I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 78

 

After a fierce negotiation, I reached an agreement with a certain unscrupulous demon who had been monitoring and following me. Over the next two days, I will be moving my things to the Editor Ai Luodi’s house in the Nanqi District, signing a lease agreement, and officially becoming their “roommate.” I will try to take care of their daily meals and living as much as possible, while Miss Grim Reaper will provide assistance when I move, acting as both a “truck driver” and a “mover” by creating space rifts.

 

“Your room is on the first floor, right across from mine.”

 

After exchanging phone numbers, Miss Grim Reaper in front of me put her black hood back on and said, “By the way, there’s only one bathroom on the first floor, just so you know.”

 

Why are you emphasizing “only one bathroom”?

 

Upon hearing this, I had a feeling of being “caught off guard.” She’s so cunning. I quickly used my eyes to glare at her.

 

Back when I was in college, working part-time and delivering food after graduation, I had been to similar “duplex” neighborhoods. These two-story houses are usually on the top floor. When you enter the living room, you can see the stairs, and going up the stairs takes you to the second floor. The first floor typically has three or four rooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom, while the second floor has only one room and one bathroom.

 

If Ai Luodi’s house has this duplex structure, then she would be living on the second floor, and I would indeed be sharing the first floor with this Miss Grim Reaper, with only one bathroom… or rather, a bathroom and shower.

 

But what I’m more curious about is why, after checking out the house on the phone just over an hour ago, Miss Grim Reaper received the message as she claimed, whether it was relayed directly by Ai Luodi or if someone had been monitoring me the whole time with recording capabilities?

 

“I usually only cook for myself, and I can’t guarantee it will suit your taste.”

 

Facing the Miss Grim Reaper’s “teasing,” I stared at her and said, “And my cooking skills are terrible.”

 

I can’t reach the level of “dark cuisine,” but I certainly can’t compare to a professional chef.

 

Other chefs in restaurants have undergone strict training in knife skills, vegetable cutting, ingredient pairing, and cooking techniques, with one-on-one professional guidance. My cooking, on the other hand, was forced upon me by the demands of life.

 

Starting from not knowing where to begin with vegetable chopping, I gradually learned how to cut different ingredients and what size they should be. I progressed from the initial “too salty,” “too oily,” and “overcooked” to the current level of “probably edible.”

 

If Ai Luodi’s idea of “knowing how to cook” refers to the level of most people’s dissatisfaction with home-cooked meals, like what you get from hotel chefs or on food delivery apps, then I probably can’t achieve that. Moreover, if I remember correctly, Ai Luodi’s dietary habits are vastly different from mine. She can handle really spicy food.

 

That’s right, the beautiful editor who looks like a “Laffey 3D version” and usually gives a dreamy impression actually has quite a “killer instinct” when it comes to eating. When I helped manage Honeydew’s booth at a comic convention, there was a large box inside with various snacks: chocolates, cookies, candies, spicy snacks, and more. According to Honeydew’s chief editor, it was overtime rewards for the editors. In one day, aside from eating one piece of chocolate and chewing on a candy that looked a lot like White Rabbit milk candy, Ai Luodi devoured almost all the spicy snacks in the box.

 

From spicy yam sticks, spicy rice crackers, spicy snacks, spicy shredded meat, spicy fish balls, spicy dried tofu, to spicy fish chips… not a single one remained. She started in the morning and by the afternoon, there was nothing left.

 

This completely shattered my perception of “soft and cute girls,” even though Ai Luodi has a bit of a sharp-tongued side online. In other words… if I, Miss Grim Reaper, and Ai Luodi end up living together, I might need to learn how to make some spicy food to take care of the esteemed editor Ai Luodi.

 

“It’s okay,” She said, opening up the conversation. Miss Grim Reaper, on the other hand, seemed nonchalant. “I have enough time to wait for your cute cooking skills to improve.”

 

Why does it sound like I’m moving in just to serve you? Something must be wrong here! Wasn’t I a hero in my past life? Didn’t I save you? If so, shouldn’t the “repayment” be your way of thanking me? In situations like this, shouldn’t Miss Grim Reaper be the one dressing up as a maid, preparing dinner at home every day, and sweetly approaching me with something like, “Meow! Welcome, master! Master, would you like to eat first, a bath, … or me?”

 

At that point, I could reach out my hand and say, “I want it all!” Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be?

 

“Let’s leave it at that. Have a pleasant cooperation, my little cutie,” she said, cutting me off before I could object. Then, the Miss Grim Reaper in front of me opened a spatial rift and walked through it.

 

“Wait…”

 

I was about to step forward when the rift had already closed ahead of me. The vast city alley returned to its usual calm. The sky above remained gloomy, with little sunshine to be seen. The surrounding old walls were covered in water stains and moss. Not far away, a mobile phone store was quite quiet, while a small shop next to it, with a sign that read “Palmistry and Fortune Telling – Good Fortune Awaits,” had an old standing fan whirring. An old man lay in a rocking chair inside, making a creaking sound.

 

Darn it… since you came all this way, couldn’t you have just taken me directly to the Café in Nanqi District?!

 

The impromptu nature of the Miss Grim Reaper’s arrivals and departures left me feeling frustrated.

 

According to the address on the flyer, the new coffee shop in Nanqi District was located slightly to the north of the Nanqi District Pier. It was close to both the Central District and the Craftsman District, essentially in the middle of these three major areas. To the north, you could see the upcoming “Shenzhen Second Commercial Street” that Su Yunjin mentioned was about to be built. To the south was the sea, and to the east lay the Shenzhen River, the largest river in Shenzhen City.

 

For the local residents of Shenzhen City, the Shenzhen River was like a “mother river.” Historically, it rarely caused river flooding that threatened the surrounding residents. It had sustained generation after generation of people living nearby. As time passed, with people’s improving living standards, there were few impoverished families relying on fishing for their livelihood near the Shenzhen River. Instead, various modern recreational activities emerged.

 

Activities like fishing, diving, and renting boats for leisurely moon-gazing on the river became popular. Because fishing was allowed in the Shenzhen River, Shenzhen City had one of the largest numbers of “fishing enthusiasts” in the country, even though they rarely caught any fish.

 

As revealed by Jituto, Su Yunjin, the location of this “Shangjing Cat Café” was carefully chosen. To the south, it was by the sea, so you could probably enjoy the ocean view while sitting in the café. To the west, it was near the Nanqi Port, allowing for the direct delivery of various supplies to the café, saving a significant amount in shipping costs. To the north, there was the upcoming commercial street construction, expected to attract a large number of tourists. To the east, it was close to the Shenzhen River, with plenty of fishing enthusiasts and outdoor enthusiasts. It might not be at risk of going out of business.

 

However, the problem was that there was no direct subway or bus from the central district, where my cramped apartment was, to this café. Without any surprises, I would need to take the subway from outside the cramped apartment to the vicinity of the Nanqi District Pier and then transfer to a taxi to find the café. The subway cost four yuan, and the bus price near the Pumpkin District was likely similar. So, for the round trip, I’d be spending close to twenty yuan.

 

Well… never mind, I might as well use the time in the car to switch my phone number.

 

Stepping out of the alley near the apartment, I looked at the first and only number in the new phone, temporarily saved as “Miss Grim Reaper.” Ai Luodi should have her name. I would ask her when I visited the house. It seemed Ai Luodi, the editor, was pretty laid-back. According to her, she had been living with Miss Grim Reaper for several years and only thought of this tenant as someone who “didn’t seem to do anything all day” and had “no personality issues.”

 

“The train is arriving at the station. Please mind your step when boarding or disembarking…”

 

In the afternoon, the subway bound for Shenzhen City Pier was not very crowded. Wearing a hoodie and a pleated skirt, with a rabbit backpack on my back, I bought a ticket and found a seat in a corner after boarding the train.

 

“Have you seen the face of that little girl? She’s so cute!”

“Which one? Oh, I saw her. She’s a real loli, isn’t she? So petite!”

“Hush… Keep it down, don’t let her hear us. I’ll sneak a picture…”

 

Although the subway wasn’t too crowded, I couldn’t help but overhear quite a few hushed conversations around me. “My heart is melting. Is there really such a cute girl?” “Help me cover for a second, I’ll take a picture…” “Goodness, this cuteness is over the top!”

 

These passengers who noticed me included both men and women, and many of them had the appearance of college students. They spoke in hushed tones, and it seemed they believed that only their immediate companions within half a meter could hear them. However, I could hear them loud and clear.

 

I remembered the words that the Miss Grim Reaper had casually mentioned before: “I referenced the most beautiful elf in that world, along with succubus and a human princess, using the skin texture and body curves of the elves, some organs and nerves from the succubus, combined with the appearance of the most beautiful princess from the human kingdom and the eyes of an angel… That’s how I determined your current body.”

 

No wonder I had been feeling that some parts of this new girl’s body seemed overly sensitive in recent days. It wasn’t primarily due to gender differences, it was because of the “masterpiece” of a certain unscrupulous Miss Grim Reaper, wasn’t it?

 

Listening to the excited, curious, or envious words from the people around me, I could only try to keep my legs together as much as possible, pretending not to have heard and taking out my phone to brighten the screen.

 

Speaking of it… it seems that the experience of wearing a skirt isn’t so bad after all.

 

I glanced at my snow-white and delicate legs under the skirt with the corner of my eye. The biggest difference between a skirt and pants is that the area below is completely open. When you walk, there is a certain empty feeling, but at the same time, there’s a strange sense of “liberation” and “comfort.”

 

This difference is somewhat similar to the feeling of lying on a cool mat in the middle of a hot summer night with just a towel covering your body and not wearing any clothes. Well… wearing a skirt may come with a certain risk of accidental exposure, but most decent skirts are not that prone to it. You know you’re a girl, and having the area below empty can give you a strangely stimulating feeling, but at the same time, it’s quite comfortable. Unlike pants, which don’t have the exposure risk but can feel stuffy in the summer. Also, whether you’re walking or sitting down, the skin of your legs will come into contact with and rub against the pants, creating a slight sense of “freedom.”

 

In comparison, a skirt doesn’t have this constriction, and the range of movement in the lower half of your body is maximized. Plus, with summer approaching, wearing a skirt is noticeably cooler than pants, and it even improves your mood.

 

This is the conclusion I reached after trying both types of clothing, and it’s a rational assessment as a tough guy and an uncle. Because wearing a skirt in the summer is genuinely more comfortable than wearing pants.

 

Of course, this doesn’t mean I like wearing skirts. It’s just because… because of the coercion from a certain grim reaper, I had no choice but to… tactically comply. Once I get used to the skirt and finish shooting the video, I’ll still be the same tough guy as before.

 

“…”

 

“Nanqi Port, Station 1. We’ve arrived.”

 

Sitting in the corner, I used my phone to transfer all my QQ, WeChat, and various gaming and social media accounts to the new phone. Just as the subway reached the station, I quickly packed up my things and hopped out of the train.

 

Despite being caught by Miss Grim Reaper a few times along the way because of various embarrassing incidents and getting squeezed quite a bit, my current mood is actually very good.

 

The clothes I’m wearing – new!

My phone – new!

Even the backpack on my back is new.

 

When I’m living alone, whether it’s buying fresh fruits and snacks from the supermarket or getting cheap clothes online, and even when I see positive comments from readers, as long as it’s something new, I’m happy for a long, long time. I always think that my hard work at work is paying off.

 

From childhood to adulthood, I’ve always been alone, with no siblings and no parents. Due to resource allocation issues, the other children in the orphanage and I were essentially in a competitive relationship. There were limited resources available in the welfare home, so if you ate more, other kids got less. The same was true when it came to education: if you performed well on exams, you received more rewards from the director than others, so everyone’s “friendship” was very fake.

 

I learned this self-consoling “reward system” from a very young age. If I improved in my exams, I got new clothes when I returned to the welfare home, and I was very happy. If I was the first in the class to memorize the entire lesson, I rewarded myself with a bottle of cola, and I was very happy. In college, if I worked hard and earned money, I would buy myself things I liked, and I was very happy.

 

Without friends, I became my own friend.

 

After entering the workforce, this habit of mine, developed from childhood to adulthood, became ingrained in my life.

 

Just like a beloved phone, I carefully selected it and added it to my shopping cart. After a busy day, I would come back to check its price, see if it had been reduced, if the store had any promotions, and read the comments from those who had already purchased it. Every time I saw the phone’s price drop, I would go to sleep that night feeling very happy because it meant that my chances of buying it had increased.

 

By distributing happiness in this way every day and occasionally rewarding myself with something I liked for my progress, even my initially lonely, boring, and dreary life became more colorful.

 

I remember the happiest moment after entering the workforce was when I saved money for several months and finally bought my first computer. During that week, even the negative comments from internet trolls in the novel’s comment section couldn’t dampen my spirits.

 

Now that I have a new phone and new clothes, I expect this good mood to last for several days. Even if Miss Grim Reaper teases me, it doesn’t matter.

 

Hmm… let me see, the Cat Café in Shangjing can be reached by taking buses 13, 18, and 222…

 

After exiting the subway, it took me some time to find the nearest bus stop. I took out the leaflet from the rabbit backpack on my back and checked the boarding recommendations while looking for the corresponding bus at the bus stop.

 

There it is, the No. 222 bus.

 

Then, I noticed a somewhat awkward situation, which was that my current cute outfit was really drawing a lot of attention. Although it wasn’t as obvious as on the subway, and no one was speaking, I could clearly see from the corner of my eye that people around me were all intentionally or unintentionally looking in my direction.

 

Come to think of it, a loli who “took inspiration from the most beautiful princess’s body curves and elf-like skin from another world,” wearing a cute beret, a brand-new fresh-looking hoodie with a pleated skirt, and those adorable round-toed casual shoes with bows on them, and carrying a pink rabbit backpack on her back, is bound to attract extra attention from anyone who notices her.

 

The café is just three stops away from here. I should make a note of that in case I need to come back later…

 

But then again, do I really need Su Yunjin to come with me like this? I’m not a child. Applying for a job is supposed to be my responsibility. As an adult, should I be afraid of a simple job interview? If I fail the interview, it just means I’m not suited for the job. Trying to take shortcuts always feels a bit inappropriate.

 

With this mindset, I waited for a few minutes at the bus stop and the No. 222 bus arrived.

 

As usual, I headed to the back seat and took out my phone to work on my drafts.

 

“Starry Garden Intersection, we have arrived. Passengers who need to get off, please use the rear exit…”

 

The trip was just three stops, lasting about ten minutes. I hadn’t written much during the journey. After getting off the bus, I compared the map on the promotional brochure with the signs at this station to confirm the general direction.

 

It really is by the seaside, isn’t it?

 

I looked at the slope ahead. To be honest, this area in the Nanqi district was my first time visiting. It seemed underdeveloped, with very few people around. As soon as I got off the bus, I could feel the salty and seafood-scented sea breeze – I could even see the sea directly from this bus station.

 

The location of the “Shangjing Cat Café” is on a slope not far from here, and further ahead is the mouth of the “Shenzhen River” and a tourist attraction.

 

“Little miss, are you here to visit the café too?”

 

Coincidentally, there were two young women dressed like college students who seemed to be heading to the “Shangjing Cat Café” as well. They approached curiously after walking a few meters with me.

 

“Are you here alone?” one of them asked.

 

I nodded and said, “Yes.”

 

“We’ve heard about this café for a while now, they even have an official page on Tongmeng. We’ve been following it for quite some time. But we didn’t expect them to set up in a place like this.”

 

One of the girls in pants fanned herself with a promotional flyer while expressing some annoyance, “It’s either mountains or the sea here, and there aren’t many people around. I’m afraid it might go out of business within a year.”

 

“Maybe it’s because there are few people here that the land is cheaper,” the other girl said with a smile. “Didn’t the official page on Tongmeng mention that the café is quite spacious, with two floors, cats inside, coffee, and fast food? If they built it in a bustling area, the land cost alone would be in the billions.”

 

“Actually, this place isn’t that remote. Next to it is the Starflower Garden, and not far away is the Shenzhen River. On holidays, quite a few people come to visit.”

 

“People come here to play on holidays, not just to eat…”

 

“Well, after you’ve played, you’ll definitely get hungry, and you can just open the map to find the café, right?”

 

“Haha, true, it doesn’t matter. I’m here to redeem rewards…”

 

Amidst the chattering of the two girls, I walked along the small path on the map for another ten minutes.

 

“I see it!”

 

Finally, after climbing a small hill, with one of the girls shouting, I saw it – a super large mushroom house?!

 

This gigantic mushroom house was located at the entrance of a clearly planned “commercial street.” Not far away was the Shenzhen River, and I could see many small boats on the river with price tags indicating “200 yuan per hour for boat rental, 500 yuan per person for speedboat, 180 yuan per person for a sightseeing trip from Shenzhen River to Shenzhen Lake,” and so on.

 

As for the mushroom house’s location… how should I put it? It gave me the feeling of “a dragon’s eye as the finishing touch.”

 

With a little adjustment to the path I had just taken, I estimated it could be shortened to within five minutes. During the tourist season, it would also attract the flow of people visiting the Shenzhen River’s attractions. There were two residential areas nearby, a garden, and a pedestrian street. As long as the commercial street behind was constructed, with more people around, the café located at the entrance of the commercial street would definitely not worry about having no customers.

 

“This is too cute, isn’t it?”

 

Almost as soon as they saw the gigantic mushroom house, the two college girls ahead couldn’t help themselves and quickly ran towards the house. “Help me take a picture!”

 

The mushroom house, located on the higher ground nearby, at the entrance of the commercial street, was about the same size as those super luxurious “country-style leisure hotels.” It had an overall orange color, with some light yellow spots on top of the mushroom cap. The area protected by the mushroom cap underneath the house had many open-air mushroom-themed tables and chairs. Even without rain, I could imagine how popular this place would be on a rainy day.

 

A master… the person who designed this café is definitely a master. I quietly thought to myself as I walked towards the mushroom house.

 

At the moment, the commercial street in the Nanqi district was still under construction, and the number of people wasn’t that high. The customer flow was likely dominated by tourists. So, what kind of groups would the nearby tourists generally consist of?

 

The answer was couples and families.

 

Designing the house as a mushroom house and placing so many seemingly free mushroom-themed tables and chairs outside, families coming out to play would definitely bring their children along. Kids generally loved this kind of small mushroom design, and they would surely pester their parents to visit. As for couples… just look at the two girls in front of me, and you could tell that such a cute design was also very popular with girls. As long as it could attract girls, why wouldn’t it appeal to guys?

 

Moreover, the house was painted in a conspicuous orange color, making it visible to anyone who played nearby. The mushroom design itself was easy for people to associate with “shelter from the rain.” Whenever there was a tendency for rain nearby, people’s first reaction would undoubtedly be, “It’s going to rain. I remember seeing a mushroom house around here earlier. How about we go there to take shelter?” As long as you could attract people, with the little cats in the store and the tempting aroma of food, who would resist coming in to take a look?

 

But what surprised me was the surprisingly wide range of offerings at this “Shangjing Cat Café”…

 

Walking up to the mushroom house’s entrance with the two college girls, I glanced at the advertisements and price lists posted on the door and felt a slight surprise.

 

“Shangjing” is actually a game location, and I remember Pipi and the others mentioning that the prefix was chosen because the owner liked the city “Shangjing” in the game “Rainbow Island Online.” The “cat” and “café” in the name likely gave everyone the first impression of a “cat café” where you can pet cats.

 

Typically, such places would sell coffee, milk tea, and perhaps cakes, cheesecake, juices, and cat snacks. Just like a regular bubble tea shop, or they might offer some cat treats.

 

However, what I didn’t expect was that they also sold fried chicken, popcorn chicken, fast food, stir-fried noodles, fried rice, green bean porridge, and cold jelly, among various snacks and desserts.

 

The first floor serves as both a cat café and a fast-food restaurant, and you can buy the snacks provided in the shop to feed the cats, interact with them, or simply come here to have a meal or afternoon tea. They offer fried chicken and hamburgers similar to KFC and McDonald’s, traditional dishes like popcorn chicken and braised chicken, and even freshly cooked fast food, with a wide range of home-cooked dishes available. Calling it a “cat-themed farmhouse” wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

 

Apart from the ultimate combination on the first floor, the second floor is the kind of “café” I had in mind, where they sell coffee, milk tea, and desserts like brown sugar boba milk.

 

No wonder they require maids to work in three shifts. I thought people came here in the middle of the night to pet cats and drink coffee…

 

So, I’m going to work in such a large restaurant? Will they really hire a young girl like me?

 

Pushing the door open, I looked at the many cat climbing structures already set up, and not far away was the large dining hall with a luxurious staircase. I started feeling a bit insecure.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Following the two young ladies who had just entered, a male staff member immediately approached us. “Currently, the cats haven’t arrived yet, and we’re in the trial opening phase. We only have a few types of cuisine and fried chicken burgers. We also haven’t hired any maids. Are you…”

 

“Oh, I’m from Tongmeng Video, and I won a small gift. Our school is in Shenzhen, so we just came over.”

 

One of the young ladies took out her phone from her pocket and showed it to the staff member. “This is my account!”

 

“I see.”

 

The male staff member nodded and pointed to the counter at the end of the room. “For gifts, please go over there.”

 

Then, he called out in that direction, “Brother Li! Someone from Tongmeng Video is here to pick up a gift!”

 

“Oh?”

 

A middle-aged man with a plain and unremarkable appearance below the counter stood up. “From Tongmeng Video?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The male staff member gestured to the two young ladies. “You can follow him.”

 

“Alright!”

 

The two young ladies happily ran over.

 

“What about you, little sister?”

 

The male staff member turned to me. “Did you get separated from your mom and dad?”

 

“Not really…”

 

I took out my ID. “I’m of legal age. You had been distributing flyers for hiring maids, right? I came to inquire about the conditions… and so on.”

 

“You’re here to apply as a maid?”

 

The staff member seemed surprised. He carefully inspected my ID and then nodded. He called towards the direction of the stairs. “Sister Ouyang! There’s an applicant!”

 

“I’m coming!”

 

With a response that exuded a mature and commanding presence, I saw a well-endowed woman, dressed in an office lady-style black stockings uniform, with a height of around 1.7 meters, coming down from the second floor. “Who? Is it her?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Perhaps to avoid any misunderstanding, the male staff member by my side added, “She’s of legal age.”

 

For some reason, I sensed a feeling in the eyes of this Office Lady as if she were a big bad wolf who had just spotted a little lamb.

 

“Applying for the maid position?”

 

After a brief appraisal of the hall, the Office Lady seemed to be in deep thought. She gestured assertively and said, “Alright, let’s go upstairs. We’ll conduct the interview directly.”