I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 98

 

As one of the few big cities, the differences between regions in Shenzhen City give me a strong impression. When I used to live around the Wujia Apartments (previous apartment), occasionally, because I found it troublesome to cook due to tight deadlines, I would go out to eat fast food. Small fast food shops on the roadside usually offer a basic meal with meat and two vegetarian dishes for ten yuan, while a meal with two meat dishes and two vegetarian dishes costs twelve yuan. The same quantity of food in the city center, such as near Mingzhu Square, would start from fourteen yuan.

 

Originally, I thought the urban village near the Wujia Apartments was a very inexpensive area, but unexpectedly, the prices of fast food in the Nanqi District are even lower. A meal with two meat dishes and two vegetarian dishes costs only ten yuan, and the portion is quite generous. I don’t know if it’s because the young lady who takes our orders is a high school student.

 

“Ding! Alipay received 20 yuan.”

 

After choosing what we wanted to eat and paying, I and Miss Grim Reaper, Yin Xiamo, came to this fast-food restaurant and sat down at a table near the counter. Just like the high school girl said, here they provide free meals, congee, and soup. There is also green bean congee with ice on the side.

 

Considering that I am currently on my period, although tempted, I resisted the allure of chilled green bean congee and ordered beef, pork, and cabbage as usual. The high school girl in charge of the shop seemed curious about us and continued to glance in our direction from her position while working on her homework.

 

“The restaurants outside are not expensive. Usually, if it’s not too busy, there’s no need to eat at the same place every time.”

 

I noticed that there were sweet and sour spare ribs in Yin Xiamo’s plate, so I subconsciously picked up some beef from my side and said, “Eat more. I can’t finish all of this.”

 

Before ordering, I really didn’t expect the portions at this restaurant to be so generous. In my impression, whether it’s the school cafeteria or this kind of fast-food restaurant, when the lunch aunt scoops the dishes, her hands always shake, and what was originally a large spoonful of food ends up being only a third. The high school girl from earlier was impressive, she filled my plate with a full spoon without any shaking, and the four dishes filled my plate completely.

 

I don’t know if this is a unique practice in the Nanqi District or simply because a high school student is running the shop with no experience. I’ve seen quite a few fast-food restaurants where parents cook and their daughters manage the shop, especially near the central area urban villages. Usually, uncles or grandparents take care of logistics, go to the market to purchase or handle ingredients, clean up when there’s nothing to do, and dads cook while moms handle the front counter and serve customers.

 

As for sons or daughters… during holidays or when they return from school, they must help with the family’s shop. There was a time when I was busy with deadlines and job hunting, and I used to eat at a small restaurant in the nearby urban village every day. The couple who ran that restaurant also had a daughter, and I often heard her arguing with her parents over trivial matters, like her wanting to go out and play while her mom wanted her to stay and help with work, or her having a boyfriend and her mom saying a few words, etc.

 

Compared to that, the girl in this shop seems quite “well-behaved.”

 

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Yin Xiamo looked a bit puzzled when she saw me picking up a lot of food. “Didn’t you say you were going to help out at the café tonight?”

 

“I really can’t eat this much.” Finally, I picked half of the cabbage and put it in Yin Xiamo’s bowl. I gestured to the still somewhat full plate, “The portion given by the young lady is too much!”

 

Over these days, I’ve come to understand my appetite. For breakfast, one egg, a small taro, plus half of a medium-sized sweet potato can make me feel full. For lunch, just two or three dishes and a small bowl of rice can satisfy me. Here, the term “small bowl of rice” refers to the smallest bowl in the utensils provided by large restaurants for serving dishes, with a diameter of less than ten centimeters. Half a bowl of rice in such a bowl is enough to fill me up.

 

Compared to when I was in my uncle’s care, my current appetite is really… cut in half. It’s probably even less than an ordinary high school girl.

 

“By the way, my body is not…” I glanced at the female high school student who was quietly doing her homework nearby and said to Yin Xiamo, “You wouldn’t happen to know about my eating habits, would you?”

 

“Not that detailed, either.”

 

My words seemed to evoke memories for Yin Xiamo. She fell silent for a moment in front of the table and said softly, “It’s like a chain of magic. All I need to do is the most basic part. As for how she will grow later, the specific details and temperature… I may not be clear about those.”

 

It’s another case of innate talent or some kind of specialization, right? You, who aren’t familiar with computers, can hack into the Public Security Bureau system. You don’t know my eating habits, but you can accurately calculate the date of my menstrual cycle and ask for leave in advance… Should I say your learning ability is too strong, or you’re just too fixated?

 

“Anyway, I can’t finish it. You go ahead and eat.” I cautiously glanced at the female high school student and then looked around at the ordinary customers nearby. “For someone from the demon clan, this amount of food shouldn’t be an issue, right?”

 

Anyway, in this modern society, if I were to directly discuss what “magic” is with Yin Xiamo, I’d probably be seen as a teenage girl obsessed with fantasy, and no one would take it seriously.

 

“Can I assume you’re caring about me?”

 

For some reason, the girl from earlier lifted her head, wearing a teasing expression, “Or is it compensation for earlier?”

 

“Don’t let your imagination run wild.”

 

I mumbled unclearly while nibbling on my lunch, “It’s simply that I can’t finish it.” It’s not like I think you’re “a little pitiful, getting bullied by the grocery store owner every day and reluctant to eat food from outside,” and that’s why I’m sharing my food with you. Really, it’s just because there’s too much for me to finish.

 

“Oh…”

 

Yin Xiamo lowered her head, picked up a piece of spare rib, took a few bites, and looked a bit disdainful, “It doesn’t taste as good as when you make it.”

 

“I don’t believe it!”

 

I was puzzled, “Generally, fast-food restaurants try to cater to the taste of all customers, adding lots of seasonings. When cooking at home, the emphasis is on cleanliness and hygiene.”

 

“It’s true.” The girl in front seemed to instinctively explain, “This… it’s a bit slippery, sticky, like a slime. I… I don’t really like slimes.”

 

When Yin Xiamo said this, many uncles around who were eating turned their attention toward us. I quickly used my eyes to signal the girl not to say anything more.

 

“I don’t like slimes either.”

 

A long time ago, my impression of the creature called “slime” was always stuck on “beginner’s monster,” like the slimes in the classic game “Magic Tower” that were just monsters for earning gold coins. As I grew older, my impression of slimes became more associated with being “sticky” and “able to transform at will.” The ability to “transform at will” means it can go anywhere, and in some less conventional games, this characteristic is often exaggerated and expanded by the creators to enhance gameplay.

 

However, these inherent impressions can sometimes change. For example, in a certain anime where slimes devour dragons, or in an anime where a protagonist endlessly fights slimes and becomes invincible, my impression of slimes turned into beautiful girls.

 

“Um… I’m 6180 years old.”

 

When we had almost finished eating, Yin Xiamo suddenly spoke in a low voice, “In the demon clan in another world, we are considered a long-lived species. I used to belong to a branch of the demon clan that was closer to… near-immortality. If you convert that age to the human side, it’s roughly equivalent to being around 19 years old.”

 

The large group of diners around us turned their attention towards us again.

 

Ahh! This is so embarrassing! I really want to find a hole to hide. They probably think we’re a couple of weirdos.

 

“Oh, really?” I quickly tried to divert attention, saying, “Then, as an ‘elf’, does being over two thousand years old still fall into the category of a ‘loli’ age?”

 

The surrounding customers then wore expressions that seemed to say, “Look at these two silly ‘lolis.'”

 

“Enough talking, let’s eat. I… ah, I’m a bit sleepy. I didn’t take a nap.”

 

“Mmm.”

 

After about ten minutes, Yin Xiamo and I finished all the food we ordered. As we walked out of the fast-food restaurant, I noticed that the high school girl who had served us earlier seemed to have completed her homework. She looked at me and Yin Xiamo with a complex expression on her face.

 

“We’ve been treated like ‘Rikka Takanashi‘.”

 

Continuing along the road outside the restaurant, I took out a pen and paper from my backpack to record various nearby shops while commenting, “It’s all chuunibyou.”

 

Hmm, coming out of the vegetable market, there’s a fast-food restaurant on the left with good hygiene, good quality, and reasonable prices. They provide free soup and rice, as well as white porridge and green bean porridge. Highly recommended, five stars.

 

Then, from this shop, there’s a store selling preserved fruits here, there’s an electric scooter repair shop here, and here’s a fruit store…

 

“It’s okay, I used to… when I first came here, people around here made that same expression when I spoke.”

 

Saying that, Yin Xiamo leaned in, took a glance at my notebook, and said, “You still have this habit? Isn’t it too cute?”

 

“You’re calling an uncle cute?”

 

I quickly recorded the surroundings in the notebook, and my gaze fell on a supermarket not far away. “Is this the supermarket Ai Luodi mentioned, where cooked food is cheap?”

 

“Yeah, there are also some fruit vendors around the supermarket, and next to it is a large shopping mall where they sell clothes and shoes.”

 

Yin Xiamo pointed to her casual summer outfit, “I bought this there for just a few dozen yuan.”

 

“Okay, let’s end today’s exploration here.”

 

I checked the time on my phone, “Let’s go back.”

 

“Don’t you want to check out the supermarket?”

 

“There’s not enough time. I’ll buy some groceries on the way back, take a nap, and then make dinner for you and Ai Luodi before heading to the café.”

 

I put away the pen and paper, “By the way, Momo, do you remember your birthday?”

 

“Birthday?”

 

“It’s the day you were born, a very important day, the kind of day that comes around once a year in the cycle of 365 days.”

 

“The ‘year’ over there and the calculation method here are different. Over there… a year isn’t 365 days.”

 

The girl seemed to calculate in her mind for a moment, “May 31st.”

 

“Ah?”

 

I was somewhat surprised, “Is that the converted date?”

 

“Yeah, but it’s not a birthday.”

 

Yin Xiamo shook her head, “The demon clan doesn’t have the concept of birthdays. I don’t even remember when I was born. The only truly important day for me is that day…”

 

“That day?”

 

“The day he… he took me away.”

 

Oh… so that’s the date when you, as a little demon, were picked up by the hero, right? Converted to the Earth calendar, it’s May 31st?

 

“Isn’t that less than a month ago?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is this your 6181st birthday?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Wow, over six thousand years. As an author, I have a very clear concept of this time. It’s currently 2022, using a globally unified calendar for humans, but that doesn’t mean human history is only around two thousand years.

 

Not to mention two thousand years, let’s take a more specific example—the first general-purpose computer was born in 1946. How many years has it been since then? Less than eighty years.

 

In less than eighty years, computers went from being large machines that couldn’t fit into several rooms to small tools that can easily fit into a backpack today.

 

Taking a closer look, what was the world like twenty years ago in 2002? Not to mention smartphones, even regular black-and-white screen phones weren’t affordable for every household back then.

 

In just twenty years, people’s habits shifted from the real world to the virtual network, with the internet rapidly developing, and nearly everyone having a smartphone.

 

Looking further back, two hundred years ago was the Qing Dynasty, two thousand years ago was the Han Dynasty, and six thousand years ago… the Stone Age?

 

I’m not sure how long a “hero” as an ordinary person can live in another world. All I know is that six thousand years is an enormous timespan for the human species, vast enough to transform from primitive humans playing with stones to modern individuals who can’t go a day without a smartphone.

 

The Miss Grim Reaper has lived for such a long time, who knows, maybe the “hero” in her life was just an inconspicuous moment.

 

However, for this relationship, she inherited the hero’s wishes, defeated the Demon King, and even transformed herself, embracing the concept of “death” in this world, just to be with him.

 

In those six thousand years, she might have encountered many heroes or people genuinely good to her, but this little demon… Yin Xiamo never turned back.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

On the side of the road, the Miss Grim Reaper, noticing my gaze, looked over, “What impolite thing are you thinking?”

 

“Ah? Nothing… I’m not thinking anything.”

 

“So now that you know my age, little pet, you should understand that resisting is useless, right?”

 

Yin Xiamo crossed her arms, “Obediently submitting to me is the right way.”

 

“You look like the kind of demon loli in a manga who ends up being toppled by the hero…”

 

“What did you say?!”

 

“Oops! I… I was just joking. Don’t pull out something so big…”

 

“…”

 

On the way back, I stopped by the vegetable market next to the vegetable garden and bought some fresh clams and mustard greens. I planned to make clam and mustard greens soup for dinner. Then, there was beef and sauerkraut made by a seemingly kind old lady. Finally, I got some sweet potato leaves freshly picked from the ground and various seasonings like garlic, ginger, and green onions. Estimating the portions for three people, I ended up spending quite a bit.

 

With two dishes and a soup, I wouldn’t eat too much, and the leftovers would surely be enough for Yin Xiamo and Ai Luodi, the two girls, for dinner.

 

“It’s so hot…”

 

Back in the room, I placed the clams in clean water, added some salt to help them spit out any sand and dirt naturally. I cut the beef into pieces and marinated it with the seasonings. The sauerkraut was chopped, and the sweet potato leaves were soaked in water. After washing my hands, I quickly freshened up in the bathroom before returning to my small room.

 

At this point, the temperature displayed on my phone indicated an average of 30 to 35 degrees Celsius in the Nanqi District of Shenzhen City. It was scorching, and we were definitely in the midst of summer.

 

Ai Luodi should be at work by now, right?

 

After washing my face and drinking some water, I went to the bathroom to change my sanitary pad. Wearing small slippers, I returned to my room and looked at the air conditioner above. After hesitating for a moment, I sent a message to my editor:

 

?How much is the electricity cost per kilowatt-hour here??

 

In no time, Ai Luodi replied: ?Three cents. Why do you ask??

 

?It’s a bit hot.?

 

Before noon, I thought the discomfort in my abdomen during my period was just due to the cold, and it would get better with warmer weather. I didn’t expect that overly hot days would also have a certain impact on that particular organ.

 

Just like now… I feel like I’m in a steamer in my room, inexplicably irritable. Also, because I’m wearing a sanitary pad down there, I’m a bit sweaty, making it uncomfortable and stuffy.

 

?Why don’t you turn on the air conditioner? Is it broken??

 

Ai Luodi sent a Jackie Chan “Don’t tag me. I’m just a gamer. How would I know the way to the brothel?” sticker.

 

?You don’t have to pay for electricity. As long as it’s not intentional power wastage, feel free to use any electrical appliances in the house.?

 

Alright, with your words, I feel relieved.

 

I replied with a “Thank you, landlord,” took the air conditioner remote control, thought for a moment, set the temperature to 25 degrees, on cooling, and turned it on.

 

“Hmmmmm…”

 

In no time, the temperature in the spacious room dropped to a very comfortable level. I happily jumped onto the bed, hugging the blanket and rolling around.

 

At this moment, the partially open door was pushed open with a creaking sound. Yin Xiamo, holding a pillow, walked in from outside. I was startled and quickly closed my legs, covering my skirt.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Napping with you.”

 

The girl glanced at the air conditioner above the room. “Running two air conditioners is too wasteful.”

 

After saying that, she casually threw her pillow onto my bed with a “plop.” “Move over a bit.”

 

“Why are you so assertive!”

 

“I feel like my brain is a bit malfunctioning, especially when I see Yin Xiamo’s hair spreading out and the snow-white skin near the girl’s chest inside her clothes. I always feel like I’ve truly become a small pet, like a hamster, with no rights at all, ready to be grabbed and embraced at any time: ‘I… I won’t blame you for not knocking before entering someone else’s room. What kind of tone is this, without any room for negotiation!’

 

“Because I indeed didn’t negotiate.”

 

Yin Xiamo yawned, “This is an announcement.”

 

“So authoritative!”

 

“Yes.”

 

Yin Xiamo directly sat on my small bed, “This time there’s no distinction between men and women not getting close. What excuse do you want to use now?”

 

“I’ve never said that phrase, okay!”

 

I couldn’t help but laugh and cry, “I’m not a hero! Even if you say I’m his reincarnation, I don’t have memories from my past life. We can totally consider ourselves as two different people!”

 

“That’s fine, just the two of us.”

 

The girl said earnestly, her little head leaning towards mine: “I’m not from the demon clan over there, and you’re not a hero, right?

 

I cautiously moved towards the corner of the wall and said, “Yes… that’s right.”

 

“Then let’s start over. We’re both girls, in the language here, that means we’re good friend.” Yin Xiamo leaned towards me again and asked, “Isn’t that right?”

 

I instinctively replied, “Y-yes, that’s right.”

 

“Ai Luodi is also our good friend, right?”

 

“It’s like that…”

 

“So, in order to save electricity for our good friend Ai Luodi, is it okay if I come over here and use the air conditioning?”

 

“It’s understandable.”

 

“Now I’m tired. Is it okay if I take a nap with you?”

 

“Sure… wait, something seems off?”

 

“We’re both girls, there’s no problem.”

 

This time, the girl didn’t give me an explanation. She took the quilt from the bed and lay down directly on the outer side of the bed.

 

Because I had always been alone from childhood to adulthood, when I rented the house, I never considered having a “partner” like a lover. So during my time in the cramped apartment, all the bedding I bought was for a single person.

 

There were pillows meant for one person, a bed sheet about only one meter three in width, and even the blanket was only big enough for one person.

 

Now that I’ve moved to Ai Luodi’s place, the bed in this room is also a single structure. Yin Xiamo lying down like this directly blocked all my “paths.”

 

“What are you standing there for?”

 

The reclining girl patted the empty space beside her. “Time to sleep, little kitty.”

 

I felt the hairs on my head were a bit out of control. “How did I become a little kitty again?”

 

“There’s a small amount of catgirl genes in your body, even though you don’t have cat ears.”

 

“What in the world are catgirl genes?”

 

“It’s… you’re more prone to getting fluffy, and you might have a reaction to catnip or something like that.”

 

I twitched at the corner of my mouth. “Are you serious?”

 

“Who knows…”

 

Yin Xiamo revealed that mischievous older sister expression again. “If you’re up for it, you can give it a try. The most that could happen with catnip is that you’ll roll on the ground, show your belly, and act cute for a few minutes. There won’t be any additional side effects.”

 

“…”

 

Although I was quite dissatisfied with Miss Grim Reaper’s somewhat domineering behavior, considering that others were thousands of years old, they probably wouldn’t take advantage of me while I slept. Besides, after a whole morning of activities, I was indeed very tired. So, reluctantly, I lay down next to Yin Xiamo, pulling the bed blanket over me.

 

“Don’t get so close… it’s too hot.”

 

“But you have a really pleasant scent, like a little kitten. I want to hold you while sleeping.”

 

“Isn’t that scent something you set?”

 

“……”

 

……

 

During the nap, I dreamed again of becoming a hero in another world.

 

This time, my dream took me to the past of the era, the cold winter, and the icy surroundings.

 

?You go ahead and eat, I’m not hungry.?

?I really am not hungry. The reason why humans can survive in such chaotic times is because we have strong bodies that can adapt to harsh environments at any time.?

?Once you’re full, let’s rest. The blizzard will pass.?

?You sleep over there… want to sleep together??

?Don’t hold me so tightly, it’s like I’m a little kitten…?

?…?

…

 

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself being embraced by the girl next to me, as if she were holding a body pillow. Her legs were wrapped around my hips, her hands around my waist, and her chest pressed against my forehead…

 

The girl’s steady breath, the faint fragrance on her body, and the softness of her skin…

 

“Mmm…”

 

After taking quite a while to realize that my position was a bit ambiguous, I carefully pushed Yin Xiamo in front of me away a bit.

 

“Awake?”

 

My movement quickly prompted the girl in front of me to open her eyes. Unlike my groggy awakening, she almost instantly regained her composure upon opening her eyes. “Do you want to sleep a bit more?”

 

“Sleeping too much at noon will make you sleepy in the afternoon.”

 

I reached for my phone on the side and checked the time.

 

It was 3:20, just five minutes away from the afternoon alarm I had set for myself to wake up.

 

“I’ll go make breakfast and then head to work.”

 

I hopped off the small bed, put on my shoes, and tidied up my somewhat messy long hair. I went to the dressing table to style my hair.

 

“How about not going today?”

 

Yin Xiamo on the small bed behind me had a lazy look. “Didn’t you get a two-day break? If you’re not feeling well, it’s good to take a little rest.”

 

“It’s okay, I’m not that fragile. The café needs to build a reputation these days since it just opened.”

 

As I tied my hair with a ribbon, I continued, “My income is related to the performance of the shop. If I establish a good reputation from the beginning, more customers will come in the future, and with more customers, my income will go up.”

 

Perhaps knowing she couldn’t persuade me, the girl behind me just smiled. “A hardworking little pet is quite cute.”

 

“I’ve told you I’m not a little pet!”

 

Having finished styling my hair, I walked towards the door of the room. “After we eat, do you want to come to the café with me?”

 

Yin Xiamo immediately jumped off the bed and followed. “Sure.”

 

The ingredients I brought back today are easy to cook. The clam and mustard green soup only requires cooking cleaned clams, chopped mustard greens, ginger, and salt together. The sour cabbage and beef is even simpler – sauté ginger and green onions in oil until fragrant, add marinated beef and stir-fry, then add sour cabbage for a full mix of flavors. Finally, the sweet potato leaves, because I can’t eat spicy food during my menstrual period, I stir-fried them with minced garlic, and they were ready in a few minutes.

 

“So delicious! This is delicious too!”

 

Yin Xiamo, who watched the whole cooking process in the kitchen, was the first to grab a bowl and chopsticks to serve herself. She took a bite of the sour cabbage and beef and a sip of clam soup.

 

“The meals made by my wife are always delicious!”

 

Who is your wife!! Completely powerless to comment on this person, I reluctantly sat down and casually picked some beef and vegetables into my bowl. “So, did you remember what I said earlier?”

 

“I didn’t remember.”

 

The girl shook her head. “I choose to have a Nuo’er to cook for me every day, that’s the simplest way.”

 

Tsk… what kind of thinking is that? Because you can’t learn to cook, so you kidnap a chef and bring them home?

 

“…”

 

?Dinner is ready. It’s on the table in the living room. Both Xiao Mo and I have already eaten. If you come back, finish the rest.?

?I didn’t add chili to the sour cabbage and beef. There’s pre-chopped chili sauce in the kitchen. If you want it spicy, you can add that chili sauce to the dish.?

 

After dinner, I messaged Ai Luodi. Seeing that it wasn’t too early, I went to the bathroom, changed to a new sanitary pad, and put the remaining maid outfit into the rabbit backpack, which I then wore on my back.

 

“I’m leaving.”

 

“Coming, coming!”

 

Using the skincare products Ai Luodi had given me, I washed my face and applied sunscreen. Then, together with Yin Xiamo, we headed out.

 

“Can’t you give me a hint about what conditions you discussed with the café manager?”

 

“You’ll know in a couple of days.”

 

“My instincts tell me it’s definitely not something good.”

 

“…”

 

Around four thirty in the afternoon, Yin Xiamo and I arrived at the café.

 

“Meow!”

 

As soon as I pushed the door open, a comfortable blast of cool air greeted me. Maine Coon Dingman, who had been lying and sleeping in the cat living area, immediately ran over, continuously rubbing his head against my shins.

 

“You’re here?”

 

At this time, there weren’t many people in the café yet. Ouyang Xue, who was carrying a tray to serve customers, wiped the sweat from her forehead when she saw me come in. “Someone is looking for you on the second floor.”

 

“Looking for me?”

 

I was a bit puzzled. “Is it one of my online fans?”

 

“The man who came with the editor last time, he said his name is Lu Xinjian. I told him you wouldn’t be coming to work until tonight, but he said he could wait. He’s been upstairs since noon, drinking coffee and using our Wi-Fi while working on his laptop.”

 

Ouyang Xue gestured towards the coffee shop’s second floor. “Could you go up and check?”

 

“Sure.”

 

I pulled Yin Xiamo over. “Xiao Mo, you go talk to the manager first.”

 

“Okay.”

 

On the second floor, I saw exactly as Ouyang Xue had described. Lu Xinjian was sitting in a small chair in the corner, with a computer in front of him. There were also two little cats lying next to the computer, seemingly very curious about the man who wasn’t playing with them downstairs.

 

“If you wanted to find me, you could have just called my phone, you know?”

 

I walked over to Lu Xinjian. “Isn’t my phone number with you?”

 

“You’re here.”

 

Seeing me, Lu Xinjian just smiled. “It’s not urgent or anything. I thought the environment here was nice, so I wanted to see if I could calm down a bit and experience the environment where my daughter… savior, works.”

 

I remained silent for a moment. “So, have you calmed down now?”

 

“I have.”

 

Lu Xinjian touched one of the little cats on the table. “It’s still about that matter. I… we hope you can go see my daughter.”

 

“Today might not work, I’m too busy.”

 

Anticipating that it might be about this matter, I sighed inwardly. “How about tomorrow? I have a day off.”

 

“Really? That would be great. I’ll drive to pick you up tomorrow.”

 

My words seemed to leave this middle-aged man somewhat at a loss, but then he quickly regained his composure. “There’s another thing, more like a commemoration. I plan to sponsor two cotton candy machines for this shop, the kind that automatically produces them. We’ll place them on the second floor here. When the time comes, you can manage them. What do you think?”

 

I pondered for a moment. “Is the company’s cash flow okay now?”

 

“Absolutely, no problem at all. After the TV media reported my story and my daughter’s, we received many donations. With the funding from Tongmeng Net, all the author’s fees are paid off now, and the merger of Yae-do and Honeydew is successfully completed.”

 

Lu Xinjian’s face couldn’t hide his excitement. “So… so I really want to repay you. I know this might make you… that is, it might be a bit irregular.”

 

“Your daughter’s recovery is the result of your efforts as a father, and it has nothing to do with me.”

 

I turned around, allowing Lu Xinjian to see the rabbit backpack on my back. “As for repayment… you’ve already given me such a cute backpack, haven’t you?”

 

“…”

 

Lu Xinjian had a face that didn’t know how to respond. After a while, he nodded with satisfaction. “Fair enough.”

 

“Do you have anything else in your shop besides coffee?”

 

“We have fried chicken.”

 

“Then give me a serving of your shop’s signature fried chicken.”

 

*ahem*

 

“Sure, the signature fried chicken it is. Master, please wait a moment. I’ll go change into a different set of clothes and be right back.”

 

“……”

 

……