Eldritch Horror Theatre

The meaning of parents to the "self"?

Fu Qian shook his head inwardly, completely unsurprised by the bonus question.

Being able to "tell the difference at a glance" naturally referred to the absence of her parents.

Given Madam Sissi's otherwise flawless worldview, parents were undoubtedly an exceedingly special conceptual symbol.

If everything was merely an act, how was she supposed to handle that familial affection now that she knew the truth?

It wasn't as simple as parsing out what was true and what was fake. Just as he had noted before, the way her mind worked guaranteed she would struggle with the concept of moderation.

For Sissi, deciding whether to deny the significance of that affection or to deny her own sense of self was practically a forced-choice question.

And over the years, that very question had undoubtedly tormented her.

Therefore, her complicated feelings regarding the "shared temperament" between them were perfectly normal.

Even though the setting was her mother's former home, her whimsical request had deliberately avoided her entirely, focusing only on a specific, unorthodox memory from her childhood.

The memory itself was a disenchantment of her family.

Her leanings on this forced-choice question were already glaringly obvious... No wonder people always said bonus questions were tough.

"Perhaps because even the most terrible parents serve as a child's barrier against the fear of death?"

Popping the last piece of bread into his mouth, Fu Qian considered the question for a couple of seconds before giving a slow reply.

...

By the time Fu Qian finished his breakfast, Madam Sissi still hadn't announced her verdict in the morning light.

Fortunately, he was in no rush. For one, his answer stayed right on topic, directly addressing why he and his employer shared a similar temperament.

For another, the tables and chairs in the shop were still empty. He could sit there as long as he liked without worrying about bothering other diners.

"A fascinating angle... So we were able to recognize each other because we both lack those two subconscious markers—the ones supposedly destined to march into death before us?"

"To the point where we feel like we have nowhere to hide when it comes to death?"

As expected, she didn't disappoint. A short while later, Madam Sissi finally offered her praise.

"I have to admit, that answer makes it quite hard for me to back out of giving you a prize... Tell me, what do you want? No rush, take your time..."

Playing the part of a model employer, she maintained her persona the very next moment, speaking straightforwardly.

"Nine more of those."

Unfortunately for her, a certain someone was even more straightforward.

Fu Qian didn't hesitate for a split second. As he made his demand, his mind naturally drifted to the ten sets of clothes he had ordered.

...

"Huh?"

Sissi was visibly taken aback, taking a moment to realize what Fu Qian meant.

Ten blankets?

For someone who used to hand out all manner of extravagant items without batting an eye, she actually hesitated for the first time after a brief moment of shock.

"I don't have that many—"

"Then make them. Take your time; I'm willing to accept installments."

Sadly, Fu Qian left zero room for negotiation.

Only a man who held his compensation to a strict standard would hold his work to that same standard.

"Alright..."

It was clear that this round of reward distribution was the hardest one yet for Madam Sissi, but she eventually nodded.

"I shouldn't need to leave my address for you, right? Remember, don't put a name on it."

With the snap of a finger, the Lucid Dream came to an abrupt halt. Fu Qian finally rose to his feet as he spoke.

"Okay."

On the other end, the sun had fully set. Plunged back into darkness, Sissi diligently memorized his instructions.

Of course, she wasn't the only one following instructions.

Thanks to some immaculate timing, his new clothes arrived at almost the exact same moment he finished his walk home.

Hoping to minimize any risk of being contacted, Fu Qian had given the shop clerk those exact same instructions regarding his name.

He put everything away, changed into one of his new outfits, and wasted no time activating his Wrist Mark.

His peaceful morning was over. It was time to go fulfill his civic duties as an upstanding resident of Shangjing.

...

"You're actually opening up shop this early?"

As the saying went: do good deeds and worry not about the future.

He had been back at The Bookstore for barely ten minutes before a knock echoed off the door, right past the "Closed" sign.

Chief Yuan—the very pinnacle of Shangjing's martial might—couldn't even wait to step inside before voicing her astonishment.

"I really ought to issue you a medal on Gan Zuoxun's behalf—"

Her shock, however, was clearly far from over.

The moment she stepped through the door and got a clear look at Fu Qian's new style, her words of praise died in her throat. She could only stare wide-eyed, looking him up and down.

"Aren't you being... a little too dedicated to the job?"

Pointing a finger at Fu Qian, Yuan Shan stared, completely unsure of what expression to wear.

Given this guy's freakish recovery speed, skipping out on rest was one thing. But with the dismal state of this shop's business, did the boss really need to care this much about his appearance?

"What do you know? I'm a professional in the cultural sector, after all. Image is highly important."

Scoffing, Fu Qian sat up straight in his Chair. He even adjusted his collar before gesturing for her to take a seat.

"Then why did you dress like that when you went to my place?"

As a regional commander of sorts, how could Chief Yuan ever fall for such nonsense?

Recovering from the Mental Shock in an instant, she threw her image to the wind, plopped her ass down in the seat across from him, and snapped back.

"I only bought this outfit this morning. Besides, your phrasing lacks rigor."

Fu Qian shook his head.

"I dressed the exact same way when I visited Wen Li."

...

Even if you showed up completely naked, Wen Li would still welcome you.

Ever the seasoned veteran, Yuan Shan was intimately familiar with Fu Qian's brand of bullshit. She took a deep breath and swallowed her retort.

"So you're actually planning to run your business today? As hard as that is to believe, I have to admit it's quite reassuring to see."

Not only had he overhauled his personal image, but he was already meticulously arranging his tea set, looking every bit the proper host ready to brew tea for his guest.

Despite how bizarre the whole scene felt, Yuan Shan found herself influenced by the atmosphere, her mood settling into a strange sense of peace.

"What do you mean 'planning to'? Today's business hours are already over."

Unfortunately, the man's reply completely shattered her expectations.

Fu Qian scoffed once more, his expression mocking her total ignorance of the struggles of the common folk.

"Compared to government employees with your guaranteed paychecks, we small business owners have to give it everything we've got just to stay alive."

I...

"So, since you're off work so early, what exactly are you planning to do next?"

She barely resisted the urge to hurl the teacup in front of her right into Fu Qian's face, realizing in an instant that given his personality, there was zero chance he'd fetch her a replacement.

Not wanting to be deprived of a drink entirely, Yuan Shan gritted her teeth, accepted the wealthy-bureaucrat label, and forcefully wrenched the topic in another direction.

"Haven't decided yet. But that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. What are you doing barging in here so early in the morning?"

To her dismay, Fu Qian offered up an infuriatingly relaxed answer and tossed the question right back at her with genuine curiosity.

"It's nothing major, actually... I just heard some news, and I figured I'd come over and share it with you."

Yuan Shan blinked. Surprisingly, she sounded completely relaxed as well.

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