Chapter 29: So, Why Is It Him Again?

Chen Bing’s cold, realistic statement about them being “consumables” cast a layer of frost over the girlish, lighthearted atmosphere.

Lin Yu stayed silent.

He couldn’t refute her.

He knew every word Chen Bing said was true.

From the moment they signed that contract with a five-million penalty, they were no longer people with “free will,” but company assets—figures on a balance sheet, subject to depreciation, wear, and eventual disposal.

“Aiyaaa~ Bing-jie, you’re way too serious!”

In the end, Li Qing was the one to jump out, playing the role of “mood regulator,” forcing away the suffocating gloom with her boundless cheer.

“Consumables! Don’t make it sound so awful! We’re shining magical girls who fight to protect the light and love of this city! Right, Senior?”

As she spoke, she nudged Lin Yu with her elbow, blinking exaggeratedly.

But before Lin Yu could figure out how to play along with this clumsy attempt at mood-fixing, Li Qing suddenly clapped her hands, face lighting up with dramatic realization.

“Ah! Crap, crap, I almost forgot! The limited-edition figures from the Skydome Games x Burst Girl Battle Soul collab go on sale at the F District flagship store at three o’clock today! If I don’t go now, they’ll be sold out!”

She scrambled to her feet.

“Bing-jie! Come with me! I can’t beat those scalpers alone!”

Without waiting for permission, she tugged on Chen Bing, who wore a very obvious “I don’t want to go” expression.

“…Go yourself.” Chen Bing refused coldly.

“No way, no way! You have to come! Just think of it as… as helping your ‘future reliable C-rank junior’ with a tiny favor! Please, please!”

Li Qing unleashed her ultimate move—hugging Chen Bing’s arm and unleashing the sparkling “cute ray” attack from her big bright eyes.

At last, even Chen Bing, usually so iron-faced, sighed helplessly, which counted as reluctant agreement.

“Then… Senior, wait here for us, okay~”

Before being dragged off, Li Qing turned back and gave Lin Yu a “kind” smile.

“We’ll be back reaaaal soon~ ❤”

And with that, the two disappeared into the lively crowd of F District.

Lin Yu stared at their retreating backs, then at the “chemical weapon” milk tea he’d only sipped once, and felt a wave of absurdity wash over him.

…The hell? Just leaving me here alone? And running off to fight for some limited-edition figure?

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Qing’s smile had hidden some sort of scheme he couldn’t yet grasp.

But before he could think it through, two sharply dressed young men in tailored suits and expensive watches, radiating an air of elite confidence, approached with wine glasses in hand.

“Miss, are you alone?”

The one in front wore a confident, gentle smile, his voice smooth and magnetic.

Pointing to the empty seat across from Lin Yu, he asked politely:

“Mind if we sit? My name’s Leo, I work at Skydome Capital in A District. My friend just lost a bet over there, and the forfeit was to buy the prettiest lady in the place a drink.”

His companion also smiled in just the right way.

Their approach was elegant, courteous, even tinged with self-deprecating humor—impossible to reject outright.

…Who? Prettiest lady? Huh? Me?

Lin Yu’s brain buzzed blankly.

Faced with crude harassment from B District thugs, he could at least muster a “get lost.”

But against this kind of watertight, “gentlemanly” encroachment, his instinctive reaction was the most cowardly one: avoid conflict.

He didn’t want trouble. He especially didn’t want a scene.

“N-no, sorry, I…”

He forced a strained, apologetic smile.

“I… I’m waiting for my friends. They’ll be back soon.”

“Is that so? Perfect, then.”

Leo seemed not to hear the rejection at all and smoothly pulled out the chair to sit.

His friend did the same on the other side, boxing Lin Yu in.

“Perfect, then. Until your friends come back, you can chat with us, right?”

Leo slid his phone terminal toward Lin Yu, its screen showing his Skydome Internal Social profile QR code, clearly labeled: Investment Analyst.

“Let’s be friends? I rarely see such a classy girl. You feel… special.”

His voice was sincere, his gaze focused, as if he really had fallen at first sight.

But Lin Yu felt the man’s superiority bleeding through.

…Help. These guys are a hundred times worse than thugs.

Inside, he was screaming, though outside he kept up an awkward, polite smile.

His brain, utterly flustered, spun at unprecedented speed.

What do I do?! Just get up and leave? No, too rude—what if they get angry? Keep rejecting? But I already said clearly! Why’s he acting deaf?! Damn it! Is this the confidence money gives people?!

Meanwhile, just a short distance away, two figures crouched behind a giant holographic billboard, “sneakily” watching.

“…Li Qing.”

Chen Bing’s voice was as icy as a Siberian gale.

“This is what you call a ‘stress test’?”

“Hehe~”

Li Qing grinned like a mischievous little devil.

Pulling a binoculars from her pocket, she adjusted the focus, eyes gleaming.

“Of course! Don’t you see, Bing-jie? Senior’s biggest problem is cognitive bias! He’s still handling things with a man’s mindset. That’s why we have to awaken his inner self-defense instincts as a girl!”

“…Pointless.” Chen Bing dismissed coldly, but didn’t intervene.

Back at the milk tea shop, Lin Yu was at his limit.

Trapped between them, he could only stammer out filler like, “Ahaha, is that so,” while inwardly condemning the pink-haired demon eight hundred different ways.

Just as his social battery neared zero and he prepared to flee with some excuse—

A tall figure in casual clothes, yet radiating a powerful presence, cut through the indifferent crowd like a beam of light and strode straight to their table.

“Leo. What a coincidence.”

The young man’s voice was calm, steady—but carried a pressure so strong it froze the air.

The instant Leo heard it, his confident smile collapsed.

He shot to his feet as if seeing his boss, his face twisted with panic and forced deference.

“L-Luo… Officer Luo?! What are you… doing here?”

“Day off. Just wandering.”

Luo Shaotian answered casually.

He didn’t even glance at Leo. His hawk-like sharp eyes landed only on the gray-haired girl caught in the middle.

She sat with her head lowered, shoulders trembling slightly, looking frightened.

Of course, he didn’t recognize Lin Yu.

But he recognized Leo.

In a past financial fraud investigation, he’d crossed paths with this so-called “rising star” of Skydome Capital.

He knew all too well what kind of filth hid under that polished mask.

“This young lady… is your friend?”

Luo Shaotian’s tone was flat, but carried a pressure that brooked no refusal.

“N-no! We… we just saw her sitting alone and wanted to ask if she needed company!”

Leo paled, waving his hands frantically.

“Is that so?”

Luo Shaotian didn’t press him. Instead, he turned his head, softening his voice as much as possible when speaking to the gray-haired girl:

“Miss, are you alright? Do you need help?”

At that moment, time itself froze.

Lin Yu slowly lifted his head.

His mind buzzed—and went completely, utterly white.