Her mind, now a blank slate, began to whir slowly like a rusty machine.
Shenhe said I'm her true Red String? Qin Yu thought sluggishly, the lingering warmth on her cheek making her body inexplicably heat up.
Her gaze involuntarily fell on the conspicuous red string on Shenhe's wrist, and Qin Yu blurted out reflexively:
"Impure!"
Shenhe asked, puzzled, "Impure? I don't understand. Have I done something to make you think I'm impure? I simply told you my true feelings."
"But your face..."
"Hmm, I wanted to express my gratitude and affection for you in the usual way. Is there a problem with that?"
Even though they had done this many times before, Shenhe mentioned it this time. Qin Yu still wasn't entirely clear on the scope of what Shenhe considered "impure."
Qin Yu stammered awkwardly, "N-no, there's nothing wrong..."
Shenhe remained as composed as ever. It was Qin Yu's overreaction that made her look suspicious.
It's like I'm accusing her of being impure when I'm the one who's actually impure.
So Qin Yu had no choice but to say nothing was wrong.
But wouldn't anyone react this way? After all, Shenhe's Red String, like her clothes, was worn directly against her skin.
If I were her Red String, then wouldn't that mean—
No, stop thinking such nonsense! What a disgusting thought.
As her body temperature gradually returned to normal, Qin Yu's mind calmed as well.
But she still didn't want to meet Shenhe's gaze, so she turned her face away.
"I'm glad you say that, but isn't it a bit of an exaggeration? How could I possibly compare to the magic of an Adeptus?" Qin Yu said, twirling a strand of hair beside her ear.
Shenhe shook her head. "It's no exaggeration. My heart finds peace in your presence, yet also struggles to restrain itself because of you... That's the greatest proof."
Stop! Don't say another word.
Qin Yu thought, The more we talk about this, the more Shenhe will say things that make me unbearably embarrassed. It would be better if she showed some expression, but the problem is she doesn't.
Instead, she's making me feel completely awkward.
Her recently cooled mind was thrown into chaos again by Shenhe's words, her breath growing heavy and hot.
How annoying.
This mixture of resentment and simmering anger stirred complex feelings within Qin Yu—happiness, yet also displeasure. Driven by this contradictory emotional state, she blurted out:
"Shenhe is also very important to me!"
I have to make her experience this complicated feeling for herself.
This was revenge. There wasn't a shred of genuine feeling in those words... No, perhaps there was a tiny sliver, just a minuscule amount.
In any case, this was revenge!
"I'm so glad you said that. This is what it feels like when our hearts are connected... I will always cherish you," Shenhe murmured softly, her voice filled with the bright emotion welling up within her.
Revenge failed!
Evaluation: SS
Ah, I can't take this anymore.
Qin Yu stood up, brushed off her clothes, and stiffly asked, "Shall we head back now?"
Shenhe had already accomplished what she came to do, and there was no point in lingering here.
Moreover, after hearing Shenhe's past, Qin Yu found herself looking at the dilapidated village with a mix of indescribable emotions.
She really didn't want to stay here any longer.
"Mm, let's go back," Shenhe agreed, rising and nodding.
As they descended the hillside, preparing to leave, Qin Yu noticed an elderly man slowly approaching the village entrance, his expression complex as he gazed at the ruined settlement.
Could he be someone who used to live here? Qin Yu wondered.
"He's... Qin Yu, I want to speak with him. May I?" Shenhe suddenly asked.
"Huh? Someone you know?" Qin Yu asked, surprised.
Shenhe nodded. "I remember him. He's a friend of my father's. You can go ahead; I'll catch up later."
Ha? Is she trying to get rid of me?
Qin Yu felt a pang of displeasure. But then Shenhe paused, adding, "...But... it would be best if you stayed with me."
Qin Yu's irritation vanished, and she nodded with a smile.
As they approached the elderly man, he noticed them almost immediately. He gave Qin Yu only a cursory glance before his gaze settled on Shenhe's face.
"You are...?" he hesitated.
"Shenhe. Uncle Mingjun, it's been a long time."
Mingjun's surprise turned to wistfulness. "Indeed, it has been a long time, A'He. The rumors were true after all..."
A'He? Qin Yu couldn't help but steal a glance at Shenhe's profile. Is that her nickname? It sounds kind of cute.
I wonder how she'd react if I called her that.
While Qin Yu was lost in her thoughts, Mingjun's gaze shifted to her again, perhaps curious about the person beside Shenhe.
"And you are?"
Caught off guard, Qin Yu stammered, "H-hello, I'm Qin Yu."
"She's someone important to me."
Why do you have to make things so complicated? Qin Yu thought, annoyed. Just saying "good friend" would have been enough.
Qin Yu's eyes were slightly vacant, lost in hopeless thoughts. Only her heart, stirred by some inexplicable stimulus, caused her blood to surge with a faint warmth.
Shenhe remained completely oblivious, paying no heed to Ming Jun's surprised expression. She would likely have spoken just as bluntly even in a crowded place.
Why beat around the bush when the truth is so straightforward?
Unless Qin Yu explicitly asked her not to.
"So she's your close friend..." Ming Jun remarked.
Exactly! You get it, old man, Qin Yu thought with relief. Thank goodness there's no misunderstanding.
"And you came here to..." Ming Jun pressed.
"I wanted her to see my past," Shenhe replied candidly.
"The past... I still remember when you had black hair. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. But seeing you settled and content—that's all that matters."
Ming Jun gazed at the village and sighed softly. "One year when I returned, I heard tales of the 'White-Haired Adeptus' from travelers. Turns out, it was you. Your father and I were once the closest of friends. My instinct was to stop him, but a moment of weakness led to this grave mistake."
So he knew about the ritual after all, Qin Yu thought silently.
"I owe you all an apology. But things are no longer what they were, and people are gone. All I can do now is bring flowers here each year and pay my respects."
Shenhe simply shook her head. "There's no need to apologize. If the spell failed, he would have sought another way."
"That's true... sigh. After that, your father chose to end his own life. And this village had to be abandoned because of the evil spirit's appearance."
Shenhe remained silent.
Ended his own life... Did my father do it out of regret? She wondered. But the truth was forever beyond her reach now.
Qin Yu exhaled softly, her peripheral vision catching sight of Shenhe's empty hand. After a moment's hesitation, she quietly reached out and took it.
Even though Shenhe claimed to feel nothing about the past, Qin Yu felt it was better to do this anyway. She couldn't deny that learning about Shenhe's history had made her feel a newfound concern for her. This is probably just my sympathy acting up.
But it's better than showing no gesture at all.
Qin Yu hoped Shenhe wouldn't notice. If Shenhe asked something like, "Have you become a bit gentler?" Qin Yu was certain she'd get sulky.
Shenhe felt the familiar touch and turned to look at Qin Yu.
What are you staring at? Did you think I wouldn't do this? Turn back around.
Qin Yu secretly pursed her lips, wanting to press Shenhe's face back around, but she restrained herself.
"A'He, do you... still resent your father?"
"I don't know. It's less about resentment and more about indifference. Besides... rather than dwelling on the past, I prefer to focus on the present and cherish those who will always be by my side." Shenhe squeezed Qin Yu's hand in return.
That last line was unnecessary!
Ming Jun's expression softened slightly. "I see. It seems you've made a good friend... You two go ahead. I want to look around here a bit longer."
The nearby monsters had already been cleared, making the area safe. Qin Yu nodded, glancing at Shenhe for her opinion.
"Mm-hm," Shenhe replied briefly.
After bidding farewell to Ming Jun, Qin Yu and Shenhe retraced their steps.
As they walked, Shenhe murmured, "Thank you for your concern."
"No problem at all."
If only you hadn't said that last line... Qin Yu grumbled inwardly.
Never mind. This isn't the first time this has happened... Qin Yu abandoned her thoughts, noticing that Shenhe hadn't looked back even once since leaving the village.
But then again, everything was gone.
"Um, Shenhe..."
"What is it?"
Qin Yu wondered if she should offer some words of comfort, but before she could voice the thought, she abandoned the idea. Shenhe had made her feelings clear earlier, so there was no need to bring it up again.
Let's change the subject, she thought.
With that thought, Qin Yu casually asked, "What do you want to eat today?"
"Dumplings. We promised last time... but I don't mind anything else," Shenhe replied.
"Ha ha, that's right, we did promise. Then let's make dumplings when we get back. What filling do you prefer, Shenhe?"
"I don't mind."
I do mind that you don't mind.
Qin Yu's head throbbed slightly. This kind of "I don't mind" attitude was the hardest to deal with.
The problem was—Shenhe genuinely didn't mind. She wasn't the type to say "I don't mind" while secretly having a preference.
She would eat anything Qin Yu made. Even if it tasted terrible, she would probably accept it without hesitation.
Fine, I'll just make it according to my own tastes, Qin Yu thought, resigned. Don't blame me if you don't like it!
Forcing a smile, she said, "Then let's go buy dumpling wrappers first."
"Do we need to buy them?"
"Huh? We're not buying them?"
Shenhe replied, "I thought we were going to make them ourselves."
"Making them ourselves isn't out of the question. Let's go buy flour then. And pork..." Qin Yu muttered, ticking off ingredients on her fingers.
It might be a bit of a hassle, but it wasn't too bad.
"I'll help," Shenhe offered.
"Great!"
Having an extra pair of hands would certainly save some effort. But Qin Yu had no idea how skilled Shenhe was at making dumplings. If she wasn't good at it, would Qin Yu have to teach her?
If that were the case, Qin Yu would rather Shenhe just wait patiently for her meal.
Shenhe gazed at Qin Yu for a long moment before turning her gaze forward.
It's true that my past was filled with hardship, Shenhe thought, but what's done is done. What matters most is the present. Qin Yu has chosen to accept me, and from now on, we'll spend these ordinary yet precious days together.
Just the thought of it made the colors in her heart grow even brighter.
"Qin Yu," Shenhe blurted out, unable to contain her sincerity, "I'm really happy."
Shenhe's sudden declaration left Qin Yu completely bewildered, feeling like it came out of nowhere.
Could it be she really wanted dumplings?
Hmph, then she can eagerly await my perfect creations!
"Then please look forward to it!" Qin Yu replied with a smile.
Shenhe found Qin Yu's remark peculiar, as if the words didn't quite fit the context.
Could she mean, "Are you looking forward to the future?"
That must be it.
Shenhe nodded in understanding. "Very well, I will look forward to it."
"Mm, that's good!"
But then...
"It would be nice if you could smile," Qin Yu murmured, her voice reaching Shenhe's ears.
Shouldn't one smile when expressing happiness? Though Shenhe herself... Never mind. Qin Yu quickly dismissed the thought and returned to pondering the dumplings.
However, Shenhe couldn't shake the weight of those words.
Smile... huh.
Does Qin Yu want me to smile? Shenhe considered this. It didn't seem impossible; since meeting Qin Yu, many long-dormant emotions had resurfaced within her.
But how exactly should she smile? Shenhe wasn't quite sure.
Perhaps observation would be best.
And the most suitable subject for observation would undoubtedly be Qin Yu herself. The smiles Qin Yu had shown in the past remained vivid in Shenhe's memory.
Shenhe silently fixed her gaze on Qin Yu.
Whoa, that intense gaze... What's up with that? An inexplicable itch ran through Qin Yu, prompting her to ask, "Shenhe, is something the matter?"
"...I will try my best."
More cryptic words.
"Then... good luck?" Qin Yu replied, utterly perplexed.
"Okay."
What a bizarre conversation.
Qin Yu decided it was best not to dwell on it, lest Shenhe start rambling about nonsense again. She'd rather ask about something else that piqued her curiosity.
"'A'He' was your childhood nickname, Shenhe?" Qin Yu asked curiously.
"Yes," Shenhe nodded. "Some people called me that when I still lived in the village."
With confirmation from Shenhe herself, Qin Yu grinned mischievously and called out, "A'He!"
Shenhe hadn't anticipated Qin Yu using that name and felt a strange sensation. Not unpleasant, but rather... like an inexplicable itch deep inside? It was hard to describe.
But she didn't dislike it.
"Hmm... you can call me that if you want."
Tsk, boring. Qin Yu had hoped for a more interesting reaction and was disappointed.
"Ahaha, it feels a bit strange. I think I'll stick to calling you Shenhe normally. Unless, Shenhe, do you want me to call you 'A'He'?" Qin Yu continued, her tone teasing.
"I don't mind."
Ugh—how annoying and deflating. Fine, whatever. Qin Yu felt like a fool.
By the time they returned to Liyue Port, it was nearly dusk.
Though they had left early in the morning, hiking and taking their time on the way back had unexpectedly taken much longer than anticipated.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat with Shenhe to fill their stomachs, Qin Yu led her to shop for ingredients to make dumplings.
Before they finished, Shenhe suddenly remarked, "The sky is darkening."
"Huh? Oh, you're right..."
Is it going to rain?
Keqing had mentioned that Liyue Port's disaster prevention systems were top-notch, protecting against fire, lightning, and flooding, so there was no need to worry... But if it rained, the air would become oppressively humid and stuffy, making it quite uncomfortable.
Besides, it was almost evening. If a heavy downpour started, Shenhe wouldn't be able to get back.
At that point, I'd have to let Shenhe stay overnight... That's out of the question! Qin Yu could only mentally pray to Rex Lapis for the weather to clear up quickly.
Then, it started to rain.
How annoying.