I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 187

Chapter 187: Cute Little Turtle Cat Spinning Around

 

Mayor of Shenzhen City… wanted to meet us?

 

Jiang Wei’s words left me momentarily unsure of how to respond. Before Yin Xiamo transformed me into the current appearance of a little loli, I had always been a very quiet and reserved person.

 

Not to mention figures at the level of a mayor, I didn’t even know anyone who could be loosely referred to as an “official,” including the school principal or even the head teacher.

 

Because ordinary people are like this. If you want the principal to know you in school, either be mischievous to a certain extent, excel in studies to a certain extent, or do something outrageous at school to a certain extent.

 

For example, during junior high, there was a person in our class who, because of his relatively wealthy family, had several thousand yuan pocket money every month, excluding his meals. He spent his days in school not studying well, bribing students and teachers everywhere. He even bribed the truck driver who delivered ingredients to the school cafeteria.

 

As a result, this student basically never attended classes, rode the driver’s vehicle in and out of the campus every day, got into fights outside, pursued women, became jealous, and caused a lot of trouble, giving the principal a headache.

 

Apart from this, there was also an extraordinary person in the school at that time. Over the three years of high school, she maintained first place in all subjects, participated in competitions such as physics, chemistry, and computer, won numerous awards, and finally got into Peking University. The principal personally awarded her a special prize in front of the whole school and even publicly announced a scholarship of over five hundred thousand.

 

I have a relatively honest personality, never causing trouble or violating discipline. Additionally, my family is poor, without even a home. I dare not create any major disturbances. Not to mention the principal, even if I were to go back now and ask the former class teacher or various subject teachers from the school about Yin Shiren, they probably wouldn’t remember.

 

Now, Jiang Wei tells me… someone like me has actually directly attracted the attention of the mayor? Without any deputies?

 

Before, due to the matter of Starlight Elementary School, I sought Su Yunjin. His background is quite complex, probably not just a “rich second generation,” there might also be some “official second generation” elements. He contacted the deputy mayor and temporarily resolved the issue with Starlight Elementary School. But at that time, it was only an affair between their “adults,” and it had nothing to do with me, right?

 

At this moment, the only reason I can think of for this “mayor” to seek us out is that when Yin Xiamo tried to “dissuade” the typhoon, it was captured by satellites. Even Xiao Mo’s use of magic in the eye of the storm was exposed. Because this matter goes against science, the mayor personally came to talk to us.

 

However, upon careful consideration, it doesn’t make sense. In the matter of the typhoon, Yin Xiamo clearly claimed not to have been exposed. The impression Xiao Mo has given me in the month we’ve spent together is that she is very reliable.

 

Aside from the usual playful jokes, as long as she takes something seriously and gives a definite answer, there’s generally no deviation. Moreover, at the age of just over six thousand, it’s unlikely for her to make such small mistakes—unless modern technology has surpassed magic.

 

“Um… I don’t quite understand.”

 

After listening to Jiang Wei’s description, I hesitated for a moment and asked with a slightly naive tone, “Why does the mayor want to see us?”

 

As we came directly to the first floor of Jiang Wei’s house, it’s only known to be a large warehouse. The second floor, on the other hand, is decorated exceptionally well. Upon entering, there’s a large living room, the dining area to the right, followed by the kitchen and a guest bathroom. To the left is a master bedroom and two small bedrooms. The master bedroom connects to a small bathroom and a balcony.

 

Perhaps because Jiang Wei is older than me, the house is relatively “vintage,” with mostly wooden furnishings—carved with classical patterns. The walls are adorned with various paintings, giving it the feel of a wealthy family’s small villa.

 

This visit to Jiang Wei’s house was at the request of Ye Zi. After they got married, Ye Zi suggested that since we live so close, we can consider ourselves neighbors. On one of your days off, you can come play at our house. In the future, if you ever pass by the Honor District, you can come in and visit anytime. So, I and Yin Xiamo found a day off and came to visit this young couple.

 

“Oh, you don’t need to be nervous.” Perhaps noticing the worry on my face, Jiang Wei quickly waved his hand. “It’s not an official meeting, but a private one.”

 

“A private… meeting?”

 

I was even more curious, “Does the mayor know us?”

 

The mayor of Shenzhen City… if I remember correctly, is a woman, right? It seems she is the first female mayor since the establishment of Shenzhen City, and she’s reportedly quite young, in her thirties and not yet in her forties.

 

Back when I was living in the Wujia Apartment after graduating from college, I occasionally saw people in the WeChat group mentioning this female mayor, with the last name Ye, but I can’t recall her full name.

 

Leaving aside other matters, in terms of the changes in Shenzhen City in recent years, as a native of Shenzhen, I have some say in it. Shenzhen City’s development wasn’t great in the past, especially forty to fifty years ago. It was truly a thoroughly impoverished place. I’m not sure when this Mayor Ye came into office, but I do know that in the last five years, Shenzhen City has experienced rapid development. Moreover, situations commonly reported in other cities, like having to squat throughout the entire process when dealing with public affairs to prove your identity, are almost unheard of in Shenzhen City.

 

For example, as a novelist, once our royalties exceed 800 yuan, we need to pay taxes. The tax calculation is a bit complex, roughly understood as 14% of the total royalties. So, if the monthly royalty is 1000 yuan, you have to pay 140 yuan in taxes. The platform will temporarily deduct this 140 yuan and became 860 yuan, and then, in the following year, the author needs to go to the tax office to apply for a “tax refund.”

 

Most authors are eligible for this tax refund, unless their monthly income from royalties exceeds 100,000 yuan or they belong to a group of people with high incomes from sources other than writing. Individuals in the latter category may end up having to pay additional taxes. Even for authors like me, who earn around 200 yuan in taxes each month, it accumulates to two or three thousand yuan annually.

 

When it’s time for the tax refund, going to the tax office to process it can result in a significant income. When the “tax refund” service was first introduced nationwide, there were many complications and demands for various proofs. However, the tax refund process in Shenzhen City was smooth, and the tax office’s service was highly praised by authors in Shenzhen City on online platforms.

 

Later, to provide more efficient services for freelancers, there emerged mobile apps that allowed authors to handle tax refunds directly on their phones. Every year, authors in various groups would hear complaints about delayed tax refund services, difficulties in eligibility verification, and the need to visit the tax office with identification.

 

During such times, Shenzhen City was often swift. While authors in other cities struggled with app login issues, lagging, and failed verifications, authors in Shenzhen City had already completed the tax refund process, with the money arriving in their accounts in less than a week.

 

Although I don’t know this female mayor personally, the visible development of Shenzhen City in recent years and the good service in public affairs have left a positive impression on me.

 

“You may not know her, that’s okay. Don’t mention that you’re nervous. In fact, I’m also… I’m also nervous.”

 

Facing our curious gazes, Jiang Wei took a bite of grapes from the table and continued, “The mayor mentioned that she’ll be coming to our house in a private capacity, and she told us not to bother with too much formality. Just treat her as an old friend, like how you would with Su Yunjin and others… I suspect that Su Yunjin might also come.”

 

Just as he said that, Jiang Wei’s phone made a “ding-ding” sound.

 

“You see, what did I tell you?”

 

Taking out his phone, Jiang Wei gestured towards his phone screen. “Brother Jituto is calling, most likely, they’re coming together.”

 

Hmm… alright.

I cast a helpless expression towards Ye Zi beside me.

 

After these few days of getting to know each other, Ye Zi has left a very good impression on me. During the time when she cosplayed as Saber in the café, her affectionate appearance with Jiang Wei on stage was indeed a bit shocking to me. It gave off the feeling of suddenly believing in love.

 

Ye Zi’s personality is particularly gentle, and whether in her actions or speech, she carries a kind of “elegance.” To describe it with an idiom, it’s like a “Yamato Nadeshiko.” Earlier in Ai Luodi’s room, Ye Zi helped install the machine. After finishing, she patiently explained the precautions for each component to me, along with various computer-related knowledge. When she’s with Jiang Wei, this elder sister completely enters the state of being a “wife.”

 

I estimate that any guy who encounters such a girl would be captivated. Even Jiang Wei, who has always claimed to be a “stay-at-home, childless, and unmarried” kind of person, is no exception.

 

At that time, I had even started to imagine what my own wedding might look like in the future. It’s worth noting that before this, marriage was something I didn’t even dare to think about.

 

“Hello? Oh, oh, you’ve arrived? Are you outside the residential area? The security guard won’t let you in?”

 

While talking on the phone in front of me and Yin Xiamo, Jiang Wei didn’t seem to be too cautious. He directly chatted with the person on the other end of the line.

 

“Okay, so, Brother Ji, you guys wait there. I’ll go out now to bring you in. The location of the underground parking lot here is a bit off, and you might have trouble finding it. Right, right, okay, I’ll be right out.”

 

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Wei gestured for us to make ourselves at home. “I’ll go out to pick them up. Xiao Zi, you entertain them a bit.”

 

Ye Zi gave Jiang Wei a playful look and then turned to us. “Nuo’er, Xiao Mo, let’s not bother with them. Come, sister will take you upstairs to see the turtles.”

 

See… turtles?

In confusion, Yin Xiamo and I followed Ye Zi to the third floor of their house.

 

It was only at this moment that I realized, strictly speaking, this house seemed to have four floors. The fourth floor was an outdoor balcony. Most of the detached houses we saw on the way here had this design. The rooftop area was very spacious, suitable for planting various plants—vegetables, fruit trees, anything goes.

 

“Jiang Wei has had a tough time these years. There were issues at home, so he went out to work alone, saved some money, and then started his own business.”

 

Unlocking the door on the third floor with a key, Ye Zi explained while entering the floor filled with various large containers.

 

“He used to rent a storefront near the computer city, but because he was too honest, he was ostracized by the nearby competitors. Those dishonest merchants spread messages to their own customers, telling them to inform their relatives and friends that Jiang Wei’s store in the computer city was a scam. In less than half a year, those who came to buy computers all knew about Jiang Wei’s store and stopped coming to him, even though they had never been to his store.”

 

“Jiang Wei couldn’t afford the rent for the storefront and owed a lot of money. Being pursued by debt collectors, he cut off ties with me voluntarily to avoid burdening me. This disappearance… lasted for seven years.”

 

Leading us to the largest metal tank in the middle, Ye Zi slowly lifted the cloth covering the top of the tank. “For the past seven years, Brother Jiang Wei has been working hard. He tried various ways to make money—selling things online, writing novels, making videos… I heard from his friends that during the toughest times, Brother Jiang Wei averaged less than three hours of rest per day for an entire year. It was also during that time that he developed many illnesses, and it continues until today. Now that he’s married, I told him not to always focus on making money. Just stay at home, take care of the turtles, and leave the storefront to me.”

 

As Ye Zi uncovered the cloth on top of the large tank, I heard the sound of small animals moving inside the tank, a “dang-dang-dang” crawling sound.

 

Curiously, I leaned my head over to take a look—

 

So many turtles.

 

There was a section in the tank full of water, probably for the turtles to rest, and the other side was dry. The types of turtles inside were not the familiar “Brazilian turtles” that I was used to but a kind of… well, their backs were a bit fiery red, and their heads looked quite imposing.

 

The turtles inside were about the size of my palm, and I’m not a professional, so I couldn’t judge their age, but they didn’t seem too big.

 

But they were quite cute.

 

At this moment, several turtles seemed unafraid of people, raising their little heads and curiously looking in our direction.

 

“Nuo’er.”

 

At this point, Yin Xiamo came over and, with a slightly infatuated tone, said, “You’re wearing a cat bell, and then you lean over to look at things inside, with a face full of curiosity like a cute little kitten…”

 

Huh?

I paused for a moment.

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be looking at the turtles? Why are you paying attention to me?”

 

How does that poem go again? You’re on the bridge admiring the scenery, and the person admiring the scenery is looking at you?

 

They have so many little turtles! Xiao Mo, why aren’t you checking them out? Why is all your attention on me?

 

“This type of turtle is called the Flame Turtle. It’s easy to raise, can be used as medicinal material or as a meat turtle, and can also be kept for ornamental purposes. The price is quite stable, making it a kind of investment,” Ye Zi explained. She seemed to enjoy watching our daily antics and added with a smile, “Besides this, we also have many Money Turtles over there.”

 

As Ye Zi spoke, she walked towards another tank, removed the cloth covering the top, and then opened the light beside it with a “click.”

 

“Money Turtles are quite expensive, and their prices are stable. They are relatively easy to care for, but due to their slow breeding speed, the capital turnover is slow. However, it doesn’t matter. Taking it slow is good. Jiang Wei has been tired for so many years, let him take care of the turtles every day, play games, it’s quite nice.”

 

I followed and looked inside at the Money Turtles, which had a darker color compared to the Flame Turtle mentioned earlier. Listening to Ye Zi, I felt like I learned quite a bit.

 

“Is Jiang Wei no longer in the computer business?”

 

“He is, but most of the time, I handle it. When he used to run this business, he promised 24-hour operation. He was installing machines there even at three or four in the morning, making his body sick.”

 

Ye Zi sighed, “I took over his online computer store. Now, he will honestly stay here and take care of the turtles. I’ll make sure he rests well.”

 

As Ye Zi spoke these words, she had the appearance of a responsible housewife, and I could almost envision Jiang Wei’s future being under her strict supervision.

 

But thinking about it, it seemed quite nice. When playing games before, Jiang Wei did mention that he had been “getting more tired” in recent years. Although he decided to “take it easy,” as a novelist, there’s still a computer store to manage in reality, and an online account to operate. His daily rest time is indeed quite scarce.

 

Previously, our gaming group was mainly composed of me, Jiang Wei, and Pipi. Occasionally, Jituto or Su Yunjin, would join to replace one of us. When playing games, the three of us would often exhibit ‘dropping out’ behavior. I would have computer hardware issues—my old computer would frequently lag and crash, with outdated graphics cards and monitors not suitable for playing competitive games. Or the apartment’s network, where I live, would experience fluctuations, leading to disconnections.

 

As for Pipi’s ‘accidents,’ it would usually involve his daughter, where during a game, little Pipi might fall while playing with toys, cry, or want something to eat. He would then have to abandon the game to comfort his daughter.

 

As for ‘Marisa’s Iron Butt,’ it’s purely due to physical reasons. Jiang Wei often complained of feeling dizzy during games and needed a break, or his stomach would ache, and he needed time to recover. This is a common issue for middle-aged individuals. Jiang Wei, in particular, used to experience periods of extreme poverty when he owed money and faced constant harassment from debt collectors. He slept under bridges during the worst times and once fell asleep on a bus due to exhaustion, waking up in the hospital after passersby thought he had a stroke and called an ambulance.

 

For some reason, as I gazed at the small turtles in the tank, thinking about the real-life Jiang Wei and Ye Zi, my attention shifted involuntarily to my side, looking at Yin Xiamo.

 

“Oh, right.”

 

Under my somewhat fearful gaze, Yin Xiamo pondered, “I seem to be able to… do something like this, where I focus on selling cute things every day, and then I go out to work to support the family?”

 

“No, no, no, that’s not right, it’s not good.”

 

I quickly pulled the young girl over, saying, “Our family… our family situation is different, it can’t be generalized.”

 

“Ding dong!”

 

Just as I was speaking, the sound of the front door opening echoed from downstairs, followed by Jiang Wei’s slightly awkward voice, “Uh… cough, Mayor Ye, our house was just renovated, just… just moved in. It’s a bit messy. Please don’t mind.”

 

“Haha, Brother Jiang Wei, I’ve told you not to be so nervous. Today’s schedule is arranged by others, and these two hours are private time. No bodyguards are accompanying me.”

 

After Su Yunjin’s words, a mature female voice followed, “Who would mind? We are both ordinary people.”

 

“Oh, they’re here.”

 

From the third floor, Ye Zi heard the commotion downstairs and leaned out towards the stairwell, saying, “It really is Mayor Ye. It’s my first time… seeing her outside of the television.”

 

I followed and walked over, curiously looking down at the floor.

 

Under the gaze of me and Yin Xiamo, a middle-aged woman in a well-dressed black suit and pants, with neatly styled short hair, was walking upstairs under the “escort” of Jiang Wei and Su Yunjin.

 

“Xiao Mo.”

 

I couldn’t help it and leaned over to Yin Xiamo’s ear, whispering, “You didn’t really get captured by satellites during the typhoon, did you?”

 

“How is that possible?”

 

Yin Xiamo answered seriously, “I’ve researched the technology in this world, it can’t counter magic.”

 

Then why is the mayor coming over here…

 

“So fast?”

 

In confusion, Ye Zi had already trotted down the stairs and jokingly said to the group, “Mayor Ye, visiting our humble abode so quickly… we’re pleasantly surprised.”

 

“Ah, I’ve already said it’s just as a friend coming to take a look.”

 

The middle-aged woman pointed at Su Yunjin and used a joking tone, “Or is it that the circle of you young people doesn’t welcome this old auntie?”

 

“No, no, no, how could that be? Welcome, always welcome!”

 

Ye Zi waved towards me, “Nuo’er, Xiao Mo, come.”

 

“Hello… uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

 

I walked down nervously, looking at Mayor Ye, who was coming up from the first floor. “Well, I’m glad to meet you.”

 

Clearly, the Mayor of Shenzhen City took time out of her busy schedule to visit Jiang Wei’s place in a private capacity.

 

As for why she came back and what her main purpose was, I had no way of knowing.

 

“Ah, you two must be the ones who have been trending online recently…”

 

Seeing me, the middle-aged woman waved amicably towards us, “Let me think… one is Yin Nuo’er, and the other is Yin Xiamo, right?”

 

“Yes, yes, hello.”

 

After a moment of thought, I added, “Mayor.”

 

“Don’t keep calling me Mayor, Mayor. In private, I’m just an ordinary citizen, hehe. I came here today intending to have a casual chat with everyone.”

 

The middle-aged woman gestured towards Su Yunjin with her eyes. “I’ve known him and his uncle for a long time. Recently, I heard about the things happening in Nanqi District. Also, isn’t the café and the pedestrian street just starting? I casually checked online and found that the café is doing quite well, keeping up with the times, with maids and promotional videos. I thought, can I ask Su Yunjin for a favor? Since you’re all friends, how about gathering privately?”

 

The middle-aged woman took out a large box from her bag and handed it to Jiang Wei. “I heard from Su Yunjin that you like playing games. Here, a PS4, purchased from abroad, just arrived yesterday. It’s guaranteed to be brand new!”

 

“Wow, Mayor Ye, this is…”

 

Jiang Wei was momentarily unsure whether to accept. “This is too valuable.”

 

“No problem, and here, a set of cosmetics. I was too busy before and couldn’t come to attend your wedding. Consider this as compensation.”

 

With that, Mayor Ye handed another large box to Ye Zi. “Wishing you a hundred years of happiness and the early birth of noble offspring.”

 

With this series of gestures, the formerly stern “Mayor Ye” in my mind disappeared, turning into an ordinary person similar to us. The tense atmosphere in the room dissipated a lot.

 

“Finally, for you two, I don’t know what you like. These matching bracelets were made by a craftsman in the neighboring city. They may look gorgeous, but the cost is not that high. However, there’s only this pair in the world.”

 

Lastly, “Mayor Ye” took out two small boxes resembling jewelry boxes from her bag and handed them to me and Yin Xiamo.

 

“Huh?”

 

Subconsciously taking the box, I felt a bit awkward. “Tha… thank you.”

 

The Mayor personally giving gifts… what kind of concept is this? And she didn’t just give them to me and Xiao Mo, but also to Jiang Wei and Ye Zi. I couldn’t say she came specifically for herself.

 

“Don’t just stand at the door, come inside, come inside.”

 

Perhaps noticing my hesitation, Jiang Wei quickly gestured towards the interior. “Whatever it is, let’s talk inside, hehe.”

 

…

 

Three minutes later, Xiao Mo and I sat on a small sofa in the living room on the second floor of Jiang Wei’s house. My left hand and Xiao Mo’s right hand were adorned with delicate-looking silver bracelets.

 

The bracelets were very exquisite and small, almost imperceptible when worn. In the middle of my bracelet was a half-sky-blue gem in the shape of a heart, while Xiao Mo’s had a red gem. Together, the two gems formed a complete bicolor heart.

 

It was said that these two gems were made of natural agate. Due to their small size and the craftsman’s somewhat ascetic taste, they were not available for sale. Mayor Ye took them and gave them to us as a gift.

 

“We didn’t prepare much to eat today, just boiled some milk and got some cakes.”

 

Ye Zi poured milk for everyone around the coffee table, placed small cakes on the table, and arranged washed grapes. “I’ll make some fruit juice, you guys chat.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Su Yunjin, quite at ease, said, “Sis-in-law, I want apple juice!”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Seeing Mayor Ye talking with Jiang Wei over there, I lowered my voice and asked Su Yunjin, “What does the Mayor want with me?”

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

Su Yunjin spoke while nibbling on grapes, seemingly afraid that I might misunderstand. He added, “I really don’t know. She sneaked out during her private time, probably not something too official.”

 

At that moment, I felt my left hand being held.

 

“Nuo’er, you’re a bit too nervous.”

 

Turning my head, I saw Xiao Mo smiling. “It’s okay, with me here, it seems like just a casual gathering of friends.”

 

Just a casual gathering of friends?

 

I glanced at Jiang Wei chatting with the mayor on the side and at Su Yunjin eating grapes.

 

Hmm… it does seem that way?

 

“I bet the mayor probably came over just to chat and become familiar with us.”

 

In a daze, Xiao Mo whispered in my ear, “It’s their intuition at that level, just like Su Yunjin.”

 

Intuition?

 

I became even more puzzled.

 

“Nuo’er, your appearance… because it’s too cute, ordinary people might just think you’re pretty with good skin. But people at their level, their first reaction is to try to get to know us because we’re unique, beyond their understanding of the world.”

 

Xiao Mo turned her small hand, making the palms touch, and our fingers intertwined.

 

“It’s okay, just chat with them casually. It’s not convenient to talk here. Let’s discuss some special secrets when we get to the island later.”

 

“……”

 

……