Great, now we are dead!

Before Jianzi could answer, Xiao Hei was already sitting opposite Ye Shou, raising its two paws and making a two-five gesture.

"Little, Little Black?"

"Oh, I understand."

Ye Shou stroked his chin: "You're quite perceptive... Daily meals, overtime pay, performance fees, injury insurance, if you include all of that... it's such a hassle. How about I add a zero for you?"

"..."

Xiao Hei leaned back slightly, its slender eyes widening as it looked Ye Shou up and down once more.

"Oh, right!"

Ye Shou frowned: "And pensions, can't we just convert the cat's age into human years?"

pension?

Everyone turned to look, and then Xiao Hei suddenly stood up, startling everyone.

"..."

The man and the cat looked at each other, and suddenly Xiao Hei solemnly placed its front paws in front of its body and bowed ninety degrees to Ye Shou.

"...What's going on?"

"It's almost like saying 'Nice to meet you.'"

Ye Shou remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was puzzled:

There was no response from the [Destiny Coin].

Doesn't this change the big cat's life?

After a moment's thought, Ye Shou turned to Jian Zi and smiled, "Yoshitani-kun's grandmother twisted her back, right? Is she still living in the countryside?"

"Yes, her aunt from her hometown is taking care of her."

Seeing that Zi didn't quite understand why Ye Shou was asking this question.

"She's the owner of Xiao Hei, so we should really consult your grandmother, shouldn't we?"

Ye Shou said gently, "It just so happens that my company has just developed a powered suit that can reduce the pain of patients during rehabilitation and make daily life more convenient."

If Yotsuya's grandmother doesn't mind, would you be interested in participating in our volunteer activities and trying out the power suit?

Of course, this is absolutely safe, with no danger or side effects whatsoever.

"Oh? Is that okay?"

Seeing Zi's undisguised joy, although she could maintain a calm demeanor in front of Ye Shou, it was purely because her nerves had been toughened up; in reality, she was still very clear about Ye Shou's status and position.

The name "Kuji" alone, along with Ye Shou's promise, carries far greater credibility than a rural hospital. She really had no reason to refuse!

"Then it's decided. There are still a few days until Fairy Dance. Could you take me back to the countryside to visit your grandmother, Jianzi?"

"No problem, I'll tell Mom about it right now!"

Little Black's ears suddenly twitched, as if he was also concerned.

--Ding!

[Destiny Coin (Neko-Hozuki) 1]!

It really was the mother-in-law's problem!

This black cat's fate is closely tied to its mother-in-law's; it values ​​her even more than its annual salary and pension!

Only by taking good care of that old man can I make him work for me wholeheartedly!

Great! It turns out it's a cat with only a weakness; it'll be easier to order it around now!

Ye Shou chuckled inwardly, admiring his own astonishing business acumen, his ability to precisely grasp the material and spiritual needs of every living being…

and many more!

Something's not right... What does "Nekogami Lantern" mean? Does it have other names?

Ye Shou touched his chin, puzzled.

……

Since Ye Shou was going on a long trip, Liu Li naturally accompanied him. For some reason, Qian Hua also wanted to join in the fun, and the group of five (plus Tou Mao) arrived at Jian Zi's hometown.

By the way, the board game club, who also love playing games, didn't come this time. According to them, their skill level was too low to match such a high-level player, so they chose to stay at home and spend the day playing cards and gaming headsets.

This is not surprising, after all, the last time they went to the mountains to participate in the test of courage, they encountered something like a "mysterious wild beast attacking the team".

Although the truth was covered up by the Hise family, those who experienced it firsthand knew that the facts were not so simple, after all, Miko's superstitious words were said to her face...

However, Chika still smiled at them before leaving:

How could you possibly encounter paranormal events every time? You're being too cautious!

Fujiwara Chika was a woman who planned to go on vacation to Mount Osore (a sacred site of Japanese ghosts), so one or two accidents wouldn't scare her!

Moreover, this trip is to a small town in the countryside, not some remote, untouched mountain forest.

It's absolutely okay.

—Ye Shou thus brought along Miss Fujiwara, who resembled an old general on a theatrical stage.

Actually, he had a similar idea. After all, it was a residential area, and even in the countryside, it was impossible for ghosts to roam freely. Otherwise, Jianzi's hometown would have been deserted long ago.

"Ah... the air is definitely fresher in the countryside."

"Qianhua would better watch her tone. The more rural the area, the less willing she is to hear the sanctimonious words of city people."

"Ruri-chan is actually more extreme than I am... By the way, Ruri-chan doesn't use honorifics with me at all anymore."

Chika was overjoyed. "This means our relationship has taken another step forward, right?"

"Yes."

Liuli smiled gently, a rare sight for those who knew her.

Chika was even more moved, but she didn't notice the strange expressions on Ye Shou and Jianzi's faces.

Needless to say, Ye Shou noticed a subtle change in their relationship along the way, and even Jian Zi noticed that Liu Li's attitude... was clearly just the leniency of a victor.

But seeing how happy Chika is, I decided not to tell her.

"I'm hungry"

"It took quite a bit of time to get here."

"Shall we find a place to eat first?"

"I want to eat ramen!"

Chika, clutching her stomach, was the first to raise her hand and shout out a dish that Japanese girls almost never try—this dish is heavy on oil and salt, and is generally only liked by male office workers.

"Ramen... is there any around here?"

"Ah! Over there, over there! Look, there's a noodle stall!"

"That's buckwheat noodles, isn't it?"

"They're all pretty much the same thing."

I apologize to all the ramen chefs in the world!

Ye Shou glared at Qianhua.

But in the end, he couldn't do anything about his fickle childhood sweetheart, so he followed her to the noodle stall cart under the dim streetlights.

"Meow?"

Little Black squinted at the car, licked its paws, and followed.

Why isn't the laughter in Chapter 101? Speak up!

Wow! Silver hair, this boss is pretty trendy!

Under the lights, the obviously dyed silver hair was quite dazzling, causing the group to exchange glances, their lips curving into smiles but trying their best to restrain themselves.

Regardless of East or West, the elderly are always divided into two camps: one is conservative, stubborn, and cautious; the other is fond of new things, follows trends, and is like a playful old child, sometimes so daring that it makes their children and grandchildren feel embarrassed.

The four sat down in front of the stall, while Xiao Hei sat a little further away, squatting on the ground, as quiet as a stone lion statue. Because of its fur color, it was hard to recognize it without careful observation.

"Uncle, are you still doing business?"

"Hmm? Oh, what a cute little guest!"

The boss looked up, revealing a middle-aged face that looked perfect for a suspense film. He chuckled at Qianhua as if he hadn't noticed Xiao Hei.

“My noodle stall rarely gets any young customers. You are the first customers tonight, so of course I’ll do business with you.”

Look! The moon has just risen; it's still a full moon!

"Then I'll have a large bowl of buckwheat noodles!"

Chika generously declared, "It's my treat today!"

Everyone ordered food. This trip could be considered a rural tour, and they didn't usually have the chance to visit these roadside stalls. The girls, who came from big cities, were quite excited and started chatting while waiting for their food.

Seeing that Zi was practically a host, she was naturally bombarded with questions, but since she herself only came to visit her elders during holidays, she quickly became embarrassed.

"Haha, you've stumped this little girl. She clearly doesn't know anything about this town."

The stall owner turned around, wiping his hands as he chuckled, "But you can ask me, I know everything that happens on this land."

"Has this uncle been setting up his stall here for a long time?"

"Well, how should I put it? It's been so long that I've lost count of how many years."

The stall owner sighed with melancholy and reminiscence: "Back then, this town didn't have streetlights, and the village was pitch black at night..."

"Then how do you do business, sir?"

Chika asked curiously.

“There are lanterns, little girl.”

The owner stirred the noodle soup with long chopsticks, saying, "Lanterns, stars, campfires—I used to walk along the pond, and the light on the water seemed to flow."

"It sounds so beautiful"

Qianhua was captivated by the sight. "Where's the pond? I want to see it too."

"The pond...sigh, it's gone!"

The boss was a little angry. He arranged the large bowls that had been covered up one by one, making a thumping sound, and then skillfully scooped up the noodles and put them in one by one.

"She's been gone for ten years—does this little girl still remember her?"

"Well……"

Seeing Zi hesitate for a moment, then try hard to recall, "I do remember... there used to be a lotus pond behind my mother-in-law's house?"

"Yes! The Lotus Pond!"

The owner excitedly banged on the pot: "That's a beautiful lotus pond! I always sit in the pot and slowly slide to the center of the lake to pick lotus pods to eat."

They also had to eat all the lotus seeds, leaving only the empty shells and the lotus hearts inside, watching the little devils go home happily, and then come back dejectedly, grumbling "Heh heh hah."

"Boss, you're so mean!"

Chika, completely oblivious to anything amiss, retorted with a giggle, "But you can't sit in a pot, and there's a limit to bragging."

"You have no idea, my pot can get really, really big."

The boss and Chika were chatting happily, while Miko was reminiscing about whether she had ever been tricked by hollow lotus pods when she was a child. Only Ruri noticed the strangeness in the person next to her.

Ye Shou has not uttered a single word since he sat down.

He sat there quietly with a smile on his face, looking very relaxed, but Liuli, who knew him well, knew that her master was actually on guard against something and could get up quickly to deal with it at any time.

Is there any danger associated with this noodle stall?

A hint of suspicion flashed through the maid's mind, but she remained outwardly calm.

Although their group appeared to consist of only four people and a cat, they were guests and it wasn't convenient for them to make a big fuss. In reality, they were being protected by someone in secret.

The maid believed that if the noodle stall owner made any unusual moves, there would be more than one sniper rifle aimed at him in secret.

However... judging from Ye Shou's appearance, he didn't seem to have encountered any danger. He was just tense and wary, and didn't seem to have any intention of making a move. Liu Li temporarily put aside her doubts, fearing that she might misjudge, and decided to observe Ye Shou's actions carefully and follow suit.

"How could such a beautiful lotus pond be gone?"