To be honest, Qin Yu never quite understood why her Teacher wanted to be buried at Wuwang Hill.
When she asked her once, Teacher had simply said, "It's quiet there."
Wuwang Hill was indeed quiet, but it was also eerily desolate. The sky darkened abruptly upon entering, and faint, ghostly flames flickered among the trees, making it look exactly like the haunted places in ghost stories.
In fact, recent rumors had been circulating about Wuwang Hill being haunted, with reports of supernatural occurrences. The more Qin Yu thought about it, the more uneasy she became.
Just before the final moment, her teacher had said, "Don't come to my grave."
Qin Yu couldn't understand. As family, how could she possibly not pay her respects at his grave?
So, every holiday when everyone else returned home to climb the mountain and tend to their ancestors' graves, she would make the journey to Wuwang Hill, even though the path wasn't always safe and the hill itself was shrouded in an eerie gloom.
Qin Yu had always been curious about why her family had chosen Wuwang Hill as their final resting place. Hu Tao explained that it was specified in the deceased's will.
The journey from Liyue Port to Wuwang Hill was long, and this particular funeral was conducted with strict adherence to tradition.
The entire procession was permeated with a heavy, sorrowful atmosphere, the air thick and stagnant. Qin Yu found the oppressive atmosphere unsettling, always reminding her of the day her teacher was buried. Thank goodness I didn't end up working at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, she thought.
The funeral procession, burial rites, and travel time consumed most of the day. By the time everything was finished, it was nearly dusk.
From the moment the procession began, Hu Tao's demeanor had shifted from her usual lightheartedness to solemn professionalism. She oversaw every step of the ceremony with meticulous precision, demonstrating the competence befitting the Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
This certainly gave Qin Yu a better understanding of Hu Tao. But as for whether she was cool or not... meh, maybe just barely? After all, this was just the professional competence one would expect from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's director.
After handling a few more matters, Hu Tao finally said, "Alright, we've finished everything we need to do here. It's time to head back."
The other members of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor nodded and paired up to leave.
Qin Yu, however, was pondering. Having rarely come to Wuwang Hill, should she take this opportunity to visit her foster mother's grave? After a brief deliberation, she decided:
Might as well stop by while I'm here.
"Fishy Treasure, aren't you coming?" Hu Tao asked, planting her hands on her hips.
"Eh? Ah, my family is buried nearby. I was thinking of stopping by to pay my respects on the way back. You can go ahead, Hu Tao." As Qin Yu spoke, a sudden premonition struck her.
Hu Tao might just...
"Then I'll come with you!"
Exactly!
"W-why?" Qin Yu asked, genuinely puzzled. Hu Tao didn't even know her mother.
"Aren't we best friends? What's wrong with best friends meeting each other's parents? But if you're not comfortable with it, I understand. It's up to you," Hu Tao replied.
Uncomfortable? Not really. Knowing her teacher's personality, she might actually be pleased.
"Alright," Qin Yu agreed.
Fortunately, Hu Tao didn't say anything extra, or Qin Yu definitely wouldn't have agreed.
Hu Tao's expression softened slightly. "Thanks! I didn't think you'd agree."
I'm not that petty, Qin Yu thought.
"Teacher really loves lively company, so she'd probably be happy to have another visitor," Qin Yu said with a gentle smile.
Hu Tao stroked her chin. "Loves lively company but still wants to be buried here? Wuwang Hill... hmm, it can be lively, but most of the time it's pretty quiet."
Lively? What kind of lively? Most of the time? Qin Yu's anxiety spiked.
Just then, a cold gust of wind swept through, startling her into a shiver. Glancing around at the gloomy surroundings, Qin Yu drew her Combat Pistol.
"Why'd you pull out your weapon?" Hu Tao asked.
Qin Yu was too embarrassed to admit she was trying to boost her courage, which would make her sound cowardly—though it was true.
"It's to protect you, Hu Tao! I've heard there are still signs of monsters appearing on Wuwang Hill, and you must be exhausted from working so hard today. So leave this to me."
A perfect explanation.
"Wow, you're so thoughtful! Then... let's hold hands while we're at it!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Hu Tao grabbed Qin Yu's other empty hand.
Wait, I didn't ask you to hold hands, nor did I give you permission to do so.
While simply holding hands wasn't inherently wrong, Hu Tao's sudden grip still irritated Qin Yu. Moreover, her grip wasn't ordinary; Hu Tao interlaced her fingers between Qin Yu's, locking them together as if in a clasp.
Evaluation: C-
Why is she holding my hand like this? Qin Yu's ears burned. "Holding hands is fine, but does it have to be this way?"
"This way is warmer, isn't it?" Hu Tao grinned. "And didn't you say it was okay to hold hands like this in private? There's no one else around."
Qin Yu was absolutely certain she had never said such a thing.
"I don't think I ever said that," Qin Yu retorted.
"I think you did."
Pulling things out of thin air? Qin Yu retorted with a hint of irritation, "I don't think you think I said that."
"I think you don't think I don't think you said that."
My head's spinning.
Qin Yu still felt a twinge of annoyance, but she had already glimpsed the extent of Hu Tao's audacity. Continuing this argument would likely only embolden Hu Tao further.
Fine.
Qin Yu decided to give up. Besides, holding hands like this actually felt a little reassuring.
Of course, she would never admit that aloud.
Evaluation: C
Go, go.
Qin Yu followed the route from her memory, while Hu Tao trailed behind, humming nonsensical tunes as if on a picnic.
But before they reached their destination, Qin Yu suddenly felt someone's gaze.
Her body tensed involuntarily, and she looked toward the source of the gaze. A flash of white darted behind a tree and vanished.
Huh? What was that?
"Fishy Treasure, what's wrong?" Hu Tao asked curiously.
"I thought I just saw something white flash past over there..." Qin Yu said anxiously.
"Something white?"
Hu Tao followed Qin Yu's gaze but saw nothing. Still, her description sparked an idea.
"Could it have been a slime?"
A slime couldn't possibly move that fast.
Qin Yu shook her head. "No. I think it might have been a..."
"A...?"
"A ghost?" Qin Yu suggested hesitantly.
Hu Tao covered her mouth and giggled. "Maybe? Wuwang Hill is that kind of place, so a couple of ghosts wouldn't be too surprising, right?"
Hu Tao's breezy tone irritated Qin Yu.
Tch, believe it or don't, Qin Yu thought sourly. Then she heard Hu Tao say:
"Now I'm curious too! Fishy Treasure, wait here—I'll be right back!"
With that, Hu Tao strode off to investigate.
Hu Tao strode forward, eager to investigate.
Ha?! She's going to leave me here alone? Didn't something that looked like a ghost just flash by? Qin Yu's anxiety surged, causing her to grab Hu Tao's hand before she could let go.
"I... I think I must have imagined it. Let's just keep going."
While going with Hu Tao was an option, Qin Yu wasn't keen on it.
"But didn't you say—" Hu Tao asked, puzzled.
"I was mistaken."
"The white—" Hu Tao blinked.
"I was mistaken."
Hu Tao laughed. "If you were mistaken, then there's nothing we can do about it."
Yeah, there really is nothing we can do about it, Qin Yu thought, nodding slightly.
What can't be helped, can't be helped.
Evaluation: B-
Ha? Is there even a hint of 'togetherness' here? Still, getting some Points is nice...