C6 The Queen Mother Woke up

As Situ Yu settled into the minibus, memories of his grandfather's old house began to surface. Nestled in the mountain village of S City, the house was ideally situated between a mountain and a river. Though a bit worn and tattered, its architecture bore the distinct style of the water towns, a legacy from the era of the Republic of China, now a historical artifact.

The once pristine black roof tiles and white walls now showed significant wear, with patches peeling away. The courtyard, meticulously maintained by his grandfather, had likely changed over the past two years of neglect.

The wooden beams and pillars that structured the house might have become a playground for rats, Situ Yu worried. He wondered if the flowers and plants his grandfather had once tended to were still clinging to life. The well on the edge of the courtyard was probably foul-smelling by now, having been unused and left to harbor bacteria for two years.

Lost in these thoughts, Situ Yu stepped off the bus. A ten-minute walk brought him to his family's doorstep, where he was greeted by a layer of thick dust. With a heavy sigh, he pushed open the gate and stepped inside once the dust settled.

The courtyard's former tidiness had vanished, replaced by a tangle of weeds and a chorus of insects. Moving slowly into the house, Situ Yu pushed open the main door to find rooms blanketed in dust.

Rats scurried along the beams to their nests, and cobwebs stretched across every corner. The green brick floor was littered with unidentifiable debris.

Glancing into his grandfather's room, then heading to his own, Situ Yu found the same disarray. Resigned, he set down his backpack, retrieved a variety of old tools from the storeroom, and set to work cleaning up the house.

When he tried the utilities, he found both water and electricity had been cut off. With no other option, Situ Yu hauled bucket after bucket of well water, pouring it out to clear it. His recent years of physical training paid off, giving him the strength needed for the task. Oddly, he felt stronger than usual, a curious development that made him ponder. Meanwhile, a mental countdown ticked away in the back of his mind.

After several hours of bustling about, the cobwebs were cleared, the dust wiped from the windows, and the floors were nearly dust-free. The well water had been pumped out, too. By tomorrow, there would be clean water.

Cooking dinner at home was out of the question. Noticing the time, he locked up and headed towards the town.

Passing by the roadside shops, Situ Yu thought, "I need to pick up some toiletries. Good thing I packed everything when I left home. They just need airing out and they'll be ready to use."

He entered a noodle shop and ordered a bowl of snow vegetable noodles for eight yuan. Within moments, an attractive woman approached with his order.

"Hello, here are your noodles," she said with a warm smile.

Situ Yu quickly expressed his thanks, grabbed his chopsticks, and was about to dig in when he paused and looked up at the woman who lingered.

Standing at 165 centimeters, she had a balanced figure, large almond-shaped eyes, and a small, adorable nose. Her lips curved into a slight smile, revealing a charming dimple.

"Do I have something on my face?" Situ Yu asked, puzzled. The woman shook her head, still smiling. "Am I very handsome?" Again, she shook her head, her smile unwavering.

Now thoroughly baffled, Situ Yu inquired, "Then why are you staring at me?"

"You're Situ Yu, aren't you?" she said.

Situ Yu was taken aback. She clearly recognized him, yet he had no clue who she was, which made for an awkward moment.

Seeing his embarrassed look, the woman couldn't help but laugh. "You don't recognize your own high school classmate? I'm Qingshui."

Situ Yu was shocked. He remembered the name Qingshui; back in the day, she was the cute girl with acne and a ponytail, a bit on the plump side.

He looked at her again, seeing no resemblance to the girl he remembered. With a mischievous grin, he teased, "You're pulling my leg. I remember what Qingshui looked like, and you don't resemble her at all. You must be her older sister."

Qingshui couldn't help but laugh again as she casually pulled out her ID from her pocket and laid it in front of Situ Yu for him to get a good look.

Situ Yu glanced at the ID and was completely baffled – the name was indeed as it read.

Seeing the bewildered look on Situ Yu's face, Qingshui couldn't contain her glee. This was her little payback for the times he had snubbed her. "It's been a few years, hasn't it? Where have you been?" she asked.

"I've been working out of town and just got back," Situ Yu replied.

"How long do you plan to stay?"

"Not sure yet; I'll play it by ear."

"Okay, go ahead and eat. I'll catch up with you another day." With that, she turned back to her work.

Watching her walk away, Situ Yu couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking to himself, 'My, how she's changed!'

He then picked up his chopsticks and started slurping down his noodles, finishing the bowl in no time. Leaving eight yuan on the table, he nodded to Qingshui in farewell and stepped out of the noodle shop.

Arriving at the small supermarket, he strode in and went on a spree, grabbing towels, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cups, and a variety of household items. He loaded up on instant noodles and biscuits, and even some mineral water. Thankfully, the prices here were nothing like the extortionate ones at the station; his few hundred yuan would stretch further.

With two hefty bags in hand, he ambled back home. After stowing his purchases, he surveyed the overgrown weeds in the yard with a sense of defeat.

"I'll deal with it tomorrow," he decided.

In the deep silence of the night, the countdown in his mind ticked down to the last few seconds. 3...2...1...

"The Queen Mother has awakened," announced a clear projection that materialized above Situ Yu.

What sort of being was this? A loli – an adorable loli, an exquisite little loli with thick, golden ponytails that cascaded down to her calves. Her large, beautiful eyes, one gold and one black, looked slightly dazed. Atop her head sat a dainty princess hat.

Her face featured a petite, pointed nose, and her slender, delicate hands were clasped in front of her.

The yellow princess dress draped over her added an air of regal elegance. Yet, the slight flatness of her chest was a bit of a disappointment. But considering she was just a five or six-year-old little girl, it was more than sufficient. She appeared as if she had stepped right out of an animated world.

For Situ Yu, however, this picturesque scene held no significance. He was deep in slumber, lost in a delightful dream filled with pretty classmates and lovely nurses, blissfully unaware of his surroundings.

Data streamed wildly in the little girl's eyes. Minutes later, they brightened, and she whispered to herself, "Billions of years have passed. I've slept far too long. Sigh." She surveyed her surroundings and then examined herself.

Shock registered on her face. "How did I get so small? Where did my mature, seductive figure go? And my chest—why is it as flat as a planet's orbit? What happened to my sultry voice?!" Overcome with emotion, she burst into tears, her personality now that of a pure, unadulterated loli.

Situ Yu, mid-dream about his idyllic fantasy, was jolted awake by the unexpected noise. He rubbed his bleary eyes, only to see a figure floating before him. He rubbed his eyes again, confirming the sight. Yes, there was someone hovering in the air.

In the pitch-black of night, with not a single light in the room, the sight of a person floating was enough to make Situ Yu scream, "A ghost!" He trembled with fear, recoiling and closing his eyes, too afraid to utter another sound. He convinced himself that if he couldn't see the ghost, then the ghost couldn't see him either—a unique method of self-comfort.

The weeping girl glanced down and, amidst her sobs, thought, "What's this low-level creature doing here?" Information about Situ Yu then surfaced in her mind: Name, Situ Yu; age, 20; gender, male; calculated by the age system of this planet, and identified as the host of the star core.

This revelation unsettled the little girl. "What's this nonsense? This lowly creature is my host? How could this accursed central brain have chosen such a target?"

More information emerged, explaining that due to the passage of vast amounts of time, the energy levels had plummeted below critical thresholds, teetering on the brink of extinction. Without a host, the devouring process couldn't commence. Faced with no other options, she was forced to recognize this individual as her master.

The little girl's face shifted from one emotion to another, a tangle of conflict etched across her delicate features. She was now, unbelievably, compelled to acknowledge someone else as her master. How was she supposed to cope with this new reality? As she pondered her predicament, a fresh wave of sorrow welled up within her.

Suddenly, she burst into tears once more. They streamed down her face like a torrential downpour, yet curiously, they left no trace of dampness behind.

Situ Yu had been waiting patiently for a response when he was startled by the sound of a cute voice crying. He looked up to see a pitiful figure sobbing before him, which tugged at his heartstrings.

In a gentle tone, he inquired, "Little sister, why are you crying here? Can I, uh, your brother, help you with something?" The sight of the adorable little girl in distress stirred something in Situ Yu, and despite the absurdity of the situation, he felt an odd impulse to comfort her.

Hearing his voice, the little girl lifted her head, her face a mask of indignation. She thought to herself, "This is the creep responsible for my being stuck in this forsaken place. And he's just a lowly bug! I can't escape now, but I need to figure out how to get out of here as quickly as possible."

Her large eyes blinked rapidly as data streamed through her mind. She stood tall and proud, exuding arrogance as she pointed at Situ Yu and commanded, "You lowly insect, heed the words of your Queen Mother and fetch me some delicious energy!"

To Situ Yu, however, this haughty little girl didn't come off as intimidating in the slightest. Her expression was utterly adorable, endearing even.

Yet her words implied she saw him as nothing more than a servant. And she was no ghost. He couldn't quite place what she was, but she had the audacity to call herself the Queen Mother.

After hearing her out, Situ Yu was at a loss for words. He took in the sight of the exceedingly cute little girl who seemed intent on making him her minion, and his initial agitation subsided.

Deciding to act as if the whole encounter was just a figment of his imagination, he bent down, pulled the thin blanket over himself, closed his eyes, and resumed his sleep.