I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 144
Chapter 144: Rabbit! Rabbit! Cardboard Box!
I find it a bit strange with Li Denghua’s request to go to school to help “find someone.”
Or you could say that the feeling I get from Li Denghua and her family is not quite right. The first time I came to the café, the relationship between Li Denghua and her mother gave me a very subtle feeling, as if Li Denghua knew that I am her “life-saving benefactor’s” “sister,” and out of moral awareness, she was so polite and obedient, as if she had no relationship with her mother.
Li Denghua’s mother seems unable to “control” Li Denghua at all, and the two of them completely lack the warmth of a typical mother-daughter relationship in most families. In most families, daughters usually have a closer relationship with their mothers, like a caring little warm coat. Usually, when daughters make mistakes, fathers are responsible for being stern, while mothers are responsible for persuading. Over time, girls in the elementary to middle school stages generally become very close to their mothers.
However, this is not the case with Li Denghua. It’s like this child is a bit too mature for her age, and Li Denghua’s mother seems to have no clear goal in educating her daughter, giving off a sense of “respectful” and “allowing free growth” for her daughter.
Considering the time when they went to the café with Lu Xinjian before, Li Denghua always stood on the side of Lu Xinjian and his daughter, leaving her mother aside. I can’t help but imagine that there must be some kind of estrangement between them. This should be the downside of high intelligence combined with free education.
As for Li Denghua’s mother asking me to help with tutoring, I also find it a bit strange. If Li Denghua’s situation is true, and she is indeed lacking in Chinese and English, her mother’s request is understandable.
After all, after the surgery, Li Denghua’s eyes have just recovered, and she has been hospitalized for so long that her previous good friends may have gone to study in other places. In addition, the classmates from Starlight Elementary School have all moved on to middle school. After the surgery, Li Denghua has lost all the peers she can talk to.
During my university days, when we turned off the lights to sleep at night, I once heard stories from dormitory mates about his childhood. Originally, he was a very cheerful person, growing up with three or four buddies in the same courtyard, all of whom were of the same age, attending the same school. However, due to a serious illness, he stayed in the hospital for over half a year. His buddies went to study elsewhere, and he could only play alone, becoming more introverted.
I suspect that Li Denghua is in such a situation, or perhaps she doesn’t even have any friends and has always been alone. Then, at this point, Lu Xinjian found their family and explained the situation of me being the “life-saving benefactor’s” sister to Li Denghua’s mother. Li Denghua’s mother then made the decision for me to accompany her daughter.
The logic in this is quite clear. Generally, prodigious children like Li Denghua are likely to “disdain” their peers to some extent. While others play with mud downstairs every night, Li Denghua is alone in her room researching academic issues. With different interests and hobbies, asking peers for help with Li Denghua’s specialized studies wouldn’t work. But if you were to invite a true college student, there might be a fear of the daughter rebelling. I happen to meet both conditions, being short, looking like an elementary school student, yet an adult who is good at communication. Therefore, Li Denghua’s mother chose me.
So… Li Denghua’s mother asking me to tutor her daughter has two meanings. First, she hopes to find a good friend for her daughter, but this friend cannot be someone of the same age, as her daughter would find them immature. Since I am short, look like an elementary school student, and am an adult, it is easy to communicate with me. Second, after Li Denghua’s mother heard about my situation from Lu Xinjian, she wants to repay the “brother” who donated corneas for me.
Lu Xinjian must have investigated me and surely inquired about my situation from Ai Luodi. Knowing that I am poor, when he brought Li Denghua’s mother, he probably subtly mentioned the fact that “Yin Nuo’er is in need of money.”
This is the direct reason why Li Denghua’s family decided to let me tutor their daughter. To trace it back, the whole thing goes back to the Miss Grim Reaper.
If it weren’t for Yin Xiamo getting rid of the original uncle me, if she didn’t take my body to the hospital, donating the corneas, there wouldn’t be this kind of… tutoring, similar to repaying a favor.
But to be honest, I don’t believe that Li Denghua’s Chinese and English are so specialized that they require a tutor. If she were a high school senior needing guidance in a specific subject, I would believe it. However, for elementary school… elementary school Chinese and English are still in the stage of recognizing characters. Chinese mainly involves creating characters, forming words, and learning synonyms and antonyms. English involves phonetics and the alphabet. If she doesn’t even know these basics, there’s no reason she could understand advanced academic papers.
So, this matter… is quite strange.
“Madam, are you sure you want me to go to school?”
In the slightly chilly café, facing Li Denghua’s mother’s response on the phone, I was a bit puzzled. “Is it really okay to impersonate like this?”
“This child Denghua is currently a bit difficult to manage. She is a boarding student, and she doesn’t actually need to attend the evening self-study tonight. But if she’s willing to discuss this matter with you, it shows that she trusts you a lot.”
So, in simple terms, you’re too lazy to deal with your own child, so you ask someone else to do it. That’s really bad parenting.
Li Denghua’s mother’s tone didn’t sound like she was joking. “Of course, if you’re too busy, it’s okay. Kids can be a bit willful. I’m really sorry for causing you trouble.”
Hmm… How should I respond to this?
“Can you give me some time to think about it?”
After hesitating for a moment, I decided not to make the commitment too firm. “I want to see if I can free up some time tonight.”
Starlight Elementary School is right behind Ai Luodi’s rental house. It won’t take much time to walk over. Evening self-study starts at 7:30. If I really decide to go, I’ll have to leave the café at 7, change clothes, and then go to the elementary school to find the rumored ‘Butterfly.’
Probably… I need to request an hour off from Ouyang Xue?
“Alright.”
Li Denghua’s mother on the other end of the phone sighed in relief. “Thank you so much for your trouble. Our child…”
“It’s okay. Kids at this age are like this. I was the same when I was a child,” I reassured. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll go in and ask their teachers about the situation when the time comes.”
“Yeah, very sorry…”
“It’s really okay. Oh, by the way, Happy Mother’s Day!”
“Thank you.”
“…”
After hanging up the phone, I looked around and quickly descended from the second floor.
“Xiao Mo.”
In the pet section on the first floor, I walked up to Yin Xiamo and gestured to the elementary school uniform in my arms, “What should we do about Li Denghua’s situation?”
“Hmm?”
The girl in front of me just glanced at the clothes and curiously asked, “Did that little loli give you this set?”
“No…”
I briefly explained Li Denghua’s request.
“I don’t have experience dealing with children. You’ve been around for a long time. How should I handle something like this?”
Holding the clothes, I felt a headache coming on. “Why doesn’t Denghua want to go back to school herself?”
“Oh?”
Yin Xiamo showed a happy expression. “The little pet encounters difficulties, and the first reaction is actually to come to me for advice? It seems you’re gradually getting used to the fact that you’re a little loli in need of care!”
“What a mess!”
I felt my hair standing on end again. “I am sincerely asking for your opinion!”
“As a wife or as the child’s mother?”
“Isn’t there a third option? And when did we have a child?”
“Well… as a girlfriend then?”
“As a macho man!”
If there were a mirror nearby, I bet I could see an “angry” symbol on my forehead. “Okay, quickly give me your opinion.”
“Kids are very simple. Since Li Denghua is a boarding student and doesn’t need to attend evening self-study on Saturdays, but she still wants you to come to her school, considering the child’s situation, something probably happened in the school before she lost her sight. After recovering her eyesight, she wants to confirm what happened, but for some reason, she’s afraid to go. And that Butterfly person is probably crucial.”
Yin Xiamo thought for a moment. “Anyway, other moms have said it’s okay. Nuo’er, you can try it, and it’s okay. I’ll keep an eye on things here at the café.”
“Really okay?”
I was a bit puzzled. “Why do I always feel, Xiao Mo, that you have a kind of… somehow trying to get me into the school?”
“Of course.”
The girl in front of me didn’t hide her excitement at all. “Seeing Nuo’er wearing elementary school clothes makes me super happy!”
Indeed…
“So, Nuo’er, just give it a try. You have your ID and phone, it’s fine. At worst, explain the situation to the teachers there.”
Yin Xiamo encouraged me, “You can even get a set of clothes for free.”
“Why would I want elementary school clothes?”
“But this outfit clearly looks like it was custom-made for you. Look at the height number on it, 130/140. Li Denghua is nearly 150 centimeters tall, and it won’t fit her.”
“Xiao Mo…”
“Yes?”
“So, who made me this short!”
I placed the uniform and school card in my arms on the nearby cat tree and pushed Yin Xiamo into the corner. “If there’s a concept of hell in another world, shouldn’t Lolicon enthusiasts go to hell?”
“Hell has succubi, and besides, it’s a peaceful era here.”
The girl in my arms looked aggrieved. “Since it’s a peaceful era, when making a body, you don’t need to consider attributes like being strong and robust. Being cute is good enough. In times of peace, the children who look pretty are the most popular.”
“Hmm?”
I pondered for a moment. “Is that how you see it?”
“You haven’t asked me what I would do if this were a war-torn world!”
“If this were a war-torn world, would you turn me into an old man?”
“No, I would still turn you into a little loli and protect you.”
“That’s just like not saying anything.”
After some “persuasion” from Yin Xiamo, I finally made a decision – to go to Starlight Elementary School.
“Madam, I’ll go to your daughter’s school at 7:30 tonight and see if I can find the person she mentioned. If I can’t find them, I’ll explain the situation to their teacher and come out.”
I called Li Denghua’s mother, “Is this arrangement okay with you?”
“Alright, alright. Thank you so much.”
You could tell from her voice that this mom was very happy, a kind of… how should I put it, like the joy when a family’s child with autism suddenly speaks and makes a friend.
After resolving this matter, I went to the kitchen and found Jiang Wei, who was having a conversation with Chef Wang and his girlfriend Ye Zi.
“Don’t underestimate me, with just these few dishes, I can make at least five different flavors for you!”
Jiang Wei seemed to be having a pleasant chat with Chef Wang. They were drinking a bit of wine and chatting away in the kitchen.
“When I was the head chef at that hotel in the city, not to mention small weddings, even when the deputy mayor hosted some leader from that country, and the hotel was reserved, I made most of the dishes.”
Seeing me coming in, Chef Wang waved his hand, “Nuo’er, your friend is quite interesting. He even knows how to cook.”
Huh? Jiang Wei? Knows how to cook?
“Well, I’ve self-funded and learned cooking for a few months before.”
Jiang Wei laughed, “Brother, don’t judge me by my appearance. Back in the day, after making some money, to avoid unemployment, I self-taught many things. First, I enrolled in a culinary school, then learned about computers, and finally, I even attended classes at an excavator school for a few months. Now, if you ask me to use a computer to control an excavator to cook, I could probably do it!”
“Well, quite the storyteller, aren’t you?”
Chef Wang clearly liked Jiang Wei’s personality, “Let’s settle it like this then. When the time comes, you just send me the list of dishes you need, and I’ll have Li Chen prepare them in advance. When your brother gets married, I’ll definitely come and help with everything, all aspects.”
“Deal.”
Jiang Wei finished the drink in the disposable bowl in front of him, “With Brother Wang saying that, Jiang Mou is sincerely grateful.”
“What are you guys doing, forming an oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden?”
I walked in feeling amused, “Is everything settled? What did Sister Ouyang say?”
“Sister Ouyang said since you’re Nuo’er’s friend, renting the place from the afternoon until the evening is fine.”
Chef Wang also finished his drink in one go, “Because this is the first time our café has been reserved, and it’s for a wedding, so we can make it a bit more festive.”
Ah… as long as you’ve reached an agreement.
I’m just an ordinary waitress, all I can do then is serve the dishes or something.
After confirming there were no issues on Jiang Wei’s side, I went back to the second floor, briefly cleaned up the various leftover bubble teas and coffee cups, and then called Ouyang Xue to explain my plan to take an hour off in the evening.
“For such a small matter, you don’t need to inform me. In our café, taking an hour off is not called requesting leave, it’s called taking a break.”
Ouyang Xue’s condition seemed to be effectively controlled, and she sounded much more energetic when speaking, “Nuo’er, you are already an adult. In the future, for similar matters, you decide for yourself.”
“Alright.”
During the conversation, I remembered Su Yunjin’s words in the morning and couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Ouyang, um… will I really be chosen as the manager for this side in the future?”
“Future matters will be discussed in the future. For now, stabilize the situation of the café.”
Sister Ouyang immediately changed the topic, “The view count for our promotional video is approaching two million. You guys must be busy these days. Get to work and don’t think about slacking off. I have cameras to monitor the situation here.”
Uh… I was about to praise Ouyang Xue as a good boss, but here she is, in the hospital, still watching the live stream online to supervise our work…
“Got it, boss. I’ll work hard…”
“…”
After dealing with this headache-inducing pile of tasks, I checked the time, had a drink of water, and went back to the staff lounge to take a short break.
After 3:30 in the afternoon, the café entered another peak period of customer flow.
Pedestrians and tourists attracted by the nearby commercial street, sightseers who came to play near the Shenzhen River, netizens and members of the Tongmeng Net who specifically came to experience the maid cat service after watching the video online, and a family of three living nearby…
All sorts of people crowded the spacious café. It seems that the online video promotion was quite effective, as a significant portion of the afternoon customers were female netizens who enjoyed going out, and there were quite a few “yuri couple”.
According to them, the reason they noticed this café was due to the outdoor live streamer, Yin Xiamo, bluntly stating in front of the camera, “Nuo’er is my wife.” They thought this place was a “Yuri Club.”
“Of course, after coming here, it didn’t disappoint us. There are so many adorable little cats.”
Since most of the visitors this time were girls, and girls naturally have no resistance to cute cats, the cat living area was packed. Over sixty cats were “recruited,” and some cats with outstanding looks even faced the situation of “one cat serving five or six girls.” They were being held by various university girls, letting other girls pet them, giving off a vibe reminiscent of the image that “if you don’t strive, you’ll become a woman’s plaything.”
Especially the Ragdoll cats, they had the most striking appearance in the shop, naturally becoming the “playthings” of these female university students.
The most beautiful ragdoll “Nenbao”, among the Ragdoll cats couldn’t bear the burden and chose to lie down. Several Ragdoll cats even hid in the corners, playing a game of hide and seek with customers.
I’m quite happy with this situation. After all, if everyone is just playing with the cats, I don’t have to attend to seating, take orders, deliver meals, or clean up the tables after they leave.
It continued until more and more customers filled the shop. Some girls who couldn’t wait to pet the cats noticed me on the second floor wearing cat ear headphones.
“Um… does the maid lady also count as a cat?”
“…”
…
At 6:50 in the evening, the number of customers in the shop decreased a bit. According to the agreement, Li Denghua returned, bringing her little backpack with her.
“These are my previous textbooks and homework. You… can take a look later.”
Seemingly not fond of such a crowded environment, this little girl spoke with some nervousness, “Have you decided, Cat Sister?”
“I can help you check out the school, but I can’t guarantee that nothing will happen. After all, it’s been a long time since I entered a school, and if I’m discovered, I’ll have to leave.”
“That’s okay, just do your best.”
Li Denghua turned around, “Then I’ll go listen to the lecture with my mom.”
“Wait.”
I stopped her, “Which butterfly are you talking about?”
“It’s that butterfly.”
She didn’t turn back, “Tell our teacher, she knows.”
This is like a riddle?
After thinking for a moment, I asked, “If I help you with this favor, will you really study hard?”
“Yes.”
This little one agreed quite quickly this time.
“Alright, I’ll change and go take a look later. Is that the exclusive uniform of Starlight Elementary School?”
If I remember correctly, the school uniform in Shenzhen City should be unified across the city, and neither the top nor the skirt should look like that.
Similar to this British-style uniform with a pleated skirt and a beret, if I’m not mistaken, it should belong to a “private school exclusive uniform.”
“Yeah, I bought it with my pocket money. Consider it a gift for my sister.”
Li Denghua still had that tone of a little person acting mature, “If my sister likes it, you can wear it to our school and play anytime.”
Why would I go to your school dressed in a elementary school uniform? I’m not a weird uncle!
“Okay, let’s say that. I’ll go to your school later to inquire about the person you mentioned.”
In the end, I could only accept Li Denghua’s proposal, “Regardless of whether I find out or not, you must study hard from now on.”
“Okay.”
“…”
After Li Denghua left, Yin Xiamo walked over, “It seems like she really considers you as a friend.”
“Hmm?”
I was puzzled, “What do you mean by considering as a friend?”
“Kids don’t have as many complicated thoughts as adults. She probably doesn’t have many friends at home, and finally seeing someone of the same age who looks somewhat similar, and also a girl, subconsciously wants to make friends.”
Yin Xiamo put on a knowledgeable look, “You agreed to her request, and the little one’s affection for you has probably increased a lot.”
“But I really don’t know how to deal with kids.”
I shook my head, “Never mind, let’s first go to her school and see what’s going on.”
With my left hand holding the bag filled with books and stationery and my right hand holding the Starlight Elementary School uniform, I walked into the dressing room on the second floor. Skillfully, I took off the maid outfit and white stockings, opening the package of the clothes.
Just as I guessed, this set of clothes is brand new, emitting the unique smell of new clothing.
A deep blue top, a small tie, a pleated skirt, and a beret in the same theme color—all the clothing was inside the bag.
Not including shoes?
I looked at my own pair of black maid round-toe shoes.
Well… Although these small shoes might not match the traditional “schoolgirl uniform shoes” like the ones for the school uniform, overall, it didn’t look out of place. Wearing them like this seemed fine, and I could just switch the socks to regular ankle socks.
Thinking this way, I took out the top from the bag, shook it a few times, and tried to put it on.
Just right.
Next were the tie and the little skirt.
I’ve worn this kind of pleated skirt a few times before, it’s even simpler than boys’ pants. Open the zipper on the side, then put on the skirt and zip it back up.
A girl’s hips are generally a bit “larger” than a boy’s, so pulling the skirt down to just below the waist and zipping it up ensures it won’t slip down.
Compared to boys wearing pants, where you have to pull them up, zip them, wear a belt, and do a bunch of other tedious things, skirts are really convenient. Whether putting them on or taking them off, they even beat long pants in comfort.
As for this bowtie-like little necktie, I think it should just be hung around the neck, right? I faced the mirror and easily put on the matching little bowtie as if tying a regular tie. Why do I feel… even more childish?
Looking at myself in the mirror, all dressed up in an elementary school uniform, looking very juvenile, I couldn’t help but laugh. I then placed the beret on my head. Isn’t this just too cute? I tried tilting my head to the side in front of the mirror. The two ponytails at the back swayed onto my shoulders, causing a tingling sensation. And then there’s this… I picked up the backpack from the table, found the right position, and slung it onto my back. Stand properly, look in the mirror, smile a bit, and act cute.
Hmm… for some reason, the elementary school student in the mirror reminded me of various scary scenarios I’ve seen online. My current weight is about the same as two Maine Coon cats. What if I go out like this… and when I reach the school gate, a van stops along the way, and two big guys come out and just lift me up and run?
No, this security measure must be in place. The excessively cute “elementary school student” in the mirror gave me a strong sense of crisis. Taking out my phone, I switched to the background alarm system and double-checked the relevant programs. Since turning into a little girl, due to being too cute, I haven’t neglected the aspect of preventing bad people. The new phone bought by Xiamo has a very comprehensive security setup, including an automatic alarm feature.
As long as my voice says it, triggering the corresponding keywords, the phone’s background will automatically execute the program.
Among them, I set two key voice commands. The first one is “Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!” If I shout like that, the phone will automatically dial 110 for emergency assistance. The second one is “Cardboard! Cardboard! Cardboard!” These three words trigger the phone’s automatic text messaging function, sending a message to Yin Xiamo with only the words “Help me!”
In theory… from receiving the message to coming to my side, Yin Xiaomo only needs less than 1 second.
Well, although this girl is a bit unserious most of the time, at least she does well in the “bodyguard” role.
I don’t know why, but the thought of having Xiamo by my side and knowing that no matter what happens, as long as I shout the keywords at my phone, someone will appear at lightning speed gives me a very peculiar sense of security.
This definitely isn’t some attachment or dependency I have towards Yin Xiamo, absolutely not.
“Wow!”
When I came out of the dressing room wearing the elementary school uniform and carrying Li Denghua’s backpack, and walked down the stairs to the first floor, Yin Xiamo, who was cleaning cat hair on the first floor, widened her eyes, “I suddenly realized that this outfit suits you perfectly.”
“No, that’s just your illusion.”
I glanced around the scattered people still eating in the café, “I’ll leave it to you here. I’ll be back around 8:30.”
Yin Xiamo put on a look of ‘I understand’, “Need help preparing catnip?”
I clenched my fist, “Not needed!”
“Well…”
Yin Xiamo thought for a moment: “How about squeezing a glass of watermelon juice for you?”
“That’s fine.”
I glanced at the time on my phone, “But, absolutely no catnip in the watermelon juice!”
“Why? What’s the matter with that expression? Are you really planning to do something like that?”
“No, no, hehe…”
Yin Xiamo had a mysterious look, “Just regular watermelon juice. Let me know when you come back, I want to squeeze the juice for you!”
“……”
Why do I feel like tonight is not going to be smooth?
“……”
……