I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 111
Chapter 111: Summer Exclusive: Pool Party
At the cafe, together with Yin Xiamo, who was also dressed in a stunning maid outfit, we dealt with various matters. We groomed the cat in advance, checked the automatic feeder and water dispenser, proofread various ingredients and lists. Around three o’clock, the part-time truck driver and store assistant, ‘Li Chen,’ came back.
Li Chen, like Ouyang Xue, is also an employee from the Tongmeng. Unless there are unexpected circumstances, he should be responsible for Tongmeng’s logistics management. In the first few days of the café’s establishment, due to a shortage of manpower, I, the first one to be recruited, didn’t seem like someone who could do physical work. Therefore, except for Ouyang Xue, Li Chen almost took on the entire transportation of various goods and external handover work. For example, going to the market to buy groceries, transporting essentials and some electrical appliances and furniture from headquarters, and so on. If there was nothing to do in transportation, he would also temporarily play the role of a ‘café clerk’—serving customers, assisting customers in placing orders, and serving dishes.
According to Ouyang Xue, when things stabilize here, she and Li Chen will return to the company, and the café will hire an additional logistics driver. I am very suspicious that the ‘classmate of Sister Ouyang’ mentioned by Chef Wang is this Li Chen.
“Is Sister Ouyang out?”
After entering the house and seeing Yin Xiamo and me still cleaning, Li Chen waved his hand and said, “Alright, alright, you two go back and rest. The workers who will be working later will be here soon.”
After these days of “trial operation,” Ouyang Xue, I, and the kitchen staff have discovered dozens of issues in the house, big and small. For example, the kitchen’s drainage system is not perfect, making it easy for mice and flies to enter from outside. There are also certain electrical safety hazards near the chicken steamer. In the evening, the lighting in the first-floor hall is inadequate, and the overall layout of the house is not cute enough, requiring the installation of some pendant light decorations.
We recorded these issues in detail and would discuss solutions during leisure time, outlining the general “café renovation” plan. These “renovations” are somewhat similar to a new decoration, such as lifting and rearranging the tiles under the kitchen, dismantling the ceiling above to add wiring, and adding grooves in some higher and more secluded places.
Regardless of the plan, Yin Xiamo and I are not equipped to help. We don’t have a background in interior design. Therefore, Ouyang Xue plans for us to go back and rest in the afternoon. The café will temporarily close, allowing the workers to renovate the entire night.
At noon, Yin Xiamo and Ai Luodi’s maid outfits arrived just in time. They could take them home to wash, and once the renovation was done tomorrow, the two of them could come to work together. In addition to this, Ouyang Xue specifically applied to Tongmeng and reserved three intelligent floor-cleaning robots—one for the first floor and two for the second floor—to reduce the workload for Yin Xiamo and me.
The perennial headache for Cat Cafe is always the issue of cat fur. Cat fur is challenging to clean with a regular broom, and even a high-powered vacuum cleaner cannot keep the house clean throughout. Moreover, the vacuum cleaner’s cord is not long enough to cover the entire house. With floor-cleaning robots, cat fur has finally met its match.
“Go back, rest well, and have a good meal. You’ve worked hard these past few days,” Ouyang Xue said.
Seeing that there were hardly any customers in the café at the moment, Li Chen flipped the “We’re Open” sign on the door, which had cat paw prints on it, to the “Closed” side facing outside. “Go on, go on,” he said.
As we had been colleagues for several days, I didn’t hesitate and waved to him before happily bouncing up to the second floor.
Where’s my bag… there it is.
I found my rabbit bag in the staff lounge, took out my regular clothes, and changed out of the maid outfit in the second-floor bathroom, where the sweat on my body had not completely dried yet.
“Do you not change clothes?”
Returning to the lobby, I noticed Yin Xiamo still dressed in the maid outfit and couldn’t help but speak up.
“Hmm?”
The young girl, who seemed to be lost in thought earlier, snapped back, “No need, right? I’ll be going home soon anyway. I can change when I get back home.”
I was somewhat surprised, “Are you going to go home dressed like that?”
She seemed to have ridden her tricycle here in that maid outfit just now.
Leaving aside the question of why Yin Xiamo can’t cook but can ride a tricycle, her behavior of coming back dressed in a maid outfit while riding a tricycle… it completely surprised me.
In my understanding, something like the casual outfit I wore before, consisting of a hoodie paired with a pleated skirt, could be considered “everyday wear.” The “JK sailor uniform Lolita dress” commonly seen in anime could, in most cases, be worn outside. However, the “maid outfit” is more of a type of clothing that people wear for specific occasions and situations.
Or the JK uniform paired with thigh-high stockings is also a kind of “special attire.”
I’m not sure where this understanding came from, but it seems that even in our country, there are many school uniforms similar to sailor suits—sailor tops paired with checkered skirts or pleated skirts. Some high school girls like to dress this way, and the difference from anime cosplay lies in the socks.
The vast majority of girls wearing school uniform skirts don’t usually pair them with thigh-high stockings. Instead, they typically wear short socks or ankle socks, at most knee-high socks. It seems that once a short skirt is paired with thigh-high stockings, the meaning of the entire outfit changes. While sailor uniforms with ankle socks can be worn outside, wearing a sailor uniform with thigh-high stockings requires courage—I’m not sure why there’s such a distinction.
As for the “maid outfit” that Yin Xiamo and I are wearing, it exudes a stronger sense of the second dimension compared to the “sailor uniform with thigh-high stockings.” Not to mention the very eye-catching garter stockings, just the two sleeves and the soft skirt are attention-grabbing enough when appearing on the streets.
“What’s wrong? Is it not okay?” Faced with my question, Yin Xiamo looked casual, taking out her small backpack. “You should really like this outfit, right?”
“Well…” I pondered for a moment. “How did you come to that conclusion?”
I paused, realizing that my browsing history didn’t have much content related to being a “maid enthusiast.”
“I just wore this outfit and came back. When I was moving water into the car, you stared at me for a full five seconds, Nuo’er.”
Seemingly noticing the perplexity in my eyes, Yin Xiamo flashed her signature mischievous smile, “I broke all previous records. Nuo’er, you never used to stare at me for more than three seconds. So, you must like this outfit. I won’t take it off so soon.”
That must be some sharp eyesight…
I was momentarily at a loss for words on how to refute. I was just surprised that you look so good in the maid outfit and was a bit curious about how a body like yours defeated the “Demon King.”
Although this Miss Grim Reaper has abs, vest lines, and a toned belly, she doesn’t have the muscular lines of a typical “strong woman” in comics. Her thighs and calves are soft, and aside from the necessary muscles, the curves of her hands and feet are delicate. Also, due to her long legs, there’s a sense of the legendary “manga legs.”[1]
In simple terms… Xiao Mo’s legs are very attractive. Just like me now, if photographed with a smartphone without using the leg-stretching effect, it would be stunning. However, when I usually look down at my own legs wrapped in thigh-high stockings, I don’t feel much. It’s more captivating to look at someone else’s legs.
This kind of “distinctly anime-like legs” is like those battle anime where beautiful girls are the protagonists that I’ve watched before, such as “Shakugan no Shana,” “Aria the Scarlet Ammo,” and “The Devil is a Part-Timer!” Despite these girls appearing slender and seemingly lacking strength, their legs have no visible muscles, yet they can fight fiercely and run faster than one would expect.
“Well… I do like you in this outfit.” Unable to refute Yin Xiamo’s words on the second floor of the café, I awkwardly smiled, “I admit, Xiao Mo, you look very beautiful in this outfit. It makes me… feel reassured.”
If the impression the Miss Grim Reaper gave me in her death cloak, wielding a scythe, was a cold, uncommunicative, and powerful dark and mysterious image, then the current Yin Xiamo is a cafe maid with a cute, soft, and kind appearance – the first impression given by clothes is very important.
“Well, isn’t that good?” Coming over and taking my hand, Yin Xiamo looked delighted, “Okay, you must have been tired these past few days. You’ve been here in Nanqi District for so long without relaxing. Listen to me, let’s go to the beach and have a good relaxation!”
As we descended the stairs, Yin Xiamo waved to Li Chen, who was installing a “mosquito trap”: “Goodbye to the big brother whose name I don’t know! My wife and I are going back first!”
“What do you mean ‘big brother whose name I don’t know’!”
Li Chen turned around, “Didn’t I just introduce myself earlier? Off you go, wherever you need to go. Remember to come to work on time tomorrow, or else be careful of Sister Ouyang deducting your wages.”
“Sister Ouyang won’t do that!”
Chuckling, Yin Xiamo and I left the café.
As we pushed open the door, a wave of heat hit us.
“I want to use the compensation money to buy Nuo’er a new set of bedding. What do you think?”
“Tap, tap.” Walking on the sidewalk outside, Yin Xiamo’s maid uniform shoes made crisp sounds as they collided with the pavement. “Look for those custom shops online—bedsheets, duvet, pillows, and also a body pillow.”
“Custom?”
In the sunlight, I caught the hidden meaning in her words. “What kind of design are you planning to customize?”
If I remember correctly, nowadays on the internet, “??” (pillow) seem to be commonly associated with “???” (water heater)[2]. Some body pillows even boldly claim to be R18, showcasing uncensored images on online stores, ensuring discreet shipping. When you buy them, you get an 18+ body pillow with high-definition images.
Don’t ask me how I know, it’s just that Marisa’s Iron Butt… I mean, Jiang Wei, mentioned before that he has bought quite a few of these kinds of body pillows.
Like last time when I went to the comic expo, editor Ai Luodi was holding a “Succubus Lilim” body pillow, featuring a scantily clad little girl with seductive poses and an ambiguous expression. Besides body pillows, Jiang Wei also mentioned that “towels” can also be made explicit. Some sellers, to avoid risks, set up “lucky bag drawings” in their stores, usually including small props similar in price, and then they throw in a towel. There’s nothing questionable about the girl on the towel, but if you soak the towel in hot water, the girl’s clothes will disappear completely. When the temperature drops, the clothes will reappear.
So, I don’t really understand why Yin Xiamo is buying a custom pillow. She doesn’t seem like the type of second-dimensional girl who enjoys watching anime.
“It’s definitely Nuo’er’s design!” In response to my skeptical expression, Yin Xiamo revealed astonishing information. “I’ve already prepared the pictures!”
My… what?
I didn’t immediately grasp Yin Xiamo’s meaning. “Hmm?”
“It’s Nuo’er’s pictures, the body pillow has two designs, and I’ve also prepared the pictures for the bedsheets!”
The girl next to me struck a pose, looking like she was saying, ‘Go on, praise me!’
“By then, I’ll buy two sets—one for you, Nuo’er, and one for me! Then, we’ll get a slightly bigger dolphin plushie as a witness to our love!”
“What the heck?”
I was confused, “My pictures? For a body pillow?”
“Yeah.”
Yin Xiamo took out her phone from her skirt pocket, swiped a few times on it, opened the photo album, and then held the phone screen in front of me—
On the screen, I could see an image of myself, wearing pajamas, eyes closed, peacefully lying on a small bed.
The girl in the picture had soft and flowing hair, a cute face, a slightly rounded chest, a slender waist, and long jade-like legs. Both feet were slightly bent inward, with small, rosy feet and ten toes that looked like pearls—innocent and charming, presenting a harmless appearance.
This pose… it was the standard “body pillow girl” pose.
When did this happen?!
The anime body pillows available in the market now typically feature girls in this pose. One side is a frontal view with the legs slightly bowed inward, and the other side shows the girl either facing away with her buttocks raised or turned to the side.
The photo on Yin Xiamo’s phone screen at this moment, aside from belonging to the “real world,” had no difference in the pose or cuteness level compared to the standard body pillow “anime beauty.”
Could it be from that day…
I recalled the time when I had my period, fell asleep on Yin Xiamo’s back, and she carried me home, then bathed me in the bathtub. It must have been that day when she took advantage of my sleeping state, helped me change into pajamas, and posed for these pictures…
“Here’s the back view.”
Before I could fully process it, Yin Xiamo had already swiped her phone and turned to the next page. The girl in the photo was still me, asleep, but with a different pose.
In the second picture, my body was turned to the side, with my small hands curled in front, resembling an unguarded little kitten… even more adorable.
“You want to make body pillows out of these two pictures?!”
I suddenly felt a sense of being ‘in the dark,’ “Uh, Xiao Mo, this… isn’t this a bit inappropriate? This is like… sneaky photography…”
“I know, Nuo’er has also sneakily taken pictures of me before.”
Yin Xiamo’s face still had that mischievous smile, “I wasn’t asleep at that time, okay? I just wanted to see what my cute little pet was up to. I didn’t expect the little pet to be naughty and actually sneakily take pictures of its owner.”
“Uh…”
Thinking about that noon incident, I couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, “At that time, I… I just…”
Well, I was at a loss for words.
At that moment, I did take a few pictures because Yin Xiamo, who was sleeping, looked too cute. Considering the actions of that annoying Grim Reaper from before, I couldn’t resist taking a few photos, intending to use them as leverage in the future.
I didn’t expect her to be awake!
But then again, why did I think she was sleeping back then?
A Grim Reaper… a demon who had experienced so much suffering in the previous life, proficient in magic, overseeing all aspects of death in this world, and having lived for over six thousand years—she couldn’t possibly have no reaction to changes in her surroundings.
“So, this is your fault, Nuo’er!”
Seemingly enjoying seeing me look “wronged,” Yin Xiamo continued to smile, “Of course, I can also change Nuo’er’s body pillow into a regular little succubus, but Nuo’er has to agree to one condition!”
A condition?
Why do I feel like I’m getting manipulated again?
“What…”
Although I knew that every time this person mentioned a “condition,” it wouldn’t be good for me, I could only go along with her and ask, “What condition?”
“When we go swimming later, you must address me as Big Sister, and you must obey my every command throughout the entire process, including buying swimsuit. You cannot refuse any swimsuit I choose for you because I am your Big Sister. Understand?”
I knew it!
“Um… well…”
I tried to make a final struggle, “I haven’t finished my menstrual cycle yet, and, um… girls aren’t supposed to swim during their periods, right?”
Yes, that’s it.
I remembered, I was still on my period these days. Although strictly speaking, the most critical period that affects activities during menstruation had passed, as long as it was still within the menstrual cycle, girls should not swim because the body is weakened during this time, and water can easily penetrate, causing infections, as mentioned in middle school biology.
“Ordinary girls might not be able to, but you’re different, my little Nuo’er.”
Yin Xiamo shook her head, “Don’t forget, you’re immortal, right? This level is completely fine.”
Well, even the last retreat was blocked.
With Yin Xiamo’s personality, who knows what kind of swimsuit she would choose!
“Um… well…”
“Alright, no need to hesitate. It’s decided!”
The girl beside me jumped directly, “Compared to becoming a body pillow, being a little sister for an afternoon is nothing!”
Even though she said that, haven’t I been used as a body pillow by you these past two days?
“……”
……
“Hey, that girl is so pretty. What kind of clothes is she wearing?”
“The maid outfit from the café at the entrance of the new commercial street. My friend has been there, it’s quite nice.”
“Do they live nearby? Wow, that’s really wonderful…”
As expected, Yin Xiamo, dressed in a maid outfit, was pointed and talked about by passersby on the way back. However, she seemed unperturbed and instead proudly waved to people around, as if saying, ?Isn’t it beautiful? This is my wife’s favorite outfit!?
“……”
……
Back home, I roughly organized the items in my backpack and switched to the small items and props that might be needed at the beach. Seeing Yin Xiamo still tidying up in the room, I went to the kitchen, washed some mung beans, and then took out seaweed and a small amount of dried tangerine peel from the refrigerator. I chopped the seaweed, washed the dried tangerine peel, and poured them into the rice cooker with red sugar and mung beans.
After a while, the girl in the room finished packing and came to the kitchen, asking, “What are you cooking?”
“Mung bean and seaweed soup. We can have it when we come back in the evening.”
I turned around, “Is everything packed?”
“Yeah.”
Yin Xiamo, now back in her regular clothes and wearing a sun hat, took my hand and said, “Let’s go!”
“Oh, this coupon.”
I took out the “Shenzhen Blue Sea Silver Beach Couple Discount Coupon” given by Pipi. “We might get a discount when buying swimsuits and renting chairs and umbrellas later.”
“What is this? Blue Sea Silver Beach… couple… 60-80% off coupon?”
After reading the text on it, Yin Xiamo showed a somewhat surprised and moved expression. “Couple… Nuo’er, you… Is this considered a…?”
“It was given to me by someone else.”
I interrupted her and impatiently pushed her towards the door. “Alright, let’s go!”
“Oh, my little Nuo’er is shy.”
“Who’s shy? Let’s go! Are you coming or not?”
“The tsundere Nuo’er is so cute! Let Big sister pinch your cheek!”
“……”
……
Following the route marked on the phone map, Yin Xiamo and I walked along the main road in the direction of Nanqi Port after leaving the residential area. Just before entering Nanqi Port, we turned west and arrived at the “estuary” of the second river in Shenzhen City, Shenzhen Nanqi Beach, also known as the “Blue Sea Silver Sand.”
Nanqi District is convenient in this aspect because it is relatively small, and public transportation is rarely needed due to the central location of Ai Luodi’s house in the heart of Nanqi District. Most places around can be reached by walking in less than half an hour.
Although the May Day holiday has just passed, and it’s no longer the golden week for tourism, there are still quite a few people here, probably due to the consecutive days of high temperatures. Those who come here to swim and sunbathe are mostly couples, mainly college students. There are also many middle-aged and elderly couples who come here for vacation and leisure.
“Have you been here before?”
As a local who has lived in Shenzhen City for more than twenty years but has never been to the beach, I looked at the vast sea in the distance and felt a bit puzzled under the shade of the trees. “Should we buy swimsuits first?”
This is a place somewhat resembling a small park, surrounded by greenery and small shops. Unlike the green belts in the city, there are many coconut trees planted around, and it seems that the coconuts on the trees can be picked freely.
As I walked over just now, I saw many signs such as ?Beware of falling coconuts?, ?Non-professionals picking coconuts should be prepared to call for emergency assistance?, and ?If the coconuts are not sweet, don’t complain to the government, it’s not our responsibility?.
Even the rental shop hung signs such as ?Professional coconut picking? and ?Selling coconut picking tools?.
“Of course, we should buy swimsuits first!”
Yin Xiamo, familiar with the shady road, looked around and confidently led me to a nearby “swimsuits store.”
Could it be that she has really been here before?
I remembered that Yin Xiamo had lived in Ai Luodi’s house for a few years.
Yin Xiamo’s workplace, although the salary is low, benefits are lacking, and there is no labor contract, still provides three to four days off each month. So far, I haven’t seen Yin Xiamo having any friends in this world, and her phone contact list consists only of me, Ai Luodi, and the store owner and his wife.
Since she has been living in Nanqi District for so long, it’s only natural that she has been to the beach for leisure, right?
I sneak a glance at the excited girl next to me.
Hmm… it’s like the feeling of sharing happiness with a good friend.
When I was a kid, if I made some fun toys, I would definitely show them to my friends when they came over, sharing my joy. If Yin Xiamo has been living in the Nanqi District for these years and likes to come here to relax, she probably wants to share this mood with me…
“Welcome!”
As expected, when Yin Xiamo dragged me into what seemed like an ordinary lingerie store, the auntie inside immediately cast a curious gaze in our direction. “Oh? Two people this time?”
“Yeah, my cutest little sister!”
Yin Xiamo proudly introduced, “Nuo’er, Yin Nuo’er.”
“I thought you were an only child.”
The store owner nods, “Buying a swimsuit for your sister?”
“I’m buying one too, the old one doesn’t fit anymore.”
Yin Xiamo walks straight to the nearby “Women’s Swimsuit” section, saying, “Do you have something a bit more suitable for a child…”
I resist from behind, “I’m not a child.”
“Haha.”
The store owner teases, “Your sister is really cute.”
I’m really not a child, boo hoo…
“I’ll take this one!”
As she speaks, Yin Xiamo has already picked out a swimsuit over there and walks over with the clothes, saying, “Nuo’er, you can wear this later.”
This is…
I glance at the clothes in Yin Xiamo’s hands.
It’s somewhat like a bikini style, but cuter than the adult version of a swimsuit.
The swimsuit is mainly blue, with a chest piece that has straps and a rope hanging around the neck to secure it. It has blue and white patterns, many folds at the edges, and a small blue bow in the middle. The swimsuit is a combination of bikini and miniskirt. It is too short to be called skirts, and it has a skirt-like edge, so it is particularly suitable for cute girls.
“Nuo’er has a small chest, wear this.”
Handing the chosen clothes to me, Yin Xiamo went to another rack, searched for a while, and took out a red and white swimsuit, similar in style to the one in my hand.
“I’ll wear this one.”
Back at the counter, Yin Xiamo said to the store attendant, “How much for these two clothes?”
“119 yuan, round it down to 100 for you. Hers was originally 89, you can give 80. That makes it 180 together.”
“180 yuan? Well, then…”
Yin Xiamo took out a discount coupon, “Can this be used for a discount?”
“No, this one can’t. It’s part of the activities organized by the Silver Beach itself.”
The store attendant pointed to various shops at the entrance of the beach, “This coupon won’t work outside. After you go in, you can use it for renting chairs, sun umbrellas, or buying water, ice cream, barbecue, and so on, inside.”
“Can only use it inside, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Well then…”
Taking out her phone, Yin Xiamo scanned the store’s payment code with a “beep.”
“Payment received: 180 yuan.”
“Got it.”
The store clerk nodded, “Have fun.”
“Thank you.”
Yin Xiamo took my hand, “Let’s go!”
After leaving the store, I, still struggling to accept this kind of swimsuit, hesitated a bit, “Um… about this, this outfit…”
“Don’t worry, I won’t take my adorable little Nuo’er to show to those noisy people.”
The girl beside me had a mischievous smile on her face.
“I know a place, usually no one there. After changing clothes and renting things, we can go there and have our own little world!”
“……”
……
TL Notes:
??? (manhua tui) is a Chinese term that literally means “manga legs.” It is used to describe a type of leg that is often depicted in Japanese manga and anime.
Manga legs are often seen as a symbol of beauty and femininity in Chinese culture. They are often associated with characters who are young, innocent, and graceful.
You can read more about it here:
https://www.zhihu.com/topic/23653068/hot
The word “??” (pillow) is often used in conjunction with the word “???” (water heater) on the internet. There are a few explanations for this phenomenon.
The first is that the two words are often used in the same context. For example, both “??” and “???” are often associated with relaxation and comfort. It is possible that people are more likely to use the word “??” when they are talking about a relaxing experience, such as taking a hot bath.
Another is that the two words are used together in a humorous or ironic way. For example, someone might say “??” when they are really talking about a hot water bottle. This is because both “??” and “???” can be used to provide warmth.