I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 220

Chapter 220: That Day, I Remembered My Past Weakness

 

According to the annotations in the “Future Ten-Year Plan for Nanqi District, Shenzhen City” that Su Yunjin left in the cafe before, the commercial plaza named “Mianyun” behind the commercial street in Nanqi District is preparing to follow the model of “Physical Stores to E-commerce to Customers”.

 

I’m not exactly sure what these models refer to, but from a quick glance, it seems like the Shenzhen City government intends to establish something similar to a “logistics base” and a “people’s market” here, which is the field where Ouyang Xue, who used to work at the cafe, was involved in, emphasizing fast logistics and retail.

 

The Mianyun Commercial City is just one area of this “Mianyun Commercial Plaza”. There’s a large intersection here, and at the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest corners of the intersection, buildings numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively have been constructed. Among them, the commercial building in the northwest direction is No. 1, and the Mianyun Commercial Building close to the Nanqi District commercial street is No. 2, which is the building in front of me.

 

You can come directly from the cafe along the small road beside the commercial street behind, and you don’t need to cross the road to reach the bottom of Mianyun Commercial Building No. 2. However, this road is a bit difficult to find, after all, this area has just been established.

 

The reason for naming it “Mianyun” is explained in detail in that planning book. It seems that the city intends to develop this place into a square with a certain “leisure” atmosphere, designing public facilities and various buildings in a style similar to a fairyland, light and fluffy.

 

Additionally, it is said that this name will also be the name of the tenth district of Shenzhen City in the future, namely the “Mianyun District”. Because looking at the map, the several islands in the southern part of Shenzhen City really resemble clouds drifting slowly in the azure sky, which is particularly poetic. However, this name has not been officially confirmed, only the plan here at the Mianyun Commercial Building has been finalized.

 

“Is this meant to be handed out to passersby around here, right?”

 

Taking over most of the leaflets from my hand, Yin Xiamo waved naturally at the passersby who were attracted by our maid costumes and Dingman on the ground, “Cat Maid Cafe is hosting an event! Come take a look! Special activities for Children’s Day! 20% off everything, and also get a free Thanos-style horned melon, while supplies last!”

 

Huh?

 

Yin Xiamo’s unique elf-like ethereal voice instantly unsettled the onlookers who had been watching, and several people immediately surrounded us.

 

“What leaflets? Give me one to look at.”

“Are you… is this a legitimate job? Don’t scare me, I brought my child here to play after seeing a TV advertisement saying there’s a new commercial area here.”

“This cat is so big, is it a Persian cat? I’ve never seen such a big cat before.”

“Can I pet it?”

 

Wait, can Xiao Mo be so sociable?

 

How did I not notice her outgoing personality before?

 

Next to me, I maintained a ladylike posture, curiously sizing up the girls around me.

 

“Cat Maid Cafe! There’s food and drinks inside, all kinds of fast food and beverages, and you can even pet cats for free!”

“Of course, this is a legitimate job. This is our uniform, and here’s my work badge and health certificate.”

“This cat’s name is Dingman, he’s the biggest cat in our café. If you don’t like big cats, you can go inside and there are many other breeds of cats.”

“Sure, Dingman is very gentle, but if you pet the cat, you have to take a leaflet, okay?”

 

Most of the people who gathered around were young ladies, while the boys mostly stood on the side taking photos with their phones. I wonder if they’re not accustomed to seeing us in maid costumes, Xiao Mo and me.

 

Through this month of working as maids in the cafe, I’ve noticed something that might be considered ‘strange,’ if you will. It’s that the customers who come to our Shangjing Cat Maid Cafe, generally, the bolder ones are usually girls.

 

It’s not that the boys are timid, but mostly… many of the boys who come to the café are somewhat introverted. Often when I approach to serve them and ask what they need, about thirty to fifty percent of them will lower their heads and timidly say, “It’s okay, I’ll just scan the QR code and order by myself,” and the remaining fifty percent will awkwardly ask, “Can I take a photo?”

 

Every time this happens, I tell them that taking photos is not prohibited in the café, nor is taking photos of the maids, but if they want a group photo with us and ask us to pose, there will be a charge.

 

On the contrary, the girls who come to the shop are much bolder. Maybe it’s because they’re of the same gender, and girls don’t feel as constrained. Apart from a few who are more reserved, the girls who come to the café are almost like night and day compared to the boys. Not only do they dare to make eye contact with me when I serve them, some girls even curiously reach out to touch my skirt. They’ll comment on the quality of the fabric, ask questions like “Doesn’t it get hot wearing knee-high socks like that?” or “I see some stains on your socks, did you sweat?” or “What does the cat bell on your neck mean?” and so on.

 

In addition to that, the ones who most often request group photos and specific poses are also female customers. Some outgoing girls even specifically request, “I want Nuo’er serving me, I want to hear Nuo’er’s loli voice,” pointing to Ouyang Xue by name.

 

Furthermore, according to statistics, among the customers who come to the café, excluding the “family-style” where parents bring their children, whether it’s university roommates or individuals coming alone, the majority are female.

 

At first, it was manageable, but as the café’s popularity grew, the proportion of female customers visiting skyrocketed rapidly.

 

What’s strange is that in the promotional videos on Tongmeng Network, the official account of the café operated by Ouyang Xue clearly shows a male… or rather, male accounts have a higher viewing percentage, but most people just stay at the “viewing” level, and not many otaku come over in reality.

 

Among the customers, the largest group is university students, especially “close friends from the same dorm,” or those who continue living together after graduation and work in society, or “roommates” who share the same rented house. Following them are individuals or groups of three or more girls.

 

If the female ratio continues to rise as it is now, it’s estimated that in another half a year, the proportion of female visitors to the café will exceed eighty percent, and this place might become an unexpected “yuri sanctuary.”

 

Not to mention half a year later, just after one month, there are already signs in the café.

 

Online, the fandom for Xiao Mo and me is almost going crazy. There are many derivative works based on the surveillance footage from the shop, or some wildly imaginative parody works. Ai Luodi and Lan Jiajia don’t notice this pair much because their working hours are staggered, but quite a few observant individuals have already picked up on their ambiguous relationship, and there’s been a lot of fan submissions for Ai Luodi x Lan Jiajia.

 

Suddenly, this pile of videos popping up makes the café seem like a “yuri restaurant,” being widely shared and promoted, and more and more girls are coming out of curiosity. Some come to see Xiao Mo and me play around, while others bring their dormitory friends to try it out. Some even come as real couples, holding hands and feeding each other directly.

 

Ouyang Xue said that such a situation was indeed beyond her expectations, feeling that it deviated somewhat from the direction of her promotion. But we can’t control the direction anymore. Because the “Shangjing Cat Maid Cafe” is known for its yuri theme, the strange public opinion surrounding yuri restaurants has already spread.

 

We can only proceed in the usual way… making promotional videos and distributing leaflets.

 

“Wow! You can pet the cat just by taking a leaflet? Give me one!”

 

After hearing Xiao Mo’s explanation, several girls quickly gathered around, took a leaflet from me, squatted down, reached out their hands, and tried to pet Dingman’s head.

 

“Meow—”

 

Dingman, lying down, yawned, then rolled over, revealing his belly, being cute.

 

“It’s actually showing its belly!”

 

Other girls also squatted down, “Um… can we pet it? I remember cats usually don’t like being touched on their bellies, right?”

 

“Maybe we shouldn’t pet it? This cat is so big, it could be troublesome if it bites.”

 

“It’s so fluffy…”

 

Seeing that the girls around didn’t continue to reach out, Dingman simply moved closer, rubbed his head against their hands and ankles, and continued to roll over, exposing his belly.

 

I noticed that when Dingman rubbed against the girls’ hands and ankles, he slightly opened his mouth, revealing glands that secrete personal scents, leaving his scent on those girls.

 

I’ve seen Dingman do this trick many times in the café. Despite his lazy and obedient appearance every day, to put it nicely, he’s a “cat with manners,” but to be blunt, he’s a “playboy cat,” because he behaves like this towards almost everyone, regardless of gender. It’s just that he respects me more and is willing to listen to me.

 

That’s just how animals are. They don’t know much, especially Dingman, who has been abandoned many times before.

 

“I’ll give it a try. It shouldn’t bite me, right?”

 

Seeing Dingman rolling on the ground, exposing his belly continuously, a few of the girls couldn’t resist and quietly reached out to rub the belly of this big cat.

 

“It’s not resisting!”

 

“Really! How can a cat be so obedient!”

 

“I want to pet it too!”

 

The bustling girls quickly formed circles outside the mall, with many hands continuously petting Dingman’s belly. The scene resembled a certain meme: “?If you don’t try hard, you’ll just end up as a woman’s plaything.jpg?”

 

In fact, these girls’ concerns were not unfounded. The reason Dingman stands out among more than sixty cats in the café and was specifically chosen by Ouyang Xue to attract customers is that he truly has no temper, no matter where you touch him on his body.

 

Most cats only like being petted on the head and chin, with the back of the head and back being acceptable to some extent, while the rest of the body is off-limits. “Petting the head is fine, petting the chin is fine, you foolish humans, I’m familiar with you, I’ll make an exception and let you touch my back, but if you dare to touch anything else… I will bite you!”

 

Based on my experience, cats’ sensitive areas from low to high are: chin, head, back, tail, limbs, belly, and the area around the bottom. The belly is a sensitive area for any cat, even the pet cats in the café that have served many people. For any animal, the belly is its most vulnerable area. Exposing the belly is like surrendering, it’s the cat’s way of saying, “Leave me alone.” But that doesn’t mean you can just touch it. If you touch a cat’s exposed belly, it’s like saying, “No, I won’t leave you alone. In fact, I want to target your most vulnerable spot and attack you.” It’s only natural for a cat to get angry in such a situation.

 

This is a common misunderstanding in dealing with cats. When a cat exposes its belly, it’s either seeking affection, showing it has no ill intentions, or showing vulnerability to an enemy and asking for mercy. It’s not asking for someone to pet its belly.

 

A cat with a slightly bad temper might respond to belly rubs with a swipe of its paw or a bite. A cat with a better temperament, or because you’re its owner, might use its four limbs to pin down your hand while you’re rubbing its belly, then nip at you with its mouth, and kick at your hand with its hind legs, a movement called “bunny kicking,” which is a behavior cats exhibit when catching prey. This action serves as a warning, saying, “I also have aggression. Look, this is how I hunt. I’ve caught your hand now, I’ll give you a nip with my sharp teeth. You can’t touch my belly anymore.”

 

In most cases, when a cat “bunny kicks” you, it’s mostly a warning. They’re very measured in this state, whether they’re biting or scratching, they hold back, aiming to make you feel pain but not drawing blood. As long as the hand that’s caught doesn’t move around and you stop rubbing their belly, the cat will release and walk away.

 

However, most people unfamiliar with cat behavior don’t understand the meaning of this action. They see their hand being caught, and the cat about to bite, so instinctively they quickly pull their hand back, which only triggers the cat’s hunting instincts further. The cat uses its claws to swipe at the moving object faster than you can react, resulting in several scratches in an instant.

 

Dingman, on the other hand, doesn’t exhibit such behavior. When he lies down and exposes his belly, it’s truly an invitation for pets and a display of affection. He doesn’t mind where people touch him, even in sensitive areas. If touched where he used to have his testicles, he may gently nip as a warning or lick the person’s hand while making a plaintive “meow” sound, asking them not to touch that sensitive area again.

 

“This cat’s fur is so soft, like a plush toy…”

“Why is this cat so big? The tabby cats at my grandmother’s house are only half its size.”

“I remember this cat’s breed… Norwegian Forest Cat? Or Maine Coon? They’re large breeds.”

“What breed is that bush cat? The one from the Beast Girl Zoo… Sabaru sauce.”

“That one doesn’t belong to domestic cats anymore, it’s very fierce!”

 

Then, these boys and girls who were attracted by Dingman’s presence noticed me and Xiao Mo, and there was a sudden burst of admiration.

 

“Oh my god, this little sister, you… I thought you had makeup on just now, but when you walked over, I realized you haven’t even put on foundation. Is this… is this natural? Bare-faced?”

“Your skin is also too good! What did you eat to grow up? I’m so envious…”

“Are all the cute little sisters in this café like you two? My heart is racing.”

 

To this, Xiao Mo and I had to patiently explain:

 

“We didn’t really put on makeup. The manager said we look unrealistic with makeup, like dolls, so now Nuo’er and I just use a little skincare before work.”

“Nuo’er grew up eating Cutey Pops, as for me… I grew up eating Nuo’er.”

“As for the café… there are four other cute maids like us, hehe.”

“……”

 

Gradually, more and more onlookers gathered around, and the flyers in my and Xiao Mo’s hands were distributed faster and faster. It felt like if someone were watching from the outside, they would probably think that Building 2 of the Mianyun Commercial Plaza was hosting an event, with such a large crowd.

 

“Can we take a picture?”

“Wow! Nuo’er! It’s really you. I was wondering who could gather such a big crowd from afar. Is the café hosting an event?”

“Happy Children’s Day!”

“Give me a flyer too. Let me help you distribute them. It’s so hot today, and you’re still willing to come out wearing so much.”

 

In the end, Xiao Mo and I only stood on this side of the mall for less than an hour, and we finished distributing all the flyers. Almost none of the customers who received our flyers immediately threw them into the trash. Instead, they carefully read the contents for a while, chatted with their companions, and then headed towards the café.

 

“Thank you.”

 

During the break, I sat on the bench downstairs as gracefully as possible, and said to Xiao Mo beside me, “If I were alone, I might be busy until the afternoon.”

 

“It’s okay, Nuo’er is my wife after all. It’s natural to help my wife with things!”

 

Xiao Mo looked around and then ran to a vending machine not far away, took out her phone, and scanned the code. “What do you want to drink?”

 

“Just purified water.”

 

I cast a curious glance towards the vending machine. “Do they have it?”

 

“They do.”

 

Amidst the clinking sound of drinks dropping, Xiao Mo returned holding a bottle of purified water and a bottle of soda. She handed me the purified water, then helped me straighten out my clothes and brushed off the cat hair on my chest. “Look at you, all dirty.”

 

“Dingman sheds too much fur.”

 

I glanced at Dingman, who was lazily watching the passing vehicles in front. “We should use a lint roller when we get back.”

 

“Feeling hot?”

 

Xiao Mo reached her small hand under my skirt, touching my thighs covered in cotton white stockings. She ran her hand down the lower half of my thighs.

 

“It’s a little damp.”

 

“Well, it’s sunny outside, of course.”

 

I mimicked her actions, touching Xiao Mo’s soft thighs, only to be surprised by their smoothness and dryness.

 

“Xiao Mo, don’t you sweat?”

 

“I don’t sweat in this kind of weather…”

 

The girl smiled. “The heat in the otherworld is more severe, my body’s regulation can handle it.”

 

“Is it magic again?”

 

“It’s not magic, it’s just that demon bodies have stronger qualities.”

 

“Then… theoretically, Xiao Mo, when you were creating this body, could you also make one… that isn’t afraid of high temperatures, doesn’t sweat, similar to yours?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Seemingly understanding my implication, Xiao Mo popped open the soda can and took a sip. “Do you want to be like that, Nuo’er?”

 

“Not exactly…”

 

I was at a loss for words for a moment. “I just want to know… elves and succubi in that world, are they like ordinary people? Elves sweating in the sun in the forest, succubi being all sticky in hell…”

 

“The bodies of elves do indeed have much stronger resistance against nature.”

 

The girl raised her head, looking at the azure sky. “But I don’t want Nuo’er to be like that. What I was thinking at the time was to try to replicate Nuo’er’s body habits and lifestyle habits as much as possible, otherwise it might be terrifying for Nuo’er.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“You see, if we really wanted convenience, we could set it up so that Nuo’er doesn’t need to sleep at night, the body’s energy system runs at full power, when hungry, eating would not cause fatigue and drowsiness, and even in very hot places, there would be no sweating. But doing so would be like depriving Nuo’er of the rights of an ordinary person.”

 

That does make sense, thinking about it literally. In theory, if a person could go without sleep, they would have over a third more time in their life. But then, with such obvious differences in lifestyle habits, a person might start to deeply question themselves. Like… “Am I still human?” or something like that. Well, anyway, it wasn’t me who studied taboo magic back then, so I’ll stop thinking about it.

 

“Do you think… I’m too bossy, Nuo’er?”

 

Seeing that I didn’t respond, the girl beside me leaned over. “Always making decisions on my own, always acting first and explaining later, and then trying to make Nuo’er accept it with various reasons…”

 

“Indeed, a bit.”

 

I picked up the bottle and twisted the cap.

 

No movement.

 

Huh?

 

I lowered my head and glanced at the bottle of mineral water Xiao Mo had bought, examining the structure of its cap. After feeling nothing unusual, I tried twisting it again.

 

No movement.

 

Impossible, why is this thing so tight?

 

“Uh…”

 

Under Xiao Mo’s gaze as she watched the little kitten play with the ball of yarn, I summoned up the strength to twist the bottle cap again for several seconds.

 

My hand hurt.

 

The skin was turning red.

 

Looking at my own reddened palm, I gave Xiao Mo a helpless look and handed her the water. If it weren’t so hot right now, the water I brought over wouldn’t have been lukewarm, and I wouldn’t even bother drinking it!

 

“Ha, Nuo’er, you’re so adorable when you’re all soft and fluffy.”

 

Taking the water bottle, Xiao Mo effortlessly unscrewed the cap and handed it back to me.

 

“Come on, do you really hate it when I take charge all the time?”

 

“What you do isn’t just taking charge.”

 

I took a big gulp of water. “You, my friend, are just… taking advantage of being a Grim Reaper, fearless of anything, experienced, arranging everything for me, and then bullying me afterwards!”

 

This feeling… it’s like I’m truly being treated as a little pet.

 

“Well, what can I do? You’re just too cute, Nuo’er!”

 

The girl wrapped her arms around me, gazing at the blue sky above in silence for a moment before sighing, “No matter how many times I see it, the sky here always feels… so beautiful.”

 

“Isn’t the sky in the other world beautiful too?”

 

“The beauty, but over there, there’s no Nuo’er. The sky here is beautiful because… I can be under this kind of sky with Nuo’er, that’s what makes it beautiful and moving.”

 

“Are you using cheesy lines again?”

 

“Haha, no, no, I just said that on a whim.”

 

Taking another big sip of her drink, Xiao Mo lowered her voice. “Nuo’er, did you forget something?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

I turned my head. “Forget what?”

 

“What day is it today?”

 

“Children’s Day.”

 

I blurted out, “Why, are you one of those people who think I should celebrate this holiday?”

 

“That’s why I sometimes think Nuo’er can be so absent-minded.”

 

Xiao Mo slightly bent down, leaning towards my abdomen, and reached out, poking at my stomach through the maid dress. “What’s this?”

 

“My stomach.”

 

“What’s in your stomach?”

 

“There’s… water in the stomach?”

 

I didn’t understand what she was getting at. “I haven’t had lunch yet, what else could be there?”

 

“Wrong!”

 

Xiao Mo took on the demeanor of a teacher. “You didn’t study biology well, did you? The stomach is a bit higher up, at the end of the sternum in the middle. That’s where the stomach is, and that’s where the water is. Nuo’er, as a girl, this area…”

 

She poked my abdomen again with her delicate fingers, looking mysterious. “This area… is where babies can grow, you know?”

 

“Ugh!”

 

I instinctively pulled back. “Xiao Mo, what mischievous idea are you thinking of now?”

 

“I’m not.”

 

The girl innocently replied, “I just wanted to remind you, Nuo’er, as a girl, you have this organ, so every month… what happens?”

 

Huh?

I was dumbfounded on the chair.

 

Wait a minute.

I think I know what Xiao Mo is talking about.

Thinking about the time, it seems… it’s almost time?

 

“When was the last time I had… that?”

 

Unable to remember the last time I had my period, I blurted out, “It can’t be that soon, right?”

 

It feels too fast. The sensations from those days before seem vividly fresh in my memory. How long has it been? The second time is already here?

 

“Yeah, it can happen quickly like that. It’s once a month, you know. More accurately, the standard menstrual cycle is around 28 days,” Xiao Mo said, adopting a thoughtful expression.

 

Let me think. My first time was on the evening of May 6th. I was tired the whole day, but I didn’t notice it. I fell asleep exhausted in the evening, and she carried me back home. May 6th? Then the second menstrual cycle should be on June 6th, right?

No, wait. If, according to Xiao Mo, the standard cycle isn’t 30 days but 28 days, then I should expect it around June 4th. Let’s assume… it’s an assumption, but what if it comes early? Two days early, three days early.

Could it possibly come on June 1st? And I haven’t prepared anything for it, not even bought anything. If it weren’t for Xiao Mo’s reminder, I might only notice it when I start feeling uncomfortable after it has already arrived.

 

“It seems Nuo’er isn’t prepared yet!”

 

Xiao Mo quickly caught onto the panic on my face and revealed her signature mischievous grin.

 

“That’s why Nuo’er is just too cute, being so absent-minded about these things.”

 

“I just…” I hesitated for a moment. “I just, as a mature man, completely lack that habit!”

 

“Yeah, yeah, Nuo’er is so cute,” Xiao Mo agreed.

 

She stood up and reached out her hand to me. “Then let’s come to this mall after work tonight and take a look around, and I can help Nuo’er prepare for the next few days.”

 

“What do you mean by ‘prepare’?”

 

“Or if Nuo’er doesn’t like it, there’s another way: magic. Nuo’er can go for nine months without needing any preparations.”

 

“Let’s just go buy the emergency supplies…”

 

“……”

 

……