The next morning.
The Machine Companion on the nightstand activated on schedule, emitting a rhythmic chant: "Wake up, wake up, wake up..."
Upon hearing the alarm-like sound, Qin Yu, jolted awake, groggily sat up and slapped the device to silence it. Pulling the thin blanket back over herself, she drifted back to sleep.
As it turned out, alarm clocks were utterly useless for her.
"Qin Yu, time for work!" Baishi's voice called from the doorway a while later.
Qin Yu's heart skipped a beat.
Nothing in the world is more terrifying than that sentence.
Despite her reluctance, Qin Yu forced herself awake and replied, "Okay!"
She tucked the Anesthetic Pistol lying beside her pillow away, switched off the still-lit lamp, and, scratching her sleep-tousled hair, made her way to the familiar washbasin.
I don't want to work...
After washing up, she sat at her vanity.
So troublesome...
Still, she had to take care of her appearance.
Qin Yu sighed at the daily struggles of being a beautiful girl as she casually pulled the "white uniform" from her closet and slipped it on.
My thighs feel cold... Is something wrong with this uniform? Eh, whatever. It doesn't matter.
Having prepared breakfast, Qin Yu figured it was about time. She walked to Ningguang's bedroom door and knocked.
"Lady Ningguang, are you awake?"
"Mmm... almost. Give me a moment," Ningguang replied, her voice sounding slightly languid.
A moment later, Ningguang opened the door.
Seeing Qin Yu, she felt a twinge of awkwardness and embarrassment. Last night, driven by some inexplicable impulse, she had gone too far, leaving little time to recover.
But Qin Yu looked perfectly composed, her expression calm as if she had already moved on.
Relieved, Ningguang handed Qin Yu her clothes.
"You forgot your clothes here last night. Take them back."
"...... Ah, okay."
Why did you have to bring up last night again?
I've been trying so hard to convince myself it doesn't matter. Why did you have to ruin all my progress?
Qin Yu accepted the clothes with a slightly vacant look in her eyes, barely suppressing a sigh.
How regrettable.
She wasn't wearing her usual black stockings uniform, but instead the white qipao with black trim that Ningguang had given her.
Something had indeed happened last night—though the phrase "something happened" sounded vague, ambiguous, and trivial, for Qin Yu, it was an absolutely momentous event.
She used this vague description only because she didn't want to recall the details clearly.
"Good morning, Qin Yu," Ningguang greeted.
"Eh? Ah... um... Good morning!"
Qin Yu lacked the energy to sound enthusiastic, but she forced herself to act lively. If she showed any lingering concern about last night, the conversation might veer back to that topic.
Why did Ningguang do that? To be honest, Qin Yu didn't want to know. Nor did she want her to ever do it again.
Haah, just the first day back at work and I'm already exhausted... Qin Yu grumbled inwardly.
Just then, Ningguang thoughtfully reached out a finger as if to touch a strand of Qin Yu's hair.
!?!
Without thinking, Qin Yu instinctively flinched away, leaving Ningguang's hand hanging awkwardly in the air.
Snapping back to her senses, Qin Yu felt a surge of panic.
"I-I'm sorry! You startled me a little..."
Uwaa, I just did that without thinking! Was that... wrong?
No, no, no—even with this created persona, reacting this way isn't strange! After what happened last night...
The persona hasn't broken.
As for Points, Qin Yu wasn't in the mood to check them.
It would be great if I got some, but if not... I don't feel like trying to earn them right now.
This was purely an emotional matter.
After the previous night, Qin Yu had become hyper-sensitive to Ningguang's every move. Whenever Ningguang seemed about to touch her, she would immediately become hyper-vigilant.
If anyone's to blame, it's Ningguang for acting so abruptly!
Ningguang withdrew her hand and nodded slightly. "It's alright. You don't need to worry about it. I was being presumptuous. Now, let's go have breakfast. It's been a while since I've enjoyed your cooking."
Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
Hmph, you should at least try to understand me a little better, Qin Yu thought resentfully, her hand instinctively reaching for her bracelet for reassurance. Keqing and Shenhe would never treat me like this.
Ningguang deliberately ignored the small gesture and stepped forward.
She had initially assumed Qin Yu hadn't noticed, but it seemed she was deeply troubled by what had happened the previous night. Still, that was only natural.
Even Ningguang herself felt a faint unease; Qin Yu's reaction was to be expected.
She couldn't help but wonder: A mere brush of lips against her collar elicited such a strong response.
If—of course, Ningguang had no such intentions; it was merely a hypothetical—if she were to do something more intimate with Qin Yu, it was unimaginable how she would react.
Flee in the night? Hide completely?
Qin Yu had both boldness and timidity when it came to interpersonal relationships.
The closer she was to someone, the more timid she became. Conversely, the more indifferent she felt toward someone, the bolder she grew. This wasn't about her specific actions, but rather her overall approach...
This was the conclusion Ningguang had reached after observing Qin Yu for some time.
It seemed that even a month hadn't been enough to change her ingrained nature.
To be frank, Ningguang felt a twinge of disappointment and loneliness at Qin Yu's continued wariness.
This feeling is quite rare, Ningguang murmured to herself. Yet she didn't welcome this emotion, even though it was a consequence of her own actions.
Breakfast remained a meal shared only by Qin Yu and Ningguang.
"It's been too long since I've tasted your cooking. And it seems you've improved even further... Well done. I'm very satisfied. Thank you."
"It's my duty, Lady Ningguang. I'm glad you're pleased," Qin Yu replied with a smile.
Evaluation: D
Ningguang observed Qin Yu closely. It seemed she only reacted excessively to physical contact; otherwise, she behaved as before.
Hmm... Ningguang pondered, thinking that if this was the case, perhaps they would "make up and return to normal" in time. She wanted to do something to mend their strained relationship.
But human hearts are unfathomable, especially Qin Yu's.
A misstep could easily make things worse. Rather than act rashly, it was better to observe for now.
If anything else happened, she could deal with it then.
Having made her decision, Ningguang took a sip of water and exhaled softly.
"Then let's get straight to the point," she said calmly. "In addition to your regular duties, I'll be assigning you new responsibilities. I expect you to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly and deliver exceptional results... Naturally, I won't hesitate to reward you generously. To those who excel, greater rewards shall be given."
Qin Yu nodded earnestly.
"Understood! I'll do my best!"
"Mm, that's the spirit." Ningguang instinctively reached out to touch Qin Yu's cheek, but Qin Yu flinched, subtly and swiftly pulling away.
Ningguang felt a surge of frustration but silently picked up her water cup and took a sip.
"As I said before, catch up to me. I'll take you to a new world."
A new world? Some new worlds have doors that should never be opened... Wait, what am I thinking? Qin Yu's ears flushed slightly. It must be Ningguang's fault for making me have these wild thoughts.
Qin Yu nodded. "I understand."
"Oh, I almost forgot to give you something. Wait here for a moment."
Ningguang retrieved an item from her bedroom.
A white hair ribbon.
"This is for me?" Qin Yu asked, surprised.
"Who else would I give it to? Do you think I'd give it to Baishi?"
Huh?
A faint blush rose on Qin Yu's cheeks as she shook her head. "I didn't think that. Thank you, Lady Ningguang. I'll cherish it."
"Why not put it on now?" Ningguang smiled.
Now? Qin Yu glanced at the ribbon in her hand.
Alright, then.
Qin Yu returned to her room, sat at her vanity, and tied her hair into a ponytail with the ribbon. She hadn't cut her hair last month, so it was slightly longer than usual—just right for tying up.
Turning her head, Qin Yu smiled. "It feels pretty good, actually."
The crisp ponytail secured with a white ribbon, the black-trimmed white qipao, and her fair skin tinged with a rosy blush... Qin Yu would have been even happier if she didn't have to wear this outfit outside.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of having become a rare character.