"What should friends do together?"
After visiting Shenhe, she posed this contemplative question.
Normally, friends don't need to ponder such things - they simply interact as they naturally would. Those who met through gaming continue playing, those who bonded over chat go out for walks...
Yet Qin Yu knew their friendship was far from ordinary.
It was only natural Shenhe would feel perplexed. As a mountain-dwelling young mistress with limited worldly experience, Shenhe had openly admitted her unfamiliarity with common human customs - having lived secluded in the mountains for so long.
How should I respond?
Qin Yu pondered for a moment before smiling. "What does Shenhe want to do?"
"Why are you asking me?"
"Ah, because I can't think of anything. Just chatting with Shenhe is enough for me."
Shenhe blinked, seemingly surprised by this straightforward affection. She averted her gaze slightly, grasped her wrist, and let out a thoughtful hum.
[Evaluation: D-]
Perfect answer! Though the first part was true - even Qin Yu wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to do. She simply wanted to spend more time with Shenhe, trying to earn some points.
"What do ordinary friends do together?" Shenhe changed the subject.
She must be trying to understand typical social interactions between friends.
Qin Yu considered that such basic activities remained constant across all eras and replied, "Go shopping, chat, share meals, play games - things like that."
"Shopping... chatting... eating... playing... hmm..." Shenhe murmured, deep in thought.
Qin Yu asked curiously, "Did you come up with an idea?"
Shenhe shook her head slowly. "No. What about you?"
"Ah ha ha, me too! But don't overthink it. How others interact is their business. We shouldn't worry about that because this is ultimately just between the two of us. We can do whatever we want. What does Shenhe want to do right now?"
"Sit in meditation."
Huh? Are you serious? I came all this way just so you could meditate?
It's like a woman traveling hours to meet you, eager for intimacy, only to find you dragging her into watching you play a ranked grind session!
Qin Yu seethed inwardly while maintaining her composed facade, even feigning interest: "Do cultivators truly need meditation?"
"Exactly. Meditation purifies the mind, letting you return to your true self. Want to try? City life must be stressful. Mastering this would benefit you."
This would be pure torture.
Without phones or computers, Qin Yu could endure this world. Having lived here over a decade, even with her past life memories resurfacing, she'd grown accustomed to the limitations.
But meditation? Impossible!
Qin Yu scratched her cheek. "About that..."
"I see... That does make things rather troublesome," Shenhe's voice grew even more detached than before.
Could she be feeling disappointed?
Qin Yu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly changed the subject, clasping her hands together with a radiant smile. "I've always wanted to try the cultivation methods of the immortals!"
Shenhe looked up at this. "Is that so? But you didn't seem very willing earlier."
"That was because I was afraid I might not do it properly."
"Hmm, when I first entered the immortal realm, I too wondered if I could endure such cultivation and meet their expectations. But meditation requires no special skills. The most important thing is to maintain inner tranquility," Shenhe said earnestly.
Just that point alone is difficult enough, let alone while pretending to be someone else.
Inner tranquility might make me relax, and once I relax, I'll reveal my true nature... But wait, if I just follow along and mimic the motions, closing my eyes for a while shouldn't be too hard, right?
Well, that's simple then.
With this thought, Qin Yu regained her confidence.
"Alright then, bring it on!" She patted her chest.
Shenhe looked at her and said, "It's good to have enthusiasm, but meditation requires a calm mind."
"I-I know that."
"Then sit down here."
Shenhe sat on the ground, legs crossed. Qin Yu mimicked the posture, arranging her limbs in a similar manner.
"For beginners, focus on deep breathing. Inhale—exhale—sense your surroundings through your ears, nose, skin... Close your eyes quietly, empty your thoughts as much as possible. But if thoughts do arise, don't suppress them forcefully. Let them surface, then let them flow away like water..."
Ears... The wind whispers through the air.
Nose... Shenhe's body carries a faint fragrance—no, perhaps it's medicinal? If she regularly consumes herbs, she must also take herbal baths, right? Wait, stop focusing on that!
Skin... Grass roots tickle my thighs.
My mind won't stop racing. Closing my eyes only makes the thoughts multiply.
This is so strange, isn't it? The first thing we do as friends is meditate together. We're not immortal cultivation buddies.
"Are you settled now?" Shenhe asked softly.
"Ah... um... I suppose so."
She couldn't calm down at all.
"Then let's continue like this for 3 hours."
...Huh? 3 hours? Are you serious?
"3 hours..." Qin Yu's lips twitched.
"Yes, that should be enough for you to grasp the basics."
Qin Yu was confident she'd fall asleep within less than an hour.
While this arrangement wasn't entirely unpleasant, it hinged on one crucial condition: being in her own bedroom. The thought of someone witnessing her sleep posture made her consider leaping off a cliff instead.
Perhaps it would be better to shorten the duration.
"This is my first time meditating with someone else," Shenhe mused. "Meditation requires 'stillness,' and solitude offers the greatest 'stillness.' Another person's presence disrupts one's focus, so logically, we shouldn't meditate together."
Could she be backing out? If so, that would be perfect! Qin Yu secretly hoped Shenhe would abruptly change course, abandon the meditation, and propose something else. She'd eagerly agree with both hands and feet.
"Yet this feels strangely... not unpleasant. A bit odd, but not unpleasant."
[Evaluation: D+]
Qin Yu: "..."
Shenhe paused before asking, "Would ordinary people do this? I want to know."
Qin Yu replied nonchalantly, "Mm, probably."
"Really... I never thought ordinary friends would meditate together."
No, no, no, no, no! How could that be possible?! Wait, it's not that it's impossible, just that it's not normal! Because it's so boring, you might as well just chat about random things.
Qin Yu couldn't help but whisper, "Ordinary friends wouldn't do it."
"Really?"
She'd been heard.
Shenhe's hearing was exceptionally sharp. Qin Yu silently cursed her luck.
"Then I must have done something strange..." Shenhe opened her eyes.
"Ordinary friends wouldn't do it!"
Qin Yu quickly moved closer to Shenhe, propping herself up with a serious expression and imposing demeanor. "But we're good friends, so it's fine!"
Shenhe wasn't intimidated by this display. She looked straight into Qin Yu's eyes, then slightly lowered her gaze. "We're good friends, so it's fine... Hmm, I see. I understand now. The concept of friendship is truly profound."
[Evaluation: C-]
Saved it! Qin Yu exhaled in relief and returned to her original position.
"Strange. But you mentioned earlier that ordinary people meditate like this together—"
"Hush. I feel myself entering the state now."
At Shenhe's words, Qin Yu fell silent. Though still perplexed, she refrained from seeking constant clarification. How truly cryptic, she mused. It's both comprehensible yet incomprehensible; true yet untrue...
Thus, the pair meditated for three hours.
Their buttocks grew numb.
They longed to return home.