Chapter 363

Page One Hundred Seventy-One

Otter Home Services Company

(Cherry Sauce’s Perspective)

[10:23]

Since so many guests had come to our house, we couldn’t just make do with lunch. Depressed for several days, Mom decided to cook herself, but even the most capable woman can’t make a meal out of thin air without ingredients. Someone needed to go prepare them, so I went with Juzi and Xiao Qianxia to buy groceries on Mí Fēng Street.

Xiao Qianxia originally wanted to bring Yuzu along, but this little animal was used to the warmth of home and refused to leave, hiding under the sofa.

Juzi also took off her ugly thick cotton pants. After all, she was a girl now. Wearing them at home was fine, but wearing them outside still made her feel embarrassed.

As it neared noon, the temperature had risen slightly from early morning, but it was still within winter’s range. I was worried about Juzi’s beautiful long legs getting cold, so I added an extra layer of insulation inside her tights with my notebook. The grateful kitten girl hugged my arm in thanks.

Just as we stepped out the courtyard door, Xiao Qianxia ran up to me. She grabbed my hand and asked, “Sister Xiaoying, what can I do to help bring Sister Lingmeng back? I don’t want to just wait around…”

Waiting was torture.

Even Lin Hua, who was so strong, once fell into negative emotions when she realized she could do nothing.

“Qianxia, you need to give everyone some time. Even I have to wait for results.”

Juzi chimed in, “Xiaoying, why aren’t you helping at the research institute? Is it because you can’t use techniques without your brother?”

“Yes, I’m his神器, and I can help him do many things, but without him, I can’t do anything. But I can still help since I have plenty of theoretical knowledge. Today, though, I want to spend time comforting Mom. Xiao Kai will understand.”

When I mentioned Xiao Kai, Juzi’s messy hair formed ear shapes and looked very sad.

To distract her, I teased, “Why don’t you call Xiao Kai ‘Oniichan’ anymore?”

“Oniichan is just what he calls me because he likes me.”

“Then should I call you ‘Onesan’?”

“Do you like that too?”

“I don’t know, try calling me twice first.”

“… Okay, I’ll try.”

Even in the cold wind, Juzi’s face turned rosy.

She took a breath and said in a shy, high-pitched voice, “On·sa·n~?”

It was adorable. My heart was full of joy.

“Not bad, really not bad!”

Xiao Qianxia tugged on my finger and asked, “Sister Xiaoying, what does Onesan mean?”

“It still means ‘sister,’ but it’s not usually said that way.”

“Oh—”

She nodded, seeming to understand, and asked, “Can I call you Onesan then?”

Being called Onesan would be comfortable for Xiao Qianxia.

But teaching her strange knowledge might get her aunt mad… Better to correct her.

At the village entrance convenience store, I squatted down and pinched Xiao Qianxia’s chubby cheeks.

“No, just call me ‘sister.'”

She frowned and asked, “Why?”

I patiently explained, “Onesan isn’t a formal term. Juzi only calls me ‘Xiaoying’ outside, right?”

Behind us, the kitten girl didn’t agree, smiling and contradicting me, “Actually, it’s fine to call her Onesan. It’s quite common these days. Don’t be too rigid.”

She said it, and Xiao Qianxia followed along.

“Onesan~ Onesan~”

Xiao Qianxia was very cute, but her voice was too loud. The old man running the store, holding a fan, peered out, making me feel embarrassed.

“Alright, stop it. Let’s hurry to buy the groceries.”

I stood up and planned to lead the two sisters to the market.

“Hey! Be careful, girls!”

The old man reminded me, and I looked up to see a white box truck coming down the slope. It was speeding through a turn, nearly brushing my nose as it passed. If I had run into the road, even a half-step forward, I would have been hit… No, not that.

Even if I were scattered, I wouldn’t die.

But Juzi and Xiao Qianxia were in danger!

Startled, Juzi regained her senses and started scolding.

“Damn, can’t you drive properly! Why take such sharp turns!”

Xiao Qianxia, however, was unfazed, but the old man kindly gave her two lollipops to calm her down.

“Little one, scared?”

“Oh! Lollipops! Thank you grandpa!”

“No, you should say ‘Grandpa Oujizhijiang’!”

So you’re not being nice either?

“Xiao Qianxia, come back! Eat less candy, it’ll rot your teeth!”

I pulled Xiao Qianxia away from the old man and the driver realized he almost caused an accident. He braked to the side of the road and jumped out, apologizing profusely.

“Sorry, sorry! I’m running late, so I was in a rush… Oh, miss, you’re so pretty.”

The young man in green work clothes and hat looked decent except for a tuft of yellow hair sticking out from under his cap.

“The village roads are narrow, and there’s no proper sidewalk. Driving like that will cause problems…”

I glanced at his outfit and asked, “Are you a repairman?”

He looked like an electrician, possibly fixing the village streetlights.

“Oh, we’re Otter Home Services’ cleaning staff.”

He turned around to show us the company logo—a cartoon yuzu holding a brush…

No, it was an otter.

The same pattern was painted on the side of the truck.

“Our company offers the best professional services, including nannies, cleaners, babysitters, and hourly workers. If you need elderly care, pregnant assistance, villa cleaning, wall renovation, floor polishing, we can provide the best service.”

He rattled off a string of words and pulled out a business card.

“Wow, you’re selling services while apologizing? But you drove recklessly and were late by over half an hour. How can people trust your professionalism?”

I glanced at the card.

Xiao Binyi, Otter Home Services, Cleaning Supervisor.

Oh, he’s a supervisor?

“Really sorry, though it sounds like an excuse, it’s my first time leading a team… Hold on.”

He lifted his head slightly and asked, “How did you know I was late?”

“If everything goes well, the person hiring you is my neighbor, and this child is their daughter. You should have arrived half an hour ago, but you were late and almost hit their daughter…”

I threatened, “Think this will be easily forgotten?”

I clearly wanted to make trouble for him. Xiao Binyi’s face darkened, looking like an uncolored wax figure.

“How can I make amends?”

I raised an eyebrow and waved.

“Just go, I haven’t decided yet.”

“… What?”

He looked confused, so I repeated myself.

“Go, you’re late, why are you still here?”

“No, you’re letting me go?”

“No, I haven’t decided what to ask for yet. Cleaning a house takes a while, we’ll talk later when we get back from buying groceries.”

Behind me, Juzi growled threateningly at him.

“… Then I’ll go.”

Xiao Binyi left dejectedly toward Xiao Qianxia’s house.

Juzi asked, “Xiaoying, you’re just letting him go? He has no conscience.”

“Oh? You think I let him go?”

“If it were your brother, he’d just be stubborn verbally. I think you’re similar.”

“So, how do you want to punish him?”

“——”

Yuzu for Sale! Three yuan each, ten yuan for three!

After returning from the market, Otter Home Services’ small truck was parked in front of Xiao Qianxia’s courtyard. Miss Ling Qing was talking with Xiao Binyi.

“Ling Qing sister, we’re back!”

I approached Miss Ling Qing. Xiao Binyi, seeing me, had an unpleasant expression. Behind him, two employees in matching uniforms were taking cleaning tools out of the truck. One was unusually short, with a low hat, raising suspicions about child labor.

He was a supervisor; he shouldn’t lose face in front of subordinates.

“Oh, looks very professional?”

Miss Ling Qing said, “I asked them to clean the exterior walls. Your walls look like they’ve never been cleaned in years… Or maybe decades. And those footprints, was there a burglary?”

There were cleaning marks under Xiao Kai’s bedroom window, like path hints in a game.

Though many climbed walls, none were burglars… This little girl had done it countless times.

“Is it okay? Their fees are high, right?”

I said, and Xiao Binyi quickly responded, “Cough, cough, given how close your houses are, we can treat it as one project, so the cost will be lower. I suggest considering it, otherwise, the other side will look shabby.”

He was sensible.

But Juzi’s punishment wasn’t just a discount.

“That’s great. The rest is up to you, Ling Qing sister. We’ll go back to help Mom prepare lunch!”

With four bags in hand, we needed to cook all these ingredients. Alone, Mom wouldn’t finish until late. For our own sake, we had to help.

“I’ll handle the cleaning.”

Miss Ling Qing nodded and asked, “By the way, Boss is inside. Should Xiao Qianxia go home first? It’s been a while since you came, right?”

“Uh-huh! Xiao Qianxia wants to go back!”

Letting Xiao Qianxia return home was part of Juzi’s plan.