I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 121
Chapter 121: Loli’s Arithmetic Classroom
As the time gradually approached noon, more and more people came to the café to hang out. Seeing that the available seats were becoming scarce, just to be on the safe side, I reserved a five-person spot by the window.
I don’t know if it’s because people’s living standards have risen and education levels have increased, or if those who enjoy maids and second-dimensional anime tend to be shy and have higher qualities. Since the opening, customers who enter seem to consciously choose a seat that is “suitable for them” if I am too busy to guide them in.
For example, a solo customer usually chooses for a single seat or a double seat, especially in the corner by the window. If there are two people, they will choose a double seat. Only when there are no other options do they consider a three-person or four-person seat.
The large tables specifically prepared for families of five are rarely occupied by one or two customers, and I’m not sure what phenomenon this is.
The customers at the maid cat cafe in the capital city mainly consists of university students and young professionals, especially those university students who have close friends or besties they can easily hang out with.
Of course, many couples also like to come here for dates and flirtation. The situation of individuals coming alone is relatively rare, and even if there are, they are mostly loners wandering nearby or fishing enthusiasts. After entering, they casually order a few things, either play with their phones and enjoy the air conditioning or interact with the cats and enjoy the scenery.
?Move the camera a bit, I can’t see Nuo’er?
?Is your store’s camera not capable of moving? Cat broadcasting??
?Why are there more and more people? I’m still on the train, hoping to find a place to sit after I get there?
?What’s wrong with cat broadcasting? I just like watching cats. Their store has so many cats, all different breeds. If you don’t agree, then tip them…?
Ouyang Xue’s live broadcast, opened with the official account of the cat cafe, garnered several hundred thousand views in just under ten minutes. It also received a recommendation from the background of Tongmeng Net. During this time period, anyone who clicked on the “live” channel could see the entire cat cafe through the main entrance camera, the main cat area camera, the kitchen camera, and the second-floor coffee area camera.
In one live stream, there were four different camera views, and viewers entering the live stream could independently choose to switch between any camera to watch. What surprised me the most was that, whether it was due to new technology from Tongmeng Net or an application by Ouyang Xue, the live stream of the official account “Shangjing Capital Maid Cat Cafe” could be controlled by the audience—albeit requiring gifts to be rewarded.
?I see a cat being lazy, let the camera turn over a bit?
?Whoever donates ten yuan, shift the kitchen camera a bit. I want to see Nuo’er cooking?
?Can someone tell me if this function of controlling the camera by tipping is new??
Currently, the cafe has enabled live streaming with four cameras. The main camera in the hall has a wide angle, rotating 280 degrees, capturing almost all the dining customers in the hall. Similarly, the camera in the cat living area covers the automatic feeder, automatic water dispenser, cat climbing frame, and the pet exercise circle. The kitchen camera is positioned directly at the kitchen entrance, providing a glimpse through the glass—excluding the ingredient area and refrigerator, as the camera feed is public, and some recipe details need to be kept private.
Finally, there’s the camera in the dessert area on the second floor. Due to the presence of the employee lounge and bathroom on the second floor, the area available for customers is slightly smaller than the first floor. However, one camera is sufficient to get a clear view of the entire area.
These cameras are somewhat similar to the CCTV used in homes nowadays, where users can directly control the left, right, up, and down rotation of the camera through their smartphones to view the desired areas. The difference is that the cameras in the live stream are set to “reward control.”
I don’t know which genius came up with this idea, and I can’t figure out how complex the underlying code is, but in essence, the functionality is that any user entering the live stream can gain control of the camera for a certain duration by choosing specific gifts to reward. The current pricing is 1 yuan per second, and there are only three price points: 10 yuan for 10 seconds, 30 yuan for 30 seconds, and 60 yuan for one minute.
Once a user sends this special gift, the top-left corner of the screen will display text like “User XX is controlling the camera in the live stream.” Only when the user’s control time is up will the reward buttons for these special gifts light up again.
From this, I can see that Tongmeng Net values Ouyang Xue and the café project very highly.
Special rewards cannot overlap, and only when the previous user’s “time is up” will the next user in line have the opportunity to control the cameras. With four cameras in the café, this results in four times the income from time-based rewards.
If this feature becomes very popular and all four cameras are consistently under user control, the earnings could be substantial. For example, at one minute per user, it could amount to 240 yuan, 14,400 yuan per hour, and an extremely impressive income over the course of a month.
I strongly suspect that this idea came from Ouyang Xue. Her capabilities are undeniable, and she is dedicated to her work. However, at least for now, not many users seem to be controlling the four cameras in the café, especially in the kitchen. The kitchen camera has the fewest viewers, while the cat living area has the most, followed by the first-floor hall. The camera with the most paid control is also in the cat living area.
I think, in the future, we might be able to create a small robot, similar to a vacuum robot, also under paid control. It would come equipped with a camera and an artificial mechanical arm for remotely entertaining cats. People’s willingness to pay for this might be higher than for just a camera.
?What kind of cat is that with black paws, like a cat thrown into coal mining??
?Logic Cat?
?Who just mentioned Logic Cat? That’s a Siamese cat. Others aren’t coal miners, it’s a genuine aristocratic cat, okay??
?Why does this cat look like a graphics card, a mining cat?
?Can someone reward and move the camera a bit? I want to see Xiamo the maid. I am Xiamo’s sister’s dog hehehe…?
After 10 o’clock, both online and offline work at the café can be said to be in full swing. Even Tongmeng Net’s “backup chef” – a slightly chubby uncle – has been brought in to assist Chef Wang in cooking.
In addition, I noticed two security guards in uniforms standing at the entrance of the café, which is something I’ve never seen before.
“There’s actually no need for that.”
After delivering the meal to the customers, with no immediate tasks at hand, I playfully took a broom and posed cutely under the camera. Yin Xiamo approached, holding the smallest cat in the store, placing it on my head. She gestured toward the two security guards outside, saying, “If someone wants to cause trouble, I can handle it.”
“Uh…”
After a brief pause, I turned my head and asked, “Sense of killing intent?”
The little cat on my head hopped onto my shoulder, and its soft paws on my back tested the waters, starting to knead alternately left and right.
“Pretty much that feeling,” Yin Xiamo said, leaning next to me. Together, we squeezed onto a small chair under the camera. She reached out and wiped off the sweat that had accumulated on my forehead.
“Tired?”
I shook my head, “Compared to before, it’s a much easier job now.”
Currently, the situation at the café is that I mainly handle customer reception on the first floor, Yin Xiamo takes care of the cat area on the first floor, Ai Luodi manages the second-floor bubble tea and coffee area, and Ouyang Xue patrols the entire store. If new customers arrive and I happen to be in the kitchen preparing food, she takes over my position.
Similarly, if Ai Luodi and Yin Xiamo are busy with multiple customers, they can call Ouyang Xue for assistance.
Although I may appear busy and sweaty every day while serving customers, the job is actually quite easy. I don’t have to consider various social intricacies or worry about other things. It’s simple – when I see people enter, I greet them, introduce the various dishes and services in the store, and then go to the kitchen to get the ordered items after they’ve made their selections.
The constant sweating is just because the maid outfit I wear is a relatively warm style. Not only is the dress and sleeves made of pure cotton, but even the knee-high stockings are of a thicker type. Only a part of my skin, the “absolute territory” beneath the skirt down to halfway on my thighs, is exposed, and it doesn’t sweat much. However, when I engage in physical activity, there will be some heat buildup in various areas.
I’m not always inside the café either, there are customers outside as well. Outside the café is a courtyard-like space with many tree-stump mushroom tables. There are lots of vegetation and flowers around, including a banyan tree that is said to be several hundred years old. Some customers simply don’t like air conditioning and prefer to enjoy the coolness under the shade of trees. These customers choose to dine or play outside.
For these customers, I need to bring the food outside, set the table, and after they leave, tidy up. In just a few minutes, wearing a full maid outfit, I start to feel the warmth in my body.
It’s the peak of summer outside, with an average temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. The air conditioning on the first floor of the café is set between 23 and 27 degrees, while the second floor is slightly cooler at around 20 degrees. This temperature is close to that of autumn, and considering the maid outfit I’m wearing, I suspect that Ouyang Xue designed it with winter in mind. She may have anticipated the need for outdoor customer service during the winter, so the clothes are made to be very warm. The thickness and material make it suitable for winter wear, but with the café’s current internal temperature resembling autumn and my need to move around vigorously, I’m bound to break a sweat.
It’s not too tiring, it’s just that the clothes are too heavy, making it hot.
?Oh! Nuo’er and Xiamo! I see them!?
?Someone reward and turn the camera over here. Look at that couple!?
?Xiamo is actually wiping Nuo’er’s sweat. How sweet! I ship this couple!?
?I also want to help Nuo’er wipe sweat…?
While taking a break on the small chair, I casually took out my phone to check the situation in the live stream. I discovered that the viewers, originally just a few tens of thousands, had soared to over a hundred thousand in popularity due to Tongmeng Net’s homepage recommendation. Barrages of comments were continuously scrolling across the live stream screen:
?Is there no beauty filter on this camera? Do they really look like that??
?So cute! When are you two getting married??
?I’ll reward with a small TV. Can you two kiss??
Watching these comments, I couldn’t help but lift my head and wave my hand towards the camera.
“They’re all saying to kiss and reward with a small TV, huh?” I remarked.
Yin Xiamo beside me seemed to be getting into the spirit, “I don’t mind. Do you want to?”
“Wait, the live stream might get banned.”
I awkwardly said, “Right now, there will be a crackdown… um… on, you know, girl and girl…”
“It’s okay. Sister Ouyang has connections upstairs.”
“Even if there are connections, we can’t be so reckless!”
?Kiss, kiss!?
?Xiamo, don’t hesitate, go for it!?
?My goodness, why is Nuo’er so shy? It’s already so late, and she’s still hesitating.?
?”Datang Dahaitu” has sent a rhythmic storm to the streamer!?
“You see, everyone is sending gifts. It wouldn’t be right if we don’t kiss, right?”
The increasingly lively barrage prompted Yin Xiamo to reveal her signature mischievous expression. She picked up the small cat from my neck, placed it on a passing robotic vacuum cleaner.
“Nuo’er, come here for a little smooch!”
“Meh, no!!”
I took a few steps back, saying, “The editors notified me several months ago that depicting same-sex relationships is not allowed. It’s not allowed in novels, and even more so, it’s not allowed in live streams. It could lead to trouble.”
?Xiamo, go for it! Knock Nuo’er down!?
?A newcomer just downloaded Tongmeng Net. Is this what young people are into these days? Loving it!?
?Even the doctor is taking a break and has sent a small TV to the streamer!?
?They look so sweet together…?
Then Yin Xiamo backed me up against the wall at the entrance of the café.
“Others are sending small TVs.”
“Ah… well… the gifts go to the public account. It’s not related to me.”
I turned my head, “The gifts sent to the live stream don’t increase our salary.”
“I’m not seeking your opinion.”
Yin Xiamo’s head came even closer, “It’s just a routine notice.”
I grimaced, “You’re quite domineering.”
“Oh, thank you. I’ve read quite a few novels featuring domineering CEOs. Usually, the female lead would say something similar to what you just did.”
“Well…”
“After these busy days and the successful completion of the opening ceremony, on Monday, during our day off, I want to take you somewhere.”
In a voice only the two of us could hear, Yin Xiamo leaned close to my mouth, “No refusals allowed.”
Then, she planted a kiss on my face, turned around, and made a victorious gesture towards the camera behind.
?Oh, oh, oh, oh——?
?Did she really kiss? It’s not a joke??
?Is this something I can see without paying??
?Kissing the face isn’t enough, go for the lips!?
?Stop talking about it. Uncle has been into paid videos lately. This crappy software is all that’s left for memories…?
“Ding dong! Customer at table 32 needs assistance!”
In a daze, I heard the software’s notification sound in my earphones.
“By the way, Xiao Mo, what’s your real combat capability?”
As we walked towards table 32 together, I casually asked Yin Xiamo.
“Well… the magic in the other world is much more terrifying than the technology in the human world. It often leads to rivers of blood.”
Yin Xiamo looked around and gestured to the large banyan tree near the entrance, “See that tree? Under normal circumstances, I could easily take it down with one swing. If you’re interested, I can show you one night.”
“Ah… there’s no need for a demonstration. I’ve already got the idea.”
I quickly restrained this violent girl.
Taking down a tree that’s been growing for hundreds of years with a single swing?
I quietly calculated Yin Xiamo’s potential “combat power” in my mind. I didn’t have a specific understanding of the hardness of tree trunks or how much force it would take to cut down such a large tree. However, based on the current situation, Yin Xiamo’s earlier remark about the security being unnecessary seemed genuine.
But she overlooked one point—places like the café, with cameras everywhere, have a very low likelihood of incidents like disturbances or robberies. Additionally, because of the abundance of cameras, Yin Xiamo wouldn’t need to transform and draw her scythe at the first sign of trouble, swiftly dealing with any unruly individuals. In general, hiring a couple of security guards would be simpler.
Having two big men in uniforms standing there originally aimed to reduce the probability of customer disturbances. If a real issue occurred, we couldn’t expect the security guards to risk their lives unless it involved someone with a weapon and a willingness to harm, in which case Yin Xiamo would be the last and strongest line of defense.
“Bring me two cats with a good feel.”
“Don’t want a long-haired cat, don’t want a hairless cat, preferably a black cat.”
Upon reaching table 32 and hearing their request, which turned out to be related to cats, Yin Xiamo took the initiative to handle the task. She said, “Please wait a moment” and headed towards the cat living area.
“Nuo’er! Hey! Over here!”
The customer at table 33 next to table 32 was a guy holding a selfie stick. He waved to me, “Is it one yuan for a photo? Can I take ten?”
“Sure.”
I walked over, “Shall we take a photo here?”
“Yes.”
The guy walked over with his selfie stick, “Say hi to my buddies in the live stream.”
“Hello, everyone.”
I handled it professionally, “This is Nuo’er, currently working at the Cat Cafe in Shenzhen. The address is in the Nanqi District of Shenzhen City. If you have the opportunity, you can come and visit us here!”
Afterwards, the streamer snapped several photos.
“How do I make the payment?”
“Here.”
I gestured to a QR code on the table, “Just scan that, open the app, and then choose the service consumption option.”
The benefit of charging one yuan per photo is that most people find it very cheap, and they tend to take several photos at once. However, they didn’t consider that this type of photography is a “zero-sum game” for me and the café, at most requiring me to spend a few seconds posing. A few seconds for a few yuan, no matter how you calculate it, it’s profitable. Many jobs are like this—earning a few extra dollars per hour, accumulating over time, resulting in a few thousand yuan in additional income per month.
“Um… Nuo’er.”
After taking the photos, the streamer hesitated and glanced at the sweat stains on my long stockings that hadn’t dried yet, “I can pay more, ten yuan… or even twenty yuan, can you step on me in front of the audience in the live broadcast?”
Oh, my God.
How many times is this now?!
Without thinking, I grabbed the streamer’s phone and spoke into his microphone, “Report the streamer’s channel, thank you for reporting the streamer’s channel.”
“Ding dong! Welcome!”
Just then, the sound of the door being pushed open came from the nearby entrance.
“Welcome!”
Instinctively turning around, before I could finish my sentence, I was startled by the person entering through the door.
The person who came in was none other than Lu Xinjian, his wife, and their daughter Lu Xinmeng.
At this moment, Lu Xinmeng was wearing a light yellow dress, with a cute ribbon tied on her head, sitting in a miniature wheelchair, looking like a delicate and frail young girl. Behind her, there was a middle-aged woman pushing the wheelchair, and Lu Xinjian. I had seen the middle-aged woman in the hospital before, she was Lu Xinmeng’s mother. She had a helpless expression on her face, while Lu Xinjian looked thoroughly indulgent.
In addition, standing next to Lu Xinmeng was a girl slightly taller than me, wearing a red and black dress with flowing hair, holding a lace-edged parasol. The girl’s face looked somewhat youthful, appearing to be around ten years old, with a slender figure and black stockings wrapped around her legs, giving off a European Gothic Lolita vibe.
This Gothic Lolita girl was accompanied by a woman in her thirties wearing a sun hat. Judging by the facial resemblance between them, they seemed to be mother and daughter.
“You really came?”
I quickly walked up, glanced at the wheelchair-bound Lu Xinmeng, and then looked at Lu Xinjian. I furrowed my brow and said, “Isn’t this against the hospital regulations?”
Regardless, a heart transplant is a major surgery that involves opening the chest. Today is May 10th, and I was transformed into a girl by Miss Grim Reaper on May 2nd. My body was obtained at that time. According to the timeline, Miss Grim Reaper should have controlled my body to go to the hospital in the afternoon, and then I encountered the distraught Lu Xinjian at the market in the evening.
To comfort this poor uncle, I bought him cotton candy and left the market with the selected ingredients.
I am not sure about what happened with Lu Xinjian afterward. However, based on the recent information I have gathered, Lu Xinjian probably received a notification from the hospital shortly after I left, informing him that his daughter could undergo the surgery.
If the above reasoning is correct, Lu Xinjian rushed back to the hospital at the fastest speed after receiving the call, signed for the surgery, and the hospital arranged for the operation. However, even if everything proceeded quickly, Lu Xinmeng’s heart transplant surgery could only take place around eight or nine in the evening.
Heart transplant surgery takes one night, and for ordinary people, they need to lie in the ICU for at least three days after completing the surgery at midnight. Even if Yin Xiamo did something to my original body and the transplanted heart carried some kind of “magic,” if Lu Xinmeng’s prognosis is good after lying in the ICU for three days without any issues and transferring to a regular ward, she would still need to spend at least a month inside for observation to ensure there are no problems before being allowed to be discharged.
After completing the surgery, she only rested in the hospital for eight days before forcibly leaving, and she was discharged in a wheelchair. I… I really don’t know what to say about this Lu Xinjian.
As for the little girl in red and black Lolita dress beside Lu Xinmeng, she should, without any surprises, be the patient whom Lu Xinjian mentioned “received a corneal transplant” at the Shenzhen First People’s Hospital. The girl is a so young…
Corneas, unlike other organs in the human body, are one of the few “organs” without lymphatic vessels and blood vessels. The success rate of corneal transplants is much higher than that of organs like kidneys, liver, and heart, and the rejection reaction is much milder. Moreover, corneal transplants are considered minor surgeries, and patients can usually open their eyes the next day. After staying in the hospital for about seven to eight days, if there are no issues observed, they can be discharged.
Therefore, it is entirely in accordance with the regulations for this girl, named “Li Denghua,” who received a corneal transplant from “Yin Shiren,” to be discharged during this timeframe and be able to come to the café lively and play.
Under normal circumstances, because of the surgery, others would have likely requested leave from school in advance. Maybe they had taken a break from studying for some time due to eye problems and were currently still within the holiday period. In this situation, it would be fine for Xinjian to bring them over to play, but the thing is…
“I discussed it with the head doctor, and he said Xinmeng can come out and play for a while, but she must return by dinner time at the latest.”
Faced with my skepticism, Lu Xinjian seemed a bit uneasy. “The head doctor also mentioned that a cheerful mood and a relaxed environment contribute to the child’s recovery. Xinmeng is a special case of heart transplant in their hospital, and there have been no abnormalities these days, so…”
So, you brought her to Nanqi District, such a distant place, when your daughter’s body is still very weak?
“Sister Nuo’er, don’t blame Dad, it was my request to come out.”
Facing my doubtful gaze, Xinmeng on the wheelchair explained, “I’ve read your book for so long. Now that Sister’s café is open, with so many people coming, Xinmeng definitely had to come. If I didn’t come, Xinmeng would regret it for the rest of her life…”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
I slightly bent down and patted the head of this little girl. “You can come anytime once you’re better.”
From this, it can be seen that the relationship between the head doctor of the First People’s Hospital and Lu Xinjian is exceptionally good, to the extent of betting on their own professional careers.
Hospital treatments follow a very strict process. When to do what for the patient, what to do after a certain surgery, all these details are clearly defined. Some rules are bottom lines, and some are deadlines, depending on how cunning and serious the patient is.
For example, in classic scenes often depicted in TV dramas, when a pregnant woman is about to give birth, there may be a delivery complication. The doctor rushes out to ask the grandparents and the husband to choose between saving the mother or saving the baby. Then there’s chaos outside the delivery room with the family unable to make a decision, and the operating doctor is there exasperated, saying, “Hurry up and make a decision!” In reality, hospitals wouldn’t pose such questions. The unborn child doesn’t legally qualify as a “person,” while the mother is an actual adult. If something happens to the mother, the entire obstetrics and gynecology department, and even the entire hospital, could face consequences. It’s highly unlikely that a doctor would ask the family to choose between saving the mother or the baby. The priority is to save the adult, the mother, unless the whole hospital is shutting down, and the doctor in charge wants to face legal issues.
In the current situation where Lu Xinjian is forcibly requesting to bring his daughter out, it falls into this category. The head doctor is essentially gambling with his own career. If Lu Xinjian’s friend’s daughter, Lu Xinmeng, faces an accident outside the hospital, that doctor won’t be able to continue practicing.
“Mr. Lu has already told me about your family situation,” the woman behind Lu Xinmeng spoke up while I was consoling Xinmeng. She then bowed to me and said, “Thank you for giving Li Denghua a chance at life. Thank you.”
“Since Mom has said so…”
Under the gesture of the woman, the girl in the black and red Lolita dress slightly bowed her head towards me. Despite her somewhat arrogant tone, her attitude was sincere. “Thank you, sister.”
Why do I feel like your height… seems a bit tall? Am I already losing to elementary school students?
“Let’s not dwell on the past.” Faced with their gratefulness, I shook my head repeatedly, flashed a smile, and gestured to a nearby spot.
“I’ve reserved seats already. Come, take a look at what you’d like to eat.”
“Denghua is a famous child prodigy in Shenzhen City. Starting from the third grade, she ranked first in the national competitions in physics, mathematics, and chemistry for three consecutive years. She even published a paper on the particle collider. Even the engineers in the Nanqi District were amazed. She is a true science prodigy, excelling in physics, mathematics, and chemistry, but her performance in language and English is a mess.”
While pushing her daughter toward the reserved seats, Lu Xinjian leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Aren’t you a novelist? Her mother has been looking for a Mandarin and English tutor recently. I think you’d be a good fit.”
“……”
……