Fu Xuan meticulously scrutinized Qingque, attempting to see through her facade.
Qingque's eyes were clear, yet they concealed a deep exhaustion and helplessness.
It was the precise expression of a working stiff who, despite not wanting to, was forced by their boss to work overtime and had no choice but to complete the task.
While keeping a close watch on Qingque's subtle movements and expressions, Fu Xuan took a step forward, slowly approaching the Great Matrix to inspect the "noise" from the jade talismans that she had handled...
Fu Xuan couldn't help but frown.
Such a massive workload indeed looked like something that would take an entire night to complete.
"Were you here all night clearing the Matrix's 'noise'?"
"Yes, Lady Fu Xuan."
"Voluntarily working overtime... that's not like you."
Qingque scratched the back of her head. "Ehehe, well, something came up at home, so I wanted to hurry up and finish the work on hand so I could ask for some time off."
"What is it?"
"Just some personal matters."
Since it wasn't a work-related issue, Fu Xuan knew it wasn't her place to press the matter relentlessly.
Though suspicion still lingered in her heart, she had no direct signs or evidence to support it.
"Once you've finished clearing the Matrix's 'noise,' you may go rest, Qingque. I will approve three days of leave for you."
"Ah! Really? Thank you so much!"
Qingque clasped her hands together before her chest, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Fu Xuan with an expression of pure gratitude.
Fu Xuan gave a noncommittal nod and turned to leave. "Continue your work."
Watching Fu Xuan's departing figure, Qingque finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Yes, Lady Fu Xuan."
Just as her white-stockinged calves were at the doorway, Fu Xuan suddenly paused and said casually:
"Ah, that's right. Ye Feng said to have you return the red string."
As the words fell, although Fu Xuan did not turn back, her Dharma Eye instantly locked onto Qingque.
The slightest hint of an abnormality would be captured within her gaze.
However, Qingque simply tilted her head in confusion. "Eh? Who's Ye Feng? A red string...?"
Fu Xuan turned back, giving Qingque one last, deep look.
Then, she lifted her smooth, silk-stockinged leg and stepped over the threshold.
Qingque stared blankly as Fu Xuan left, a knot of panic forming in her stomach.
Even at that distance, she had felt herself being surveyed by the Dharma Eye.
Did Lady Fu Xuan figure it out or not...?
Qingque felt her disguise had been perfect, but now, she had no confidence.
'No, no, no, stay calm. That must have just been a test from Lady Fu Xuan.'
'As long as I hold my ground, there is nothing to fear.'
'Tonight... I'll just have to communicate with Lady Fu Xuan a little more... fiercely.'
But first, she had to enter that world and bind Lady Fu Xuan's NPC.
As long as Ye Feng didn't interfere, Lady Fu Xuan would be powerless to escape.
Qingque made up her mind. She had to go to bed very early tonight.
---o---
The autumn sky was high and the air was crisp, so clear it was transparent.
Fiery red maple leaves drifted with the wind, landing on the mirror-flat surface of the water and creating concentric ripples.
"Mei, this white-silk miko outfit... it really suits you," Ye Feng said, unable to hold back his admiration as he gazed at the pure and beautiful girl before him.
Like a lotus in a moonlit pond, Mei lowered her head in bashful shyness, strands of her deep purple hair swaying gently against the pure white fabric of her top.
Raiden Mei no longer tied up her long hair as she once did. Ever since she and Ye Feng had ascended the steps to adulthood, her hairstyle had changed to a classic Hime cut.
Perfectly straight bangs, long sidelocks, and hair like a cascade of smooth silk flowing down her back.
It made the young lady, who already carried herself with grace, appear all the more elegant and noble.
It had to be said, the Yamato Nadeshiko-like Mei was perfectly suited for cosplay.
Dressed in a kimono, she resembled Kikyo. Dressed in a jūnihitoe, she looked like Kaguya Houraisan.
They were all classical beauties who danced upon Ye Feng's deepest fetishes.
Mei herself had dabbled in this world to some degree, so she wasn't averse to cosplay.
...To be precise, during her second year of middle school, she had secretly bought fantasy-themed costumes and posed in front of the mirror by herself.
"The anime characters from your world, Feng-kun... do you like watching anime too?"
"Too?" Ye Feng looked at Mei with a teasing smile.
The girl immediately turned her head away; she felt that it was an embarrassing thing for others to know she watched anime.
"...If I'm cosplaying as Kikyo, would it be better to dye my hair black?"
"No need. The purple has its own special charm," Ye Feng said, his fingers gently threading into the strands of Mei's hair. He let them glide down the soft locks, feeling their incredible silkiness. "Besides, Kikyo doesn't wear this kind of modified miko outfit with exposed armpits and white silk stockings. From an outsider's perspective, the current Mei is exceptionally charming."
Ye Feng led Mei by the hand, guiding her into the water.
The clear water shimmered, lapping around her exquisite, white-silk-stockinged feet.
Submerged in the ripples, her stockinged feet were incredibly smooth. As Mei crossed one foot over the other, a faint, rustling sound, like the friction of fine sand, emanated from the water, sending a thrill through Ye Feng's heart.
Ye Feng had Mei sit on the bank while he crouched down before her. He began to massage her beautiful, stockinged feet, his fingers casually slipping into the gaps between her toes, pressing against the thin layer of woven silk to rub gently within the crevices.
"...Feng-kun."
Mei let out a soft whimper, her white-silk-clad toes clenching tightly, like the paws of a cat.
Beep... Beep... Beep...
Just then, the communicator placed on the shore began to ring.
"..."
"..."
The jarring ringtone shattered the tranquility of the small lakeside.
Ye Feng glanced at the screen, which displayed "Kiana Calling," and chuckled slyly. "Don't mind me. Go on and answer it, Mei."
---o---
"Am I late again?"
Kiana muttered as she walked out of the classroom.
At this time of day, the NPC version of Mei should have been in class.
But she was nowhere to be seen.
Evidently, Mei had arrived here before she did.
Kiana was frustrated. Mei used to tell her she slept too early, yet now Mei herself was doing the same thing.
"Sigh... Poor Bronya. She'll have to play games all alone out of boredom."
After mourning for Little Duckling for a full 0.1 seconds, Kiana quickly pulled out her communicator and dialed Mei's frequency.
They had made a promise before to always bring their communicators with them into the dream world, just so they could easily contact each other.
After a wait of about ten seconds, the call finally connected, but with only audio, no video feed.
"Mei, where are you?" Kiana asked, getting straight to the point.
"Kiana... is something the matter...? Ungh~~"
Clutching the communicator, Kiana listened to the sound on the other end, which seemed to be suppressing something. She couldn't help but ask, "Mei, there's something I want to tell you. Can you come to the rooftop for a bit?"
"Eh?... R-right now?... Yah!"
"Mei, what happened?"
"Ah! N-nothing, I just stubbed my toe... Ah, Kiana, is it something you can't say over the communicator?"
Kiana's azure eyes stared intently at the dark, blank interface of the communicator as she nodded gently. "Yeah. I want to tell you in person. Can you... come over?"
"...Does it... have to be right now...? ——Ungh~~?"
Sploosh!
Kiana also heard the distinct sound of water splashing.
"Yes. Right now," Kiana said, her fist clenching tightly, her voice unyieldingly firm.