I, the spiritual mentor of beautiful girls from all over the world

No matter who you are, no matter where you hide in the world.

I, Kaguya Shinomiya, will definitely find you!

Chapter 48: Teacher, did you rob a bank last night?

The next day, at the entrance of Zongwu High School after school.

The setting sun turned the sky into a warm orange-red, giving the students a soft golden edge.

Ever since that day when Teacher Lynn returned from "overseas", Yui Yuigahama felt as if her world had been put on the fast track, with every day filled with unexpected surprises and heart-pounding excitement.

For example, right now.

She was walking side by side with Qiong on Lynn's left, the three of them at a subtle, intimately just-right distance as they walked home.

This was a scene she would never have dared to imagine before.

Yui Yuigahama secretly glanced at Lynn beside her out of the corner of her eye.

He was dressed in simple casual clothes today, his hands casually in his pockets, his pace unhurried. His profile, which was impeccable from any angle, looked particularly gentle in the sunset.

His languid yet reliable aura was like a giant magnet, drawing her uncontrollably closer, her heart pounding as it played a symphony of "youth."

Waaaaah, isn't this... the legendary threesome?!

Even though one of them is Sora-chan... well, it's still a date!

Yui Yuigahama's cheeks began to heat up uncontrollably, and her mind started to play out an eighty-episode youth romance idol drama, with the theme song automatically set!

"It's my treat today, let's go shopping in the mall."

Lynn suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

His voice remained that of a slightly languid yet irresistibly magnetic tone.

"Huh? Shopping?"

Yui Yuigahama was stunned for a moment, and then a huge wave of happiness surged in her heart!

Ms. Lynn...invited us to go shopping?!

"Yes, Qiong also needs to buy a few clothes that fit well." Lynn's gaze fell on Qiong, his eyes incredibly gentle.

Upon hearing this, Qiong's usually calm and unwavering gray eyes lit up almost imperceptibly, and her small head nodded gently, like a silver kitten about to go for a walk after receiving its owner's permission.

Onii-chan's decision is her decision.

So the trio's destination changed from home to the busiest commercial street near Soubu High School.

Yui Yuigahama has been to this street countless times.

But never before had she felt a sweet scent in the air, like today.

Ms. Lynn seemed like a completely different person.

13 Or rather, the teacher finally revealed the true... "money power" that matched his face.

He walked into a girls' clothing brand store, glanced at it casually, then pointed to a few dresses that suited Qiong's style and said something to the shop assistant next to him who was already stunned.

"Wrap up these items, and that one too."

He didn't even ask the price.

Yui Yuigahama watched from the side, her heart pounding in her throat.

Oh my god! That lace dress, she went to see it with her friend last time, and the price was three months' allowance for her!

Teacher Lynn, on the other hand, didn't even blink, just like buying cabbage from a roadside stall.

As she left the clothing store, Qiong was carrying an exquisite paper bag. The way she held the bag was as if she were holding the most precious treasure in the world. Although her doll-like face was still expressionless, the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned in an almost invisible, satisfied smile.

Next up was the dessert shop.

Limited-edition strawberry parfaits, seasonal chestnut cakes, handmade chocolates...

Lynn ordered all the dishes that looked the best on the menu.

Yui Yuigahama was so happy she almost fainted.

She scooped up a big mouthful of parfait with a small spoon, stuffed it into her mouth, and her cheeks immediately puffed out, like a little hamster with a full stomach of food, her eyes squinting happily.

She felt like she wasn't eating dessert, but rather a pile of happiness called "pampering" built up with "yuan".

Mr. Lynn...did he rob a bank last night?

Or perhaps... he's actually the heir to some hidden conglomerate, and he's just a teacher at the school to experience life?

Yui Yuigahama's imagination is about to reach the heavens.

The three of them, carrying large and small bags, walked contentedly down the commercial street.

Just then, as they passed a shop, Qiong suddenly stopped.

It's a cat cafe.

However, the shop was not open for business. A piece of A4 paper with the words "Prime Location for Rent/Sale" was pasted on the glass door, and the contact number was somewhat faded.

What's even more intriguing is the scene inside the shop.

Through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows covered in a layer of dust, you could see that the environment inside was in terrible condition.

The cat tree was lying on its side, and the litter box looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a long time, scattered all over the floor.

The air was filled with a pungent smell of ammonia, a putrid odor, and a sense of despair and oppression.

The cats, who should have been the main characters, were all listlessly lying in the corner.

Some were emaciated, their hair had lost its luster, and some were so weak that they couldn't even react to the shadows of people passing by outside the window.

The occasional cries it uttered were hoarse and weak, more like painful sighs.

One of the silver kittens, whose hair color was very similar to that of Sora, was curled up in the darkest corner, too weak to even lift its head, only occasionally twitching its ears weakly.

They have lost their vitality as "pets" and are more like a group of prisoners forgotten on a deserted island, awaiting their death sentence.

Passersby would occasionally point and whisper inside, let out a few sympathetic sighs, and then hurry away.

Qiong looked at the small, lonely figures inside the window, especially the silver kitten. In its always lifeless gray eyes, a trace of intense sadness, called "empathy," was revealed that she herself had not noticed.

She subconsciously raised her hand and pressed her small, pale palm against the cold, dusty glass.

A clear handprint was instantly left on that patch of grime, like a lonely mark imprinted in a forgotten world.

"Were they...abandoned?"

Qiong's voice was very soft, as soft as a feather, yet like a needle, it pierced the hearts of everyone present with precision.

Just like... just like myself before I met Onii-chan.

Abandoned by the world, all alone, in endless darkness and loneliness, slowly sinking into silence, slowly rotting.

Yui Yuigahama's heart also clenched.

"So pitiful..." she murmured, her hands unconsciously clenching into small fists, her face full of heartache.

"What happened to the shop owner? How could they treat them like this..."

Linn said nothing.

His gaze calmly swept across the interior of the shop.

This store is located in a prime location on the commercial street with huge foot traffic, and the store itself is a well-preserved standalone building.

Logically speaking, even if the business owner is incompetent, they shouldn't have fallen to the point of being on the verge of bankruptcy and unable to even support their cats.

This stark contrast between the "result" and the "conditions" felt like a logical loophole, leaving this "trouble-averse rationalist" somewhat perplexed and prompting him to subconsciously begin a deeper level of observation and analysis.

In his "biological structural insight" perspective, he can "see" the muscles of cats that have atrophied due to long-term malnutrition, and their endocrine systems that have been disrupted by mental stress.

However, these are all functional problems caused by long-term lack of care, and there is no irreversible organic lesion.

In other words, they were just hungry and frightened, not suffering from any terminal illness.

Although the cats inside aren't of rare breeds, they are all gentle domestic cats. As long as they are well-maintained and kept clean, they are definitely a major draw for customers.

The only explanation is that the shop owner encountered some kind of unforeseen event that left him no time to even care for these lives.

A rational and clear business model instantly took shape in his mind.

Take over this shop, renovate it, hire professionals, and create a high-end cat-loving paradise.

Then, leveraging the vast student resources of Soubu High School and the social networks of the Service Club members, they launched the first wave of publicity.

Making a profit is only a matter of time.

Running a shop is troublesome... but keeping Qiong immersed in this sad mood is even more troublesome.

He glanced at the creature beside him, Qiong, who was gazing sadly at the kitten inside the window.

He thought of the box containing 100 million yen that "fell from the sky" last night.

Money is just a number.

But if these numbers could bring a glimmer of "expectation" to Qiong's eyes.

It would allow her to have a "home" in this world, besides her own home, where she could pour her emotions into it.

Then, this money can be considered well spent.

So he made a decision that left Yui Yuigahama speechless.

"We'll buy it."

Lynn's voice was flat, as casual as if she were saying, "Let's have curry rice tonight."

"Eh?!!!"

Yui Yuigahama's face, which always wore an energetic smile, froze completely, her mouth opening uncontrollably into an adorable "O" shape, as if an egg could fit inside.

Buy...buy it?!

Teacher, do you know what you're saying?

This is the shopping street right next to Ginza!

The shops here are valued in the tens of millions!

Teacher, you're not going to sell me and Sora-chan together to make a down payment, are you?!

However, Kyō's reaction was completely different.

She suddenly raised her head, her gray eyes staring at Lynn in disbelief.

Even though she had no concept of money, she could more or less sense that this shop was absolutely unaffordable for the average person.

"Buy...it?"

"Yes." Lynn gave her a gentle smile. "From now on, this will be our shop."

"You can come here every day, dress them up in pretty dresses, and play with them."

"Cats," "Our shop," "Pretty dresses"...

These keywords, like precise keys, instantly unlocked Qiong's yearning heart.

An unprecedented and immense emotion called "anticipation" and "happiness" swept over all her senses like a volcanic eruption!

The next second, she made a move that surprised everyone.

She suddenly threw herself into Lynn's arms!

Without a word, she used all her strength to bury her face deep in his chest, her small arms tightly wrapped around his waist, as if afraid that if she let go, this beautiful dream would shatter.

Lynn's body stiffened slightly, but then softened at the sight of the girl in his arms trembling violently and uncontrollably.

He could clearly feel how much gratitude, dependence, and joy were contained in that hug.

He raised his hand and gently, soothingly patted her long, soft silver hair.

Yui Yuigahama, standing to the side, watched this warm and intimate scene that seemed to isolate her from the rest of the world.

The smile on her face unconsciously carried a hint of bitterness that she herself was unaware of.

She was genuinely happy for Qiong, truly.

At the same time, it felt like a handful of lemon-flavored popping candy had been sprinkled on my heart—sour, numb, and a little…envious.