After bidding farewell to Hu Tao and Xiangling, Fang Qiu carried the coconuts all the way to Bubu Pharmacy.
Qiqi was stretching her body behind the counter, chanting under her breath as she moved.
"One, two, seven, seven. Two, two, seven..."
Seeing Fang Qiu standing before the counter, Qiqi stopped her exercises, looked up at Fang Qiu, and said, "You are here? May I ask, did you come to bring Qiqi coconut milk?"
"Mhm, come on out and have some."
Fang Qiu nodded, placed the coconuts she was holding onto the table, and spoke with a smile.
Qiqi nodded hurriedly and trotted all the way toward the counter exit on the side.
Witnessing this scene, Fang Qiu couldn't help but feel a strange illusion.
Why did she feel like a creepy uncle luring a little girl to see goldfish with a lollipop?
After helping Qiqi open the coconuts, Qiqi sat on a chair, hugging a coconut, and began to drink.
Watching Qiqi drink the coconut milk with such charming naivety, Fang Qiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Yesterday she couldn't even remember Baizhu telling her to take her medicine, yet she somehow remembered the promise Fang Qiu made to bring her coconut milk today.
"Qiqi, why do you like coconut milk so much?"
Fang Qiu sat down beside Qiqi and asked.
"Because, coconut milk is tasty."
Qiqi paused, then said, "Although I cannot taste the flavor, I still like it."
"You can't taste it?"
Fang Qiu was slightly stunned, unable to comprehend Qiqi's words.
If she couldn't taste it, why would she like it?
"Qiqi has already... died once. Later, I was saved by the Adepti. So, I am a zombie. Zombies, therefore, cannot taste."
Qiqi spoke slowly and haltingly.
"Died once? A zombie?"
Fang Qiu was dazed for a long while before coming back to her senses.
She gently touched Qiqi's cheek; although it was soft, it was icy cold.
Although it was somewhat of a shock to her worldview.
But thinking about it carefully, Liyue has Adepti and gods, so having a zombie doesn't seem that strange.
However, based on her past life's impression of zombies, shouldn't they be pale and blue all over, drinking blood like savages?
How come when it comes to Qiqi, she just likes drinking coconut milk?
And is this cute, to boot.
She had none of the stereotypical traits Fang Qiu associated with zombies from her previous life.
"Qiqi is a zombie. Will you hate Qiqi?"
Qiqi stopped drinking the coconut milk, looked into Fang Qiu's eyes, and asked.
"I won't. Rest assured."
Fang Qiu smiled, patted Qiqi's head, and said.
Qiqi did not speak, simply continuing to drink the coconut milk quietly.
Fang Qiu also sat aside, quietly keeping her company.
She had nothing else to do anyway.
Might as well stay with this little zombie a while longer.
Although Qiqi was small in stature, her appetite was surprisingly large; soon, both coconuts were drunk dry by her.
"No more. So disappointed. Although I am disappointed, it is okay."
As she spoke, Fang Qiu suddenly felt Qiqi's gaze shift downwards, landing on her chest.
As her gaze fell upon her chest, Qiqi stuck out her little tongue and licked the remaining coconut milk from the corner of her mouth.
"The coconut milk is tasty. Thank you."
Qiqi said.
"I'll bring you more coconut milk next time."
Fang Qiu smiled, patting Qiqi's small hat as she spoke.
"Then, I will remember you. Although my... memory is not good, I will give myself... an order to remember you."
Qiqi looked at Fang Qiu and spoke in her soft, sticky voice.
This little tyke Qiqi, why did she give off a vibe of "whoever feeds me is my mother"?
Hmm...
Putting it that way felt really weird.
Why did it sound like what Qiqi drank wasn't coconut milk, but her own...
Fang Qiu shook her head, shaking those messy thoughts out of her mind. After chatting with Qiqi for a while longer, a patient arrived to pick up medicine.
Not wanting to delay Qiqi's work, Fang Qiu bade her farewell and left Bubu Pharmacy.
It was time to go home and see if the landlord's family had returned.
Although the bed at Bai Qing's home was soft and fragrant, it was someone else's house after all; sleeping there inevitably felt a bit constraining.
A bit restricted.
Right now, she just wanted to hurry home and lie down properly for two days.
She hadn't gone far from Bubu Pharmacy and was just descending the stairs when a young woman in blue walked toward her.
The blue-clad girl's pretty face showed signs of fatigue, and amidst her fluffy hair, two black-and-red horns were particularly conspicuous.
At the same moment Fang Qiu saw her, she also saw Fang Qiu.
"Miss Fang Qiu, good morning. I didn't expect to run into you here."
The blue-clad girl's eyes lit up slightly, and she spoke softly with a smile.
"Good morning, Miss Ganyu."
Fang Qiu offered a faint smile and greeted her.
"Miss Fang Qiu, did you just come from Bubu Pharmacy? Are you sick?"
Ganyu asked.
"No, I was just here to see someone."
Fang Qiu shook her head and said, "What about you, Miss Ganyu?"
"I'm also here to find someone. I'm looking for a little girl named Yaoyao. She's a child the Ministry of Civil Affairs has temporarily entrusted to my care. Since she often visits Bubu Pharmacy, I came to check. If she's not here, she must have run off to Captain Beidou's ship."
Ganyu held her forehead, looking somewhat distressed.
"I see."
Fang Qiu nodded.
Although she didn't know who the little girl Ganyu mentioned was, nodding was the safe response.
"Well then, Miss Ganyu, I'll let you get back to it. I won't disturb you further."
Fang Qiu smiled and said.
"Mhm."
Ganyu nodded and added, "By the way, Miss Fang Qiu, I heard your new book will be available on the upcoming release day. I'll be looking forward to it."
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Ganyu."
Fang Qiu smiled.
It had to be said—if Ganyu hadn't bought her book, Your Lie in April couldn't possibly have achieved its currently terrifying sales figures.
It would be unjustifiable not to treat her to a meal.
Next time. Definitely next time.
After bidding farewell to Ganyu, Fang Qiu found a random place to eat lunch, then headed straight home.
Fortunately, the landlord had returned; otherwise, she really wouldn't have known where to go.
After retrieving the spare key and opening the door, Fang Qiu casually dumped her other things on the table, took off her outer coat, and fell stiffly onto the bed. Feeling the intimate contact between her body and the mattress, Fang Qiu couldn't help but knit her beautiful brows slightly.
Ugh...
The bed is so hard...
Still, this feeling of slacking off is so nice...
Doing whatever she wanted, lying there without restraint.
Perhaps this was her original intention for choosing to write for a living in her past life.
To be free and unfettered.
Sleeping when she wanted to sleep, waking when she wanted to wake.
Sitting at the computer to type when serious, or lying in bed writing on her phone when feeling lazy.
It couldn't be more cozy.
Of course... the income aspect was somewhat unsatisfactory.
This was the price of the slacker life.
She lay quietly on the bed looking at the ceiling, her mind already made up.
For the near future, she decided to minimize going out.
Energy saving mode.
Until the book release day, she decided she would just keep lying there.
At most, she might occasionally go find Hu Tao and Xiangling to hang out, or take some coconuts to visit Qiqi.
________________________________________
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