"I don't understand how the conversation suddenly turned into this," Qin Yu protested, expressing her bewilderment.
Hu Tao tutted and shook her head. "Fishy Treasure, didn't you want proof?"
"I didn't."
Qin Yu suspected, or rather, she was certain, that the "proof" Hu Tao mentioned would involve using her mouth. It was incomprehensible, irrational, and utterly nonsensical. How could anyone accept such a thing?
Hu Tao continued blithely, "Think about it—people don't kiss people they dislike, right?"
"Generally speaking, that's true..." Qin Yu wanted to argue.
"Huh? Are there exceptions?"
Qin Yu retorted, "For example, when money is exchanged for it, or something like that."
"Eep! Fishy Treasure, how do you know so many weird things? Could it be—" Hu Tao gasped in mock horror.
"I don't!" Qin Yu quickly clarified.
"So, if I gave you money, would you...?"
"Absolutely not!"
Hu Tao chuckled. "Just kidding! I know you wouldn't. Back to the point: you said it's generally true. I haven't bribed you, so if I kissed you, wouldn't that mean I don't dislike you?"
The logic was sound.
Yet Qin Yu still felt deeply resistant. If the atmosphere were different, perhaps there would be a 1% chance—maybe—that she'd accept. But in this situation, there was absolutely none.
A strange development, a strange reason. Yet it felt like returning to normalcy.
This made Qin Yu relax slightly.
"No," Qin Yu said.
"Then we can't prove whether I really hate you or not, can we? Maybe right now I'm actually thinking—Qin Yu, you're such a pain in the ass... Ah!"
As soon as Hu Tao said that, she saw two tears slide down Qin Yu's cheek.
"I was just kidding!" Hu Tao said hurriedly.
"I'm not crying," Qin Yu said, turning her face away and wiping the tears with her hand.
"You are crying."
"I'm not."
Hu Tao retorted, "But my eyes clearly saw—"
"You're experiencing a temporary hallucination," Qin Yu said.
As she spoke, Qin Yu felt a surge of self-loathing. Stop tearing up so easily! This body is such a nuisance—and so am I...
"Alright, alright, I must have misseen. Sorry," Hu Tao coaxed.
Qin Yu remained silent, but Hu Tao sensed she was being petulant.
However, Qin Yu knew this behavior was irritating, so she suppressed her emotions and instead asked the question that truly concerned her.
"...Is there no other way to prove it?" she asked softly.
"Maybe there is, but I can't think of one right now."
Can't you think of anything?
Do something the person you hate wouldn't do—that's how to prove Hu Tao doesn't hate me. The more impossible the task, the stronger the proof.
But does Hu Tao really not hate me? I've been pretending in front of her for so long.
Then again, if Hu Tao is willing to spend time with me even knowing I'm pretending, that could also prove she doesn't hate me, Qin Yu thought.
But even if she knows I'm acting, she doesn't know the full truth about me beneath the mask, right?
That's why she doesn't hate me. If she knew more, she might not accept me.
It's like when you hear a real negative rumor about a friend you get along well with—your feelings suddenly become complicated, even uncomfortable, and you might start to hate them.
Hu Tao might react the same way.
Qin Yu's negative thoughts spiraled inward, fueling her growing anxiety.
Worse, she wondered if Hu Tao had been enduring it all along... simply because of her kindness, she hadn't spoken up. This baseless idea gradually took root in her mind, proving impossible to shake off.
Unless I can prove, at least in this moment, that she doesn't hate me.
"...Okay."
Hu Tao asked, puzzled, "Okay for what?"
Why do I have to explain myself?
With a hint of resentment, Qin Yu said, "Once is acceptable."
This was the biggest concession Qin Yu could make.
After understanding Qin Yu's meaning, Hu Tao inexplicably tensed up. Though she could easily say the word "kiss," the thought of actually doing it filled her with awkwardness and hesitation.
But her resolve had always been strong—she acted on impulse.
Since Qin Yu has already agreed... Hu Tao thought, her heart pounding faster, as she held her breath and slowly pressed her lips against Qin Yu's.
Qin Yu couldn't help but close her eyes.
Evaluation: S+
A few seconds later, Hu Tao pulled back slightly, her face flushed crimson—whether from holding her breath or from embarrassment, it was hard to tell. But even more striking was Qin Yu, whose skin radiated a faint, rosy glow.
Hu Tao licked her lips, seemingly unsatisfied.
Could you not do that? It's a little gross, Qin Yu thought irritably, but then Hu Tao leaned in closer again, her face drawing near.
Whoa?! Startled, Qin Yu hastily pressed her palm against Hu Tao's lips.
"I said only once, right?"
"But the more we do it, doesn't that prove even more that I don't dislike you?" Hu Tao's eyes gleamed with an unusual light.
H-huh? That kind of makes sense?
If it could prove Hu Tao didn't dislike her because of her roleplaying, Qin Yu thought she could grudgingly accept doing it again.
Just as with Keqing, for Qin Yu, the strength of their bond mattered more than physical contact.
Qin Yu hesitated before lowering her hand.
Hu Tao hadn't expected Qin Yu to accept her twisted logic. It seemed Qin Yu truly didn't want to be disliked.
Perfect. This was her chance to prove it.
Hu Tao pressed her lips against Qin Yu's again, claiming them with her own warmth. Even though this was only the second time they'd done this, Hu Tao already knew she wouldn't tire of it.
In fact, the more the better!
Evaluation: SS-
Hu Tao leaned in to imprint her warmth again, but Qin Yu turned her face away.
"That's enough," Qin Yu said, her face still flushed.
"But this next one will prove I really like you, Fishy Treasure!" Hu Tao gently scratched Qin Yu's neck with her fingertips.
"I have no intention of pursuing a relationship with a woman," Qin Yu insisted, her face still burning.
"Me neither! This is just an expression of affection."
Hu Tao had peeled away Qin Yu's carefully constructed persona. Though she hadn't glimpsed the entirety of Qin Yu's true self, her words had stirred something within her.
Even a small expression of affection was enough to make Qin Yu happy.
"...Alright."
Hu Tao gently turned Qin Yu's face back and kissed her again.
Evaluation: SS
Evaluation: SS+
Evaluation: SSS-
Finally, Qin Yu couldn't take it anymore and pushed Hu Tao away.
Too many times!
As Hu Tao savored the delicious "fish," she grinned and said, "Now you can relax, right?"
"No," Qin Yu retorted.
"Eh?! Why not?"
Qin Yu glared at Hu Tao, then quickly averted her gaze. "Because you might just be a pervert."
Hu Tao planted her hands on her hips, ready to retort, but her eyes drifted to Qin Yu's lips, and a new thought struck her. Momentarily flustered, she could only look away.
"Fine, maybe a little," Hu Tao admitted.
Qin Yu couldn't help but regret her earlier acceptance.
Still, this proved Hu Tao didn't hate her current self... though the future remained uncertain.
Yes, the future.
Now that Hu Tao had ruthlessly exposed her true nature, her future was the most critical thing. And that future largely depended on Hu Tao's perception of her.
After this incident, how would they even face each other again?
"Hu Tao, you said this was a quest from Teacher to look after me. Is this how you're 'looking after' me?" Qin Yu couldn't resist complaining.
Hu Tao grew even more awkward.
How will I face Qin Yu's mother's grave as a friend?
"I kissed your daughter!" If Qin Yu's mother were still alive, saying that would instantly transform her into a "kindly, approachable" figure, fully leveraging the weight of her knowledge to teach Hu Tao a lesson.
Hu Tao retorted, "But Fishy Treasure, you seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit, didn't you?"
Ha? Impossible! Qin Yu wanted to snap back, but when she regained her composure, all that escaped her lips was a forced laugh.
"Ahahaha, that never happened."
Not only Qin Yu, but Hu Tao also fell silent.
"Ahaha... You always say that when you're putting on an act," Hu Tao remarked.
Qin Yu clutched her arm, wordless.
Hu Tao clasped her hands behind her back, her expression thoughtful. "Fishy Treasure, are you really going to keep this up?"
What else can I do?
Will this guarantee others won't hate me? Will it guarantee Hu Tao won't hate me later?
Even if I'm exposed, so what? If I keep pretending, using my persona as a shield instead of a disguise, won't that still work?
Yes! Right here, right now, I'll use my persona as a shield in front of Hu Tao.
The important thing is to prevent her from seeing the real me, Qin Yu thought, her mind clearing. Yet the clarity felt almost too vast, bordering on loneliness.
"Fishy Treasure?"
"...Mm, that's right."
Hu Tao frowned, her voice tinged with worry. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"
Don't ask me. Don't question me. How else can I keep going?
"It's fine."
"No, it's not."
"It's perfect."
Hu Tao's frown softened, her tone helpless. "Don't get stuck in a rut, okay?"
"I'm not at all! I'm really grateful for your concern, Hu Tao—"
"Don't do that."
Hu Tao's simple words seemed to dispel Qin Yu's newly erected facade. A negative thought flashed through Qin Yu's mind—Does Hu Tao hate me now?—and she fell silent once more.
Hu Tao squeezed in next to Qin Yu.
"Why pretend to be someone you're not?" Hu Tao asked.
Qin Yu remained silent.
"Doesn't it feel suffocating to keep up this act all the time? Do you ever show your true self to anyone?"
Still no response.
"Can't you just take it off?"
Qin Yu finally spoke.
"It's my 'magic,' my 'glass slipper.' Without it, no one would like me."
"That's just what you think," Hu Tao countered. "How can you know the outcome if you don't try?"
Qin Yu murmured, "Once I try, there's no going back. Even if there's only a 1% chance of it failing, I don't want to risk it. My luck has never been good."
Seeming deeply weary, she added listlessly, "'You won't know the outcome unless you try'? It's more like 'You won't know the outcome even if you try.'"
"But aren't you suffering?"
"Of course not."
Hu Tao leaned closer. "Don't lie, Fishy Treasure. I know you have a good heart, and that's exactly why you're hurting. Only someone who doesn't care about others would lie without hesitation."
"My heart isn't good at all."
"See? Only someone who's hurting would say that."
Qin Yu had no response.
Hu Tao stepped in front of Qin Yu and said, "Stop pretending. It doesn't suit you."
"Only by wearing my 'Crystal Shoes' can I become someone others won't hate—someone they might even like," Qin Yu said softly, looking down at her feet and continuing slowly, "So even if they don't fit, I have to wear them."
Make my feet adapt to the shoes.
"Besides, I can't take them off anymore. Once I do, the magic fades, and everyone will just think I'm... worse. 'Not as good as the real you,' 'I don't like you when you're cold and detached.'"
Qin Yu lifted her head, gazing at the clear sky.
"There's a fairy tale about a girl who wore Crystal Shoes, imbued with magic, and became dazzling at the palace ball, even captivating a prince. Even after midnight, when the magic wore off, the prince remained infatuated. How could it ever be that perfect?"
Just then, Qin Yu noticed Hu Tao squatting in front of her.
"All right!"
Huh?
Without her noticing, Hu Tao had untied her shoelaces and yanked off her shoes in one swift motion.
"Ha!?"
"Y-you! What are you doing?!" Qin Yu exclaimed, flustered.
Hu Tao stood up, playfully waving the two shoes in her hands with a mischievous grin.
"Aren't they off now?"
"You took my shoes! Give them back!" Qin Yu reached out to grab them, but Hu Tao easily dodged by taking two steps back.
"Hmph! If you want them, come and get them!"
With that, Hu Tao sprinted a short distance away.
Qin Yu felt her anger rising. "How can I chase you without shoes?" she demanded.
She wasn't wearing socks, and her shoes were designed to be worn without them.
"Go barefoot."
"No way! Give them back now!"
Hu Tao giggled. "Nuh-uh~ Come and get them if you want them! What's wrong with going barefoot?"
What's wrong with it? Are you a child? This is so childish, Qin Yu thought irritably. But she really didn't want to walk barefoot, so she tried to reason with Hu Tao.
"You'll get your feet dirty, step on something sharp, and end up hurting yourself and bleeding."
In short, it'll be really uncomfortable.
"And if someone sees, they'll think it's inappropriate."
Hu Tao glanced around and shrugged. "But there's no one else here."
"Dirty."
"Then we'll wash them clean," Hu Tao replied.
"What if I step on something bad?"
Hu Tao kicked a small, sharp pebble off the path. "Don't worry, I won't let you."
"Can't you just give them back?"
"Your feet deserve a break sometimes."
A break? How is this a break?
But it was clear Hu Tao had no intention of giving up the shoes easily.
Two options:
1. Wait her out and see how long she can hold out. 2. Walk barefoot over and snatch them back.
As if reading Qin Yu's mind, Hu Tao grinned. "I could keep this up all day, you know. And I'm not joking. I could even run off with your shoes and leave you here."
How mean!
Might as well fly over there.
"Oh, and you can only walk."
How annoying.
Left with no choice, Qin Yu cautiously placed her bare feet on the ground. The sensation of earth and grass immediately rushed up from below.
I'll never forgive you for this, Qin Yu muttered to herself as she cautiously approached Hu Tao.
Halfway there, Hu Tao suddenly darted away, putting even more distance between them.
"Wait!"
"No way I'm waiting! Besides, look—" Hu Tao held up a familiar pair of shoes in her other hand.
"Why did you take off your own shoes?"
"Now we're matching—both barefoot!" Hu Tao grinned.
But you still have socks on!
"Didn't you think about what would happen if you got hurt?" Qin Yu asked, clearly annoyed.
"Thanks for your concern. But I'm fine! Besides, there's no one around but you and me. Why not relax and enjoy the freedom?" Hu Tao said with a bright smile.
"Barefoot isn't relaxing!"
"Wearing shoes all the time isn't relaxing either. But doing this once in a while is fun!"
"My feet aren't even pretty," Qin Yu protested.
"Nonsense! I think they're beautiful. Show them to someone else if you don't believe me."
"No way!"
I don't want anyone to see my bare feet.
"Give me back my shoes."
Let me turn back to normal.
Walking up to Hu Tao, Qin Yu retrieved her shoes, only to find the soles covered in mud. They were still wearable, but definitely uncomfortable.
All Hu Tao's fault, Qin Yu grumbled inwardly, just as their eyes met.
"Fishy Treasure, you know you can't keep this up forever, right?" Hu Tao said.
"I don't know," Qin Yu replied evasively.
Please don't bring this up again.
Hu Tao continued, "You might be able to fool casual acquaintances, but do you really think you can hide this from Shenhe? Or Ningguang? Keqing? Yanfei? The closer you are to someone, the harder it is to keep up the act."
"I can manage."
"I don't think so. You'll end up suffocating yourself."
Suffocate. The feeling of being suffocated.
Qin Yu realized she had indeed felt this way. As her relationships with Shenhe and the others grew uncontrollably closer, the suffocating sensation had become increasingly frequent.
"You need to breathe," Hu Tao said.
Breathe? How do I breathe?
"Just let your true self come out and take a breath of fresh air now and then. That way, your disguise won't end up corrupting the real you."
True self? I don't even understand that.
Qin Yu lowered her gaze. "I... I don't even know what my true self is anymore."
"Then let me help you find it."
Hu Tao's words left Qin Yu momentarily stunned.
Help?
"How can you help?"
"It's simple. Just be yourself around me. Take off your Crystal Shoes, relax, and let things unfold naturally. You'll find yourself again, right?" Hu Tao smiled.
Qin Yu hesitated, torn.
Being herself around Hu Tao meant unconsciously revealing more of her flaws. What if Hu Tao grew to dislike her because of it?
"I'm the only one who knows the truth right now, right?"
"...Mm-hmm."
Hu Tao nodded. "I won't tell anyone."
"Thank you."
"Besides, who would believe me even if I did?" Hu Tao chuckled.
Qin Yu felt a little relieved.
"Fishy Treasure, precisely because I know you're pretending, you don't need to worry about me. Embrace the 'what's the worst that could happen?' attitude!"
Even if you say that...
"And... I don't think there's anything wrong with you."
"Huh?"
Hu Tao's expression turned serious. "People have many facets. The you at home and the you in public are different, right? You're perfectly normal... just a bit too fixated on things."
Is that so? Qin Yu wondered, confused.
"Some people want everyone to like them, while others only care about being liked by a few. Some prefer salty, others sweet—everyone's different, aren't they? But I think it's precisely these differences that make us all fundamentally the 'same'."
"It's perfectly normal to want to be liked by others."
"So don't worry, I accept you."
Accept me? Just hearing those words warmed Qin Yu's chest.
"Besides, in the end, everyone gets burned to ashes anyway. It's all the same."
The warmth vanished.
"But my acceptance alone isn't enough. You have to accept me too, okay? I have plenty of flaws myself, as you're well aware." Hu Tao winked playfully.
"If you accept me, I can help you! Accept me, and I'll be your resting place. I can even lend you a hand in your daily life, helping you maintain your disguise. What do you say? Sounds like a good deal, right?"
"Help me maintain my disguise?" Qin Yu asked in surprise.
"Mhm! You know, I was fascinated by your true nature from the start. Don't you remember?"
I do seem to recall something like that.
Hu Tao continued earnestly, "I believe that as long as people fulfill their duties and take care of those around them, what others think doesn't really matter."
"You're one of the people I want to take care of, too, both professionally and personally."
Professionally, because of the quest entrusted to her by Qin Yu's mother.
Personally, because she simply wanted to.
Am I someone Hu Tao wants to take care of? That makes me a little happy... Wait, haven't I always been the one taking care of her? Qin Yu's mood grew complicated as she considered this.
Hu Tao smiled gently. "Of course, I don't expect you to decide right away. There's plenty of time. Just think about it casually when you get back."
"If you think you can do it, come find me at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. If not, just pretend this never happened—and I'll waive the fee for this extended service as a gift from the Director!"
Qin Yu listened, remaining silent for a long moment. She couldn't immediately sort out her thoughts. So much had happened today; she felt utterly overwhelmed. But one thing was clear: Hu Tao was undeniably a good woman.
"Thank you," Qin Yu said with a sincere smile.
Hu Tao didn't respond right away.
"Fishy Treasure, you..."
"Hmm?"
"Never mind."
"Eh?"
What's wrong?
Hu Tao's cheeks flushed slightly as she thought, That smile really packs a punch.