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DAY 1
“What the hell is this?”
On Yanfei’s left forearm was a list of something that she assumed to be groceries. “A dozen eggs, rice, I didn’t write this..? And some unspecified fruits… and etcetera, it's literally written there..?” She sighed, was she interested? Obviously. “Is this the soulmate thing? Ugh, I thought it wasn’t real and Xingqiu and Chongyun were just pulling an elaborate prank, but I guess I’m proven wrong.” Should she write back? Probably. “I don’t see the harm in it, so…” Yanfei grabbed a pen and wrote on her right arm, it felt right to write on the opposite side: you know you could use a notepad, right? “Do I wait for their response?”
idk just wanted to let you know! soulmate things ;D
“Did they really…” Yanfei laughed at the winking face her soulmate wrote. “Soulmate… can’t believe that kind of stuff is real, huh.” She was about to reply when her soulmate wrote another message. “ I'm sure you live around here. By here, I mean Liyue, a gorgeous place with gorgeous people: me! ” Yanfei chuckled and wrote back, yeah, liyue.
“This soulmate stuff is so weird, and cool, I guess. I’ve got a pen pal now, if that’s what it’s like… I’m pretty sure we’re pen pals.” Yanfei looked around her room and sighed, “Thank the heavens that no one’s around to see me. I look like an idiot talking to myself…”
oh so i’ll see you around the harbor? i’ll be there around noon idk i mean i do like to hang around there and oh god im writing too much senten
Yanfei shrugged to herself as she read her soulmate’s message, “Why not? I’ve got clients there so, sure! Might meet my soulmate there. Oh and they’ve written too much..” She watched as the writings got erased, “Alright, time to reply.”
yeah, i’ll see you around! 1) how do i find you and 2) what are your pronouns? mines she/her
“Imagine we talk for days without knowing who we actually are or what we look like. ” Yanfei rolled her eyes with a smile, only for it to be replaced immediately with a frown after the reply she got:
1) secret! you’ll know when you see me ;P or not, idk XD and 2) she/they
“XD… my soulmate uses XD…” Yanfei took a deep breath, “That’s okay. They’re my soulmate. You know what? I think it’s cool she uses XD. Yeah. This shouldn’t be an issue, honestly!” I guess I’m just caught off guard by someone still using XD. Yanfei huffed. “Well, that’s that. Time to go on with my day.”
“Ugh, this place is a mess.” Hu Tao groaned as she rummaged through her house’s cupboards. “I barely have any food… might head to Second Life later… I just need to list down the stuff I need to buy.” The brunette looks for a pen and starts writing on her left forearm. “Dozen of eggs… what else? Uh, rice! Yes, I need rice. Fruits? Sure! And… etcetera! I’ll think of that on the way there.” She examined the writing on her forearm, “If this soulmate stuff is real… what I wrote on here should appear on my soulmate’s arm too, right? So I’ll just wait for their reply? Is that how it works?” Hu Tao looked at her arm in silence before humming the hilichurl song she’s always seen singing while waiting for her soulmate.
Hu Tao waited for what they estimated was a minute or two until, “Oh, cool! They replied! So… I guess the soulmate thing is real.” They looked at their right arm. “ You know you could use a notepad, right? Well, yes. But writing down my grocery list to my soulmate is way better than using a notepad. A notepad doesn’t reply, but my soulmate does.” They started writing on their arm, idk just wanted to let you know! soulmate things ;D “That should do it! Now, waiting for their response…” Hu Tao sighed, “One more thing, though,” and started writing once again.
im sure you live around here. by here i mean liyue, a gorgeous place with gorgeous people: me!
“Too douchey? Eh, whatever.” Hu Tao shrugged and walked around her house. “ Yeah, Liyue. Nice! They live around here too!” She jumped around. “I’m going to meet my soulmate today! Unless...” It’s time for me to write back . Hu Tao grabbed her pen and started writing.
oh so i’ll see you around the harbor? i’ll be there around noon idk i mean i do like to hang around there and oh god im writing too much senten
“I can’t believe I wrote that… Did I really have too? Obviously if I want to make my soulmate laugh. Now, let’s see their reply.” Hu Tao looked at their forearm, “ Yeah, I’ll see you around! One, how do I find you? And two, what are your pronouns? Mine’s she/her. Aw, she won’t be finding me immediately. I’ll make her suffer.” The brunette pretended to do an evil laugh then proceeded to write.
1) secret! you’ll know when you see me ;P or not, idk XD and 2) she/they
“XD? Ugh. I shouldn’t’ve written that… too late!” Hu Tao shrugged and grabbed a leftover snack. “Time to get outside or whatever, I don’t know. I might just go visit the place where Xingqiu always hangs around, then visit Dongsheng at Second Life! Ugh, I might have to write it down… Wanwen… Bookhouse? That was it, right? Yeah, that’s the one that Xingqiu mentioned.” She scribbled the name on her arm. “If I happen to run into my soulmate, then so be it!”
“Where are they?” Yanfei stood beside Xingqiu, arms crossed. “Who? Your soulmate? Thought you didn’t believe in that stuff?” She nodded, “Well, I’ve changed.” Xingqiu looked at Yanfei, “Would you believe me if I said I knew them?” She shook her head. “Your loss.” Xingqiu shrugged as he grabbed a book. “Hm… wordy title. I guess I’ll give this a read.” He approached Jifang while Yanfei looked at her forearm, “She wrote the name… why isn’t she here?” Xingqiu walked back to Yanfei, sighing.
“You know you could just ask for her name? Have you ever tried asking that to your pen pal?” The half-adepti opened her mouth to answer, to no avail. “Thought so.” Xingqiu handed over a pen to Yanfei, who begrudgingly took it. “Were you guys even supposed to meet here?” Yanfei shook her head as she wrote on her forearm. “Give me my pen, I’ve got to tell Chongyun about what’s happening right now.” Yanfei handed it back, still silent. “Thank you!”
cannot believe i havent asked for your name lol
Yanfei looked at her left forearm. “Xingqiu, look.” Xingqiu turned to her and read aloud, “ I’m not telling you… good luck finding me. Your soulmate sounds like a real fan of hide and seek.” She scoffed, “Gee, thanks a lot, Xingqiu!” He smiled at Yanfei. “No problem!”
“I’m going to Wanmin Restaurant. Then Second Life, I need to buy Tofu.” Xingqiu called out goodbye to Yanfei as she walked away from him, grumbling about her soulmate.
“Thank you! I’ll see you next time, Chef Mao! Tell Xiangling I said hi!” Yanfei smiled at Chef Mao, who replied, “I will. It was a pleasure to have you.” She gushed, “The pleasure is all mine. See you soon!” Yanfei chuckled as she walked away from Wanmin Restaurant. “Now, Second Life. I’d be bummed if I didn't see my soulmate. I mean, there are other days. There’s still tomorrow.” The half-adepti walked over to Dongsheng with a smile on her face as she bought some groceries. Yanfei looked at her surroundings, hoping to spot her soulmate despite not knowing what they looked like.
DAY 2
Yanfei still hadn’t met her soulmate.
“What am I doing wrong?” She exclaimed. “You aren’t asking them for their name.” Yanfei groaned. “I tried! They’re all about being mysterious and all that jazz.” Xingqiu raised his eyebrow, “Second day of hearing about your soulmate and they’re really starting to sound like someone I know. Also, didn’t you say you were here for business?” Yanfei glared at Xingqiu. “Yeah, personal business! Plus, if it were about formal stuff, I would’ve asked for your father or brother-”
“Alright, I’m going to cut you off right there, my brother?” Yanfei nodded, “Yeah, he’s the one inheriting your family business, right?” Xingqiu solemnly nodded. “Don’t worry. Hopefully he’ll do well. I don’t know.” Xingqiu shook his head, “Alright. No more talking about my brother; show me what your soulmate wrote.” Yanfei stretched her arm to Xingqiu. “ Alright, I’ll give you a hint: I have brown hair. Then they drew a heart and smiley face.” He looked at Yanfei, “That doesn’t sound so bad.”
“So many people in Liyue have brown hair, smartass!” Yanfei quickly apologised after her outburst, “But the heart and smiley face is cute. Sorry I yelled at you.” Xingqiu shrugged, “It’s alright. When do you think you’ll meet your soulmate?”
“Never? I feel like it’s been days and I still haven’t met her.”
“It’s only been two days.” Xingqiu made sure to emphasise the two. “I know. How long did it take for you to meet your soulmate?” Yanfei asked. “Well… it didn’t take long, me and Chongyun were hanging out and I wrote some maths symbols on my arm and it appeared on Chongyun’s arm as well, that’s when we found out.” Yanfei scrunched her nose. “Maths symbols? What the hell were you guys talking about?” Xingqiu forced a smile on his face, “Can’t remember.”
DAY 3
“Third time's the charm… or was it 'a charm'? Whatever, I'll figure it out after finding my soulmate.” Yanfei smiled to herself in the mirror, “You've got this, I guess.” She got a pen and wrote on her forearm.
are you still not going to tell me who you are? i want to meet you already :(
“Now we wait.” Yanfei sighed as she eagerly looked at her left arm.
sure! only if you tell me what you look like
“Oh, that's it? That's all I have to do to meet my soulmate?” Yanfei started writing, I have pink hair and im half adeptus lol
Yanfei?
“How does my soulmate know my name?”
how do you know my name
“ Xingqiu talked about you before because we both thought that the soulmate stuff was fake and of course everyone knows Liyue's top legal expert, best of the best .” Yanfei turned red, “We haven't even met but she's making me blush already...”
thanks :D uhh i still dk your name though
“ Just ask Xingqiu . Alright. He did say before that he knew who my soulmate was– well, he had a clue on who they might be… and he's probably right.”
“Can’t remember.”
Yanfei stared at her friend in disbelief. “What do you mean you 'can't remember'? Xingqiu I know you think this is funny–” Yanfei is interrupted by Xingqiu's laugh. “You're right. I do think this is funny. And, I was kidding! Of course I remember, their name's Hu Tao.”
“Was that your attempt at an evil laugh? The one before you told me my soulmate's name?” Xingqiu nodded. “It's terrible, workshop it.” Xingqiu yawned, “I'm not taking criticism from you.” Yanfei scoffed in return, “Well, you should! Fix your… 'evil' laugh while I go meet my soulmate.”
“Have fun!”
“Oh, I will!”
Yanfei asked, “How come you weren't at Wanwen's Bookhouse the other day?” Hu Tao gushed. “You were looking for me? That's so sweet! But I actually did go there, I just probably went before you so we didn't run into each other.” Yanfei nodded. “That makes sense.”
Hu Tao offered Yanfei a chocolate bar, which she accepted. “You know, when Xingqiu first told me that you also didn't believe in the soulmate letters thingy, I didn't believe him. Because, what are the odds that Liyue's legal expert doesn't believe in that crap?” Yanfei swallowed a bite of the chocolate before answering. “What's the connection there? I'm surprised that the person who works with actual ghosts doesn't believe in soulmates!” Hu Tao laughed. Yanfei stayed silent and admired her soulmate’s laugh. Soulmate ... she liked the sound of it; someone who’s destined to be with her…
Hu Tao was destined to be with Yanfei, and she refused to believe it. I wonder what good deeds I did in my previous life to be given such a blessing in the present. Not that Hu Tao needs to know but, I’ve liked them for some time.
Yanfei grabbed a pen and wrote on her forearm. I like your laugh. It’s like music to my ears . The two look at each other with smiles on their faces. “Who would’ve thought the two people who don’t believe in soulmates would be soulmates?” Yanfei sighs, “Yeah.”
“I know we both don’t believe in that stuff, can I ask you why?” Hu Tao asked. Yanfei then answered, “Well, it kind of annoyed me that soulmate immediately had to mean that’s the person you’re supposed to fall in love with! It could also mean someone that just gets you like no one else does! What if your soulmate was your cousin? That’d be gross, but that’s because some people associate soulmates with love immediately. What about platonic bonds?”
Yanfei took a deep breath, “Woo! Got a little carried away there. Anyway, why don’t you believe in soulmates?” Hu Tao pursed her lips before answering. “Same as you, actually! Uhm, I don’t know if it’s a good time to ask you but, would you want to go on a date some time? I know we both think soulmates don’t automatically mean falling in love but…”
Yanfei waited for Hu Tao to continue their sentence. She thought, please say you like me like I like you. Please. Archons, hear me! Yanfei locked eyes with Hu Tao and said, “Whatever you’re going to say, go ahead. I won’t judge.”
Hu Tao smiled and continued what they were saying, “I’ve liked you for some time and I may or may not have fantasised about going on dates with you.”
Yanfei gave everything she had not to jump for joy at that moment. Instead, she merely replied, “Sure! I would love to! I like you too.”