It had been a while since her last visit, and a fresh layer of fallen leaves had gathered before the tombstone.
After sweeping them away, Qin Yu recounted everything that had happened since their last parting.
Of course, she naturally omitted certain details that couldn't be shared.
"...So that's how it is. I'm really happy now, so don't worry about me."
After speaking, Qin Yu fell silent, a faint sadness surfacing in her heart.
Shenhe wordlessly squeezed her hand. Qin Yu whispered her thanks, "Thank you, but I'm fine."
She took a breath and looked at Shenhe.
"Alright, we should probably get going."
Shenhe nodded gently.
They left Wuwang Hill and returned to the main path, following the dirt road forward.
"If Teacher knew I did this, she'd lecture me for half the day without even hearing me out," Qin Yu said, using her Machine Companion to record Shenhe beside her.
Shenhe tilted her head slightly. "Why?"
"Because it would hurt others..." Qin Yu replied, her feelings complicated.
"Is that so."
"Yes, but I don't regret it. After all, I'm a bad woman," Qin Yu said, half-joking.
A bad woman? Shenhe shook her head in disagreement. "That's not true. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today. All the happiness I've found is because of you."
Evaluation: D
Qin Yu blushed, twisting a strand of her hair. "That's a completely different matter."
"To me, it's all the same."
She says things like this every day, making me such a mess every time... As this thought crossed her mind, Qin Yu, half-shy and half-annoyed, moved behind Shenhe and gently pushed her forward.
"Qin Yu?" Shenhe called out, slightly confused.
"Hurry up and walk."
They passed through the small path beneath the waterfall, and a bamboo forest came into view.
Qin Yu crouched down, her eyes sparkling. "Shenhe, look! These bamboo shoots look amazing. They'd be delicious in a dish."
"Mm. Should we dig them up?" Shenhe flexed her fingers.
"Wait, are you planning to dig them up with your bare hands?" Qin Yu asked, astonished.
Shenhe replied calmly, "Yes."
Qin Yu instinctively reached out and cupped Shenhe's face. "What do you mean, 'yes'?! You'll get your hands dirty and might even hurt yourself. Just because you're strong doesn't mean you should do things like this."
"My apologies," Shenhe responded, her expression unchanging.
Good, as long as you understand.
Qin Yu mused, "I do want to dig them up, but I don't know if this area is managed by Qingce Village. It doesn't feel right to just take them. Let's go ask first."
Following the quiet path winding up through the bamboo forest, they crossed a wooden bridge over a lake and passed by fields of farmland. Finally, the two arrived at Qingce Village.
There weren't many young people in the village; most of the residents were either elderly or children. The sun shone brightly, and the melodious chirping of birds filled the air, giving the entire village a tranquil and leisurely atmosphere.
They found an inn, rented a room, and settled their luggage. Then, Qin Yu led Shenhe to find the village manager.
The manager, Ruoxin, nodded. "Bamboo shoots from the forest? Of course, you can dig them up. Just be careful of wild boars and don't get hurt."
Great, we can dig!
After borrowing a shovel and a basket from the manager, Qin Yu exclaimed excitedly, "Let's go!"
Whenever food is involved, Shenhe thought, Qin Yu always gets like this.
They returned from the bamboo forest with a haul of bamboo shoots. Qin Yu then ran off to ask the locals if they had any fresh bamboo for sale. Once she bought some, she sawed it into sections of bamboo tubes.
Qin Yu examined the bamboo tubes, nodding in satisfaction.
Bamboo tube rice for lunch, and bamboo shoot soup with pork ribs... Perfect!
Just as Qin Yu was brimming with anticipation, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"Qin Yu? Shenhe? What are you two doing here?" Ganyu walked over, her expression surprised.
Qin Yu's heart leaped with joy at the sight of Ganyu. "Sister Ganyu! We're here to relax on our day off. What about you?"
"I just happened to be here on business... Am I interrupting you two?"
Two people spending their day off together... it's practically a date.
The thought made Ganyu's chest tighten. She knew she was feeling jealous.
If only I could join them... But wouldn't that just intrude even more? As Ganyu's mind raced with wild thoughts, Shenhe calmly replied:
"You're not interrupting."
Qin Yu nodded in agreement. "Right, you're not disturbing us at all. In fact, Sister Ganyu, your timing is perfect."
"Huh?"
Perfect timing? Ganyu blinked, confused. A flurry of new speculations flashed through her mind, making her blush.
But hearing Qin Yu and Shenhe's reassurances, she finally relaxed.
"What do you mean by 'perfect timing'?" Ganyu asked.
"I'm planning to cook lunch. Sister Ganyu, why don't you join us?"
Oh, so that's what she meant. I thought it was... Ganyu's face grew even hotter with embarrassment.
"Is that really okay?" Ganyu asked hesitantly.
Qin Yu took Ganyu's hand. "Of course it's okay. I wanted to eat with you too, Sister."
Evaluation: D (Ganyu)
"Ah, well... in that case, I'd be honored to accept." A smile bloomed on Ganyu's face.
After preparing the bamboo tube rice and bamboo shoot pork rib soup, the three of them moved to a pavilion on a hilltop near Qingce Village.
The spot was secluded and offered a beautiful view, perfect for a picnic.
Qin Yu used her Machine Companion to capture the scenery, then let it hover nearby to continue recording.
Ganyu, long accustomed to the cube-shaped device that always accompanied Qin Yu, wasn't surprised.
She handed a knife to Qin Yu, who carefully split open the bamboo tubes. Soon, the glistening, translucent rice inside was revealed.
Qin Yu passed the vegetarian bamboo tube rice to Ganyu, keeping the ones with meat for herself and Shenhe.
Ganyu scooped up a spoonful and brought it to her lips.
"It's delicious..." Ganyu sighed contentedly.
"Right?" Qin Yu said proudly. I made this myself!
"What do you think, Shenhe?" Qin Yu asked expectantly.
"It's very good."
Couldn't you praise me a little more? Qin Yu sighed inwardly but didn't dwell on it.
"The portion is a bit large... Oh, Qin Yu, open your mouth." Before Qin Yu could react, Ganyu scooped up a spoonful of rice and brought it to her lips.
Qin Yu's ears warmed slightly, but she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and bit down on the spoon.
Evaluation: C- (Ganyu)
"How is it?" Ganyu asked softly.
"Mm, it's good."
Wait, didn't I make this? Why are you asking me how it is? As Qin Yu grumbled internally, Shenhe also inexplicably brought a spoonful of rice to her mouth.
Qin Yu glanced at Shenhe. Why are you doing this too?
After swallowing, she couldn't help but mutter, "Our food tastes the same, you know."
"I wanted to feed you," Shenhe stated bluntly.
Evaluation: C- (Shenhe)
Such a simple, direct reason. Qin Yu didn't know how to respond.
"Open your mouth," Shenhe said, lifting another spoonful.
Can't you just eat your own food? Qin Yu grumbled to herself, but still opened her mouth.
"...Ahhh—"
As she chewed, Qin Yu felt a faint sense of satisfaction and joy welling up inside her.
But she would never, ever admit out loud that she was happy to be fed.
Ganyu quickly scooped up another spoonful. "Qin Yu."
Stop feeding me.
Though she thought this, Qin Yu still bit down on the spoon.
Since Ganyu didn't eat meat, Qin Yu had specially made a vegetable soup for her.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ganyu's eyelids began to flutter open and closed as she started to doze off.
It was nap time.
"Sister Ganyu, are you sleepy?" Qin Yu asked.
"Mmm..."
Qin Yu gently pulled Ganyu over, letting her rest her head on her lap.
"Then go to sleep," Qin Yu whispered, brushing a strand of hair from Ganyu's face.
Evaluation: C+ (Ganyu)
Is this really okay? The question had just surfaced in Ganyu's mind when Qin Yu's gentle caress defeated her drowsiness. Her eyes closed, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Watching Ganyu rest on her lap, Qin Yu felt an indescribable sense of contentment.
Just then, she felt a weight settle on her shoulder. Looking over, she saw that Shenhe had leaned her head against her and closed her eyes as well.
"Shenhe, are you sleepy too?"
"Mmm."
Qin Yu didn't question it; it was natural to feel drowsy after a full meal.
She adjusted her posture to let Shenhe lean more comfortably, then gently stroked Shenhe's hair.
"Then go to sleep," she whispered.
Evaluation: C+ (Shenhe)
Feeling Shenhe's steady breathing, a warmth spread through Qin Yu's chest. She glanced at the soundly sleeping Ganyu, then looked up at the sky.
The drifting clouds made her feel drowsy as well.
I'll wake up as soon as someone approaches anyway, Qin Yu thought.
Even with Shenhe and Ganyu beside her, she couldn't sleep too deeply in a place like this.
I'll just rest for a little while.
With that thought, enveloped by the presence of Ganyu and Shenhe, Qin Yu surrendered her consciousness to sleep.
And so, the Machine Companion recorded a full hour and a half of them sleeping.
"Oh my god, an hour and a half of me just sleeping..."
That afternoon, as Qin Yu prepared to head home, she reviewed the Machine Companion's saved recordings and couldn't help but cover her eyes.
The only saving grace was that she hadn't been the only one sleeping.
Qin Yu sighed. It doesn't really matter, she decided. I can just skip ahead when I rewatch it later.
"I've finished packing," Shenhe said.
"Alright, let's go. If we leave this afternoon, we should be home by tomorrow morning at the latest."
And then it's back to work.
Ugh, if only I'd known this would happen, I should have taken the day off in advance... Qin Yu sighed as she reluctantly got up, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and walked out of the inn with Shenhe.
Ganyu was waiting outside the door, greeting them with a gentle smile. "All packed up?"
Since their return route was the same and Ganyu was planning to head back at the same time, she naturally joined their group.
"Mm-hmm," Qin Yu replied, stepping forward to follow Ganyu and Shenhe out of Qingce Village.
As dusk settled, the trio arrived at Wangshu Inn.
Gazing at the twilight sky, Qin Yu felt a pang of worry.
Can we make it back in time? No, we can definitely make it back, but we'll arrive home very late.
Should I just fly them back? Qin Yu was still pondering this when Ganyu suggested:
"It's getting late... Should we... stay here for the night?"
"Eh? Stay at an inn at this hour?" Qin Yu exclaimed in surprise.
Ganyu nodded. "Getting some rest will allow us to catch a ride back to Liyue Harbor early tomorrow morning."
And this way, we can spend a little more time together, Ganyu added silently to herself.
Evaluation: B (Ganyu)
Why bother with evaluations? Never mind.
Qin Yu found some merit in the idea. While flying them back directly wouldn't be impossible, it would prematurely end her Gold Week vacation.
I still want to enjoy it a bit longer.
Hesitantly, Qin Yu asked, "I could fly you back, Shenhe. What do you think?"
"Let's stay."
Shenhe's answer settled Qin Yu's decision, though she couldn't resist teasing with a smile: "Don't you want to go home?"
"I do," Shenhe admitted, "but I also want to stay with you like this, out here. I don't want it to end so soon."
Evaluation: B (Shenhe)
Shenhe feels the same way after all.
"Alright then, let's stay one night," Qin Yu said with a smile.
They could fly back early tomorrow morning. Taking the bus again would be pure torture.
Even so, the thought of returning to work the next morning filled her with a deep sense of dread.
To combat this post-vacation blues, she decided to go all out and have some serious fun after checking into Wangshu Inn.
The proprietress—no, the female owner—greeted them, "It's you again! Back for a room today?"
"Yes," Qin Yu replied.
"How many rooms?"
Three? Two? Qin Yu fell into a sudden, inexplicable reverie.
"One room will do," Shenhe interjected.
Ganyu nodded gently.
Sharing a room with both of them? Qin Yu's mind raced. After a moment of frantic thought, she blurted out, "Ah, um, one room is fine."
"We don't have any triple rooms. Would a double room work?" the proprietress asked.
"Yes... that's fine," Qin Yu stammered.
No, no, what are you getting so embarrassed about? It's just a normal room rental! Don't make it sound like... like what? Qin Yu rubbed her face and exhaled deeply.
The proprietress produced a key and handed it to Qin Yu. "The room is over there."
"Thank you."
In the end, we're sharing a room after all.
That night, after showering, Qin Yu returned to their room.
Ganyu and Shenhe had already changed into their pajamas.
Ganyu's pajamas seemed to be borrowed from Shenhe; due to the size difference, they looked a bit loose on her.
After all, Shenhe is so tall and has such a perfect figure, Qin Yu thought to herself.
"Ah, Qin Yu, you're back! I've already made up the bed," Ganyu said with a gentle smile.
"Thank you."
Qin Yu's hair was still slightly damp. Deciding to let it air-dry before sleeping, she climbed into bed to pass the time.
But... Qin Yu glanced at the two beds separated by the nightstand: Ganyu on the left, Shenhe on the right.
Which one should I choose?
Why not just put one foot on each?This isn't some kind of game. Qin Yu sighed inwardly, feeling like she was acting a bit strange.
Honestly, it doesn't matter which one I pick. It's just for sleeping.
Exactly. I won't use it for anything else.
Suddenly, Shenhe sat up and pulled Qin Yu down to sit beside her on Ganyu's bed.
Evaluation: A- (Shenhe)
"Shenhe?" Qin Yu asked, surprised and confused, not understanding what Shenhe was doing.
"Together," Shenhe replied tersely.
Ganyu smiled. "Yes, let's chat for a bit. Sharing a room like this and talking together... I've been looking forward to it."
"Me too," Shenhe said.
Together. Hearing this, Qin Yu relaxed. "Then let's just chat for a while. Speaking of which..."
After chatting for a while, it was time for bed.
"It's about time we slept," Qin Yu said, stretching lazily.
Ganyu's cheeks flushed slightly as she said, "But... there are only two beds, Qin Yu. Which one would you like to sleep in?"
Evaluation: A- (Ganyu)
The floor!
But saying that would definitely be unacceptable to Shenhe and Ganyu. Shenhe might even insist on sleeping on the floor with me.
"We can all sleep together," Shenhe said in her usual calm tone. "I think the bed is large enough to accommodate all of us."
Evaluation: A+ (Shenhe)
"Are you sure that's okay?" Ganyu asked, her voice tinged with unease.
"We'll only know if we try."
After a moment's hesitation, Ganyu agreed. She took Qin Yu's hand and asked hopefully, "Then... let's all sleep together? What do you think, Qin Yu?"
Evaluation: A+ (Ganyu)
Qin Yu's face flushed hot. "Sure, that's fine."
If things could work out this way, it would be ideal.
But could it really work? The bed did seem fairly large, but whether it could comfortably fit three people was still uncertain.
Once Qin Yu lay down, Shenhe turned off the light.
"Eh? Are you turning off the light? Qin Yu is afraid of the dark..." Ganyu couldn't help but glance at Qin Yu.
"It's okay," Qin Yu said after a moment's hesitation, pulling the covers up and trying to hide her embarrassment.
"Because you're both here."
Evaluation: S (Ganyu)
Evaluation: S (Shenhe)
Ganyu's heart suddenly raced, finding Qin Yu incredibly endearing in that moment. Sensing the trust and dependence behind Qin Yu's words, she felt a surge of joy, unconsciously touching her flushed cheeks as she shyly replied, "Mm, I'll always be by your side."
Shenhe's voice was equally gentle. "Me too. You don't need to be afraid of anything."
Evaluation: SS- (Ganyu)
Evaluation: SS- (Shenhe)
Ganyu and Shenhe climbed into bed one after the other, quickly sandwiching Qin Yu between them. Feeling their warmth and breathing, their body heat against her skin, Qin Yu felt both reassured and increasingly flustered.
"Is it too crowded?" Qin Yu whispered, trying to distract herself.
"Hmm... it's alright," Ganyu murmured. "I don't mind."
"Not crowded at all," Shenhe said.
"That's good..."
The only one she needed to worry about was herself. After all, Ganyu and Shenhe were both remarkably still sleepers, unlikely to toss or turn.
Qin Yu suddenly felt her hand being held—it was Shenhe.
When their eyes met, Qin Yu noticed Shenhe's expression was unusually gentle.
"Sleep now," Shenhe murmured.
Her voice seemed to materialize, softly enveloping Qin Yu's entire being before seeping into every corner of her mind and body, bringing with it an overwhelming drowsiness.
Qin Yu then felt her other hand being held as well—it was Ganyu.
Ganyu inhaled the soothing scent around them and chuckled softly. "Good night."
The warmth of their palms, the familiar and comforting aroma surrounding her—everything felt incredibly comforting.
Sleeping together like this isn't so bad after all... Qin Yu thought, drifting off to sleep almost immediately.
-
The next morning:
"Qin Yu, wake up! Time to get up," Ganyu said, gently shaking her shoulder.
Despite her reluctance to rise, Qin Yu was eventually roused by Ganyu.
Opening her eyes, she groggily sat up.
A notorious bed-lover, she hadn't fully registered what was happening, her consciousness still hazy.
"Good morning," Ganyu greeted her with a gentle smile.
"Mmm..." Qin Yu mumbled in response.
Beside them, Shenhe glanced at Ganyu, hesitated for a moment, then obeyed the urge in her heart. Cupping Qin Yu's face, she performed her usual morning ritual.
Evaluation: D (Shenhe)
"Good morning," Shenhe said.
The soft, warm touch brought a goofy smile to Qin Yu's still-hazy face. "Ehehe..."
Ganyu froze, her cheeks flushing crimson.
It's so natural... Does she do this every day? A flicker of dissatisfaction arose in Ganyu's heart, followed by the thought: I could do this with Qin Yu too.
Driven by a mix of competitive spirit and nervous anticipation, Ganyu gently turned Qin Yu's face toward her and leaned in.
Evaluation: D (Ganyu)
Their lips parted. Ganyu gazed intently at Qin Yu, her eyes brimming with affection. Qin Yu caught the emotion in her eyes and smiled dopily, feeling deeply comforted.
"Sister... Mmm?"
Then Qin Yu woke up.
Waking up was like a system crash. The earlier scene flashed through her mind.
She touched her lips in disbelief, her face flushing rapidly. Shenhe and Ganyu had both...
The next moment, Shenhe sealed her breath again.
Evaluation: C- (Shenhe)
After they parted, Qin Yu, still dizzy, barely had time to speak before Ganyu, unwilling to be outdone, leaned in once more.
"W-wait, hold on—"
Her words were swallowed by Ganyu's kiss.
Evaluation: C- (Ganyu)
That's outrageous!