Lately, Qin Yu had been pondering a particular question during her idle moments.
So far, her interactions with Hu Tao hadn't gone badly. At least Hu Tao hadn't shown any signs of dislike, even after that "punishment."
While much of this was likely due to Hu Tao's eccentric personality and her enjoyment of the unusual, could it also mean that Hu Tao was actually more accepting of Qin Yu than she had imagined? Qin Yu wondered.
Perhaps there's nothing wrong with my true self after all. Am I just overthinking things? Qin Yu mused further.
But my bad personality... that's still true, right? At least, that's what I believe. And that was precisely why she had initially planned to play a role.
If I could have earned Points while being my authentic self, things wouldn't have spiraled into this mess.
"But my personality really isn't that good, is it?" Qin Yu muttered doubtfully.
First: She complained a lot.
Second: She could be very impulsive at times.
Third: She always got her hopes up, only to be disappointed.
And then... Qin Yu ticked off her flaws on her fingers, meticulously counting each one. A mental "Ugh!" escaped her as she realized how awful she sounded, especially compared to Shenhe and the others. She really didn't measure up.
And what about her virtues? How many did she actually possess?
The compliments Shenhe and the others gave her were mostly about her superficial image, weren't they? Ningguang, for instance, often said things like, "Your loyalty is very satisfying to me," or "You're so considerate."
But that was only because acting that way earned her Points.
They had no real understanding of her actual virtues—if any truly existed.
"I don't fully understand you yet, but you need to let me understand too," Hu Tao's voice echoed in Qin Yu's ears, stirring an inexplicable restlessness and frustration.
Shenhe and the others remained oblivious because Qin Yu had deliberately kept them in the dark, preventing them from seeing or discovering the truth.
As the saying goes, "The observer sees more clearly than the participant." Perhaps only outsiders could truly understand her situation.
But how could they understand if she kept them in the dark?
Perhaps things weren't as dire as she imagined? Perhaps that was merely her own perception.
Yet these were merely assumptions.
Whether "if" or "perhaps," these were only possibilities.
Perhaps things weren't as terrible as she feared, but there remained the equal possibility that everything was precisely as terrible as she imagined. Ultimately, neither scenario had been proven.
And so, she couldn't find peace of mind.
She longed for the certainty of words like "definitely" or "absolutely" rather than the uncertainty of "possibly" or "probably."
Rather than a 1:99 chance, she wanted a 100% guarantee.
A 100% guarantee that Shenhe wouldn't hate her, nor would Keqing, Ningguang... or anyone she cared about and had deceived. Only then would it be enough.
Qin Yu, reflecting on this, added another of her flaws:
Also: very troublesome, extremely troublesome.
"Am I being too awkward?" Qin Yu muttered.
Getting back to the main point, turning possibility into certainty required proof—action.
She needed to go beyond the current half-step and reveal more of herself.
Why not just take a giant leap forward? The thought crossed her mind, but considering the tiny yet undeniable possibility of failure, Qin Yu didn't dare.
Her first step had been a cautious half-step, and her second would be another attempt. So far, Hu Tao hadn't shown any signs of dislike, so she needed to be bolder.
But what about the others?
Right now, she only knew Hu Tao's current thoughts, and Hu Tao was the only one aware of Qin Yu's facade.
With anyone else, it would be impossible to predict their reactions.
As anxiety gnawed at her, Qin Yu clung to a faint hope:
Maybe it'll work out unexpectedly!... That's roughly what she hoped for. The more she thought about it, the more her heart itched with anticipation. Her interactions with Hu Tao had given her enough confidence to take another half-step and test the waters.
She wanted to see how others would react.
But who should she choose?
Shenhe? No, no, no! Absolutely not. The difficulty is too high—the psychological barrier is simply too much for me right now. I can't do it yet.
After all, I started playing this role for her sake.
Keqing? Now? Impossible, impossible. She's my childhood friend, someone I'm still close to, and a very special person to me. The stakes are too high.
Ningguang? That wouldn't work either.
Ganyu? Ah, no...
After eliminating these options, the only remaining candidate is Yanfei.
She's a bit... peculiar. She actually wants to see a different side of me. Perhaps she's more open-minded than I thought. Trying it out with her...
It might just work.
But I'll need time to prepare and come up with a convincing reason to persuade her.
I can't reveal the truth right away. Hmm... Qin Yu pondered, gradually feeling a headache coming on.
"Ugh, I've been thinking too much."
Even on her day off, she was exhausting her mind. This hardly counts as rest.
There's no rush. I have plenty of time. Let's shelve this for now.
Qin Yu had other plans for today.
She grabbed her sun hat and put it on. Looking at her casual outfit in the mirror, she nodded in satisfaction.
"Hmph, not bad."
Then she grabbed the fishing rod she'd bought on her way home yesterday, along with the bucket filled with fishing gear.
Today, she was going fishing.
At Liyue Port, one could rent boats for deep-sea fishing, but many anglers preferred gathering along the shore, chatting and casting their lines together.
Qin Yu had never fished before. Although she'd studied up on it beforehand, she needed to put her knowledge to the test.
True, she could simply spend Skill Points to acquire the "Fishing Proficiency" skill.
But it's just fishing! How hard can it be?
I may not have eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run! I've played so many games with fishing elements—surely I can catch at least one fish, right?
First, she needed to choose a good fishing spot.
The fishing spot affected how quickly fish would bite. The more fish in an area, the faster they'd bite, making them easier to catch. At least, that's what the book said.
"This spot will do," Qin Yu said confidently, settling down on the shore, keeping a slight distance from the other anglers. She then retrieved a pre-packaged bait from her bucket.
The bait was a Fruit Paste Bait recommended for beginners. Even if she hadn't bought it, she could have easily made her own using Sunsettias and Wheat.
After hooking the bait onto the fishing line, Qin Yu cast her line.
Now, all she had to do was wait for the float to react.
See? Easy! Let's catch enough for fish tonight!
Fried fish, grilled fish, pickled fish, braised fish... Qin Yu hummed a cheerful tune to herself, smiling as she imagined her future meals.
Maybe I'll even catch another Paimon!
Just as she was thinking this, the tip of her fishing rod bent sharply, and she felt a strong tug.
A bite!
Time to reel it in.
"Alright, got one—wait, what is this...?"
A dripping, sopping mass of blackness.
Upon closer inspection, it was a pair of pants. Ugh, how disgusting! Qin Yu's face twisted in disgust as she hurriedly removed the drenched pants and tossed them aside.
All she'd caught was trash.
But fishing was all about luck and chance! Good days and bad days were part of the game. No big deal.
After convincing herself, Qin Yu resolved to dispose of the trash later. Throwing it back into the sea wouldn't be right.
"Let's try again..."
Casting her line once more, Qin Yu patiently waited.
Patience...
Waiting...
Why aren't any fish biting?
Am I the fish now?
Opposites attract, like repels like? Qin Yu grew increasingly restless. Staring blankly at the bobber without any action was excruciatingly boring.
No, I have to endure!
Endure... endure... endure...I can't take it anymore! Qin Yu immediately activated her new Skill:
Fishing Master - Increases the likelihood of fish biting and staying hooked, reduces the chance of them getting off, grants a small chance of catching high-quality fish, and a minuscule chance of obtaining rare items.
She also upgraded Fishing Proficiency to Level 3.
The outcome? Qin Yu realized she had underestimated fishing all along. My apologies, I was too cocky.
But it's alright, I'll definitely catch something this time. Qin Yu focused all her attention on the bobber.
"It's moving!"
In one smooth motion, she pulled back on the line and lifted the rod... or rather, the fish simply couldn't match Qin Yu's strength and was yanked straight out of the water.
Qin Yu swiftly reeled in the line, grabbed the wriggling Sweet Flower medaka, and dropped it into her bucket.
First one! Great, let's catch a few more.
Fishing's actually kind of fun... as long as you actually catch something, Qin Yu mused.
Just then, a voice called out from behind her.
"Ah, Qin Yu!"
"Hm?"
Qin Yu turned to see Yanfei hurrying toward her, a fishing rod and bucket in hand, her face beaming with delight.
Ugh, running into Yanfei here of all times. I still haven't figured out how to explain things to her.
Yanfei, oblivious to Qin Yu's inner turmoil, couldn't help but approach when she saw her.
"What a coincidence! You're fishing too? Me too! I've been so swamped with work lately, I haven't had a moment to relax. I finally got a chance, so I thought I'd come fishing."
As always, she rattled off a torrent of words the moment she opened her mouth.
Hiding her true thoughts behind a smile, Qin Yu replied, "Me too! It's such a coincidence! I never expected to see you here. Maybe we're telepathically connected and thought of the same thing!"
Evaluation: D
A telepathic connection? Yanfei's mind raced.
I didn't expect to see you here... Did that mean she had considered meeting me somewhere else? If she had thought about that, why would she say we have a telepathic connection?
Was she asking—Do you also want to see me?
Indeed, I do want to see her. But I never imagined she would see through me so easily.
Qin Yu is even more amazing than before!
Yanfei said, half-embarrassed, "Y-yes, sort of!"
This feels like a non sequitur, Qin Yu thought, puzzled.
But this wasn't the first time Yanfei's responses had been nonsensical. I'm used to it. Feeling reassured by the familiar strangeness, Qin Yu then invited:
"So, would you like to join me fishing?"
"Of course! I was just about to ask you that. But instead of fishing from the shore, I'd rather fish on the sea, in a small boat. Fishing from a boat is a completely different experience than fishing from land. Plus, we wouldn't have to worry about others overhearing our conversation."
Yanfei quickly clarified, "A-ah, not that I wanted to say anything private! I just thought it would be nice if it were just the two of us... you know?"
"Ahem, no other meaning intended! I just thought we could talk better in a quiet place," Yanfei added as a final remark.
To be honest, Yanfei spoke so quickly that Qin Yu couldn't catch a word she was saying. It was as if Yanfei had boiled all her words into a watery gruel and poured them into Qin Yu's ears. The only thing Qin Yu could clearly understand was her intention: Let's go fishing by boat!
Fishing by boat... Hmm, I've never done that before. It could be an interesting experience. Qin Yu thought to herself, nodding in agreement.
"Sure, Yanfei. Whatever makes you happy."
Evaluation: C-
Yanfei let out a relieved breath and smiled. "It's not just about me! I want you to have fun too! Let's go this way—we'll rent a boat."
"Wait a second. I need to get rid of this trash first."
"Trash?"
Qin Yu gestured helplessly to the soaked pants lying nearby.
"Who left these here? And they're completely soaked," Yanfei said.
"Ahaha... I fished them up..."
Yanfei exclaimed in surprise, "You can even catch something like that?"
Don't remind me, Qin Yu thought with an inward sigh.
The two quickly rented a small boat and boarded. After agreeing to take turns rowing on the way out and back, Qin Yu took the bow and began paddling.
After rowing for a while, they stopped in an area a short distance from the harbor, neither too close nor too far.
"This spot feels perfect! Let's start fishing!" Yanfei raised her fishing rod.
"Mm-hmm!" Qin Yu lifted hers as well.
Seated on the boat, gently rocking with the waves, Qin Yu cast her line. Compared to the bustling harbor, the sea was remarkably peaceful, with only the sound of waves and a soft breeze.
"Speaking of which..." Yanfei suddenly began.
"Mm? What is it?" Qin Yu replied.
Yanfei hesitated, a rare occurrence for someone usually so direct. But she found it incredibly difficult to voice her thoughts.
Ever since the Rite of Parting, after witnessing Qin Yu's dazzling performance, Yanfei had often wondered: Did Qin Yu still need her protection?
Legally, Yanfei could still protect Qin Yu without a doubt. But her concern lay with Qin Yu's physical safety.
Before becoming friends, their relationship had been that of protector and protected. Back then, Qin Yu possessed only a reputation but lacked substantial power, making her vulnerable and in need of protection.
Now, however, Qin Yu had grown significantly stronger, and she also had her own powerful backing.
She was Keqing's childhood friend, Ningguang held her in high regard, and her close friends and allies included Adepti.
Hardly anyone ever tried to harm Qin Yu, let alone succeed.
So, did Yanfei still need to protect her in the same way?
As a friend, wanting to protect Qin Yu was only natural.
But this protective relationship had always been intertwined with monetary transactions.
Even now, the anonymous benefactor continued to send exorbitant Mora as compensation.
Acceptable at first, it no longer felt right.
"Unearned rewards are unwelcome." If Qin Yu no longer needed her protection, Yanfei believed she shouldn't continue accepting the money, and might even need to return some of it.
Besides, even without the money, she would still look out for Qin Yu.
As Yanfei reached this conclusion, her mind cleared.
What I truly want is a new kind of relationship! No longer 'protector and friend,' but simply 'good friends.'
"Aiya, aiya, that's what it is! Facing a truly perplexing problem requires a catalyst," Yanfei declared with an air of profound enlightenment.
"Huh?"
Qin Yu, however, remained completely bewildered.
To her, Yanfei's behavior was both simple and perplexing: hesitant to speak—deep in thought—suddenly enlightened—and then summarizing everything with a single sentence.
Completely bewildered by Yanfei's thoughts and words, Qin Yu stared at her, her face etched with confusion. Yanfei's gaze flickered momentarily before she resolved to just say it. Her cheeks flushed noticeably as she declared, "Actually, I was just thinking about us earlier."
Qin Yu remained puzzled. "Is that so..."
"How should I put this... I want to end our current relationship."
Qin Yu's heart froze for a split second. Yanfei's words cut through her like a blade, so sharp that she didn't even notice the fish biting her hook.
"Ah, you've got a bite! Quick, reel it in!" Yanfei exclaimed.
Tsk, what a nuisance! Qin Yu swiftly tightened the line, using her formidable strength and the rod's resilience to forcefully drag the struggling fish onto the deck.
With a plop, the fish landed on the deck, thrashing wildly. Ignoring it completely, Qin Yu tossed the rod aside and immediately moved closer to Yanfei.
She wanted to grab Yanfei's shoulders and demand answers, but realizing that would be inappropriate, she suppressed the urge and stammered instead,
"I-is there something I did wrong?"
Yanfei snapped out of her daze, shaking her head vigorously. "No, no! I don't want to end our friendship! That's not it at all! You've misunderstood."
Huh?
Then why did you say it so misleadingly? Qin Yu's heart instantly flooded with relief and resentment, followed by a surge of curiosity about Yanfei's true intentions.
Ending our relationship but not our friendship, severing ties but not completely... What could that possibly mean?
"Then please tell me what you do mean," Qin Yu pressed.
"It's just... I want to end our current relationship and move on to a new one!" Yanfei confessed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment but her voice earnest.
Evaluation: C+
...Hmm? A new relationship?
We're already friends. If we form a new relationship, wouldn't that mean...?