The social phobia substitute will not dream of the band girl

She didn't say anything, but her expression made her stance clear. Although she usually wore a reserved expression, her resistance and disdain were now overflowing.

"I'll be in the Student Union office every noon this week. If you want to learn, come and observe. Witness, analyze, and learn from everything I say and do from a third-person perspective. If you don't come this week, we'll just pretend nothing happened between us, and I'll ignore you as an ordinary passerby from now on."

Diao Yue Liyin was thinking, wondering if this would be a new trap, like a trick of giving people hope first and then crushing and trampling it. It's not that she has never used it before, but she just has no "motive"...which means there is no benefit at all.

"......reason."

"Because I don't want my family to work hard for my ideals and career. If a trustworthy right-hand man appears, then my four girlfriends and my sister will never have to step into the dark world again. I know this is unfair to you, but if you treat me sincerely, you will have power and status second only to mine. This is my recognition of your ability. I have always believed in my judgment of people."

After saying that, Ping Xin turned around and left without mercy. Diao Yue Lin stood there and watched him go away before leaving.

There is no crude provocation, no embellishment of words, and no fantastic traps. There is only a "request" made by a man and a sincere heart.

But for Ping Xin, who held a deep blood feud with her, would Diao Yue Liyin agree to this extremely tempting request? He didn't know, she didn't know, and the world didn't know either. The only thing she knew was... her heart was in turmoil.

"Meow~?"

Strange, why is there a cat meowing in this school? Unless that's...

"I almost forgot about my cat... It must have been sleeping so soundly, it was lying on your chest. The protective color lost by its natural white fur actually came into play here, and even I was fooled. It's okay if I didn't notice it, but why didn't you notice it, Liyin?"

"..."

This was the third time today that someone had come up behind her without warning, but Diao Yue Liyin was used to it and no longer felt surprised. Because no one else in the world could do such a thing except this man. Although she didn't like violence, coming from a family like that, how could she be just a pretty face?

She didn't say anything, simply turning back calmly and staring at Ping Xin with those eyes that gave everyone a strong sense of oppression. Often, without any investigation or questioning, just a glance would make someone collapse and confess everything.

But all her methods had no effect on this man, just like her family was powerless in front of his father. Perhaps he was Tiao Yue Linyin's destined nemesis.

"Hmm... I see. Since you're usually quite heavy, the weight of a two-month-old kitten shouldn't be a big deal to you, right? Then you must be working very hard, just like Asuna, Karin, Akane, and the others... Go back and figure out how to give them massages."

"...Have you had enough of this? Take this thing away now. I don't want to listen to your useless words, and I don't want to talk to you anymore. We don't need to meet again, and I'm not interested in listening to your displays of affection here—"

"This child is not called 'This Guy'. She has her own name, just like you and me. It's Vanilla."

"...Vanilla?"

"Meow~~"

When Diao Yue Liyin called out her name, she, who had been in a "kitten-kneeling" state, cried out, then licked and rubbed Diao Yue Liyin's face and neck. Coupled with its milky white color, it reminds people of a classic three-character biscuit.

"..."

The itching wasn't just on her face and neck, but also... Tiao Yue Liyin's heart. Ever since "her" departure and her mother's death, no one in this world could make her feel warm and loved, not even her grandfather who now lived among the family.

But now, she felt something like this on a hairy beast, which made her feel very confused, scared and... insulted.

After her mother's death, she had closed her heart and was determined to become an absolutely "correct" person, but now something not so right was eroding her.

"...I understand. Go ahead."

"Meow~"

Go, go to what? And Ping Xin... who is he talking to?

Logically speaking...but, this is impossible? Could it be that this promising young man is a psychopath who spends his days talking to animals?

"...Don't be surprised so soon. There's still a lot about me you don't know. The truly surprising things are always yet to come. Vanilla and the Sheriff are both very human. If you have anything to say, you can tell her. Even if a cat wants to tell a secret, there's nothing it can do. Are you okay with a living 'tree hole'?"

"Cats can understand human speech? ... Ridiculous. If a trained cat is large, it might remember certain words, but how can these lowly creatures truly understand human speech?"

"Meow--!"

A roar, laced with anger, shouldn't have such momentum, but it was so majestic, coming from a black cat sheriff who was just over two months old. Its personality was just like Ping Xin's. When others respect it, they don't care about their slight rudeness (referring to their poor cat-stroking skills), but if you don't respect me, then I don't need to give you face.

"Cat... is angry?"

"Meow~ Meow~~~"

"Meow~!"

Hearing the sheriff's call, the other much docile white cat Vanilla also woke up from its nap. The two cats stepped on the two people and kept talking to each other. Finally, the black cat went back to Ping Xin's hood to rest in a sullen manner. Its unhappy posture was very...human.

Could it be that they can understand human language?

Since they were creatures that understood human nature, possessed intelligence, and could understand emotions, they were no longer "inferior," and Tiao Yue Liyin wouldn't feel insulted by her feelings for them. But at the same time, she felt a sense of reluctance to part with them, because this was Ping Xin's cat, and no matter how much she loved it, she couldn't—

"Bring her to school every day. When she wants to come back, she will disappear naturally. I'll leave Vanilla in your care. The necessary things will be delivered to your house later."

After saying that, Ping Xin was about to turn around and leave, but was grabbed by Diao Yue Lin...hand, a hand that he had previously disliked.

"Wait, are you going to...abandon her?"

"...Huh? Well...what nonsense are you talking about? It was the child who wanted to go to your place herself, saying that she was worried about you or something, and I just respected her choice."

"Did she... choose me?"

"That's what it looks like at the moment. Take good care of her for me."

"Wait—you...aren't you worried about my revenge..."

"Silly girl...even animals that can sense good and evil in people can understand this, so how could I not know it? Or are you just going to be angry with me and do something that you yourself despise?"

He left, just like before. Ping Xin turned around and left after he finished speaking, cleanly and decisively.

......

...

..

"...Ping Xin, where did you go just now?"

"Hmm... sort of - go and 'cook the cat', I guess."

"Simmering cat?"

If it were Asuna, she might ask what to use to cook it, whether it was a pot, but Karin obviously would not be so lacking in common sense.

"How is that possible... 'If you don't keep your cat busy during the day, it will keep you busy at night.' This is common sense in the cat-keeping world."

"I see......"

"Having said that, Vanilla and the Sheriff are not ordinary pets. They are very powerful and do not require me to control them specifically."

"?"

Hua Lin was confused.

It's inconsistent. If the cats mentioned are not these two cats, then where else are there any cats in this school?

Chapter 20: The Art of Controlling People

For some unknown reason, Tiao Yue Liyin came, and she came only the next day——

"Good afternoon, Liyin...and your naughty little thing, Vanilla."

After greeting Liyin and the white fur ball Vanilla, who had arrived at the student union on time, Ping Xin turned back to his work. Tiaoyue Liyin didn't engage him in conversation, but sat down beside him, her cat in her arms, observing everyone here, including Ping Xin, from a completely independent and calm perspective.

Back to Pingxin, although he had certain selfish motives in ending the previous student union, the student union of Shengxiang was somewhat rotten. Not only were some accounts only recorded on paper, but there was not even a reliable accountant who knew how to check the accounts.

It goes without saying that this easily manipulated, lucrative position will likely be controlled by the student council president and related stakeholders. It's unclear how much of the annual investment from ordinary people and parents ends up in their pockets, but there's no point in arguing about it now. The real action is to quickly recover their losses.

......

...

..

"Phew—that's all for today."

After working for dozens of minutes, Pingxin grew tired and put down his work to play with the cat. His index finger nimbly roamed in front of Vanilla, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch it. Vanilla's soft flesh and Pingxin's surprisingly pliable finger repeatedly touched the hill of Tiaoyue Liyin, the fertile "soil" that the kitten had always trodden underfoot.

"...Is this what you want to teach me?"

After being poked several times in a row, Tiaoyue Liyin finally couldn't help but speak. Although she knew that this was just a small accident when teasing the cat, she would have a strange feeling every time she was touched by Pingxin... Although in fact, this was not an accident at all, it was just a trick of a bored man to tease a cute girl.

"You should rest when it's time to rest. This is common sense that a superior should understand." Ping Xin didn't look at her face, and continued to tease Vanilla who was stepping on her milk the whole time. The man and the cat played in perfect harmony. Even the little black cat Sheriff who peeked out from his shoulder seemed eager to try.

But it wasn't for fun, because she also wanted to tease the human female.

"Physical management is just the basics of the basics. You may not be as good as me in this regard...you're a guy who lives with four girlfriends."

"Haha, that's a bit sour... Maybe you know how to balance your energy and rest, but what about these student council members?"

"...They will naturally rest when they are tired, and I can complete the rest of the work by myself."

"Okay, okay... Anyway, you're the type who makes them work non-stop at high intensity until they can't stand it anymore, right? That's why you only have 'subordinates' and no real 'supporters,' while I have a group of 'believers' who are willing to sacrifice for me."

"..."

Even the mischief of Ping Xin and the two kittens couldn't distract her. As if inspired, Tiao Yue Liyin fell into deep thought, and her thoughts lasted for several minutes. Soon, unable to observe any interesting reactions, the two cats stopped their activities out of boredom and began climbing up and down Ping Xin's body.

......

...

..

"So...what should I do?"

“Observe with your heart… Even if you don’t have any genuine feelings for them, you still need to observe with your heart.”

"Specifically?"

"Hmm... For example, did you see the girl who was temporarily acting as secretary just now?"

"I saw it...Pervert, are you interested in her again?"

"Can we still have a pleasant chat?... Anyway, that girl must have been with you for a while. Even though so many people are slandering you, she still respects you."

"..."

The peak is full of false supporters, while the dusk witnesses the true believers.

Having been groomed as a leader since childhood, the talented Tiaoyue Liyin naturally possessed a knack for judging people. While she lacked talent, she was a hard-working and diligent person, which was why she had previously kept the girl with the bob haircut close to her as a trusted advisor.

Even though Hirayuki had somehow fabricated a scandal and impeached the previous student council leader, the acting president, Chozuki Rin, became the primary target of criticism. She was the "heroine" in the increasingly outrageous rumors, and people whispered about her daily. However, the child treated her the same as always, not even participating in any discussions.

Although he didn't have any special feelings for her before, Diao Yue Liyin now thinks that if he has another chance, he will cherish her and work harder to cultivate her.

"If you dare to attack that child... I will kill you—"

"...The degree to which I care for Asuna and the others is ten, a hundred times greater than how you feel right now. Do you understand now?"

Diao Yue Liyin didn't say anything but slightly shifted her gaze away, a move she didn't make even when Ping Xin was completely at a disadvantage before. It can be seen that she is really feeling guilty and ashamed now.

"You have to be attentive to your subordinates so they will care about you. Carefully observe each of them, judge when they need rest, effort, comfort, and guidance, and provide them in the right way at the right time. This is also one of the characteristics of a leader. You still have a lot to learn—"

"..."

Seeing Ping Xin's unreserved teaching, Tiao Yue Liyin became more and more moved and confused.

"Why...are you so nice to me? Even if you value my abilities, what you're doing now is like a cat teaching a tiger how to climb a tree. If I ever want to deal with you one day, it will be much easier than it is now."

"Then you didn't tell me in advance? Haha... As I felt, you are actually a 'cute' child at heart—"

Although her figure has nothing to do with cuteness, it is very "ferocious".

"...obscene."

Although she was somewhat annoyed at being viewed that way by Heinon, this time it wasn't simply anger; there were emotions at play that she wasn't aware of and didn't want to acknowledge. It's often said that "there's a fine line between love and hate," and it seems to be true.

"That's not what I meant... I can sense that you're not a bad person by nature. If you were truly bad, with your abilities, you could easily seize the president's power and profit from it..."

"Are you looking down on me?"

"That's not what I meant. I just mean... you're not a bad kid after all. I felt a sense of intimacy when I first met you, but the closer we became, the angrier I became when you became hostile to me. That's why I did what I did before... I'm sorry."

Is this another example of his “way of controlling people”?

Diao Yue Liyin didn’t know, she... was a little confused, but the only thing she could be sure of was that her mood became very good at this moment.

Chapter 21 Teaching students in accordance with their aptitude

"I'm back--!"

"I'm back~"

Despite the familiar words, it was still noon, and Hiraishin hadn't returned home yet. The two people talking were Nel, who was carrying documents higher than her head, and Akane, who had secretly changed into a maid outfit. Although Akane looked taller... for some reason, she couldn't carry as much as Nel.

Her own "shortcomings" have become the reason for her victory. I wonder if Nilu, who has always been competitive, will be happy at this moment because she thinks it is a blessing in disguise?