Honkai: Star Rail, Marrying Acheron Upon Landing

Qingque froze as she looked down at the shuffling cards. She suddenly looked up, her expression anxious, a mix of despair and anticipation.

She stared intently at Lin Shuang.

Given the situation, someone as intelligent as her could already guess what she was about to face.

Hurry up, brain! Think of a way to get out of this!

Seeing Qingque shrink her neck and her brain whirring frantically, Lin Shuang couldn't help but want to laugh. The other two felt similarly.

Her cough then grew a bit louder.

I just love seeing Qingque looking so cute and flustered.

Then, behind Qingque, whose heart had completely died, an angry voice quietly sounded:

"Qing—que—"

"Grand Tutor, spare me!"

Qingque shivered all over.

What followed was an extremely smooth turn. She then pulled out a cute little bun from somewhere, revealed a brilliant smile, and held it out to Fu Xuan with both hands.

The two card players, besides Lin Shuang, had the good sense to get up and run, without the slightest hesitation.

Only Lin Shuang remained, continuing to watch the show.

"Qingque, do you have any more excuses?"

For the sake of the bun and Lin Shuang, Fu Xuan decided to give her a chance.

"Grand Tutor, I was genuinely working today! This was a direct order you personally gave yesterday. You can't just go back on your word!"

Fu Xuan, whose expression had initially softened because of the bun, turned even darker upon hearing this.

"Fine, fine, fine! I arranged for you to be here today to entertain guests because you usually hang around Changle Heaven. And you, you've been playing cards from morning till night! You even dare to skip attendance at the Divination Department. If you don't make up for the missed work hours tomorrow, you're not allowed to go home!"

Qingque's face immediately welled up with tears, her small, wronged mouth almost pouting to the heavens.

"No, Grand Tutor! Why don't you just deduct my salary? Two days, three days, even a week would be fine. This overtime isn't absolutely necessary."

"This overtime, you absolutely must do! Tomorrow, you will be here, on time, at my side, working!"

"My fate is sealed—"

Qingque, deceased.

Volume 1: Chapter Thirty-Seven Fu Xuan's Feet Are Small and Fragrant, Hehehe

Fu Xuan completely ignored Qingque, who wore an expression of "I am already dead."

Instead, she looked past the card table at Lin Shuang, who was sitting opposite.

"I apologize to Miss Lin first. I didn't expect Qingque to actually dare to keep playing cards here. She really needs to be taught a lesson."

Fu Xuan's small hand grabbed Qingque's head, giving the impression she might crack her skull open with her bare hands.

This made Qingque cry pitifully under Fu Xuan's grip, her heart seemingly completely dead.

Lin Shuang had roughly guessed when Fu Xuan appeared.

Qingque was probably waiting for her here today.

She just didn't expect that after Qingque found her, she wouldn't leave, but would even drag Lin Shuang into playing cards for a long time.

This was what angered Fu Xuan enough to personally intervene and suppress the little Qingque with a single hand.

Seeing Lin Shuang simply smile and wave her hand, saying nothing.

Perhaps thinking Lin Shuang had an issue with the Divination Department calculating her schedule, Fu Xuan spoke again:

Earlier, Yukong from the Ten-Lords Commission contacted me. She said a distinguished guest from the Ten-Lords Commission plans to tour the Xianzhou today but is unable to spare the time, so she asked the Divination Department to lend an idle person to accompany them.

As she spoke, Fu Xuan cast a very displeased glance at Qingque.

Her habit of slacking off was so well-known that even people from the Celestial Ship Division knew about her. They had to come to the Divination Department to borrow someone.

Thinking of this, Fu Xuan couldn't help but get angry again.

Seeing Fu Xuan's expression darken further, Qingque quickly pulled out a few more pastries and offered them to Fu Xuan with both hands.

"Grand Tutor, please calm down. It's not good for your health to get so angry. Hehe~"

"Hmph."

Fu Xuan snorted and ignored Qingque's antics.

Meanwhile, Lin Shuang withdrew her gaze from Fu Xuan's status panel.

[Target: Fu Xuan]
[Affection: 55 (Curious and Friendly)]
[Relationship: None]
['Heard that Lin Shuang thwarted the Abundant Doses' conspiracy, thus developed good feelings.']

It seemed that her actions in helping the Minghuo Merchant Group had many hidden benefits.

Even just seeing these official people face-to-face, their favorability was already at the friendly level.

The treatment was indeed quite good.

"The Celestial Ship Division has been quite busy lately, I truly appreciate the effort from Yukong and the Grand Tutor."

Lin Shuang nodded slightly as she sat in the chair. Fu Xuan, despite her mature mind, possessed a beautiful appearance and seemed quite endearing.

Paired with her mature and steady personality, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a charming contrast.

Moreover, in reality, Fu Xuan's clothing, whether it was the fabric or the craftsmanship, was top-notch. Seeing her in person, she was so beautiful it was hard to take your eyes off her.

Especially her legs, encased in white stockings, and her small feet.

Food-grade!

Lin Shuang felt that perhaps it was the reputation of the Divination Department that kept things in check, coupled with Fu Xuan not showing herself much. Otherwise, there would surely be a 'Fu Xuan Fan Club' on this Xianzhou.

Fu Xuan noticed Lin Shuang's gaze but didn't pay it much mind. She simply nodded and said:

"I still have official duties and cannot leave for too long. If that Qingque person is unreliable, you can contact me directly."

With that, Fu Xuan handed over her Jade Sign and added Lin Shuang's number.

Qingque, standing nearby, quickly protested her innocence:

"Grand Tutor, how can you encourage someone to tattle like that? Won't that just create a sad, thick barrier between me and Miss Lin?"

"You dare speak of that!"

Fu Xuan glared at Qingque before turning to leave.

Only then did Qingque finally breathe a sigh of relief and plop down in front of the card table.

"Sigh... Why is the Grand Tutor like this... Who sends someone on an external mission and then comes to catch them?"

Qingque lay face down on the card table, shaking her head back and forth. Lin Shuang wasn't in a hurry. The other two card players, seeing Fu Xuan leave, quietly returned.

"How did it go this time? You weren't taken back? Did the Grand Tutor really let you off?"

Hearing her card mates, Qingque suddenly lifted her head, her eyes wide. She glared at the two of them with no threat whatsoever.

"Of course not. I told you I really had a mission today, but I can't play cards today."

"Even though you weren't taken away, Qingque has to work overtime under the Grand Tutor's watchful eye tomorrow to make up for the time you slacked off today."

Lin Shuang chuckled gleefully from the side, and Qingque finally couldn't hold back.

"Waaahhh—Grand Tutor, you're so heartless!"

The other two card players exchanged glances, expressing sympathy for Qingque's tragic predicament.

Of course, the corners of their mouths, which they couldn't completely suppress, also revealed their true inner thoughts.

Qingque pouted, and finally, with great reluctance, got up from the card table. She then waved at Lin Shuang and said:

"Miss Lin, let's go. The Grand Tutor personally ordered it, so I'll take you on a good tour of Changle Heaven today."

"Eh~ Just call me Lin Shuang."

After playing cards for so long, her craving had been greatly relieved. Lin Shuang didn't actually plan to play cards until the end of the world.

So when Qingque called her, she apologized to the other two at the card table and left with Qingque.

Walking down the street, Qingque was half a step ahead. She was a bit shorter than Lin Shuang.

So it was easy to see her twin ponytails bobbing behind Qingque's head.

And her round, smooth, fragrant shoulders.

"Lin Shuang, you know, we've played cards together, so our friendship is practically like siblings..."

After only a few steps, Qingque sidled up to Lin Shuang, pressing close to her, a sly smile on her face as if she had some scheme in mind.

Lin Shuang's expression stiffened, and she took three steps back, looking wary:

"Miss Qingque, please be mindful. I will absolutely not support you in overthrowing the Grand Tutor's tyranny. The Divination Department belongs to Qingque."

"Ah-wah-wah! Don't just say such things!"

Qingque immediately pounced and covered Lin Shuang's mouth.

The Grand Tutor was always watching her, wasn't it because she inexplicably had expectations for her?

Who didn't know Fu Xuan wanted to be General? If someone overheard this and reported it to Fu Xuan.

If the Grand Tutor had leverage over her, and she had to work overtime every day, her easy life would be completely over!

Little Qingque, flustered, bumped into Lin Shuang's embrace, and could even smell a gentle, pleasant fragrance.

Lin Shuang raised her hand to support Qingque's slender waist, but felt a bit stiff.

She shook her head and broke free from Qingque's small hand:

"Then what was that scheming look on your face just now?"

"Pfft, pfft, pfft! Who was scheming? You can play cards carelessly, but you can't speak carelessly. The Grand Tutor's abilities are sky-high. A small fry like me can't even compare to the tip of her little finger."

Qingque bared her teeth and waved her little fist at Lin Shuang.

"So what were you trying to say just now? The topic got completely sidetracked."

"???"

Qingque's eyes widened. How could this person lie with a straight face? Who was the one who derailed the conversation?

Damn it!

But thinking about how this person held the leverage to directly report her to the Grand Tutor, little Qingque could only endure.

Volume 1: Chapter 38 Qingque: Too mean, I'm going to glare at you

Gritting her teeth, Qingque tilted her head up, preparing to glare.

"I mean! We're fellow card players. Lin Shuang, you're not the type to tattle, are you?"

"Heh, what am I even saying? How could I possibly be someone who likes to tattle?"

Upon hearing this, Qingque breathed a sigh of relief, her small face breaking into a smile.

"Oh, I knew it! Given that we play cards at the same table, I haven't misjudged you."

As she spoke, Qingque glanced around before picking a direction at random and leading Lin Shuang away.

She continued as they walked:

"Alright, now let's talk about important business."

Lin Shuang blinked in surprise.

"What important business?"

Qingque didn't beat around the bush and said directly: