Beware of Liyue Women (Genshin Impact)

The next morning, Qin Yu knocked on the door of Yanfei's law office.

"Coming!" Yanfei called out, hurrying to open the door.

When Yanfei opened the door, she found Qin Yu standing there with her hair tied back in a high ponytail. Qin Yu's expression was indifferent, and she didn't smile upon seeing Yanfei. Instead, she simply lifted the bag in her hand.

"Breakfast. Want some?"

Yanfei smiled warmly. "Of course I'll eat it! Your cooking always hits the spot, especially your tofu dishes—I absolutely love them. But I doubt you made any of those this morning, right?"

"Of course not. I just made some simple steamed buns. And this drink—I picked it up on the way."

"Thank you! Come on in and let's talk more."

Qin Yu shook her head. "No, I wasn't planning to—"

"Oh, come on in! I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Unless you have something really urgent to do? In that case, I understand..." Yanfei stole a glance at Qin Yu.

"Not really..."

"Then come on in!"

"No."

"Can't I even have a little chat with Qin Yu?"

Qin Yu seemed resigned and sighed softly. "Fine, but just for a little while."

"Great! It won't take long. By the way, have you eaten?"

"Yes."

Once Qin Yu was in the living room, Yanfei closed the door. Qin Yu sat on the sofa, and Yanfei settled right beside her.

"Why are you sitting so close?" Qin Yu asked.

"What's wrong with that? We're good friends, aren't we?" Yanfei opened the bag. The steamed buns had cooled slightly but were still pleasantly warm—just right, not too hot, not too cold.

"I guess so..." Qin Yu trailed off.

Qin Yu fidgeted restlessly in her seat.

Yanfei watched her, wondering if she was nervous. What could she possibly be nervous about? How strange. Yet she found Qin Yu's awkwardness strangely endearing, even tempting her to tease her.

Yanfei pulled out a steamed bun and offered it to Qin Yu.

"What's this for?" Qin Yu asked.

"Feed me," Yanfei replied.

"Huh? No way! You have hands. Why should I feed you? Eat it yourself. It'll get cold if you don't hurry. Or do you want me to warm it up for you first?"

Yanfei pleaded again, "Just once! Please?"

Qin Yu twisted a strand of hair around her finger before relenting with a sigh. "Fine, open your mouth."

"Ah—"

Yanfei opened her mouth, but Qin Yu didn't bring the bun to her lips. Instead, she gently stroked Yanfei's cheek.

What is she doing? Stunned, Yanfei closed her mouth.

Qin Yu's fingertip traced the outline of her lips, her warmth seeping into Yanfei's heart. Thump. Yanfei's heart skipped a beat before resuming its frantic rhythm.

Her skin responded to the change, gradually blooming into a mesmerizing blush.

"Yanfei..." Qin Yu whispered her name, her own face flushed crimson. She leaned closer, their breaths mingling.

As their lips were about to meet, Yanfei...

Yanfei woke up.

It was noon at her law firm. She was sprawled across her desk, fast asleep.

She had only intended to pass the time by reading a book. But perhaps because she hadn't slept well the night before and felt drained this morning, the novel had lulled her into a nap.

When she awoke, she found herself still slumped over her desk.

And she had had a rather... very... particularly... no—no adjective could fully capture the delicate, complex emotions Yanfei felt at that moment.

In short, she had had a truly "remarkable" dream.

"Oh my god..." Yanfei covered her flushed face.

Why would I have such a... such a bizarre dream?

In the dream, Qin Yu wasn't the Qin Yu she knew, and Yanfei herself wasn't quite herself either. Though the setting was ordinary, the actions they took were anything but.

In the dream, Qin Yu had actually leaned in for a kiss.

If Yanfei had woken up any later, would they have...? Ugh, why am I even thinking about this?! We're both girls!

But it was just a dream. The real Qin Yu would never act like that. Could it be... that I harbor such thoughts about her? That I want to see her that way, and then...

"Oh dear, am I having some problem?" Yanfei rubbed her temples and let out a deep sigh.

No, no, it was just a dream. Overanalyzing it will only make things weirder. The best thing to do is ignore it! Yanfei patted her chest, feeling a wave of relief.

Yet the moment she recalled Qin Yu's adorable appearance in the dream, her heart began to race again.

"Ah! I should just focus on memorizing the laws. Liyue Marriage Law—wait, why am I starting with this one?! Rex Lapis, oh, my mind is such a mess..."

She couldn't believe a single dream could throw her into such disarray.

Yanfei gazed out the window. It was already noon. She rubbed her stomach, feeling a pang of hunger, and wondered whether to cook for herself or head to Wanmin Restaurant for a meal.

If only Qin Yu would bring me food like in my dream... No, that was just wishful thinking, wasn't it?

Yanfei genuinely felt she was becoming increasingly strange, and the reason was obvious: Qin Yu.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Coming!" Yanfei called out, hurrying to open it.

There stood Qin Yu, her hair loose around her shoulders. A gentle smile graced her face as she greeted Yanfei, holding up a bag.

"Good afternoon. I made you some lunch. Would you like to eat?"

Yanfei blinked.

A curious sense of déjà vu washed over her. Right, just like in my dream... yet not exactly the same.

She wondered what other differences might emerge between reality and her dream.

Yanfei chuckled sincerely. "Of course! Your cooking always suits my taste perfectly. Especially your tofu dishes—I absolutely love them. But I doubt you brought any of that today, did you?"

Ha? Why is she so certain there isn't any? Too bad, there is.

If you don't want it next time, just tell me, Qin Yu grumbled inwardly, smiling. "Of course I did! I remember exactly what you like, Yanfei—every flavor and dish."

Yanfei's breath caught in her throat.

How could she remember so clearly? Only meticulous observation could achieve such detail. Could it be... that she cares about me? Has she ever had a dream like mine? A faint blush crept across Yanfei's face.

Evaluation: D

Hmph, this is exactly how it should be, Qin Yu thought contentedly.

"Thank you! Come in and let's talk more."

Qin Yu nodded. "Sure, sorry to intrude."

She had come specifically to see Yanfei, who had said she might be free today. It seemed she was indeed.

Meanwhile, Yanfei thought, Everything is completely different from the dream.

A hint of disappointment lingered, yet she also felt relieved. This is for the best, she decided. Everything is on the right track, not spiraling out of control like a runaway horse.

After closing the door, Yanfei noticed Qin Yu sitting on the sofa. Hesitating for a moment, she settled down beside her.

Qin Yu simply smiled, offering no other reaction.

...I'll try again.

Yanfei felt a bit childish, yet she couldn't suppress her curiosity. She needed to understand the boundary between dream and reality. Gathering every ounce of courage, she nonchalantly opened the lunchbox Qin Yu had brought, secretly marveling at its contents.

Wow, all my favorite foods! And they look and smell absolutely divine, mouthwatering even.

Qin Yu's cooking skills had clearly improved significantly. Truly remarkable. If she ever decided to leave her position as Ningguang's personal attendant, she could easily become a head chef at a prestigious restaurant like the Xinyue Kiosk.

Evaluation: D+

Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Her meticulous efforts in preparing the meal hadn't been in vain.

Yanfei desperately wanted to dig in, but she hadn't forgotten her original purpose. She handed the spoon to Qin Yu.

"What's this for?" Qin Yu asked, utterly puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Feed me."

Huh? No way! What's the point of having hands if you want me to feed you? Can't you eat by yourself?

But Yanfei making such a request was rare indeed. Fine, as long as I get some points, feeding her a few bites isn't a big deal. 

With that thought, Qin Yu took the spoon.

"Then open your mouth."

Eh? Yanfei's heart skipped a beat. If this continues, will Qin Yu...?

Impossible! This isn't some dream I'm having.

But what if it really does turn into that? What should I do?

Qin Yu was thoroughly confused.

Yanfei's expression kept shifting wildly—one moment she looked shocked, the next she seemed to be denying something, then she looked lost in thought, and finally, almost expectant. Today, Yanfei was acting stranger than ever before.

Could she be sick with a fever that's scrambled her brain? But she seemed perfectly alert, showing no other signs of illness.

This is truly baffling.

Anyway, are you going to eat or not? You're making things awkward for both of us, Qin Yu thought irritably. Aloud, she called out softly:

"Ah..."

Yanfei hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth. Qin Yu scooped up a small piece of tofu with her spoon and fed it to Yanfei.

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

"Ah... never mind!"

This Yanfei is really strange.

But what needed to be done still had to be done.

Qin Yu leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee and propping up her cheek with a smile. "How is it? Delicious? I put a little extra effort into it. I'd be so happy if you liked it."

Yanfei relaxed, thinking, It's nothing like my dream.

With Qin Yu... No, I shouldn't even think about it. If she ever found out about that dream, who knows how she'd react? Yanfei savored the lingering taste in her mouth, utterly delighted.

"It's incredibly delicious! Thank you. Even famous restaurants might not serve dishes this exquisite," Yanfei praised frankly.

Qin Yu brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Evaluation: C

Watching Qin Yu, Yanfei couldn't help but think again about how different she was from the Qin Yu in her dream.

The dream Qin Yu wasn't as straightforward, a bit awkward.

But that was just a fantasy.

The real Qin Yu was refreshingly direct, not awkward at all.

And this was reality.

While Yanfei found both versions appealing, personally... she still longed to see more of that dream Qin Yu.

Though awkward, it somehow made Yanfei feel closer to Qin Yu.

The current Qin Yu was kind and considerate, but Yanfei couldn't shake the subtle, almost imperceptible distance between them.

Perhaps it's just my perception, Yanfei thought with a sigh.

Could I ask Qin Yu to act like her other self again? It was a strange thought, but Yanfei couldn't help but wonder.