Reviewing Memorials as Usual, but the Key Is Missing

There were several pairs of spare women's slippers in the apartment, still stored in the utility room.

But given Shen Buyao's scatterbrained nature,

she probably had no clue where they were kept.

Otherwise,

this task wouldn’t have even appeared.

The buff from the Honorary Elder of the Star-Gazing Pavilion, however, was particularly intriguing.

"100% Serenity of Mind"?

And this was applied at full strength right off the bat, despite them barely knowing each other.

If they got closer…

Would he end up becoming a monk?

What kind of twenty-something needs serenity of mind anyway?

This was the age for passion and impulsivity!

...

After washing up, Lin Yu picked up his phone and checked his unread WeChat messages.

The first was from his "girlfriend."

「Dreaming in Rain: Hubby, didn’t you say you were going to see that unreleased movie today?」

「Dreaming in Rain: So jealous! I’m going shopping instead.」

「Dreaming in Rain: Remember to take pics at the theater so I can live vicariously! I’ll share my shopping pics too~」

「Dreaming in Rain: Love you, mwah mwah mwah (kiss) (kiss) (kiss)」

Reading the messages, Lin Yu smirked.

Oh really?

So that’s how she wanted to play it?

After a whole night of brainstorming how to handle the awkward misunderstanding where he mistook her for Lv Rou, this was her solution?

Credit where it was due—

Chi Qingshui wasn’t about to "surrender" Lin Yu to someone else.

And she was racking her brain to prove "she" wasn’t Lv Rou.

She’d probably prepped a bunch of shopping photos to bombard him with during the movie,

using them as "evidence" that she wasn’t at the theater.

The messages also revealed one key detail:

Chi Qingshui still had no intention of coming clean!

Tsk…

Last night in the dream, things had been progressing so well.

Did her brain take a sharp U-turn this morning?

Planning to keep up the spy romance charade?

Well, he wouldn’t let her off so easily.

Trying to fake an alibi?

Fine.

He’d play along and let her trip over her own schemes.

Lin Yu didn’t tip his hand, replying with affectionate sweetness instead.

Then,

he moved on to the next "memorial" in his inbox.

「Mao Ruirui: Yu, come down for breakfast when you wake up! Aunt Qimeng mentioned you like red bean porridge, so I made some, plus my hometown-style rolled pancakes (grinning emoji)」

Sent at 6:05 a.m.!

Just how early had Ruirui gotten up to cook?

After replying, he scrolled further.

Next was a message from the scatterbrained Shen Buyao:

「Shen Buyao: Hey, Lin Yu, are there spare slippers in the apartment? Bring me a pair when you’re up, preferably men’s (wink)」

Lin Yu: "..."

From his omniscient perspective,

it seemed like Shen Buyao was messing with Shen Jiuyi by specifying men’s slippers.

But in reality,

she was probably emphasizing "men’s" to provoke Lin Yu into asking:

Why do you need men’s slippers? Who’s there?

「Lin Yu: Men’s slippers? For you?」

「Shen Buyao: Not telling (wink)」

「Lin Yu: Hiding someone in the apartment? Wait till I get there (knife emoji)」

「Shen Buyao: (tongue out) (tongue out)」

[Ding!]

[Masterstroke! Your apparent concern for your Dao Companion delights her!]

[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones]

Poor, naive Shen Buyao was probably patting herself on the back for her clever ruse,

thinking she’d finally outsmarted Lin Yu.

Little did she know—

the mountains beyond these mountains were higher.

...

After changing into the clothes Aunt Qimeng had bought him, Lin Yu strode out the door in high spirits.

Arriving at Chen Qimeng’s room,

he heard a series of clattering noises inside.

Obviously, she wasn’t playing ping-pong at this hour.

Judging by the system prompt, she’d probably misplaced her keys.

Knock knock knock…

"Aunt Qimeng, everything okay?"

Lin Yu rapped on the door, feigning innocence.

Hearing him, Chen Qimeng called back hastily:

"Yu, just—just give me a second! I’ll open the door right away!"

Another round of chaotic rustling followed before the door finally swung open.

Lin Yu’s eyes widened at the sight of Chen Qimeng.

If he didn’t know her better,

her disheveled, bird’s-nest hair alone would’ve made him suspect she was hiding someone.

Glancing past her into the room,

the scene was even more disastrous—

clothes piled on chairs, bedsheets flung aside,

a trash bag torn from its bin and dumped in the corner…

"War zone" would’ve been an understatement.

"Rat infestation?"

Lin Yu deadpanned.

Chen Qimeng frantically smoothed her hair, explaining:

"No, no! I—I can’t find my keys!"

"I know I brought them back yesterday—I used them to unlock the door!"

"But now they’re just… gone! Ugh, I’m so useless!"

Her voice wavered with rising panic.

Lin Yu quickly reassured her:

"Don’t stress. Everyone misplaces things sometimes."

"You used the keys to get in last night, right?"

"So they’ve gotta be in this room somewhere."

"Walk me through what you did after coming back.

Slowly. I’ll help you look."

[Ding!]

[Masterstroke! Your calm guidance soothes your Dao Companion’s distress!]

[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones]

Nodding, Chen Qimeng ushered him inside and began reconstructing last night’s events:

"Rongrong and I talked late, so I got back pretty tired. I unlocked the door, came in,

then went straight to wash up, checked my phone in bed, and fell asleep."

"I’ve searched the bathroom, the bed, my bag—even though I didn’t use it yesterday—

and they’re nowhere!"

Lin Yu: "..."

That was… suspiciously sparse on details.

He pressed further:

"Since you didn’t take your bag out…

did you carry anything else besides the keys when you came back?"

Chen Qimeng froze mid-panic.

A flicker of realization crossed her face.

"Yes!"

"I—I think I know where they are!"

She lunged for the wardrobe, then hesitated and glanced back at Lin Yu.

Lin Yu raised an eyebrow: "Private stuff?"

Chen Qimeng shook her head: "N-no, it’s just…"

She pulled out an armful of clothes,

revealing a large rectangular box beneath them.

Lin Yu instantly understood.

Of course.

That was the package he’d given her yesterday!

...

(Second update today, more coming soon!)