Qin Yu was immensely curious about the place Shenhe had lived before.
Since it was outside Liyue Port, it must have been a village or small town, right?
"What was your old home like, Shenhe?" Qin Yu couldn't help but ask, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Shenhe hesitated for a moment before replying, "Very ordinary. Nothing special about it. And that was just how it was before."
What does she mean by that? Qin Yu thought, confused.
Shenhe continued, "When the time comes... you'll understand."
"O-oh, I see..."
Qin Yu had a growing sense of unease. Why did Shenhe join the Adeptus Sect? She suspected the answer would soon be revealed.
With a heavy heart, Qin Yu followed Shenhe westward until a village came into view.
But rather than a village, it was more like a place that used to be a village.
Dilapidated, crumbling houses creaked in the wind, their doors moaning like mournful sighs. There was no sign of human life.
Yet the dusty, scattered household items within the abandoned homes clearly indicated that people had once lived here.
An abandoned village...
As Qin Yu was marveling at the desolation, Shenhe said, "This is it."
"Eh?"
This... Qin Yu hesitated. "Are you saying this is your..."
"This used to be my village. It was abandoned long ago, with everyone moving elsewhere. My former home was here too," Shenhe said, her voice completely devoid of emotion.
Qin Yu hadn't expected this at all.
She'd assumed Shenhe's house was simply unoccupied, but never imagined the entire village would be deserted. Staring at the desolate scene, Qin Yu didn't know how to react, her heart growing heavy under the oppressive atmosphere.
"I'm sorry for suddenly bringing you to a place like this," Shenhe said.
Apologizing only now? Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
"Are you bothered?" Shenhe asked again.
Quite bothered, actually, for dragging someone to a place like this without warning. But since they were already here... Besides, Shenhe didn't need to worry about such trivial matters.
"No! I just didn't expect it to be like this. Um... are you sure it's okay to have brought me here?"
Shenhe gazed silently at the abandoned village for a moment before replying, "Mm, it's fine."
I've already learned about Qin Yu's past, so it's only right that she knows mine too. That's how it should be, Shenhe thought.
"I was born here," Shenhe said, her expression unchanging. "Before Master took me away to join the Adeptus Sect, I lived here."
The place where Shenhe once lived.
Qin Yu asked, "Can we walk around here?"
"You can, but there's nothing interesting to see," Shenhe replied.
Whether it's interesting or not is for me to decide.
But, of course, how could a place like this be considered interesting? While some people in the world might appreciate the "beauty of decay and desolation" in ruins and abandoned villages, Qin Yu wasn't one of them.
The scene before her only made her sigh at the impermanence of life.
Yet Shenhe was serious.
She genuinely wanted Qin Yu to understand her past, so Qin Yu had to take it seriously as well.
Even though Qin Yu didn't really want to know these things—the more she learned, the more she felt their relationship drawing closer, unstoppably.
But she had no choice but to treat it seriously. After all, this was the persona she had created.
If Shenhe wanted her to know something, she would learn it. If Shenhe wanted her to stay by her side, she would stay by her side... That had been her decision from the start.
"Since this is where you used to live, Shenhe, I want to take a really good look around. You're my dear friend, after all," Qin Yu said with a warm smile.
A warmth bloomed in Shenhe's chest, and she nodded gently.
Evaluation: C-
But as Shenhe had warned, there wasn't much to see in the village.
Though the specific details of their dilapidation varied, the buildings were all remarkably similar, lacking any distinctive features.
Moreover, some of the houses were infested with monsters.
Qin Yu mentally controlled the "Satellite Components," directing them to constantly shift positions and unleash beams of light from all directions, swiftly annihilating the monsters.
I feel like I've turned into a humanoid Gundam, Qin Yu mused inwardly.
After clearing out the remaining monsters with Shenhe, Qin Yu's gaze darted around curiously.
"What are you looking at?" Shenhe asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Ah, I was wondering which house used to be yours."
Shenhe simply shook her head. "None of them."
"None of them?" Qin Yu asked, puzzled. "But didn't you say this was the village where you lived?"
"That's right. But after I left, the house I once lived in was somehow pawned off and demolished. So you won't find it—it ceased to exist long ago."
Qin Yu felt like she had stepped on a landmine, immediately regretting her question.
"I-I'm sorry," she stammered.
"Why are you apologizing?" Shenhe asked, genuinely puzzled.
Qin Yu rubbed her bracelet, stammering, "Because I asked... a rather inappropriate question."
"Inappropriate how? I don't understand."
Ha? How can you not understand?
Qin Yu was equally confused. "Eh? But... isn't this a bad thing?"
Shenhe tried to grasp Qin Yu's meaning.
"I see. You're worried about me, aren't you?"
I am worried about you, but don't just blurt it out like that!
Embarrassed, Qin Yu clutched her arm and nodded silently.
"Thank you, but I'm fine. I haven't felt anything at all—in fact, I feel nothing," Shenhe replied calmly, her expression unchanging. It seemed she wasn't lying.
Is it because of the Red String?
Even if it's just a tiny bit, there should be something, right? Though Shenhe always wore an impassive expression, she did say things like "happy" and "grateful."
Qin Yu couldn't help but ask, "Really? Nothing at all?"
"Nothing," Shenhe replied.
Qin Yu found it hard to comprehend. If it were her, she would never be able to face such a situation with such composure.
But perhaps Shenhe's way wasn't so bad after all.
Qin Yu exhaled softly, trying to clear her mind.
She felt that staying in this abandoned village wouldn't improve her mood.
"Shenhe, let's go sit over there."
"Mm."
They climbed up a small hill nearby, where Qin Yu sat with her knees drawn to her chest, taking in the panoramic view of the village. Shenhe sat beside her, their arms and shoulders nearly touching.
Whoa, she's so close!
But... oh well.
A cool breeze swept past, and the creaking of the door panels was no longer audible. Bathed in sunlight, the village looked much gentler from this distance.
"Long ago, I lived in that house with my parents," Shenhe said slowly.
"What were your parents like?" Qin Yu asked.
Shenhe replied, "...My mother passed away from illness when I was five. After so many years, my memories of her have grown hazy. As for my father, he loved my mother very much."
"Your father..."
"He's gone now."
Just as Qin Yu was about to say more, Shenhe continued, "My father loved my mother so deeply that after her death, he completely changed."
"Changed?" Qin Yu asked, surprised.
"Driven by love, my father suffered greatly. This pain led to obsession, and when that obsession went unfulfilled, it turned into resentment, which festered into a demonic obsession. To find a way to resurrect my mother, he wandered the world tirelessly."
"A year later, he returned with a forbidden technique called 'Life-for-Life Exchange.'"
The name alone sounded ominous.
"This technique... it's dangerous, isn't it?" Qin Yu asked anxiously.
"Yes. To perform it, a person's life must be offered as a sacrifice to summon an 'Adeptus Spirit.' Only then can a dead person be revived."
A sacrifice?! Qin Yu's spine went cold. "Did he... actually perform this technique?" she couldn't help but ask.
"He did."
"On whom?"
Shenhe looked directly at Qin Yu, her voice calm. "Me."
Ha? At that time, Shenhe was still a child, and his own daughter. Qin Yu simply couldn't comprehend or accept it.
"That's... outrageous!" Qin Yu exclaimed, her voice filled with indignation.
Shenhe continued, "When my father returned, I didn't suspect anything. I was just happy he was back. Then he smiled and told me there was a surprise waiting for me in the mountain cave behind the house. Without hesitation, I followed him there."
"Then... my father summoned it there. It wasn't an Adeptus Spirit, but a monster."
How could something summoned through such a vile ritual be a true Adeptus Spirit? Qin Yu thought.
"The monster tried to devour me. To survive, I fought it for a long time."
"I desperately hoped my father would come back to save me, but days passed and he never appeared. I battled the evil creature with all my might, until I collapsed. Even then, he didn't show himself. Just as I was on the verge of death, my Master arrived."
"Master took me back to her Adeptus Abode and nursed me back to health. Only then did I manage to survive."
Shenhe paused, then added, "Afterward, Master took me in. I joined the Adeptus Clan as her disciple, studying magic and cultivating under her and the other Adepti..."
"After more than a decade of cultivation, one day I secretly left the mountain without telling Master, following my memories back here. What had become of our old house? And what about that stubborn, deluded father of mine?"
"I wanted to know, but when I arrived, I found the village abandoned. All the residents had relocated, the houses had been pawned off and dismantled, and my father had long since passed away."
Qin Yu imagined how painful that must have been, and a tightness formed in her chest.
"That must have been... hard," Qin Yu murmured.
Shenhe replied slowly, "It was very painful at the time. Everyone and everything familiar had vanished. The only people I met were passersby who remarked on my 'Adeptus-like' aura. I tried to explain that I was just an ordinary person born here, but they never believed me."
Of course, it would still hurt.
"Realizing that the bond with my family was severed forever, that there would never be closure to the past, I felt as though I could go anywhere in this vast world—yet nowhere at all. Lost and directionless, I could only return to Master's side."
Before she could finish, Qin Yu had already wrapped her arms around Shenhe.
Evaluation: C+
"Qin Yu?" Shenhe asked, flustered. She hadn't expected Qin Yu to embrace her so suddenly.
But this unique warmth... she didn't dislike it. On the contrary, she cherished it.
So, though still puzzled, Shenhe accepted the warmth, gently returning the hug by circling her arms around Qin Yu's back.
"Shenhe... do you still feel sad now?" Qin Yu asked softly, her voice a little hoarse.
"No."
"Then... do you still hate your father?"
Shenhe paused for a moment before whispering, "I don't know. When I think about the past now, it's less about hate and more about... indifference. So, I hope you don't dwell on it too much—whatever happened, it's all in the past."
Qin Yu frowned, clearly displeased.
How can anyone not dwell on something like that?! You tell me this and then tell me not to dwell on it? What do you take me for—a heartless venting machine?
Qin Yu found Shenhe's words utterly unreasonable, but could only sigh helplessly, "That's a bit much to ask..."
"I'm sorry."
"Shenhe, you don't need to apologize."
If she apologizes again, I'm going to get angry for sure, Qin Yu thought.
"Shenhe, that..." Qin Yu hesitated, her words hanging in the air.
"Go on. I'm listening."
Qin Yu wasn't sure if this was the right thing to say, but with Shenhe's permission, she found the courage to continue.
"You've been through so much."
Deep within Shenhe's heart, those words struck a chord. The warmth she felt surged through her, amplified beyond measure.
As she savored this newfound emotion and the tenderness it evoked, she shook her head slightly.
"It's you who's been through so much."
"Me?" Qin Yu asked in surprise.
What hardships have I endured? Compared to Shenhe's past, my own feels utterly insignificant.
"That's not true," Qin Yu gently refuted Shenhe's words. "Compared to you, my past was actually quite fortunate."
Shenhe fell silent.
According to her Master, Qin Yu had also faced life-threatening situations as a child, but had forgotten them as the price of survival.
Qin Yu's words stirred an inexplicable feeling in Shenhe's heart, an overwhelming urge to hold her even tighter.
Wait, why is she holding me so tightly?! Qin Yu thought in alarm.
Evaluation: B
Get off me!
Qin Yu took a deep breath, Shenhe's breath closer than ever.
Why did I hug her? she wondered belatedly, realizing she had acted on instinct without thinking.
Emotion had kicked reason aside, driving her body to act.
My rationality is truly defenseless.
Still, Qin Yu thought, this was probably the right choice, even if it doesn't feel good.
"After that, I once abandoned all ties to the mortal world until you sought me out... If you hadn't accepted me and become my friend, I wouldn't be here today. Thank you."
Qin Yu's face flushed crimson, but fortunately, Shenhe couldn't see it.
Evaluation: A-
Qin Yu understood Shenhe's feeling of severed ties. She wasn't surprised by Shenhe's abandonment of worldly affairs. But she really wished Shenhe wouldn't say such things so casually.
Of course, if Qin Yu were to say that to Shenhe, she would undoubtedly retort, "I didn't say it casually," which would be even more infuriating.
So Qin Yu remained silent.
"With this, I've entrusted my past to you as well."
Huh?
Qin Yu's eyes widened instantly. She gently pushed Shenhe's shoulder, creating a slight distance between them.
"W-what does that mean?" Qin Yu stammered, flustered.
"Master once said that to maintain a cherished relationship, we must be completely honest with each other," Shenhe explained. "So I want to share everything about my past with you."
Don't listen to your Master's advice!
While what Shenhe said made sense, there were many ways to be honest with each other—though physical honesty was definitely out of the question! Wait, no...
Hold on, let me think...
"I've shared everything about my past and present with you."
I told you to wait! And don't just casually share such things!
Evaluation: A+
"Of course, this isn't exactly a gift."
If it's not a gift, then all the better.
"Even though I no longer feel anything about the past, it might be different for you... But even so, I hope you can accept this. Now you know everything about me."
She knows this will make me uncomfortable, yet she insists on saying it? How cruel.
And claiming to know everything about me... When not knowing is the best thing! Qin Yu's chest tightened further, though the discomfort felt different from the anguish she'd felt earlier when hearing about Shenhe's past.
Shenhe had once again affirmed how much she valued their relationship.
The weight of her pure affection grew heavier, and guilt and remorse flooded Qin Yu's heart, making it hard to breathe.
No, I have to change the subject.
Qin Yu's breathing quickened slightly as she blurted out stiffly, "Are you really completely indifferent to the past now?"
Ah, damn it, I shouldn't have asked that.
Shenhe replied, "Yes. Master bestowed upon me the red string soul-binding, which suppresses my temperament and has dulled my emotions... You should already know this."
So that's why.
I'm safe now. Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
"But—"
Qin Yu's heart lurched at that single word.
Shenhe fixed her gaze on Qin Yu and said, "Most importantly, it's because of you."
Ha!?
Evaluation: S-
"You are the most important person to me."
Qin Yu couldn't help but turn her face away.
Evaluation: S
"When you're here, I feel at peace. This time... it's the same. Precisely because you're by my side, I can remain so calm."
Stop talking.
Shenhe stated bluntly, "I believe you are the one who truly is the red string that binds me."
With those words, Shenhe naturally pressed her lips lightly against Qin Yu's cheek. The warm, soft touch vanished in an instant, leaving only a lingering trace of warmth.
This completely blanked Qin Yu's mind.
"Ah-oo..."
She could only manage a strange, incoherent sound.
Evaluation: SS-