Qin Yu had always thought "partner" was a concept far removed from her reality.
But recently...
"I like you," "I like you in the romantic sense." Keqing's earnest, flushed face flashed through Qin Yu's mind, making her chuckle foolishly.
She actually said she likes me... Wait, no!
Qin Yu clutched her head. This means I'm going to be Keqing's girlfriend!
Although Keqing was kind, beautiful, and her special childhood friend, the thought of being her girlfriend had never crossed Qin Yu's mind.
In fact, she'd never been particularly interested in romance to begin with.
"But... what am I supposed to do now?" Qin Yu muttered, frowning deeply.
...Wait, did I actually say yes?
As her hazy memories sharpened, Qin Yu's expression froze. She collapsed onto the sofa like a beached fish.
"Oh my God..."
She actually agreed.
What were you doing back then, past me? Qin Yu wanted to demand.
But the only answer would be, I don't know!
Her consciousness back then had been hazy, her heart pounding, her breathing labored—it felt just like when Shenhe had kissed her senseless on the bed before. Her responses had been purely reflexive...
Does this mean I'm Keqing's girlfriend now?
The more Qin Yu thought about it, the more surreal it seemed.
Could it be that everything that happened today was just a dream?
Like a beautiful Midsummer Night's Dream... No way!
Qin Yu grabbed a cushion at random, buried her face in it, and let out a muffled, incoherent groan.
"Ah."
It smells like Shenhe... What am I doing? Qin Yu took a deep breath, then let her hand fall limp, giving up on thinking.
I'll just leave it to my future self.
Meanwhile, Shenhe had been standing at the doorway, quietly observing Qin Yu's baffling behavior. Ever since they'd returned home, Qin Yu had been acting like this, as if she were busy with something, yet simultaneously doing nothing at all.
Could it be that she's facing some kind of difficulty?
With this thought, Shenhe stepped forward, gently removed the cushion from Qin Yu's face, and asked with concern:
"Are you having some trouble?"
Qin Yu's eyes were unfocused, as if her mind had wandered far away.
Shenhe gently shook her shoulder. "Qin Yu."
"Hmm~?" Qin Yu's voice was so faint it seemed her soul was about to drift away.
"Tired?"
"Maybe."
Relationships are such a hassle.
Qin Yu only wanted to maintain her connections with Shenhe and the others—with the people she genuinely cared about—ensuring they wouldn't sever and that they could continue being together.
From this perspective, remaining unchanged would be ideal.
But whether things changed or stayed the same wasn't up to her.
Just like Keqing, who had unilaterally transformed their feelings in ways Qin Yu hadn't even realized.
Their friendship had deteriorated.
It was good, of course—how could she not be happy to be liked?
But the changes this romantic relationship would bring could be enormous, perhaps even unpredictable.
She hadn't even confessed her own feelings yet, and now she had to face this looming transformation.
The mere thought of it left Qin Yu utterly drained, lost, and bewildered, unsure what to do.
Ah—just kill me now.
"You seem very tired," Shenhe murmured softly.
"Mmm..."
Shenhe thought to herself that Ganyu had mentioned a hot bath could do wonders for fatigue.
So she suggested, "Shall we bathe together? If you're tired, I can wash your body and hair for you."
"Mmm..."
"Alright, I'll take you there."
With that, Shenhe effortlessly scooped up the utterly languid Qin Yu into her arms.
Evaluation: C+
Qin Yu instinctively clung to Shenhe's neck, grumbling into her ear, "Life is just too unpredictable. Changes aren't always bad, but couldn't they at least slow down a bit?" She sighed deeply, her warm breath tickling Shenhe's ear.
"As long as it's for the best, shouldn't that be enough?"
"The problem is, you never know if it's good or bad. What seems good at first might turn terrible later, and what starts terribly might improve—like this view. One moment I was on the sofa, and now I'm..."
...in Shenhe's arms?
Qin Yu froze, finally snapping back to reality and realizing she was being held in Shenhe's princess carry.
Panic instantly flooded her.
"Why are you holding me?"
"You said you were tired, and a bath can relieve fatigue..." Shenhe replied, already at the bathroom door.
What is she going to do, carry me into the bathroom?! Qin Yu's face flushed crimson as she frantically patted Shenhe's head.
"Put me down!"
Shenhe tilted her head in confusion. "But aren't you tired?"
"Not that tired... Anyway, I'm fine!"
Shenhe had no choice but to set Qin Yu down.
"Do you still want to bathe together?" Shenhe asked.
No, Qin Yu shook her head.
"You go first."
"...Alright," Shenhe nodded and entered the bathroom.
After Shenhe finished, Qin Yu went in herself, but even the hot water couldn't wash away her tangled thoughts.
What would Shenhe think?
As Shenhe dried her hair, Qin Yu glanced at her sideways.
Though she doubted Shenhe could offer any useful insight, you never know. Besides, there was no one else in the room to ask.
Fueled by curiosity, Qin Yu cautiously began, "Shenhe, can I ask you something?"
"Mm, go ahead."
"If... just hypothetically, okay? If someone you're very close to confessed their feelings to you, what would you think?" Qin Yu asked.
Shenhe pondered for a moment. "Confessed their feelings? What do you mean?"
"Well, literally, it means to express one's feelings. But nowadays, it's more often used in a romantic context... it's a way of telling someone you like that you love them," Qin Yu explained, her cheeks flushing.
Ugh, I have to explain this stuff too? Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
Love again.
Shenhe frowned curiously. She had never truly understood what love was supposed to be. They said it was a deeper feeling than mere liking, but she still couldn't grasp it.
And no one had ever taught her.
Once, she had encountered Madame Ping by chance. Remembering that the old Adeptus had lived in the mortal world for ages, Shenhe asked her many questions, including about love.
Madame Ping simply chuckled and said, "You'll understand in time."
When Shenhe asked her master, even he couldn't explain it clearly.
Cloud Retainer scoffed, "Me? What would I know! The Adepti aren't omniscient, especially when it comes to such matters. By the way, why are you asking about this? Could it be that you have someone in mind?"
"Someone in mind is...?"
"Someone you fancy."
"Qin Yu and Master."
"...I'm glad to hear that, but that's not what I meant. Well, you're still young. If it happens naturally, good. If not, it's nothing to fret over. Don't dwell on it too much or let it distract you from your path." Cloud Retainer smiled approvingly.
After that, Shenhe asked many other familiar faces for their opinions.
Ganyu stammered, "Romance? I... I don't really understand..."
Ningguang smiled gently. "Think of it like a game of chess. Only the players can truly grasp the depth of its intricacies."
"You came to the right person! It's like this, then that, ha! ...Still don't get it? Aiya, it's so hard to explain!" Hu Tao giggled mischievously.
"Eh? You're asking me? Even I find it difficult to put into words..." Yanfei said, looking perplexed.
In the end, she still couldn't grasp the concept.
Shenhe pondered for a moment before asking, "You mean, if someone I'm very close to wanted to become my 'lover,' what would I think?"
"Exactly."
Considering only that question, the person she was closest to was undoubtedly Qin Yu.
In other words—If Qin Yu confessed to me, how would I react?
"Since a confession is an expression of affection, I would be very happy," Shenhe said.
Qin Yu suddenly felt a surge of frustration. So all it takes is getting close to Shenhe and then confessing? Wouldn't that be a guaranteed success? Will Shenhe have a lover someday?
"Oh..." Qin Yu replied casually.
"I would accept you, even though I don't fully understand what lovers actually do or how they differ from family. But if it's you, Qin Yu, then it's fine."
Evaluation: B+
Qin Yu's body flushed rapidly, her skin glowing with a vivid crimson blush.
"W-why are you using me as an example?" she murmured, lowering her head.
"You're the closest person to me, so I said that. It's what I truly think. Though, I still don't understand what you all mean by 'love'..."
Evaluation: A
The closest person to me. That didn't sound so bad, Qin Yu thought, twirling a strand of hair.
But Shenhe's answer left her unsatisfied.
"Then why would you accept? Even if it's just a hypothetical situation, there must be a reason, right?" Qin Yu pressed.
Could it be because we're the closest people again?
No, wait—oh no, what kind of weird question did I just ask? If this is the usual course, Shenhe will definitely just say that one phrase again...
"I don't understand either."
Ha?
"You don't understand?" Qin Yu asked in surprise.
"Mm, if we're talking about this thing called love, I don't understand... I simply want to be with you, Qin Yu. Perhaps that's all there is to it."
Evaluation: S-
A blush crept across Qin Yu's cheeks, feeling both embarrassed and confused by Shenhe's words.
I don't quite understand it either, she thought.
Yet unexpectedly, she found herself able to grasp Shenhe's feelings. I accepted her not because I felt any so-called love, but simply because I wanted to continue being with her.
Shenhe then asked, "Qin Yu, will you confess your feelings to me?"
Evaluation: S+
Qin Yu shuddered violently, blurting out, "No! I won't!"
"...Qin Yu, you have no intention of expressing your feelings to me?" Shenhe gripped Qin Yu's hand, recalling their previous kiss, when Qin Yu hadn't reciprocated.
I know I shouldn't dwell on this, Shenhe thought. Being able to spend my life with Qin Yu as family is already an extraordinary blessing. I mustn't let such fleeting thoughts cloud my mind.
Yet now that the topic of "expressing feelings" had come up, Shenhe couldn't help but ask.
Qin Yu was completely baffled by how the conversation had drifted to this point.
Despite her confusion, Qin Yu answered honestly, "Yes... there always has been. But what kind of expression are you referring to, Shenhe?"
"An expression that deepens our connection."
Qin Yu was perplexed. What kind of expression is that? she wondered. Could Shenhe be tired of waiting and want me to acknowledge her as family in private?
If that was the case, Qin Yu took a deep breath.
"Shenhe is my family," she said, embracing her.
Evaluation: SS
Shenhe was momentarily startled, then nodded gently, her gaze softening.
"Mm, I'm glad you acknowledge me... You're family to me too."
Qin Yu smiled shyly, then playfully punched Shenhe's leg, a hint of annoyance in her eyes.
Honestly, making me say such embarrassing things! You have the Red String, but I don't! Qin Yu thought, unable to resist wondering: What would happen if Shenhe took off the Red String?
Would she feel embarrassed if she removed it?
Come to think of it, she hadn't been completely honest with Shenhe... Though she could tell her anytime, she decided to postpone the conversation for later.
Qin Yu sighed wearily.
What will things be like with Keqing from now on? Becoming Keqing's girlfriend... there's no turning back now. What changes will this bring?
Though she could imagine some future scenarios, they still lacked the weight of reality.
Qin Yu felt a little uneasy.
"...Shenhe, will you sleep in my room tonight?" Qin Yu tugged at Shenhe's sleeve, looking away as she asked.
"If you don't mind."
"I don't mind..." Qin Yu felt reassured by Shenhe's answer.
It's okay to indulge in a little affection sometimes, right? Just once in a while, it's not like it's anything weird.
Besides, Shenhe probably wanted to sleep in my room anyway! I know she did, Qin Yu thought to herself.
Of course, even if that wasn't true, she would stubbornly force it to be true now.
After chatting in bed for a while, Qin Yu decided it was time to sleep.
"Turn off the light."
"Alright."
With a rustling sound, Shenhe turned off the light and returned to the bed.
Qin Yu exhaled softly, said goodnight, and closed her eyes.
Shenhe did the same, but after a moment, she noticed Qin Yu tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
"Can't you sleep?" Shenhe asked.
"I-I'm already asleep," Qin Yu stammered.
"I see."
Shenhe's thoughts drifted. In truth, Qin Yu's earlier answer to her question had been evasive.
What she had really wanted to ask was why Qin Yu hadn't kissed her that day, why she hadn't allowed their relationship to deepen further.
But the fact that Qin Yu had acknowledged her as family was enough for Shenhe.
This too was an expression of her feelings.
Meanwhile, Qin Yu remained deep in thought about her relationship with Keqing, countless thoughts swirling through her mind, only to vanish again.
Having never been interested in romance before, she now found herself tormented by something she had once dismissed. The more she thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts became.
Shenhe overheard Qin Yu's soft sigh.
So, she really is troubled by something, she thought.
But since Qin Yu wouldn't confide in her, Shenhe had no way of knowing what it was. And judging by Qin Yu's demeanor, she doubted she could coax it out of her either.
Perhaps it's work-related?
After a moment's consideration, Shenhe wrapped her arms around Qin Yu.
Qin Yu understood Shenhe's intention—she simply wanted her to relax and fall asleep.
Feeling Shenhe's warmth and familiar scent, sleepiness grew stronger. Qin Yu whispered a quiet "thank you" and drifted off into slumber.
As Shenhe stroked Qin Yu's smooth hair, she mused, Perhaps it would be best to ask Ganyu.
Qin Yu often worked with Ganyu these days, so Ganyu might know what was troubling her.
With this decision made, Shenhe closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, lulled by Qin Yu's steady breathing.