Seeing the Grand Diviner before her, Qingque didn't hold back.
She strode forward and—
—pinched Fu Xuan's cheek.
She kneaded it back and forth, as if rubbing a mahjong tile.
Although it might have been fitting for Ye Feng to say, "Is that all?" at this moment, he couldn't discourage Qingque's initiative.
All things are difficult before they are easy.
Once this first step was taken, the subsequent fall from grace would be a matter of course.
No, not a fall from grace.
How could "following one's heart" be called a fall from grace?
That was—
"Your thoughts are much clearer now, aren't they?"
Ye Feng untied Fu Xuan's red rope and stripped the high and mighty Grand Diviner down to nothing but her alluring white stockings.
Her beautiful legs, faintly visible through the fabric, now shimmered in the sunlight like the finest ice cream.
Qingque's mood was filled with a different kind of joy, an unusual excitement.
Like a runaway wild horse, she didn't know which direction she was galloping in, but the exhilarating feeling of lightning speed was incredibly liberating.
Qingque kneaded more and more gleefully, rubbing the Grand Diviner's soft, pale cheeks like dough, venting all the grievances of a workhorse.
While rubbing, she hummed, "My dear Grand~ Diviner, why do you always keep your eyes on me? I told you, I just want to be a salted fish~~"
Ye Feng rested a hand on Fu Xuan's shoulder, watching with a grin and giving Qingque an encouraging look, signaling that she could increase the intensity.
—Just watching is such a waste.
With such a great opportunity, you're only rubbing her face?
Feeling like he was dealing with a hopeless case, Ye Feng used his forearm to hook under Fu Xuan's stockinged legs, lifting her up.
Her delicate toes dangled in the air.
As her horizontal plane was suddenly raised, Qingque subconsciously wanted to retreat but stopped herself.
There was no point.
Besides, watching the dignified and noble Grand Diviner being played with like a doll...
It was, admittedly... pretty hot.
The so-called slacking off was just about making her mind and body happy.
If other methods could achieve the same effect...
Then the question was, why refuse?
Whatever happened here wasn't real anyway.
Why be so serious?
"Qingque, touch her Dharma Eye."
Ye Feng goaded.
"Wow, it's cool, smooth, and has a soft texture. It feels even better than the highest quality jade."
Seeing this little minx catch on so quickly, Ye Feng gave her an appreciative look.
He then brought up Fu Xuan's pink progress bar and pointed above her head.
"See this, Qingque? When the progress bar reaches the heart at the top, Fu Xuan's Dharma Eye will get hot."
"Progress bar?"
Qingque's gaze fell upon it. Though she had never seen it before, the intelligent and now somewhat experienced Qingque immediately understood what it represented.
"NPCs have reactions?"
"They do, but not much. Fu Xuan is one of the more responsive types."
"What about me? When I left, you definitely didn't spare my NPC, right? What kind of feedback do I have?"
Qingque was gradually letting go, curious if there were parts of her own body she didn't understand.
At the very least, Qingque could be certain that the Grand Diviner had no idea her Dharma Eye could get hot in this manner.
Mm, I'll test the feeling when the progress bar is full.
"You?"
Ye Feng shook his head. "There are plenty of girls here prettier than you. Why would I play with your NPC?"
Hearing this, Qingque felt a bit indignant.
"Aren't you playing with the Grand Diviner all the time?"
"I am. Guess why I never get tired of Fu Xuan?"
"Heh, you guess if I'm going to guess."
Qingque was genuinely a little unhappy now.
Ye Feng's meaning was obvious.
But, she wasn't bad-looking either.
It wasn't that she hoped to be played with by Ye Feng, but when being compared, she didn't want to fall too short.
Right, this was a matter of principle.
It was about emotional value.
Not begging to be fucked.
Forget it.
Qingque turned her head, no longer caring. She wasn't like the little bug who loved to overthink things, nor would she indulge in empty fantasies like Mei.
She had always been carefree.
—It would be even better if she could make money without working and without being nagged by her parents.
Squish~ Squish~
Qingque watched the white stockings sink in, then looked up and placed a fingertip on Fu Xuan's Dharma Eye. She couldn't help but say:
"The progress bar is rising so slowly. Can you even get it up?"
Whether he could or not, Qingque knew very well. When she was rolling her eyes back and sticking her tongue out, her mouth certainly hadn't been so stubborn.
Thus, Ye Feng didn't mind.
After all, lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharpest blade.
"Does Qingque want to help?"
"No..."
She was about to refuse out of habit, but seeing the Grand Diviner who forced her to be a workhorse right before her eyes, available for her to toy with at will...
Qingque's eyes suddenly lit up, seeming to sparkle.
The decadent aura of a wage slave vanished, replaced by vibrant energy.
Qingque felt as if she had returned to her youthful school days. Although there was academic pressure back then, compared to her current work, it was truly carefree.
Like a real little sparrow, soaring joyfully and freely.
But after entering society, she became a cog in the Xianzhou's machine, a brick in the Divination Commission's wall, with numerous shackles placed upon her.
Her childhood dreams had long since popped like bubbles in the sun.
Only "slacking off at work" could allow Qingque to recapture a sliver of her former ease.
But now, in Ye Feng's world, Qingque seemed to be experiencing the freedom of having "no shackles" again.
It was so liberating, so exhilarating.
She felt so light, as if there was nothing to worry about.
All she had to do was fly freely, like a little sparrow under the blue sky.
So—
"No... it's not impossible. So, what should I do?"
"Haven't I already taught you this kind of thing?"
"Huh?"
"Just try touching your Grand Diviner in the same places where I touched you and got a reaction."
"I see, so it can be solved this way?"
A "hehe" smile appeared on Qingque's face. She pulled her shoulders back and curled her five fingers into a claw-like shape.
Like the Dragon尊, her dragon claw hand reached forward.
"The speed of the progress bar hasn't changed."
Ye Feng said, "Your technique is no good. How can you treat Fu Xuan's small steamed buns so roughly?"
"Ehehe, because they feel pretty nice."
"But there are rough ways to play, too. Here, take this."
It was the red rope again.
But this time, it was being used as a whip.
"Try hitting her with it."
"Eh? Will this work?"
Qingque was still a bit hesitant.
"At a time like this, what are you still hesitating for?"
Ah, that's true.
It was the equivalent of "well, we're already here."
Crack—
"Whoa, it really jumped!"
The pink progress bar clearly grew a little.
At this, Qingque's gaze towards Fu Xuan turned strange... The Grand Diviner likes it this way?
You really can't tell. So prim and proper, one of the majestic and cold Six Charioteers of the Luofu, but on the inside, she's actually... tsk tsk tsk.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Qingque whipped with even more glee.
However, this was just Ye Feng converting Fu Xuan's "pain" into "pleasure."
As for what Qingque thought, it had nothing to do with him.
Jie jie jie.
As Qingque got into the swing of things, she suddenly felt her body tighten. She had been changed into the 「Queen Set」.
Ye Feng looked at Qingque with great interest.
She wore a military cap, a black leather outfit that resembled a straitjacket, along with long leather gloves and thigh-high high-heeled boots. The black leather reflected an oily sheen... she looked almost demonic.
But on Qingque, it didn't have the slightest "dominant" aura.
However, her pair of shapely legs appeared longer in the thigh-high boots, and her waist-to-hip curve, or rather, the curve on her chest... hmm? Where was the curve?
The two "lids" on her chest were completely flat, even though the thin straps beside them were doing their best to push everything towards the middle.
"Pfft."
Ye Feng couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Qingque, you really are... exquisite. Where did your two older brothers go?"
"Older brothers? I don't have any brothers, I'm an only child... hmm?"
Noticing Ye Feng's gaze, Qingque lowered her head and instantly understood.
"..."
Ye Feng smiled, "I guess 'open the cap and drink' is out of the question. You'd have to stick your head in a little."
Qingque: "..."
Hold on, it's not like I asked to wear these clothes.
You change me into them without my permission, and now you're mocking me?
Qingque was pissed.
Especially since Ye Feng's eyes seemed to hold a hint of pity, as if to say, "She looks about the same as Fu Xuan, so why is the curve so different?"
You couldn't tell from the official art.
Only after getting hands-on would you know that Fu Xuan truly had exquisite small steamed buns; for certain enthusiasts, they were simply divine.
But Qingque... she could only stand tall in front of someone flat as a board.
"Don't be discouraged, Qingque. You're just small, not non-existent like some people."
Ye Feng pulled out, and Fu Xuan collapsed, her pure white stockings soaked with sweat, the moisture spreading out in circles.
Ye Feng said, "I just saw you whipping your superior and thought I'd add to the fun. But I guess this style really doesn't suit you. This outfit would be obscenely hot on Mei, and even on the little bug, it would have a unique flavor, but on you, Qingque... forget it, I'll change you into something else."
This time, it was a JK uniform, in classic blue and white.
Round-toed leather shoes, plus white bubble socks.
Under the bright blue sky, she radiated pure vitality.
"This feels much better, kind of like the little sister next door. Alright, stand on your tiptoes, or you can stand on that rock, and stick your ass out."
"?? "
Qingque couldn't help but say, "When you say 'little sister next door,' isn't that supposed to evoke feelings of adoration and affection? The kind that's pure and clean, without a single impurity."
"In my world, 'liking' means 'fucking.' 'Adoration' and 'affection' also mean 'fucking.'"
"..."
What else could Qingque say?
She turned around, her back to Ye Feng, and placed her hands on a decorative rockery.
Her body went limp, and a tempting blush flashed across her beautiful face.
---o---
Kiana didn't know when she had fallen asleep.
Normally, she fell asleep very quickly.
After all, she was a little bug.
She didn't think much, had few worries.
Only food and sleep were not to be trifled with.
But not tonight. Even after falling asleep, she would jolt awake from her dreams.
Kiana dreamed that Ye Feng and Mei were walking hand-in-hand, and she was chasing them from behind, but no matter how hard she ran, she couldn't catch up.
Then, she missed a step and fell into a pitch-black cage.
The lights came on.
In the room opposite, separated by a layer of glass, Ye Feng and Mei were engaged in a life-or-death exchange on the bed.
Kiana desperately pounded on the glass with her fists.
But even the monstrous strength of a Kaslana couldn't leave a single scratch on the glass.
Kiana could only watch... pounding her fists in heart-wrenching agony.
As she pounded and pounded, Kiana woke up.
She was met with Bronya's face, a mixture of resentment and innocence.
"Bronya... what happened to your right eye? How did you get a black eye?"
"..."
Bronya expressionlessly glanced at Kiana's still-clenched fist.
"Who else could it be but a certain someone, yelling 'Mei, Mei' all night long."
"Ugh..."
Kiana held her head, feeling a wave of embarrassment.
That dream was still so vivid.
"Did I... talk in my sleep?"
"Mm, very loudly."
"Ugh... Ehehe, that's just how I feel about Mei!"
Kiana scratched the back of her head.
She never hid her affection for Mei in front of Bronya.
In fact, the two of them sometimes became "love rivals."
Both hoped to win "Sister Mei's" favor.
This dynamic hadn't changed since they escaped Nagazora.
However, back then, half of Bronya's actions were an act, part of the "plot," but the other half was genuine.
After spending so much time with them, Bronya had grown to truly love Mei and Kiana.
Those feelings were definitely not fake.
Competing with Kiana for "Sister Mei's" favor had become a regular part of their lives.
That's why Kiana said what she did, expecting to start an argument with Bronya.
Then, the matter of her sleep-talking would be glossed over.
Keikaku dōri.jpg (Translator's Note: All according to plan)
However, the expected argument never came. Bronya just looked at Kiana with a strange expression.
"..."
"..."
In the silence, Kiana's heart began to race.
She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"There is something Bronya is unsure if she should say."
"Just say it!"
The more flustered Kiana became, the more forceful she acted.
She puffed out her chest and stared fiercely at Bronya.
As if by doing so, there would be nothing to fear.
"Kiana, did you just say that calling someone's name in your dream is a symbol of your feelings for them?"
"Y-yeah... Ahaha, jealous? You'll never catch up to the bond between me and Mei, Bronya."
Bronya raised her eyelids but didn't object.
She paused for a moment before saying lightly, "Then why were you also calling out 'Feng,' 'Feng'? This 'Feng,' is it the Ye Feng you all mention so often?"
"Eh?"
Kiana froze, like a weathered stone sculpture in the wind.
Bronya continued, "I did a count. The number of times Kiana called 'Sister Mei' was 31. The number of times you called 'Ye Feng' and 'Feng' was 33. That's more than Sister Mei, you know."
"——!!"
The stone sculpture could hold no longer, shattering into pieces...
PS: This chapter is four thousand words... go ahead and laugh if you want.
From now on, I'll write four thousand words a day first to complete the daily task, then consider other things...
I seem to have overestimated my own perseverance.