distorted in the name of this pleasantness? How many narratives massaged? How many people... The chronicles of history cannot be a curated collection of comfortable tales.

The Yanese delight in leaving our mark on history, to accomplish great things worthy of record. But what did Father think? Did he ever feel regret? I cannot say. But how could one label him insignificant? A man like him is not mere marginalia or interlinear space… he is the very page upon which history is inscribed.

You are full already, Doctor? No, you're not. Here, try a Laobing. It's a beastmeat pancake of Yang nature, and best paired with bamboo shoot and lily soup for Yin. Oh, and these seasonal apricot blossom pastries are an absolute must! Haha, I'll chronicle today thusly: 'Springtime wandering with a companion, our bellies full, bathed in apricot blossom shadows, sharing wine beneath rustling branches'. That is true refinement.

My relationship with Blaze isn't nearly as harmonious as you say. She's far less well-behaved with me than she is with you. I've apologized to her. After all, she could have led a peaceful life. What did she do? It was a forehead flick. With such force as to leave you dazed for hours. But thanks to that, I've found the courage to maintain our relationship thereafter.

Grandfather cherished his garden, though the two persimmon trees he nurtured bore fruit perpetually astringent, fit only for drying. We would wash the harvest, then spread them out to dry, finally dusting them with a sugar coating as delicate as freshly fallen snow. The sweetness would mask the bitterness, deceiving the tongue, rendering them unexpectedly palatable... Ah, what a pristine snowfall.

Perfect, what a flawless moment… each of us working quietly, our focus undisturbed. How about we go for a warm meal and a break? Say, in two hours' time?

Oh, I've already been introduced? Please, don't believe a word Blaze says. The girl still insists I'm a folk singer. I am Xingzhu, a historian of Baizao. If you happen upon any intriguing ballads or proverbs, I'd be delighted if you would share them with me.

How very educational. I've learned something new today.

This medal in my hand represents your recognition that more than casualties are worth recording on the battlefield. At times, there may also be primroses in full bloom.

There is a saying I am fond of that goes: the unofficial history is built verse by verse, lyric by lyric. When I think about how I myself will be a verse in the mundane saga, I find it pleasing.

A spot of field research? How wonderfu—*cough* I will keep safety in mind.

Bring forth all your prowess. My pen shall stand witness.

It's a golden opportunity to gather folk material myself. Is there anything I should take note of?

*Sigh* One cannot discuss ice with an insect of summer. However shall I explain this to you?

Very well. I'm on my way.

The road ahead is bumpy. Do take care.

A glance is all I need to comprehend.

There is much to be recorded.

My ink and pen may never rest, my stack of papers put to test.

A humble scholar's duty is all I claim, the way of life that leads not to shame.

Cross mount and river, night of gale and snow, all blankets any whisper of my home.

Here, some poprice candy. Just a little while longer, okay?

I can finally breathe easy. Why don't we get something to eat, Doctor, once you're finished with work? I said after work. The hawker stalls aren't going anywhere.

Hmm… Let me ponder how best to commend your exceptional leadership. Yes, a Compendium of Extraordinary Talents would undoubtedly be less vivid without your story.

I've already meticulously documented the physical characteristics of the escapees. Would you prefer to handle this immediately, or take a brief respite first?

I don't think you need to be bolstered by those 'rallying' folk tales right now. Here, this should do the trick. Delightfully sweet and sour, isn't it? Feeling a bit better now?

May I ask how to get to the archive? Oh, so it's not in the dormitories... Then could you please tell me where the library is?

Oh my! Please, keep the jests in moderation…

There was a girl, with words so sweet, who stole two chops of burden-meat. She made two biscuits, oiled them neat, then gorged so much she had to bleat: 'Oh! Ouchie-Eek!'…

Arknights.

I used to detest the clamor of the new year, but now, I find myself with rather more complicated feelings, sitting alone in this courtyard. So I ended up writing a poem on the wall. Instead of wallowing in misery, I would rather whimsically spill my ink. Are the splashes not like silent fireworks, Doctor?

Have you eaten yet, Doctor?

Oh, Doctor, I dropped my notebook at the noodle house. I need you to come along with me and—Why do we need to go together? Look, ah… erm… well… Sorry, I meant this as a birthday surprise, to offer you a Yanese longevity noodle. It's remarkably challenging for one who despises dishonesty to tell such white lies.

Doctor, we have a tradition of gifting each other books on commemoration days at the academy. I thought long and hard about what you needed before deciding on this: 'Calligraphy: From Amateur To Adept'—It sounds like homework? Nonsense. Just one page a day, and you'll learn to love the tranquility of mastering your strokes.