It had been a while since he'd last visited Xiao He's restaurant. The flavors seemed to have changed slightly recently, though the food was still delicious.
Standing before the familiar eatery, Jiang You hesitated. Besides Xiao He and the proprietress, he knew many of the regulars inside. If they saw him with Xiao Ying, they'd definitely assume they were a couple. While he, as a man, wouldn't exactly be at a disadvantage, the thought still felt strange. He was genuinely a little afraid of her. In a game, a girl like this would be wildly popular, but in reality, Jiang You felt like he was just a fish on the hook.
"Zako-senpai~"
A sudden whisper brushed against his ear, making one side of his face flush red. His reaction sent Xiao Ying into a fit of giggles. "What are you afraid of? We're just getting a meal. Or... do you have a thing for the proprietress here? You should correct such dangerous thoughts early on. Younger girls are better, right? As your junior, it's my duty to fix your twisted fetishes, you know."
Jiang You decided not to engage with that topic. He wondered who the last poor guy she'd toyed with like this was. He couldn't possibly be the first. If she were a childhood friend type, her actions might at least follow some logic. But as a "heaven-sent" type, it felt more like he'd been hit with a Charm spell. It was truly hard to resist. If this continued, he really might fall under her spell.
"In my opinion, this place's noodle soup is to die for. I highly recommend you try it. The scallion pancakes, black pepper beef, and crystal shrimp dumplings are also excellent. Pick a few?"
Xiao Ying glanced inside the restaurant. It was indeed bustling with people. Just then, a table of customers finished their meal and left, freeing up a spot.
"It's quite crowded. Looks like your taste is pretty good, Senpai. Let's see... Hmm, by recommending so many dishes, you're actually hoping to invite me back again next time, aren't you?"
Her ability to read situations—or rather, her talent for twisting them—was truly remarkable. She always found an angle that favored her. Jiang You struggled to come up with a reply.
Xiao Ying's gaze fixed on the young waiter, Xiao He. In a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, she murmured, "I see..." A mischievous smile spread across her face.
"Unfortunately, I'm the 'live in the moment' type. Since you've recommended them all, Senpai, let's just order one of everything."
"Their portions are quite generous. Are you sure?" Jiang You cautioned. Given Xiao Ying's slender frame, her appetite probably wasn't tiny, but it couldn't be that large either—not with a waist that thin, unless she didn't absorb a single calorie.
"True, wasting food isn't good. So, Senpai... I'll just have to trouble you to share a plate with me."
Xiao Ying clasped her hands together in a pleading gesture, still refusing to let go of Jiang You's arm.
"Logically, shouldn't you be sitting across from me? I swear, I won't run away."
She was practically sitting in his lap. While she seemed completely oblivious to the stares of others, Jiang You certainly wasn't. He wasn't the type to engage in public displays of affection, especially since he wasn't even in a relationship. "Also, if you can't finish it all, just order one less dish. We haven't paid yet, have we?"
"Zero points!"
Women are so fickle, Jiang You thought, suddenly missing his Illya and the Heroic Spirits. At least they weren't like this.
"A senpai should always try to indulge a girl's little whims," Xiao Ying declared. "Otherwise, you lose points—a lot of points!"
"If you're so disappointed, can you let go of me now? It would be even better if you just lost interest in me altogether."
Jiang You's arm was starting to go numb. The sensation was undeniably pleasant, but the constant warmth was making him sweat. He desperately wanted to stretch his arm to relieve the tingling, but moving now would inevitably jostle the fruits to one side. With everyone staring, it would be incredibly indecent—and a total turn-off.
"Hmph, if Senpai keeps saying such strange things, I'll have to show you what a 'forced melon' is."
Xiao Ying made it clear she had no intention of letting go.
"Hahahaha! Comrade Xiao Jiang, you're being a bit unkind, aren't you?"
A middle-aged man, a regular at the restaurant, finally spoke up as he watched the scene unfold. "It's great that you've got a girlfriend—I remember being too excited to sleep when I was young, too. But bringing her here just to show off is where you've crossed the line. Look how anxious you've made Xiao He!"
Jiang You's gaze shifted to the familiar waitress, Xiao He. She was glaring daggers at Xiao Ying, the veins on her hands bulging.
Wait a minute...
He and Xiao He were on good terms, but their relationship had never veered toward romance. Besides, this didn't feel like the anger of someone whose crush had been stolen; it felt more like the fury of someone avenging a murdered father.
"Are you jealous?"
Xiao Ying seemed even more thrilled now. She clearly reveled in making others uncomfortable and obviously had a deep-seated rivalry with Xiao He.
"I just love that look on your face—seething with jealousy but completely powerless to stop me."
Xiao He gritted her teeth. This woman is as dangerous as I thought. The tower couldn't hold her. She must have seen Jiang You's 'true nature' by now.
After all, she's a character with extremely high authority in this world—the Mooncell. The Power of Rules Jiang You constantly emits must be blindingly obvious to her. She's only approaching him because of that power. She must be ecstatic right now. How could someone with B.B.'s malicious personality possibly have good intentions?
Yog-Sothoth's values are so different from human ones, just casually releasing this dangerous 'thing' like that. Xiao He—Alaya—cursed Bubble's actions, but she was powerless to stop them. She had once considered making B.B. Jiang You's partner, but now she realized it was like handing B.B. the button to a nuclear bomb.
There's still a chance to salvage this. This country practices monogamy, and with Jiang You's mindset, he won't break that framework yet.
For now, I'd better avoid conflict with B.B. No need to provoke that madwoman into doing something reckless.
Xiao He carried the food over, placed it in front of the pair, then turned and walked away with a cold snort, not uttering a single word.
"Tch, how boring. If you're not going to say anything, I'll just take Jiang You-senpai for myself!"
B.B's enthusiasm instantly deflated when Xiao He didn't react. (Narrator's Note: Let's stick with 'B.B.' for now. Using her other name could cause confusion; I'll save it for when she's being addressed directly.)
"Stop teasing her," Jiang You advised. This woman really is annoying, he thought, though I'm hardly one to talk. In a way, her behavior perfectly catered to his tastes—so perfectly, in fact, that it was terrifying.
"Let's eat first," he said.
"If Senpai says so~"
B.B was actually enjoying herself. Ordinary NPCs were too rigid for her; though they looked human, she could always spot the subtle differences. Only in this city and its surroundings—within the range of Jiang You's influence—had the characters become indistinguishable from real people, save for their lack of souls. It made her truly feel the meaning of being alive, not just an advanced AI.
Besides, teasing a boy like Jiang You, who was practically an innocent college student, was incredibly fun. Watching the battle between his primal instincts and his (questionable) rationality was a delicious spectacle.
"You can feed me."