Chapter 18
Chi Lin’s sword dance, “White Dew Unsettled,” won the Cultural Festival’s Most Popular Performance award. Ms. Qi proudly presented her with the certificate and prize in front of the entire class.
The certificate, with its traditional red and gold design, was a testament to her achievement.
The prize consisted of a South Lake Third High School mascot plush toy and a 200-yuan voucher for the school’s online learning platform, enough for hundreds of practice questions.
Ms. Qi had Chi Lin stand on the podium while she praised her for the majority of their shortened PE class.
Normally, the class would have protested the loss of PE time.
But Chi Lin looked so lovely today that they didn’t mind.
Chi Lin stood with her hands behind her back, chin raised, her expression even more serious than Ms. Qi’s.
Lin Xiaozhi nudged Wei Zhuoning. “Doesn’t A Lin look like a seasoned official? Ms. Qi looks like her assistant.”
“Don’t call her that,” Wei Zhuoning warned.
“Can’t I call Chi Lin ‘A Lin’?”
“A Lin is the name of my character.”
“Oh, what a coincidence,” Lin Xiaozhi said, a knowing smile on her face.
Wei Zhuoning desperately hoped for a seat change next semester, away from this demon.
Chi Lin took her certificate and prize home, placing them prominently in her room.
The plush toy was a small girl in a South Lake Third High school uniform, its eyes disproportionately large, its twintails slightly askew, the stitching uneven.
Clearly not the work of a skilled craftsperson.
But Chi Lin cherished it. It was her first award in this era.
She adjusted the toy’s upturned skirt…
The fabric was rough, springing back into its original position.
The exposed flesh-toned underside bothered her.
She went to find the system. “Teacher, do we have any needles and thread?”
The system displayed a map, highlighting three possible locations.
Chi Lin found a sewing kit in the second drawer.
She carefully sewed the skirt down, ensuring it remained in place.
Satisfied, she put the toy back on display.
Lou Mi’s ankle, thanks to Chi Lin’s massage and the AI-recommended spray, had almost fully recovered.
She went to the club and immediately ran into Zhuo Jinglan.
Zhuo Jinglan, holding a new stress ball designed for the trainees, confronted her.
“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be resting? Don’t you want your ankle to heal?”
“It’s just a sprain, not a fracture,” Lou Mi replied, glancing towards Xie Buyu’s room. “Where is she?”
“Out for lunch. She hasn’t returned yet.”
“Wow, the girl who orders takeout even for ice cream is actually eating out?” Lou Mi sat down, watching the trainees’ practice match on the large monitor.
A month ago, the club had recruited nine new trainees to replace the two departed players, hoping to find a suitable replacement for the Nine Heavens team.
Zhuo Jinglan had a promising candidate in mind, a rising star from last year, but the negotiations were ongoing. She was confident, however.
Lou Mi watched the practice match, her expression growing increasingly grim.
Zhuo Jinglan sat beside her. “What do you think? Any promising candidates? You have the final say.”
“They’re all terrible. No team synergy whatsoever,” Lou Mi said.
Zhuo Jinglan: “…”
“And this is with Pagoda leading the team. Don’t give me the final say. Give me veto power. It’ll save time.”
“These are the most promising rookies. There’s no one better in the second tier. The best are right here. Take a closer look.”
“I am looking. And it’s painful. My ankle suddenly hurts. I’m going home to rest.”
Zhuo Jinglan sighed, lighting a cigarette.
Lou Mi snatched it away. “Don’t smoke so much. I don’t want you dying before me.”
“Today’s dose of Lou Mi’s charming personality,” Zhuo Jinglan muttered.
“I’m serious, Lan-jie. You can’t die. Who will scout new players for me? I’m not taking any of these nine. Find me a new batch. Preferably a support class.”
“If I die, it’ll be because of you,” Zhuo Jinglan said.
Lou Mi smiled sweetly. “I know. I’m that good.”
“The best support player in the game is A Bao…” Zhuo Jinglan mumbled.
Hearing the name “A Bao,” Lou Mi’s eyes narrowed.
“Are you trying to provoke me?”
Zhuo Jinglan realized her mistake but couldn’t bring herself to apologize. “Fine, fine, I’ll find someone. What about these trainees? We can’t just fire them all.”
“You want to pay for them yourself?”
Zhuo Jinglan: “…”
With the Winter World Cup approaching, the team was short-handed. Lou Mi’s anxiety was justified.
Despite her tough exterior, Zhuo Jinglan was soft-hearted and considerate. Lou Mi knew her well.
As a friend, this quality was endearing. But as a business partner, it could be a liability.
The World Cup qualifiers would be the new Nine Heavens team’s debut. All eyes would be on them.
Lou Mi needed the best, the most compatible teammates.
The wrong person could drag the entire team down.
Choosing teammates was a crucial decision.
If Zhuo Jinglan couldn’t be the bad cop, Lou Mi would gladly take the role. Her sharp tongue and fiery temper were well-known.
As she drove home, browsing match videos on her phone, Pagoda sent a message to the team chat.
“Mi-jie, were you at the club earlier? Why didn’t you say hi?”
Lou Mi: “I saw you training the new recruits.”
Pagoda: “Yeah… it was a disaster.”
Lou Mi: “I can imagine.”
Xie Buyu appeared: “Mi-jie, I heard you took a noob to the Snow Demon fight with your main account? How exciting!”
Pagoda: “Really? Which noob?”
Xie Buyu: “Some newbie I’ve never seen before. Probably fresh out of the tutorial zone.”
HighTowerMiyuki never played with anyone outside the club, let alone carried a newbie.
New recruits were trained by Pagoda, who was skilled and patient, unlike the notoriously volatile Lou Mi.
Asking Lou Mi to train a newbie was like asking a cat to herd sheep.
Besides her minimal streaming hours, Lou Mi was a homebody, spending all her time practicing, with no social life to speak of.
Single at 25, and suddenly carrying a newbie?
There had to be a story there.
Xie Buyu: “Eyewitnesses reported remarkable synergy between you and the noob. The noob drew the monsters’ attention while you slashed away, your laughter echoing through the snowy peaks. The forums and Weibo are buzzing, everyone speculating about the noob’s identity. Care to share, Mi-jie?”
Lou Mi: “It’s my little sister, not a ‘noob.’”
Xie Buyu: “Oh, a ‘little sister.’ That’s even more intriguing.”
Lou Mi: “…”
They were always MIA during practice but eager to gossip.
Lou Mi: “Where were you earlier? Skipping work again? Your salary will be docked.”
Xie Buyu: “…See you later, Mi-jie.”
Money was Xie Buyu’s weakness.
With Xie Buyu silenced, Pagoda inquired about Lou Mi’s ankle.
Lou Mi: “My sister massaged it. It’s much better now.”
Pagoda: “You actually have a sister?”
“My dad’s girlfriend’s daughter. She calls me ‘sister,’ so I have to play along.”
Pagoda: “I see. You seem close. You should bring her to dinner sometime.”
Lou Mi found her phrasing odd.
“We’re not close. Our relationship is… complicated.”
Pagoda: “…”
So the earlier pride in her sister’s massage skills had been an illusion?
As she parked her car in the garage, Lou Mi checked the gaming forums. Several posts on the front page discussed the identity of HighTowerMiyuki’s new gaming partner.
Some speculated it was a new recruit for Nine Heavens, others thought it was just a random player. But the most popular theory was a new romantic interest.
Lou Mi scowled at the words “new romantic interest.”
Why “new”? As if she had previous romantic interests.
Someone tagged A Bao in the comments.
“Let’s see what the ex has to say.”
“Wow, that’s bold.”
“A Bao will come and kick your ass.”
Lou Mi wanted to kick their asses herself.
What was wrong with these people?
She scrolled down, and A Bao actually replied.
A Bao: “Best wishes.”
Lou Mi reported the comment.
Fuming, she went inside and took a shower.
Whether due to her anger or the dry autumn air, she felt stifled as she exited the bathroom. The air circulation system was on.
Why was it so stuffy?
Wearing a short camisole and nothing else, she went to the kitchen for a drink.
Chi Lin, deep in thought, emerged from her room and saw Lou Mi.
Lou Mi, her hair wet, simply said, “Hi.”
Chi Lin froze.
She hadn’t expected to see Lou Mi like this.
Bare shoulders, long legs, damp hair dripping onto her skin, a towel draped around her…
Lou Mi grabbed a popsicle from the freezer, tore off the wrapper with her teeth, and scrolled through her phone with one hand.
“Home early today?” she asked casually.
Chi Lin’s face flushed crimson. “Why aren’t you wearing any clothes?!”
Lou Mi: “??”
She looked down at her camisole. Isn’t this clothes?
Am I blind?!
“Have you no shame?!” Chi Lin exclaimed.
“What are you talking about?!”
Chi Lin, her eyes fixed on the floor, scurried back to her room and slammed the door.
Lou Mi pounded on the door. “Come out here and say that again!”
“You’re practically naked! How can you be so indecent?!” Chi Lin shouted from behind the door.
Lou Mi: “What the actual f*ck?”
She was speechless, then furious. “I’m wearing a dress! Come out here and explain yourself!”
Chi Lin blushed easily at the sight of a woman’s body, and Lou Mi was showing a lot of skin.
She regretted her outburst. She should be used to the casual attire of this era, but even strangers rarely dressed so… minimally.
Perhaps Lou Mi felt more comfortable dressing casually at home.
Chi Lin, attracted to women, was more sensitive to such displays, whereas Lou Mi, presumably straight, was less inhibited.
It was awkward, but the words had already been spoken…
It was Lou Mi’s fault for having such a… distracting figure.
Chi Lin vowed to be more composed next time.
Lou Mi continued to pound on the door.
Chi Lin decided to apologize later, when Lou Mi had calmed down.
In her haste to retreat, Chi Lin hadn’t noticed she had dropped her phone.
It landed on Lou Mi’s bare foot, leaving a red mark.
Her feet had suffered a lot lately, first a sprain, now this.
She picked up the phone, the pain now registering.
As she sat on the sofa, rubbing her foot, she replayed Chi Lin’s accusations in her mind, finding them utterly absurd.
Chi Lin had wandered around the house in her underwear before, mortifying Lou Lixing, and Lou Mi hadn’t said a word.
She had tolerated far more provocative behavior, leaving the parenting to Peng Ziyuan.
She had tried to remain uninvolved, and now she was being scolded for wearing a perfectly normal dress at home?
It was just the two of them. They had seen each other in far less clothing.
Indecent? She called me indecent?
Lou Mi, perpetually single, accused of being indecent? Was that a joke?
And who was the adult here? Chi Lin had no right to lecture her.
Lou Mi, used to being in charge, couldn’t believe she had just been scolded by a seventeen-year-old.
Well, this was more like their usual dynamic.
If she had managed to grab Chi Lin and give her a good thrashing, it would have been even more accurate.
The recent peace had lulled her into a false sense of harmony.
How naive. Hadn’t she learned their personalities clashed?
She went to her room, put on the access crystals, and entered the world of “Return to Jianghu,” seeking catharsis in virtual violence.
Zhuo Jinglan had found two promising new trainees and wanted Lou Mi to evaluate them.
Unfortunately for the trainees, they encountered Lou Mi at her most volatile.
She tore through the Snowy Peak dungeon, leaving the trainees in the dust. One fell to their death, the other clung to a cliff, terrified.
When Lou Mi reappeared, she had already circled the peak and single-handedly defeated two Bighorn Apes.
“Are you sure about these two?” she messaged Zhuo Jinglan. “They can’t keep up, and they’re scared of their own shadows. They need a hundred years of basic training.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “…”
What’s gotten into her?
Lou Mi continued her rampage, encountering a newly formed guild challenging Nine Heavens, hoping to gain notoriety.
These wannabe challengers appeared every year, eager to dethrone the champion.
They were like weeds, constantly sprouting, each hoping to climb to the top.
Normally, HighTowerMiyuki wouldn’t bother with such insignificant opponents, leaving them to her teammates, who usually showed mercy.
But today, Lou Mi was in no mood for mercy.
The challengers were decked out in high-level gear. Lou Mi, wielding a basic level 20 sword, single-handedly defeated all four of them.
They had chosen the wrong day to challenge the enraged leader of Nine Heavens. Their humiliating defeat, broadcast to the entire server for a fee of 10 million gold, ironically increased HighTowerMiyuki’s popularity.
“Only Lou-jie can carve stone with a nail clipper.”
“I love Lou-jie even more today.”
The new guild, their reputation in tatters, likely wouldn’t recover.
Xie Buyu and Pagoda exchanged private messages.
“What’s with Mi-jie today?”
“Isn’t her being angry… normal?”
“True.”
Having vented her frustration, Lou Mi removed the access crystals, feeling ravenous. As she asked the AI for barbecue takeout recommendations, someone knocked on her door.
Chi Lin, figuring an hour was enough time for Lou Mi to cool down, decided to apologize.
Apologies required sincerity and humility.
She expected Lou Mi to hesitate, perhaps even refuse to open the door.
But the door opened within three seconds of her knock.
Chi Lin almost hit Lou Mi with her raised hand.
Lou Mi stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking down at her.
“Sister,” Chi Lin said, bowing slightly. “I was wrong. I spoke impulsively and disrespectfully. I’m here to apologize. I hope you can forgive me.”
“Oh, I see,” Lou Mi replied, making no move to let her in.
Chi Lin understood the unspoken message: Continue groveling.
Chi Lin, older and more experienced in navigating social situations, knew how to appease someone.
“I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn, but I couldn’t help but notice…” she paused.
“Notice what?” Lou Mi asked.
“Your… impressive figure. I’ve never seen anyone so… well-proportioned.”
Chi Lin subtly observed Lou Mi straightening her posture, puffing out her chest slightly.
…So easily flattered.
“I was overwhelmed by… admiration and envy,” Chi Lin continued. “I apologize for my thoughtless words.”
Lou Mi smirked, her expression softening.
Though she tried to hide her amusement, a hint of smugness played on her lips.
“Enough with the ‘Sister’ talk. It’s creepy. Do you think I hold grudges? I didn’t even think twice about it. Now go to bed. Haven’t you heard? Lack of sleep stunts your growth.”
“Okay, I’ll go to bed now. Good night, Sister.”
“Mm.”
Chi Lin closed the door behind her.
Lou Mi walked to her full-length mirror, admiring her reflection.
She was used to compliments about her figure, but Chi Lin’s words seemed… genuine.
And she felt strangely pleased.
…It must be because Chi Lin is so… simple-minded.
Everyone knew idiots couldn’t lie.
Pagoda created a group chat with Xie Buyu and Zhuo Jinglan, hoping to find a way to alleviate Lou Mi’s stress.
Pagoda: “Mi-jie seems anxious about the Winter World Cup. I would be too. The qualifiers are in a few months, and the team isn’t even complete yet.”
Xie Buyu: “Are you sure it’s the World Cup? I think it’s her ‘sister.’”
Zhuo Jinglan: “Sister? The one she lives with?”
Xie Buyu and Pagoda: “They live together?!”
Zhuo Jinglan: “Her dad and the girl’s mom have been dating for two years. They’ve been living together for a while. It’s not a big deal. The house is huge. They probably rarely see each other.”
Xie Buyu: “So it’s a case of ‘familiarity breeds love.’”
Zhuo Jinglan: “What are you talking about?”
Xie Buyu: “Mi-jie took her sister to the Snow Demon fight with her main account. Everyone saw it.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “Really? When?”
Xie Buyu: “The forums and Weibo are exploding with the news.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “I can’t believe it… she’s never done that before.”
Xie Buyu: “That’s why I said ‘familiarity breeds love.’ We didn’t even know she had a sister until she mentioned it.”
The two of them continued to gossip, ignoring Pagoda.
Pagoda was exasperated.
Wasn’t the purpose of this chat to discuss how to help Mi-jie de-stress? How did it turn into a gossip session?
She would figure it out herself.
As Pagoda contemplated taking Lou Mi out for barbecue or booking a spa day, Lou Mi appeared in the Nine Heavens team chat.
“Anyone there? I have a story to tell.”
She sent a childish otter emoji, its cheerful demeanor radiating through the screen.
Pagoda: “?”
Xie Buyu, in the private chat: “See? Love makes people do crazy things. Our Mi-jie, single for so long, has finally fallen in love.”
Zhuo Jinglan: “With that delinquent sister of hers?”
Xie Buyu: “Delinquent?”
Zhuo Jinglan: “I saw her once. Spiky hair, dyed in at least six different colors.”
Xie Buyu: “Wow, that’s not a sister, that’s a walking rainbow.”
Pagoda: “Seriously? Mi-jie has that kind of taste?”
The three of them pondered this.
Lou Mi, seeing no response to her message, sent a voice message, launching into a humorous anecdote.
She talked until she fell asleep, waking up refreshed the next morning. She hadn’t slept so well in ages.
She had a few messages from Xie Buyu and Pagoda, praising her storytelling skills and mentioning how it had lulled them to sleep.
Lou Mi chuckled and went to freshen up.
…
Lou Mi and Chi Lin spent the day apart. Lou Mi arrived home first and had the AI prepare dinner, meticulously arranging the dishes on the dining table.
When Chi Lin returned, Lou Mi casually said, “Have you eaten? Help me finish this.”
Chi Lin obediently sat down after washing her hands.
Lou Mi glanced at her face. “What’s wrong? You look tired.”
“The midterm exam results are out…” Chi Lin mumbled.
Lou Mi nodded knowingly. “That explains it.”
“The school sends the results to our parents,” Chi Lin said, worried.
“Your mom knows what to expect. I’ve never seen her pressure you about your grades.”
“But I… don’t want her to see them.”
Chi Lin felt a sense of shame.
She had always excelled academically, consistently ranking first in her class, her intelligence and quick wit earning her early recognition and promotion. She had been a model student, a prodigy, even an Empress.
Her life had been a series of achievements, and now, in this new era, she was failing at something she had always excelled at.
She had studied diligently for the midterms, but the results were still dismal.
She ranked 51st out of 60 students.
She didn’t want anyone to see her abysmal scores.
But the school, in its infinite wisdom, shared the results directly with parents, leaving no room for concealment.
Lou Mi, however, interpreted Chi Lin’s shame as concern for her mother’s feelings.
“Let me see your scores,” she said.
“They’re terrible.”
“All the more reason to see them. How can I help you if I don’t know where you’re struggling?”
“Help me?”
“What’s with that look? I was in the top 10 in the city for the college entrance exam. If not for my esports career, I might have gone to graduate school, maybe even gotten a PhD. Show me your scores.”
Chi Lin, realizing resistance was futile, handed her phone to Lou Mi, which displayed her exam results. Lou Mi reviewed them while eating.
She still remembered the high school curriculum. The scores… were strange.
Her Chinese and history scores had actually improved significantly, from single digits to over 50.
Geography was around 40, a surprising achievement for a consistently failing student.
English was still poor, and she had somehow managed to get a zero in Politics.
“Did you write the Politics exam with your feet?” Lou Mi asked, incredulous. “You even got the basic slogans wrong.”
“Maybe I’m just not politically aware,” Chi Lin mumbled.
She genuinely didn’t understand the politics of this era.
Lou Mi then checked the math exam, noticing numerous careless mistakes.
“I’m starting to think you don’t even know the multiplication table.”
“Don’t underestimate me. The Nine-Nine Multiplication Table has been around for millennia. Every child in the Warring States period knew it. Of course, I know it.”
“Then why did you make so many basic errors?”
“We weren’t allowed to use an abacus during the exam. The calculations took too long, and I ran out of time.” Chi Lin paused, then declared, “I should memorize it instead of relying on a physical abacus.”
“Wait…” Lou Mi interrupted. “An abacus? The kind with beads?”
“Yes,” Chi Lin replied, opening an abacus app on her phone, demonstrating her skill by quickly solving a problem from the exam.
Lou Mi: “…?”
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