The dream ended.
Yu Xian felt a gentle but irresistible force push him out of Qingque's body. His spirit drifted upward, hovering above her unconscious form. Looking down at the small, curled-up figure beneath him, a swirl of emotions welled up inside — pity, helplessness… and heartache.
That's right — heartache.
Even though Yu Xian kept reminding himself that all of this was just a dream — that the world he stood in wasn't real — he couldn't stop the ache in his chest after what he had just witnessed.
Qingque… didn't even want to stay in a beautiful dream anymore?
To so decisively tear apart a peaceful, comforting dream that could have lasted hours — just to wake up — it was almost painful to comprehend.
Yu Xian sighed quietly.
"Qingque, oh Qingque… why do you have to make things so hard for yourself?"
The dream had been one he built for her, a refuge crafted from his own thoughts and memories. Yet at the end, when her emotions spun out of control, even he couldn't hold it together. He could only stand by and watch as Qingque, overwhelmed by despair, shattered her own dream.
She destroyed it with her own hands.
She could have stayed — could have embraced the warmth, the laughter, the simple joy he'd tried so hard to recreate. She could have set aside the pain, guilt, and regret from reality, and just played tiles like before.
He would have stayed beside her, keeping her company for as long as she wished.
But instead...
Yu Xian frowned, his gaze falling on the girl curled up in bed. A few faint, glimmering teardrops slid from the corners of her closed eyes, catching the light before soaking into the sheets.
She was still crying, even after waking.
Yu Xian sighed again, silently this time.
Even in her dreams, Qingque couldn't let go. Even there, she carried the same grief and regret from reality — a burden so heavy it followed her everywhere. She refused to lose herself in a lie, no matter how kind or beautiful it was.
She had chosen to wake up.
And now, the only thing Yu Xian could do — a soul with no body, no touch, no voice — was to watch over her quietly.
"...But wait."
He blinked, his focus sharpening. Something wasn't right.
"This place… is this Qingque's home?"
He floated closer, observing the room. Familiar furniture. Piles of celestial jade tiles stacked neatly by the desk. The soft scent of tea leaves and parchment lingering in the air.
Yes, this was definitely her house.
But that didn't make sense. Qingque had fainted at the Divine Strategy Mansion — not here.
So who brought her back?
Just as the question formed, a faint sound reached his ears — the soft rustle of fabric and the creak of floorboards from outside the room.
"Huh? Someone's here?"
Yu Xian raised an eyebrow. Curiosity got the better of him.
If he were still alive, he would've walked to the door and opened it quietly. But as he was now, in his spiritual form, he didn't need doors.
He simply drifted forward — passing right through the wall.
"Let's see who's out there—"
And then he froze.
Familiar pink hair.
White thigh-highs.
A petite figure standing in the living room.
"...Fu Xuan?"
Yu Xian stared, momentarily taken aback. Then, everything clicked into place.
So it was her. After Qingque fainted, it must have been Fu Xuan who brought her home.
That explained everything — how someone had managed to get past Qingque's wards and locked doors, how she ended up tucked safely in her bed.
If it had been anyone else — say, Jing Yuan — the whole Luofu would've been swimming in scandalous gossip by now. But with Fu Xuan, there would be no misunderstandings, no rumors.
Yes, Fu Xuan was the perfect choice.
But then...
Yu Xian's gaze shifted slightly, and he froze again.
Fu Xuan was standing alone in the living room, quietly wiping her tears — while holding a framed photo of him.
"Wait… what?" Yu Xian blinked. "Am I… still dreaming?"
Because surely — surely — the Grand Diviner of the Luofu, the stern and proud Fu Xuan, couldn't possibly be crying over him.
Yet there she was.
She bit her lower lip, trying to muffle her sobs, but the tears wouldn't stop. They slipped down her cheeks in shining streams, splashing silently onto the floor and dampening the spot beneath her feet.
"...I'm sorry," she whispered weakly.
"If it weren't for me…"
Yu Xian hovered there, dumbfounded.
"…Huh?!"
He felt imaginary black lines forming on his forehead.
Seriously? First Qingque, now Fu Xuan? Did everyone suddenly decide to blame themselves for his death today?
"Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath, though no one could hear him.
He watched Fu Xuan's shoulders tremble as she pressed a trembling hand against her chest, the other still clutching his photo.
For a moment, Yu Xian's irritation softened. Despite her usually icy demeanor, the girl in front of him looked so fragile, so human.
Still… he shook his head.
"Watching any longer is pointless," he sighed. "Let's just go check on Qingque."
With that, Yu Xian drifted back through the wall, leaving Fu Xuan alone in her silent grief.
Unlike with Qingque, he didn't feel the urge to enter Fu Xuan's dreams or comfort her. Their relationship had always been… complicated.
Yes, she was his superior. The Grand Diviner. The woman who always wore that stern, unreadable expression whenever she summoned him — usually to assign more work, or scold him for skipping duties with Qingque.
Sometimes, her eyes even turned red when she looked at him — not with affection, but with barely contained frustration.
Back then, Yu Xian used to joke to himself that Fu Xuan must be suffering from early menopause.
So to see her crying over him now… it felt unreal.
Maybe she wasn't mourning him specifically — maybe she was blaming herself as a leader for his death. That made more sense. After all, Fu Xuan was a woman of great pride. She'd handle her emotions in her own way.
She didn't need him.
And besides, she was destined for far greater things. A leader of the Luofu Starskiff. A future General.
She couldn't afford to crumble over the death of one subordinate.
With that thought, Yu Xian turned away. His form flickered faintly as he passed through the walls, returning quietly to Qingque's side.
And there, in the stillness of her room, he resumed his silent vigil — watching over the girl who, even in her dreams, refused to forget.
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A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Life Simulator: Starting in Genshin Impact!
Zenless Zone Zero: Loving Daily Life Starting in New Eridu
patreon.com/deadlygoober