The next morning, Qin Yu woke up early and packed her luggage with Shenhe.
Drawing from her experience on their last long trip, Qin Yu streamlined her pack, removing unnecessary items to make room for more ingredients.
Food is the most important thing!
"Alright, that should do it," Qin Yu exhaled, zipping up her backpack.
"It seems you've fully recovered," Shenhe remarked.
"Eh? Ah... Yeah, a good night's sleep was all I needed."
Qin Yu couldn't possibly admit that her "illness" last night was just a lie to avoid sharing a bed with Shenhe.
Fortunately, Shenhe hadn't suspected a thing. Hearing Qin Yu's explanation, she simply nodded.
"I'm healthy too. I didn't catch anything."
That's because I wasn't sick in the first place, Qin Yu thought awkwardly, then said, "That's good."
They left home around noon.
"Did you lock the door?" Qin Yu asked, adjusting her backpack.
Shenhe twisted the handle to check. "Yes, it's locked."
"Alright, let's go. We'll take a ride to Wangshu Inn, then hike north through Dihua Marsh. If we follow the road, we'll reach Qingce Village. No need to rush, though."
Shenhe recalled the map. She remembered that Qingce Village was very close to Wuwang Hill.
So she asked, "Should we visit Wuwang Hill?"
"Wuwang Hill? Ah..."
It took Qin Yu a second to understand what Shenhe was implying.
A warmth spread through her heart, and she smiled. "Right, it's on the way, so there's no harm in visiting. Even though Teacher didn't want me to dwell on her, I'm not about to grant her that wish."
I'll tell her about Shenhe and me while I'm there, Qin Yu thought.
"You really care about this, don't you?" Qin Yu said.
"Because she's your family."
Evaluation: D
Qin Yu nodded frankly, then hesitated. "Then what about yours...?"
Should we visit Shenhe's hometown too?
"There's no need for mine."
Shenhe's expression was as calm as ever—or rather, completely devoid of emotion.
Hearing her response, Qin Yu decisively dropped the subject.
"Alright, then we won't go."
Qin Yu glanced at the sky. The weather was perfect, clear and cloudless.
A great day for a trip.
"Shall we go?"
Shenhe acknowledged with a soft "Mm," then suddenly raised her hand. "Let's set off!"
Again?!
I'm not doing it this time. I'm not playing the energetic girl role anymore, Qin Yu grumbled internally, but she could feel Shenhe's intense gaze fixed on her.
"What's wrong?" Qin Yu asked, confused.
"Aren't you going to do it?"
Qin Yu crossed her arms. "No."
"I think doing this makes it feel more like a real journey," Shenhe said.
"Whatever works for you..." Qin Yu sighed in resignation.
"Let's do it together."
Why is she so insistent?
Could it be... Shenhe is actually excited right now?
Qin Yu studied Shenhe's expression for a few moments but couldn't tell if her guess was correct.
However, based on the intuition she'd developed from spending so much time with her, Shenhe did seem more enthusiastic than usual.
"Qin Yu," Shenhe called out again.
"Ah, I get it, I'll do it."
Qin Yu listlessly raised her hand. "Let's set off."
"Mm, let's set off." Shenhe nodded, seemingly satisfied.
Qin Yu's face flushed slightly. She sighed, then composed herself and naturally took Shenhe's hand.
Evaluation: C-
"Let's go catch a ride first."
They took a carriage from Liyue Harbor to Wangshu Inn, had a late afternoon meal, rested briefly, and packed two drinks to go before continuing their journey.
Staying overnight at Wangshu Inn was an option, but this time, Qin Yu wanted to camp.
As she gazed at the blooming flowers of Dihua Marsh, Qin Yu thought, If only I had a camera or something.
Then I could record these two days to look back on later.
Now, I no longer need to pretend to be someone I'm not around Shenhe and the others.
Still, following our earlier decision to try and create more fond memories is a good thing... no, it's about creating shared memories for both of us.
And if those memories could be preserved to be relived anytime, that would be even better.
That's it! Qin Yu summoned her Machine Companion. She remembered it could take photos and record videos.
"Activate video recording mode."
"Video recording mode activated."
As the mechanical voice faded, the Machine Companion projected a virtual screen to its side, displaying everything its camera was capturing.
Qin Yu's spirits lifted. She aimed it at Shenhe beside her.
Shenhe noticed and tilted her head slightly. "What are you doing?"
"Recording. Simply put, it saves everything this device sees."
"Like a painting?" Shenhe tried to understand.
"Not exactly, but you can think of it that way," Qin Yu explained. "Look, the 'you' from a moment ago just appeared here."
Qin Yu showed Shenhe the recording. On the screen, Shenhe was tilting her head slightly, asking what she was doing.
"It feels... peculiar," Shenhe said, frankly expressing her thoughts.
"Right?"
Qin Yu agreed, continuing to film Shenhe.
Shenhe asked curiously, "What do you want to preserve?"
"Everything from these two days."
Of course, I want to take some photos too.
"Everything... to remember by?" Shenhe asked, as if coming to a realization.
Qin Yu said, slightly embarrassed, "Mm, this way, we can use it to relive these moments later."
Her fingers moved, unconsciously caressing Shenhe's palm as she slowly expressed her thoughts.
"When I was still playing a role, deep down, I wanted to create wonderful memories for you and the others as a 'good friend' to make up for everything."
"Even now, I still feel that way, but... what I want are our shared, wonderful memories."
"I want to be with you all forever, to create more memories worth cherishing."
Evaluation: C+
Qin Yu's face flushed as she spoke, and Shenhe tightened her grip in response.
Shenhe whispered, "Me too."
"I know," Qin Yu mumbled.
Still, this feels just like a honeymoon, Qin Yu thought unexpectedly.
Honeymoon... Qin Yu savored the word, feeling a honey-sweet satisfaction and happiness welling up inside her. Her expression softened.
There's nothing wrong with that.
Evaluation: B
"Qin Yu."
"Hm?" Qin Yu replied, her voice light and cheerful.
Shenhe asked, confused, "On the street, I saw that when someone was painting a portrait for another person, the subject was always smiling. Should I smile for this device too?"
Qin Yu's eyes lit up with interest.
"Yes, smile," she said, eager to see Shenhe's smile.
So, Shenhe smiled.
Qin Yu found herself momentarily captivated before quickly turning her gaze back to the virtual screen.
Did it record? It did! Perfect.
Evaluation: A-
"There's a tea stall up ahead," Qin Yu said, pointing. "Let's go have a cup of tea and rest. I'm a little tired from walking."
Shenhe smiled. "Alright."
After they settled into their seats at the stall, the owner approached.
"Hot tea or cold tea for you two ladies?"
"Hot, please," Qin Yu said.
Shenhe smiled. "The same for me."
Qin Yu found it a little strange but didn't dwell on it.
When the two cups of hot tea arrived, she picked one up, blew on it a few times, and took a small sip.
Still so hot.
Shenhe also took a single sip before stopping. She smiled. "It's very hot."
"...Um."
Shenhe smiled. "Hm?"
"Why do you keep smiling?" Qin Yu asked, surprised.
"Because when the street artists were painting, the subjects kept smiling the whole time," Shenhe replied with a smile.
Qin Yu sighed helplessly. "You don't have to keep smiling."
Instantly, the smile vanished from Shenhe's face, replaced by the expressionless look Qin Yu was most familiar with.
That's more like it, Qin Yu thought.
"My apologies," Shenhe said. "I don't quite understand these things."
Qin Yu couldn't help but chuckle. "It's alright. You just don't need to force yourself to smile all the time. Just smile when you feel like it."
"...I still don't quite understand when it's appropriate to smile, but... I'll keep trying."
"That's good enough," Qin Yu replied, resting her chin on her hand.
Qin Yu picked up her Machine Companion, watched the recording, and then burst out laughing.
"Look, Shenhe, it's all recorded!" she teased, drawing out her words as she leaned close to Shenhe to show her the video.
Shenhe silently averted her gaze.
Since they were out for leisure and not in a hurry, Qin Yu and Shenhe didn't strictly follow their planned route. They wandered, stopping frequently and occasionally taking detours to admire the scenery.
"It's almost night," Qin Yu remarked, noticing the sky had darkened to dusk.
Time flew by without us realizing.
Shenhe asked, "What should we do next?"
"Let's set up the tent and cook. If we wait until it's dark to start, it'll be too late."
After finding a flat, open area with no signs of monsters nearby, Qin Yu started a fire and began cooking, while Shenhe took charge of setting up the tent.
This time, one tent was enough.
By the time everything was ready, night had fallen, and the stars were twinkling brightly.
Qin Yu lifted the pot lid, and steaming hot rice billowed with white vapor. The meat on the grill was cooked through, its aroma filling the air. The campfire flickered, crackling softly.
Shenhe returned, carrying a wooden bucket filled with water.
"The food's ready. Let's eat first. We can deal with the bathwater later."
Shenhe nodded. "Alright."
As she sat on a folding stool beside Qin Yu, Qin Yu handed her a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks.
Shenhe picked up a piece of grilled meat and put it in her mouth.
"How is it?" Qin Yu asked expectantly.
"It's delicious."
Qin Yu beamed. "That's great! Oh, I haven't taken out the drinks we packed."
She ran to her backpack and grabbed the two bottles hanging from the side.
"Here," Qin Yu said cheerfully. "Grilled meat is always better with a drink."
"Mm."
Qin Yu thought this was the perfect moment for a photo. She raised her Machine Companion, made a V-sign with her other hand, and smiled.
Noticing this, Shenhe, though not quite understanding, copied Qin Yu, raising one hand in a V-sign with a blank expression.
"Shenhe, your lips are so shiny with grease," Qin Yu laughed, looking at the photo.
"So are yours."
Qin Yu covered her mouth. "Whoa, you're right!"
After their satisfying meal and a short rest, Qin Yu and Shenhe went back to the river to fetch more water.
They then used sticks and cloth to rig up a simple curtain, weighing down the bottom with stones to create a private enclosure.
Qin Yu dipped her hand into the bathwater; the temperature was just right.
"You can wash up first," she said.
"Can't we wash together?"
Evaluation: A+
Why is she bringing this up again?
Qin Yu's face flushed as the delusional scenarios she had tried to suppress resurfaced in her mind. She quickly shook her head.
"We're not kids anymore," Qin Yu said.
Shenhe tilted her head in confusion. "Does not being a kid mean we can't bathe together?"
"Well, not exactly..." Qin Yu stammered.
"I want to bathe with you, Qin Yu."
Evaluation: S
Qin Yu's face grew even hotter. Shenhe's pushing her luck again, she thought.
First, sharing a bed, now bathing together... What's next? Could it be—No, no, stop overthinking this.
But Shenhe had already made it clear before that she wanted to do that.
In other words, it was only a matter of time before they saw each other completely bare.
"Let's talk about it after we get home," Qin Yu finally said, compromising.
At least not here.
Shenhe nodded in acceptance.
As Shenhe's figure disappeared behind the curtain, Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. But the thought of having to fulfill this promise with Shenhe back home made her heart race again.
After they had taken turns bathing and drying their hair, Qin Yu and Shenhe sat by the campfire.
Gazing at the starry sky, Qin Yu initially found it breathtakingly beautiful, but after a while, the novelty wore off. She leaned her head on Shenhe's shoulder and focused on playing with Shenhe's hand.
Shenhe leaned her head against Qin Yu's and asked, "Sleepy?"
"Just a little bored," Qin Yu murmured.
"Then do you want to chat?"
"There's nothing I really want to talk about," Qin Yu replied casually.
"I see."
Shenhe silently watched as Qin Yu continued to play with her hand—holding it, comparing their sizes, thumb wrestling, interlocking their fingers, tickling her palm...
Evaluation: SS-
The time passed quietly, neither particularly interesting nor dull. After brushing their teeth and washing their faces, the two put out the fire and slipped into the tent.
Before sleeping, Qin Yu held her Machine Companion, casually scrubbing through the progress bar to review everything recorded that day. A soft, satisfied smile graced her lips.
"Shenhe, did you know the Lantern Rite is coming soon?" she asked, setting the device aside and turning to Shenhe beside her.
Shenhe's voice, accompanied by the faint scent of her hair, replied, "I know, but I've never celebrated a festival like this before."
"Not even when you were little?"
"At least, I have no memory of it," Shenhe said, her tone still calm.
Just as Qin Yu began to feel a pang of sadness, Shenhe wrapped her arms around her.
"But this time, and every time after, I want to spend it with you."
Evaluation: SS+
She always says things like that. I've heard it so many times my ears are starting to go numb.
But... I feel the exact same way.
Qin Yu gently caressed Shenhe's face, their foreheads touching. Suppressing her shyness, she spoke frankly.
"It's not 'want to,' it's 'will.' Understand? I feel the same way."
Shenhe's eyes flickered slightly, the corners softening. "I understand. I will spend them all with you."
That's more like it.
"And today... I had a really wonderful time," Qin Yu said, her gaze darting away in embarrassment before she finally forced herself to look at Shenhe.
"What about you, Shenhe?"
Shenhe whispered, "I had a wonderful time too. I'm sure tomorrow will be just as good."
Qin Yu felt a sense of peace settle over her.
"Mm."
Because we're together.
"Alright, let's sleep," Qin Yu said, stretching lazily.
For some reason, the image of a cat stretching its body came to Shenhe's mind.
Qin Yu sat up slightly, brushed a stray strand of hair from Shenhe's face, and then leaned down.
Evaluation: SSS-
"Goodnight."