Chapter 12
#Underworld Central Office Forum – Discussion Area#
[Chatter] Underworld’s Hottest CP Poll!! HOT~~ Reply: 4444444
[Chatter] Aaaah, my CP is in the same frame! HOT~~ Reply: 10086
Original Post: Raising the banner for the Cold Envoy x Beautiful Yama CP!! My CP is in the same frame! All we need is a kiss for it to be official! Who understands? Who understands?
NO.1: A kiss? Why do they need a kiss to get married? Are they betrothed? Arranged marriage? Does the Underworld Central Office still practice such feudalistic nonsense?
NO.2: Hahaha! It’s a kiss, right?
NO.3: Enemies? Enemies are destined to become wives!
NO.10086: The poll next door has ended! Congratulations to this year’s Underworld’s Hottest CP, reigning supreme for 500 consecutive years, the evergreen tree of the CP world!
“Teacher Wu,” Li Bai whispered conspiratorially, “This The Cold Yama Carrying His Rival’s Child is the prequel to the one confiscated by Teacher Xue this morning. Don’t underestimate it just because it’s a prequel, it’s also R1800+ rated, especially—cough, it has a lot of… you know?”
Wu Mu raised an eyebrow.
“You know, that!” Li Bai hinted even more broadly. Seeing that Wu Mu still didn’t seem to understand, he finally blurted out, “Smut—smut! Lots of it! Tons of it! You get it now?”
Wu Mu’s calm, impassive eyes finally showed a flicker of understanding.
Li Bai took out his phone. “Look, Teacher, this is based on the Underworld’s hottest CP. The poll is still up on the forum. This CP is super popular in our Central Office!”
Wu Mu raised an eyebrow. “Super popular?”
“Yeah!” Li Bai affirmed. “Teacher Wu, do you never visit the forum? So many people discuss the Envoy x Yama CP every day. There are all sorts of novels, fan comics, and badges…”
Li Bai paused, worried that Wu Mu wouldn’t understand, and helpfully explained, “Badges are… merchandise, Teacher Wu, you know merchandise, right? Like pins, you can attach them to your bag, the kind that poke you.”
“Poke you?”
“Poke you means—” Li Bai hadn’t finished explaining “badges” when he had to explain “ita-bag,” so he just said, “How do I explain it? Forget it, I’ll make you an ita-bag next time, then you’ll understand.”
Wu Mu nodded.
Li Bai said curiously, “Teacher Wu, our Central Office forum is quite interesting. You don’t usually browse it?”
Wu Mu replied calmly, “I’m usually quite busy.”
Li Bai: “… ” A PE teacher, busy with lesson planning?
“Anyway!” Li Bai said enthusiastically, “This one is also very good. I can lend it to you, Teacher Wu.”
Wu Mu, despite his cold demeanor, didn’t refuse, and nodded.
Li Bai added, “As for The Cold Yama’s Runaway Pregnancy, I’ll ask Liu Bei if he has any more copies.”
Wu Mu’s face remained impassive. “Thank you for your trouble.”
“No problem, no problem!” Li Bai said. “It’s nothing. Teacher Wu, you were kind enough to teach us the three-arrow technique, it’s the least I can do… Oh, right, let’s add each other on WeChat. If Liu Bei has any more copies, I’ll let you know immediately. Also… I’m in a book club group and a CP group. Do you want to join? We can discuss our thoughts and feelings.”
“Book club… group?” Wu Mu frowned. This was unfamiliar territory, outside of his usual duties of investigations and accusations.
Li Bai explained patiently, “Everyone in the group loves these books. Sometimes we write fan fiction, draw fan art, and in the CP group, if there’s new merchandise, we’ll get notified immediately, and we can do group buys.”
Wu Mu, like a cold, walking encyclopedia of “why,” asked again, “Group buys?”
Li Bai scratched his head. “Just add me on WeChat first, then join the groups, and I’ll explain everything in detail!”
Wu Mu nodded. “Okay.”
“I’ll scan your QR code.”
Beep—
“Done!” Li Bai smiled. “We’re connected! Teacher Wu, let me tell you…”
Li Bai’s words were cut short. “Teacher Xue!”
Xue Changyi approached. He had been observing Wu Mu and Li Bai from afar for a while. PE class was over, and the other students had returned to the Pangong building. Only Li Bai remained, talking to Wu Mu, and it seemed…
Suspicious.
As Xue Changyi approached, Li Bai quickly hid the novel and his phone behind his back.
Wu Mu did the same, putting away his phone.
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Li Bai, the next class is about to start. Why aren’t you back in the classroom yet?”
“Going back now, just leaving!” Li Bai nodded repeatedly. “Teacher Wu, I’ll be going now!”
He dashed towards the Pangong bridge, his footsteps echoing as he ran up the stairs, not forgetting to gesture a “six” at Wu Mu, a sign to contact him later on his phone.
Xue Changyi smiled thinly. “Minister Wu, you’ve become quite close with our students after just one class?”
Close?
Indeed, they had “clashed.”
Wu Mu nodded. “Something like that.”
Xue Changyi continued, “May I ask why Minister Wu kept Li Bai behind? Is there something you need to discuss?”
Wu Mu glanced at Xue Changyi. “Personal matters.”
Wu Mu’s “personal matters” were indeed personal, but Xue Changyi didn’t believe it.
A workaholic Director General of the Supervisory Department, recently promoted after only two months at Central Office, what personal matters could he possibly have?
But Wu Mu didn’t elaborate. “Teacher Xue, if there’s nothing else, I’ll return to the dormitory to prepare for my next class.”
Xue Changyi had his Chinese class next and couldn’t be late. He watched Wu Mu’s retreating figure, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
After a day of classes, seeing Class Nine obediently finish their evening self-study, Xue Changyi returned to the Lugong teachers’ dormitory.
Creak—
He opened the door to Room 444, and Wu Mu was inside.
Still in his black and white suit, legs crossed, Wu Mu sat at his desk, reading a small booklet disguised with the cover of Underworld Primary and Secondary School Physical Education and Health Manual.
—”No…”
—The beautiful Yama, shedding his cold exterior, no longer the aloof and untouchable figure presiding over the Tenth Court, became soft and yielding, his slender arms wrapped around his rival’s neck, sobbing softly…
—”Gently, please, I might get pregnant…”
Thump!
The sound of the opening door coincided with the sound of Wu Mu dropping the Physical Education and Health Manual on the floor.
Xue Changyi reached down to pick it up, but Wu Mu was faster, snatching the booklet and snapping it shut before Xue Changyi could see the contents.
Xue Changyi looked at him curiously.
“Thank you,” Wu Mu said. “I can pick it up myself.”
Buzz—
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
The phone on the desk vibrated several times. Xue Changyi pointed at it. “Teacher Wu, your phone is ringing. The Supervisory Department is certainly busy.”
It wasn’t a call or a text message from the Supervisory Department.
It was a message from the CP discussion group. It was Wu Mu’s first time joining a WeChat group, and he hadn’t muted the notifications. Every message caused the phone to vibrate, and the group was surprisingly active.
Buzz! Buzz, buzz, buzz—
—Look! Look what I found! New group buy for life-size body pillows!
—A Yama King body pillow! The kind you can cuddle with! And one side is… completely nude!!
Completely nude? Wu Mu wondered. He didn’t understand many of the terms and abbreviations used in the group.
—OMG!! Completely! Naked! I’m buying it!!
—I’m buying two, one for home, one for school!
—Hurry, we need 444 people for the group buy, otherwise it’ll be cancelled. Don’t let such a beautiful body pillow be cancelled!
—Holy crap! Who just bought 40???
Wu Mu clicked the link, entered the Underworld group buy platform, and quickly placed his order, breathing a sigh of relief.
Buzz—
His phone vibrated again. This time, it was a private message.
Li Bai: Teacher Wu! I asked Liu Bei, he actually has one copy left, but it’s not the collector’s edition.
Wu Mu: It’s fine, I’ll take it.
Li Bai: Liu Bei said he’s near the academy. Meet at the Pangong playground in ten minutes, is that okay?
Wu Mu: Okay.
Li Bai: Great!
Wu Mu closed WeChat and stood up, ready to leave.
“Minister Wu?” Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Going out so late?”
Wu Mu nodded.
Xue Changyi asked, “Work-related?”
No, it was to buy a book.
Wu Mu’s cold eyes flickered, and he nodded again.
Xue Changyi smiled, as if teasing, but not quite. “So late at night, still working for the Supervisory Department, and teaching Class Nine during the day, Minister Wu, you’re working too hard.”
Wu Mu said indifferently, “It’s alright.”
He left Room 444, and click—
Closed the door.
Xue Changyi immediately stood up, went to the window, and after about half a minute, he saw Wu Mu’s figure, the black suit blending into the darkness.
Wu Mu wasn’t leaving the academy, he was heading towards the Pangong playground.
Xue Changyi also left his room, hurried downstairs, and headed towards the playground.
Under the dark sky, the playground was empty, two figures standing there.
One was Minister Wu, the other was somewhat unfamiliar.
Xue Changyi kept his distance, unable to hear their conversation. Wu Mu was skilled, with a high level of cultivation. If he approached carelessly, Wu Mu would definitely notice him.
After a brief exchange, Wu Mu took something from the other person and turned to leave.
Xue Changyi quickly hid behind a tree, and after Wu Mu was gone, he looked at the other figure and strode towards him.
“Huh?” The other person was surprised. “Teacher Xue?”
Xue Changyi frowned. He knew him? He looked unfamiliar from afar, but somewhat familiar up close.
During the rice-planting field trip on Sunday, Class Nine had been surrounded by students from other classes. This person had been among them, even selling straw sandals amidst the crowd…
“Liu Bei?” Xue Changyi was even more puzzled.
The person secretly meeting with Wu Mu wasn’t from the Supervisory Department, but Liu Bei, a student from Class Eight?
“Teacher Xue, why aren’t you resting at this late hour?” Liu Bei smiled.
Xue Changyi said, “What about you, Liu Bei? It’s so late, and during winter break, what are you doing at the academy?”
“This…” Liu Bei hesitated.
Xue Changyi asked directly, “That was Teacher Wu just now, wasn’t it? What did he want from you?”
“This…” Liu Bei still hesitated. “I can’t betray a customer’s privacy.”
“Customer?” Xue Changyi was puzzled.
Liu Bei nodded. “Teacher Wu came to buy something from me.”
“Buy what?” Xue Changyi asked.
Liu Bei remained silent, adhering to his principles.
Xue Changyi didn’t press further, instead saying, “In that case, I’d like to buy something from you too, the same thing Teacher Wu bought.”
Liu Bei smiled. “No problem! I suppose that doesn’t count as betraying customer privacy. But…”
“But?”
Liu Bei hesitated. “Teacher Wu just bought the last copy… How about this one, Teacher Xue? It’s a doujinshi (fan-made work) based on that novel. It’s also very… steamy!”
Liu Bei presented it enthusiastically, holding it out to Xue Changyi.
It was a book.
—The Cold Yama’s Runaway Pregnancy… Returns!
Xue Changyi: “…”
Wu Mu bought the last copy of The Cold Yama’s Runaway Pregnancy and, on his way back to the dormitory, ordered a body pillow and ita-bag online.
Buzz—
Just as he was about to open the door to Room 444, his phone vibrated again.
This time, it wasn’t the group chat, but an unsaved, unknown number. Wu Mu’s eyes darkened.
—Has Xue Changyi made any unusual moves?
