Chapter 32: Matchmaking and Monster Mysteries

He Yao had no particular interest in the concept of ‘unboxing’ secrets. This was especially true when it involved accidentally ‘unboxing’ his teacher’s private matters.

However, as long as his own secrets remained hidden, he was fine. Currently, only Zhang Xiao, Teacher Lin, and his parents knew his true identity.

His parents were entirely trustworthy—they understood the crucial importance of discretion. Teacher Lin, always a man of his word, also posed no significant concern.

Therefore, the only one who might expose his identity was that young girl, Zhang Xiao.

Yet, he found himself helpless when it came to her. He could only rely on her character, especially since she had recognized him through her unique perception of bizarre monsters.

On a different note.

What primarily came to his mind was Teacher Lin’s earlier declaration about wanting a Magical Girl for a wife.

Teacher Liu was practically his perfect match!

A smile involuntarily bloomed on his face. He wondered if he should tell Lin about this, imagining the expression he would make upon hearing the news.

‘A little matchmaking could be quite interesting…’

‘Perhaps I should contact Liu Xingyue and try to set up Teacher Lin and Teacher Liu. They seem quite compatible, after all. Teacher Lin is old enough; it’s high time he resolved his single status.’

‘Yes, this is an excellent idea.’

****

“A Niu, a new transfer student joined our class today. Her name is Zhang Xiao, and she’s very pretty.”

The young girl, with her long, silver-white hair, tugged at the sturdy man’s arm. “She’s not like me. As soon as she transferred, everyone liked her. But she’s cool. Even though she doesn’t talk much, I think she’s a good person.”

The man, called A Niu, smiled dotingly at the girl before him. “Zhu’er, you’re beautiful too. Don’t worry too much about your classmates’ stares. Even if they find your hair strange now, in the future, they’ll think it’s really cool.”

“I believe you!”

“Speaking of which,” A Niu continued, “you had a physical test yesterday, right? Did you perform as I instructed?”

“Of course!”

The girl puffed out her chest with a hint of pride. “I acted weak, just like you told me, A Niu! No one will ever know how strong I really am.”

“Good. And the Sacred Artifact?”

“It’s quiet. No reaction.”

“That’s good. We must wait, Zhu’er, until the time is right.”

“I know! My existence is hope!”

****

“Well, my dear girlfriend, do you have time to go on a date with me today?”

It was Thursday, and He Yao extended an invitation to Liu Xingyue. He intended to discuss Teacher Lin and Teacher Liu with her.

Liu Xingyue wore a helpless expression, glancing at her best friend.

Huang Xi quickly interjected, “You two go on your date! We can always buy cosmetics later; it’s not urgent.”

As she spoke, she playfully poked her best friend’s shoulder with a mischievous grin.

He Yao then asked, “What kind of cosmetics are you planning to buy? The school probably prohibits excessive makeup, right?”

“We won’t use it in school,” Liu Xingyue retorted, “but can’t we use it on Saturday and Sunday?”

“That’s true.”

He Yao nodded. “We’ll probably pass by a mall. What brand of cosmetics are you looking for? Liu Xingyue and I can go have a look and buy you some.”

“What’s this? You’re going to buy it for me?”

He Yao nodded. “To maintain a harmonious relationship with my girlfriend, shouldn’t I also maintain good relations with her best friends? Otherwise, if you secretly badmouth me, that would be terrible.”

“Wow~ You’re so blunt! In that case, I won’t hold back!”

“Just tell me!”

He was promptly given the name of a cosmetics brand.

As they walked home from school, Liu Xingyue said, “I know you’re rich, but there’s no need to buy things for my friends. That’s not how you use your money, is it?”

“The cosmetic she mentioned, it’s called ‘Mingyao,’ right? Why don’t you guess which company makes it?”

“…Huh?”

He Yao nodded. “It’s a brand that used to be under my mom’s company. However, Dad’s company has now merged with Mom’s, so this brand has essentially become independent. But in reality, it still has close ties to their company. Their CEO even came to our house for dinner once; she’s a good friend of my mom’s.”

Liu Xingyue finally had a tangible sense of having found a wealthy young master for a boyfriend.

“So, getting a set of cosmetics is no big deal. If you’re interested, I can take you to visit their headquarters. They’d certainly extend that courtesy.”

“No, thank you.”

Liu Xingyue stared at He Yao. “So, what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”

“I heard that a bizarre monster appeared near the orphanage yesterday—and you participated in the extermination?”

Liu Xingyue looked bewildered. “How did you know?”

“Is it that hard to know?” He Yao spread his hands. “A Magical Girl battle occurred nearby. For others, the news might not be easy to come by, but for me, it’s quite simple. Even though I wasn’t there myself, people will naturally inform me. These are messages conveyed by friends I’ve, shall we say, ‘invested in.'”

“Yesterday, as you said, Kamen Rider Great Aum appeared. He is indeed a very peculiar existence… However, Amethyst and I speculate that Great Aum has appeared twice, both times in Ink Crystal’s vicinity. We suspect he knows Ink Crystal,” Liu Xingyue said seriously. “So, we plan to verify this. Next time, if that Kamen Rider appears again during an extermination operation Ink Crystal is involved in, then it’s highly probable they know each other—though I don’t know why Ink Crystal would conceal her identity.”

‘How could I, Ink Crystal, not know the Kamen Rider’s identity?’

He Yao found it difficult to argue. He could only nod. “I see. It seems Ink Crystal is not so simple either.”

“This Magical Girl is indeed full of mystery, and her relationship with the Kamen Rider is worth scrutinizing. Amethyst said that the Kamen Rider carries the aura of a monster. It’s possible he’s one of those extremely rare types who have completely absorbed the power of a bizarre monster, integrated it into their body, and fully retained their sanity. This is truly terrifying.”

“She has already contacted other Magical Girls, intending to uncover Great Aum’s true identity. As you said, something so terrifying cannot exist in Clear Sky City, even if he currently appears benevolent.”

‘Did Teacher Liu make such a judgment?’

This was somewhat unexpected. He had already deduced that the other party was Magical Girl Amethyst. This strongly suggested a unified will among the Magical Girls.

“That’s all I know. The specifics still depend on the connection between Ink Crystal and the Kamen Rider. If it can be proven, then Ink Crystal will be the breakthrough in this matter.”

‘What a pity.’

‘Zhang Xiao’s powers had already vanished yesterday. If she still had them, I could have taken her to that orphanage to see what she sensed, and perhaps we could have directly uncovered the Kamen Rider’s true identity.’

‘However, yesterday’s events were primarily to help Zhang Xiao resolve her bizarre monster problem. The speculation about the Kamen Rider’s identity was merely an added bonus. He had, in fact, already obtained a list of all personnel at that orphanage.’

“By the way, what do you think of Teacher Liu and Teacher Lin?”

Liu Xingyue shot He Yao a look. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, I want to try and set them up.”

Liu Xingyue couldn’t help but find it amusing. “Aren’t you being a bit too meddlesome? Never mind our own puppy love; now you want to get involved in our teachers’ romances? I never knew you were this kind of person!”

“That’s different. If it were anyone else, I definitely wouldn’t interfere. But Teacher Lin is a good friend of mine. I can’t just stand by and watch my dear Teacher Lin remain a bachelor like this.”

“What about Teacher Liu?”

“Teacher Liu clearly likes Teacher Lin. Last time, Teacher Lin complained to me that Teacher Liu asked for help moving, then invited him to dinner, and Teacher Liu got drunk. He said drunk people are a huge hassle, always leaning on others, very difficult to deal with. What do you think Teacher Liu meant by that?”

Liu Xingyue fell silent. She seemed to finally understand why Teacher Liu had so earnestly asked her for lessons.

It turned out Teacher Liu had already tried to make a move herself but had completely failed to attract Teacher Lin.

“If you ask me, Teacher Liu should just go up and say ‘I like you,’ and it might just work… Hinting at Teacher Lin like that, how could an honest person like him possibly pick up on it? Even if his heart wavered, he would ultimately do the right thing.”

He Yao could guarantee this. The last time, he had practically pressed himself against Teacher Lin, and the teacher hadn’t done anything to him.

Teacher Lin was a man of exceptionally strong self-control, willpower, and conviction.

How could he possibly take advantage of a girl just because she was drunk? Doing so would only backfire. He would simply find a drunk person troublesome and avoid drinking with them in the future.

“You do have a point,” Liu Xingyue conceded. She hadn’t expected He Yao to hold Lin Han in such high regard. To her, Lin Han was just an ordinary physics teacher. She wasn’t particularly fond of physics and wasn’t an outstanding student in the subject, so she hadn’t paid much attention to him.

“But are they suitable for each other? I mean, even if two people like each other, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good match, does it?”

“You’re not some old fuddy-duddy, are you?” He Yao looked at Liu Xingyue, his tone laced with suspicion. “What era are we in? It’s all about free love now! Whether they’re suitable or not, they should just try being together first~”

Liu Xingyue was speechless at his attitude. “I wonder who used my secret to force me into a relationship with him. Is *that* also called free love?”

“Ours is different. No matter what, we’re comrades who’ve faced life and death together. Don’t you agree?”

“So, what’s your plan?”

“This Saturday, I’ll invite Teacher Lin to my house for dinner. Then, we’ll figure out a way to lure Teacher Liu over. After that, just watch me work.”

“…It’s not impossible, but there shouldn’t be any problems, right?”

“Don’t worry! Ultimately, whether they become a couple or not is their business, isn’t it?”