Chapter 29: None Shall Stand in the Way!
Lu Si Si recognized the elder before her—Professor Zhao, a master of the scholarly arts within the academy. To an unremarkable student such as herself, this woman was akin to a towering peak: a learned professor, a mentor to many, and even bearing the title of deputy dean.
Since the path to the dining hall led past the administrative hall, Lu Si Si chose to make the slight detour. Her steps carried her into the heart of the institution’s knowledge keep, climbing to the second floor, where she knocked lightly upon an office door.
Inside, Professor Zhao sat in deep contemplation, one hand gripping an ancient tome, the other a pair of chopsticks, a delicately crafted lunchbox set before her. Silver strands of hair framed her composed expression, her manner refined and tranquil, absorbed in her readings as though deciphering the martial scrolls of old.
At the knock, the professor lifted her gaze, her sharp eyes landing upon a delicate young girl standing in the doorway.
A pause. Her brows furrowed slightly at the sight of a bandage resting upon the girl’s forehead.
“You are…?”
Lu Si Si swallowed her hesitation, stepping forward in two swift strides before placing a wallet upon the table. Her voice barely rose above a whisper. “I found this on the road. I believe it belongs to you.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Professor Zhao’s face. Her hand instinctively reached for her pocket. Realization dawned—her wallet was indeed missing. With hurried fingers, she flipped it open, verifying its contents.
“Oh my! It is mine!” she exclaimed, breaking into a warm, rare smile. Rising from her seat, she approached Lu Si Si, her gratitude evident in her expression. “Thank you, truly! Had you not returned it, I would not have even realized it was lost until much later—and by then, recovering it would have been near impossible. There’s no wealth within, but the documents, the bank cards… replacing them would have been a troublesome ordeal. You have done me a great service.”
Lu Si Si hesitated but accepted the professor’s extended hand for a brief handshake, her mind still reeling from the encounter.
“Thank you,” Professor Zhao mused, before glancing at the clock. “This must have delayed your lunch, hasn’t it?”
“No, no… I was just heading to the dining hall.”
“Good, good. Young ones must care for their health.”
Lu Si Si quickly bowed and turned to leave. However, before she could take more than two steps, Professor Zhao suddenly called after her.
“Wait.”
Lu Si Si halted, turning back.
“You seem familiar. You’re one of my students, aren’t you?”
Lu Si Si nodded. “Yes. I am from the 24th-year Economic Management Class Two.”
“Your name?”
“Lu Si Si.”
“A fine name,” the professor said with a knowing smile. “Go on, eat before the food cools.”
Lu Si Si, still somewhat bewildered by the exchange, bid her farewell and continued toward the dining hall.
Back inside the office, Professor Zhao placed the wallet safely in her bag, then, on a whim, shifted aside the book she had been reading and pulled out a document from the drawer.
A results sheet. The exam scores for the compulsory course she taught.
Of course, a professor of her standing did not personally grade the exams—her graduate disciples handled such mundane tasks. The final records had been submitted to her only this morning.
Her eyes scanned the list swiftly, pausing upon Lu Si Si’s name.
A sigh escaped her lips. “A lovely girl, but her performance is… lacking.”
She noted the attendance and class participation—at least those were in order.
After a moment of contemplation, she picked up her pen.
A single stroke, and the original score was crossed out.
A new number was written in its place.
Just high enough to pass.
Lu Si Si, blissfully unaware of her near brush with academic disaster, sat at a table in the dining hall, chewing thoughtfully.
[Strange…]
For once, the cafeteria auntie’s hand had not trembled.
Her meal had two extra pieces of meat today.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of Extreme Net Cafe, a lone girl sat perched upon a small stool.
Miss Gu rested her chin upon her palms, her gaze unwavering as she watched the river of people ebb and flow through the streets.
The cafe door creaked open, and the Boss Lady peered out, shivering from the cold. “Little Gu, are you not freezing? It’s zero degrees! You’ve been sitting here all morning! If you don’t come inside soon, you’ll catch your death!”
Miss Gu turned, a quiet smile upon her lips. “I’m fine, Boss Lady. I am… resilient.”
Her words were earnest, and not untrue.
Zero degrees? A mere autumn breeze.
Compared to the merciless gales atop the Hell-Suppressing Platform, winds sharp enough to flay flesh from bone, this was but a whisper of warmth…
The Boss Lady considered for a moment before stepping fully outside, cradling a hand-warmer. She hunched against the cold. “What’s with you these past few days? Not running about anymore? Just sitting at my doorstep like some lucky cat?”
Miss Gu shook her head, as if struggling to explain. “It’s stuffy inside. I just wanted to breathe some fresh air.”
The Boss Lady observed her for a moment before lowering her voice. “Still no luck finding the one you’re looking for?”
Miss Gu’s gaze flickered, but her answer was steady. “Soon. Very soon.”
A sigh. The Boss Lady studied the young woman’s face, her slightly disheveled hair.
“…Little Gu, how long has it been since you last bathed?”
“Uh…”
A faint pink tinged Miss Gu’s usually pale cheeks.
The Boss Lady considered for a moment before fishing out a key, pressing it into the girl’s palm. “Go up to the third floor. My room’s the one at the end. There’s a bath in there.”
She hesitated, then added, “There’s a fresh set of inner garments hanging on the balcony—brand new, just washed. I haven’t worn them yet. You’re about my size, so you might as well use them.”
Miss Gu’s face turned even redder, her eyes slightly damp.
“Boss Lady… I—how could I possibly—?”
“Don’t fuss,” the Boss Lady cut in gruffly. “They’re just cheap ones from the discount bin at the supermarket. Go, go, before you start stinking up my doorstep.”
Miss Gu hesitated for a breath longer, but in the end, her resolve softened.
For a young maiden, the allure of a hot bath was irresistible.
Who wouldn’t wish to be cleansed, radiant, and refreshed?
Even as Miss Gu hesitated, the Boss Lady, ever straightforward and decisive, seized her wrist, lifting her to her feet. With a strength that brooked no refusal, she tugged the girl inside, practically shoving her up the stairs. “Go on now! The hairdryer is hanging right by the washbasin!”
With small, reluctant steps, Miss Gu ascended. Only after watching her disappear upstairs did the Boss Lady return to her counter, settling comfortably to resume her variety show.
An hour later…
The Boss Lady glanced up and nearly chuckled at the sight before her.
Miss Gu stood meekly before the counter, her face flushed red—not entirely from embarrassment, but from the lingering steam of her bath. Her dark hair, still damp, clung to her cheeks, droplets of water glistening like dewdrops on a morning leaf.
“My, my,” the Boss Lady grinned. “See how fresh and clean you look now? But why haven’t you dried your hair? In this cold weather, you’ll catch a headache if you don’t.”
As she spoke, she rose to her feet, noting the lack of customers—ever since the nearby schools had entered their exam season, the net café’s business had waned.
“Old Three!” she hollered.
From the second row of computers, a large head emerged—buzz-cut, fierce-featured, with a scowl so sharp it could cut stone. His voice was gruff, his demeanor like a street-hardened thug. “Sis?”
“I’m heading upstairs for a bit. Watch the counter.”
“Got it.” Old Three lumbered over, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he slouched into the chair behind the counter.
“Mind your manners! Treat customers with respect.”
“Yeah, yeah, I won’t hit or curse at anyone,” he forced out a grin, but it was the kind that would send children crying in the dead of night.
The Boss Lady sighed. Best not to look at him too long.
She took Miss Gu upstairs, leading her to her own room.
“Take that black coat off first.” Without waiting for consent, she peeled the garment off Miss Gu and tossed it into the washing machine. “Your outerwear needs a good wash. Here, wear mine for now.”
From her wardrobe, she produced a snug sweater, a down jacket, and a pair of jeans. Pausing, she asked, “What’s your shoe size?”
“……”
Miss Gu pursed her lips, unsure what was meant by “size.”
The Boss Lady didn’t press. Assuming shyness, she grabbed a pair of her own sneakers. “We’re about the same height; these should fit.”
She then seated Miss Gu before her vanity, lifting the hairdryer. The soft hum of the machine filled the room. Miss Gu flinched at the unfamiliar sound, but soon relaxed under the warmth, her eyes narrowing in quiet enjoyment.
As the hot air wrapped around her damp locks, the Boss Lady spoke casually. “Hey, Miss Gu, you’ve been here for some time now, and I never asked—where’s your family from? Judging by your accent, you’re from Eastern Three Prefectures, right?”
“Mm.” Miss Gu nodded. That was where the Realm Gate was located. To the people of this world, she supposed she could be considered from Eastern Three Prefectures.
“What did you do back home?”
“…Slaughtering.”
The Boss Lady’s hand faltered mid-air.
“Slaughtering? You? A delicate young lady?”
“…Not livestock. Wild game.”
“Oh, so a hunter?”
A rare profession in these times. But perhaps in the deep mountains of Eastern Three Prefectures, such traditions persisted. Maybe a forester, even? She’d heard those jobs were rough, but at least they had official backing—stable work with government pay.
Her curiosity piqued, the Boss Lady continued. “You’re not a child anymore. Do you have a boyfriend back home?”
“No.”
The Boss Lady’s eyes gleamed. “Really? A girl like you—so pretty, so demure, so hardworking—any man would be lucky to have you. You ever thought about finding one?”
Silence.
The Boss Lady pressed on. “I mean, look at you—top-tier beauty, gentle nature, quiet and capable. Any man who marries you would be—”
“I have a husband.”
The words were spoken so softly, yet they struck like a bolt of thunder.
The Boss Lady froze, hairdryer stilled in her hand.
“…What?”
“I have a husband. An arranged betrothal, though the wedding has yet to take place.” Miss Gu lifted her gaze, her expression earnest. “So, I won’t look at any other man.”
The Boss Lady blinked, awkwardly adjusting her stance. She had been planning to introduce one of her brothers, but clearly, that thought had been misplaced.
Still…
“You’re betrothed?” The Boss Lady scrutinized her guest, then something clicked in her mind. Lowering her voice, she whispered, “Wait… you didn’t run away from your wedding, did you? In this day and age, there are still arranged marriages? Were you unhappy with the match? Was the man unworthy?”
A flicker of frost flashed in Miss Gu’s eyes. “That man is not worth a single ounce of kindness. From what I hear, his family is ruthless and dishonorable, their character utterly despicable.”
Ah. Understood.
The Boss Lady’s curiosity deepened. But for now, she let the conversation settle, quietly resuming the task of drying Miss Gu’s hair.
The innkeeper let out a long sigh, her voice tinged with regret. “Then you must run! This marriage must be escaped! We women—when it comes to marriage, we cannot afford to choose the wrong man.”
“I did not run. Nor did I escape the marriage,” said Miss Gu, shaking her head. “It was my betrothed who ran away.”
The innkeeper fell silent.
She glanced at the mirror, at Miss Gu’s face, her graceful figure.
The man ran?
No, wait—what was this fool thinking?!
With such beauty, such elegance, such a heavenly form—he simply left?!
What more could he possibly desire?
Something wasn’t right.
“Hold on, then why have you traveled all the way to Jin Ling Prefecture?” she asked, puzzled.
Miss Gu clenched her jaw, her tone laced with steel. “I have come to find him, to drag him back and marry him.” Her eyes burned with determination. “In this life, whether he lives, he is my husband; if he dies, he shall be my widowed spirit. No one shall stand in my way.”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation