Qin Yu's maid job came with four days off per month.
But they weren't necessarily on weekends. Instead, they were scheduled around the other maids' holidays to ensure the estate was never left entirely unattended.
Today was one of her precious days off.
Holidays are a blessing. She could sleep in without worrying about the head maid's wake-up call.
Qin Yu didn't wake up until almost noon.
She scratched her exposed belly and yawned.
"It's my day off... What should I do?"
Cuddle? No way, that's exhausting.
Maybe I'll just stay in bed all day. Honestly, good food, good drink, and good sleep are all I need in this life...
"Ah, no."
I finally have some free time. I should use it to prepare for future cuddling endeavors.
Qin Yu stared blankly, counting on her fingers.
New clothes needed to be bought, cosmetics replaced—the old ones just didn't feel right. Her hair had grown long and needed a trim, and she had to buy some study books. Lately, she'd been feeling fatigued, perhaps she should get some medicine to help. And then there was a whole pile of other miscellaneous things.
Qin Yu closed her eyes, threw her arms and legs wide, and collapsed onto the bed in a starfish pose.
Ugh, just kill me now.
The only silver lining was that yesterday, Ningguang had finally updated the maids' uniforms. No more of that awkward, half-baked Liyue-style mishmash—now they were proper, classic designs!
But shouldn't the skirts be knee-length? Why are they so short they barely cover my thighs? I can't stand it.
Oh well, she could just wear hot pants underneath—there was no rule against that.
My underwear will never be seen by anyone. Not even the slightest possibility! That was Qin Yu's absolute bottom line.
She hated showing too much skin and naturally despised the feeling of being constantly exposed.
"...Just a little longer..."
She'd deal with everything later.
Tch, screw it! Time to get up!
But the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to procrastinate.
Putting things off would only make her more annoyed. Half-grumbling, she sat up, scratched her messy hair, and resolved to get ready immediately.
"Seriously, why is there always so much to do?" Qin Yu grumbled under her breath as she got ready at her vanity, her frustration building.
But when she opened the door, she plastered on her usual cheerful smile.
Yesterday, she'd run errands for Lady Ningguang, securing all the materials she needed. Her skillful bargaining had left her with a surprisingly generous sum, so she could afford to splurge a little.
It's rare to have time to myself. I should make the most of it!
"This outfit looks good. I'll take it."
"Should I get the more expensive cosmetics?"
"A Step-by-Step Guide to Narrowing the Distance Between Same-Sex Friends—Volume Two! I can't believe they made a sequel to this drivel. It's probably just more pointless filler, but I guess I'll buy it anyway..."
"Medicine is so expensive!"
"Time for a nice meal at a restaurant..."
Later that afternoon, Qin Yu settled onto a bench with her shopping bags, staring blankly at the calm sea.
I'm so bored! There were still things to do, but she couldn't shake this inexplicable sense of apathy, as if something were missing. Her gaze drifted to the golden statue rising from the water.
Ah, Shenhe... I wonder how she's doing. I should go check on her.
Right! Last time, I didn't get to show her my most perfect cooking. Now that I have the Maid Skill, I can definitely make even more delicious dishes. Heh heh, with this, an A+ rating will be a piece of cake!
But wait, my highest rating so far is only A+. Are there any higher tiers?
[Higher ratings include: S-, S, S+... and so on, up to SSS+.]
Whoa! Looking at it like that, my A+ rating seems pretty weak. But how much more effort do I need to put in to reach S?
Qin Yu shook her head. Never mind, that's not something I should be worrying about right now. Just getting some Points is good enough for now.
As the ancients said, "Haste makes waste." Or as the saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day." In short, you have to take things one step at a time. Rushing things will only make her uncomfortable.
Alright, time to start preparing.
Shenhe, you just wait! This time, I'll definitely make you cry from how delicious it is... Wait, does she even have any other expressions?
She's always looked the same.
Just in case she cooked everything only to have it spoil while waiting, Qin Yu decided to bring her cooking utensils and ingredients this time and prepare everything fresh on the spot.
With a plan in mind, Qin Yu sprang into action. First, she returned to her dorm to put away her belongings, then hurried to the market to pick out fresh vegetables. She borrowed extra kitchen supplies and spices from the mansion's kitchen, stuffing them into a large bag.
Shouldering the heavy pack, Qin Yu left the city and walked to Shenhe's cottage.
Fortunately, Shenhe was home this time. But what she was doing made Qin Yu stop in her tracks in surprise.
"Hah!" Shenhe raised her hand, shaping it into a blade, and with a sharp chop, split a thick log in two.
She picked up another log and struck it with the same hand-axe technique.
She's chopping firewood? Qin Yu thought, astonished. And she's doing it barehanded? Could she even tear monsters apart with her bare hands?
"Qin Yu?" Shenhe noticed her.
"Yeah, it's me. I came to see you. Am I interrupting anything?"
"No, just splitting wood."
Seriously?
Qin Yu chuckled. "Shenhe, you're amazing! You can do that with your bare hands!"
"It's nothing special. Just wood."
No, no, no. Ordinary people can't split wood barehanded!
"I heard you were earning Mora through work. Have you stopped doing that?" Shenhe asked.
"Today's my day off! That's why I came to see you."
Shenhe nodded. "Perfect timing. I was planning to visit you too."
She's saying that again... I can't stand it.
[Evaluation: D]
Well, I guess I can barely tolerate it.
Qin Yu clapped her hands together, her smile radiant. "Hehe, just as I thought—we're great friends! I can't believe we were both thinking the same thing. Have you eaten yet?"
"Yes."
Of course, it's already this late... Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
"What did you eat?" Qin Yu asked again.
"Qingxin, Glazed Lilies, and Violetgrass."
Those are all medicinal herbs!
Even for cultivation, you shouldn't just eat that stuff all the time when I'm not around.
Am I going to have to come over here every day and cook for this woman?
Qin Yu forced a smile. "Just those? Well, are you hungry now?"
"Not particularly, but I'll eat if you're willing to cook for me."
Ha? Why "I'll eat" instead of "I want to eat"? You make it sound like you'd be doing me a favor by eating what I make.
Whatever. I already brought all the ingredients. It'd be a waste not to use them.
"Then I'll cook you a meal! Unlike last time, this will be fresh off the stove—guaranteed to be absolutely delicious!"
Shenhe nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."
[Evaluation: D+]
Right, she should be looking forward to it.
Qin Yu set down her large bag and began unpacking the ingredients to prepare the meal. She washed and chopped the vegetables, then heated the wok.
"What kind of work are you doing now?" Shenhe suddenly asked, standing beside her.
Qin Yu's hand holding the wok trembled slightly.
She realized she hadn't actually told Shenhe the specifics of her job, only that she had found employment. But it wasn't something she needed to hide, was it?
"I'm a maid! Well, a servant. I work at Ningguang's mansion on Tianquan Star."
"A servant?" Shenhe frowned slightly for some reason.
Qin Yu tossed the chopped vegetables into the wok and stirred-fried them, puzzled by Shenhe's reaction. "Is something wrong?"
"I think you deserve better."
Qin Yu chuckled. "Haha, I'm actually quite satisfied with this job. The Mora is good."
"Do you really need Mora that badly?"
"Well, the rent on my old place went up, and moving to a new place costs money... Plus, if I can manage it, I'd like to buy my own house someday."
Shenhe murmured, "A house... why fixate on that?"
Why does she keep asking so many questions?
"Because renting means constantly moving. Having a permanent home would be nice. It would give me peace of mind, and Shenhe wouldn't have to keep track of my new addresses."
But even if I bought a house, I'd still be living there alone.
After a moment's hesitation, Shenhe said, "You could live with me."
"Live with you? What do you mean?"
"Here," Shenhe said, staring intently at Qin Yu.
Huh?