I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 200
Chapter 200: You Naughty Kid
Early in the morning, I woke up to the pleasant sound of my phone alarm. Glancing outside, the morning sunlight had already seeped through the gaps between the curtains and windows, casting a slanting glow on the computer desk in the room, illuminating the mouse pad and computer tower adorned with the art depicting me and Yin Xiamo.
It seemed like another hot and sunny day today. The breathing lights and strips near the computer’s memory module twinkled in the sunlight, and Xiao Mo’s nameplate on the graphics card was slightly askew, perhaps due to accidentally bumping into it while typing last night.
“Ugh…”
I yawned loudly as I got up, flipping out of bed, and, just like yesterday, pulled open the curtains with a “whoosh.” A new day, a new atmosphere.
Grabbing my phone, I checked the time—eight twenty. Today was different from yesterday, yesterday, I woke up naturally, but today, I was awakened by the alarm. Because today, I had something special to do.
There was still no sign of Xiao Mo’s presence in the room, and the living room was very quiet, with only the faint sound of music from the nearby Starlight Elementary School doing exercises.
Hmm… at this time, Xiao Mo should be preparing for the arrival of that giant dragon on the small island, right? That’s what she mentioned when she went to sleep last night.
In the past few days, Xiao Mo and I had spent most evenings together. After returning home and taking a shower, I would sit at the computer desk to write, while Xiao Mo went to the bathroom to do laundry and housework. After finishing my writing, I would briefly check the comments and criticisms on the new book, while Xiao Mo would take the washed clothes to the balcony to dry and handle the garbage.
After completing all the tasks, we would lie on the bed and have a quiet conversation. Catnip, the editor, was right—I was indeed more suited to writing yuri novels.
At least these past few days, when I’m writing from the first-person perspective of the female protagonist, I have a feeling of “suddenly seeing the light.” The awkwardness of writing male protagonist stories and the moments of powerlessness when depicting the relationship between the male and female protagonists are all swept away. It’s as if I’ve found my true home, and every time I open the computer and pick up the keyboard, inspiration flows like a spring. The criticisms and comments on the novel are no longer filled with unrelated messages like “Is this written by Nuo Er?” or “Already read.”
After all, nowadays, I spend my days in the “torment” of Yin Xiamo. There’s basically no lack of inspiration, especially since the new book I started is a daily yuri novel, making it very convenient for source material.
Before this, I thought Yin Xiamo and I, one being an ordinary Earthling and the other a little demon from another world, wouldn’t have much common ground. However, after being together, we discovered that Xiao Mo’s insights on many things are highly similar to mine.
For example, many anime that I’ve watched, Xiao Mo has also watched. When we go to sleep, we can discuss content related to anime. If it’s a completed anime, we discuss the characters. If it’s an ongoing anime, we talk about possible future developments or new characters.
Xiao Mo has also seen quite a few movies, and although her computer was somewhat deceived by Ai Luodi’s distant relatives, it still functions without many major problems. Watching anime or videos without playing games is completely effortless. In the years since coming to Earth, Xiao Mo has filled in her knowledge gaps in these areas after adapting to Earth life, and she has unique insights into many movies.
Especially in movies related to magic, whenever mentioned, Xiao Mo would tell me how illogical the composition of magic is, how peculiar the magic patterns are, and she would caution me, “If Nuo’er ever learns magic in the future, be sure not to draw it like this.”
“The magic patterns in this scene are obviously randomly drawn, there’s no corresponding expression for this magic. It’s just light pollution.”
“I don’t understand these runes. Why is it both ice and fire? Even if it’s a different language, the grammar doesn’t make sense.”
“I really like that movie, but the mages in it are so clueless. If you use lightning magic like that, you’ll definitely shock yourself first.”
Besides that, I don’t know if she had ever peeked at my computer’s browsing history, exploring various images and comics inside folders named “New Folder” and “Study Materials.” Yin Xiamo and I also share a high level of commonality in our “interests,” and our conversations often take unexpected turns.
“I’ve noticed that people here sometimes have quite advanced ideas. In our world, there’s never been a tailor shop designing socks this long, and initially, skirts were worn by frontline warriors, called battle skirts. It’s because, theoretically, the physiological structure of males is more suitable for skirts.”
“Royal princesses? Yes, there are, in times of peace, many princesses wear long skirts, but not like those girls in anime… pairing short skirts with long stockings.”
“Hehe, as for me, I really like it. Watching girls in anime fighting in skirts and long stockings is super cool. It has a beautiful and cute yet strong fighting vibe.”
“For example, Nuo’er’s legs, superb!”
According to Yin Xiamo herself, she considers herself a “body enthusiast” and a “leg enthusiast.” In that world, during the era of the Demon King’s tyranny, where magic and miasma were rampant, people living in areas heavily affected by miasma often appeared emaciated and sickly, which was distressing to watch. However, during the time when Xiao Mo and the Hero lived, the aesthetic preference was for healthy skin, free from strange patterns, and a slightly plump yet well-curved physique.
In addition, long and beautifully curved legs were a significant criterion for selecting a partner in that world. Long legs indicated swift running, and being able to run fast made it less likely to be caught by prey. If one could be in a relationship with such a person, the chances of offspring survival were greater.
This is also the main reason why Yin Xiamo made my figure perfect when she “created” me—slender and long legs, fair and delicate skin.
In other words… I have now become the one who is “of interest.” I was created by Yin Xiamo to be the “perfect lover” in her mind, and my “soul” is the one she “loves the most.” With the combination of both, this “Miss Grim Reaper” can’t help but playfully tease me every time she sees me.
Well, it’s been quite a few days, and I’ve gotten used to it.
In a relationship, it’s natural that the more common ground, the better. At least, so far, besides becoming a bit mischievous, a bit domineering, and a bit independent, Xiao Mo’s presence hasn’t given me a bad feeling.
“……”
Leaving the bedroom, I quickly freshened up in the bathroom, then went to the living room, preparing to find something to eat in the kitchen.
Then, I saw Ai Luodi wearing Christmas-themed pajamas and a Santa Claus hat-shaped sleeping cap, holding a pillow and watching TV on the sofa.
“Huh?”
For a moment, I stared at the girl, and it took me a few seconds to approach her curiously, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”
“I just ate and wanted to watch TV for a bit.”
Ai Luodi yawned, picked up her phone, and turned up the volume slightly on the muted TV, “The manager told me you have the day off today. Why not get some more sleep?”
………………
“In the next month, our city will experience extremely high temperatures. Citizens, please prepare for the heat…”
“Mayor Ye Yuqing attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech at the Nanqi District commercial street…”
………………
I turned to the kitchen, checked the breakfast in the pot, picked up a small bowl, and made myself some meat congee.
“We went to bed at 12:30 last night and already slept for eight hours. If I sleep more, I’ll feel lethargic the whole day. Besides, I have something special to do today.”
The human body is a miraculous system, and based on my thirty years of uncle experience, I can tell you—too little sleep makes you tired, and too much sleep makes you tired as well.
Previously, if I slept less than five hours a day, I would definitely wake up exhausted the next day, feeling tired and sluggish throughout the entire day. On the other hand, if I let my body sleep for more than ten hours at a stretch, my brain would be foggy, and I couldn’t concentrate at all. I would be in a daze no matter what I tried to do.
“Something special?”
Ai Luodi shifted her attention from the TV to me. “Is it about Xiao Mo?”
“How did you know?”
“You two are practically wearing ‘happy newlyweds’ on your faces.”
Ai Luodi yawned again. “I’m quite curious about what happened between you two. In just a month, your relationship has heated up so quickly. Even reincarnated lovers from another world don’t progress as fast as you guys.”
“Um…”
I sat awkwardly at the dining table with my bowl of meat congee. “Did you see Xiao Mo when you came back?”
“When I came back, she was watering the flowers over here, those white ones, lilies, right? She takes good care of them.”
Ai Luodi gestured towards the pot of lilies I bought. “After watering the flowers, she told me that if you wake up, I should tell you she went to the usual place and would be back before ten.”
The usual place…
Now I knew where she was referring to.
In my mind, the scene from last night appeared. The two of us naked in the cave.
“Oh, by the way, there’s something else.”
As we spoke, Ai Luodi handed me a water bottle from the table. “Xiao Mo also said, with the recent hot weather and dry air, you should drink more water.”
This bottle…
Glancing at the clear water inside, I felt the corners of my mouth involuntarily twitch. Well, a glass of water in the morning is good for your health, and since Xiao Mo mentioned that the water there is good, I’ll drink it.
With that in mind, I took the bottle and took a big gulp before starting my breakfast. Hmm… if she’s coming back at ten, there’s still time.
I glanced in the direction of the room. Today is May 31st, Yin Xiamo’s birthday. Calling it a birthday might not be accurate because when I asked Xiao Mo about her birthday, she herself said, “I’m not sure exactly which day it is,” and “I only remember the day the Hero picked me up.”
In Xiao Mo’s words, “the day picked up by the Hero,” converted to Earth’s calendar, is every May 31st. I quietly remembered that day at the time. Since she can’t recall her birthday, let’s consider this day as Xiao Mo’s birthday.
In my impression, that day doesn’t really make much difference to the little demon, similar to a “birthday.”
Imagine being a little girl who has been rejected by her family, shunned by relatives, and eventually even expelled, thrown into a desolate place to fend for herself. Just as despair is about to set in, someone reaches out to you, pulls you out of the darkness, and gives you light and warmth. In that case, I would also consider the day I met that person as my birthday.
On Earth, I’m not a wealthy tycoon with an abundance of resources, nor do I possess any luxurious or noteworthy items. I also lack any unique talents. So, birthday gifts or anything of the sort require special thought and care.
During my college days, I once pursued a period of handmade craftsmanship as a hobby. I used bamboo or toothpicks combined with strong glue to assemble various artistic pieces. At that time, I made a small house, a little car, and even an especially ugly aircraft carrier.
Creating these handmade artworks requires a great deal of patience. The process involves choosing the desired object to create, carefully calculating the size and length of bamboo or toothpicks needed, marking them with a ruler, cutting them with a utility knife, and finally, gluing them together one by one with strong glue.
While it’s not particularly difficult, it is very time-consuming and tests the maker’s perseverance. I remember that when I crafted the aircraft carrier, I used over two thousand bamboo skewers, the kind used for barbecue. With measurements marked on each skewer, I cut them with a utility knife. Some for the ship’s hull, some for the deck, some for the main guns, anti-aircraft guns, and even tiny planes on the carrier.
Thousands of bamboo skewers were painstakingly cut, glued with strong glue, left to cool, and then additional components were added. If too much glue was applied or if the positioning was off, I had to start over.
Today, I plan to give Xiao Mo a small estate crafted from toothpicks in a similar fashion. The estate includes flowers, grass, fences, a windmill, a little bridge, and a big house. The house is designed to have an opening door, with an additional loft inside— the first floor being a hall and the second floor being our bedroom.
To create this estate, I started preparing about half a month ago when I heard Xiao Mo mention that her birthday is on May 31st. I bought a lot of toothpicks, a few bottles of strong glue, and used the utility knife and ruler I already had at home. The total cost didn’t exceed 10 yuan, but the process proved to be time-consuming.
Normally, I kept these materials in a drawer on my computer desk. When I heard Xiao Mo finishing her clothes and closing the bathroom door to take a shower, I would take them out to work for a while. I continued until Xiao Mo opened the door, at which point I would hide everything in the drawer. This went on for about 30 minutes each day. As of today, I’ve completed most of it, with only the final polishing of a few details and finishing touches remaining.
After finishing breakfast, I should be able to complete the handmade estate in about an hour. If everything checks out fine, all I need to do is go to the stationery store downstairs, buy a slightly larger gift box, put the crafted estate inside, write a birthday message for Xiao Mo, and the birthday gift will be considered complete.
“It looks like summer is really coming.”
While I was having breakfast, Ai Luodi, who was on the sofa, also finished checking the weather forecast. She got up and stretched lazily, saying, “I can’t resist anymore. I’ll go upstairs to sleep first.”
As she walked towards the stairs with a pillow in her arms, as if remembering something, Ai Luodi turned back, “By the way, Nuo’er, your new book is good. If everything goes well, it should have a chance to break into the top 100 bestsellers.”
“Really?”
I turned around, “Impossible, right?”
Top 100 bestsellers? According to the standards of Yae-Honeydew, this is already an incredible ranking. The bestseller list is equivalent to the sales list, in other words, the “income list.” Given the current scale of Yae-Honeydew… if it breaks into the top 100 bestsellers without any surprises, the subscription income should be around 10,000 yuan.
“There’s nothing impossible, but the premise is that you have to update regularly.”
Ai Luodi yawned again, “I mean normal author updates, at least two chapters per day, and then stabilize the plot. Due to your part-time status, there might be more variables, but ranking just above 100 is feasible based on your current momentum.”
“I didn’t expect you to suddenly turn to writing yuri novels, and it’s a slice-of-life genre at that. This theme is very difficult to grasp and challenging to stand out in. However, judging from the current situation, it seems you’ve found a genre you’re good at.”
Ah… that’s true.
Before picking up this theme, I didn’t expect that I could handle writing novels from a female perspective so skillfully.
“There’s another thing. Ouyang Xue asked me to ask if you have any other friends who are willing to be maids. The cafe’s popularity is increasing, and the number of customers coming in every day exceeds expectations. We are a bit short-staffed.”
“Do you still need to hire people? Where can I find so many girls?”
I felt a bit helpless, “I can’t just… go to the Melon Bun editorial department again and poach Mint or October, right?”
If I really did that, I guess later on, both Lu Xinjian and the editor-in-chief of Melon Bun would want to beat me up. They already have a shortage of staff over there.
“Well, I don’t know. Anyway, the people I know don’t have that inclination, and either their appearance or physique doesn’t meet the standards.”
Ai Luodi walked towards the second floor, saying, “That’s it for now. I’m going to sleep.”
“Good night.”
Waving to Ai Luodi, I took out my phone to check my contacts while continuing to eat breakfast.
I’m aware of the situation at the cafe. Indeed, due to excessive promotion before, there are a lot of customers coming in, and it’s a bit too much for Ouyang Xue and Ai Luodi to handle alone.
Currently, Ouyang Xue and Ai Luodi basically handle the night shift at the cafe, while I, Xiao Mo, and Lan Jiajia the day shift. It’s not bad for Xiao Mo and me when we are working, as we work from 8 in the morning to 8 in the evening. But Lan Jiajia is different, she works the day shift and gets off around 4 o’clock. If Xiao Mo and I are off, after Lan Jiajia finishes her shift, the shop will be left with only Ouyang Xue.
Obviously, even if Ouyang Xue is competent in business, facing the peak period at night alone is still a bit overwhelming.
I understand the logic, but I really don’t have that many female friends willing to be maids.
You can’t expect a middle-aged man to know a bunch of beautiful girls, right? I’m not the protagonist of the Harem Anime.
Having quietly finished breakfast in the living room, I washed the dishes in the kitchen and then went to the flower rack to look at the pot of lilies I bought earlier.
The flowers were transplanted from that ugly pot and placed in an exquisite ceramic pot with delicate patterns. It was positioned prominently in the middle of the flower rack. Inside the pot, there was a lot of carefully stacked pebbles in the soil. It was evident that Xiao Mo really liked the appearance of this pot. She specifically went outside to pick many beautiful stones and decorated the entire flower pot.
Checking the time on my phone, I returned to the bedroom, sat at the computer desk, placed the mouse and keyboard aside, and took out the nearly completed small garden from the drawer. I began the final finishing stage.
Well… today, I need to finalize the connection point of the stairs between the upper and lower levels of the garden house, finish crafting the small bed inside the room, and add a mailbox and a small windmill near the fence.
Wearing gloves, I took out an art knife and a ruler and started crafting the furniture and windmill.
Speaking of which, one advantage of having small hands like a girl is that doing this kind of work is much more agile than with the big hands of a middle-aged man. There is no comparison between the two.
Back then, as an “Uncle”, I often fumbled during the gluing step, accidentally spilling the strong glue, and sticking together parts that shouldn’t be. Now that I’ve turned into a little girl, such mistakes are almost nonexistent. It’s particularly handy, and the speed has increased significantly.
“……”
Amidst the summer breeze of the last day of May, time swiftly passed.
Around nine o’clock, as I placed the glued small bed and windmill under the sunlight to dry, the “Xiao Mo and Nuo’er’s Garden,” crafted from who knows how many bamboo sticks, was officially completed.
Finally, I spent some time refining the small flaws in the garden. I placed all the accessories in the sunlight by the window. I picked up my keys and phone, left the house, took the elevator downstairs, and went to a stationery store outside the residential area.
“I need a gift box.”
Upon entering the store, I went straight to the back where they sold handmade stationery. I took out an exquisite box from the shelf above and asked, “How much is this one?”
“If you want this, it’s 12 yuan.”
“Okay, I’ll pay with Alipay.”
With the gift box in hand, I took out the ribbon and bow from the box. I opened the box and organized the garden accessories that had been sunbathing earlier, assembling them together.
The windmill goes in this groove, and the small bed goes into the second-floor room. Then align the roof with these fasteners and click them into place.
“Click.”
There we go, finished!
Looking at the delicate bamboo-made garden on the desktop, I breathed a sigh of relief. I took out a pen and paper, wrote “Happy Birthday Yin Xiamo! – Love, Nuo’er,” and then tied it with a small string to the chimney on the roof of the house. Carefully, I placed the entire garden into the gift box, closed the lid, tied the bow and ribbon, and made a knot.
This way, a somewhat simple birthday gift was completed.
I wonder if she’ll like it.
Glancing at the time and feeling that Xiao Mo would be back soon, I carried the gift box to Xiao Mo’s room. I moved the large box we had been using to play hide-and-seek out of her room and placed it in the living room, facing the direction of the entrance.
I sat inside the box with the gift box and covered the top with the cardboard lid.
After that, there was a somewhat lengthy wait.
As Xiao Mo mentioned, being alone inside the box gave an indescribable and very comfortable feeling. However, facing Xiao Mo, who could return at an unknown time, I simultaneously felt a nervous sense of anticipation and concern that she might not like the gift.
These mixed feelings, a blend of anticipation and relief, were quite delicate.
“……”
……
“Ding dong!”
I don’t know how much time had passed, but just as I was about to fall asleep inside the box, I heard the sound of the elevator door opening from outside the door.
Is she here?
Instantly awakened, I lifted the gift box in my arms above my head, ready for the moment.
“Click,” the sound of the front door opening echoed.
“Nuo’er? Cute little kitty Nuo’er? Haven’t woken up yet?”
“I can feel that the silly dragon might come over today…”
The moment I heard Xiao Mo’s voice near the entrance, I “whooshed” and pushed away the paper on my head, jumping out of the cardboard box.
“Happy birthday, Xiao Mo!”
“Huh?”
My series of actions left Xiao Mo, who had just returned home, a bit bewildered, “Bir… birthday?”
“Isn’t it today?”
I tilted my head and said, “I asked you before, May 31st, the day we met for the first time in the other world.”
“Oh, that… “
With my reminder, the girl in front of me came to her senses, and her tone softened a bit, “You still remember… “
“Of course, isn’t this an important day for Xiao Mo?”
I took a step forward and stuffed the gift box into Yin Xiamo’s arms. “Here, a birthday gift to celebrate Xiao Mo getting one year older!”
“Th-thank you…”
For the first time, Xiao Mo showed a somewhat shy expression, “What’s inside?”
“I made it myself.”
I clapped my hands together near my face, “Open it and see?”
“Um…”
Under my expectant gaze, Xiao Mo untied the ribbon on the box, opened the knot, and then removed the lid.
“Wow… what’s this?”
Seeing the exquisite garden inside the box, still retaining the warmth of the sun, Xiao Mo was even more surprised, “Did you make this?”
“Yeah, bought the materials and made it myself.”
I clasped my hands behind my back, “Do you like it?”
“Can this door open?”
Carefully holding the garden out of the box, the girl played with the doors and windows of the house inside the garden, glanced at the furniture inside, then tried to rotate the blades of the windmill next to the garden.
She exclaimed, “Did it take a lot of time to make this?”
“No, just casually making it in my free time.”
I put on a “praise me” expression, “As long as Xiao Mo likes it.”
“Like… thank you, Nuo’er.”
Xiao Mo nodded, put the garden back into the box, and took the butterfly bow on the box, “Nuo’er, can you perform that thing again, the one where you suddenly popped out of the box?”
“Huh?”
I was puzzled, “Which one?”
“The one where you… squat in the box and suddenly pop out, saying ‘happy birthday’.”
While speaking, the girl took off the butterfly bow from the gift box, stuck it on my head, and said, “I want to see it again.”
“Um… okay.”
Although I didn’t know what Yin Xiamo was up to, considering it’s her birthday today, I could fulfill this small request. I turned around and crawled back into the box, covered the lid, crouched for a few seconds, then once again lifted the paper cover with a “pop,” jumped in front of Xiao Mo, and said, “Happy birthday, Xiao Mo!”
“Thank you.”
The girl hugged me tightly.
“This is the most adorable birthday gift I’ve received…… in thousands of years.”
“……”
……
“Eh?”
“……”
……
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