The path to the Sword Washing Pavilion requires crossing the "Misty Ferry."
This is a celestial river suspended in mid-air, its waters flowing backwards, from the human world to the clouds.
Shen Qingqiu rented a small boat. The boatman, a faceless man in a straw raincoat, simply rowed the boat without uttering a word.
The boat glided across the water, surrounded by a vast expanse of white mist. This mist wasn't water vapor, but rather drifting data clouds. Occasionally, one could see the skeleton of a gigantic whale churning in the sea of clouds—a remnant of an old era.
Shen Qingqiu sat at the bow, brewing a pot of tea. The red clay stove glowed, the tea aroma wafting, creating a rare sense of tranquility on this desolate celestial river.
Seventeen sat opposite her.
He was frowning at something in his hands.
It was a lotus pod. Shen Qingqiu had just casually scooped it up from the river.
"You have to peel the lotus seeds and remove the heart before you can eat it," Shen Qingqiu said, taking a sip of tea and watching him with interest.
Seventeen tilted his head.
His system contained ten thousand solutions for "dissection," capable of precisely severing an enemy's major artery or instantly dismantling complex mechanical devices. But faced with this delicate lotus seedpod made of plant fibers, he was stumped.
He tried applying a little force.
"Crack." The entire lotus seedpod turned to powder in his hand.
Seventeen: "..." He looked up, a flicker of frustration flashing in his dark eyes. He looked at the powder in his hand, then at Shen Qingqiu, like a child who had done something wrong, silently lowering his eyes and hiding his hands behind his back.
Shen Qingqiu couldn't help but chuckle.
The laughter rippled across the empty water, startling a flock of birds made of characters.
"Give me your hand," she whispered.
Seventeen obediently extended his hand. It was long, pale, with distinct knuckles—a hand born for killing.
Shen Qingqiu picked up another lotus seedpod from the side, placed it in his palm, and then held his hand, gently guiding him with a little pressure.
"Don't use 'calculation,' use 'feeling.'" Her fingertips were warm, carrying the scent of tea. Seventeen felt his sensors overload for a moment. He couldn't understand what "feeling" was, but he could clearly perceive the lines of her palm and the throbbing of her pulse.
*Plop.* A soft sound. A plump lotus seed was perfectly peeled out, rolling into his palm, tender and fragrant.
"Try it?" Shen Qingqiu gestured for him.
Seventeen picked up the lotus seed and put it in his mouth.
He had no sense of taste. To him, it was just a mixture of carbohydrates and water.
But in that instant of chewing, looking into Shen Qingqiu's expectant eyes, a log entry he'd never seen before suddenly appeared in his core code:
[Record: Lotus seed. Attribute: Sweet] "…Sweet." He spoke, his voice still hoarse, but with a touch more human warmth than usual.
Shen Qingqiu paused, then her smile deepened. She turned her head, gazing at the gradually emerging outlines of the immortal mountains and pavilions in the distance, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the Milky Way.
"Since you find it sweet, then from now on, I'll take you to taste all the sweetness in this world." A breeze blew, ruffling Seventeen's hair. He quietly gazed at her profile, marking this moment as "never to be deleted" deep within that endless database.