Ying: {What in the world is happening?! Was I really eaten by Hu Tao?!! Σ(|||▽|||) }
Hu Tao: {Does it hurt? I'm sorry, I was just so happy that I pretended not to hear your pleas last night…}
{Mmmhmm?!! Wait! Don't say anything, let me catch my breath!}
{Oh…}
{Haa… huff…} Ying took several deep breaths, finally calming down enough to think.
(Am I… under an illusion? Impossible, impossible. Where would anyone get Sharingan to cast an illusion on me…)
{…………… Was it me?! Ying, does it hurt?!} Hu Tao suddenly sounded like a different person, but Ying, concentrating intensely, didn't hear her.
(Could it be… a lucid dream? But if it's a dream, it's too real… Wait… if it really is a dream…) Ying quickly pinched her arm hard.
{Doesn't hurt?!} (Phew~ That scared me… It really is a dream… but this dream is too realistic… It’s all Hu Tao’s fault!)
Hu Tao: {Really doesn't hurt? There are so many bruises and marks}
{Yeah, it doesn't hurt}
{Is that so… Then can I do it again?}
{Yeah, you can… Wait… do it again?!} Just as Ying was about to look up, Hu Tao pushed her back down onto the bed.
{Waaah?! Wait! That's not what I meant!}
{Hmph hmph~ The arrow is nocked and ready to fly!}
Ying quickly covered her eyes, thinking, (Phew… calm down Ying… It's a dream anyway… no loss for me…)
{Oh my? I didn't expect my Ying in my dream to be so shy, hmph hmph~ I'm going in now~}
{Calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down… I can't calm down ahhhhhh!} (Wake up, wake up, wake up! ≥﹏≤)
{Wake up quickly!!} Just as Hu Tao was about to kiss her, Ying finally managed to escape.
"Haa… haa… haa… Did I… wake up…" Ying quickly pinched her arm hard.
"Hiss—?! It hurts!" Feeling the pain from her body, Ying finally relaxed.
"Phew… that scared me… If I had continued that dream, I wouldn't be able to face Hu Tao in reality anymore (//∇//)"
Ying stretched lazily, then got up and walked out of the tent. Seeing the sun just rising, she couldn't help but sigh.
"Sigh… I didn't expect to be so cowardly even in my dreams… I wonder if it was a nightmare or a lewd dream…"
"Ying? You're up so early?"
"Mhm? Ah… you… you're awake, Hu Tao…" (Ugh… as soon as I see Hu Tao's face, I can't help but recall that dream (//∇//))
"Mhm mhm, this Hall Master had an incredibly wonderful dream, but unfortunately, I woke up right at the crucial moment (~_~;)"
"Oh? What kind of dream could you rate so highly?"
"A dream where I ate you."
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
"Please explain in detail!"
"Detailed explanation? Hmm… if I remember correctly, the development at the time was…
Hu Tao's memory…
{Huh? Where is this? Wasn't Hall Master sleeping in the tent? Wow! Why is Ying beside me? And she's covered in wounds?! Did I do it? Ying, does it hurt?!}
"And then I heard you say it didn't hurt."
"Uh… and then… (How similar is this to my dream?!)"
"Then this Hall Master felt something was wrong and pinched myself, realizing it didn't hurt at all. After thinking about it, I knew I must have been dreaming. At that time, I thought since it was a dream, it wouldn't matter if I ate you, but I woke up just as I was about to make my move (╥﹏╥)"
"This…" (Is the probability of two people having the same dream that high, System…)
"Hmm… probably not, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Not just two, but even three people having the same dream can happen."
(Alright then…)
"Sigh~ What a shame, such a good dream~"
"Emm… it's a good thing you woke up…"
"Hahaha~ Ying, if you say that, I'll be sad." Hu Tao said, ruffling Ying's hair.
"Go away, go away! If anyone should be sad, it should be me. I can't even escape your claws in my dreams."
"Hee hee~ Ying, you should look on the bright side. I must have been thinking about you all the time to have this dream."
"Uh… while it makes me happy that you say you were thinking about me… in your dream, I was almost eaten by you!"
"Hehe~ As long as Ying is happy. Since we're both awake, let's set off~"
"You didn't hear a single word of my last sentence… Sigh~ Let's go, let's go, let's try to clear all these treasure chests in the next few days! Oh, and activate all the statues and waypoints around here!"
"Okay!"
On another side, unknown to them…
{Where is this? Wasn't I sleeping in the inn? That's… Ying?!} Seeing Ying's appearance, Lumine immediately wanted to go over and ask her, but found herself blocked by something invisible.
{What's going on? Huh?! Why is there a girl next to Ying?! Hey! Ying! I'm here!} Lumine shouted, trying to attract Ying's attention, but it was no use.
{Strange, what's happening… Ah?! What is that girl doing to Ying?!} Just as Lumine tried to calm down and think, she was interrupted by the scene of Hu Tao pinning Ying onto the bed.
{Hey! Stop! Let her go!}
{Ying!}
"Ying!!"
"Waaah?!"
Lumine woke up from her bed with a shout, startling Paimon who fell off the bed.
Paimon: "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Lumine: "Nightmare?! Nightmare… huff… yeah, I dreamed that Ying was taken by a girl…"
"A girl?"
"Yeah, it was like I was separated by something. They couldn't see me or hear me, and I couldn't hear them or stop her…"
"Mmmwah… what happened next?"
"I don't know… After that, I woke up from the dream… I don't know how Ying is doing now… I really shouldn't have agreed to let her scout ahead alone ≥﹏≤"
"Don't worry, Ying will be fine. Besides, our mission is almost complete. Let's put in some extra effort tomorrow and finish the job in one day." Paimon quickly comforted Lumine.
"Mhm… Speaking of which, I didn't expect to encounter a Fatui Harbinger while on a mission… that detestable guy actually admitted in front of me that he was the one who gave the medicine controlling Ying… Next time I see him, I'll make him pay!"