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Join the Server“Yo, A-Qiu, morning!~”
“…Morning.”
‘This person truly possessed an uncanny knack for reappearing.’
‘Still, compared to the young lady, he was decidedly more benign?’
‘Father, after all, had been endlessly grumbling these past few days: [While gaining an additional daughter is undoubtedly a blessing, is it truly acceptable for our meal expenses to have risen, rather than fallen?].’
‘Each time such a topic arose, an involuntary shiver would run down my spine.’
‘Wasn’t the crucial point, perhaps, that the young lady had already seamlessly integrated into our family’s meals?’
‘Though, to be fair, both Mother and my elder sister seemed quite pleased with the arrangement.’
“Today, we’ve made plans to visit District 11 (TL Note: A common term for a specific area or zone, often associated with entertainment or commercial districts in Chinese web novels.) with Wanwan’s friends from other schools; you must be quite excited, I imagine.”
“I hope you all have a good time.”
‘Moreover, he shouldn’t presume my mandatory attendance.’
‘District 11, moreover, was notoriously saturated with couple-centric photo spots; it was glaringly obvious they were either planning a double date or a trio of couples. For a mere background character like myself to tag along would be to invite the metaphorical glow of countless lightbulbs, marking me as the lone outlier.’
‘Such treachery of the human heart.’
“Hmm… It seems I should invite Nina first?”
“That’s entirely your prerogative. However, I’d prefer to remind you that next Friday marks the crucial juncture you should truly be concerned with.”
‘I’d strongly advise against setting your sights on her. While it’s true I find her utterly unmanageable, you’re destined to meet with utter disappointment during this period.’
“Next Friday? What day is that?”
“…Sigh, midterm exams.”
“Oh right~ Next Friday is the midterm exam, followed by the school festival.”
‘Thus, Nina, currently engrossed in campaigning for votes to secure her role in the stage play, would hardly be in the mood for recreational outings.’
‘Indeed, ever since Su Yuanyi joined the club last week, and now that it was Friday, Nina’s visits to the clubroom to chat and jest with us had visibly dwindled with each passing day.’
“Then shouldn’t we also organize our summer beach plans?”
‘I was utterly baffled by this individual.’
“Is there no higher priority than to seize the time for revision, understanding that excellent grades are the currency for more leisure?”
“Oh~ A-Qiu, you’re too old-fashioned, aren’t you? Or is this the educational philosophy practiced in your family?”
I merely cast an exasperated glance his way, then unhurriedly retrieved my phone and launched a game.
“Huh? Ah? No way, really?”
“Yes, that’s how it is, but I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
‘After all, I genuinely wished to avoid writing “Due to unsatisfactory academic performance, I have no intention of pursuing further education and plan to enter the workforce” on my graduation intention survey, either next year or the year after – such a phrase, in my view, betrayed a complete lack of ambition.’
‘Naturally, for those students who, at this juncture, had already gained early exposure or even fully committed themselves to relevant careers due to personal interest or familial circumstances, the path of continued education might not be their chosen one.’
But Li Pengcheng didn’t seem to belong to this category.
“Hmm, A-Qiu, actually, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it either, but don’t you find such a youthful school life a bit boring?”
“So, what do you plan to do after graduation?”
‘Rather than subtle probing, I preferred to deliver a swift checkmate.’
“Oh~ You’ve really stumped me. Let me think… inherit the company?”
“Do you know how to manage it then?”
“…Start learning from the bottom?”
‘Just as I suspected, the fellow had absolutely no concrete plans.’
“I won’t urge you to commit yourself entirely, but at the very least, ensure you can gain admission into a business administration program. Only then can you guarantee that, even if you begin from the ground up, the entire company won’t be effortlessly snatched away.”
“Huh? It wouldn’t be that serious, would it?”
“It will indeed be that serious. Surely, you wouldn’t wish for Student Bai to eventually argue with you, separate, or even divorce you, driven by a sudden and dire financial predicament, only to seek comfort in another’s arms, would you?”
“Stop, stop! The future you’re describing is far too cruel for me.”
‘Then for goodness sake, make an effort to study!’
“I haven’t even mentioned that if you have children, there’s a high probability they’d be scolded and hit.”
“Woah~ I really couldn’t tell, A-Qiu, you’re actually quite dark-bellied (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘fùhēi,’ referring to someone who appears kind or innocent on the surface but is cunning, manipulative, or even malicious underneath.).”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“So, are you really not considering coming with us to District 11 to see the beautiful scenery and purify your soul?”
‘This individual was utterly hopeless.’
“There’s no need. I have pre-existing commitments after school today, and even a clandestine invitation to Nina would prove futile. It’s best you simply abandon the idea.”
“Alright, since you’ve put it that way, continuing would be rather insensitive.”
‘If only he could dedicate even a fraction of that self-awareness to his academic pursuits, how much better things would be.’
“Sigh~ And they said it was a rare chance to invite a young lady from Saint Ezebuga, and I heard she’s still single~”
“…Sigh.”
‘My daily tasks were already concluded; why had the morning assembly yet to commence?’
****
Xinyue, Yuanyi, I have my usual part-time job after school today, so I won’t be coming to the clubroom.
‘During our lunch break, still dining within the clubroom, I preemptively explained the situation to both of them.’
‘Regarding the form of address, it was simply a natural evolution, a preordained adaptation.’
“Understood.”
The young lady, having just swallowed her food, offered a bland – or perhaps, more accurately, still rather aloof – response.
‘Her countenance, compared to her usual self at our family dinner table, was utterly transformed—’
[I’m sorry, I got too carried away and didn’t consider the situation Nina would be in. Thank you for reminding me in time.]
‘On our way home the day Su Yuanyi joined the club, she had offered this earnest apology and gratitude.’
‘Yet, from that day forward, she would only behave normally at our dinner table, or when Nina and Makino Kaede were present; once those circumstances passed, her demeanor would become markedly distant.’
‘Although this indeed relieved me greatly, it also left me deeply uneasy.’
‘For if this situation wasn’t addressed and rectified, it would, sooner or later, inevitably breed new complications.’
[Can I come along?]
“Huh?”
Startled by the unexpected query, I involuntarily blurted out and turned my gaze towards Su Yuanyi.
She hastily shielded her face with her phone, yet her fingers continued their rapid dance across the screen.
[I’m just really interested in your work and want to observe. I absolutely won’t cause you any trouble.]
‘Even with such assurances, there was truly nothing captivating to observe.’
[But my part-time job today is moving goods at a convenience store. Not only is it monotonous, but I haven’t even asked if others are allowed to observe.]
‘This was a new part-time job I’d only acquired last week, and truthfully, I harbored little desire for her to observe. Given my usual lack of physical exercise, my efforts in moving goods would undoubtedly appear less than graceful to any onlooker. I had, in fact, been rather impressed with myself last week for not waking up with aching muscles the following day.’
[Could you ask now, if it’s convenient?]
‘Alas, that familiar expression, a poignant blend of hope and apprehension, made refusal a challenge.’
[Alright, wait for me.]
‘Having replied, I then dispatched an inquiry to the official employee responsible for my training at the part-time job—my so-called senior colleague.’
‘Even though we had spent three intermittent hours moving goods together, to be precise, I had only truly met them once, and our contact details had been exchanged solely out of professional necessity.’
‘Thus, sending such a direct message immediately filled me with considerable apprehension.’
‘Nevertheless, it was undeniably a far less daunting task than directly consulting the store manager.’
[Of course, no problem. In fact, for such a boring job, having someone to chat with is exactly what I’m looking for. Feel free to bring them along.]
‘Having received this affirmative response, I thanked my colleague and promptly forwarded the confirmation to Su Yuanyi.’
[That’s great! Let’s meet at our usual spot after school then!]
She seemed very happy.
‘Ever since her previous outburst, her expression appeared to have softened, mirroring a more relaxed state of mind. Though still subtle, at least some shifts in her emotional landscape were now discernible.’
‘The “usual spot,” incidentally, was the agreed-upon point where the young lady and I would separate before entering the school gates.’
‘Throughout this period, Su Yuanyi had consistently commuted to and from school with us, sharing the same vehicle when departing the island, and waiting ahead of time at the route’s starting point for our morning journey.’
[Let’s meet at the school gate today. Walking from there to the station is quite a distance, and we’ll be pressed for time.]
[I see. I’ll be as quick as possible then. If you arrive first, please be sure to wait for me.]
[Don’t worry, I won’t run off ahead.]
[Mm-hmm, promise!]
‘From this exchange of messages, it was clear that we, both members of the “dark faction,” had tacitly discarded the option of “meeting at the classroom door”—a prospect that was not merely agonizing, but veritably akin to casting ourselves into the abyss.’
‘Yet, simultaneously, I observed that the young lady had, for some time now, intermittently paused her meal.’
‘However, each time my gaze shifted to her, she appeared to be dining with perfect normalcy.’
‘Was it an illusion?’
‘Without lingering on the thought, and as was customary, once our meal concluded, I packed away my lunchbox and returned directly to the classroom.’
‘This, too, was a ripple effect born from the young lady’s increasingly distant demeanor.’
‘Under such circumstances, lingering in the clubroom would only serve to render the atmosphere exceedingly oppressive.’
“Hmm?”
‘I couldn’t discern if it was the clubroom’s pervasive atmosphere that had curtailed our mealtime, or if it was simply the norm for other students to seek out a spot beyond the classroom walls to while away the post-lunch hours.’
‘Regardless, as I stepped into the classroom, which, devoid of other students, was unnaturally quiet compared to its usual bustle, I immediately spotted a glaring anomaly upon my own desk.’
“…Are you kidding me?”
‘It wasn’t self-doubt that plagued me, but rather the object resting on my desk, which, by all accounts, should have had absolutely no connection to my existence.’
‘Indeed, labeling it an extremely hazardous item would not be an overstatement.’
‘As I deliberated, racked with indecision over whether to grasp this perilous object and ascertain its true nature—’
“Awoo!~”
“Eek! Ahhh!!!”
A sudden, playful cry from behind caused me to involuntarily throw my hands aloft, simultaneously emitting a rather mortifying shriek.
“Yikes!?”
“…Nana?”
Upon seeing Nina sprawled on the floor behind me, I first instinctively thumped my chest, as if to soothe my wildly hammering heart, before quickly extending a hand to her.
‘The form of address, as mentioned earlier, was simply a natural evolution.’
“I’m sorry, you didn’t get hurt, did you?”
As I pulled her to her feet, Nina rubbed the aggrieved spot, a wry grimace twisting her features as she began to complain.
“Qiu-Qiu, although it’s different from usual, with just the two of us, your reaction was a bit too exaggerated, wasn’t it?”
“Ah…”
‘Indeed, Nina had frequently played such pranks on me of late. Just now, she had likely intended to repeat the usual routine: make a sound, then leap onto my back. Subsequently, with a feigned display of anger or a few sweet words from me, she would meekly dismount.’
‘However, my intense focus on the unexpected object had led to an overreaction, not only startling Nina but also causing her to fall to the ground due to my raised hands. I had even completely overlooked the familiar sensation of her body covering my back, which had accompanied her playful cry.’
“Should I say the situation was unique, or that it was an emergency? …In any case, I’m truly sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
“Hmm~ No need to apologize like that. I actually know it’s not good to scare you so much. I’ll be more careful next time.”
‘So you’ll still do it next time, huh…’
“Huh?”
‘I really wanted to continue, to say that this particular prank was, in every conceivable way, detrimental to my heart.’
‘Yet, I had inadvertently overlooked the extremely dangerous item, which, predictably, had now fallen into her line of sight.’
“Qiu-Qiu, is that… a love letter?”
“…I guess, it is?”
“…For you?”
“…Presumably?”
“…Ah~ I just remembered something I forgot to do, so I’ll go take care of it now!~”
“Don’t you dare run!”
“Awoo?~”
‘It was the first time I had ever actively grabbed her so forcefully.’
‘But you’re not getting away with sneaking off by yourself this time!’
‘I’m serious!!’
“Nana, don’t laugh at me. This is truly my first time encountering something like this, so I have absolutely no idea what to do. As my good friend, shouldn’t you stay and accompany me?”
“Qiu-Qiu, you can’t be like that. You know, this is a secret message a girl gathered all her courage to write to you. No matter how scared you are, facing it alone is what makes a true man.”
‘I truly never expected there would be a day you’d say something like that.’
‘I’m honestly so relieved.’
“But you’re my only good friend, and I’d certainly consult you for advice no matter what. So for now, please just quietly watch over me from the side. I sincerely beg you!”
“But… alright, since you’ve put it that way, I’m honestly afraid that if I leave, you might be too scared to open it and end up throwing the letter away, which would be truly terrible.”
“As you say, Lady Nana, I cannot deny that such a terrible thing might happen, so it’s truly wonderful to have you here.”
‘An angel! This person is truly an angel right now!!’
“Hmm~~ Hmm~~~ That’s a bit too exaggerated. Hurry up and open it! Others might come back to the classroom at any moment, and then you’ll definitely only charge forward!”
“Lady Nana, allow me to correct you. The appropriate phrase here would be ‘flee the field’.”
“If you don’t look now, I’m leaving!”
Before Nina could once again resolve to depart, I retrieved the matching pink stationery from the pink envelope as quickly as my hands would allow.
[My majesty, worshipped by all beings, at the sound of the bell of dispersion, hasten to the pinnacle of the Sanctum of Enlightenment, and await My descent, otherwise your life shall be forfeit.]
“…”
“…”
“Qiu-Qiu, what language is that?”
“My Lady, that’s called chuunibyou speech (TL Note: A Japanese term, ‘chūnibyō,’ referring to ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ a phase where adolescents develop delusions of grandeur, believing they possess hidden powers or knowledge.).”
“Then do you have a translation certificate for that, Qiu-Qiu?”
“Let’s ask our good friend, the omniscient internet.”
Online quick translation: [After school, go to the school building rooftop and wait for me, otherwise you’re dead.]
‘A chuunibyou challenge letter truly doesn’t match such girlish stationery.’
‘And shouldn’t it be ‘ascend to’ rather than ‘descend’?’
‘Do you also wish to become an angel?’
‘Sigh~’
‘Just as my thoughts began to wander, Nina sighed softly, fixed her gaze upon my eyes, placed both hands on my shoulders, and then nodded with a serious and earnest expression.’
“Qiu-Qiu, life often doesn’t go as planned, you must learn to be strong.”
I silently placed the letter back on the desk, then reached out and pinched her cheeks, pulling them outwards.
“Na~Na~La~dy~?”
“Wah ah wah ah~”
She quickly grabbed my wrists.
“Qiu-Qiu! Treating a girl like this is going too far!”
‘Indeed, although I hadn’t used any force, her skin was too delicate, and if it really left a mark, it wouldn’t be good if others saw it.’
‘Then perhaps her ears would be better.’
“What~did~you~say~?”
“Hia~ Hawu~ Eek!? Alright!~ I admit I was wrong~ I surrender~ I surrender!~~”
‘Then remember, don’t always launch your final cannonball at me only at times like these.’
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, I’m Just a Cat, So How Did I End Up as Someone’s Wife? is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : I’m Just a Cat, So How Did I End Up as Someone’s Wife?
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