“How could you act on your own at a time like this.”
“This time, you’ve really gotten us into trouble.”
After the performance ended, the Puppet Girl Band wasn’t able to leave through the back door as usual. A group of unsettling-looking “security guards” came over, seemingly intent on taking them all somewhere together.
A petite girl, thin as a reed, lowered her head, hiding her determined gaze beneath her bangs. Neither her companions’ blame nor the approaching security made her regret her decision.
Just then, the venue’s manager, Xiao Zhang, ran over.
“Wait a second, brothers, please wait,” he said. “I just received notice from your superior—not to make things difficult for them. Also, could the young lady who spoke just now please come with me for a moment and be treated well.”
The squad leader was momentarily confused. “Our superior? The superior was just dismissed this morning. What superior?”
“Oh, you mean the one with the big chest?”
“That’s the one.”
Since the event had started early in the morning, there was still plenty of time left in the day. Shen Ning even had time to return to school. She sent a message to Xiao Si Nuo, but the other party didn’t check her phone at all.
Nothing worth mentioning—after all, the girl herself often didn’t check hers either.
Walking through the campus, the students passing by all glanced her way.
“Isn’t that the girl…”
“That’s right, the one from Third Year Class One.”
“She’s so shy, just like in the livestream.”
Shen Ning kept her head slightly lowered and quickened her pace, feeling her face heat up.
She’d heard before that people’s prejudices are like mountains—almost impossible to change.
Shen Ning used to believe that deeply. As the saying goes, “A general’s success is built on countless bones.” From a truant girl to a murderous fiend, she’d stacked up dozens of lives to barely change her nickname.
But to go from a murderous fiend to an innocent maiden—it took just an instant…
What happened to prejudices as immovable as mountains?
Luckily, Xiao Si Nuo had just come out of the classroom, apparently heading to the restroom, so Shen Ning didn’t have to go inside.
She walked over and got straight to the point: “Can you get leave? I need to hurry somewhere. I found the clue you wanted.”
Xiao Si Nuo had just surfaced from a sea of books—or rather, newspapers—and was still a bit dazed. “Leave? We’re already on break, it’s just self-study in the classroom… What clue did you find?”
“At the concert, when they were taking their bow, one of the band members said she’s from Xiangshi Town. Someone went missing there, and she hoped someone could help her.”
Shen Ning hadn’t quite caught the name of the town, but it sounded like that.
Sure enough, the moment she heard the words “missing person case,” Xiao Si Nuo’s eyes lit up. “Wow, let’s go, let’s go, take me there!”
But once they boarded the academy’s minibus, Shen Ning suddenly remembered something. “Where were you going just now when you left the classroom?”
Xiao Si Nuo’s face twitched a little and she forced a smile. “It’s nothing, just… Actually, was there a restroom at the concert?”
Of course, there was a restroom at the venue.
In any case, after everything was arranged, Xu Chuyao waited in her previous seat for Shen Ning to return, and was surprised to see the curly-haired Xiao Si Nuo following behind.
“So you really do have a friend?”
She’d thought it was just one of those “I have a friend” stories.
Shen Ning tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I have plenty of friends.”
Granted, only two were obvious on the surface, but… there were also two invisible ones.
“That’s right,” said the Sexually Repressed Shadow approvingly. “We have lots of friends in every timeline. Chuyao, don’t question our social skills!”
Only the Broken Shadow lowered its head.
Ever since you left, I’ve been anxious and dispirited. Where’s the mood to make friends?
“Then you two wait here for a bit. I’ll go call them over.”
After Xu Chuyao finished speaking, she headed backstage.
Once the thunder girl left, Xiao Si Nuo nudged Shen Ning’s arm. “Not bad, Shen Ning! How did you get close to her? That’s Goddess Yao, our school’s number one beauty.”
Then she paused, realizing something. “Wait, no, that’s not right. You’re a girl too. It’s easier for girls to be close. Sorry, I didn’t think.”
Shen Ning’s eyelid twitched. “Didn’t you watch the concert livestream?”
“Nope. What’s so interesting about a concert?” Xiao Si Nuo looked indifferent. “Strange thing is, the classroom was quiet, but suddenly everyone got excited. No idea what happened, do you?”
“I don’t know either. And you’re right, there really wasn’t much to see.”
Don’t watch the recording after you get back. And definitely don’t watch the clips.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuyao arrived backstage and saw the security team lined up respectfully, along with the band girl standing silently in the corner with her head lowered.
She really was so thin, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
“Reporting, ma’am!” the squad leader said loudly. “The person you wanted is here!”
To show his professionalism, he even straightened his right arm in a salute that vaguely resembled some kind of formal greeting.
“Alright, well done.” Xu Chuyao quietly pushed his hand back down. “But you might want to adjust your salute a little.”
There were no five hundred thousand loaves of bread here, and Chuyao didn’t want to play the hero.
She could understand these people’s eagerness to prove themselves. Lately, the security department had been in turmoil—colleagues and superiors running into all sorts of trouble. To keep their jobs, they had to work hard.
Still, Xu Chuyao was curious: “Why did you immediately move in when those things were said? Did someone give you orders?”
“Not really,” the squad leader whispered, “but our previous superior told us not to mess with things outside our jurisdiction. He said outside matters are complicated, and if we get caught up in something, we’re finished.”
“That makes sense.”
Xu Chuyao thought for a moment but couldn’t recall what this was about, or whether it had anything to do with the original plot. After all, there was no Commerce Plaza battle in the original text, nor this concert. The Puppet Girl Band might never have come to Central City before disbanding.
And in the original timeline, Shen Ning would still be struggling at Stage One, fighting tooth and nail with the Clown Gang. Now, who knows what kind of cheat she’s unlocked—she gets more amazing every day.
Sigh, cheats are so unfair. Unlike me, taking one step at a time, all effort and sweat.
“Alright, hand her over, then. By the way, this might take a while…”
“I’ll show you the way.”
Before Xu Chuyao could finish, the small, thin band girl stepped forward on her own. “I’ll terminate my contract with the company. I want to stay here.”
Her eyes shone bright, as if she’d seen the light, regardless of whether there was fire ahead.
Xu Chuyao looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and finally sighed.
“No need to end your career so hastily. Hey, you, go tell the band— I suspect this case is related to the Clown Gang. She’s being detained by me as a witness for now.”
Usually, she caused the heroine all sorts of trouble, but when it came to doing good deeds, she’d seize the chance.
“Yes, ma’am!” The squad leader snapped a salute.
After Xu Chuyao led the girl away, he said to the others, “See? Why do they say an out-of-district officer automatically outranks us? She says detain, we detain.”
Too bad today’s only temporary. Next time, there won’t be such a beautiful, well-endowed young officer.
“Let’s be clear—although I used that excuse to keep you here, it’s not what you think. There won’t be some special task force helping you investigate and all that.”
Xu Chuyao explained the situation to the band girl. In truth, it was just that a friend of hers had a friend interested in the case, so they’d be helping out. Most likely, it’d just be a few students involved.
Even Yaoqi herself didn’t have time.
“That’s fine. This is already more than enough.” The girl, Xiao Hua, said sincerely. “Thank you so much.”
“No need for that. Come on.”
Xiao Si Nuo was thrilled about Xiao Hua’s arrival—as if she’d seen a living, breathing newspaper. She couldn’t help but ask questions as soon as they sat on the academy’s minibus.
“Where are you from? Xiangshi Town, right? Did someone go missing in your family? Is there a newspaper in town? How did you report it? Did anyone else go missing later…”
“Ahem, there’s no rush.” Xu Chuyao couldn’t help but turn around to advise, “There’s plenty of time. You can talk when we’re back at school.”
Only then did Xiao Si Nuo quiet down.
“Is your friend… always like this?” Xu Chuyao quietly asked Shen Ning on the side.
“She’s usually normal—she just happened to run into something she’s passionate about.” The girl replied, “Maybe it’s because she loves it.”
What she loves is her life at this very moment.
The minibus sped down the highway, scenery flashing by outside the window. It was the same view as before, making people think of this “journey.”
“Hey, Shen Ning,” Xu Chuyao curved her lips in a little devilish smile, “What were you thinking back then, at that moment?”
The girl said nothing.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what I was thinking at that moment?”
Of course she knew which moment.
Thankfully, the girl’s long, jet-white hair covered her reddening ears.
“Damn, so arrogant! Aren’t you going to get her back?” The Sexually Repressed Shadow stomped anxiously on the window. “Tell the driver to stop, have everyone else get off, you’ve got urgent business!”
Obviously, Shen Ning couldn’t do something like that—at least, not the current her.
Fortunately, the driver was fast, and the bus soon arrived at its stop.
“I’m off, see you next time~”
Xu Chuyao waved her little hand and turned to head toward the dorms. The little critter hopped along with her steps, looking especially happy.
She really was happy, because at this moment, Chuyao was reviewing everything she’d done today: teasing the heroine into a daze, suddenly kissing her in public, calling her “small fry,” flirting with her on the bus until she couldn’t lift her head.
When had the heroine ever suffered such grievances in the original? She must be furious, racking up tons of villain points, right?
Thinking this, Xu Chuyao eagerly opened the System.
[Last lottery balance: 400
Current balance: 400
Today’s earnings: 0]
Still 0!
The little critter instantly stopped bouncing.
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Xiao Si Nuo’s pronouns got mixed up, wasn’t he supposed to be a guy?