I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 84

 

Considering that the market stalls were almost closed by around 8 p.m., I took the subway and a taxi back to my Wujia Apartment after unloading my things. Carrying my empty rabbit backpack, I headed straight to the supermarket across the street from the pedestrian street.

 

As expected, the fresh produce section here had few good options left, but being a supermarket, there were still some basic meats and discounted vegetables available. I thought… tonight, I’ll cook sweet and sour spare ribs, and then in the meat section, I’ll buy a fish head to make fish head and tofu soup.

 

For vegetables, I picked up whatever was left by others – almost anything would do. How about some cabbages?

 

Tonight, I’ll cook a meal for two again – that certain grim reaper can’t stand me up twice, right?

 

After selecting the ingredients for tonight, I went to the fruit section and bought two apples before heading to the checkout counter.

 

As usual, no plastic bags – I packed the groceries in my own bag.

 

“Check the receipt!”

 

“Hey, little sister, don’t go! Receipt lottery!”

 

As usual, seeing me come out alone with various groceries, the jewelry store attendant at the entrance greeted me as usual, holding a box, signaling for me to participate in the lottery.

 

As usual, I waved to them, indicating that I wouldn’t participate.

 

You can keep tricking customers; I’ll be moving soon anyway! I’m out!

 

“Meow! Meoww!”

 

Coming back along the small paths, at the entrance of the apartment, I heard the community management cat getting into another fight with some stray cat from who knows where. This time, it seemed to be in a high place, and from my perspective, I couldn’t see the shadow of the cat at all.

 

Could it be that a certain heartless grim reaper won’t be monitoring me again?

 

I vigilantly surveyed the surroundings.

 

Aside from two old men playing chess at the entrance of a small shop with signs reading “Fortune Telling Feng Shui” and “Auspicious Days,” there didn’t seem to be anyone else around.

 

“…”

 

Carrying the groceries, I went up to the third floor, put down the food in my hands, and was about to enter the door code to unlock it. The empty doorway suddenly felt a bit off.

 

Wait a minute, where did the shoes I placed here to ward off perverts go?

 

I surveyed the entrance of the rental apartment.

 

Nothing.

 

The apartment room across from me, 302, was vacated several months ago. It hasn’t been occupied for a while, and there are no corners or hidden doors in the hallway in front of the rental house. Even as a little loli now, I can see the whole scene at a glance.

 

Does this mean someone stole the shoes left here?

 

I looked up at the camera.

 

If I remember correctly… at least when I left in the afternoon, those shoes were still there. As for whether they were there when I came back just now, I didn’t pay attention.

 

Why would someone steal shoes, especially when mine aren’t even brand-name running shoes? They’re just regular ones, less than 40 yuan online for a pair. I’ve been wearing them for two years, even beggars wouldn’t want them if thrown in the trash.

 

“Ding ding ding ding ding—”

 

Feeling frustrated, I entered the password and opened the door. Stepping onto a small stool, I placed the groceries on the kitchen counter and then sent a message to the community management:

 

?Brother Yang, my shoes left at the door are missing. Any idea??

 

After sending this message, I put on an apron and began handling the ingredients.

 

The supermarket staff had already prepared the fish head, and as for the tofu, I needed to cut it into pieces by hand – not a difficult task.

 

After rinsing the fish head, cutting the soft tofu into cubes, slicing some ginger, and giving the fish head a quick stir-fry in the pot, I added the fish head, tofu, and ginger into the pot. I added water and salt, set the timer, and started boiling the soup.

 

As the rice cooker worked on one side, the induction cooker couldn’t remain idle either. I added water and spare ribs, paid a bit of attention, removed the water, dry-fried until the oil appeared, added soy sauce, cooking wine, and sugar, and started simmering.

 

During the waiting time for the spare ribs, I casually picked up my phone and found that the community management had already replied:

 

?What shoes? Gone? When did this happen??

 

I quickly responded: ?My sister said it was in the afternoon.?

 

?At what specific time? I’ll check the surveillance.?

 

?After 3 pm.?

 

?From 3 pm to 8 pm? That long? Well, you’ll have to wait a bit, we’re dealing with an issue on the 5th floor.?

 

?Okay.?

 

After replying to the community management, I continued preparing the sweet and sour spare ribs.

 

Actually, if the community management wanted, just by looking at the surveillance cameras on this side of the apartment, they could sense that something was off with “Yin Shiren.” My “corpse” was taken away by Miss Grim Reaper, and if she didn’t leave through the main entrance, the cameras wouldn’t have captured her. Anyone actively watching the cameras could have noticed the absence of “Yin Shiren” from the moment he entered a few days ago until now without “leaving.”

 

Not to mention “Yin Shiren,” even the current “Yin Nuo’er” had no footage of her first entering the rental apartment from the “outside.”

 

As long as someone had the patience to thoroughly review the footage from the cameras in the building three rental apartments over the past few days, they would realize that “Yin Nuo’er” had appeared out of thin air, and “Yin Shiren” had disappeared.

 

However, the community management wasn’t that bored. If I remember correctly, the surveillance footage here only retained images for three months, and no one would specifically go through the tedious task of “watching surveillance.” Unless a car was stolen on the first floor and they needed to catch the thief, or if a tenant made a request, those community management staff wouldn’t have the time to sit down and stare at boring screens for hours or count which tenant came in and didn’t go out.

 

The community management here are all working-class individuals, employed by the owner of the investment apartments. Having lived here for so many years, I am well aware that they don’t have tasks related to “monitoring.”

 

Their daily responsibilities involve promoting the apartments online as much as possible, actively participating in various rental housing groups and blogs. They earn commissions for bringing in tenants, and the remaining tasks involve serving tenants. This includes handling issues such as clogged toilets, faulty internet, or broken air conditioners. Complaints about noisy neighbors in the middle of the night, whether it’s moving chairs or couples having a loud argument, flooding the entire house with noise, require the community management’s intervention and resolution through WeChat group complaints.

 

Sometimes unclogging a drain takes an entire afternoon, and calling a technician to fix an air conditioner could take several hours. Late at night, investigating disturbances in the house, from midnight until dawn, to pinpoint the source of the noise can be a challenging task. The community management truly doesn’t have the time to look at surveillance footage for entertainment.

 

In the adult world, everyone is busy. Even if they aren’t busy, the community management, like my impression of Yang Kun from the third building, either goes out for drinks or spends time playing King of Glory in the service area on the first floor. In reality, surveillance doesn’t make much of a difference.

 

“…”

 

Adding sugar, adding vinegar, simmering until the sauce thickens…

 

It took more than thirty minutes to prepare the sweet and sour spare ribs dish. After it took shape, I sprinkled some sesame seeds over the sticky and fragrant spare ribs. Using a small spatula, I transferred it to a plate and placed it on the table.

 

Upon opening the rice cooker, a faint aroma of fish and tofu wafted through the air.

 

Fish head soup shouldn’t be simmered for too long; otherwise, the tofu can easily dissolve. Anyway, fish itself is a particularly quick-cooking ingredient. I had already stir-fried it in advance, so simmering the fish head soup and making the spare ribs could conveniently end at the same time.

 

Wearing gloves, I poured the fish head tofu soup into soup bowls, sprinkled some chopped green onions, and placed this dish next to the spare ribs.

 

Speaking of moving later, I could also take these kitchen utensils and the Yoshino table with me, especially this Yoshino table. It has sentimental value after being with me for so many years.

 

I poured enough rice for two people into the empty rice cooker, pressed the cooker’s “Quick Rice” function, and quickly prepared some hollow-heart vegetables. I smashed some garlic and stir-fried them in oil.

 

After finishing the vegetables, checking the time, and seeing that the rice was almost done, I placed the plated hollow-heart vegetables on the table. I untied the apron, went to the bathroom, wiped my face with a towel, and in the living room, dialed the number for “Yin Xiamo.”

 

“Can you come over now?”

 

As soon as the call connected, I got straight to the point: “It’s already past nine!”

 

“Little cutie, is this your clingy personality?”

 

The Miss Grim Reaper on the other end had a playful tone: “Like a little kitten unable to find its mother?”

 

“What little kitten! I clearly…”

 

Before I could say anything, in a familiar sensation, there was a “buzz” behind me. The space beside the sofa was torn open, and the death god girl in a windbreaker emerged from the gap.

 

“Hey.”

 

Waving her small hand at me, the death god girl stylishly swung the enormous scythe in her hand and then tossed it back into the rift behind her. “You’ve already made dinner and waited for me?”

 

Noticing the table full of dishes in the open space, the girl’s face showed some joy. “It seems like making you our little chef was the right choice…”

 

“Who’s your little chef!”

 

I walked to the kitchen feeling frustrated, lifted the lid of the rice cooker, and scooped a bowl of rice for myself. “Hurry up and eat! After eating, help me move things over!”

 

“I didn’t expect your cooking skills to be so good.”

 

As if back in her own home, the Miss Grim Reaper directly took the rice bowl from my hands. “Then I won’t be polite!”

 

“Uh… huh?”

 

I was bewildered by this person’s actions. Originally, my intention was… this bowl of rice is mine. If some heartless grim reaper wants to eat, she can go to the kitchen, grab a bowl, and serve herself. However, her casual act of taking the rice bowl from my hands left my brain frozen. I stood there for a moment, unsure whether to complain or snatch the bowl back.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

The girl had an expression as if to say, “What are you looking at? Go serve yourself.” She added, “Aren’t you going to eat?”

 

I… you…

 

Forget it, considering that you’re going to help me move things later, I’ll endure this, Uncle!

 

Feeling frustrated, I returned to the kitchen. I grabbed another bowl and a pair of chopsticks from the nearby cupboard, then filled the bowl with the remaining rice from the rice cooker.

 

“What’s this? Fish meat?”

 

The Grim Reaper in the living room was sitting in a duck-like posture, naturally kneeling on the cushion. Her slender legs were clad in black thigh-high stockings, slightly sliding down due to the pose, revealing a bit of wrinkles in the middle.

 

“It’s fish head soup.”

 

I sat across from her in the same posture. “Haven’t you tried it before?”

 

“No.”

 

The girl shook her head. “Fast-food places don’t sell this.”

 

“Oh…”

 

Thinking that she seemed to have been working and eating fast food for these past few years, my heart felt a bit moved. “How many years have you been in this world…”

 

Before I could finish my sentence, the girl interrupted me. She excitedly pointed at the plate of sweet and sour spare ribs. “What about this? Is this ribs?”

 

“Yeah, sweet and sour spare ribs.”

 

I nodded. “Surely the fast-food places over there don’t sell this either?”

 

The girl shook her head. “No.”

 

“Really?”

 

I was puzzled. “Then what do you usually eat?”

 

“Well… for meat, it’s usually pork and some sunset fruit… oh, no, it should be called pumpkin. Also, dragon fruit… or is it cucumber? Or watermelon?”

 

The girl had a look of uncertainty. “Anyway, it’s those things.”

 

After being on Earth for so many years, you can’t even remember the names of the ingredients here?

 

“What’s this?”

 

In my complicated expression, the Miss Grim Reaper said something surprising. She gestured with chopsticks towards the sweet and sour spare ribs on the Yoshino table. “Feed me.”

 

Huh?

 

“What did you just say?”

 

“Feed me a piece and see.”

 

The girl gestured towards the plate of spare ribs with her eyes.

 

“But…”

 

I didn’t know what to say for a moment. “Why do I have to feed you… aren’t you a grim reaper? What about your dignity? Your…”

 

The girl took out her phone from the stylish windbreaker. “I have a cute video of you imitating a cat.”

 

I blurted out, “Didn’t we already agree…”

 

“You don’t want this video to be sent to the readers’ group, do you?”

 

The girl still didn’t let go. “Feed me.”

 

“…”

 

The corner of my mouth twitched.

 

“Alright, alright.”

 

Somewhat annoyed, I picked up the chopsticks, grabbed a piece of spare rib, and sat up a bit. Leaning forward, I said, “Open your mouth.”

 

“Ah—”

 

The girl opened her small mouth and closed her eyes.

 

Seeing her like this, for some reason, I suddenly felt like I was “coaxing a little girlfriend.” Even though the girl in front of me was dressed in a very cool black windbreaker, following a cold and handsome style, her recent behavior and the identity of a “grim reaper” did not match at all.

 

Like me, the Miss Grim Reaper had long hair flowing down past her waist. Her snow-white face was very clean, especially her eyelashes, which, upon closer inspection, looked like two butterflies with slightly fluttering wings in a flower bush.

 

Just judging by appearance, she really wasn’t scary at all. Her petite figure and body shape were also giving off a fresh vibe.

 

Why would such a girl choose to go for the “mature woman” style during our first meeting?

 

A girl’s mind… is really hard to fathom…

 

Helplessly thinking, I placed the spare rib I had picked up into the girl’s small mouth.

 

“Mmm…”

 

After chewing a few times, the girl revealed a pleasantly surprised expression. “What’s this? A snack after the meal?”

 

“It’s the main course.”

 

I explained, “It’s a way of cooking spare ribs. You’ve had spare ribs before, right?”

 

“But why are they sweet and sour?”

 

“Because I added vinegar and sugar. That makes it sweet and sour.”

 

“And why is there a fragrant smell?”

 

“I added sesame seeds.”

 

I gestured to the white dots on the spare ribs and casually picked up a piece of tender white fish meat from the fish head, placing it in the girl’s bowl. “Eat up.”

 

“Um… cough, I mean, it’s very good.”

 

Even though she quickly resumed that expression of “I am the master of death,” sitting up straight, the girl in front of me still gave me the feeling of “pretending to be an adult.”

 

“Dang dang dang—”

 

While eating, the room’s door was suddenly knocked from the nearby living room.

 

“Buzz—”

 

Almost as a reflex, the Miss Grim Reaper pulled out a scythe from who knows where. Then, with an agile flip, she disappeared into the crack that had been left open.

 

“Who is it?”

 

I walked towards the door, saying, “My brother isn’t here!”

 

“It’s the building management!”

 

The voice of Yang Kun, the building management of the third buildings, came from outside the door, “Did your brother say the shoes were stolen?”

 

I hesitated for a moment, opened the door a little, and stuck my head out.

 

“Yeah, that’s right.”

 

The building manager outside stood professionally without moving: “I just checked the surveillance. A guy around 20 years old took the shoes. He looks like a college student, and it happened around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. A few other tenants upstairs also had things stolen outside, and we’ve already reported it to the police. We’ll send the surveillance video to your brother’s phone shortly.”

 

Saying that, the building manager glanced inside the room, “Besides the shoes, nothing else was stolen, right?”

 

“Not for now.”

 

I shook my head, “Just two pairs of shoes.”

 

“That’s good. It’s better not to leave your belongings outside, especially shoes… Actually, we don’t know if we can recover them. So far, the items reported stolen are small fans, carpets, and the like left outside. The amount is not significant, making it difficult to file a case.”

 

The building manager sighed, “Even if we catch the person, if he claims to be a scavenger, came over to see if there’s anything left outside that no one wants, picked it up, and sold it, the police probably can’t do much… So, cough, well, you tell your brother, don’t get your hopes up too high.”

 

“That’s fine then. Little sister, are you alone at home? Have you eaten?”

 

“I’m having dinner.”

 

“You cooked it yourself? That’s impressive.”

 

I replied with a tone of “Hurry up and leave”: “Yes.”

 

“Haha, then I won’t disturb you.”

 

The building manager clearly sensed my intention to “see the guest off” and took a few steps back, saying, “Well, let’s leave it at that. If there’s anything, let your brother talk to me.”

 

“Okay.”

 

I closed the door, pretending to be aloof.

 

“Sigh…”

 

So, the shoes were really stolen?! When I returned to the middle cushion in the living room, I couldn’t help but feel a bit amused and exasperated.

 

Can a pair of worn-out shoes from an uncle really fetch any money? Well, this situation is convenient. There was some trouble with a drunkard before, and now the shoes are stolen. Originally, I was worried about how to tell the building manager, whom I’ve known for a few years, that I want to move out. Now I have a reason to leave.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

As I sat back on the cushion, the grim reaper emerged from the crack. She glanced at the door and then asked with some confusion, “The shoes were stolen?”

 

I looked up, “You know?”

 

“I saw it after hearing you meow in the afternoon.”

 

The Miss Grim Reaper said indifferently, “Should I go and take care of that person?”

 

Hey! It’s just a stolen pair of shoes. Don’t use such terrifying words like “take care of”!

 

“Well, those shoes of mine aren’t useful anymore, they belonged to the uncle anyway.”

 

I gestured for the girl to sit down, “If it’s gone, it’s gone. I’ll deal with the rest of the things after moving tonight.”

 

The girl fell silent for a moment, “But… if that person stole from you, it means they have ill intentions toward you. Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

 

“Do we have to eliminate someone just because they have ill intentions?”

 

“I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know how things are in another world, but this is the real world, and it shouldn’t be that dangerous…”

 

Then, I remembered the dreams I had these past few days and subconsciously said, “Could it be something the hero taught you?”

 

This person is so terrifying, they must not be allowed to stay. Since the grown-ups have a vendetta against this person, I suggest cutting the grass and eliminating the roots, annihilating their entire family to prevent future troubles… something like that?

 

“No.”

 

The girl in front of me avoided my gaze, her eyes seeming distant. “I just don’t want what happened back then…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

Under my scrutiny, the girl picked up the chopsticks again, returning to her previous dignified Grim Reaper demeanor. “I’ll make my own judgment on this matter.”

 

Is she really okay with it? I casually picked up two more pieces of ribs and a large piece of fish into the girl’s bowl. “How’s your injury?”

 

When I encountered the Miss Grim Reaper in the park during the morning downpour, her wounds were described as “terrifying.” Anyone with such a horrific injury would likely face a dead end even with timely medical attention.

 

Although I know I can’t judge a “Grim Reaper” with the usual reasoning, it’s still a bit unbelievable that someone who was barely alive and covered in blood this morning is now jumping around. Or is it that the healing magic in this other world is really this incredible?

 

“Alright.”

 

The girl answered the question straightforwardly, “I’m not that weak.”

 

It’s not about being weak or not weak… Oh well. Since I don’t have my previous memories and don’t know magic, as long as you’re okay.

 

“What about the Demon King?”

 

While eating, I continued to try and extract information about my “past life” from the current “Yin Xiamo”: “Did you defeat him? Seal him? Or did he die?”

 

“He died.”

 

The girl calmly stated, “Completely dead.”

 

“Then you…”

 

Due to too many questions, I was momentarily unsure of what to ask first, so I casually said, “Your magic, spells, what do you know? What are the rules of this world? Can ordinary people learn magic?”

 

“No.”

 

The girl explained in a somewhat unclear manner while eating, “Except for me, who used the unique forbidden magic to break the rules, there are no outsiders in this world.”

 

“Oh…”

 

I somewhat understood, “So, can you still go back there? I mean… like magic and all, Earth doesn’t have it. Is the other world more… more familiar to you?”

 

“No, I won’t go back.”

 

After finishing the ribs and fish in her bowl, the Miss Grim Reaper fell silent for a moment and whispered, “There is nothing for me there.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“…”

 

“What stuff do you need to move later?”

 

Perhaps noticing my silence, the girl lifted her head and, looking towards the bedroom not far away, brought up another topic, “Do you need to move everything?”

 

“We don’t need to move everything.”

 

I said, “Just bring over the computer, this desk, and some kitchen utensils. We can leave behind things that aren’t essential. Now it’s summer, so we don’t need to bring blankets, just bring a small blanket and a pillow will do.”

 

The computer is necessary for work, as I need it for writing. The pillow and blanket are also necessary for sleeping. The rest is mostly “completely unnecessary” stuff, and it’s okay not to bring them.

 

“By then, won’t you still have this ability of yours?”

 

I looked towards the still-open spatial rift not far away, “If you really forget something, you can come back and get it. Does using this ability consume a lot of magic?”

 

The girl hesitated, “No, it doesn’t, but… if the rift is closed for too long, you won’t be able to come back.”

 

“Why? Is there a condition for opening it?”

 

I continued to inquire, “Actually, I’ve always been curious about how you were so sure that I am that… that hero. Clearly, I have no memories of my past life, and what about that space-traveling magic? Can you go anywhere with it?”

 

“…”

 

The girl fell silent.

 

She quietly ate her meal, occasionally picking up a piece of ribs or some vegetables.

 

“I made a contract with you related to our souls.”

 

After finishing most of her food, the girl explained, “I and him… we’re bound to your soul. My ability is to return to your side, not something like traveling through space.”

 

Oh?

 

Return to my side?

 

“Only going back to that world consumes a lot of magic because I have to forcibly tear open spatial rifts, and doing so causes an energy explosion.”

 

The girl lowered her head, “Coming back is the same, intense spatial tearing can harm people nearby.”

 

Spatial shock?

 

At this moment, it seemed that the announcement played by the taxi driver on my way to “Wanghai Park” in the morning appeared again in my mind—

 

?Now reporting an announcement: Friends in Shenzhen City, an hour ago, there was an unidentified mountain fire and explosion inside Wanghai Park in Nanqi District. The police have currently sealed off the area.?

 

So, the explosion at that time was because the grim reaper had just returned from the other world?

 

Worried about hurting people, she chose a very remote location…

 

“I can use this ability to return to your side at any time. If I forcibly open a spatial channel, the released magic power would detonate this entire building.”

 

The Miss Grim Reaper gestured towards the spatial rift behind her, “In a situation like now, I can maintain the channel for a certain time. But if the channel remains closed for too long, and the traces of magic disappear, and you go back to Ai Luodi’s house, I won’t be able to connect the path to this side like I did just now unless you come back again.”

 

I see. The skill is “come to my side” and not “space rift”…

 

Because of this soul-binding ability, she could confirm that I was the reincarnation of a certain hero? Fate is truly mysterious…

 

“Oh, by the way.”

 

In the somewhat awkward atmosphere, I stood up just after finishing my meal and walked towards the bedroom. I took out the newly bought phone and earphones from the rabbit backpack.

 

“This, consider it as compensation for helping with the move later.”

 

I stuffed the box and earphones into the girl’s arms, then sat back in my place, pretending to continue eating, “I passed by a phone store on the way back just now, and they had a promotion going on, so I bought it on a whim.”

 

“A promotion?” The girl was initially puzzled, then probably checked the phone box, “Dark red… This phone costs 6,000 yuan.”

 

Six thousand yuan?! I blurted out, “How could it be 6,000 yuan? You must have been scammed by the salesperson.”

 

“5999.”

 

“Well, that’s not much different from six thousand! You were definitely taken advantage of by the salesperson.”

 

“I…” The girl blushed at my words, “Mind your own business! Besides, why did you waste money buying this when I already have a phone?”

 

“I said it was on sale. I still have a good amount of my salary left, so… I just bought it.”

 

I was a bit at a loss for words, “Why? Don’t want it?”

 

“Your salary… Pffft…”

 

“Why are you laughing?”

 

“Nothing.” The girl tucked the phone and headphones into her coat, “Since my little pet is so eager to express loyalty to its owner, this great person will reluctantly accept it.”

 

“Get out of here. We’re going to work later, I’m not giving it to you for free!”

 

After finishing the meal, I had a bit of fish soup and then pushed a large bowl of fish towards the girl in front. I stood up, holding an empty bowl, and walked towards the kitchen, saying, “Finish it all, don’t waste.”

 

“I’m full.”

 

From behind came a lazy voice, “Unless you want to feed me like you did just now.”

 

“…,” I clenched my fist, “Eat if you want!”

 

“I saw you bought apples on the way back.”

 

The person maintained the same lazy tone, “Can I have some?”

 

“Whatever.”

 

“But I’d like you to help peel them…”

 

“Get lost!”

 

“……”

 

……