"Did something happen?"
Seeing Gong Qu frowning deeply, Keqing couldn't help but grow concerned.
"It's nothing serious, actually, it's good news. For now, our world is set to Peaceful Mode. There won't be any monsters spawning in the wild, so we've got some time to develop at our own pace."
"But if we're stuck in Peaceful Mode and can't unlock harder difficulties, our world progression will be extremely slow. Opening the portal to the Genshin alternate universe might be a long way off."
Gong Qu spoke with a trace of regret.
"As long as there's still hope, it's fine. Whether it's Teyvat or Liyue... to me, right now, none of that feels as real as you do, Ah-Qu. As long as you're here, that's all I need. I don't want to think about anything else."
"You're right. The future can wait. What matters most is the present."
Gong Qu closed the system interface that had been bothering him and reached for Keqing's hand. This, this was what truly mattered right now.
The cabin nestled in the woods had come from Gong Qu's starter pack. It was a simplified prefab from the mod's "Modern Earth" blueprint, designed to resemble early 21st-century living standards.
Just like the tea set he'd found on the coffee table when they moved in.
Of course, it still had a few Minecraft-specific features, like a kitchen that ran on a single lump of coal.
Clang! "Braised eggplant is ready!"
Keqing stepped out from the kitchen, wearing the apron that had come with the house. With her hair tied into a low side ponytail over her left shoulder, she looked every bit the charming and capable home cook.
Unlike Keqing, Gong Qu didn't have a Vision to store extra clothes. He was still wearing the same black shirt and casual trousers as before, thankfully, they were light summer clothes, and had dried quickly after his shower.
"Okay, no need to make more dishes, just sit and eat."
"No way! Only three dishes and no soup? That won't do!"
Keqing glanced at the colorful, fragrant spread on the table and frowned. This was their first proper meal together, she had to leave Gong Qu with the impression of a gentle and capable wife.
Gong Qu let out a helpless laugh, then stood and gently pressed her down into the chair by the shoulders.
"You've worked so hard, Ah-Qing. Take a break. I'll make the soup. I've got two and a half years of solo cooking experience under my belt, you know."
"...Alright."
Fifteen minutes later, a simple tomato and egg soup was placed at the center of the table.
Fizz~
The soft hiss of bubbles rose as two canned beers from the fridge, another gift of the cabin, were popped open.
"Cheers!" ×2
The Next Morning
Still lying on the soft, oversized bed, Gong Qu was stirred awake by a slight movement in his arms.
A fluffy head poked out from under the covers, revealing a delicate and lovely face.
"Mmm~ Morning, Ah-Qu." Keqing rubbed her eyes sleepily.
"Mm... Morning." Gong Qu replied, still half-asleep.
Warm and full, desire naturally followed. After sharing the bed last night, it was only natural things had progressed between them. Even Keqing, who was used to pulling all-nighters, was reluctant to get up, let alone Gong Qu, who barely had mornings on his days off.
Seeing him mumble half-heartedly, Keqing puffed up her cheeks, clearly a little annoyed.
After a moment's thought, she leaned over his chest, pinched a few strands of his hair, and tickled his nose.
"Hiss!"
The strange sensation jolted through his nose, making Gong Qu shiver. He opened his eyes to see Keqing's playful, fox-like smile reflected in her peach blossom eyes.
His drowsiness instantly vanished. With a burst of strength from his waist, he flipped over and pinned Keqing beneath him, her bare back exposed to the cool morning air.
Thump thump!
Startled by the sudden ambush, Keqing's heart raced. "W-What are you doing?! Get off me!"
But Gong Qu, caught between sleepiness and mischievous revenge, wasn't about to let her off so easily. And Keqing hadn't really tried to push him away either, so he leaned in and bit down lightly on her soft, pudding-like lips.
"Mmph! Mmm..."
Half willingly, half resisting, they ended up reenacting last night's "battle" all over again.
An hour later, the shy morning sun peeked out from behind the clouds. The once-clear skies now carried a soft, dry warmth.
Fully dressed, Gong Qu glanced at the quartz clock on the nightstand.
"It's already one in the afternoon, huh."
"All your fault! We wasted so much time. If we'd gotten up earlier, we'd probably have two full iron sets by now!"
"It's fine. We're in Peaceful Mode, after all. Iron isn't that urgent. By the way, Ah-Qing, do you know how to fish?"
"Are you underestimating a native of Liyue Harbor?"
Gong Qu blinked.
Of course. As a port city resident, even if she hadn't fished before, she'd have learned just by watching.
"Perfect. I found a fishing rod in the rec room yesterday, let's use that."
"Huh? You mean those stubby little sticks not even a meter long? You expect to catch anything with that?"
"Just wait. That thing's a marvel of modern science and technology!"
"I seriously doubt the crowning achievement of civilization is... a fishing rod."
By now, Keqing had a solid grasp of Gong Qu's eccentricities, he had a tendency to exaggerate wildly when talking about things he liked.
She didn't indulge him either, slipping effortlessly into the role of the deadpan straight-man.
Ten minutes later, the two of them set off with their fishing rods and a plastic bucket.
Unlike the day before, now that they knew the world was in Peaceful Mode, both Gong Qu and Keqing were far more relaxed. This outing felt more like a casual picnic.
"Come to think of it, Ah-Qing, you're pretty good at grilling fish, right?"
Realizing they hadn't eaten lunch yet, Gong Qu brought it up.
"Let me guess, you got that from Genshin, too?"
"Yep."
"Tch... Feels like I've got no secrets in front of you. So unfair!"
Gong Qu poked her puffed cheek with his finger.
"Want me to tell you about how I used to wet the bed as a kid?"
"Are you stupid?! Who wants to hear that kind of secret?!"
"Didn't you say it's unfair? What do you want to know, then?"
"...How many girlfriends have you had?"
As soon as she asked, Keqing shot him a death glare.
"Twenty-five years old. Single. Lived alone. Attended an all-boys high school. Engineering major in college. Worked construction after graduation. Loves Genshin. Has a crush on a 2D character named Keqing."
Gong Qu rattled it off proudly, even if half the terms went over Keqing's head, what was "high school"? What was "engineering"?
Still... she couldn't help but feel sorry for this poor child.
"You... don't tell me you've been alone all this time?"
Sometimes, the emotional dam for a single guy in the 21st century breaks in an instant.
Gong Qu was speechless.
"A-Ah, right! I'm great at grilling fish! I'll make you some in a bit!"
Keqing scrambled to change the subject, afraid she'd touched on something too painful.
Her awkward attempt made Gong Qu laugh. He gave her pert little nose a playful flick.
"Alright then. I want three fish!"
Keqing was infected by his sunny smile and grinned back: "Leave it to me!"
Two hours later...
Gong Qu stared in silence at the bucket full of fugu, pufferfish, and fell into deep contemplation.