Famine

Chapter 31

***

That domineering "divine power" has obediently fallen asleep again.

The next day, on our way to school, I regretted letting him give me a ride... We were going 10 kilometers per hour when we crashed into the big tree in front of the school gate. Although neither of us was injured, the motorcycle was completely destroyed.

"Ah, my dzi beads..." Another exquisite string of beads has been lost.

The original inhabitants, who had previously avoided him like the plague, have now all returned to the group, creating a formidable force. Huang E, in particular, is clinging to Tang Chen with the air of someone newly married after a short separation, impossible to shake off.

But I dare not complain. It would be good if everything returned to normal... even if it's such an absurd normalcy.

Sometimes I wonder, is Tang Chen's injury really healed? I don't think so.

Occasionally, I would see that lonely snake, coiled on the railing, silently gazing at the moon, tears streaming down its face. All I could do was call it over, pat its head, and sometimes let it sleep with the desolate creature.

Although Huang E complained, he never actually drove the snake away; instead, it would spread its wings and cover him.

Sometimes, even the most desolate places can be very gentle.

(End of Separation)

Part Six: Working

"The music room is so scary! Someone was playing the piano in the middle of the night, and it was emitting a green light... But when we went up to check, there was no one there!"

During the Japanese occupation, even organs were rare, let alone pianos. The "girl" who loved music just wanted to fulfill a long-held wish, so why make such a fuss... But I still reminded her to turn off the lights and put on headphones so that the piano music wouldn't carry out.

"There are strange dark shadows on the water tower opposite the boys' dormitory! They're moving sideways like they're floating, it's so scary!"

Are you the only ones allowed to peep into the girls' dorm? They were once hot-blooded young men, they too had feelings for young women. Seriously…

"There were people chatting and having a party in the specimen room... but when I opened the door, no one was there... Q_Q"

Hey, what are you doing in the specimen room in the middle of the night? Give them some space. Even the indigenous people need social interaction; hiding in the most remote classrooms is really...

As I looked at the note and took notes, I couldn't help but shake my head. Humans really make a fuss over nothing; there's clearly nothing wrong.

Uh… I think I’m human too.

“It’s becoming less and less like it.” Huang E squatted on my shoulder, hitting the nail on the head.

But I very humanly chased her away. Humans just don't like to hear the truth, and I'm just like that.

Looking at the table covered in slips of paper, and half full in the suggestion box, I couldn't help but sigh. Earning this wage is really hard.

Thanks to Tang Chen's brief awakening of divine power, the terrified principal, after much deliberation, summoned me and asked if I wanted to work.

“Well, I…” I didn’t think he wanted me to answer the phone or help him grade exams at all. “I’m not feeling well.”

But he offered a monthly salary that nearly made my eyes pop out—almost the same as an office worker's!

The principal made it sound so easy: just check the suggestion box every day, categorize the suggestions, and distribute them to the appropriate departments for processing. "Only those that can't be categorized at all..." the principal stammered, "...Lin Moniang... I mean Lin Hengzhi, you can handle those yourself."

Should I accept it? I started to waver. Although it's really wrong to make money with this kind of constitution... it's just a part-time job, not my main job. In fact, I'm really struggling to make ends meet, especially as my fame grows (?), more and more monsters are coming to cause trouble, and the moonstone I'm throwing away is making my heart ache more and more.

Every shot of moonstone I fired shattered into dust, leaving no trace. I'd like to try and recycle it if possible. The price Shuo sold me was already a special offer; don't expect any further discounts, and she doesn't offer credit. She's very strict about this.

And I still owe Tang Chen travel expenses (even though he doesn't want me to pay it back)... In a moment of madness, I said, "If it's only for one month..."

"That works, that works!" The principal was overjoyed. "I'll have every teacher in every subject give you extra points!"

...Does that mean the situation is that serious?

"Principal, why did you think of hiring people to do this kind of work?" I asked casually.

He looked embarrassed and said, "Actually, every school has 'professionals' who come to work here regularly."

I looked up at him, stunned. "...What about the 'professionals' at our school?"

He stroked his smooth scalp. “…the longest he lasted was less than a week.” The principal covered his face. “After that, nobody wanted to come.”

I mean... if "professionals" can't handle it, are you really going to hire me to work for you?!

"Alright, alright," the principal said with a smile. "You're the supernatural girl, Lin Moniang."

…I don’t want to argue anymore.

He slunk out of the principal's office, and Huang E couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Is this... is this... 'people die for money'?"

I gave her a cold look. "How can you compare to your 'bird dying for food' mentality?"

She wanted to retort, but perhaps thinking of all the miserable things that had happened since she met Tang Chen, she went to the corner of the wall and drew circles, her eyes filled with tears.

All I can say is that Huang E taught me so well that I've surpassed my teacher.

The old man didn't really approve of the idea of working.

"It's clearly humans making a fuss over nothing, what does it have to do with us?" He grumbled. "You're disturbing the peace, don't you understand? Everyone says you're working for me, how can I…"

"Then, sir, will you pay me my salary?" I asked sullenly.

"Girl! You keep adding people to my household and causing me trouble, and you still dare to ask me for a salary?!" The old man was furious.

"Old man, I also have to make a living." He sighed deeply. "I almost lost my life to earn the matchmaker's gift, and I don't have a single penny to spend."

As the saying goes, "He who takes a bribe is bound to be obligated," and those gifts from the matchmaker made the old man a fortune. He immediately changed his tune, saying, "These rebellious people need to be disciplined. Go ahead and do what you want, I've got your back!"

I didn't say anything, but Huang E spoke up. "You old geezer, you're quite adept at manipulating the winds."

The old man blushed at first, then became furious, "You demon bird, don't think that just because you've refined the Golden-Winged Roc, I won't dare to touch you!"

"Come on, come on!" Huang'e puffed out his chest. "I haven't eaten anyone, nor have I harmed anyone. Let's see what pretext you use to attack me! You all be the judge! The Commander of Fortune and Virtue used his status to intimidate this little demon! Judge for yourselves!"

…When Huang E throws a tantrum, very few people can withstand it; they'll be driven mad with anger.

Although their bickering was amusing, I was worried about the old man's blood pressure. I covered her mouth, apologized repeatedly, and quickly made my escape.

Tang Chen kept laughing the whole way. I glanced at him and asked, "Can you hear me now?"

“I understand a little bit.” He laughed again. “After organizing my thoughts, I roughly get the gist of it. Huang E is just too funny.”

…That's good. He couldn't hear me very clearly now, only catching a few key words. “…Don't come when I'm working,” I said sullenly.

"Why?" He was a little disappointed.

“...If you don’t want the disaster to worsen, then don’t come.” I sighed.

Although he was disappointed, he still agreed.

"Anyway, I'll tell you when I get back."

“Then I’ll have to copy it down carefully, a modern version of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling.

But I feel powerless.

I'm telling you, I just came here to study at university, right? But what have I learned from my studies? I've learned mostly these things that are practically useless in real life, and now I'm even using them to work… I don't want to become a charlatan after I graduate!

"Now you're just like a charlatan," Huang E teased me, his tone neither warm nor cold.

Seeing that no one was around, I grabbed her neck and shook her violently, causing her to scream desperately. My patience has its limits.

Actually, it's nothing really serious. Our school doesn't have any vengeful ghosts; they're just scary for a bit. But this part-time job… it's actually a bit dangerous. For example, right now I'm climbing the water tower. They can float, but I have to grit my teeth and slowly climb up to drive them away.

"They don't even give people a monthly allowance?" the group of "young men" clamored. "Don't they have any human rights?!"

…Children, human rights are automatically lost the moment a natural person is extinct. You are now natural ghosts, not natural people.

"Is moon-gazing something you do by looking down?" I said coldly. "I'll just admire the girls' dorm if I want... but I'm going to tattle on this to the old man! Peeping is a crime!"

"Those boys even brought out binoculars! Why don't they punish them first!" The young men pointed indignantly at the boys' dormitory.

"Because they are not under my jurisdiction."

"That's so unfair." "That's right..." "Wait, so-and-so is going to take a shower..." "So-and-so has such a great figure..." They complained and discussed as they dispersed.

I was left alone on the water tower. It wasn't that I didn't want to go down, but... climbing up was tiring, but climbing down... was terrifying.

No money is easy to earn.

But these young men would come back after I chased them away, and I got tired of climbing the water tower.

But one day, they were nowhere to be seen on the water tower. I looked up suspiciously, a little confused.

“Your method only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause,” Huang E said coldly. “Besides, the visibility here is poor; you really can’t see clearly without binoculars.”

I glared at her.

"The big tree in front of the girls' dormitory has a great view and a perfect angle, offering an unobstructed view." She said quite proudly, "I had them turn into tree leaves, so no one would notice, and we could enjoy the view..."

I gasped and rushed toward the girls' dormitory... Upon seeing it, my mind went blank.

This big tree grows even denser at night... These lecherous bastards!

"Hey, stop coming!" the boys shouted. "They won't find out, we'll be good..."

"Exactly. It'll be inconvenient to peek after we're caught..." "Even at this point, they won't even let you peek? Where's their power?"

Now they're talking to me about ghost rights. I buried my face in my palms.

After thinking for a moment, I took a twig and drew a line between the big tree and the girls' dormitory, then sprinkled some incense ash I'd gotten from the old man. Although it made me a little allergic, I figured they wouldn't be able to cross that line.

"That's too much!" "We sometimes dream of meeting in our dreams too!" "No wonder you'll never have a boyfriend..."

I took out my slingshots and filled each one with leaves until they were completely full, and then there was no sound at all.

…This matter is now resolved, and there are no more shadows on the water tower. However, the girls' dormitory did not complain about the pervert peeping, but rather about someone playing marbles on the deserted rooftop at night.

“Let him go,” the local resident called to me. “Poor thing, he doesn’t remember anything, such a young child… If he likes playing marbles, what’s wrong with letting him play for a while…”

Some of the original inhabitants can be communicated with, while others cannot. Those who are without regret or hatred and are simply waiting for the bus can usually be communicated with, but only those who are deeply resentful, malicious, or too young to understand anything are truly impossible to communicate with.

There are no changli here, but there are a few children.

Children are attached to their mothers and often like to stay in the girls' dormitory. Usually, they are quiet and peaceful. But it's not good if they play marbles and make noise.

I tried to persuade him several times, but he just wouldn't listen and kept playing with his marbles. The noise during the day blended in, but at night, when all was quiet, it sounded very jarring.

"Why are you so blunt?" Huang E grew impatient, plucked a feather, and turned it into a soft, fluffy ball. "Kid, how about we trade this big ball for marbles?"

The child really did switch places with her, and happily kicked the silent ball. From then on, there really was no more marble noise.

…But he's still on the top floor!

"Humans can't see or hear him, so what does it matter if he's on the top floor or not?" Huang E scoffed. "Is this world only for humans? Pfft~"

I have to admit, Huang'e's handling of the situation was quite clever. After all, I'm still human, and I'm bound by human thought patterns.

I don't know whether to be happy or sad about this.