I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 125
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Chapter 125: They Have Happiness, but I Have Xiamo
Roughly two months after my novel was published, Xiongxiong probably joined the group. During that time, my QQ group went through incidents involving pirated websites and hacking attempts. Consequently, the conditions for joining were changed to require new members to send subscription screenshots. Therefore, I can confirm that she, who joined during that period, was indeed a genuine reader.
However, I don’t have much detailed information about this person. Xiongxiong’s QQ avatar is the protagonist Yuna from the anime “Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear.” The anime tells the story of a particularly wealthy shut-in girl who doesn’t have to go to school or work every day and is a top-tier player in a certain game. One day, she transmigrates to a world similar to the game, acquiring the Kuma Kuma Bear outfit, which looks like a life-sized doll often seen distributing flyers on the street, except Yuna’s version reveals her face.
In this otherworld with a system, the Kuma Kuma Bear outfit is also bound to the protagonist. Just by looking at her character panel and the Kuma Kuma Bear outfit, Yuna is essentially invincible in that world.
Similar transmigration novels are quite common in our world, at least in our country, and have long been written extensively by online writers. They usually follow the pattern of transmigration + online game + invincibility + pretending to be weak. However, even if such novels are written poorly, there are still readers because, after all, humans have descendants. If old bookworms get tired or dislike reading a certain formula, there will always be someone who has just been allowed to buy a new phone at home or new readers encountering this genre for the first time.
Moreover, the anime “Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear” doesn’t primarily focus on being invincible in another world but rather on a female harem. When I watched it, the only impression I had of the female protagonist in this anime can truly be summarized with the words “female harem.” Transmigration, encountering girls, collecting a harem, going to the homes of the girls, hearing that the lord also has a daughter, collecting her – the story continues to develop. Oh, this little sister is so cute? Oh my, madam, you also have a daughter?
It’s quite miraculous that since the airing of this anime, I haven’t encountered any internet users who use the female protagonist as their avatar, except for Xiongxiong. So, when she first joined the group, the moment I saw this avatar, I sensed a strong familiarity and aura, vaguely feeling that this reader was not ordinary.
Xiongxiong rarely speaks in the group compared to characters like Physics Duck and Kill Kirito, but she always manages to make a “striking” entrance. For example, one day when the group was discussing where wars were taking place in the world and if a certain city had been quiet for a long time, Xiongxiong suddenly chimed in with a few photos: “Luckily, it’s not that exaggerated. They just fired two shots as a warning, and the shells went astray, blowing up two unfinished buildings. The commanders on both sides are now sitting together discussing a peace agreement.”
People in the group asked her where she got the photos, questioning if she was fooling everyone. Xiongxiong replied, “My uncle is on the helicopter in that city, he sent them to me.”
Such incidents happen one or two times on average every month over the past few years. What amazed the group members the most was around December of last year. Xiongxiong posted many high-resolution pictures of penguins and icebergs in the group. When asked, she said she had taken a trip to Antarctica.
For someone like me, a “homebody” who hasn’t ventured out of Shenzhen City much, this was undeniably a tremendous shock. Furthermore, Xiongxiong seems to have not only joined the fan group for my book but also fan groups for several books on the Yae-Do Novel Network. Some group members mentioned seeing her in multiple book clubs, and it seems she has a preference for novels with otherworldly themes. In other groups, she is similar—usually silent, only bubbling up when she finds a topic of interest. Her manner of speaking, both in tone and attitude, gives off a humble vibe, but every time she speaks, it leaves people with the feeling that “this person is an expert.”
I never expected that on the day the café opened, this person actually showed up. What’s even more unexpected is that the real-life Xiongxiong is a foreigner, or… a mixed-race individual? At least, based on the information obtained from the group so far and her mention of “my ship,” it’s enough to prove that this Xiongxiong is not from our country.
So, is she really a big shot from abroad? Did she specially go through immigration procedures today just to come to Shenzhen City and even come over from the sea on “her own ship”? Why do I suddenly feel like there’s a group of wealthy people around me—Pipi is rich, Su Yunjin is rich, Xiongxiong is rich, and I’m the only one maintaining poverty throughout…
“Xiongxiong?”
Sure enough, after listening to the introduction from the golden-haired girl outside the door, both “Ice Spirit” and “Physics Duck”, who had been settled by me at the window table, turned around, “Is that Xiongxiong from the group?”
“Hello.”
The Xiongxiong at the entrance waved her heavy “bear paw” and greeted the two boys.
“It’s quite cool in here.”
Walking in from the entrance, the girl who called herself Xiongxiong surveyed the café’s hall, and her gaze seemed to linger on the cameras above the main door, as well as on the cameras in the kitchen, cat living area, and customer dining area, respectively.
Finally, her gaze landed on me, “Do you have anything to eat here? I’m a bit hungry.”
“Huh?”
I was initially stunned but quickly regained my composure: “Uh… Xiongxiong, do you prefer a solitary spot or a more lively one?”
Saying that, I turned around and gestured to ‘Ice Spirit’ and ‘Duck’ behind me, as well as a few single seats not far away. “Over there are ‘Ice Spirit’ and ‘Physics Duck’, the ones who often play games together in the group, and also ‘Kill Kirito’ and ‘Maple’. They… they should be in the cat area right now, playing with the cats.”
Since Xiongxiong rarely speaks in the group and is modest in conversation, I’ve had very few chats with her. Unlike ‘Ice Spirit’ and ‘Physics Duck’, I don’t know much about her, and I’m not quite sure about her temperament.
All I know is that she has a very mysterious background, and I’ve never seen her use expressions like anger or “happy/excited” to convey her feelings. As a waitress maid, facing such a unfamiliar customer, I decided to handle it professionally.
Most customers at the café come in groups of two or three, and since it’s not peak dining hours, there are still quite a few single seats available. Allocating a spot for Xiongxiong alone shouldn’t be a problem. If she prefers a lively atmosphere and enjoys making friends, I could even move a single seat closer to ‘Ice Spirit’ and the others.
“Huh? Aren’t they together?”
Under my curious gaze, the girl who called herself Xiongxiong looked towards ‘Ice Spirit’ and ‘Physics Duck’. “I thought ‘Ice Spirit’, ‘Duck’, and the one named ‘Kill Kirito’ lived in the same dorm. It seems like these three are gaming together every day in the group.”
“Kirito and Maple share a dorm.”
I explained, “Ice Spirit and Duck seem to be in different cities.”
Honestly, I didn’t expect this so-called “book lovers’ meetup” to have so many participants, including the most mysterious person in the reader group, “Xiongxiong.” I originally thought that such events wouldn’t attract much attention, and even if someone did come, it would likely be the organizer bringing along roommates or friends to liven things up. In the previous offline rights protection event for authors, which had a group of 200 people, even though it was an active large group, and the authors who joined were generally active online due to the nature of their profession, after several days of discussion, only a handful of people actually showed up.
Most importantly, the authors’ offline rights protection actions are “profitable.” When authors gather offline to demand unpaid fees, coming to such events increases the chance of receiving money, and the “return” is clearly visible. Given this context, it’s understandable that only a few dozen people are willing to take the time to attend offline meetings for Yae-Do, despite its large website.
On the other hand, the offline meetup for the novel readers’ group, which appears to have two to three hundred members, actually consists of around a hundred active members, with fewer than fifty people consistently participating in the small, active group every day. In organizing an offline meetup, what are they aiming for?
Are they hoping to get to know me, the “author”?
Personally, I don’t believe that my charm as the “signature maid of the Shangjing Café” could be so great as to attract a large group of people to give up their jobs, courses, and holiday rest, and travel for several hours just to “meet up.”
Come on, traveling is so exhausting!
Times have changed, and the pace of life has become incredibly fast. If we go back to the early 2000s, people were still relatively innocent, and society, in general, had a slower rhythm. People had more leisure time every day, full energy on holidays, and it was a time when men pursuing women required a thick skin. In those years, pretty girls in ordinary universities could indeed attract boys from other schools who would come over to passionately pursue them. Beautiful girls could receive various little notes and love letters in their drawers. However, in today’s society…
Chasing after girls? Impossible! Don’t disturb me, I’m playing video games with Jie.
Love letters are history, and the term “campus belle”[1] is no longer mentioned. How attractive a girl is and which grade and class she’s in are irrelevant. In high school, early romantic relationships are forbidden, and in university, pursuing a girlfriend is less appealing than playing games with buddies. In the working world, where everyone is exhausted from daily work, having a rare holiday to rest is precious. Yet, someone suggests that I sit on a bus for several hours just to chat in a café and look at pretty girls?
No way!
Ouyang Xue is well aware of the fast-paced lives people lead nowadays, so in the café’s promotional video, she didn’t use “flirting with maids” as the selling point. Instead, she emphasized, “When you come to the café, you’ll have cute maids serving you, lots of cats to cuddle, plenty of food, very affordable, clean, and cost-effective.”
Indeed, the food at the Shangjing Cat Cafe is very affordable, and on top of being incredibly cheap, it manages to offer service and an environment comparable to that of luxurious hotels. This is what attracts so many customers.
A typical family of three might order a steamed chicken with soup, two stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and if the kids like it, two portions of fried chicken wings or cola chicken wings, a custard tart, and a cola. All these items combined would cost just over a hundred yuan, averaging around forty yuan per person. With the food being delicious and budget-friendly, it’s natural that many people come.
“Oh, I see, they’re not together. Looks like I misunderstood,” Xiongxiong remarked in the café. After hearing my explanation, she scratched her head with her “bear paw” and said, “Sorry, I’ve been a bit busy lately, and I’m not very “up-to-date” on the information in the group.”
Information in the group is not “up-to-date”?
I believe you’re a foreigner, that grammar does have that touch.
“Well, then, let me join them. I’ll see what there is to eat…”
Taking a few steps towards Ice Spirit, as if recalling something, the person named “Xiongxiong” by my side spoke again, “Oh, right, I brought you a little gift. It’s right outside, and it should be here by now.”
A little gift?
In confusion, I noticed that Ouyang Xue, who had been busy on the second floor, happened to be walking out while talking on the phone at this moment—
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Have you arrived? I’m coming out now, please wait.”
Huh?
“Do you have Cola?”
I was still in a daze, but Xiongxiong beside me had already given me a playful pat with her bear paw. “I’m a bit thirsty. If it’s possible, I’d prefer it with ice cubes.”
“Sure thing.”
I quickly turned around. “Coca-Cola, right?”
“Yes.”
Xiongxiong chuckled, seeming quite talkative. “No need to be so nervous. I’ll go chat with them first, you can just do your usual thing.”
“Okay.”
I walked towards the kitchen.
In the kitchen, I headed straight to the Coca-Cola machine near the entrance, poured three cups of Coca-Cola, and then scooped some ice cubes from the fridge, covering the cups.
Returning to the dining area, I saw that Xiongxiong was already engaged in a conversation with Ice Spirit and Duck.
“Long time no visit to Shenzhen City. It seems livelier here, and the harbor has become even more prosperous.”
“Hey, Xiongxiong, can you reveal… what exactly do you do?”
“Yeah, Boss Bear, I’ve seen you mentioned by many people. They say you’re at least a duke’s child abroad, traveling around the world every day. Is that true?”
“Oh, me? My name is quite long, and it sounds awkward when translated into Chinese. You might not remember it, so just call me Xiongxiong, or Ah Xiong, Kuma, or Bear, whatever works.”
“Ah, I don’t want to live anymore[2]. I was playing well in the group, thinking everyone in the world is just an ordinary trashy college student like me. Turns out Kirito and Maple are beauties, Duck has his own supermarket, and Xiongxiong is such a super big shot… and here I am, a waste.”
I walked over with a tray carrying three cups of cola. “Excuse me, here’s complimentary cola for you.”
Xiongxiong was the first to take off her gloves, revealing fair hands as she accepted the cola. “Thank you!”
It wasn’t until now that I had the time to take a good look at this girl. Her facial features leaned towards a Eurasian mix, coupled with blonde hair and blue eyes, giving off a feeling reminiscent of the character Alice from the foreign fairy tale “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” She appeared to be around 17 years old, not exceeding 20, and had a height estimate of around 1.7 meters. Her voice sounded youthful, and though her accent wasn’t too pronounced, it hinted that Chinese might not be her native language.
My reader group… truly has a diverse mix.
No, I shouldn’t think of it that way.
After Xiongxiong took the cola, I placed the remaining two in front of Ice Spirit and Physics Duck respectively. “Have you two decided on what you’d like to eat?”
Just like the planes that manage to return in a war aren’t the ones hit in the engine, it feels like there’s a kind of “survivorship bias” in offline meetups for reader groups. There might actually be many big shots similar to Xiongxiong and Su Yunjin around us, but because they are usually low-key and seldom discuss their backgrounds and work, we hardly notice them.
Xiongxiong joined my book club, as well as book clubs of other authors. Clearly, she seems to be someone who enjoys reading novels. Perhaps, during her global travels on private planes, she opens her phone to read novels or simply plugs in her headphones to listen to audiobooks when bored on the way.
For someone like her who doesn’t disclose much about herself, we wouldn’t know what others do either.
However, what makes my situation with the book club different this time is that I’ve been transformed into a cute little girl by Miss Grim Reaper, then became a maid at the café. Ouyang Xue edited and promoted the video online, the café gained popularity, and just when the group, including Ice Spirit and others, found out about the café, they discussed meeting up offline and decided to come experience this newly opened café in Shenzhen City.
As a result, Xiongxiong saw all of this, and maybe others thought the café was indeed nice, and the group’s author was a cute little girl, so they came. Similarly, if Miss Grim Reaper hadn’t turned me into a little girl and I remained the old uncle, diligently updating novels every day, Xiongxiong wouldn’t have appeared before me like this.
Thinking about it, there seems to be a taste of the “butterfly effect.”
“Not yet, let me think again. Actually, I’m not very hungry…”
Clearly, Ice Spirit and Duck sitting in chairs were not quite accustomed to the situation of meeting in person. The two who usually curse each other in voice chat instantly became polite: “How about it, Duck, do you want to order first?”
“Me? I’m good with anything.”
Duck was casual, “Whether it’s fried chicken, burgers, I’ll take anything. Why not ask Xiongxiong what she wants to eat… ladies first.”
“Oh no, please don’t use sentences like ‘ladies first,’ sir.”
Xiongxiong covered her mouth and smiled, jokingly saying, “That’s impolite for ladies in our country. We emphasize equality for everyone.”
“Sorry, sorry, haha, I’m used to it.”
Duck quickly apologized, “Then… how about Nuo’er make a recommendation?”
“If you haven’t had lunch, you can take a look at this side.”
I flipped the menu in front of everyone, “These are all stir-fried dishes, many of which are specialties of Shenzhen. Like this one, sautéed cuttlefish, a specialty of Chef Wang. And this dish is also good, if you like soup, you can order this one. If you can accept it, there’s this one, sandworm porridge. It’s very fresh, but the appearance might be unacceptable to many people.”
“What is this? Insects?”
“Yeah, sandworms. The appearance may not be great, but in terms of nutritional content and cost-effectiveness, it’s not bad.”
I patiently explained, “You can think of it as large intestine congee.”
As I was speaking, I heard Ouyang Xue’s voice coming from the cat-ear headphones on my head: “Nuo’er, come to the front of the café.”
“Huh?”
I lowered the microphone, “Is there something, Sister Ouyang? I’m serving customers.”
“Let Xiamo take care of it. I feel like I need you to make a decision on this. I’m a bit dizzy and can’t see things clearly.”
“What’s the matter?”
Yin Xiamo, connected to our channel through the headphones, spoke, “Sister Ouyang, why don’t you take a break?”
“It’s really nothing. It’s an old problem. Xiamo, take over Nuo’er’s work for now. Nuo’er, come outside the café for a moment.”
“Alright.”
I pulled up the earpiece, “Sorry, I need to go out for a bit.”
I gestured in the direction of the cat area, “If you have any issues, you can talk to Xiamo directly, or wait until I come back.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Xiongxiong seemed to sense something, holding the menu, “I’m quite interested in this sandworm porridge of yours. I’ve had similar seafood when I was playing in the Solomon Islands.”
Solomon? The Solomon Islands?
This person really comes from an affluent background!
With such thoughts, I walked along the café’s corridor to the main entrance of the hall, pushed open the door, and walked outside, “Sister Ouyang, what’s going on?”
Then, I was shocked by the scene before my eyes.
At this moment, the entrance of the café had already been opened, revealing two excavators and two super-large freight trucks, both loaded with dozens of meters high coconut trees.
“What are these?”
I walked up to Ouyang Xue, who was standing in front of the excavator like a foreman, wearing a maid outfit.
Because the location was quite remote, there was a large vacant lot in front of the Shangjing Cat Café, and apart from the area of about thirty to forty meters outside the Mushroom House, which had been tidied up with tiled floors and many stone tables, most of the surrounding areas still had the layout of a tropical rainforest. The width of the road allowed only two vehicles to pass side by side.
Why did these excavators drive directly here? Are they going to build a road?
“Suddenly, the headquarters said that someone has sent us five coconut trees, and it seems to be a variety from the Philippines. They were dug on the same day, passed quarantine, and came directly from customs. Now, they want us to see where to plant them.”
Ouyang Xue in front glanced at me and gestured to the vacant land ahead, “Help us take a look, where should we plant them.”
“Coconut trees?”
For some reason, at this moment, the words “I brought you a little gift” from Xiongxiong just now instantly flashed in my mind.
Turning around, through the glass wall of the café’s first floor, I saw Xiongxiong inside waving at us.
The little gift you mentioned… are coconut trees?
“Yes, coconut trees. After we determine the locations, these workers will help with planting and then install the supports. We expect to finish during the dinner peak.”
Ouyang Xue continued, looking somewhat puzzled, “Actually, I find it quite strange. Transporting and quarantining these things is a big issue. Customs is very strict now, not only requiring quarantine to prevent the invasion of foreign species and potential pests attached to the root system, but also needing permits from many departments. Moreover, it’s not cost-effective. If you want to eat foreign coconuts, you can directly import them. This method of transporting coconut trees is the first time I’ve encountered it. Am I falling behind the times?”
“Nuo’er, is it one of your friends or someone of Xiamo’s?”
Saying this, Ouyang Xue turned around, “Other than that, I can’t think of any other possibilities.”
“Uh… well…”
I hesitated for a moment, “Probably, maybe… it’s a friend of mine.”
Regardless, since someone has this intention, let’s plant them. If they really survive, we can add freshly picked coconuts to our cafe’s offerings in the future.”
Ouyang Xue seemed uninterested in dwelling on this matter, “Come, Nuo’er, you decide where to plant them.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this, Sister Ouyang?”
“It’s really fine. Lingering effects of a cold. I’m a bit nearsighted to begin with, and after catching a cold, my eyesight gets worse. It’s an old problem.”
Ouyang Xue waved me over, “Help me figure out where to plant them. Estimate the distance, and make sure they’re not planted too close to the main road. Otherwise, if customers passing by get hit, we might be held responsible.”
I nodded, “Alright.”
……
After handling the coconut tree situation outside and confirming that there were no immediate issues, I returned to the cafe. At this point, Tongtong and Maple had already returned from the cat area. The five of them had gathered around a large table, while Yin Xiamo continuously served them food and drinks.
What made me laugh and cry was that Tongtong, Ice Spirit, and Duck had already connected to the cafe’s WiFi. The three of them opened their cloud computers on their phones and started playing the game “300 Heroes” together.
“What’s going on with the enemy Yoggio? Who fed him? He’s so fat. And that AD, it’s like they’re conjoined twins, too coordinated.”
“You asking me? Who picked Bayi at the beginning? Couldn’t catch anyone.”
“Hey, Tongtong, can you use the voice changer again? It’s really awkward for me when you talk in a female voice. I can’t even bring myself to scold you.”
“Get lost, son. You want Dad to rough you up again?”
“Now it sounds right…”
On the other hand, while Tongtong and the others were gaming, Maple and Xiongxiong on this side, two cute girls, seemed to be enjoying their chat.
“Do you have a lot of female students in your major at your school?”
“Yeah, there are only three guys in the whole class. Every time we have to move tables and chairs, we feel awkward watching them, so everyone moves together. Is Ah Xiong also a college student?” [3]
“No, I graduated from college a few years ago. Now I’m just running around the world, and my dad is chasing me all over the world.”
“Huh? Chasing you?”
“That old man thinks I’m not doing anything serious. He keeps urging me to hang out with the sons of those oil tycoons. They either party every day or say, ‘Hey, little bear, let’s go for a ride together…’ or something. Who likes hanging out with them? The gliders at my home are more thrilling than those beat-up cars.”
Watching these people in a harmonious atmosphere, I suddenly felt a bit like Squidward from “SpongeBob SquarePants”: “Happiness is theirs, and I have nothing.”
But these guys seem to be the same as always, nothing has changed.
Throughout the time in the group, I, as the “group owner,” have always been busy and haven’t had time to study the tactics and strategies of games like 300 Heroes. As a result, I have never really been able to join their small circle. Despite having such a novel group, I, as the group owner, feel like an outsider. The group members get along so well with each other.
Well, maybe it’s not a bad thing, right?
“Nuo’er, what are you thinking about?”
At this moment, Y?n Xiamo, who came back with a plate of food, placed the dishes on the table where the others were sitting. She returned to my side, and her little head leaned toward my ear: “Let me guess… Are you missing me?”
“No way!” I instinctively retorted, “Can’t you be less cheesy?”
“So, Nuo’er thinks this is already considered cheesy?” Yin Xiamo pondered, “It seems that someone needs to experience what true cheesiness is tonight.”
“No, no, no, I was wrong.”
I casually sat on a small chair, “When more people come for dinner later, it will definitely be exhausting. I’ll probably be too tired when I get home. You should let me rest well these nights…”
“Does that mean it will be fine after these few days?”
Yin Xiamo leaned in closely, saying, “If I remember correctly… Nuo’er, both physically and mentally, this is your first time, right?”
First time?
Is it… the first time I understood?
“Wh…y,” I stammered, feeling a bit flustered, “Why are you suddenly asking this question?”
“Nothing.”
The girl beside me revealed a mysterious smile.
“After work tonight, come to my room. I have something good to show you.”
“……”
……
The prettiest girl in the school
“Ice Spirit” said it with a playful tone.
? (pronounced “?” or “ah”)
? expresses familiarity and endearment.