Shenhe continued, "I won't let anyone harm her."
Qin Yu blinked, thinking, Wow, she's so good with words! I wonder who that lucky person is who gets to receive such care from her...
"Huh? Me?" Qin Yu asked, twirling a strand of her hair.
"I'm not that weak anymore, you know," she said.
With the revolver and 12 gauge under her belt, she could now handle most situations on her own, especially after today's points reset, which would give her even more to spend.
But Shenhe simply replied, "This has nothing to do with strength. I just want to protect you."
"Oh... I see..." Qin Yu mumbled, lowering her head.
No, wait! Why am I getting flustered? I should just take these words with a grain of salt and not let them get to me.
Tch, that annoying woman, saying things like that again.
[Evaluation: D+ (Shenhe)]
[Since there are two or more target subjects present, the evaluation will be displayed in this format.]
Finally! I thought the system had crashed. Wait, the evaluations are separate now!
I'm already B+, just a hair's breadth away from A... No, hold on...
If the evaluations are separate, does that mean...?
I can multitask!
If I gather all the target subjects together and grind them all to A+ or higher, wouldn't my points skyrocket? I could collect days' worth in a single day!
I'm a genius!
Qin Yu's mood instantly brightened.
"Thank you, the land of Teyvat! Thank you, Liyue! Thank you, Qixing! Thank you, Adeptus Clan! And thank you to Miss Shenhe and Miss Yanfei, whom we all adore. This is truly wonderful!"
"Thank you, Shenhe. Your words make me very happy," Qin Yu said with a smile.
Shenhe nodded slightly. "So please rest assured. With me here, you won't be harmed."
"Ahaha... Well."
Yanfei rubbed her neck, finding the atmosphere rather delicate. Qin Yu's expression remained as gentle as ever, but perhaps it was just her imagination—she sensed a hint of gloom beneath the surface.
"So, you're offering to be her protector? I also have a quest, and it's not about the money. If it's something only I can do, I want to see it through," Yanfei said earnestly.
Shenhe shook her head. "I have no intention of competing with you. The more protectors, the better. Her safety is paramount."
"Then that settles it! With someone to help, this job will be much easier."
Yanfei clapped her hands together and grinned. "I didn't expect you to be so reasonable! I just found out you knocked someone unconscious earlier, which scared me half to death. I thought you were someone not to be trifled with. Guess I was wrong."
Shenhe shrugged indifferently. "It makes no difference to me."
She never had.
"Hmm, this 'I do as I please' attitude does give off an Adeptus vibe. So, what does matter to you?" Yanfei asked, her curiosity piqued.
Qin Yu was also a little curious, but she figured it was probably just about cultivation, her Master, or something like that.
"Qin Yu," Shenhe replied.
Enough already! Qin Yu couldn't help but cover her face with one hand. Just how much more does this woman want to embarrass me...?
Yanfei blinked repeatedly. Is this really just a platonic friendship? And why do I feel so... conflicted? She rubbed her temples.
"T-this must be a joke, right?" Qin Yu forced a smile.
Shenhe frowned slightly, a rare occurrence. "No. Why would you think that?"
"You said I was special, and you're special to me too. So why would you think my answer was a joke?"
Seriously, enough already. Let's change the subject.
[Evaluation: C+ (Shenhe)]
Seriously? This even raised her evaluation? Should I keep going...? Hell no! Who could endure this? Time to switch gears.
"Speaking of—"
Qin Yu was about to change the subject when a knock sounded at the door.
I have a bad feeling about this!
"Hmm? Someone's here. Should I get it?" Yanfei asked.
"No, I'll handle it."
But there was no avoiding it. With a heavy heart, Qin Yu opened the door.
"Yo, Fishy Treasure! Beautiful day, huh? Wanna go have some fun? Whoa, what's with that awkward expression? So excited to see me? Same here!"
Here we go...
"Excuse me~"
Hu Tao entered the living room and spotted Shenhe and Yanfei sitting on the chairs. She exclaimed in surprise, "Hmm? Oh my, these two are... quite the rare guests."
Why does she act like this is her own home? Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
A sense of everything veering off course washed over her.
It was like a train conductor, drunk on strong liquor, sprouting wings and flying off the tracks—a bizarre, even absurd, feeling.
Yanfei was equally astonished. "You're the Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
"Indeed, indeed! And you must be the renowned legal expert. A pleasure to meet you. Though you possess half-Adeptus blood, who knows when you might need our services someday? Care to reserve a spot?"
Yanfei blinked, dumbfounded. "Huh?"
Stop trying to sell your services in someone else's home!
Qin Yu forced a smile. "Director Hu Tao, isn't this a bit inappropriate?"
"Ah, you're so serious! But I'm just being honest. And is this the legendary White-Haired Immortal? It's truly an honor for Hu Tao to meet you today."
Shenhe replied calmly, "I'm not an Adeptus, merely an ordinary person who cultivates with an Adeptus Clan."
What kind of "ordinary person" are you?
"But how did your hair turn white?" Hu Tao asked, stroking her chin curiously.
"It turned white after the initiation ceremony. It used to be black."
Hu Tao exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, that's amazing! Just the initiation ceremony can turn you into a white-haired person? Fishy Treasure, should you try it too? I think you'd look really pretty with white hair."
White-haired me?Wouldn't that just make me a white-haired beauty?
Lying if I said I wasn't tempted, but still... Even if she could gain the Adepti's approval, Qin Yu doubted she could endure Shenhe's rigorous training.
Why does Hu Tao's wording always sound so strange? What does she mean by "turn into a white-haired person"?
Shenhe lifted her head. "Will you come? I hope you will."
"I... I think I'll pass for now. I'm not confident I could handle that kind of life," Qin Yu said, scratching her cheek.
"Is that so? You won't come..."
Why does her mood suddenly seem so downcast?
Qin Yu panicked and quickly added, "But that's just how I feel right now! I might change my mind later!"
"Mm. If you do, let me know. I'll speak to Master about it," Shenhe replied, her tone brightening slightly, though her expression remained unchanged.
Hu Tao chuckled, "Wonderful, Fishy Treasure! You might even become a disciple of the Adeptus Clan someday. It'd be like ascending to heaven in a single step!"
Enough with the chatter. This is all your fault.
Hu Tao then gave a "proper" self-introduction.
"I am Hu Tao, the 77th-generation Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. If you're in good health, you can make a reservation with us now. If you're unwell, visit a doctor first and then come back to book. We welcome all new customers, anytime!"
Ha... I don't even want to say another word.
But no matter how exhausted I felt, I couldn't show it. Qin Yu quickly composed herself and smiled. "Director Hu Tao, have you had lunch yet? If you don't mind, please join us."
"I had a bite, but I could eat more. Say, Fishy Treasure, want to go out and play with me later?"
"Well..."
I'd originally planned to spend time alone with Shenhe—strictly for the points, of course!
But Shenhe only had me as a friend. Would it be right to exclude her? Besides, our friendship wasn't exactly "pure," tainted by ulterior motives...
Shenhe deserved a real friend.
Yanfei and Hu Tao seemed like a good fit, even if both were a bit... eccentric.
Qin Yu sighed inwardly, then smiled. "Actually, today is Shenhe's first trip down the mountain to Liyue Port in a long time. I wanted to show her around, but honestly, I'm a bit clueless. It would be wonderful if you two could join us!"
Yanfei readily agreed. "Sure! I'm free for the rest of the day, and protecting you is part of my quest."
Hu Tao chuckled. "Oh? If you don't mind, I'd love to. To be honest, Liyue Port is like my backyard—I could navigate it blindfolded. Our first stop? Naturally, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
Absolutely not!
Shenhe remained silent for a moment.
"Shenhe, what do you think?" Qin Yu asked, a hint of unease in her voice.
"If you think it's a good idea, I'll go along with it."
Qin Yu laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha, that won't do! Your opinion matters most. You don't always have to defer to me."
"My opinion..."
"Exactly," Qin Yu nodded.
Shenhe stared intently at Qin Yu.
Qin Yu felt a flicker of confusion. Why is she looking at me like that? Still, she maintained her flawless smile, burying her disappointment deep inside.
Shenhe averted her gaze. "It's fine. I don't mind."
"Then it's settled! Let's go have some fun together later! But I'll still have to rely on you two—I don't have any leads."
Has she really made no preparations? Hu Tao wondered, finding it hard to believe.
But she decided to let it slide. If Qin Yu said so, she'd take her at her word. Calling her out would only embarrass her.
"Alright, leave it to this Hall Master!" Hu Tao declared confidently.
"And to me too!" Yanfei patted her chest.
Qin Yu smiled. "You're both so reliable. Thank you, Hu Tao and Miss Yanfei. It's wonderful to have you here."
Yanfei blushed. "I-it's nothing. As a legal expert, I often have to do fieldwork, so I naturally know a lot of places."
Hu Tao giggled. "We couldn't possibly refuse a request from our Fishy Treasure!"
[Evaluation: D- (Hu Tao)]
Tch, couldn't get Yanfei's evaluation up to A... Qin Yu thought regretfully.
Meanwhile, Shenhe watched her.
Just the two of us would be best... Those words remained unspoken. Shenhe closed her eyes.
Since it was decided, the original itinerary could be scrapped, even though I spent so long planning it... Oh well, hopefully this will leave Shenhe with a good memory. That's at least a small apology, Qin Yu thought.