Hu Tao's mischievous tone immediately set Qin Yu on edge.
"What mischief? Let go of me right now!" Qin Yu protested.
"No way! You're not getting away today, Fishy Treasure!"
Not getting away? Qin Yu asked urgently, "What exactly are you planning to do?"
"Hmph, what do you think I want to do? Obviously—"
No lewdness! At least not right now!
But Hu Tao's answer was: "...to help you get used to living together!"
Qin Yu blinked in surprise. "Huh? Get used to it?"
I thought she meant something else entirely.
Good thing that's not it. Jumping straight into that with Hu Tao and Yanfei would be...
Qin Yu had just breathed a sigh of relief when Hu Tao chuckled, "Fishy Treasure, think about it—you're always going to have to deal with more than just one person, right?"
Qin Yu thought to herself, "That's true." At work, she often met with Keqing, Ningguang, and Ganyu, and sometimes all three would gather together. In her personal life, she also spent time with Ganyu and Shenhe.
"So?" Qin Yu asked.
Hu Tao continued, "Then you need to foster harmonious relationships between them."
"Foster?" Qin Yu asked, her voice tinged with skepticism.
"Exactly! If you want to maintain your relationship with us, you can't just stubbornly try to please us. You also need to help the others get along better."
With a flick of her wrist, Hu Tao conjured a small flame. "Otherwise, things might suddenly erupt like this—whoosh—into a blaze!"
"And the best way to prevent a fire is to nip it in the bud—stop it before it even starts. Fishy Treasure, doesn't that make sense?"
Qin Yu found some truth in Hu Tao's words.
She had initially believed that simply making Shenhe and the others love her more would suffice, but Hu Tao's words had pointed her toward a new approach.
"Hmm... you're right," Qin Yu nodded.
Yanfei, however, sensed something amiss.
"So, maintaining harmony relies on this method?" Yanfei asked skeptically.
"Of course! The key is familiarity and habit. Once everyone gets used to this pattern, there won't be any problems," Hu Tao declared, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, Fishy Treasure, you won't refuse, right? You'll accept, won't you?"
This feeling... Qin Yu suddenly recognized the manipulative undertones in Hu Tao's words.
Isn't she still trying to do something weird?!
But if what Hu Tao said was true, then trying it out might not be so bad after all. With this thought, Qin Yu slowly nodded.
"As expected of Fishy Treasure, so sensible!"
Qin Yu whispered, "Just hugging is fine, but anything else..."
"Anything else needs to be tried too, you know," Hu Tao said.
Evaluation: C+ (Hu Tao)
"Ha?"
Hu Tao smiled brightly. "You need to try more to get used to it, right?"
Try more? What exactly did Hu Tao want to try? Qin Yu immediately grew tense and uneasy, turning to Yanfei for help.
"Yanfei, what do you think?"
I hope Yanfei will say something like, "Let's just stop here. This is going too far," Qin Yu thought anxiously.
But Yanfei, her face flushed crimson, replied, "I think Hu Tao has a point!"
Whoa, she actually said that!
Could Yanfei also be the type with strong desires?
No, no, no! Staying here any longer would be dangerous. Realizing this, Qin Yu tried to come up with an excuse to leave.
However, Hu Tao's next words shattered her resolve.
"Or are you unwilling to even do this for us, Fishy Treasure? We've already agreed to your terms! That's not fair at all. As Director, my heart is currently bleeding like a waterfall!" Hu Tao feigned tears dramatically.
With that, Qin Yu froze in place.
Hu Tao was notoriously open-minded, to the point of being almost unfazed. So, her theatrics were likely just an act. But... Qin Yu couldn't shake the memory of Yanfei's earlier reaction.
It wasn't just Yanfei's—Ningguang's and Keqing's were too.
Finally, Qin Yu turned her face away and said, "I get it. You don't have to pretend anymore. I... I accept."
Qin Yu is so easy to coax, Hu Tao thought.
Now I can finally indulge my whims a little more. This is going to be so exciting! I wonder what will happen?
The mere thought made Hu Tao feel a thrill of amusement.
"Fishy Treasure is the best!" Hu Tao exclaimed with a laugh.
"But!" Qin Yu said anxiously, "If you do something I can't accept, I'll be angry."
This was her bottom line.
"Of course, we wouldn't do that, would we, Yanfei?" Hu Tao promised.
Yanfei nodded. "That goes without saying."
Good.
Having secured their assurances, Qin Yu felt slightly more at ease.
"Alright, let's start. First, Fishy Treasure, sit down. Right here."
Though Qin Yu had no idea what Hu Tao was planning, she followed her instructions and sat on the floor.
Why the floor? Who knows...?
Filled with apprehension, Qin Yu considered using her Anesthetic Pistol to knock herself unconscious. After all, I wouldn't remember anything that happens while I'm asleep anyway.
But she didn't do it, nor did she have the chance. Hu Tao quickly sat down behind her, wrapping her arms around Qin Yu from behind. A faint fragrance of plum blossoms wafted through the air.
Evaluation: B (Hu Tao)
Qin Yu couldn't help but tense up. Hu Tao leaned close to her ear, whispering softly, "Relax. We don't mean any harm."
If only I could relax, Qin Yu thought bitterly, too agitated to even speak. I just want to get this over with as quickly as possible.
Hu Tao waved her hand again. "Yanfei, sit on Fishy Treasure's lap."
"Eh? Um, it feels like we're about to... We're not doing that kind of thing, are we?" Yanfei asked, flustered.
"Of course not," Hu Tao assured her. "Just getting a little closer to Fishy Treasure."
Yanfei exhaled in relief. Good. I'm not ready for that kind of thing yet, especially not with Hu Tao around.
"Heave-ho!" Yanfei carefully settled onto Qin Yu's lap.
"Now, let's all huddle around Fishy Treasure."
Feeling two distinct auras and soft warmth pressing against her from both sides, Qin Yu's mind spiraled into chaos.
Evaluation: A- (Hu Tao)
The rapid thumping of her heart seemed to come from her own chest, yet it could have been Yanfei's or Hu Tao's.
Perhaps because both were Pyro Vision wielders, their bodies radiated a comfortable warmth. Qin Yu felt enveloped in an oppressive heat. Even when she tried to calm herself with deep breaths, the air she inhaled carried the mingled scents of their distinct perfumes, further heightening her awareness of their proximity.
Yanfei stood in front, Hu Tao behind.
"Hmm... I'm suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed, heh heh," Hu Tao said, her ears flushed.
Evaluation: A+ (Hu Tao)
"M-me too," Yanfei replied, her face also flushed.
"Then let's not do it," Qin Yu said immediately.
Hu Tao smiled mischievously. "Saying that only makes me want to do it more! Alright, let's start the 'Fishy Treasure Adaptation Operation'!"
What kind of ridiculous name is that?
Yanfei asked curiously, "How do we do it? Just hug like this? If that's all, then it's no problem."
"Pretty much. For the first time, let's keep it simple and easy."
What? That's it?
It's not such a big deal after all. The weight in Qin Yu's heart lifted.
"We'll just whisper sweet nothings into Fishy Treasure's ears together," Hu Tao said.
"Huh?"
Before Qin Yu could react, warm, murmuring whispers slipped into her ears from both sides.
"Fishy Treasure, how are you feeling now? Great, right? I'm feeling wonderful too, after all, I love you so much. You're not saying anything? Or is it that—you can't speak anymore?"
Evaluation: S (Hu Tao)
"Being this close, I realize even more how much I like... like you, Qin Yu. What about you?"
Soft, whispered words continued to seep into Qin Yu's ears, leaving her mind dizzy and her thoughts swirling into a chaotic mess. Unable to form coherent sentences, she could only instinctively clutch Hu Tao and Yanfei's hands, squeeze her eyes shut, and brace herself against the seemingly endless stream of sound.
Whether they were getting along or not, she couldn't tell. All she knew was that she felt like she was about to melt.
After what felt like an eternity, Hu Tao and Yanfei finally stopped.
"Ah, I'm so thirsty! Let's have some water first. Oh, the private room time must be almost up. Fishy Treasure, are you okay?"
Qin Yu, her face flushed crimson, gasped for breath. "D-don't ask me..."
This feeling... was awful.