Just as Qin Yu's thoughts were drifting into drowsiness, Shenhe emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered.
"I'm done," she said.
Qin Yu immediately snapped awake, her reflexes kicking in. "I-I wasn't sleeping!"
"Is that so? It wouldn't matter if you were," Shenhe replied.
No way.
Though she had already fallen asleep in front of Shenhe several times... Several times? Was it really that many?
Qin Yu couldn't quite recall, but the fact that she had slept in front of Shenhe more than once remained vividly clear.
Her sleeping habits had already been laid bare. Worrying about it now would be pointless.
But what concerned Qin Yu even more was how Shenhe would react.
While it was true that Qin Yu had unconsciously hugged Shenhe last time—and one could argue it was her fault—Shenhe had returned the embrace.
Having such awareness made it difficult to feel at ease.
She felt uneasy both about herself and about Shenhe.
So, even though falling asleep in front of Shenhe wasn't a big deal anymore, Qin Yu still wanted to avoid it.
Qin Yu had no intention of revealing her thoughts to Shenhe, so she brushed it off with a casual remark:
"It's nothing. I'm just a bit bored and don't know what to do."
As she spoke, she glanced at Shenhe.
Shenhe was wearing the casual clothes Qin Yu had prepared, which could easily double as sleepwear.
Though the clothes were quite loose on Qin Yu, they seemed... snug on Shenhe? Perhaps it was the visual effect caused by a certain prominent feature.
The conspicuous Red String seemed a bit out of place, but since they weren't going out, it hardly mattered.
Still, Qin Yu couldn't shake her worry about the fit. She checked again: "Does the size feel right? Not too tight anywhere? Especially... you know... the undergarments."
Even if I knew it wasn't right, there's nothing I can do about it for now.
"It's fine," Shenhe replied simply.
Fine? Does she mean barely passable or exactly right? Why can't she be more specific? Qin Yu thought, a little frustrated.
Never mind. Since she says it's fine... Qin Yu gave up pressing the matter.
"Did you put the clothes away?"
"Yes, I put them in the laundry basket as you instructed," Shenhe nodded.
"Okay, I'll wash them tomorrow morning."
Qin Yu sighed inwardly. Tomorrow morning, I have to get up early to make breakfast for two, then wash clothes for two... The thought sent that subtle discomfort creeping through her again.
This felt completely different from doing the same chores for Ningguang at the Jade Chamber. Probably because we're sharing a living space tonight, she reasoned.
But there was no help for it. The situation tonight was... unusual.
Tch, this rain just won't let up... How annoying.
At that moment, Shenhe sat down beside Qin Yu.
As their physical distance narrowed, Qin Yu caught a faint scent from Shenhe's hair—the exact fragrance of the shampoo she herself used daily.
A familiar person, dyed with a familiar scent.
Qin Yu felt momentarily disoriented.
Ugh, it's the same scent I always use... the same smell? No, no, that sounds weird and gross. The same scent? That feels gross too...
Her nose and mind, long accustomed to this clean fragrance, seemed to respond to Qin Yu's confusion, merging the scent she'd smelled earlier this morning when comforting Shenhe into one tangled mess.
No, it was more like the familiar scent had completely overridden Shenhe's original fragrance.
And now, Qin Yu would have to use the same shampoo and acquire the same scent herself. Just thinking about it made her want to skip her shower.
But she couldn't—what kind of beautiful girl doesn't shower?!
"Aren't you going to wash up?" Shenhe asked.
"Eh? Ah... Ahahaha, I'll go later."
Better to wait a bit longer.
Qin Yu noticed that Shenhe's hair was loose.
Freshly washed, it still steamed with moisture... Strange, is it too wet? A glance revealed water droplets trickling down the strands, staining the sofa.
"Shenhe, did you towel-dry your hair?" Qin Yu asked, puzzled.
"I wiped it... but it's still damp. Don't worry, it'll dry naturally."
After all, her hair was very long.
If Shenhe says so, then I shouldn't worry about it. Don't worry about it.
But the more Qin Yu tried to dismiss it, the more she fixated on it, even imagining the dampness drifting toward her, making her feel slightly uneasy.
No, I can't stand it.
Qin Yu sighed inwardly and smiled. "You're right, but you must be uncomfortable too, Shenhe. Your hair's soaking wet, and with it being so long, it's getting heavy. Let me help you dry it!"
Just this once.
If I'm not getting any Points for this, it's a bit of a loss... Couldn't they raise the Evaluation cap to SSSS or something?
[Impossible]
Stingy! Qin Yu grumbled inwardly, displeased.
Help me dry my hair? Shenhe chewed on Qin Yu's words, crushing them and nourishing her heart.
"Thank you for your trouble."
"Then turn around."
Shenhe turned toward Qin Yu.
Not completely facing me! How am I supposed to dry your hair like this? Qin Yu thought, then decided to start with the front. She grabbed a dry towel and sat back down in front of Shenhe.
As she raised her hand, Shenhe was still watching her.
Stop staring!
Qin Yu smiled. "Close your eyes."
"Mmm," Shenhe murmured softly, closing her eyes.
That's more like it. Qin Yu didn't want Shenhe staring at her while she dried her hair.
Draping the towel over Shenhe's head, Qin Yu began rubbing her hair with moderate force. With each swipe of the towel, Shenhe's head tilted slightly.
It's kind of fun, this illusion of being able to do whatever I want to Shenhe, Qin Yu thought, continuing to rub. Shenhe let out a soft, muffled hum through her nose.
"Sorry, am I rubbing too hard?" Qin Yu stopped involuntarily.
Shenhe opened her eyes and shook her head gently. "No. It just... feels strange."
What's so strange about it? Qin Yu couldn't fathom it, but as long as Shenhe didn't mind, that was all that mattered.
"Then turn around so I can get the back."
"Mmm."
Shenhe turned around. Just as Qin Yu was about to begin drying the cascade of white hair, she suddenly noticed something.
"Shenhe, I remember you always tying your hair with a Red String, right?" Qin Yu asked.
Shenhe turned her head, showing her profile, and nodded slightly. "Yes."
Then isn't one missing?
"Where's the other one?"
"Here."
Shenhe raised her hand, and Qin Yu finally noticed the Red String tied around her wrist—the same one she usually used to bind her hair.
Good, it's still there.
It wasn't that Qin Yu would fear Shenhe because of this, but rather that such a precious item couldn't be lost. Shenhe must be even more aware of this than I am, Qin Yu thought, embarrassed at her unnecessary worry.
"That's good! But... can the Red String be tied anywhere else?" Qin Yu asked, wiping Shenhe's back hair.
"It's fine," Shenhe replied softly.
"I see."
Then why tie it from her shoulder to her armpit? It feels a bit... A faint blush crept across Qin Yu's face, thankfully hidden from Shenhe's view as she faced away.
No, don't think about such nonsense!
"And..." Shenhe spoke up again.
"And?" Qin Yu asked, her guard completely down.
Her hair is so smooth, like high-quality silk made from Neon Flower petals, Qin Yu thought, secretly cupping a strand of Shenhe's back hair in her hand, admiring its texture.
Shenhe suddenly turned around, and the strand of hair slipped from Qin Yu's hand.
"Ah..." Qin Yu murmured involuntarily, a pang of regret surfacing.
Why did she have to turn around?
Just as Qin Yu was mentally grumbling, Shenhe said earnestly, "You are my Red String. With you by my side, I can restrain myself."
Don't say such things again! Qin Yu's face burned even hotter as she hurriedly stood up.
"I've finished drying your hair. I'm going to boil water for my bath now."
"I understand. I'll wait for you."
Ha? It's just a shower. What's the wait? Can't you manage without me?
Qin Yu muttered inwardly, her cheeks still flushed. She felt a twinge of annoyance at her body's stubborn tendency to react differently from her thoughts.
"I-I won't be long."
After heating the water, Qin Yu retrieved her pre-prepared clothes and lingerie from the bedroom and, under Shenhe's watchful gaze, entered the bathroom.
Sigh... time for a shower.
The warm water cascaded over her skin, bringing waves of soothing heat. Qin Yu loved this sensation, the comforting feeling that the day was finally coming to an end.
But...
Shenhe had used this bathroom earlier.
She had undressed here, the warm water had flowed over her skin, and her breath had mingled with the steam. Was it strange to dwell on this? Qin Yu's thoughts churned like shampoo suds, endless and frothy.
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.
The shampoo's scent mirrored the fragrance of Shenhe's hair.
No, that's wrong. It should be the other way around—Shenhe's hair smells like the shampoo...
Could this discomfort stem from the fact that no one had shared her living space since childhood?
Qin Yu sighed deeply. A shower, usually a relaxing ritual, had become strangely uncomfortable under the prospect of sharing a night with Shenhe.
I just need to get used to this.
But there's no need to get used to it, either.
Qin Yu chose to empty her mind.
After showering, she dressed, tossed her dirty clothes into the laundry basket to wash tomorrow morning, and hummed a tune as she walked out of the bathroom while drying her hair.
"You seem to be in a good mood," Shenhe remarked from the sofa.
Ugh...
Qin Yu immediately stopped humming, feeling a little awkward. She'd almost forgotten Shenhe was still there.
Emptying my mind went a bit too far. Good thing I didn't slip up.
"Y-yeah, I guess so," Qin Yu replied with a perfect, standard response. "After all, I've been able to spend so much time with you, Shenhe."
Excellent!
Shenhe was deeply touched, feeling Qin Yu's words resonate with her. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Then... if we have the chance again in the future, could we spend time together like this again?"
Oh no!
Just one night had already exhausted Qin Yu mentally. Multiple nights? Absolutely not.
However, compared to Shenhe's earlier "cohabitation idea," this "overnight stay request" was much harder to refuse. After all, it would only be occasional.
Yet precisely because of this, Qin Yu found Shenhe's words to be rather underhanded.
"Let's... let's talk about that later," Qin Yu said, unsure how to respond. She couldn't accept outright, but she couldn't reject her either.
"Very well. But if this causes you any trouble, just say so. I will accept your decision," Shenhe murmured softly.
"Ah..."
Qin Yu felt her response had fallen short, leaving her with a mix of guilt and embarrassment, especially given Shenhe's seemingly all-accepting demeanor.
But that was all she could say.
She couldn't allow an unfamiliar life to become her habitual life.
Unaware of Qin Yu's inner turmoil, Shenhe showed neither regret nor disappointment at her reply.
She understood that her request had been presumptuous; she would accept either outcome.
"Qin Yu."
Qin Yu flinched slightly, forcing a smile. "What is it?"
"May I help you dry your hair?" Shenhe asked after a moment's hesitation.
Ah! Qin Yu thought, panicking inwardly.
I should have seen this coming! I let my guard down.
My hair... ha ha... it's still wet!
Qin Yu sighed inwardly. While there was nothing inherently strange about drying each other's hair, this somewhat intimate gesture triggered an instinctive resistance in her.
It's really not a big deal, Qin Yu told herself, but her gaze still wavered. "Thank you... then, I'll trouble you with it."
After Qin Yu sat down, Shenhe picked up a towel.
Qin Yu closed her eyes tightly, soon feeling the gentle strokes of the towel against her hair. Surprisingly, it wasn't unpleasant.
"Now for the back."
"Mm..."
Qin Yu turned around and opened her eyes.
Compared to Shenhe's hair, Qin Yu's was quite short, barely reaching past her shoulders even now. She could clearly feel Shenhe trying to dry her hair.
Right, now's the perfect time to ask Shenhe what she thinks.
"Shenhe, what should we do about sleeping arrangements tonight? There's only one bedroom and one bed," Qin Yu asked.
Shenhe pondered for a moment.
"Only one bed?"
"Yeah, sorry..."
Without pausing her hand, Shenhe calmly replied, "I don't mind sharing the bed with you."
Huh?
"Sharing the bed?" Qin Yu asked incredulously.
"Mm-hmm."
I mind.
I should have expected Shenhe to say that. No way. The previous time they'd slept together was a special circumstance—Qin Yu had accidentally fallen asleep.
In other words, it was an unconscious result.
But this is different.
Consciously sharing a bed with Shenhe? Objectively speaking, there's nothing strange about it, but there's no need to force it.
Besides, when she was asleep, her terrible sleep habits would inevitably lead to unconscious movements, and Shenhe would likely respond.
Qin Yu wanted to avoid that.
If you don't want the couch, we can always make a bed on the floor.
And if even that doesn't work... well, I'll just let you have the bed for the night!
Ultimately, Qin Yu felt there was no need for such extremes.
But she couldn't just say "It's unnecessary." Her persona wouldn't allow it.
"My bed isn't very big!"
She had to phrase it indirectly. Would Shenhe understand? She hoped so, but every time she tried this, Shenhe never seemed to grasp her meaning.
True to form, Shenhe's voice drifted from behind her.
"I don't mind."
I mind! Shenhe probably sleeps like an angel, but I'm a different story. What if I accidentally kick you off the bed?
"We could still just make a bed on the floor, right?" Qin Yu blurted out hastily.
Shenhe fell silent.
Did it work? Qin Yu breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Shenhe recalled their return journey from Mt. Aocang during the rain. Lying together, she could still faintly feel the warmth of Qin Yu's skin and the comfort of her embrace.
"...When we returned from Master's Abode, it started raining."
Why bring that up now? Qin Yu was puzzled, but she remembered it clearly.
Ah, the rain...
"Mm-hmm, I remember that."
"You fell asleep then."
"Ha? Why are you bringing this up?" Qin Yu didn't want to remember this, feeling deeply embarrassed.
"When we hugged, I felt so warm. If it's okay with you, I'd like to sleep with you... I hope you'll agree."
Shenhe then noticed a blush rising on Qin Yu's cheeks.
If it's okay with you and I hope you'll agree—don't you see the contradiction? This isn't a necessity. It's just something you, Shenhe, want.
Yet for some reason, Qin Yu understood the contradiction in Shenhe's words.
If it's okay with you... meant Shenhe wanted to know Qin Yu's feelings.
I hope you'll agree... was her personal desire.
Regardless, Shenhe would always respect Qin Yu's choice, because she would never do anything to make Qin Yu dislike her.
But put another way, accepting meant not disliking, while refusing meant disliking.
There's no need to accept, yet there's also no need to refuse—unless based on personal will.
And so it circled back to the question of whether Qin Yu disliked it or not.
Qin Yu truly hated these hidden choices within words, but such things were inevitable in human interactions.
Especially now, when she had to decide whether to remain by Shenhe's side as a close friend.
"But if you dislike it..." Shenhe hesitated.
Enough to hate it.
"I don't dislike it."
What Qin Yu truly detested was this choice hidden within Shenhe's words, a choice even Shenhe herself seemed unaware of.
Qin Yu's frustration grew. She exhaled the feeling, but it wouldn't dissipate.
Unless...
"Then Shenhe, order me. Order me to do this."
That would solve everything. After all, this persona had been created for Shenhe in the first place.
"I don't want to demand your acceptance, Qin Yu."
Then I won't accept it.
I won't say "I agree." Don't throw the choice to me and make me agonize over it.
You demand it, and I will accept.
Qin Yu turned to face Shenhe.
"Then... I'll just say no, okay?"
Shenhe remembered the last time she had wanted Qin Yu to visit Master with her, Qin Yu had reacted the same way.
Even now, she couldn't understand why Qin Yu acted like this, but after a brief hesitation, Shenhe nodded.
"Please sleep with me," Shenhe said.
Is that a request? Well, it barely counts as one, but... okay.
"Mm, alright."
Since it was a request, there was no way to refuse.
Even so, Qin Yu couldn't help but feel nervous and uneasy. This was completely different from anything that had happened before.
Did I agree too hastily? But this is for the best...
Because she was Shenhe's "good friend."
Of course, anything beyond friendship was absolutely off-limits! Even if it was Shenhe, if she tried to kiss somewhere inappropriate like Ningguang did, Qin Yu would still be angry.
As for whether sleeping together crossed the line, well, it was borderline acceptable.
After all, I'm not that kind of woman, Qin Yu thought to herself.