I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 94
Dragging my slightly weaker body back into the room than usual, I saw Ai Luodi already out of bed, wearing a thin nightgown and holding a toothbrush while washing up in the kitchen.
Odd, isn’t there a bathroom on the second floor?
“Why are you back?” Ai Luodi turned around in the kitchen upon hearing the door open, “Plop, plop,” she spat out the foam in her mouth, turned off the electric toothbrush, and asked, “Is today a day off?”
I have to say, Ai Luodi in this state really looks a lot like that “Laffey” from some mobile game. Tied with twin tails, wearing a bare-shoulder nightgown, with mismatched high and low white knee-length socks that obviously weren’t properly dealt with after waking up in the morning, she looked decadent, like the typical otaku girl in anime.
“I and the boss took a day off, as for her…” Yin Xiamo intentionally elongated her tone, “Stomach… not feeling well.”
“Oh.” Ai Luodi immediately understood Yin Xiamo’s meaning, “So, did she forget to buy even sanitary products?”
“Yes.” Yin Xiamo was somewhat surprised, “How did you know?”
“You two give me a similar feeling, sometimes silly, sometimes like little adults.”
Coming out of the kitchen, Ai Luodi sat at the dining table, took one of the rolled rice noodle, and looked at it, “I like eating this.”
“The rolls downstairs are especially cheap and delicious.”
Seeing the topic being diverted, I quickly said, “I brought back a lot of chili sauce for you.”
“That shop owner’s son is said to have made a lot of money doing business in the city, bought a house, but the couple refuses to move. They open the shop every day, not for the money, but for the neighbors.”
Ai Luodi added chili to the rolls of noodles while saying, “I forgot to tell you yesterday, if you’re buying breakfast, go to the one below. There’s also a place near the supermarket entrance that sells spicy soup. The old man there is said to be from a northern city, and the soup is very delicious.”
Soup for breakfast? I was a bit confused, “Spicy soup… what is it?”
“A kind of specialty snack. In addition to that, they also sell fried dough sticks and the like. If you have time, you can give it a try.”
Speaking of which, Ai Luodi glanced at my stomach, “But these days, forget it. Don’t eat spicy and cold food during your period.”
Why did the topic come back to this again?
“Generally, people who are short, have poor constitution, and don’t sleep on time are prone to menstrual pain.” Ai Luodi calmly ate breakfast while saying things that made even a tough guy like me blush, “Your situation seems okay. Is that boss pretty humane? Actually approving this kind of leave.”
“She suggested that I come back.”
I explained, “Consider it… paid leave.”
Ai Luodi’s eating motion noticeably paused.
“Is your café still in need of a maid?”
“Huh?”
“I mean… does your café still need a maid? I want to give it a try.”
Ai Luodi said seriously, “I don’t have high requirements, just three or four thousand yuan a month, with two or three days off.”
This…
“Currently, we are short, or rather, extremely short. Currently, I seem to be the only one officially considered a maid.”
I explained, “The basic salary is indeed four thousand, and with commissions, it can reach six or seven thousand. Resting for eight days every month, but they are quite strict in their selection… I don’t know the specific conditions.”
To be honest, in my opinion, Ai Luodi is a very qualified maid. I, the Miss Grim Reaper, was created according to the most extreme standards of another world, with the skin and figure of an elf, the temperament of a succubus, and the beauty of a human princess. My appearance cannot be accurately judged even with a phone camera, or it will look ugly and unreal. Given such conditions, Ai Luodi, as an ordinary person, cannot be evaluated according to the standards of the “other world.” However, whether it’s her appearance or figure, in my eyes, she falls under the category of a “beautiful girl.”
I vaguely remember the first time I saw Ai Luodi at the comic convention. Apart from being surprised that she had a sharp-tongued online persona but was this type of beautiful girl in reality, I also had a thought—our editor can clearly rely on her appearance, but she insists on relying on her abilities.
Ai Luodi’s lazy appearance sitting on a chair, “working” while snacking, often gives the impression of being casual. When will it be off work? I don’t want to stand up. If you want to buy something, get it yourself.
Can someone with such a personality be a maid?
“And being a maid is very tiring.”
To prevent Ai Luodi from misunderstanding, I deliberately added, “Running up and down all day to deliver meals to customers, clean, feed the cats, and groom them. There’s not a moment of rest.”
“Editors are tired too,” Ai Luodi, nibbling on her breakfast, mumbled, “Being scolded by readers, being scolded by authors, there’s a lot of chaotic stuff every day. Compared to that, I feel like serving customers and cats is not bad.”
I felt a bit worried, “Editor, have I ever upset you?”
“No, you’re the best kind of author. Even though you don’t have subscribers, readers, or income, your updates are consistent. You update a chapter every day without fail. You don’t have to worry about arranging recommended spots and transitioning to new books. With fewer readers, there are fewer troubles in the comment section. You’ve never written about Liu Bei, and you don’t even have to coordinate with the approval process.”
I was momentarily confused, “Liu Bei?”
“Polygamy.”
“Cough…”
“In comparison, some authors keep finding trouble day by day. I’ve told them, if you want to make money, write mainstream. Write about time travel, getting a system, having a little hooligan coming over—anything is better than delving into some massive world-building or ultimate brainstorming. And then they have to involve polygamy, and not only that, they have to touch on sensitive topics, afraid of not causing trouble for the website. I criticize them, and they go outside to create posts, insinuating things in the editor’s area.”
“And then there are those who get recommended and then go on hiatus on the recommended spot, without telling me the reason. Others click in, wondering why the website recommended such a hiatus-ridden book. Then the chief editor comes to blame me… It’s really frustrating.”
Speaking of difficulties, Ai Luodi even dipped one side in chili sauce and the other in rolled noodles, saying, “On the internet, people dare to say anything, without fear. But in reality, it’s different. I’ve worked as a waitress before. Although the catering industry occasionally encounters weirdos, they tend to restrain themselves a bit, unlike the unrestrained behavior on the internet.”
That’s true.
“Your boss… the woman from last night, she looks like the female lead in a Japanese A**** Video.”
After a moment of silence, Ai Luodi asked again, “Did she really give you two days off? Paid?”
I nodded, “Paid.”
Japanese A**** Video?
Editor-in-chief, how… how do you seem to know more than I do?
“It’s not a good sign when the boss is too kind.”
Ai Luodi, done with breakfast, picked up the trash bag, “That’s how Yae-do is.”
Hmm?
I curiously asked, “Any gossip?”
Did anything happen when Lu Xinjian (former yae-do boss) was established?
“Not much gossip. It’s common sense that bosses and supervisors shouldn’t get too close or intimate with employees, unless they’re the smiling tiger type. Otherwise, they’re gambling on the employee’s conscience.”
Ai Luodi said calmly, “It’s like being a teacher who is too gentle and often gets close to the students. If you’re too lenient as a teacher, it’s gambling on the students’ conscience, gambling on their self-control. Having a good relationship with students won’t make them feel guilty when they can’t complete their homework. Instead, it will make those weaker students think it’s okay not to do homework, since the teacher is lenient and won’t punish them. It’s the same for bosses, if your boss is doing this, they’re taking a gamble.”
It seems… that does make sense?
“Uh…”
As we were chatting, I don’t know if I was somehow affected by the scent of Ai Luodi’s chili sauce, but I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my previously uncomfortable stomach. I couldn’t help but quickly walk over and sit on the nearby sofa.
Girls’ menstrual periods… are they really this uncomfortable?
I felt uncomfortable all over my body, but I couldn’t pinpoint where besides the pain in my stomach. The whole person was unusually irritable, feeling like neither sitting nor lying down was comfortable.
Hey, Miss Grim Reaper, could you design a body for an ordinary girl who experiences menstruation without making it this uncomfortable?
“Why… why are you looking at me like that?”
Feeling my resentful gaze, Yin Xiamo innocently said, “I didn’t do anything, okay?”
It’s you, still saying you didn’t do anything…
I don’t believe that the physique of elves and succubi from another world is this poor. In most literary works, elves are usually depicted as long-lived beings, with low reproductive desires. It might take several hundred years to give birth to a descendant, or in some works, elves don’t reproduce like humans at all. The entire elf tribe is born from the “Elf Tree.” Female elves in such settings probably don’t have issues like menstruation.
As for succubi, that goes without saying. Succubi are experts in matters of sexuality. Do succubi experience menstrual cramps? Are there a few inconvenient days each month? Doesn’t that affect their performance? Even if there were succubi who experienced such things, they could probably use magical powers to solve it. Then, through natural selection, only the strong-performing succubi could reproduce, and over time, succubi would likely be left with varieties that have smooth menstrual cycles.
In conclusion, considering the situation I’m in, it can only be arranged by some unscrupulous grim reaper. She absolutely, absolutely… did it on purpose!
“When things are like this, even I feel all sorts of discomfort during my period.”
Ai Luodi returned, saying, “Since you two know each other, I’ll leave her in your care.”
“Alright.”
Yin Xiamo waved her hand, “Goodbye, Editor-in-chief!”
“After work today, I plan to go to that café. The number of editors in the company has exceeded the limit after merging Yae-do and Melon Bun. It doesn’t matter if I leave, I can try changing jobs.”
After quickly changing clothes upstairs, Ai Luodi, carrying a small bag, walked downstairs, “I’m off.”
“Take care on the way—”
Watching Ai Luodi leave the house, feeling extremely frustrated, I took out my phone from the pocket of my skirt and intentionally ignored a certain someone beside me. I planned to search for information about “menstruation” online.
“I’ll go buy what you need.”
Yin Xiamo didn’t continue to provoke me. She walked towards the door of the room, “Is there anything you want to buy? Or anything you want to eat? Whether it’s not spicy or cold, I can help bring it back for you.”
“No, there’s nothing to buy.”
For some reason, my mood was particularly bad. Compared to the usually lively “Yin Nuo’er,” my tone also seemed a lot more listless, “I can rest for a while on my own.”
“Then, take a rest.”
The girl at the door, like a little girlfriend throwing a tantrum, didn’t seem to mind my “stubbornness” at all. “About an hour or so. If there’s anything, call me, and I can come back through the rift immediately.”
“Okay.”
Busy searching for information, I replied, “Go ahead, go ahead.”
With a “thud” of the door closing, Yin Xiamo left the room, and I refocused my attention on the phone screen, earnestly reviewing relevant information.
Hmm… about women’s period… generally, healthy girls experience menstruation in elementary or middle school. For some with special constitutions, having their first period at the age of 14 is also considered normal. The menstrual flow lasts for about half a week, usually three to four days. The average cycle is 28 days, and it’s not fixed to a specific date each month…
Huh? It’s not fixed?
Then there’s… during this special time, girls may experience abdominal pain, cramps, weakness, and irritability due to hormonal changes. Before and after menstruation, due to significant changes in hormones, some women may experience increased desires, breast swelling, dizziness, and headaches…
Quite complicated…
During menstruation, there is bleeding, and the amount and specific timing are not fixed. So, sanitary pads or tampons should be worn throughout the menstrual period. It’s recommended to change sanitary pads every three hours and tampons every four hours…
And so on.
Does this mean… during this time, not only will I have intermittent stomach and headaches and mood swings, but I also have to wear thick pads and change them every few hours?
This information was quite shocking for someone like me, who had thought adding an extra layer when the time comes would be enough. It turns out it’s more complicated than that!
At home, it’s manageable, but if it’s at school, I have to go to the bathroom to change when the class is over. And during work hours at the company, do I need to occasionally run to the restroom?
So, like this… three to four days every month, changing every few hours, how many of these products do I need to buy each month? Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, this should be considered a fixed expense, right?
After carefully browsing through online introductions about “menstruation,” my already terrible mood became even worse. Just thinking about having to wear a thick layer in my underwear or insert a tampon, changing several times a day, experiencing stomach pain, bad moods, and overall weakness every month around this time, I felt like the future was bleak.
After going through being chosen as a one-day mascot at a comic convention because I was too cute, then getting a relatively easy job as a maid due to being a girl, I, who thought being a girl wasn’t bad at all, was now completely strangled by the merciless reality.
Girls at such times are really…
Not convenient at all!
Is this what they call “you gain some, you lose some”?
Out of curiosity, I tried searching for the prices of sanitary pads in various online stores.
Day and night combination, 29 yuan… extra-long overnight use, 59.9 yuan…
What is this? An average of 2.81 yuan per pad?
Isn’t that the price of a bottle of cola?
So, during this time, it’s like I’m drinking a bottle of cola every few hours? And I have to continuously consume cola for three to four days?
Hmm… the pain is starting again.
Feeling uneasy on the sofa, I propped myself up and walked quickly back to my room, grabbing a small blanket to cover my stomach. Online sources suggested that using something warm could help ease the pain.
While researching, I also came across some relatively obscure knowledge. Due to the influence of certain pheromones, if several girls with different menstrual cycles live together, like in a dormitory, over time their cycles may synchronize, eventually leading to the entire dorm experiencing menstruation on the same day or around the same time.
Additionally, some girls with particularly poor constitutions may experience very high levels of pain, affecting their daily work. If the pain reaches a level where they faint, it’s recommended to seek medical attention.
Comparatively, my situation was not too bad. I had noticeable sensations, but the pain wasn’t particularly intense. I could stand up and move around. If necessary, I could push through work in this state, although my mood might be quite irritable. Although not to the point of getting angry at everything, I definitely wouldn’t exhibit the usual gentleness of “Yin Nuo’er.”
Wait, why am I concerned about being gentle? I’m a grown man, a tough guy—why do I care about that!
Having gathered enough information, I stood up and sat in the computer chair next to the small bed, covering my stomach with the blanket, and pressed the power button.
These two days were relatively light on novel writing, and my draft was almost used up. Now was a good time to catch up. Writing novels alongside a regular job is often like this.
Occasionally leaving work early or taking the bus to and from work, I write during fragmented moments. During holidays, I try to write and accumulate drafts as much as possible after finishing my personal tasks for the day. I write but don’t publish, maintaining a consistent 2,000 words update daily, relying solely on attendance for income, just as Ai Luodi mentioned.
This way of writing, as Ai Luodi said, is like clockwork, updating a chapter every day. There’s no share in recommendations or reader rewards, it’s purely earning through regular updates. Unfortunately, as an unknown author, unlike those famous writers whose new works are always anticipated, relying solely on writing with its uncertain income is too risky. I can only write and update as much as possible while having a stable, legitimate job, or else I’ll end up struggling to make ends meet, just like when I was a middle-aged man living in a rented room.
?Recruiting for one, new season top hunts, anyone on??
?Any members in the Wo Wo Club? I’m DD, looking for a carrier escort.?
?Is there a 300 in a female outfit with a question mark? New four-room house, I’m Tong Ren pulling out a knife.?
?Why can’t I understand the damage of this Kiana? 0-4 instantly killed me on the top lane with Nasus??
As before, my readers still chat about “almost anything except the novel” in the group. Even those familiar faces have formed various “teams,” turning the group chat into a “game assembly point.”
?Sigh, I’m such a dead otaku, so bad at playing games.?
?Are you kidding me? Dead otaku? Where’s the fat in me??
?Stop pretending, both of you. Everyone knows I’m the only otaku in the group, you’re all beautiful girls.?
?Would a beautiful girl read a short and powerless novel like Uncle’s??
“…”
With a slightly speechless feeling, I glanced again at Ai Luodi and the Tuzi’s editing group, realizing that these authors were currently discussing what themes to write for the new joint writing project after the merger of Honeydew and Yae-do.
?Don’t write about transformations, do you all have mines at home? You have money but don’t want to earn, right??
?The signing standards for transformations have been raised again. Is anyone planning to reveal their identity and drag down their good brothers in the group??
?After the supernatural channel was closed and transformations were suppressed, it seems like the end-of-the-world novels are also about to be banned. Don’t ask me why; it’s the news from above.?
?End-of-the-world novels are going to be banned too? I seem to understand why. Now it’s really a harmonious society.?
?Shh… loose lips sink ships.?
After checking QQ and WeChat messages, and scrolling through comments and complaints about my novel, confirming that there was nothing relevant to me, I closed these chat applications and opened my writing program.
Even though I wasn’t feeling very comfortable today, there was no issue with writing and typing.
In any case, I’ll try to incorporate my emotions into the novel.
Just like working at the maid café, as a waitress, I should showcase my best side and save any grievances or dissatisfaction for later, perhaps in the restroom after work.
Putting on my headphones, entering a soothing music playlist, I took a deep breath in front of the computer and started the routine of writing and saving drafts.
Even if I temporarily set “buying a small house” as a goal, I still need to work hard to achieve it.
The novel must be updated every day to ensure full attendance. After being published, based on the worst-case scenario of a 20:1 collection-to-subscription ratio, the combined income from full attendance and monthly votes should be around two thousand. Meanwhile, the café provides a monthly salary of close to ten thousand, allowing for some savings of around ten thousand each month.
Once life stabilizes, I can consider improving the quality of meals or buying new computers and clothes. Regardless, saving money is always a good idea. I wonder what someone else has planned for the future.
As I write, the image from last night’s dream inexplicably surfaces in my mind. With this body, if she can experience menstruation, it means she is no different from an ordinary girl. In other words, she can bear children.
In the browsing history of Yin Xiamo’s computer, there are records related to “yuri giving birth.” She must be brewing some earth-shattering conspiracy, and this conspiracy is intricately connected to me.
As a macho man and the invincible hero who firmly controlled a certain little demon in my previous life, would I allow her to reverse the roles, allowing her to play with me and make me dance in her hands? Absolutely not.
I won’t let her use her magic to make me bear her child. Wait, something is wrong here. Why would I think about bearing her child? I am a macho man!!
This is the real world, and with money, one can have everything. Since Miss Grim Reaper thinks a mere menstrual cycle can defeat me and make me reveal a pitiful girlish expression, I won’t comply with her wishes.
Not only will I update the novel regularly during this special period, but I will also portray a “brave and fearless” appearance. Changing clothes on time and having a slightly uncomfortable stomach—since these are normal physiological phenomena, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Keep it up, Nuo’er! You can do it, don’t submit to that heartless grim reaper.
With this mindset, I quickly immersed myself in the atmosphere of the novel, and my fingers danced on the keyboard.
In the quiet bedroom, the faint sounds of early-rising birds outside the window could be heard, along with the gentle tinkling of wind chimes as the breeze passed through.
…
“I’m back!”
About an hour later, the sound of the door opening and Yin Xiamo’s voice echoed in the living room: “Dear, how are you?”
“…”
I didn’t respond, and shortly after, the girl walked into the room: “Dear, are you still writing?”
“Who’s your dear.”
I took off my headphones. “I’m writing a battle scene, and you’ve ruined the atmosphere.”
“Sorry!”
The other person, surprisingly in a good mood, held two bags containing who knows what: “I bought you some food and daily necessities.”
“Food?”
I stood up, “What kind of food?”
Yin Xiamo took out two boxes from one of the bags, “There are pineapple buns from the supermarket, and also some sticky rice rolls, still warm.”
“How did you know I like pineapple buns and…”
As soon as I said it, I realized what was going on, “You’ve read through my computer records, haven’t you?”
I do like pineapple buns, especially when they’re freshly baked and steaming hot. I’ve searched online multiple times for how to bake pineapple buns in the oven and even discussed the differences between the currently popular three types of pineapple buns in forums and communities.
Originally, I thought that the Miss Grim Reaper peeking into my computer browsing history was trying to use those peculiar preferences as a threat, coercing and enticing me to do all sorts of strange things. Now it seems… she’s just looking for my preferences, like the phone she gave me before.
“And there’s this, I bought sanitary pads and tampons, all in styles suitable for young girls.”
Placing the box of obviously still warm pineapple buns on the computer desk, Yin Xiamo took out two big bags of things from the other: “You should try them.”
“I…”
My face instantly warmed up.
“I… I’ll try them later.”
Saying that, I looked at the other bag, “What are those?”
“Ginger, and some pieces of brown sugar.”
Yin Xiamo took out each item from the bag: “And this is a special kind of heating pad. I’ll warm it up and put it on your stomach while you write. It should make you feel better.”
Watching the girl in front of me being a bit clumsy for some reason, I felt moved: “You know how to make ginger brown sugar water?”
“I… I can try.”
She put the heating pad aside and connected it to the power source. Yin Xiamo lifted the bag containing the materials: “I searched online, and it looks simple. It should be fine.”
I tilted my head: “Should?”
“Probably.”
“Never mind. The café manager has made brown sugar water for me before. Don’t mess with it. Buying it is enough. If it hurts, I’ll make it myself.”
I put on my headphones again: “Anyway, thanks for your help. Wait a moment, I’ll finish this chapter first.”
“Okay, good luck.”
Today’s Miss Grim Reaper seems unusually gentle. After listening to my words, she voluntarily left the room and helped close the door.
With less than a hundred words left, I checked how to conclude this chapter…
In the soft music playing through my headphones, a few minutes later, I completed the draft of this chapter.
Hmm… my stomach still feels uncomfortable.
And I have to endure this for several more days… Oh my god!
I took the sanitary pad that Yin Xiamo brought back, carefully opened it, and then checked the instructions on top.
Let’s use this one first, I can’t get used to using a tampon…
Place this… like this… and then put on the panties?
Following the instructions, it took me some time, but I managed to add this soft pad under my skirt with great difficulty.
Is this okay now?
I jumped in place a couple of times, getting used to the feeling of having a cotton pad in my underwear. Then, I pushed open the room door—
“Xiao Mo?”
The kitchen nearby was lit, and the sound of the range hood could be heard.
No way, did she really go to make ginger soup? Wasn’t she supposed to be unable to cook?
I quickly ran to the kitchen, pushing open the door: “What are you doing?”
“Eh?”
“I… *cough, cough*…”
Inside, Yin Xiamo, wearing an apron, was busy with a spatula. Upon hearing my voice, she immediately turned around, “It should be ready soon. Wait outside for a bit.”
“I remember you said you couldn’t make soup even if you had the ingredients, right?”
Glancing into the pot, I said, “But this looks well done?”
“I…” Yin Xiamo avoided my gaze and said softly, “For you… Because of this, I… I must know how.”
“What?”
“It’s nothing! Since you’re not feeling well, go outside.”
Pushing me and hurrying me out of the kitchen, the girl said awkwardly, “Go out, go out. It’s smoky in here.”
I instinctively explained, “I don’t like it too sweet…”
“Okay, okay, I’ll use less brown sugar. Go rest!”
“……”
……