Chapter 323

One hundred and thirty-second page Touching

【12:27】

The rice with tea was quite refreshing. I didn’t pour all the soy sauce from the dish, so the taste was rather light. The fishiness of the tuna and the delicate fragrance of the Longjing tea could both be savored. However, to be honest, the portion was somewhat small; my stomach was mostly filled with the tea.

Fortunately, I hadn’t engaged in any strenuous activities in the morning, so this small meal should be enough to hold me over until the afternoon.

I clasped my hands together and prayed devoutly, “I’m done! Thank you, Teacher Kamegami, for the generous tea rice! Amen!”

This was a hint that she should pay the bill.

Teacher Kamegami glanced at me and commented, “What kind of God am I? And shouldn’t the prayer be said before eating?”

“In any case, please handle the payment! I have other places to go, so I’ll take my leave now.”

After eating a lukewarm lunch, I decided it was time to bid farewell.

Teacher Kamegami shouted, “Hey! Are you planning to slip away right now?”

Hmm? Did she think I would sell myself for a bowl of rice?

Miss Xiaojī was pondering over the details of the book signing event. Seeing me stand up, she looked up and asked, “Ah? Is Lingmeng leaving?”

“Yeah, my driver should be here soon.”

“If you’re not in a hurry, I can drive you there later.”

I looked her up and down in surprise.

“Miss Xiaojī came by car?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I use my car?”

I picked up the teacup that I hadn’t finished drinking from the table, adhering to basic courtesy, I should finish the tea before leaving.

“So, you already have a license?”

Miss Xiaojī took out her driver’s license from her bag and waved it at me.

“I just got it recently. It would be much more inconvenient without it.”

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I last topped up your Sacred Mark. Is it still sufficient?”

Compared to Father, who I see every day, and Old Yan, who often visits the Secret Passage Hut, Fengwu and I don’t interact much, so there hasn’t been an opportunity to top up her Sacred Mark.

But the moment I asked, Miss Xiaojī’s face turned red.

She whispered, “This is my last… I haven’t changed back in a month.”

Pfft, cough, cough!

I nearly choked on my tea.

So, she had maintained her female form for over a month?

“You can call me directly or ask Azure Feather to pass the message. There’s no need to hesitate about something like this.”

She sighed, “I don’t want to be seen as someone who’s obsessed with being female, but once I started, I couldn’t bring myself to change back, and now it’s been a month… Could there be side effects?”

It’s been a month, isn’t it a bit late to worry about side effects?

—”The Sacred Mark System is a rule set by Heaven’s Path, so it’s unlikely to cause problems easily.”—

“There aren’t many side effects. If I must say, you might come off as a bit feminine after changing back…”

“Do you need to top up now?”

“Yeah, if you could help, that would be great.”

She turned sideways, facing away from me.

Miss Xiaojī gently lifted the back of her clothes…

——————

Tap tap…

——————

Leaving the tea room, I headed towards the unoccupied safety exit to allow Cherry Sauce to summon the Jewel and teleport me to the Research Institute to visit Grandmother and Old Lady.

However…

Sniff.

Due to the ritual of topping up the Sacred Mark, Miss Xiaojī’s scent remained.

—”Can you stop smelling your fingers like a pervert?”—

No, it’s just that the fragrance on her body seems to be a kind of woody perfume. Although it’s faint, it’s similar to the “Bonfire” perfume I bought for Yuzu.

I didn’t expect her to use perfume and cosmetics. It seems she enjoys being female.

—”Do you want to analyze Xiaojī’s mentality? She used a false female persona to achieve her first success in writing, which means she has developed the notion that ‘being female is advantageous in society.'”—

That’s why she doesn’t want to change back after becoming female.

—”Actually, it might be better for you if she doesn’t get her Sacred Mark topped up.”—

From the tone, it sounds like Cherry Sauce has some ulterior motives.

—”If Xiaojī gets used to living as a female, maybe you won’t have to worry about your next quota.”—

I think she’s already accustomed to it.

Even if I top up her Sacred Mark, it will be quickly consumed.

Maybe next time we meet, she will propose something like, “Let me be Azure Feather’s sister! I don’t want to be a brother anymore!”

Just a few steps away from the safety exit door, my phone rang.

I thought it was Sister Zǐ accompanying AJ for lunch and preparing to return to the Research Institute with us. But when I checked, it was actually Xiao Lei calling.

“Chairman~ Have you guys finished over there?”

“More or less, what’s up?”

The line was noisy, and it sounded like their store was bustling.

“Yuzu asked me to check if you’ve bought her reward perfume and my preserved vegetable cake.”

“Are you still thinking about the preserved vegetable cake?”

I pouted and retorted, “In the commercial area, where am I supposed to find a preserved vegetable cake?”

“As long as you look hard enough, you can find them anywhere.”

“No preserved vegetable cakes, but the perfume is ready.”

A sharp exclamation came from the other end of the line, “Wow! Really?”

“Yuzu? Don’t buy and talk in the store, you’ll be discovered!”

“It’s noisy here, I’m hiding behind Sister Lei’s shoulder. Instead of this, when are you going to give me the stuff?”

I thought for a moment and replied, “I’ll give it to you tonight. The ‘Kamehameha’ doesn’t allow female guests, and even though I’m not female, there’s still a high chance of being stopped.”

Although the shopkeeper knows me, I don’t know the new full-time female servant.

Xiao Lei started suggesting, “I’ll tell the shopkeeper, you can work part-time? Senior Longkui is also there!”

“Please spare me.”

But if given the choice, I would still want to go to the maid cafe.

I even wanted to go to the legendary hidden area, Avalon, filled with all sorts of R18 comics and strange props.

—”Hey, do you think I’d let you into such a place?”—

After all, I’m not alone. If I went in by myself, or brought Cherry Sauce and possibly peeking Old Lady, even if they were okay with it, I wouldn’t be able to bear the shame.

…Come to think of it, these past few months have been quite restrained.

—”Well, I’ll let you go to the coffee shop outside.”—

Hmm? Really?

I was surprised when Cherry Sauce suddenly agreed.

—”Looking at proper manga, observing Sister Lei and Senior Longkui at work, and delivering the perfume to Yuzu, none of these are a problem.”—

So the visit to the patient will be delayed again?

I really fear Linhua will be angry about this.

—”Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on the ward situation. Grandmother’s condition is stable, Sister Zǐ and AJ are with Miss Zelda at a high-end restaurant on the top floor, they won’t finish soon. So, you can use this time to go to the comic cafe.”—

I still worry that Linhua will be angry, but Cherry Sauce has already taken control of the body and is heading down the stairs.

“I won’t be a temporary maid, but I’ll come over… Remember to pick me up, I’m afraid I won’t be able to get in.”

Upon hearing my response, the idiot on the other end of the line was quite excited.

“Great!”