After settling into the new house for a while, Qin Yu gradually adjusted to her surroundings.
But there was one thing she couldn't quite get used to.
"Shenhe didn't ask to sleep with me tonight," Qin Yu murmured absentmindedly as she lay in bed, flipping through a book.
Sometimes Shenhe would ask to share her bed, sometimes she wouldn't.
Qin Yu couldn't predict when Shenhe would make such a request.
It didn't seem to depend much on Shenhe's mood.
Ever since they moved into their new place, Qin Yu had been observing Shenhe's reactions closely. Noticing that her movements were slightly lighter and more sprightly than before, she could roughly tell that Shenhe's mood hadn't deteriorated.
Could it be that she's hesitating? As long as she doesn't do anything strange, there shouldn't be any problems.
If Shenhe never came over, Qin Yu could accept it. But the reality was that she occasionally popped over, wanting to share the same bed.
The bedroom light was equally unpredictable—sometimes on, sometimes off; sometimes bright, sometimes dim. This erratic "flickering" made Qin Yu's heart rise and fall with the shifting light.
If the light were consistently on or consistently off, Qin Yu would feel much more at ease. But that wasn't the case.
Of course, if she had to choose between the two, Qin Yu had the right to decide.
She could simply tell Shenhe directly:
"Let's always sleep here together," or "Don't come sleep here anymore." Expressing either option would likely be enough, and Shenhe would probably accept it, especially the former.
But Qin Yu couldn't bring herself to say either.
It wasn't fear holding her back, just embarrassment.
Besides, they had chosen a house with two bedrooms precisely so they could sleep separately. Now, wanting to sleep together after all this time... Shenhe probably wouldn't mind, but for Qin Yu herself...
Qin Yu rolled around on the bed for a while before gazing at the wall.
Although this cohabitation isn't quite what I imagined, I'm still pretty happy, she thought. Having Shenhe here makes daily chores so much easier.
Ganyu would occasionally visit during her free time, helping tend the fields.
Upon learning of her move, Hu Tao and Yanfei also came by, bearing gifts. Keqing did the same.
Only that rich lady hasn't shown up. Tsk.
Overall, Qin Yu had no complaints about her current life.
Yet precisely because of this contentment, she often found herself thinking about her unfulfilled goal: testing whether they could accept her true self.
It wasn't that she hadn't made any progress—it was simply too slow.
She had previously resolved to proceed cautiously, retreating at the first sign of hesitation...
That's still the right approach...
However, the Mark Incident had somewhat altered her thinking.
Even now, her core belief remained unchanged: only she could truly protect herself; she couldn't rely on others.
Yet she now knew that a group of people genuinely cared about her.
This was an immense stroke of luck and happiness—she should be grateful. But whenever Qin Yu considered this, she couldn't help but question herself: Is this all built on the persona I'm still maintaining?
Hu Tao was the exception.
If I shed this facade, would things remain the same?
Naturally, this was a question she had often pondered. But now, it carried an added urgency—the desire to possess this luck and happiness while revealing her true self.
This yearning stirred restlessness in her heart.
She wanted to immediately transfer everything she had gained through her current persona to her true self... Well, just with them. Strangers needn't know.
"But 'immediately' is impossible. It's too fast."
"And 'testing the waters little by little' is certainly safe, but it's far too slow."
Qin Yu sighed softly. "What should I do? And the Points... how can I earn as many Points as possible without acting?"
Suddenly, a series of memories flashed through her mind, and her face flushed crimson.
She touched her lips, falling into an ambiguous silence.
"...Come to think of it, I've been earning Points these past few days even without doing anything special."
Qin Yu deliberately shifted her thoughts to another track, recalling her time living with Shenhe. Even without making a conscious effort, she had been earning a decent amount of Points.
The reason was likely their high mutual affection...
"So... I don't need to do anything special after all?" Qin Yu mused thoughtfully.
Originally, she had created her persona and chosen to act in order to gain a favorable impression and earn Affection Points. But if natural interactions could yield Points just as well, the need for her act would vanish entirely.
There would be no need to wear the mask anymore.
Just the thought of it made Qin Yu feel lighter all over.
"But the problem isn't solved yet."
The crucial question wasn't whether acting was necessary, but how to proceed.
Hu Tao's earlier words echoed in her mind.
"I don't fully understand you yet, but you need to let me understand you too."
"So, from now on, you don't have to hold back here." That's what Hu Tao had said back then. It was necessary to give the other person a chance to understand and accept her.
Don't hold back, huh...
Qin Yu glanced at the calendar. She hadn't seen Hu Tao this week, and tomorrow she might have some free time. Perfect for a visit.
When the time came, she'd follow Hu Tao's advice.
Having made her decision, Qin Yu let out a sigh of relief, inwardly thanking Hu Tao.
Though Hu Tao had forcibly torn off her mask, she had also pushed her forward, guiding her step by step.
According to Shenhe and Keqing, it was Hu Tao who had orchestrated their support.
Despite the nagging feeling that Hu Tao's motives weren't purely altruistic, she still needed to thank her properly.
What does she want?
No, for Hu Tao, "what she wants to do" likely mattered more than "what she wants." Fun was paramount.
"What if she asks me to do something...?" Qin Yu murmured, feeling a flicker of resistance. But if the request wasn't too outrageous, she thought she could probably accept it.
Feeling slightly weary, Qin Yu glanced at the door.
Shenhe hadn't come.
...Never mind, I'll just go to sleep. Qin Yu closed her eyes.
The next day's work concluded early, and with the evening's arrangements still hours away, Qin Yu headed to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Inside Hu Tao's room, Qin Yu lay sprawled on the bed, propped up on a pillow as she read a book.
Her seemingly casual posture caught Hu Tao's eye, eliciting a soft gasp of surprise.
Hu Tao grinned and flopped down beside her, playfully poking Qin Yu's cheek.
"Aiya, it seems you've finally gotten used to living with Director Hu Tao! That makes me so happy!" Hu Tao beamed.
Evaluation: D
"Mm, I've been here quite a few times after all," Qin Yu replied nonchalantly.
Finding her position uncomfortable, Qin Yu rolled over, her cheek brushing against the pillow, catching Hu Tao's lingering scent.
Having spent considerable time here, Qin Yu found herself soothed by the familiar fragrance. It felt surprisingly easy to let her guard down.
Just as she was thinking this, Qin Yu felt a sudden weight on her stomach. Glancing down, she saw Hu Tao had unceremoniously rested her head on her belly.
Hu Tao sounded amused. "Oh—so this is what it feels like."
"What does it feel like?"
"Soft and squishy."
"I'm not fat," Qin Yu protested.
"Pudge is what makes a pudgefish cute!" Hu Tao giggled.
"I'm not a fish."
Qin Yu lightly tapped Hu Tao's head with her book.
"Ouch, that hurt!" Hu Tao feigned injury.
"No it didn't."
"Yes, there is! Look, such a big red mark!" Hu Tao said, climbing over Qin Yu's body until she was face-to-face, maintaining a precarious up-and-down position. She pointed to her forehead.
Is there really? Qin Yu wasn't sure and scrutinized the spot closely.
"It's not like there isn't..."
Before she could finish, Hu Tao's lips crashed against hers. Qin Yu started in surprise but, after a moment's thought, didn't push her away.
Hu Tao found this odd. Normally, Qin Yu would have shoved her off immediately. But this unexpected turn of events was rather delightful, allowing her to fully savor this "fishy flavor."
Evaluation: C-
Evaluation: C+
Evaluation: B
After a while, until the evaluation reached "SS" level, Hu Tao licked her lips with satisfaction.
"Fishy Treasure, you've been such a good girl today," she purred.
Qin Yu averted her gaze, her face flushing crimson. "Just this once. After all, you... you helped me out, so this is my thanks. There won't be a next time."
"Eh? Is that how you see it? Well, no matter! You're my dearest friend—how could I bear to leave you all alone? Besides, I already received my return gift—and I'm quite satisfied with it."
"Return gift? When?" Qin Yu asked, startled.
Hu Tao's eyes narrowed slightly, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Watching you squirm under our lectures was a perfect return gift."
So Hu Tao had ulterior motives after all.
She's trying to embarrass me? Qin Yu muttered inwardly.
But the truth was, she was indeed at fault, leaving her with no way to argue back. As this realization sank in, her bottled-up frustration transformed into a pouty expression.
"Are you mad?" Hu Tao asked.
"No."
Hu Tao scoffed. "That's exactly what mad looks like! Relax, it's all over."
"Easy for you to say—you're not the one who got lectured."
"But you're the one who ran off alone to fix things without saying a word," Hu Tao retorted, raising an eyebrow with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Qin Yu was so embarrassed she couldn't speak, her defiant aura instantly waning by a third.
Seeing her reaction, Hu Tao understood that Qin Yu had genuinely taken this to heart, perhaps even turning it into a dark memory—a weakness that belonged exclusively to them.
"You were wrong," Hu Tao stated.
"W-well... that's true..." Qin Yu stammered.
Hu Tao grinned again. "But it's all over now, so let's just let it go, okay?"
".....I'm sorry."
"Hmm, forgiven! Just remember from now on that I, your Director, will always stick by you!" Hu Tao playfully pinched Qin Yu's cheek, laughing merrily.
"Really?"
"Why would I lie? I'll never abandon you, even after we're buried! It's impossible, of course, but if I ever become a ghost, I'll come find you right away!" Hu Tao declared emphatically, slapping her chest for emphasis.
Even in death, to be haunted like that... how terrifying!
Qin Yu didn't quite believe her words, but her mood brightened considerably. She brushed Hu Tao's hand away.
"Stop pulling my face."
"It's nothing, I'll pull yours too. I touch you, you touch me—we're even," Hu Tao said.
What kind of logic is that?
"Not interested."
"You're so stubborn! You were responding so enthusiastically just now... Fishy Treasure, you actually enjoy kisses, don't you?" Hu Tao teased.
Qin Yu's face flushed crimson as she immediately denied it. "No way! It's just you who likes them."
"Really? I don't believe you. Though it's true I do adore them—especially when the one I'm kissing is Fishy Treasure. You know how much I love boiled fish!" Hu Tao nuzzled Qin Yu's cheek playfully.
Does she just want my body? Qin Yu thought irritably.
Suddenly, Hu Tao stopped moving.
"Fishy Treasure, let me ask you something."
"Hmm?"
"How about I be your girlfriend for today?" Hu Tao asked seriously.
Evaluation: SS+
Ha?
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