The morning market was bustling with people. Qin Yu glanced at Shenhe, feeling slightly self-conscious, but seeing that she seemed unfazed by the crowds, she relaxed a little.
"Let's buy some vegetables that will last a while," Qin Yu suggested. "We can stir-fry them if we get hungry on the road."
Shenhe asked, "Is that really necessary?"
"Hmm? What's wrong?" Qin Yu asked, puzzled.
"If we're going to stir-fry anyway, we can just gather wild vegetables along the way. Earthly wealth means little to me, but after spending time with you, I've come to understand that saving money where possible is wise."
Wow, I never thought I'd hear Shenhe say something like that.
Still, money should be spent when necessary! Regardless of other considerations, surely investing a bit more in food wouldn't hurt?
Qin Yu chuckled. "It depends on the situation, of course. If that reason doesn't convince Shenhe, then—how about this: I want to cook even more delicious meals for you. Is that acceptable?"
Qin Yu felt Shenhe's grip on her hand tighten slightly.
Overwhelmed by a sudden warmth, Shenhe nodded gently. "You decide. It doesn't matter to me. I just voiced a thought that came to mind."
Evaluation: B-
It made sense. Shenhe seemed completely uninterested in money. If she didn't need it for shopping, she probably wouldn't have bothered bringing any Mora when she came down from the mountain.
Come to think of it, holding hands while strolling through the market felt... No, it wasn't strange for girls to do that. Besides, I'm not that kind of woman.
At that moment, Qin Yu's mind flashed back to past incidents: kissing Shenhe's cheek, kissing Ningguang's fingers, kissing Yanfei's eyes. She felt a sudden pang of guilt, but quickly rationalized it.
It was all for the Points!
Qin Yu shook her head, banishing the distracting thoughts. "Let's keep breakfast light this morning," she said casually.
"That seems wise," Shenhe replied.
Shenhe followed Qin Yu closely, watching her interact with acquaintances, haggle for goods, calculate expenses with meticulous care, and occasionally turn to chat with her with a smile. Her heart felt as if it were slowly being filled with warmth.
This was a feeling she could never have experienced alone. And Shenhe realized, it was likely only Qin Yu who could bring her this feeling.
Overwhelmed, she blurted out, "Qin Yu, thank you for being my good friend."
Huh? What's with the sudden heartfelt declaration so early in the morning?
Qin Yu was genuinely puzzled by Shenhe's sudden declaration. She sensed that pressing further would only disrupt Shenhe's mood, so she simply echoed her words.
"Me too!"
Good friends, huh? Well, I'll be your "good friend." Just keep admiring my increasingly perfect facade—that's how I'll create the most wonderful memories for you.
Qin Yu casually averted her gaze. "Let's go over there next."
After buying the groceries, Qin Yu led Shenhe back to her apartment.
With a hair tie clenched between her teeth, Qin Yu gathered her hair into a high ponytail.
Seeing this, Shenhe realized she was about to start cooking. "Let me help," she offered.
"No need, it'll be ready in no time. Just sit tight for now," Qin Yu said, shaking her head, her ponytail bobbing playfully.
Shenhe reluctantly agreed and took a seat at the dining table.
This wasn't her first time at Qin Yu's place. Qin Yu had recently mentioned she was temporarily staying here again, which brought Shenhe a small measure of relief.
Being able to spend time with her in this familiar place felt much better than having to adjust to a new environment.
After a while, the aroma of cooking began to fill the apartment, though it seemed it would still take a bit longer.
Shenhe wanted to close her eyes and rest, but the pervasive scent of Qin Yu's presence in the room stirred an unfamiliar emotion within her, making it impossible.
She stood up and walked to the kitchen.
"May I look around?"
Qin Yu paused, surprised. "Look around? At what?"
"Don't worry, I won't touch anything. I just want to... see the place you live."
Though Shenhe had visited many times, she had never taken the time to truly examine Qin Yu's home.
Qin Yu hesitated. "You want to look everywhere?" Most of her belongings were already tidied away, so it shouldn't be a problem. Refusing might disappoint Shenhe, so she agreed.
"Of course you can. And don't be so reserved. As long as you don't go rummaging through my drawers, it's fine."
Shenhe nodded. "Good. I won't rummage through your drawers."
If Hu Tao had made such a promise, Qin Yu wouldn't have believed her. But Shenhe's word was absolute. She would never do anything that would make her uncomfortable.
Leaving Qin Yu to her cooking, still wearing her apron, Shenhe began to wander through the apartment.
Qin Yu's home was impeccably clean and organized, a habit she had forced herself to maintain. Had she not met Shenhe and Hu Tao, the place would likely have been far more cluttered.
Suddenly, Shenhe noticed a book lying on the coffee table: Hand-in-Hand Guide to Narrowing the Distance Between Same-Sex Individuals: Volume 3! A bookmark was tucked inside.
Intrigued, Shenhe picked up the book and opened it to the marked page.
Almost immediately, she experienced a strong sense of déjà vu.
The nonsensical, filler-filled prose seemed eerily familiar, as if she had seen it before.
Would Qin Yu actually read a book like this? Shenhe had been reading it to find the perfect gift, but what answer was Qin Yu hoping to discover?
Puzzled, Shenhe scanned the pages until her gaze landed on a particular passage. This single sentence represented the only 1% of valuable information left after stripping away 99% of the book's fluff.
It's crucial to recognize and accept each other's flaws!
The words resonated deeply with Shenhe. It was precisely because Qin Yu had accepted her flaws that they were together today.
But... had Qin Yu ever revealed her own flaws?
Shenhe closed the book and carefully placed it back on the shelf. Regardless, she would always trust and accept Qin Yu—that was an undeniable truth.
"All done!"
Hearing Qin Yu's voice, Shenhe returned to her chair and resumed eating breakfast.
Qin Yu figured that asking Shenhe would only elicit vague compliments like "It's very heartwarming," so she decided against it. Instead, she simply sat down beside Shenhe to eat.
But after only a few bites, she noticed Shenhe glancing around the room.
What was going on?
"Shenhe? Is something wrong? Don't you like the food?"
If I went to all this trouble to make you a meal, you should at least eat it properly. Otherwise, all my effort feels like a waste, Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
"It's not that at all. The food you made is even more delicious than usual. I can't bear to stop eating. It's just... sharing breakfast together in this house gives me a peculiar feeling."
Oh, so she's not complaining after all... Though Shenhe would never complain anyway.
A wave of warmth spread through Qin Yu's heart. That's exactly the kind of praise I wanted to hear!
Evaluation: B
But what did Shenhe mean by this "peculiar feeling"? Qin Yu was genuinely puzzled. She didn't see anything particularly special about their situation.
Shenhe came over, Qin Yu cooked, and they ate together—that seemed perfectly normal, right?
It felt so natural to Qin Yu that she hadn't given it a second thought.
Yet Shenhe clearly felt differently.
"It feels... like family."
Qin Yu's heart skipped a beat, then resumed at a frantic pace.
Family? Impossible. Shenhe and I are family... that's just wrong. Doing something like this is perfectly normal between close friends. What's Shenhe thinking?
Still, if Shenhe were my family... Qin Yu shook her head inwardly, cutting off her wandering thoughts.
Being "good friends" was already pushing her limits. Because they were just friends, Qin Yu could maintain her facade. But if they were family, she knew she couldn't keep up the act in front of Shenhe.
Forcing a smile, Qin Yu replied, "T-this kind of thing is perfectly normal between good friends!"
"Is that so? I understand."
Good, she understands.
After breakfast and washing the dishes, Qin Yu gave her backpack one last check.
Shenhe seemed determined not to bring anything, saying she could sleep anywhere, eat medicinal herbs, and drink from mountain springs. Qin Yu couldn't emulate her carefree style.
Sleep well, eat well, drink well—that was Qin Yu's motto.
Naturally, Shenhe would follow suit; it was one of Qin Yu's few requests of her.
"I understand. I'll do as you say," Shenhe replied.
Once Qin Yu confirmed everything was ready, she hoisted her large backpack onto her shoulders.
Whoa, this is a bit heavy... But I can handle it now! Qin Yu steeled her resolve.
"Let me carry it," Shenhe offered.
"No, no, I've got it myself."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the backpack suddenly felt weightless. Looking back, she saw Shenhe supporting it with one hand, looking completely effortless.
"It's indeed light," Shenhe remarked with a nod.
Qin Yu fell silent.
"...Then... Shenhe, why don't you carry it?"
"Alright."
Shenhe easily slung the backpack over her shoulder, as if its weight meant nothing to her. Watching this, Qin Yu couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
She's so strong.
"Alright, let's get going!" Qin Yu said with a smile.
Shenhe raised her hand. "Let's go."
"Huh?"
"...I saw someone do this once. Is there something wrong?"
Nothing was inherently wrong, but Shenhe's sudden gesture had startled Qin Yu slightly.
It was astonishing that someone could perform such a gesture with a completely straight face.
Qin Yu chuckled. "No, no, it's just... I didn't expect Shenhe to do that."
"Is it strange?"
"Ahaha, now that I think about it, it actually makes perfect sense. So, not really."
"Wouldn't Qin Yu do the same?"
Huh? How could I possibly...? Ah... right, my character is supposed to do things like this. After all, she's the energetic type...
Ugh, I really don't want to. It makes it sound like I'm eagerly looking forward to meeting Shenhe's master.
Though I am a little curious about what these so-called Adepti are like...
Oh well, whatever!
Qin Yu raised her hand. "L-let's go!"
"Mm, let's go," Shenhe echoed, raising her hand in response.
This feels so silly.
After changing her shoes, Qin Yu stepped out of her room, locked the door behind her, and walked with Shenhe toward the city gate.