As soon as Qin Yu returned to Wangshu Inn, she ordered a meal and shared it with Shenhe. Afterward, she decided to retire to her room for a rest.
Her nap stretched into the evening.
While Qin Yu slept, Shenhe sensed a familiar presence. Believing she should meet him, she climbed the stairs to the inn's highest floor.
Patches of dark clouds obscured the moon, casting sparse moonlight.
Shenhe blinked, and the green-haired youth she had met recently materialized before her.
Short in stature, with an indifferent expression, sharp eyes, and an extraordinary aura, Shenhe, having trained with the Adeptus Clan, immediately recognized him.
One of the Five Yakshas, bestowed with a Vision by Morax, known as the Conqueror of Demons, the "Vigilant Yaksha"—Xiao.
"Conqueror of Demons... it's been a while," Shenhe said.
Xiao crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "Indeed. But I'm not here for pleasantries. Where's the woman you're with?"
Knowing he meant Qin Yu, Shenhe nodded. "She seems to still be resting."
"Any unusual signs?"
"None."
It seemed the Conqueror of Demons knew Qin Yu. Shenhe had never imagined that anyone besides her Master would recognize her. However, their interaction sounded more like confirmation of a situation rather than familiarity.
Shenhe was deeply concerned. "Qin Yu's condition was strange earlier. Does the Conqueror of Demons know the cause?"
"Not much. If you want to know more, you should ask your Master."
Xiao opened his eyes and turned around. "The only thing I can tell you is this—don't let her get close to monsters again. She was corrupted before, and a 'mark' remains within her. Contact with demonic entities will trigger it, just as you witnessed."
Qin Yu... corrupted by monsters?
This unexpected revelation stunned Shenhe. Yet, recalling Qin Yu's behavior after vanquishing the demonic entities, everything suddenly made sense.
What exactly happened to her?
Shenhe wanted to press further, but she realized Xiao had vanished without a trace, his aura no longer detectable.
After standing rooted to the spot for a moment, Shenhe thought, Master truly does know something... Perhaps bringing Qin Yu back to her was destined.
I need to ask Master about this, Shenhe thought.
Shenhe wanted to understand Qin Yu better.
But even after making this decision, she couldn't stop thinking.
Why was Qin Yu tainted by a monster? Why can't she remember it? And what should I do once I know the truth? Could my own fate be the reason Qin Yu suffered such a thing?
Shenhe slowly descended the stairs and stood before Qin Yu's door.
As these thoughts swirled in her mind, long-dormant emotions resurfaced, making it difficult to control herself.
If she were still alone, as she had been before, such feelings would never have arisen.
Not only had she already mastered her self-control, but the Red Rope alone would have prevented such emotions from overwhelming her.
Yet Qin Yu had permeated every aspect of her being.
Because of Qin Yu, she felt both peace and overwhelming emotions.
Shenhe considered this a troublesome paradox, but she didn't resent it. Each time these emotions surfaced, she reaffirmed the profound significance of her dearest friend in her heart.
This paradox brought her a sense of fulfillment and contentment.
A troublesome paradox, yet also a cherished connection... This unprecedented emotion, likely unique to this lifetime, deserved to be cherished all the more.
If Master knew about this, would she make me wear more Red Ropes? Shenhe wondered.
Shenhe longed to see Qin Yu, but remembering that she was still resting and shouldn't be disturbed, she suppressed the impulse. Silently turning away, she stepped out onto the platform to gaze at the moon alone.
The scenery was beautiful, but... not as captivating as she'd imagined.
It's not as interesting as I thought, Shenhe mused.
When Qin Yu woke up, she didn't feel refreshed at all. Instead, she felt heavy and her head throbbed uncomfortably, as if it had gone sour.
A few sips of water offered only slight relief.
How long did I sleep? Where's Shenhe? Oh right, we're in separate rooms...
Qin Yu glanced out the window, spotting the moon and stars. "Whoa, have I really been asleep that long? It's already dark..." she whispered.
Speaking of which, is Shenhe already asleep?
Qin Yu yawned, ran a comb through her tangled hair, and still felt groggy.
It's like a giraffe that's drunk strong liquor is putting on an opera in my head... Ah, no, no! Staying in this room is suffocating! I should go outside for some fresh air, and when I'm feeling clearer, take a shower.
After the shower, I'll treat myself to a drink. Just thinking about it makes me feel so relaxed.
Qin Yu patted her cheeks.
Alright!
She opened the door, and a blast of cold wind rushed in.
Not alright at all!
She hurriedly slammed the door shut, threw on the jacket she'd forgotten, and finally ventured out of her room.
First, let's check if Shenhe's in her room.
Qin Yu knocked on Shenhe's door. "Shenhe, are you there?"
No response. It didn't sound like she was asleep either.
According to Shenhe herself, she was a light sleeper, instantly alert to the slightest noise—especially a knock. So she's not here then? Where could she have gone?
Is she alright on her own?
Might as well look around. She probably hasn't gone far... Qin Yu wandered through Wangshu Inn, searching for Shenhe.
It didn't take long before she found her.
Shenhe stood alone on the outer platform, silently gazing at the bright moon. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Qin Yu thought her silhouette seemed somewhat lonely.
Now's the perfect time to... do this!
Qin Yu tiptoed closer to Shenhe and gently covered her eyes with her hands.
"Who... am... I?"
Not that there's a prize even if she guesses right.
Shenhe instantly recognized Qin Yu's mischief. She almost blurted out the answer, but then remembered her Master's advice on conversation: a little joke might work wonders in moments like this.
"Slime," Shenhe replied.
"........ Pfft! Wrong!"
Huh? Why would she say slime? Do slimes even have hands? Or is she implying...? Qin Yu glanced down at her chest pressed against Shenhe's back, her ears flushing.
But seeing Shenhe's "slime" response, she couldn't help but retort mentally:
You're the real slime here.
If you recognize me, just say so! Who taught you to respond like that? Qin Yu grumbled to herself, withdrawing her hands and stepping closer to Shenhe. She leaned down, pointed at herself, and said:
"The answer is: your good friend, Qin Yu!" Qin Yu said with a radiant smile.
"I'm not wrong."
Mhm, you're not wrong—yeah, right. Weren't you just talking about slimes? Qin Yu felt a twinge of annoyance.
"That's incorrect, Shenhe got it wrong."
After a moment of silence, Shenhe replied, "I could never mistake you. I deliberately gave the wrong answer, so I'm not wrong."
Whoa, what kind of logic is that?
"Because that's what I was thinking, I didn't answer wrong"?
Are you a child?
"Ahahaha, I see... By the way, Shenhe, what are you doing?" Qin Yu, tired of the conversation, straightened up and asked casually.
"As you can see, enjoying the moon."
I figured as much.
"Observing the moon here feels different from viewing it in the wilderness. Though the moonlight is the same, it evokes a different feeling... truly remarkable."
Indeed, moon-viewing in the city and in the wild felt worlds apart.
The moment Qin Yu saw the moon, she recalled the gift Shenhe had once given her. That breathtaking scenery, she thought, would likely never again evoke such overwhelming awe as it had that day.
To create beautiful memories. This had been Qin Yu's firm resolve from the start.
And in the time since, that resolve had only grown stronger.
I owe Shenhe. Qin Yu believed this deeply, and the more she reflected on Shenhe's kindness, the more certain she became.
Shenhe had previously said that she couldn't just give or receive unilaterally.
Shenhe felt she had already received too much and wanted to give back. But Qin Yu felt the same way, and the more Shenhe gave, the more uneasy Qin Yu became, and the more she wanted to reciprocate with even greater gifts.
Because I don't deserve it... Qin Yu shook her head, stopping her wandering thoughts.
Just keep doing what I'm supposed to do!
With this thought, Qin Yu grasped Shenhe's empty hand, her face breaking into a smile. "Shenhe, are you cold?"
"Not at all. What about you?"
"I'm not cold anymore! And I think the feeling you get while moon-viewing depends on who you're with... I feel like it would be wonderful with you. So, can I stay with you?" Qin Yu asked, leaning in slightly.
Shenhe's expression seemed to soften.
"Of course. In fact, I was hoping you would stay. Moon-viewing alone... it's actually quite boring. But with you here, it's different."
Yeah, yeah, I knew you'd say that. I'm already tired of hearing it, Qin Yu thought, her cheeks still flushing slightly.
As it turned out, her thoughts and instinctive reactions were not aligned.'
A cool breeze swept through, causing strands of black and white hair to sway gently. The moonlight shone brightly. Qin Yu and Shenhe gazed at the beautiful scenery, chatting quietly.
"Are you feeling well?"
"Hm? I'm doing great!"
"That's good to hear..."
It wasn't until much later that Qin Yu learned the truth: the inn's upper pavilion was actually a popular spot for lovers to watch the moon together. Inwardly, she raged, Couldn't those people find a different romantic spot?!