Shenhe brought Qin Yu to a small waterfall.
The waterfall... Standing by it did feel refreshing, but Qin Yu wasn't hot to begin with. Now she felt a bit cold instead.
"How's that? Feeling cooler now?" Shenhe asked.
More like too cold—but I can't say that.
Qin Yu took Shenhe's hand without hesitation, smiling. "Yes, thank you. This is much better."
Shenhe twitched her hand. This person likes physical contact too much. Are all people like this now?
[Evaluation: D+]
Good, the evaluation improved. What's this? A handshake alone can raise it? Reaching SSS might not be a dream after all.
But physical contact should be moderate; otherwise it'll become annoying.
After all, everyone has different tolerance levels. Some accept touch easily, while others find even a gentle touch offensive.
When will I meet a woman who lets me hug and kiss her freely, clinging to me as much as I want?
Of course, this only applies if they're one of the System's target subjects. Otherwise, she has no interest—she's not into such proclivities.
Qin Yu's mood grew even more cheerful as she smiled. "This place is truly beautiful. I never knew such scenery existed."
"For me, it's just a familiar sight."
"Do the children of Adeptus really have to live in the mountains and forests to avoid worldly affairs?"
Shenhe shook her head. "There's no such rule. It's simply easier to suppress one's nature and cultivate in seclusion."
"I see. But must one truly suppress their nature?"
"Yes. Evil spirits are easy to drive away, but inner demons are hard to eliminate. In cultivation, the greatest enemy is often one's own obsessions, which arise from scattered thoughts. Discarding these distractions is crucial."
Now's the time to show off my conversational skills!
Qin Yu hesitated before asking, "Does that mean I'm disturbing your tranquility?"
"You could say that."
"Huh?! Uh... I-is that so?"
Almost revealed my true intentions—this isn't good.
But why affirm it in such a situation? Normally people would say "That's not true" or "You're not really disturbing me." Qin Yu found this response difficult to accept.
"So you were pushed to your limits after all..." Qin Yu remarked.
Shenhe flicked a strand of hair, hesitating before speaking. "Actually, I wasn't really pushed to my limits. It's just... I feel a bit lost."
Shenhe frowned slightly, clearly troubled. "I rarely come down from the mountain, so I don't really know how to interact with people. This is my first time talking to someone like this. And having someone pester me like this is also a first."
What troubled her was how to handle the situation.
"But I don't mind. Troubled, but not minding—that's what I mean."
Qin Yu froze, feeling heat gather on her face. Her voice involuntarily rose in pitch. "Oh, that's good then."
No, what's there to be happy about?!
[Rating: C-]
I'm so happy!
Of course, she had to maintain her composure. Qin Yu, secretly delighted, made sure to keep up her image. She put her fingers together, blinked her eyes, and asked carefully:
"Can I come visit you again later?"
Shenhe hesitated. "...If you're not afraid, you can."
"Huh? Afraid? What's there to fear?"
Shenhe gazed into the undulating pool and said, "When the Adeptus took me in, they performed a divination for me. Divinations can perceive a person's destiny, and there were two ominous patterns within mine."
Suddenly, she began speaking of divinations.
"The first is the Lone Destiny, where one's companions are destined to part ways, leaving them alone for life."
"The second is the Calamity Destiny, where one's path is marked by numerous disasters and dangers, fraught with peril."
What kind of protagonist's destiny is this?
Qin Yu had an ominous premonition. With so many possible destinies, why mention only these two? Does that mean...
"And I seem to possess both."
Wow, that's intense!
Qin Yu recoiled in fright. Though she didn't believe in divinations, considering them mere tricks, if they were performed by true Adeptus, that changed everything.
Does this mean befriending Shenhe might entangle me in her destiny too? Making me unlucky? Or worse, could I meet a sudden death, leaving her alone in the world? This is truly... overwhelming.
"Do you believe in this?"
Shenhe nodded. "The divination performed by Moon Carver revealed extraordinary immortal power. Predicting destiny isn't beyond possibility. I trust their judgment. They declared my killing instinct exceptionally strong—a once-in-a-millennium inauspicious fate that harms both others and self."
Qin Yu broke out in a cold sweat.
"Immortals bound my soul with the red string soul-binding technique to suppress this impulse. While I've mastered self-control, my cursed fate remains... If you're not afraid, extend your hand."
Shenhe offered her palm.
Before, she'd touched others without hesitation, unaware of her cursed fate. Now that truth lay bare, would you still dare? Shenhe yearned to know.
Acceptance would forge their bond. Their shared future might then be tainted by her curse... Qin Yu understood this truth; such mystical bonds carried inherent risks.
Yet there was no other choice!
To gain, one must prepare for loss. Having chosen the shortcut to power through point accumulation, shouldn't greater risk be expected?
Most importantly, the character she was playing now would never refuse under these circumstances.
The character can't collapse!
So she took his hand—
Wait!
A sudden realization flashed through Qin Yu's mind.
This was the perfect opportunity—why limit herself to just holding hands? In this situation, more extreme actions should be acceptable too, as long as she demonstrated her willingness to accept the risks of being with him...
But should she really do it?
Now?
Here?
Shenhe found this peculiar. "Your face is red again."
"Huh? Ah—ah ha ha... Maybe I'm embarrassed."
"Embarrassed, are you..."
Shenhe thought, This excuse is probably a roundabout way of saying she's afraid.
The red string had suppressed her killing intent, but it also restrained many human emotions. Over time, numerous trivial matters had come to seem like fleeting dust to her, unworthy of concern.
Though unfamiliar emotions stirred within her, they weren't particularly significant. Shenhe's expression remained unchanged as she slowly withdrew her hand.
Seeing this, Qin Yu's heart tightened with urgency.
This golden opportunity was slipping away! There was no time to hesitate.
She steeled herself. Having already resolved to use this path to strengthen herself, there was no room for retreat now. She approached Shenhe.
Shenhe watched this movement with mild confusion.
Is she...?
Then Qin Yu...
...fell over.
-
Made a discord if anyone is interested
https://discord.gg/BFW77h7XyS