“However, if Mianmian is willing to cultivate, and we practice dual cultivation together when the time comes, the cultivation speed should be much faster,” Qing Shi looked at Lu Fengmian with a face full of obedience.
Lu Fengmian gave her a bad-tempered glare, telling her not to think she couldn’t see what scheme Qing Shi was plotting.
“We’ll talk about it later,” of course, she didn’t refuse directly either, as after all, one shouldn’t speak too definitively.
Lu Fengmian was already fully dressed, and having just finished cleansing her marrow as well as resting properly for so long, Lu Fengmian felt completely refreshed at this moment.
As for the slight pain coming from inside her body, she had long grown accustomed to it over time, so it no longer mattered.
“By the way” Lu Fengmian was just about to ask another question.
However, turning around to meet Qing Shi’s resentful gaze, she mysteriously found herself unable to ask.
“What is it?” Lu Fengmian asked, biting the bullet.
Being looked at by Qing Shi like this, she felt an inexplicable sense of guilt.
“Mianmian has already asked me so many questions,” Qing Shi let out a dissatisfied, soft huff.
Lu Fengmian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for a moment.
“And then? Do you want a reward, or do you want to ask me something?” Lu Fengmian curved the corners of her lips slightly, a bit of cunning hidden in her eyes.
Qing Shi put away those few hints of resentment, raising her head to meet Lu Fengmian’s eyes. “Can I have both?”
Lu Fengmian rubbed her chin playfully. “Ah Shi, a person shouldn’t be too greedy.”
“I’m not a person anyway,” Qing Shi muttered in a low voice.
Lu Fengmian was amused by her. “Alright then, what reward do you want?”
Qing Shi pointed to her own lips.
Lu Fengmian raised her eyebrows slightly. “Change to a different one.”
Qing Shi pouted in dissatisfaction.
She looked just like an extremely unhappy child who couldn’t get candy.
Extremely cute.
It also made one particularly want to continue teasing her.
“If you don’t change it, there won’t be any reward at all, oh,” Lu Fengmian said intentionally.
Qing Shi felt extremely wronged, and in the end, she sat on the bed and opened her arms. “Then I want a hug.”
That was acceptable.
Lu Fengmian walked over, leaning down to embrace her gently.
Qing Shi nuzzled against her arms, looking just like a spoiled cat.
Lu Fengmian pinched her earlobe, looking at that earlobe that resembled white jade, listening to Qing Shi’s light breathing and heartbeat.
Feeling Qing Shi’s reliance, Lu Fengmian actually felt a surge of guilt at that moment.
By some strange impulse, she dropped a kiss behind her ear that was so soft it was almost imperceptible.
Yet Qing Shi still noticed it. Her originally satisfied expression froze slightly, and immediately afterward, a spark of surprise erupted in her eyes.
Before she had time to ask anything, Lu Fengmian had already released her. “Alright, you’ve gotten your hug, what do you want to ask?”
Qing Shi was still somewhat reluctant to let go, wearing a pitiful expression, looking just like an aggrieved cat abandoned by its owner.
Worldly people always said the Divine Maiden dwelt above the clouds, proud, cold, possessing divinity without humanity.
Yet the Divine Maiden she had created with her own hands protected the people of the world on one hand, while lowering her dignity to grant her supreme gentleness on the other.
Lu Fengmian only felt that she could not bear such favor.
She didn’t know if she could successfully complete the task, nor did she know if she would die during the process of the task.
Lu Fengmian had no certainty regarding the future.
Therefore, she only wished for Qing Shi to be well.
“If you don’t ask now, I won’t give you the chance to ask anymore,” Lu Fengmian said, pretending to be fierce.
Qing Shi immediately put away that fragile little white flower act.
“Why is Mianmian’s body so terrible? Before, it clearly felt like Mianmian’s body was just a string of data, but why did it become a real physical body this time?”
“When I said your body was bad before, I only meant that your soul was too weak. But I thought that since Mianmian had finally come back to life, it was normal for the soul to be somewhat weak, but it seems that’s not the case?”
Qing Shi couldn’t understand why things had turned out like this.
Lu Fengmian didn’t know if she should tell Qing Shi about the system.
However, after thinking about it seriously, Lu Fengmian still didn’t tell her, not because she didn’t trust Qing Shi, but because she didn’t trust the system.
“Who told you I came back to life?” Lu Fengmian sat at the table and said with a smile, “I’m not alive, but I’m not really dead either, just half-dead, that’s all.”
“The body outside the game world isn’t mine. I merely reached a certain agreement with the owner of the body, where I need to help her fulfill her long-cherished wish, and she temporarily lends her body to me.”
“As for this body, perhaps it’s divine pity? Granting me a physical body? You also said the Heavenly Dao needs our help, and I am the link between this world and the players, so giving me a real body should be normal, right?”
After Lu Fengmian finished her explanation, she met Qing Shi’s eyes. Those beautiful light brown eyes looked at her, as if the words ‘disbelief’ were written all over them.
“Does Mianmian think I’m a three-year-old child?” Qing Shi became visibly unhappy to the naked eye.
“When you left, I followed other players around, and they don’t go around summoning the system for no reason.”
Qing Shi lowered her eyes, her crow-feather-like eyelashes trembling slightly, looking exceptionally sad.
“Is Mianmian not telling me the truth because you don’t trust me?”
Listening to her words filled with disappointment, grievance, and gloom, Lu Fengmian’s heart tightened unconsciously.
Feeling a slight headache, she complained in her mind, wondering who on earth taught her these green-tea and little-white-flower tricks.
Yet Lu Fengmian just happened to fall for this exact tactic, as she couldn’t bear to see Qing Shi so aggrieved.
[Host, we don’t have any non-disclosure agreement that can’t be spoken of, as long as you don’t publicize it everywhere, it’s fine,] the system said to Lu Fengmian thoughtfully at the right time.
[Whatever is not forbidden by law is allowed.]
[Should I praise you for being surprisingly smart?] Lu Fengmian said in a bad mood.
[No need, no need, just a tiny bit of praise will do.]
Lu Fengmian was too lazy to pay attention to it, walking over to stand in front of Qing Shi.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, nor is it that I don’t trust you, even though when mentioning you were a sinner earlier, I said I had to see your subsequent performance.”
“However, since Ah Shi knows me so well, you should know that if I truly didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t give you a chance to pursue me, nor would I let you follow me,” Lu Fengmian walked to her side and sat down.
Reaching out, she cupped Qing Shi’s face.
“Since you want to know, I’ll tell you then, but once you know, you must help me complete the task whole-heartedly, okay?” Lu Fengmian said with a smile.
Qing Shi acted like an obedient baby, nodding forcefully.
Lu Fengmian told Qing Shi the series of events regarding her death, being bound by the system, entering the game, and then receiving the second task.
Qing Shi thought deeply after hearing it.
“System, High God.”
“Are you trying to say it might be related to the deity who pronounced your guilt?” Lu Fengmian spoke before she could open her mouth.
Qing Shi nodded. “Mhm.”
“I think so too.”
“So it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I don’t trust it.” The system simply had far too many suspicious points and mysteries.
“It’s as if they deliberately forced the two of us together.”
Qing Shi went over the things Lu Fengmian mentioned once more. “Indeed, the traces of forcibly putting us together are far too obvious.”
“However, right now I can only follow their requirements to complete the task, otherwise there’s no way to truly live. They can pronounce guilt and exile you, so I doubt your power can stand against them.”
Qing Shi couldn’t help frowning, knowing that what Lu Fengmian said was right.
Yet she still felt somewhat unwilling in her heart.
Lu Fengmian said with a smile, “However, I’m not that resistant to these two tasks either.”
“Anyway, I don’t really like the Interstellar Era that much. If this side can complete its evolution, being able to stay here would be quite nice, wouldn’t it?” Lu Fengmian rubbed Qing Shi’s head reassuringly.
Strangely enough, her brows smoothed out slightly, as she had to admit that Lu Fengmian was right.
“Alright, now that everything is out in the open, you’ll have to help me do the tasks properly from now on,” Lu Fengmian’s eyes curved slightly as she reached out to pinch Qing Shi’s cheek.
“Also, don’t go acting so aggrieved at every turn in the future, making it seem like I’m bullying you. Under what conditions could I possibly bully a Divine Maiden like you?” Lu Fengmian said in a bad mood.
Qing Shi blinked innocently, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
This trick worked well on Mianmian, so why shouldn’t she use it?
“So do you have any way to promote the evolution of the world?” Lu Fengmian inquired about business again.
Qing Shi thought seriously for a moment, then spoke up, “As long as there aren’t too many external factors, the world would naturally perfect itself slowly.”
“However, right now this world is a bit different, as the rules weren’t perfected to begin with, and then some external sinners arrived, leaving the native inhabitants completely disheartened.”
“My power can only ensure the world isn’t disturbed by factors outside the universe, but I can’t help these disheartened native inhabitants.”
“Neither the Human race nor the Demon race has anyone to protect them. Because spiritual energy is thin, there aren’t any particularly powerful experts either, making life increasingly difficult, and resentment will gradually deepen.”
“Right now, compared to those evil creatures born from resentment, external sinners, and the Fiend race, saying the native inhabitants of the Liufeng World are endangered species wouldn’t be an exaggeration at all.”
“If all these people die, the Heavenly Dao will collapse, and the world will be destroyed.”
Lu Fengmian understood vaguely after hearing this.
“So the main thing is to help the native Human and Demon races grow stronger, and raise their enthusiasm for life?”
“That should work,” Qing Shi nodded.
Lu Fengmian rubbed her chin. That made things much easier to handle, as who could be more enthusiastic and proactive than these players?
Even if they weren’t enthusiastic in real life, they were enthusiastic in games.
Now that Qing Shi put it this way, she had plenty of ideas.
Having clarified the direction of the task, Lu Fengmian felt the whole world brighten up, because at least she knew how to go about doing it.
Otherwise, the task direction given by the system was roughly equal to having no direction, just like the first task, which didn’t give any clear direction either.
It merely told her to assist humans in understanding past history. Had she not been a game developer in her past life, Lu Fengmian truly wouldn’t have known what an underage person from the slums could do.
Not only underage, but an ailing underage person, where keeping herself alive was a problem in itself.
Let alone completing tasks.
Of course, if Lu Fengmian raised these issues, the system would definitely say shamelessly that it was naturally because after screening, it was determined that Lu Fengmian was the most suitable person, which was why it chose her.
Lu Fengmian only wanted to spit at it twice regarding that.
As for the second task, had she not known Qing Shi, and had there not been inextricably subtle connections between Qing Shi and herself, Lu Fengmian wouldn’t have been able to find any task direction at all.
Of course, looking at it the other way around, had she and Qing Shi not shared inextricably subtle connections, the system probably wouldn’t have issued this kind of task to her either.
It had to be said that this dog thing’s words were indeed quite difficult to refute.
However, although she knew how to complete the task now, which was nothing more than using players to mobilize the positive and enthusiastic mindset of the native inhabitants in the Liufeng World.
Not being so gloomy, and letting them feel the hope of life, while assisting native inhabitants in slaying demons and eradicating evil creatures to create a harmonious living environment for them.
It sounded simple enough to say, but when it came to actually doing it, Lu Fengmian couldn’t help getting a headache, as this was by no means a simple matter.
She had to think about how to let players have more contact with native inhabitants.
That way, she had to unlock more exploration-type gameplay options.
Qing Shi saw Lu Fengmian fall into deep thought while chatting with her.
With her understanding of Lu Fengmian, she was in all probability thinking about how she should go about completing the task.
Understanding the importance of the task to Lu Fengmian, Qing Shi didn’t dare to disturb her.
Instead, she stood up softly to make something to eat for Lu Fengmian.
Once Lu Fengmian had thought of a rough direction, she turned around to find that Qing Shi was no longer in the room.
Her nose caught wafts of aroma coming from outside.
Smelling that aroma, Lu Fengmian only felt that she was already hungry.
She walked out, turning directly to go to the kitchen, and as soon as she entered, she saw Qing Shi holding a spatula, stir-frying dishes.
A dignified Divine Maiden, squeezed inside this tiny kitchen, cooking for her.
Looking at the clothes Qing Shi wore that were clearly expensive at a glance and did not belong in a kitchen, Lu Fengmian felt a warm sensation.
Having someone willing to cook for you, with dishes that you liked, gave Lu Fengmian a feeling of happiness.
Qing Shi felt Lu Fengmian coming over, turning around to smile at her. “Finished thinking?”
“Mhm, not fully, but I have a rough direction now. I’ll refine it after going out,” Lu Fengmian answered her truthfully.
The corners of Qing Shi’s mouth curved slightly. “Mianmian is so amazing.”
Lu Fengmian couldn’t help laughing. This fellow Qing Shi was truly good at providing emotional value, as she always felt that no matter what she did, this girl would praise her without hesitation.
“Then wash your hands and go wait outside, it’ll be ready in a moment,” after Qing Shi finished speaking, she used spiritual power to manipulate those dishes that were already prepared and plated to float toward the dining table outside.
This scene gave off a grand yet comical feeling.
Lu Fengmian didn’t listen and go outside, but rather leaned against the doorway, watching Qing Shi cook.
Qing Shi wore luxurious clothing, wielding a spatula in front of her with a cold, noble face, giving off a comical yet cute contrast.
Lu Fengmian actually quite enjoyed watching it.
Once Qing Shi finished all the dishes, she turned around to see Lu Fengmian still standing there watching her.
She tilted her head in some confusion. “Didn’t Mianmian dislike being in the kitchen in the past?”
Lu Fengmian thought about it seriously. “Did I?”
“You did,” Qing Shi nodded obediently.
Lu Fengmian let out a laugh. “Definitely not, I actually quite like cooking.”
“You did, you only liked stir-frying, but you didn’t like washing vegetables, preparing ingredients, nor did you like washing dishes or clearing the table and chopsticks,” Qing Shi stated Lu Fengmian’s preferences with certainty.
Lu Fengmian froze slightly, then let out a laugh, as it seemed there was indeed such a thing.
She raised her eyes to look at Qing Shi earnestly. She always said she didn’t remember many things, yet when it came to matters regarding herself, she would always blurt them out unconsciously.
It was as if she hadn’t actually forgotten, but rather hidden them deep in her memory, and as long as a certain switch was triggered, that part of the memory would be released.
That sour, swelling sensation in her heart surfaced once more.
Lu Fengmian let out a sigh, feeling that if things continued like this, her falling in love with Qing Shi was merely a matter of time.
Who wouldn’t love a person like this?
Qing Shi used spiritual power to clean all the used pots, bowls, plates, and utensils, returning them directly to their original positions.
Lu Fengmian watched from the side, letting out an inexplicable laugh. “This ability is quite practical.”
Qing Shi raised the corners of her mouth slightly. “In the past, Mianmian just didn’t want to do these things, so you intentionally added a cleaning skill for yourself.”
Lu Fengmian pursed her lips, and meeting Qing Shi’s teasing gaze, she coughed lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Although she didn’t remember any of these things at all, thinking carefully about it, this indeed seemed like something she would do.
She extended her hands unreasonably. “Then help me wash my hands.”
Qing Shi looked at her extended hands, pretending to make a fuss without reason.
Her eyes flickered slightly, and then a near-doting smile appeared at the corners of her lips.
Qing Shi moved her fingers slightly, clear water flowing out from between her fingertips, that water dragon extending all the way from Qing Shi’s fingertips to in front of Lu Fengmian.
The water dragon wrapped around her hands, and Lu Fengmian felt the water droplets passing through every crevice of her hands.
Cleansing them exceptionally carefully.
After washing, the water dragon even affectionately nuzzled against Lu Fengmian’s palm.
Lu Fengmian: …
Why was there an inexplicable sense of embarrassment?
“All set.” After the water dragon disappeared, Qing Shi smiled at Lu Fengmian, even walking up to her, reaching out to hold Lu Fengmian’s hand, dropping a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.
Lu Fengmian pursed her lips, and then pulled her hand back directly.
“Hungry, going to eat.” She turned around and went straight to the dining table.
Qing Shi’s low laugh came from behind her, making Lu Fengmian feel even more embarrassed in her heart.
While despising herself in her heart for being so useless as to be charmed by Qing Shi so easily.
Qing Shi, on the other hand, was exceptionally happy. Looking at Lu Fengmian’s reddened ears, the corners of her mouth couldn’t be suppressed no matter what.
Mianmian didn’t reject her kiss.
If she truly disliked it, she should have rejected it.
She admitted that she had been intentionally testing Lu Fengmian’s attitude toward her all along, which was indeed a bit out of line, but Qing Shi couldn’t control herself.
Seeing Lu Fengmian, she just couldn’t help wanting to get close to her.