In front of the small cabin in the woods.
The two of them, who had just been about to step into the villa, stopped in their tracks at the same time.
It wasn't that they were being polite or deferential.
It was simply that after digging for so long and fooling around on the road, they were both so dirty that they couldn't bring themselves to stain the newly built house they had just stepped into.
"Why don't we wash up in the backyard?"
"Mm, I agree!"
With their opinion settled, Gong Qu and Keqing turned around and circled the house, arriving at the outdoor pond in the backyard.
"This house is really nice. I didn't know you had the talent for architecture."
As the director of the Liyue Natural Resources Bureau and a member of a long-established local real estate family, Gong Qu had been exposed to architecture since he was young, and thus developed a keen sense of architectural appreciation, making him qualified to say this.
"Although I'd love to accept your praise, let's be honest. This was generated with a single click from an architectural blueprint. It's called the 'Cabin in the Woods,' and I only moved my finger."
"A... cabin?!"
Keqing was caught off guard and couldn't help but think of the Traveler's unusually large Dusty Song kettle.
Gong Qu shrugged helplessly, admitting that he had complained about it too before. He then walked to the edge of the pond, quickly shedding his clothes, leaving only his underpants.
"I'll just wash on the shore, it'll be quick. If you don't think it's clean enough, you can go in after I'm done."
Crouching, Gong Qu faced Keqing, using his hands to scoop up water from the pond and rub it on his body.
But he didn't hear a response from Keqing.
Beneath the sound of splashing water, there was a quieter sound of clothes rubbing against skin.
After waiting for a long while.
Gong Qu stopped scooping water, but he didn't dare turn around, his mind filled with a ridiculous thought.
Until... a foot, covered in mud, appeared within his line of sight.
Gong Qu's eyes involuntarily slid over the delicate toes, up the veins visible on the foot's arch, the refined, slender ankle, and finally, along the faintly visible veins beneath the skin, all the way up... until a pair of dark purple Mondstadt lantern pants covered the most mysterious area.
"Have you had enough of looking?"
Keqing's voice had a slight tremor, her gaze drifting towards the distance. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to hide the parts that the small garment couldn't cover.
"Guh~"
Gong Qu tried to speak, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't form any words. After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he finally regained his ability to speak.
"I can never look enough!"
"What's that supposed to mean? Geez, let's just get in and wash together!"
Keqing shot a sideways glance at the pond, her posture a mixture of hesitation and subtle allure. It had the flavor of tempting one to commit a crime.
Gong Qu realized he had greatly underestimated the power of a maxed-out favorability rating.
The affection in Keqing's eyes nearly overflowed.
"Phew~"
Taking a deep breath, Gong Qu slowly calmed himself.
Plop!
Both of them entered the water.
But the cold lake water couldn't stop Gong Qu's fiery gaze. Keqing's neck turned red from the heat.
She couldn't calm down at all!
The ripples from the lake spread, creating a romantic atmosphere.
Keqing loosened the tie on her head for the first time, letting her long hair cascade down.
Since they weren't far apart, a strand of her hair floated toward Gong Qu's reach.
Gong Qu gently picked up the strand, testing the waters as he swam towards her.
Keqing shot him a sideways glance but didn't bother with him, focusing instead on splashing water on her face, as if waiting for something.
The distance between them slowly closed.
20 centimeters... 10 centimeters...
Plop!
A dull thud sounded underwater.
Keqing felt a solid embrace from behind.
Though it was a bit awkward, she didn't mind the feeling. Like a kitten, she leaned back against him, finding a comfortable spot.
"A-Qing."
Gong Qu, holding the soft, fragrant girl in his arms, narrowed his eyes slightly and whispered her nickname.
He rested his chin on her fragrant shoulder, inhaling the subtle scent of her hair.
"Mm, I'm here."
Keqing was already blushing deeply, mumbling in response as she felt the warm breath on her face, listening to Gong Qu, who suddenly started recounting his past life.
"I was born in an era rich in material but lacking in spirit. I finished compulsory education, followed the routine, and got decent grades to finish university... Until I died trying to save someone. How do you think? My first life, or perhaps, my previous life, was quite dull, wasn't it?"
Without realizing it, as she listened to Gong Qu's story, Keqing's hair had nearly dried.
"Dull? But I can hear a sense of nostalgia in your voice for the past?"
"After all, I lived in that world for 25 years. A bit of homesickness is natural."
"And now, A-Qing, do you feel... well, spiritually fulfilled?"
"I do, but it's far from being enough. Spending half a day with you, A-Qing, feels like being with a friend I've known for years, replenishing the happiness I've lost to society."
But suddenly, Keqing became downcast.
"…Just friends?"
Gong Qu smiled softly at her reaction.
"I forgot that my A-Qing is so straightforward. Since that's the case, I won't beat around the bush."
He raised his head, placing his hand on Keqing's waist and gently turned her head to face him, their foreheads touching as he gazed into her eyes.
"I like you, Keqing. Let's be together."
"Okay!"
Keqing quickly replied.
The two of them smiled at each other, slowly drawing closer, sealing their vow with a kiss.
Pchu~
...
Later that night.
Stars began to twinkle in the sky.
On the vast plain, the only light came from the fire burning in the cabin.
In the front yard, the two of them, who had been bathing for quite a while, were now preparing ingredients for dinner.
"A-Qing, is this red one the pepper from your world, the Zeyun Chili? It looks really spicy."
"That's a chili pepper, a pretty spicy one. It's great for stir-fries."
Keqing took note of it seriously.
After confirming their relationship, she quickly adjusted her position as the main partner, leaving the likes of Kamisato Ayaka, Nagano Hayama, and Nilou behind.
But just as she happened to glance up at the dark and silent space outside the yard, it felt eerily quiet, as if monsters were hiding in the depths, waiting to pounce.
"A-Qing, didn't you say there would be monsters tonight? Why haven't we seen any yet?"
Gong Qu picked a long eggplant and, following her gaze, looked into the distance before explaining.
"The MC system has several modes: Peaceful, Simple, Normal, and Hard. I'm not sure which mode we're in, and our cabin is surrounded by torches, so monsters don't spawn near these decorative blocks."
At this point, Gong Qu opened the main interface of his MC system.
After searching for a while, he found the gear icon in the top right corner.
It was so hidden... no hints at all?
He clicked on the gear icon, revealing a list of settings in front of him.
Keqing paused her work, curiously looking at him.
[Difficulty: Peaceful (Locked) [No Modification Permissions]]
[Mode: Survival (Locked) [No Modification Permissions]]
[Modular Management: Simple Blue Star Architecture, Maid Contract, Adventurer's Toolkit, Farmer's Joy (Belongs to the Dragon's Adventure Mod Pack, currently not loaded), Ice and Fire Legends (Belongs to the Dragon's Adventure Mod Pack, currently not loaded), Starlight Magic... ]
[Texture Pack: Default]
[Otherworlds: Nether (Unlocked), End (Unlocked), Genshin (Unlocked)]
[Other Settings]
"The first three modules correspond to the Cabin in the Woods, A-Qing, and the two-colored potions we have, while the ones not loaded belong to the Dragon's Adventure Mod Pack."
"The Nether and End are accessible through the corresponding portals, and the Genshin world is unlocked because of you, A-Qing, but the method to open it is unknown."
"What does it mean that there are no permissions here for game modes? Does that mean I need to unlock some hidden achievements or defeat the Ender Dragon to unlock GM permissions, and then open Creative Mode?"
"True, 'Minecraft,' huh?"
After going through the information, Gong Qu was left with even more questions.
Unfortunately, his MC world didn't come with a manual or quest log, so he could only explore bit by bit on his own.