So, Meng Shan Will Definitely Be Able To Tell.

“Eh? I can’t do that! I’ve never even been interviewed before!”

Jiang Yunshu waved her hands frantically the moment she heard her assignment.

“Anything like media relations or public relations has always been handled by Brother Dashan. At most, we just read from the scripts he writes for us.”

This was exactly what Ran Jiuyi had expected. Looking at these three, they didn’t have a single “PR bone” in their bodies. Fortunately, she had already devised a strategy.

“Listen up. Over the next few days, until Meng Shan wakes up, you’re likely to receive a lot of calls from strangers.”

“No one—and I mean no one—is to answer those calls except for Jiang Yunshu. Remember: unless it’s a contact you know personally, do not pick up.”

Ran Jiuyi turned her gaze toward Jiang Yunshu. “Yunshu, when you answer, if they ask about the battle at the factory district, you say: ‘That was a confidential Magical Girl training exercise, and I cannot disclose further details.'”

“If they ask about Meng Shan, you say: ‘I don’t know. He went somewhere a few days ago and hasn’t been back.'”

“If they ask for an in-person interview, you say: ‘We are too busy with our duties as Magical Girls and have no time.'”

“In short: stall. Do not give them a single scrap of useful information. We wait for Meng Shan to wake up and let him deal with it.”

“However,” Ran Jiuyi added, her tone sharpening, “there is one exception. If the caller claims to be a Magical Girl or something similar, tell them absolutely nothing and inform me immediately.”

Jiang Yunshu still looked uneasy. “Is that really enough? It feels… a bit flimsy. I don’t think many people will believe it.”

Ran Jiuyi smirked. “Of course they won’t. The people calling you aren’t idiots; they’ll know you’re just giving them a runaround. But that’s fine. All they need is a formal excuse they can hand over to their superiors to close the file.”

Jiang Yunshu didn’t quite grasp the logic of bureaucracy, but she was too embarrassed to ask for a simpler explanation. She nodded half-comprehendingly and asked one last thing:

“Will the news talk about it? After all… we didn’t actually beat Bian this time.”

“Don’t worry, they won’t.”

Before arriving in the New United League, Ran Jiuyi had carefully studied the country’s information flow. Her conclusion was simple:

“Think about it. When was the last time you saw an official news broadcast about a Magical Girl losing a battle? The authorities won’t report anything that might cause public panic.”

“And as long as the official channels stay silent, the major news agencies won’t touch it either. The small, independent tabloids don’t matter—hardly anyone believes them anyway.”

The girls instinctively wanted to argue, but after searching their memories, they couldn’t recall a single instance where a defeat had been televised. They let the matter drop.

Ran Jiuyi watched their reaction but said nothing more. “Alright, you all know your roles. Now, get to work.”

“Wait.” Bai He’an stopped her. “You’ve told us what we’re doing… but what about you? What are you going to do?”

Go back to the factory district and stake it out to see if I can catch Ken the Werewolf or some other lucky soul, she thought.

But she couldn’t tell them the truth. “Me? I’m going to go pack my bags and move into Meng Shan’s place to look after him.”

“I assume you girls don’t have the time to watch him 24/7, nor do you have the professional nursing skills required.”

……

After hearing the full story, Meng Shan asked skeptically, “So that’s how you ended up as my nurse? The girls didn’t kick up a fuss? I can’t imagine them agreeing that easily.”

Entrusting the care of a patient to a total stranger they’d just met was a massive leap of faith. While Meng Shan could tell Ran Jiuyi was highly capable, in this situation, trust was far more important than competence.

“They were worried for a bit,” Ran Jiuyi replied. “But after a little ‘detailed explanation,’ they agreed.”

She didn’t elaborate, but Meng Shan could guess. She had likely spun a few webs and left the three of them so dizzy they didn’t know which way was north.

“And then you just… moved into my house? Eating my food, using my things, wearing… well, those aren’t mine.”

In Meng Shan’s line of sight, several pieces of women’s clothing were hanging on the balcony, fluttering in the breeze. The snack bags scattered on the coffee table and an unfamiliar mug all made it clear: Ran Jiuyi had made herself very comfortable.

Ran Jiuyi shook her head helplessly. “I didn’t have much of a choice. I didn’t bring much cash on this trip, and the cost of living in this city is higher than I expected. I have to stay here for a few days to save some money.”

“Are you that broke? You can’t even afford a hotel for a few days?”

In reality, Ran Jiuyi wasn’t poor. However, her original plan was for a short mission, and since large wire transfers could trigger regulatory red flags, she had only brought what she thought was enough “pocket money”—a few thousand yuan.

She quickly realized that while basic necessities were cheap, everything else was twice the price she had projected.

Furthermore, because the Research Institute had botched the intel on Ken the Werewolf’s location, she had wasted too much time and money tracking him.

Her funds were now stretched thin. Unwilling to resort to “quick-cash” methods that might draw attention, she had to be frugal.

“Besides, do you have a problem with a high-quality beautiful girl like me living in your house? Other people would beg me to stay.”

“The word ‘girl’ is a bit of a stretch,” Meng Shan countered. “You’re clearly in your twenties. Calling yourself a ‘girl’ is a bit much, don’t you think?”

Ran Jiuyi rolled her eyes. “Mind your business. If men can be ‘boys at heart’ until they die, why can’t a woman be a ‘girl’ until she dies?”

“The saying usually refers to a state of mind, not a biological stage.”

Meng Shan then changed his tone. “But I don’t mind you staying. There are plenty of empty rooms here, and it usually feels a bit too quiet. Having some company is a good thing.”

“That’s more like it.”

Wait… Ran Jiuyi thought. A man and a woman alone… both in their prime… a villa in the suburbs… sharing a roof…

She instinctively covered her ample chest. “I know I’m charming, but I’m actually quite conservative. If you’re thinking about that, we should at least start as boyfriend and girlfriend first.”

Meng Shan cut her off immediately. “Stop, stop! Where is your head at? Do I look that thirsty to you?”

“Actually, yes. Ever since we started talking, your eyes have been drifting toward my chest every few seconds.”

Dammit. Meng Shan couldn’t even argue. He couldn’t help it—those two massive objects had a gravitational pull so strong they practically warped his field of vision.

Seeing his silent embarrassment, Ran Jiuyi burst out laughing. “Now I’m relieved. Based on that reaction, you’re definitely a virgin, aren’t you? You get shy over a little joke.”

“So what if I am?” Meng Shan shot back. “There’s power in a ‘pure yang’ body! Back in the army, I took first place in physical evaluations precisely because of my ‘virgin cultivation.’ All the guys with girlfriends had their energy drained; their scores were pathetic compared to mine!”

Ran Jiuyi laughed even harder. “Pffft—hahaha! ‘Pure yang body!’ Hahaha!”

“Stop laughing! It’s a fact! Laugh again and I’m doubling your rent!”

After a long bout of giggling, Ran Jiuyi finally caught her breath. She gestured to the clothes she was wearing. “I’ll be blunt: I don’t have much money. But I do have a lot of… ‘original’ clothes I’ve worn.”

“If it comes down to it, when I leave, I’ll leave you my used socks or something. I’ll even take some photos for you to sell online. I bet plenty of sexually repressed virgins would pay a premium. It’s a guaranteed profit, right?”

Meng Shan was at a loss for words. Given his understanding of modern society and Ran Jiuyi’s looks… she was probably right.

“Forget it. I’m not earning money like that; it’s disgusting. Since I did hit you with my car, just stay here as long as you need. But I’m not made of money either, so don’t go blowing my cash on luxuries.”

“That shouldn’t be right,” she said. “I thought government employees made good money, especially in a position of authority like yours. Where does it all go?”

Meng Shan didn’t speak. He just stared at her silently.

Oh, Ran Jiuyi realized. She had already seen where his money went: into those high-end weapon systems and that high-performance car.

And she had, quite inadvertently, just caused his net worth to plummet.

“Fine, I get it. Stop staring at me like that. I’ll pay you back eventually.”

“Good.” Meng Shan looked away. “By the way… what did you say your old job was? You’re awfully experienced at ‘cleaning up trails’ for a former office clerk.”

The question sounded casual, but Ran Jiuyi felt the weight behind it. This was a probe. Unlike the three girls, making a man like Meng Shan trust a total stranger was an uphill battle.

Furthermore, Meng Shan was likely starting to suspect her. She hadn’t been very careful with her “acting.” Fooling three teenagers was easy… but fooling a grizzled old soldier?

So, Meng Shan will definitely be able to tell.