"Now that we're full and refreshed, let's head to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!" Hu Tao clapped her hands.
Who wants to go to a place like that?
Qin Yu forced a laugh. "Ahaha, Director Hu, I think we should..."
"Come on, come on! I guarantee you'll be captivated!"
Being captivated by a funeral parlor would be downright bizarre! Qin Yu quickly glanced at Yanfei, hoping this "normal" person would support her refusal.
"It's not a bad idea," Yanfei said. "Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is a venerable institution in Liyue Port. While we don't usually visit, a tour wouldn't hurt. Funerals are an important part of our cultural heritage! It's good for young people to learn about them."
Yanfei waved her hand again, adding, "Ah, that's not to say I'm old! On the contrary, I'm quite young! And nothing's sagging!"
Yanfei—you little...! Why did you have to bring that up again?
Wait, Shenhe was the one who decided to go there.
Shenhe's gaze settled on a nearby shop. "I want to look over there."
Phew, thank goodness.
The shop turned out to be a clothing store.
As a girl, it wasn't surprising that Shenhe would be interested in clothes. But where did she get that provocative outfit? It didn't seem like something she would have chosen or had custom-made herself.
Could her Master have given it to her? Their tastes are certainly... unconventional.
Hu Tao crossed her arms. "Looking at clothes? Well, that's fine, I guess. But are you planning to buy anything? If so, Shenhe, you don't have any money, do you?"
"Hmm... Should we go to the bank?"
Yanfei quickly interjected at Shenhe's seemingly thoughtless suggestion. "Normally, you'd withdraw money, but the way you said that makes it sound like you're planning to rob the place! That's a serious crime!"
"What's the difference between taking money from a bandit and taking it from a bank?" Shenhe asked earnestly.
Qin Yu explained, "The money in the bank belongs to the public. What you did not only endangers public safety but also violates other people's property... uh, simply put, it makes innocent people scared and cry!"
"I see. That's bad. I understand now."
"Just to be sure, you haven't actually done this, have you?" Yanfei asked worriedly.
"No. Besides, you don't need Mora to live in the mountains."
That's true. Living in seclusion in the mountains... no, it's too dark at night, and there are bugs and spiders everywhere—disgusting and terrifying.
Hu Tao crossed her arms and nodded. "By the way, taking money from the dead might curse you~"
Shenhe conjured a talisman. "Don't worry, I can exorcise it."
Qin Yu grasped Shenhe's hand, forcing a smile. "I-I'll pay for you! If you want to buy anything, just go ahead!"
"Won't that be a burden?"
Yes, it would be a huge burden. But this wasn't the time to worry about her wallet.
Qin Yu patted her chest confidently. "No problem at all! Anything Shenhe wants, I can get! I've been quite wealthy lately—a couple of clothes are nothing!"
That strange feeling resurfaced. Shenhe awkwardly averted her gaze.
[Evaluation: C- (Shenhe)]
Hu Tao pointed at herself. "What about me?"
No way. Pay for your own clothes.
Yanfei chimed in, "Me too..."
Didn't you just get three million Mora?!
Despite the frantic internal monologue, Qin Yu said aloud, "If either of you finds something you like, I'll gladly pay!"
Yanfei hastily replied, "Just kidding!"
Hu Tao chuckled. "Ahaha, Fishy Treasure, you're so serious! I was just teasing. I don't need any new clothes—what I usually wear is perfectly fine. But what about you, Fishy Treasure? Aren't you getting new clothes? This one's getting a bit worn, isn't it?"
"Th-this one can still last a while. We need to save money."
Actually, I just forgot and it's a bit of a hassle.
But I'll definitely need new ones eventually. And they have to look good.
With my figure, I'm probably only suited for cute or glamorous styles. Sexy stuff is definitely out—not that I'd want to wear it anyway.
Yanfei snapped her fingers. "Perfect! Let's buy Miss Qin some new clothes too! The three of us can help you pick them out!"
"With our combined fashion sense, we'll create a look that's unparalleled in the world! You can trust us completely," Hu Tao declared proudly.
Qin Yu glanced at Hu Tao.
Hmm... she's quite cute. Her hotpants show off her thighs, but it actually emphasizes her energetic vibe.
"What's wrong?" Hu Tao asked, tilting her head.
"Nothing, I just think Hu Tao is really cute."
Shenhe: "....."
Hu Tao blinked rapidly, then grinned. "Of course! You're cute too, Fishy Treasure!"
[Evaluation: D+ (Hu Tao)]
R-really? Stop calling me that.
Qin Yu glanced at Yanfei.
This one was... a bit much. Her stomach, shoulders, cleavage, and thighs were all quite exposed. The outfit itself was rather stylish, but Qin Yu couldn't imagine wearing something like that herself.
Yanfei tilted her head. "Hmm? Is there something on my face?"
"Ahaha... no, no."
"That's a rather suspicious way to put it..."
Finally, there was the heavyweight contender: Shenhe.
...Qin Yu didn't know where to look.
Sensing Qin Yu's gaze and noticing her blush, Shenhe asked, "Why are you staring at my body?"
"Eh? Ah, um... right! I was just curious about where you got your clothes."
"My Master gave them to me."
Should I commend her or be speechless?
Shenhe looked down at her outfit. "For me, ordinary clothes are fine. I have no special preferences. My Master gave me this set, so I wear it. Is there something strange about it?"
Hu Tao rubbed her chin. "Really?"
Yanfei shrugged. "I don't think so."
Ha? Really?!
"Is that how you two feel?" Qin Yu asked, surprised.
Hu Tao and Yanfei looked equally taken aback.
"What's wrong with that? Our sense of style is pretty normal, right?" Yanfei said.
"If the clothes look good, that's all that matters," Hu Tao added.
"You're right... Sorry, I got a little confused there. Ahaha."
Hu Tao chuckled. "You're so weird."
Am I the weird one? But she was right. I shouldn't overthink this. It would make it seem like I had strange thoughts about them, as fellow women! Ugh, how gross. I'll just ignore it from now on.
I'm not that kind of woman.
But if they don't find it strange, does that mean the clothes they're picking out for me might also be—
"How about this one?"
That shows my belly button! No way!
"What about this one?"
Too much thigh! Absolutely not!
"I think this one would suit Qin Yu perfectly."
It did look quite nice—minimal exposure and very elegant. I never expected Shenhe to pick out something like this, but the price was discouraging.
Still, browsing clothing stores turned out to be surprisingly fun.
Even though I ended up buying nothing.
Shenhe lost interest after a few glances and naturally didn't buy anything. Qin Yu, on the other hand, wanted to find something that matched both her style and her budget, but nothing quite fit the bill.
With plenty of time left, they decided to explore another part of the city.
I wonder if Shenhe's enjoying herself... Qin Yu sighed inwardly. Her "closeness" rating is still only C+. If we were alone, it would definitely be higher.
No, this is for Shenhe's sake! Having a true friend is important!
In truth, she had been getting along well with Hu Tao and Yanfei so far. If only Shenhe could genuinely enjoy herself...
"Lady Keqing? Why are you crouching down?" a voice called out.
Keqing? Qin Yu remembered her as the Yuheng Star of Liyue's Qixing. What business could she have here? Qin Yu was curious and about to turn around for a quick look when Hu Tao grabbed her hand.
"Alright, let's head to the next spot!"
Qin Yu smiled. "Okay, let's go."