The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

So Ping Xin, who arrived in early June, followed Grandpa Mei Gan through the wheat fields. Due to differences in wheat varieties and locations, even wheat planted on the same day could mature at different times. Grandpa Mei Gan's purpose in bringing Ping Xin here today was to use his labor for free.

Because most of the able-bodied men in the village go out to work, just like the situation in some rural and mountainous areas of Yan Country, the annual harvest is a chore when the village has no money to purchase large agricultural machinery, and women often have to be mobilized to help.

Rural women often lack the fair, tender beauty of their urban counterparts. Some local women, who have been tending their family's farmland, often sport varying shades of tanned skin, which lends them a unique charm. It seems the saying that women hold up half the sky holds true across much of the world.

Ping Xin was dancing with two sickles and considering holding another in his mouth to do a three-sword style, but then he was scolded. The wooden handles of the sickles felt a bit rough but also somewhat smooth, which was probably the result of years of use.

When harvesting wheat, be mindful of rain, snow, and strong winds, as these conditions can significantly reduce yields. In an era of mechanized production throughout Eastern Japan, Asahigaoka Village has a harvester, but it only has one, which was loaned to a neighboring village a few days ago and hasn't returned yet.

Seeing that it is going to rain tomorrow and the wheat yield will be affected, Grandpa Meigan is so active in bringing Pingxin here. Of course, in addition to wanting to conscript men, about 8% of the reason is that he wants to show off in front of the younger generation. After all, how can a child from Tokyo know how to farm?

"So when mowing, try to be low and neat, and then improve efficiency as much as possible on this basis, right? I think I understand—"

Low and neat mowing can reduce grain loss and is beneficial to the sowing and growth of the next crop. The faster you mow and the cleaner the harvest, the fewer ears and grains will fall off, which is beneficial to increasing effective yield.

Ping Xin nodded. Although he was indeed very familiar with farming, he could still do simple repetitive work, just like killing leeks and leaving the rest to the experienced Grandpa Mei Gan.

"Do you really understand, kid? It's not that easy to cut quickly and well. With your height, it's very tiring to keep bending over to cut low." Grandpa Mei Gan advised.

Despite his constant rhetoric, he actually cared deeply about others. And what's more, this was his own offspring? What would happen to his precious granddaughter, Nilu, and his grandson if his waist was injured?!

"No matter how tired I am, I'm not as tired as you are. It's definitely easier for young people to bend over than for old people. Just wait and pick up the wheat behind me! By the way, do you have one of those little carts here?"

Although he didn't understand why, Grandpa Mei Gan still found a flat-bottomed, four-wheeled cart with handles but no frame. They usually used it to transport fertilizers in sacks.

Ping Xin, who had already changed into cheap old work clothes, didn't mind the natural farm fertilizer that might be on them and just lay down on them to try it out. Then he said on the spot that this was a sure thing.

"Wuhu! Take off~"

Grandpa Mei Gan sat on a small stool next to him, neither smoking nor drinking water, and gestured for him to start his performance.

Ping Xin stood in front of the cart, adjusted the angle between the cart and himself, and then began to accumulate strength on the spot.

First, the subconscious muscle fibers are forgotten and liquefied, then the consciousness is vaporized and the mind is emptied. Finally, the strongest force is unleashed in the state of [Transcendence]! The initial speed is the highest speed, and the cockroach sprint at 270km/h appears again!

It was seen that Pingxin's force was applied at an angle even closer to the ground than usual, so his face or crotch would inevitably be braked, but the small cart placed in front solved this problem perfectly. Thus, the cheap purple monster formed by the fusion of Pingxin and a cheap cart, the human-powered harvester, made its grand appearance!

Although Hokkaido is high in the middle and low around, the wheat fields here are basically level. Pingxin "flew" the car for nearly a hundred meters. If the ground conditions here were better, he could have slid farther. Looking back, he saw that the wheat on both sides of the road had been knocked down by the sickle he held in both hands while sliding.

Fast and good, isn’t that what we have achieved?

Pingxin turned around to look at Grandpa Meigan, but the latter could not see the smug expression on his face at all. He just marveled inwardly, thinking that kids nowadays are so strong. Is the food really that good in the city?

Chapter 32: Nilu's Asahigaoka Travelogue Part 7

Grandpa Meigan was amazed when he saw Pingxin knock down a large group of people at once. He watched Pingxin become happier and more excited as he slid further and further away. Although this was indeed fast and good, he always felt that he had forgotten something -

"Ah... Speaking of which, there's a small river over there that's convenient for getting water..."

Forget it, it would be better to harvest the wheat he just harvested. Grandpa Mei Gan took out the cell phone from his pocket and called a few old friends who should be up at this time. They should harvest the wheat quickly while Pingxin, the super ox, is around and the sun is not too bright at around 5 o'clock.

Although Grandpa Mei Gan is not good at using electronic devices, he still has a mobile phone. He usually watches news and documentaries on TV. If he was really a stubborn old man, why would he go to other places to develop and try to find opportunities?

It's just that he needs to play the role of an elder now. His strict nature is just a misunderstanding caused by the fierce eyes inherited from the Meigan family. Of course, part of it is also because he wants his son to see his "growth" when he returns...

Pingxin harvested all the wheat near the aisle in this way and then came back with tears in his eyes. Grandpa Meigan was chatting with the old friends in the village while harvesting wheat. In addition to a few old farmers, there were also a few women who looked to be in their 30s who had come with them.

They were shocked to learn that the wheat had been harvested by Grandpa Meigan's younger brother, Hira Nobu, who had returned from Tokyo. Not only was the blade's edge clean and sharp, but it was also incredibly fast. This wasn't some Tokyo top student; he was clearly a chosen beast!

Old men gathered around him, pointing and glancing at him, occasionally touching his muscles and marveling at them. How could a thin-skinned straight man stand that? Ping Xin simply grabbed two short-handled sickles and went off to the distant fields to play "Reap the Wheat" by himself. After all, it was fine to play on the smooth dirt road at the edge, but if he used that trick in the fields, it would be more like a loach sprint than a cockroach sprint.

He used a dual-wielding style, but in reality, a four-wielding style. Hirayūnobu used both hands to cut the nearby fields while his Stand, "The World," cut the distant ones. Single-handedly, at speeds exceeding those of a harvester, he completed the harvest of the entire wheat field in just one morning. Thus, Hirayūnobu's nickname, "God's Chosen One," spread throughout Asahigaoka Village for the first time.

But showing off always comes at a price, and Ping Xin's reward was a large amount of food. He ate up all the lunch boxes brought by the farmers, but he was still not satisfied. Although Ping Xin paid a high price for the rice, he also allowed the others to go home early. After all, a hot lunch is much more delicious than a cold lunch box.

Eat more and work harder, that's what a good horse does, Pingxin feels at ease with himself - but he doesn't know that after the meal, his title has been thoroughly confirmed, and it will be passed down in Asahigaoka Village for a long time to come.

*If you think about it carefully, in a sense this is simply a bond with Greninja?

The work that originally required the mobilization of dozens of people for an entire day was easily solved by Pingxin. The remaining work was simply to store the wheat harvested by Pingxin in the granary and properly preserve it, so Pingxin, who had no professional knowledge, was not needed.

Besides, he has done so much work, and you still have the nerve to order him around. Do you really treat him like a beast of burden?

Grandpa Meigan waved his hand and let Pingxin go back on his own. Pingxin had done him a real honor today; his reputation as a village elder was set to rise again. It was certainly gratifying to see one's younger generation strive for excellence, but it would be even better if all three generations could work together. Grandpa Meigan gazed at the distant sky for a long, silent moment...

After buying some snacks from the blonde woman at the village entrance, Hirayuko left the confectionery shop, eating as he walked back toward the village. Kagayama Kaede, who had taken over the confectionery shop from his grandmother, had never imagined that one day it would be nearly sold out. Could it be that city dwellers simply preferred these cheap snacks?

The resentment of being disturbed last night and woken up this morning was nothing compared to her doubts. Since sales were so good, she should go to the nearby town to restock... So after washing up, she hung up the "Closed" sign, borrowed a car from an acquaintance in the village, and headed towards the nearest wholesale market.

"Speaking of which, why don't you buy something for Renhua? I just made some money..." The young woman with long golden hair smiled while driving. Although she didn't admit it, she still liked Miyauchi Renhua very much.

*Abbreviated as Tsundere

Hirayuko sat on a conveniently shaped rock outside a candy shop, eating a snack while gazing at the now-bright sky. While blue skies and white clouds can be seen in Tokyo, the city and the countryside are ultimately different.

Ping Xin looked at the sun but squinted slightly because of the glare. Dewdrops reflecting colorful light from the morning sun dripped from the leaves and were carried by the breeze into Ping Xin's arms, like a gift from nature. Ping Xin ate cheap candy while daydreaming. Perhaps this is what childhood should be like -

Whether in his past life or this life, his childhood was not leisurely or ordinary. However, he never expected that it was only after entering high school that he could truly calm down and think about nothing and do nothing...

"If I do that... I might be able to write a lot of songs."

Most of Ping Xin's favorite songs are passionate and full of rhythm, but it's nice to be quiet occasionally. After all, the songs he likes have one thing in common: they allow people to liberate their nature, allowing them to pursue their dreams, strive for success, and live the happy life they deserve.

"...Forget it, let's go back. Staring blankly is really boring~"

Pingxin stretched himself; even he could feel tired. He slung the large sack of snacks over his shoulder, humming "Jingle Bells" as he headed back to Meigan's house. Now he felt like the real Santa Claus, all he needed were some flying reindeer.

Wait, if the range of the Stand's "world" is ten meters centered on Ping Xin, then can it lift Ping Xin out of thin air and take off from the spot? Ping Xin summoned his Stand, which had been working overtime these days, and stared at it, but received no response.

"...Never mind. Once I reach the 50 HP magnetic field rotation [anti-gravity] realm, not only will I be able to fly, I'll even be able to take others flying with me!"

Ping Xin took back the Stand's "world" and stopped tormenting him, but he didn't see the high-quality Stand with a sweaty face behind him -

"He" never said that he was a substitute for [World], he just "happened" to look like it.

After all, it was just a stand-in "world" that could only pause time for 3 seconds. How could it allow Ping Xin to awaken for nearly three years and even almost suck him to death?

Chapter 33: Leisurely Summer Days Part 1

The internet in Asahigaoka Village is not very good. The only places with wifi are a few young families including the Ichijo family who came from Tokyo. At least the Migan family where the old grandfather and grandmother live has neither wifi nor computers, only an ordinary desktop TV.

After learning from his grandmother Mikan Rumi that she sent her granddaughter Nel to the only school in the village because she felt there was no place to play in the village, Pingxin was stunned. He didn't expect that someone had used the "guidance" skill before him.

"Then I'm going out—"

"Take care~"

After picking up Meganil and his own lunch box, Pingxin rode his bike towards the school carrying the sack of snacks. Following the gurgling stream and the wild grass and flowers on the roadside, Pingxin arrived at the school gate exactly at the lunch break time.

A broken sign reading "Asahigaoka Branch School" stood beside the school's entrance. In front of the gate stood a cheap recreational facility constructed from colorful tires sunk into the ground. The school, a single-story structure made primarily of wood, wasn't as clean and tidy as city schools, and the orange-reddish tiles on the roof and the greenery planted in front of the gate gave it a rural, natural feel.

The wooden shoe cabinet at the entrance held several pairs of shoes of various colors. Although small, the presence of students imbued the space with a subtle sense of vitality. The hallway floor was immaculately clean and faintly shiny, demonstrating the meticulous care taken by both teachers and students. However, the buckets used to collect water from the floor during rainy days betrayed the presence of leaks.

The wooden corridor that you can see to the end at a glance is well-lit, with large glass windows letting in warm sunlight. In the shadows near the wall are several small wooden cabinets containing some old books for people to read, most of which are souvenirs left by former graduates as a way of giving back to the school.

The corridor was divided into several rooms, but apart from the teachers' staff room, there was basically only one classroom in use. After all, there were only five permanent students here.

门外，因为时光流逝而有些掉色的门牌上印着“2年1组”（初二1班），然后牌子的右方还从上到下依次用黑笔写上了“+小1”、“+中1”（初一）、“+中3”（初三）和“+小5”的字样，整体显得非常的随性但在某种意义上又很认真。

The classroom was of normal size, with a large blackboard and the teacher's podium in the front, but the desks and chairs below were very sparse, with the few sets of desks and chairs placed together. As a result, the entire classroom seemed very empty, like the relationship between Tokyo, a city with a large population, and other regions.

There was a storage area at the back of the classroom, also an aged wooden cabinet. Although large, it only had a few spaces for schoolbags and other belongings. A keen eye could discern the students' storage habits from the faint dust. After all, even when faced with many options, people always choose the one they are most familiar with and that makes them feel most at ease.

On the blackboard at the back of the classroom hung calligraphy works by several people. In addition to common works such as "Wu", "Spring", and "Hope" that could be recognized at a glance, there were also paintings with unknown meanings, making it impossible to tell whether they were written words or paintings.

The girls in the classroom were surprised to see Ping Xin suddenly knocking on the door and walking into the classroom, but they felt relieved when they remembered that this was Meganil's friend who had greeted them. The girls were just chatting around Nilu.

The fact that Hotaru Ichijo transferred from Tokyo this semester was enough to make them curious, let alone an interesting senior like Meganello, who is small in stature but has sharp eyes, is the oldest (a freshman in high school) but doesn't have to be arrogant.

Today, Nilu is wearing a pure white dress. The black bow ribbon decoration on the chest adds a bit of cuteness to her, but when paired with Nilu's ever-present cherry blossom gold dragon silk card (embroidered jacket), it looks very individual.

"Hey, Pingxin! You're a little late. How's your work in the fields?" Nilu greeted with a smile.

Thanks to Grandma Rumi's comfort, Meganilu slept soundly last night, and naturally, she didn't feel insecure and crawled into Pingxin's bed. And thanks to Pingxin and Grandpa Megan, they deliberately stepped quietly outside that morning, so she woke up naturally and felt very energetic.

"Hey, Nilu, I'm here to bring you lunch."

Ping Xin also smiled and greeted Nile, but because his smile was too conspicuous, he was stared at by the seven people in the classroom. Ping Xin, whose social anxiety was passively triggered, showed his unique skill of "smiling suddenly", switching to a cold boy in a second.

Ping Xin showed the lunch box he was holding in his left hand. The washed and faded old bag contained a natural and healthy handmade lunch box, which tasted like his grandma and his hometown.

"Oh my god, you made me wait so long...Okay, Aibo (partner)~ The lunchbox is right here. It's activity class now, so let's go find some fun~"

"Ah...! Dodgeball game, dodgeball game is very exciting!" Miyauchi Renka with light purple twintails suddenly stood up from the chair and said.

Perhaps due to Ping Xin's personality and his previous "cold" persona, everyone had become noticeably more reserved since Ping Xin entered the classroom. However, children wouldn't mind that. She didn't think Ping Xin was a scary person, as children in rural areas tended to be more innocent.

"Well... that's fine, but I have to hide or it would be too bullying - my name is Asuka Maheishin, what's your name, my lovely classmate?"

Hirayuki knelt on one knee, keeping his gaze as low as possible while speaking to Miyauchi Renka. Children see the world differently from adults, and this helps them feel more secure. And if Hirayuki didn't do this, the 120cm-tall child would probably only be able to see his nostrils from below.

After squatting down, Ping Xin's dark eyes could look into Miyauchi Renka's red eyes, and he realized that she was probably not keeping her eyes half-open because she was sleepy or had poor eyesight, but was simply used to it. The reason why she was a beat slower was not because of her slow reaction, but most likely because she had a strong imagination and jumping thoughts like Ping Xin.

"I'm Miyauchi Renka, first grade in elementary school, にゃんぱすー (Nyanpas)~"

Miyauchi Renka raised her hand and greeted Hirayuko, but who could tell him what Meowpass was?!

Chapter 34: Leisurely Summer Days Part 2

Although I don't know what "Nyanpas" means, his quick reaction has always been worthy of recognition, and he also happens to be the kind of person who never admits defeat.

"Ciallo~"

If you are greeted by someone you don't recognize, you should greet them back with a greeting they don't recognize either. This is the way of the ninja!

"...Ah—is this how city folks greet each other? Amazing!"

After a little thought, Lianhua in the harem exclaimed in admiration. It was more like she was naturally cute than naive, although Ping Xin could only tell that she was indeed surprised by her slightly open mouth on her expressionless face.

As a little brat who never grows up, Ping Xin has always been very happy with the surprised and admiring eyes of children, just like when he would gather cats in the park and "take over the territory" and "become the king", although it was very embarrassing when Minato Yukina saw it at that time...

"Ciallo is simply a coined word made up of 'Ciao' and 'hello'. Hello is the Victorian way of saying hello, and you may have heard it, while Ciao is the Italian way of greeting, which can be used when meeting or saying goodbye."

Ping Xin touched her head. He had long been curious about the structure of the two hairs that stood up like seed sprouts. Just like Meganelle's super long and flowing hair, they were very anti-gravity. It seemed that this was another unsolved mystery.

"This guy is Hira Nobu, right? I heard Nero-chan just say that you're in the first year of high school like her. When we first met yesterday, I thought you were her dad. Oh, my name is Natsumi Koshigaya. For the sake of convenience, you can just call me 'Natsumi'."

Natsumi Koshitani with red hair and purple eyes greeted Heishin. Her energetic and innocent (silly and cute) personality made her seem a little familiar, but this familiar look must be related to Nel's previous communication with them.

"Natsumi, you're so rude! How can you address a senior you've just met by name?! Um... Asuka-senpai, nice to meet you. I'm Koshigaya-kun."

Koshigaya Komari, with her brown hair and green eyes, was much smaller. According to Hiraishin, she was even smaller than Nel, and even taller than only first-grade student Miyauchi Renka in the classroom. While he admired Hiraishin, who, according to Nel, was described as a "grown-up" with a plethora of abilities, capable of studying, sports, gaming, and more, he was somewhat reserved due to his own timidity.

"Don't be so formal, just call me Pingxin. I prefer it that way. By the way, you two sisters have a really good relationship."

"Look, Senior said it's okay, right, 'Xiao Xiaoju'?"

"Don't call me Xiao Xiaoju! I'm your older sister, Xiaoying, right?"

It seemed that because of Hiranobu's presence, Koshigaya Komari was even stronger than usual, trying to establish the image of a reliable older sister in front of the senior from Tokyo. After all, once you are considered a child when you first meet her, it is difficult to erase that impression.

"Huh? Well... of course, Komari-senpai is my older sister, no doubt about it!"

Hotaru Ichijo, the dark-haired, dark-eyed Tokyo transfer student, was startled to be singled out as the center of attention. While she looked like a well-developed high school student, she was actually a fifth-grader with advanced development! Even a year ago, she had the physique of a completely normal elementary school student. Could this be a special developmental stage, similar to the "realization" of Uma Musume?

Incidentally, having recently transferred to this school, she's become obsessed with Koshigaya Komari, a second-year middle school student who claims to be 140cm tall. Hotaru Ichijo is a master of tailoring, so her room is filled with handmade Komari dolls. While they're still quite limited, she'll soon have more, including casual clothes and glasses!

Is it really beyond doubt? Judging from appearance alone, Natsumi Koshigaya, who is 155cm tall, looks more like the older sister. After all, although Koshigaya Komari claims to be 140cm tall, she is actually only 130cm tall, a typical girl's figure.

"Asuka... Hirashin-senpai thinks so too, right?"

Facing Koshigaya Komari's expectant eyes, although he could only feel the cuteness and Ping Xin's mind was full of doubts, he did not show any expression on his face. After all, he would not go crazy in front of strangers.

"So...Sodayo (That's right)~ By the way, I heard that this Miss 'Hotsuka' transferred from Tokyo, what a coincidence. Are you used to it here?"

Hirayuko used a nonsensical approach, his acting dreadful, even if it was as bad as Grandpa Meigan's, but the recognition from "a reliable man" still made Koshigaya Komari very happy. Nero, watching him from the side, smiled silently, as if waiting for him to fall into every pitfall before offering a warning.

"Ah, yes! My name is Hotaru Ichijo, you can just call me Hotaru-chan. I moved here from Tokyo because of my father's work. To be honest... I was worried at first, but everyone here is so friendly, and I've been taken care of by the seniors, and now I'm happy every day!"

Everyone? Seniors???

Ping Xin's super brain started working rapidly at this moment. At this moment, he suddenly remembered the small words written in black pen on the class sign outside: "+小1", "+中1" (first grade of junior high school), "+中3" (third grade of junior high school) and "+小5"

It is known that the class name originally showed that they were in the first grade of junior high school. So first of all, Miyauchi Renka can be ruled out as a first grade student. Then, the black-haired boy with a height of 170cm+ and half-frame glasses and Koshigaya Natsumi next to them can occupy the positions of two junior high school students. It is also known that Koshigaya Komari is the older sister, so she must also be a junior high school student.

Adding to what Ichijo Hotaru just said to "seniors", then Ichijo Hotaru is most likely...

No, no, no, but this is a bit outrageous, right?!