"Good morning, Little yu! Going out again today?"
Qin Yu smiled brightly. "Yes! Aunt Chen, you look great today too~"
"Oh, just so-so. Here, take this—some homemade radish chips I made. They're delicious! Come back for more if you want."
"Ah, that's too much trouble," Qin Yu protested.
But the woman insisted, pressing a small jar into her hands. "Don't be modest! Next time, you must teach me how to make those dumplings of yours. They're absolutely divine."
Huh? Teaching others? That's such a pain.
Despite her thoughts, Qin Yu maintained her smile. "Of course, I'll make them next time. Actually, I'd love to learn how you make these radish chips—they're absolutely delicious!"
"Ha ha ha! Why don't you come to our place next time? Our son would love to see you too. Oh, and do you have a partner? Would you like—"
"No, no, no, no! I don't need that!"
The thought of being paired with a man was worse than shooting herself in the head.
Truth be told, being matched with a woman felt equally strange... In short, she had no interest in such things, not even the slightest inclination.
And she particularly hated these kinds of conversations.
It was the same in her previous life—once she went to university, her family suddenly started prying into her private life.
One would ask about girlfriends, another about potential partners. It was—annoying! Why did they suddenly care so much about whether their child had a partner?
Though to be fair, leaving the forced social network of school made finding suitable partners rather difficult...
Qin Yu chatted with the auntie for a while longer before hastily taking her leave.
Though she had no pressing obligations today, being trapped in conversation with this overly familiar middle-aged woman felt like a prison sentence. The age gap was glaringly obvious, the generational divide palpable...
And the conversation kept circling back to marriage topics, as if they wanted to throw their own little bunny out to graze on someone else's garden.
Qin Yu thought, You might as well go find someone else's daughter.
"Even maintaining good relations with neighbors comes with its own set of troubles."
After two weeks of effort, Qin Yu had become a well-known good girl in the neighborhood.
People could ask her for help with big or small tasks. She was cheerful, easygoing, yet warm-hearted, and a young girl to boot. Both men and women, young and old, praised her highly, even giving her a nickname: "Little Yu."
Though hard work, this helped perfect her image - not bad at all.
When should I invite Shenhe to the city?
Of course, she hadn't neglected Shenhe during these two weeks either. She visited Shenhe almost every other day, and while her evaluations weren't particularly high, she steadily accumulated several thousand points.
She invested these points into upgrading her attributes, especially strength. This allowed her to better help the neighbors, reinforcing their perception of her as a "good woman."
My life is truly flourishing! Qin Yu thought proudly.
"So, what should I do today?"
Today was a rest day, so she should properly relax.
However, as usual, she couldn't think of anything to do. Maybe I should go wander around the bookstore.
As she considered this, someone spoke up: "Little Yu, you've come at just the right time!"
Qin Yu recognized the man immediately—Grandpa Wang from the opposite household. Her initial good mood vanished. Though reluctant to get involved, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"My grandson seems to have left the city."
After listening carefully, Qin Yu pieced together the story: The boy had been convinced evil spirits were haunting him. He'd decided to try exorcism spells from a novel, venturing outside the city walls to gather materials.
Typical brat... This was precisely why she detested children—noisy, troublesome, and always causing mischief.
"Did you report this to the Millelith?"
"No. Too embarrassing to admit."
So losing your grandson is more embarrassing than anything else?
"What about the Adventurer's Guild? You could commission them."
"Can't afford it."
So money matters more than your own flesh and blood?
"Little Yu, you're kind. Please help this old man."
Enough with the moral blackmail! Qin Yu's usual smile vanished.
As the saying goes: Even saints have their moments of fire. Though her persona was that of a vibrant, friendly young girl, that didn't mean she'd let others manipulate her.
In a firm yet courteous tone, Qin Yu declared, "Very well, but this is a one-time favor. Next time, I won't help with such matters—I'll hold you in utter contempt!"
"Ah, how can you speak to your elders like that...? Never mind, just help this once."
Qin Yu glared. "What does seniority have to do with right or wrong?"
Grandpa Wang, unable to argue back, flushed with anger. He pointed at her, shook his head with a sigh about the decline of modern morals, and left as if dealing with an unreasonable woman.
Qin Yu clicked her tongue and turned toward the city gates.
If that brat doesn't listen, I'll knock him out, she thought. I've lost patience for gentle words.
Outside the city, Qin Yu calculated that a child couldn't have walked far. She asked passersby for directions while occasionally scanning with her wave perception.
Fortunately, she found him quickly.
Unfortunately, she also encountered several Hilichurls.
"Save me!" the boy screamed, eyes squeezed shut.
Qin Yu drew her revolver, aimed at one of the creatures, and was about to fire when a swift figure suddenly leaped forward. With a sharp "Ya ha!" the newcomer's spear struck a Hilichurl square in the forehead.
Qin Yu froze, then looked closer.
Brown hair, wide sleeves, shorts, and a plum blossom... It was Hu Tao, the eccentric Wangsheng Funeral Parlor mistress.
"Fear not, young friend! With this mistress present, demons and monsters shall not run rampant!—Ah~ I've longed to say that! Oh, inspiration strikes! Then let me compose a poem here..."
Hu Tao held her spear in one hand and rubbed her chin with the other. After closing her eyes, she raised the long spear, intending to write in the air.
This situation is completely unreliable!
Qin Yu turned around and pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed like thunder.
"Wow, what was that sound?! Hey, you're... Hiss, you look so familiar," Hu Tao said, startled at first, then thoughtfully.
Qin Yu couldn't help but say, "Is this the time to say such things? The enemy is coming."
"Oh right, but this level is no problem. Look, let's go!" Hu Tao jumped off her spear, the long spear trailing fire as it shot into the Hilichurl crowd, sending them all flying with a boom.
Seeing this, Qin Yu didn't dare to underestimate them and immediately fired again. After emptying her magazine, all the Hilichurls were eliminated.
Hu Tao looked around. "Hmm... Are there any more enemies?"
Qin Yu didn't respond. Still lacking practical combat experience, she was somewhat nervous, trying her best to stay calm while reloading. Once the magazine was full, she felt much more at ease.
As long as there are bullets in the gun, there's nothing to fear.
Hu Tao narrowed her eyes, sensing another presence... Then suddenly turned to one side. "Over there!"
With a whoosh, a hidden arrow flew out, aimed at Qin Yu.
Me again?! In her moment of panic, Qin Yu's danger instincts automatically triggered. Everything around her slowed down: whether it was Hu Tao rushing to save her or the incoming arrows...
At the same time, her physical abilities dramatically increased.
There it is!
Qin Yu twisted sideways, raised her revolver with one hand, and fired at a tree. The bullet pierced through leaves, and a Hilichurl wielding a crossbow fell like a marionette with cut strings, dissipating into nothingness.
Hu Tao smiled. "You've got some impressive moves, heroine!"
Qin Yu snapped out of her trance, lowered the revolver, and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. After several deep breaths, she sat down.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Hu Tao bent down, studying her face.
Qin Yu averted her eyes. "Nothing. Just a bit tired."
"Is that so? Well, as long as you're alright."
Hearing this, Qin Yu thought to herself, This person actually shows concern? The unexpected kindness brought her a mix of surprise and happiness.
To outsiders, the counterattack might have seemed flawless. But to Qin Yu, it had been a heart-pounding near-death experience that left her shaken.
In contrast, Hu Tao showed no signs of fatigue, appearing remarkably composed.
So the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's master really did train in martial arts... Qin Yu mused. And with that Vision enhancing her combat capabilities, her strength is even more formidable than I imagined.
"Ah, I must have worried you—"
Hu Tao continued with a smile, "If something had happened, I'd have to prepare your funeral rites, wouldn't I?"
Take back what I said earlier.
This person is truly beyond reason!