They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

"According to the legends in Lucheng, when Zhou Chu eliminated the second scourge, he appeared to perish together with his opponent, but in reality, he was replaced."

"Replace? That sounds like utter nonsense."

"After all, they're just ghost stories and legends." The man in gray smiled. "Do you believe in parallel universes?"

"what?"

"King Zhuang of Chu astonished everyone with his sudden fame, Wang Yangming attained enlightenment overnight, and even the *Qianque Leishu* recounts Li Bai's sudden repentance and transformation into the Poet Immortal through grinding an iron pestle into a needle. There are also many negative examples, such as Wang Mang, Emperor Xuanzong, and Emperor Jiajing..."

"Are you trying to tell me that these historical figures have all been replaced?" The boy seemed to be laughing in anger.

"The old monk said this was just a story to advise and educate others. Can you guess where this story is supposed to educate others?"

"...These people, led by Zhou Chu, were all people whom many people feared at the time?"

"As expected of you." The man in gray smiled. "The old monk said that this strange tale, which is currently only circulating in Yun Shen Temple, is just meant to advise people to maintain a peaceful attitude towards life and to be good people. Otherwise, someone else will take your place."

"...What are the specific details of the ghost stories?"

"Well, that's probably it. If you incur the wrath of the masses and the disgust of most people in this world, then you might be replaced by someone in another world, someone who is not needed in that world."

"That sounds like utter nonsense."

"Haha, maybe it's just a story the old monk uses to brag. I've heard that praying for academic success and marriage at Yun Shen Temple is quite effective now. But I've also heard that many people have made shameful wishes there before. I think it's just a story made up to cater to those worshippers."

The boy sighed and nodded.

“I understand. It’s indeed very interesting and has valuable information. I’ll note it down in the materials the club needs. However, the case I asked you to investigate is quite crucial, so please pay close attention to that.”

“Of course, of course.” The man in gray agreed repeatedly. The boy nodded slightly to him and then walked out of the used bookstore.

"call……"

The man in gray breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the boy leave.

"The client introduced by Lao Jin is really hard to deal with."

He pondered silently. The missing person investigation and the search for ghost stories commissioned by the boy—the first was the primary objective, while the second seemed to be just a side job done for club activities. But for some reason, the man in gray felt that something was amiss.

However, since the client has already hinted at it, it's best not to inquire further. The young man in front of me appears young, but his every move is mature and composed—a level of reliability that many long-time clients lack. Being curious about such a person will likely only bring me endless trouble.

Some information can be sold without restraint, while some information must remain buried in one's own heart. After reporting to the boy about what he had inquired about, the gray-clad man understood that it was something he should keep hidden away for life.

Thinking this, he silently pulled down the shop door. What he didn't notice was that not far away, the boy watched him silently until he saw nothing amiss, then coldly turned and left.

"One is hated in this world, and the other is not needed in another. How perfectly it matches."

He tried hard to twitch the corners of his mouth, but ultimately failed to smile.

"Yun Shen Temple? Looks like I'll have to go check it out sometime."

As the boy thought this, his figure gradually disappeared into the faint gray of the night sky over Lucheng in Jiuhua Kingdom.

[Second Volume Preview: The girls who harbor feelings for the boy begin to intensify their efforts, and the mysteries surrounding the time travel begin to unravel. If being treated with negative affections before was troublesome, then the girls' current close proximity, as if in a battle for her affections, might be a new form of torment for Ning Ruoyu.]

A severely submissive female character, a cat with an extremely strong sense of territory, a younger sister in a gray form, a little sun who seizes every opportunity to steal from someone's home... The senior student, like someone living on an isolated island, and the only student council president who interacts normally with Ning Ruoyu, seem to still be in a cold war. Will the Hundred Clubs Battle be able to proceed smoothly? And what about Ning Ruoyu's hastily cobbled-together band?

And in this environment, something impossible for the chairman happened...

Volume Four, "Today's Visitor is Not an Old Friend" ~The Chairman's Secret is About to Be Revealed~

"The visitor today is not an old friend"

Chapter 94: A Little Scene with Chu Qingya That Went a Little Too Far

"Oh, oh, no need to be so polite. Let me carry this bag."

"No matter what, you're still my employer, boss lady. I have to seize this opportunity to curry favor with my boss and wait for a promotion and a raise."

I didn't let go of the two bags in my right hand. Although they were indeed heavy, as a veteran in the workplace, I have plenty of experience in pleasing bosses.

...I probably do?

"Then I'll leave it to you. Although a promotion and raise are still open to discussion, I'll treat you to coffee and bagels when we get back."

The proprietress said to me with a smile.

"That's something to look forward to."

On Saturday morning, Chu Qingya, the owner of Qingyin Cat House, and I were heading to a large wholesale supermarket on Flower Street. The reason was that the store had just run out of pet shampoo.

"It's said that there have been several robberies in Flower Street recently, and the supermarket owner made a mistake when processing orders, which is why the goods weren't delivered on time—Xiao Ning, you really helped a lot."

"This kind of thing doesn't seem to happen often here."

“Yes, the last time I heard about such a blatant robbery in Lucheng was probably back in high school, wasn’t it?” Chu Qingya said thoughtfully.

A gentle breeze stirred her hair, giving the impression that time had stood still for this woman. Although her high school days seemed like a distant memory, the proprietress's appearance made it seem like only a few years had passed.

Of course, seeing the gold-toothed uncle would change that perception, making one wonder if it was from thirty years ago.

"The high school's boss lady, huh? She'd be super popular. I really want to meet her."

"Hey, don't let my current appearance fool you. Back then, I was a cute girl who attracted the attention of the entire school and all the students!" Chu Qingya puffed out her chest slightly, her expression one of deliberately exaggerated pride.

"If I had met you back then, Xiao Ning, I would have definitely won you over quickly~"

"I see, yes, that's how it should be."

I casually chimed in.

As a result, Chu Qingya herself became shy.

"You, you child! I was just joking, you know? You, you really are..."

She fanned her cheeks and complained, looking somewhat confused.

Rather than saying the proprietress is Chu Guyin's mother, she seems more like a certain girl surnamed An.

"And what's more, Xiao Ning, aren't you even scarier? If Xiao Qiu hadn't been off duty today, she would definitely be sticking to you right now—her last interview almost caused an earthquake, thankfully her subsequent retirement and follow-up plans overshadowed that news."

Yes, that's right. Qiu Luxi's ambiguous answer in the interview almost sparked another public opinion war. But firstly, as an active idol star, Qiu Luxi was not publicly dating; she only gave her preferred type without specifying a particular person, so she didn't face excessive criticism.

...Luckily, Grandpa Qiu and I found out quickly and stopped her when she was about to confess to the media.

However, because the old man said, "Ning Ruoyu is not dating you," Qiu Luxi seems to still be sulking with him, even angrier than during the previous media battle.

According to Uncle Gold Tooth, the old man has been so worried these past few days that he can't sleep, and he's even more distressed than when the gray industry was dividing up territories.

In short, the world is at the crossroads of backwardness and progress. Most netizens and fans respect personal choices but abhor deception. Compared to someone who markets themselves without talking about feelings, makes easy money while changing partners one after another, Qiu Luxi's frankness and straightforwardness have earned her more blessings.

—Of course, the police had just praised her deeds, and everyone was in a difficult position not to praise her, which was also a reason. Sorry, the world is just that realistic.

Furthermore, Qiu Luxi later announced that she did not intend to continue her idol career, but hoped to move behind the scenes to become a creator. This announcement quickly overshadowed her previous interviews.

However, some people have connected the two, believing that Qiu Luxi decided to abandon her idol career so she could date the boy she liked. Most people were moved, while a small number are offering a reward to find out which bastard stole their goddess along with her heart.

The last time Uncle Gold Tooth called me, he said that the crowdfunding reward offered by that group in the gray area was almost over a million, ranging from several thousand to one hundred thousand for providing clues. He was a little tempted and asked if we could cooperate.

Cooperation my foot! Are you suggesting that only a small minority are moved, while the majority are offering bounties?!

"That's why I begged you, boss, to separate my shift from hers..."

"Oh dear, this is really troublesome. After all, I received a request from a cute little girl who wanted all her classes scheduled at the same time as someone else's," the landlady teased. "That person even puts all their appearances later, you know. I can't exactly hurt a young girl's feelings, can I?"

...But you can't harm a young boy's body and soul, can you?!

But I wisely chose to keep quiet, at least the landlady didn't make me be in the same class as Qiu Luxi the whole time.

One should be content with what one has and find happiness in it.

"Let's change the subject. Boss lady, about that senior of mine..."

"Oh dear, oh dear, he's so fickle, he's already eyeing the next girl. As his elder and boss, I can't just pretend I didn't see it, can I?"

When Chu Guyin was mentioned, the proprietress's eyes held a scrutinizing look.

"If you really want to marry Guyin, you should at least sort out your relationships with the women around you, right? I'm an open-minded person. As long as Guyin agrees, even if you find a way to marry them all, I'll turn a blind eye. But with this kind of messy relationship, I can't hand Guyin over to you, okay?"

"Wake up, landlady, what are you talking about?"

I almost covered my face in embarrassment.

Your open-mindedness is so strange!

"Hmm? Do you really want me to list all the girls who are currently interested in you, Xiaoning? Are you sure?"

The proprietress asked me with a smile.

"Since it's zero, please don't bother."

"Wow, he ran away. This man knows how popular he is. How scary."

I surrender.

"I feel that Miss Chu Qingya is particularly lively today."

"Subordinates are not allowed to call their superiors by their first names. This is a warning."

What happens if I issue multiple warnings?

"Because it is illegal to impose fines and deduct money so arbitrarily, the current punishment is that I will make more unreasonable demands. For example, if I want to go to the flower shop on my way, I can't pretend to be stupid and I have to give my opinion."

I laughed at the landlady who was replying to my messages like a child.

"So this is such a terrible punishment. Then I will continue to call you Miss Chu Qingya."

"No, Xiaoning, I'm Chu Guyin's mother. This is too cruel to Guyin. You can't do this to her!"

The proprietress blushed, but still stubbornly continued to spout nonsense, seemingly trying her best to protect the adult's composure.

“It’s okay, let’s go buy a bouquet of flowers and tell Senior Chu Guyin the truth. She will understand us.” I changed my tone. “If you, Qingya, don’t want Senior Chu Guyin to receive less love than anyone else, then I also hope that I can give you the same love and courage that you deserve.”

Don't underestimate the former male escorts' work ethic, which involves struggling with cheesy and corny pickup lines.

Chu Qingya immediately distanced herself from me and repeatedly fanned her cheeks with her hands.

"Stop!!! This little theater is over! No more performances! This is the boss's order!" Chu Qingya glared at me reproachfully, her cheeks puffed out slightly. "Honestly! Saying such scary things is too much! Xiao Ning, you only become like this because of it!"

Before she could finish speaking, I quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the side of the road.

A speeding electric car narrowly missed her.

"What an idiot, old lady!! Can't you watch where you're going?!"

A rather arrogant blond youth turned around and roared. Chu Qingya trembled.

I picked up a stone and smashed it against the fork guard, making a loud thud.

"roll."

The impact didn't cause much damage to the electric scooter, but it clearly startled him. This kind of road rage, completely disregarding pedestrians, often stems from a strange sense of confidence that comes from being on the scooter. The knocking sound brought him to his senses, and he muttered something under his breath before driving off.

"I'm sorry, Mingming is an adult."

"I took my joke too far."

I said calmly, and smiled as I looked at Chu Qingya, who was filled with remorse.

"I was the one who started the joke..."

"If we keep apologizing to each other like this, we won't be able to get back to the shop before dark, okay?"

"...Okay, let's go."

Although she was still a little down, Chu Qingya quickly adjusted her mood, showed a smile that was no different from usual, nodded, and walked forward.

Just as I was about to follow, I suddenly felt a scrutinizing gaze on my back. I turned my head slightly to glance behind me, but saw nothing.

"........."

I frowned, but ultimately followed the proprietress forward.

[Next chapter preview: "Xiao Ning, do you want to know what Gu Yin thinks of you?"]

"So nice."

"...Please don't call me Xiao Ning anymore."

For a moment I felt dazed, and I couldn't even lift my head.

"...Don't let it slip," Chu Qingya said, turning her face away.