Gentle, leisurely tunes, accompanied by the rich aroma of milk tea and the sweet indulgence of cake, made this cafe an ideal spot for relaxation.
A Black Forest cake (18), a blueberry cream cake (22), a parfait (25), and a cup of latte art milk tea (25) — these items, while perhaps not wholly appetizing, were certainly tempting.
Paying for them with a significant amount of loose change had been quite painful, but the one enjoying them was not Ah Xin, but a young girl.
The true form of Magical Girl Huoli, Zhou Danxia, sat before him.
As the saying went, ‘one must bait the wolf to catch it,’ and to facilitate their discussion, he had reluctantly ordered these items as a gesture of sincerity.
Yet, the girl’s gaze remained wary, fixed intently on Ah Xin without a single word.
“Um… this is your student ID…”
“Hm.” She took the ID with a gloved hand, then shone a purple light from a portable inspection pen over it.
Only after confirming Ah Xin hadn’t done anything strange to her photo did she finally put it away with a sense of relief.
It was quite awkward; he had helped her twice already—or rather, three times if he counted his actions as Magical Girl Xiaoxin—yet she still seemed to harbor a deep distrust towards him.
“So, do you know that guy who looked like he was cosplaying a dark dungeon game?”
“No.”
“Then he asked me to tell you…”
“Not interested.”
Sipping the milk tea Ah Xin had ordered and eating the parfait he had bought, she clearly did not consider him important.
The situation was incredibly awkward; facing the somewhat fierce girl, he found himself utterly at a loss for words, reduced to asking the waitress for yet another refill of ice water.
“Sir, this is your eighth glass. Would you perhaps care for a different drink?”
“I’ve already ordered so much. Drinking water should be fine, right?” Honestly, filling up on water did seem to work, if only temporarily, at least preventing that hollow feeling.
Most importantly, the water was free!
“Alright, alright, here you go.” With that, she unceremoniously poured the water, then delivered the glass to Ah Xin with a heavy thud that seemed to echo across the table.
She even left the pitcher beside him as she turned and walked away, as if to say, ‘Don’t bother me again, pour it yourself if you want more.’
“Are part-timers all this temperamental nowadays… haha.” Ah Xin couldn’t help but mutter.
“You shouldn’t complain either. After all, they’re busy, and you’re not their only customer needing water.”
“Me? I’m not having it easy either; this is my hard-earned day off.”
“Oh? It’s your day off, is it…?”
“And what did Miss Zhou think it was?”
“An unemployed drifter, a slacker living off their parents.” She replied without hesitation, elegantly eating her cake.
A wave of sorrow washed over him, as if a sharp dagger had pierced his chest, yet given his current destitute state, he couldn’t blame others for thinking that way.
The suit he wore was God knew how many times secondhand, seemingly a Grade D item someone had discarded after getting sick on it at a banquet.
He had been forced to buy it for work, and when he first got it, it reeked of sour milk.
He’d washed it for ages until the smell was gone, but the color had faded in patches, and the entire suit had become permanently wrinkled.
****
After a brief silence, the girl chose to speak first.
“How did you know Magical Girls can restore their magic with sweets?”
“I do occasionally follow hero-related news, so I’m aware of such rumors.” This was a lie, as Ah Xin himself was a Magical Girl.
“It seems you also have some information-gathering capabilities.” The girl paused thoughtfully. “Thank you for your help today, but doing things like that is very dangerous. Please be more careful next time.”
“But I thought it was the best course of action, and as you saw, everyone escaped safely.”
“That was just luck. While monsters below the death-penalty level aren’t particularly intelligent, they’re more like beasts driven by primal urges.
Often, they’ll do unimaginably outrageous things.
When you encounter such situations as an ordinary person, it’s best to look after yourself first.
Sometimes, what you think is helpful can end up harming many others, understand?”
“Uh… yes…” Ah Xin, who had intended to leverage her gratitude, instead found himself on the receiving end of a lecture.
“Still, you’re quite courageous. Aren’t you afraid when you encounter such things? Or do you have resurrection insurance, so you’re not afraid of dying?”
“Haha, as humans, we all fear death. Resurrection insurance, for us ordinary folks who work hard from dawn till dusk, is ultimately an unaffordable luxury.”
“Then why did you do it?”
“Because they were more afraid than I was. They needed help more, so I acted. It’s quite simple.” Ah Xin smiled.
“After all, I’m just one life, but they were over twenty people, and that girl alone was barely ten years old.
As an old bone (26 years old), even if delaying for a second could buy a chance to save her, I don’t think it would be a loss.”
Ah Xin’s answer was delivered with an air of nonchalance, his inner self calm and undisturbed, as if he were merely discussing his daily routine.
“You, could you be some sort of professional internet celebrity or idol… No, that can’t be… Hmm??” She seemed unable to grasp Ah Xin’s words, perhaps because such pure altruism was only ever heard of in public relations, while true heroes, when actual danger struck, would often choose actions that better served their own interests.
“Don’t dwell on it too much. Just consider me a naive idealist with a hero complex… More importantly, transforming while injured and using ultimate attacks must be incredibly taxing on your body.
I only have this much money on me; please eat something to recover. I imagine the taste should be quite good.”
“It’s alright, just a bit greasy. The cream doesn’t taste pure; it feels like some kind of mass-produced, low-quality wholesale cream.” The girl spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction, yet her hands never paused, quickly devouring every item from his ninety-yuan order.
‘If only she’d left me even a tiny bite.’
“By the way, I haven’t asked for your name yet.”
“Yu Wangxin. You can just call me Ah Xin.”
“Your thought process is truly strange. The last person I met like this was that Magical Girl named Xiaoxin… Wait, Xiaoxin? Yu Wangxin? Both have ‘Xin’ in their names. Are you two related?”
“Heh, look at my pathetic state. Is that even possible?”
“Don’t be so quick to put yourself down. While you’re definitely not my type, if you spent some money on your hair and bought some decent clothes, you’d actually be quite a handsome man.”
“Well, thank you very much.” He smoothly deflected the suspicion by self-deprecatingly changing the subject, a tactic he was becoming increasingly adept at.
“What do you do for work?”
“A cleaner at Jinbi Tower.”
“Huh? Do people still do that job? Aren’t robots handling all of that now?”
“Haha, it’s a long story. Anyway, I’m bound by a contract, so there’s nothing I can do.” Ah Xin forced a bitter smile.
“Ah, I see. You’re someone who has it tough too. Since you helped me, I suppose I should treat you to a drink. How about some black tea?”
“Black tea? That sounds a bit dangerous.”
“What are you talking about? Never mind, I’ll just order you a cappuccino.”
“That works.” Reflecting carefully, Ah Xin realized this was his first time ever drinking cappuccino.
He had always heard people casually order “a cappuccino for the lady,” but he himself had never tasted it.
At most, he had seen others drink it and smelled its aroma, assuming it must be a sophisticated beverage.
Indeed, less than ten minutes after he called for the order, a cup of cappuccino was brought to their table.
The coffee’s fragrant bitterness, devoid of any harshness, blended perfectly with the milk’s gentle sweetness, while the floating foam and cinnamon formed an adorable pattern.
Even before taking a sip, he felt his spirits lift, unable to imagine such a delicacy was for him.
Ah Xin carefully lifted the cup.
“Ah, wait.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Cappuccinos are even better with sugar.” At this moment, her expression had softened considerably, at least lacking that usual guarded oppressiveness.
“Oh, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Although the sweetness diluted much of the coffee’s inherent bitterness, it was still delightfully palatable.
Compared to the sharp stimulation of sodas, this was more of an indulgence, arguably the best thing he had ever tasted in his life, so much so that he couldn’t bear to drink it all at once.
“Say, Ah Xin,”
“Hm?” He felt it was somewhat impolite, but Ah Xin still responded.
“Be my dog.”
“Huh?”
“Be my personal chauffeur. I’ll sort things out with your company.
You’ll drive me to school every day, then pick me up at a set time to take me to the office, assist us there, and finally drive me home.”
“Hm?”
“No days off… Alright, that’s a bit much.
You can have a maximum of three days off each month, and you’ll be allowed to go home on major holidays. Then…”
“Wait, what are you talking about…? Don’t just decide something like this on a whim! We wage slaves are still human, after all!”
“Heh~ Are you trying to refuse?” A sinister smile spread across her face, and then she flicked a finger.
Instantly, Ah Xin’s stomach churned violently, and he uncontrollably began to feel nauseous and retch.
“Ugh!” He vomited! In the full view of everyone in the cafe, Ah Xin mercilessly threw up not only the cappuccino but also the mala hotpot he had finally managed to eat the previous night!
Even the unfinished cappuccino was instantly ruined, spilling onto the floor.
Passersby and the waitress recoiled with screams, terrified by the sight.
‘Damn it! That was the first time I’d ever gotten to drink something so delicious!’
“Oh my~ What’s wrong? Why did you suddenly start throwing up? Is cappuccino really so unsuited to your taste?”
“What… what did you do? *Cough*!”
A violent churning sensation in his stomach, coupled with intense pain, caused Ah Xin to lose control, tumble from his seat, and collapse onto the floor, where he began to convulse.
“Eek!” Seeing Ah Xin’s state, the surrounding customers, assuming he was having a sudden seizure or suffering from food poisoning, immediately dropped their sandwiches and tea and fled.
It was magic.
The sugar cube she had added contained her magical power, which formed a small sphere upon entering Ah Xin’s body, then violently rampaged within his vulnerable stomach.
“Cough! Ugh! P-please, Big Sister, have mercy!” Overwhelmed by agony, Ah Xin immediately fell to his knees, begging for mercy.
“Say it: ‘I want to be Lady Zhou Danxia’s dog.'”
“H-help… I’ll do it, I’ll be Lady… Lady Zhou Danxia’s dog…”
“Tsk, tsk, what a filthy little dog. But you might look decent if cleaned up properly.”
“Cough, cough… Ugh…” He struggled in torment, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.
Her earlier torment had clearly been delivered without any real control over the force, nearly claiming half of Ah Xin’s life.
“Then sign here, and put your handprint here.” She pulled out an electronic tablet and a stylus.
“C-can I… can I see the contract’s contents?”
“Of course you can. But in your current state… do you really have the strength to confirm anything? Hm?”
“No! Ugh!” A wave of agonizing internal spasms hit him, and Ah Xin nearly blacked out.
He suddenly recalled watching *Journey to the West* as a child, finding it hilarious when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc inside someone’s belly.
Now, having become the unfortunate victim, he understood the pain, and felt that if he survived, he might never laugh again.
“Sign… I’ll sign… Lady Zhou Danxia, please have mercy… My Lady.” He groveled, begging humbly, and completed the formalities without hesitation.
When one’s very life was held in another’s hands, even the strongest would have to abandon their dignity and compromise for survival.
“Alright, then. With that, the contract is complete. I look forward to working with you from now on, Woof-chan~”
“Yes… Lady Zhou Danxia.”
“That’s not right, a dog says ‘woof’.”
“Woof… woof…”
He had only wanted to do a good deed, to gain a small advantage from helping someone, but instead, he lost money and even surrendered his life into another’s hands.
It was truly pathetic; because he had vomited on the floor, he not only had to pay a 50-yuan cleaning fee but also had to bow and apologize profusely.
But who could ever have everything go their way in this world?
Ah Xin resigned himself to his fate.
When he was little, his teacher used to say, “When people are bullied, when they become unfortunate, they should look for the reason within themselves.”
Reflecting on it, perhaps it was his own fault.
Yesterday, he had missed the chance to become the human host of a cosmic superhero all because he coveted a small sum of money, and today was even worse…
****
“Holy shit, I’m winning big!”
A gleaming, jet-black luxury car! The golden figurine symbolizing the Bilicai brand stood proudly on its hood, its avant-garde design both unrestrained and majestically imposing!
Such a sports car would command respect from many within the city, but here, in this familiar yet somewhat underdeveloped suburb, it now drew the collective gaze of countless passersby.
Ten million? Twenty million? Fifty million? Or perhaps a hundred million? No one knew, but everyone stopped in their tracks, and as it came to a halt, every single person swallowed hard.
Who could it be?! What kind of wealthy boss would be driving such a cool sports car?!
“Wow, this is great.” It was someone they knew! A handsome gentleman, utterly transformed from his previous image as a struggling loser.
His stylish center-parted hair was lightly permed into a heart shape, his bright eyes seemed to radiate endless charm, and he wore a crisp, luxurious suit with leather shoes so polished they gleamed as if with golden light.
“He’s so handsome!”
“Such a handsome man! Who… who is he?”
As men and women among the passersby offered their comments, Ah Xin could sense their emotions towards him were utterly different from before.
Adoration, envy, reverence! These were feelings Ah Xin had only ever thought possible when he was Magical Girl Xiaoxin, yet now he experienced them fully!
Sometimes, the concept of hitting rock bottom only to bounce back applies perfectly to the real world.
Just three hours prior, Ah Xin had been contemplating a bleak future, but now, he seemed like a triumphant success, and in that moment, the world within his heart was completely illuminated!
After being taken away by the wealthy Zhou Danxia, she first contacted her mansion’s butler to deliver two expensive suits, then found a high-end-looking barbershop to get him groomed.
His next task was to drive the young lady to school.
He drove steadily, and the butler who delivered the clothes even remarked that his driving was better than an AI’s before passing him on the test and handing the car over to Ah Xin.
Not only that, but given the existing partnership between Jinbi Tower and the Zhou family, transferring a seemingly insignificant Ah Xin was effortless.
Upon seeing Ah Xin’s contract with Jinbi Tower, Zhou Danxia experienced a sudden pang of conscience.
First, she was shocked, then, with a sigh, she signed him up for the ‘five insurances and one housing fund,’ finally providing Ah Xin with basic coverage.
However, when it came to the salary line, she paused, contemplating adding something before or after the 3000-yuan figure, but ultimately decided against it.
[Don’t look at me so pitifully. This month is your probation. If you do well, I’ll add a zero to your salary.]
He couldn’t express his excitement; he finally had a reliable job.
He walked home with his head held high, and the landlady he encountered on the way looked utterly incredulous.
“You… you’re Ah Xin!? No… impossible!”
‘Ha, this is the feeling! This underdog-to-overlord reversal, it’s fantastic! This story is finally getting on track, entering the rhythm of a proper ‘Dragon King’ power fantasy!’
Returning home, he tossed the tattered suit into a nearby bin.
Like a young girl with a new dress, Ah Xin eagerly rushed to the mirror to admire his new appearance.
“Handsome, truly handsome.” After grooming and dressing, his demeanor had become extraordinary.
He had previously felt a secret sadness about future class reunions, but now he actually looked forward to them.
This luxury car was far beyond what a mere 26-year-old could own; even if his peers quickly inherited their parents’ businesses, their companies would at most afford them million-yuan cars.
And if he were to arrive that day, driving such a sports car and wearing such a sharp suit, surely none of them would fail to be utterly humbled.
‘What are some small company’s vice president or CEO, or some HR manager from a minor firm?
I, Yu Wangxin, am the personal attendant of the young miss of the Zhou family—a top 500 global enterprise!’
Forget adding a zero to his current salary; even adding another digit in front of it would be no problem!
“Ha… haha…”
‘What am I doing? Why am I laughing? Why would I, Ah Xin, be this kind of person?’
“Hehehe, ehehehe, hahahaha… hahahaha.”
“Hahahahahahahahaha!! Ahahahahaha!! Oh, my stomach hurts! Hahahahaha!!”
He couldn’t control it, nor could he contain this heartfelt joy.
“Hahaha, I can’t laugh anymore! The neighbors will think I’m having a fit! Hahahahaha!!”
He was truly overjoyed.
Ah Xin felt an unprecedented happiness, a joy not merely from seeing something he liked, but a happiness of being reborn, of being omnipotent after being suppressed for so long!
This happiness was indescribable for Ah Xin.
He desperately covered his mouth to avoid bothering others, but the smile on his face only grew.
In his wild laughter, Ah Xin clutched his stomach, and tears streamed down his face.
Winning! Winning! Winning!
All his former troubles seemed to vanish like smoke, and Ah Xin felt as if he had been reborn!
“A wonderful future is about to begin!”
Then he froze.
Less than half an hour after returning home, he went downstairs to the car and… he was stunned.
The car’s body was covered in all sorts of messy graffiti carved with stones, and even the small golden figurine on the hood had been directly pulled off and was nowhere to be found.
Utterly dumbfounded, Ah Xin immediately ran to find the landlord to check the surveillance footage.
However, where would such an old residential complex have cameras?
All he could discern from the scene’s traces was that it was the work of mischievous children, but they had run off quickly, and he had no idea which family they belonged to.
“Uh, according to the insurance, most of the costs will be offset. The remaining amount you need to pay is a total of—”
“500,000.”
Ah Xin collapsed to his knees.
With ten years left on his contract at his old company, he now also owed 500,000 in compensation.
Changing his fate against all odds? No such thing~ (wagging finger)