Chapter 31: A Question of Cuteness

“Who is cuter between me and Nishionji?”

This question left Bai Yuliang stunned. He couldn’t fathom why the little girl would ask such a thing.

Yet, he found himself comparing the two girls in his mind.

Strictly speaking, while the class president had a larger bust, longer legs, and the added allure of black stockings, Bai Yuliang still preferred Qichuan Feng’s type. After all, a petite figure with white stockings was equally charming.

‘You’re the cuter one.’

Upon hearing this, the girl in front of him let out a sigh of relief and shyly lowered her head.

‘Haha… It’s a bit embarrassing to hear you say it so directly, Yamabuki.’

Embarrassing? Wasn’t it you who asked?

Although curious about her reason for asking, he barely had time to inquire as his mouth was swiftly filled with exquisite dishes prepared by Qichuan Feng.

‘Eat more, Yamabuki. You’re still growing, so make sure to get enough nutrients.’

Bai Yuliang thought, ‘Don’t you need to supplement too?’

But when he glanced at her chest, noticing the substantial fat, he had to admit she might not need it.

After finishing the meal, seeing that she had no intention of continuing the conversation, Bai Yuliang decided not to press further. Instead, he opened the student directory and meticulously checked the number of students in each class.

Following the school’s tradition since its establishment, each class was kept to 40 students, with little variation. If any class showed an unusual decrease in numbers, it was likely due to the Death Assignments.

This method offered a glimpse into the outcomes of the Death Assignments, as the names of survivors might hold clues to their survival strategies.

Even if just one survived…

He started with the last ten years but found no anomalies.

‘Were the Death Assignments really only introduced in our generation?’

But when he turned to the graduation album from eleven years ago…

‘No way…’

He couldn’t believe his eyes. There was no record of the Class D students from that year.

Staring at the blank page in the directory, Bai Yuliang felt a wave of despair wash over him. More alarming was the photo attached, showing only a white banner with black text and rows of empty chairs, no students in sight.

‘They can’t all be dead,’ Qichuan Feng murmured, her body trembling slightly.

Bai Yuliang said nothing but kept flipping through the pages.

‘No Class A this year.’

‘Class B was wiped out entirely.’

‘C Class is gone.’

‘Even E Class…’

Did no one survive?

Anger and frustration building, Bai Yuliang turned to the last page, finally spotting something that made his heart race.

‘[Graduation Photo of Kyoto Rōnan High School Class D, 1999]’

To his amazement, the photo showed three students, two boys and a girl. One boy was tall and handsome, another wore glasses and seemed scholarly, while the girl was strikingly beautiful, easily a school idol even today.

Hope surged within him as he swiftly turned to the next page, eager to find their names.

‘Damn! Why is this page missing?’

‘It looks like it was deliberately torn out,’ Qichuan Feng noted, pointing at the jagged edge.

‘Bah… Doesn’t matter. It’s been twenty years, so we might still find teachers who remember this class, even if the details are vague.’

‘Particularly the girl,’ Bai Yuliang emphasized, pointing at the photo. ‘She’s so beautiful, those teachers would hardly forget her.’

‘Yamabuki seems quite susceptible to pretty girls, doesn’t he?’ Qichuan Feng whispered softly.

Bai Yuliang jolted, quickly explaining, ‘N-no, it’s not that I’m susceptible. It’s just that beauty naturally draws attention. Besides, you see, those of us in the Daoist path are known for our detachment, seeing women as mere clouds. Even if a beautiful woman were to strip naked and seduce me, I… I wouldn’t react.’

‘Really?’ Qichuan Feng tilted her head slightly, her brows furrowed in disbelief.

‘Of course!’ Bai Yuliang pounded his chest in assurance.

‘What about me?’ Qichuan Feng suddenly leaned in, rising on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck.

Her sweet, moist breath wafted from her lips, like a mist from a hot spring, enveloping Bai Yuliang’s face and causing him to lose focus for a moment. Her captivating green eyes held him spellbound.

‘Um… Qichuan…’

‘Didn’t you say I could call you ‘Feng’?’ the girl replied coyly.

Feng? Oh, right, in Sakura Prefecture, it’s customary to address close friends by their first name alone.

‘Feng…’

Bai Yuliang felt a surge of heat, his Daoist heart racing. His usual once or twice daily ‘little friend’ was now acting up.

‘I… I’m not sure. Usually, I’m detached, but with you…’

Bai Yuliang tried to assert himself, but his words faltered.

‘I see.’

Qichuan Feng pulled away gracefully, hands clasped behind her back, her head tilted, a subtle smile playing on her lips.

‘If it were anyone else, I’d find it repulsive. But since it’s you, Yamabuki… it makes me a bit happy.’

At this, Bai Yuliang felt his thick-skinned face flush with heat. Decades of celibacy had made him awkward around women. A few words from a beautiful girl were enough to unsettle him.

He couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly a hopeless lolicon.

‘Don’t just stand there. Let’s go ask the teachers before they start class.’

Qichuan Feng extended her small, soft hand. The sight made Bai Yuliang almost want to lick it, startling him.

His Daoist heart seemed more unstable than ever, a stark contrast to his usual composure.

Stay calm, Bai Yuliang. You don’t want to be seen as a pervert.

‘Right.’

He steadied his nerves and took her hand. As they left, he couldn’t stop pondering over his unstable Daoist heart, wondering where he had gone wrong.