Chapter 13
—Has Xue Changyi made any unusual moves?
Wu Mu tightened his grip on his phone, his expression dark and brooding. Before entering the Lugong dormitory, he changed direction, walking into the darkness…
If Xue Changyi remembered correctly, he had confiscated a copy of The Cold Yama’s Runaway Pregnancy at the end of morning self-study. Were novel titles this straightforward now?
The Cold Yama… Runaway Pregnancy… Returns?
“What is this?” Xue Changyi was puzzled. As the Tenth Yama King, he wouldn’t flinch even if the heavens fell, but at this moment, he hesitated to take the booklet.
It felt… hot.
Liu Bei kindly explained, “A doujinshi, a fan-made work based on the novel Teacher Wu just bought. Even though it’s fan-made, it’s just as good! And it’s super sweet, Teacher Xue, trust me.”
Xue Changyi’s eyes flickered, processing Liu Bei’s words. Just now—Wu Mu had bought a novel.
The Director General of the Supervisory Department, meeting with a “mysterious person” in the dead of night, just to secretly buy a novel?
Xue Changyi pressed further. “What else did Teacher Wu buy?”
Liu Bei said, “Nothing else, but…”
“But?” Xue Changyi seized on the word, sensing a potential breakthrough.
Liu Bei lowered his voice conspiratorially. “But Teacher Wu said if there are any more novels of this type, to save a copy for him and contact him.”
Xue Changyi: “…” A potential… breakthrough?
He rubbed his temples, a dull ache forming in his head. He “reluctantly” bought The Cold Yama’s Runaway Pregnancy… Returns!, tucked the doujinshi under his robe, and hurried back to the Lugong dormitory.
Room 444 was empty, just as he had left it. Wu Mu had clearly left the playground, but it seemed he hadn’t returned to the dormitory immediately, but had gone somewhere else.
Xue Changyi opened a drawer and placed the doujinshi inside. His pale, slender fingers paused, then he retrieved the book and placed it in the second drawer.
—The second drawer had a lock. Click! Locked.
Just as Xue Changyi finished, Wu Mu returned.
“Minister Wu is indeed a busy man,” Xue Changyi probed. “Still working so late?”
Wu Mu glanced at Xue Changyi, not answering, but saying instead, “If you’re not using the bathroom, Teacher Xue, I’ll go take a shower.”
He took his change of clothes and entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him, blocking Xue Changyi’s view.
Xue Changyi pursed his lips, clicking his tongue softly.
“Boss! Boss!”
The next day, during the lunch break, Leopard Tail and Fish Gills waited at the entrance of the Pangong building. Leopard Tail waved enthusiastically. “Boss! Let’s go to lunch together!”
“I heard they’re serving sweet and sour pork today!”
“Fish Gills, isn’t sweet and sour pork your favorite?”
Fish Gills, much more composed, nodded and said respectfully, “Boss.”
The three walked towards the cafeteria. Class Nine’s last class of the morning was PE, and the bell was followed by a chorus of cheers as the students rushed towards the cafeteria like unleashed wild horses.
“Isn’t that Minister Wu?” Leopard Tail said, wrinkling his nose. “It’s all because of him! We agreed to come to the school to teach together. You’re the Chinese teacher, Boss, Fish Gills is the biology teacher, and I’m the PE teacher. Now, that Wu guy just barged in and took the PE position. I have nothing to do all day but chat with the security guard.”
Leopard Tail continued, “Aren’t the people in the Supervisory Department supposed to be busy? Busy as bees, and the Director General is here working as a PE teacher? It’s suspicious!”
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow. “Even you find it suspicious?”
“What?” Leopard Tail perked up. “Boss, you mean… you also find that Wu guy suspicious? Great minds think alike!”
Fish Gills couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
Xue Changyi said, “Keep an eye on him, you two. See what the Supervisory Department, or rather Minister Wu, is really up to.”
“Okay!” Leopard Tail was full of energy. “Don’t worry, Boss! I’ve never liked the Supervisory Department. I’ll keep a close watch on him!”
Fish Gills said steadily, “Yes, Boss.”
The three entered the cafeteria. Wu Mu happened to be entering as well, and their eyes met.
Leopard Tail pointedly rolled his eyes.
It wasn’t that Leopard Tail had a personal vendetta against Wu Mu. It was simply that the Supervisory Department was established to oversee the Ten Courts of Hell. And this new Minister Wu had personally accused the Second Yama King, Xue Changyi’s sworn brother. The Second Yama King was a benevolent and kind-hearted man, the most approachable of the Yama Kings. Which ghost officer didn’t like and respect him? Wu Mu had incurred the wrath of the entire Ten Courts, and Leopard Tail naturally disliked him.
“Yay—Sweet and sour pork today! Brother, brother, Jiao’er wants sweet and sour pork!”
“So sweet, it makes my teeth hurt just looking at it. Bring me a plate of crystal jade fish to whet my appetite… What? No jade fish?”
“Auntie, two pounds of rice, please!”
The students of Class Nine swarmed in. Xue Changyi frowned slightly. He disliked crowds and being touched.
“Boss, careful!” Leopard Tail was about to shield Xue Changyi.
Someone beat him to it, stepping in front of Xue Changyi, subtly blocking the incoming students with his tall frame.
It was Wu Mu.
Xue Changyi looked up, meeting Wu Mu’s profile. His face was serious, lips pressed together, brows furrowed. He clearly also disliked being touched or having unnecessary physical contact.
But Wu Mu still stood protectively in front of Xue Changyi.
The students rushed past them towards the food counters, quickly dispersing.
Once the crowd cleared, Wu Mu, without looking at Xue Changyi, as if it hadn’t been a deliberate act of protection, strode towards a food counter himself.
“That Wu guy!” Leopard Tail glared at Wu Mu’s back. “He was so close to Boss just now, he almost bumped into him!”
Fish Gills: “… ”
Fish Gills rubbed his temples. “It’s crowded at the counters, Boss. Please find a seat. I’ll get your food. And…”
He glanced in the direction of Wu Mu. “I’ll also try to probe this Supervisory Department Minister.”
Xue Changyi nodded. He knew Fish Gills was the most composed of the Ten Ghost Commanders.
“Fish Gills, Fish Gills!” Leopard Tail chirped. “I’ll go with you!”
Fish Gills said coldly, “You stay here with Boss. Don’t cause trouble.”
Leopard Tail: “… ” His ears and tail drooped, like a dejected puppy.
Xue Changyi and Leopard Tail found a quiet corner to sit. Fish Gills had successfully positioned himself behind Wu Mu in line.
“Ouch…” Fish Gills let out a soft cry, twisting his ankle.
As Leopard Tail had said, Fish Gills was “a boy who liked to wear skirts.” Apart from Xue Changyi, few people knew that this beautiful ghost officer, who had held the title of “Underworld’s Most Beautiful Goddess” for a hundred years, was actually male.
Today, Fish Gills was wearing a light blue skirt suit and high heels, his black hair flowing down his back, a perfect image of a beautiful and capable teacher.
Fish Gills stumbled in his high heels, losing his balance.
Wu Mu reacted swiftly, catching Fish Gills’ arm, preventing him from falling.
“Thank you, Teacher Wu.” Fish Gills smiled, a stark contrast to his usual cold demeanor, even appearing slightly shy. He continued to make conversation. “Just finished class, Teacher Wu? I heard you’re Class Nine’s substitute PE teacher?”
Snap—
The sound of something breaking.
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow, looking at the chopsticks in Leopard Tail’s hand. He had just fetched three pairs of chopsticks, and while holding all six in his hand, he had snapped one clean in half.
“Leopard Tail?” Xue Changyi said helplessly. If he didn’t stop him, Leopard Tail would probably break all the chopsticks into tiny pieces, the size of toothpicks.
“Oh!” Leopard Tail was startled. “How… how did the chopstick break? I didn’t even use any force…”
Leopard Tail fetched another pair of chopsticks, grumbling, “Fish Gills never smiles at me, but since just now, he’s been chatting up that Wu guy, and he’s already smiled four times… ah, now five!”
“That Wu guy, he seems so proper, but he shows his true colors as soon as he sees a beautiful woman, right? Boss, I heard his true form is a three-legged golden crow?”
“Hmph, just because he has an extra leg doesn’t make him a good bird!”
Xue Changyi didn’t have any classes in the afternoon, so he returned to the dormitory after lunch to grade Class Nine’s homework.
Coincidentally, Wu Mu also didn’t have any afternoon classes and was in the dormitory as well.
Buzz—
Buzz, buzz!
Buzz, buzz, buzz…
Wu Mu’s phone vibrated every half hour, and each time it did, he would leave the dormitory.
Xue Changyi pretended to be grading homework, but he kept an eye on Wu Mu. The people from the Supervisory Department were always strange, and Minister Wu was the strangest of all, especially these past few days. He seemed busy, his phone constantly ringing, frequently leaving the dormitory, as if to meet some mysterious person.
Wu Mu glanced at his phone and left the dormitory again.
Xue Changyi immediately went to the window and looked down. Half a minute later, Wu Mu emerged from the building, but he didn’t go far. He was receiving a delivery.
A courier handed Wu Mu five or six boxes, and Wu Mu carried them back inside.
Boxes? Xue Changyi’s eyes narrowed. He wondered what was inside.
Click—
The door to Room 444 opened, and Wu Mu returned with the boxes, piling them on the floor. He was about to open them, but glanced at Xue Changyi and stopped. It seemed he needed to open them in private, away from Xue Changyi’s eyes.
Xue Changyi probed, “Minister Wu, you’ve been buying a lot of things lately?”
Wu Mu nodded, giving a noncommittal “Mm,” and said nothing more.
Since Xue Changyi was in the dormitory all afternoon, Wu Mu opened the wardrobe and stuffed all the unopened boxes inside. Thump—
He closed the wardrobe door.
Xue Changyi glanced at it. The wardrobe was full of things that weren’t clothes, but he couldn’t see what they were.
Rumble…
Crash!
A soft sound came from Wu Mu’s wardrobe, followed by a loud crash. The wardrobe door burst open, and the contents tumbled out like a landslide.
—A life-size body pillow of Xue Changyi, one side fully clothed, the other revealing a bare shoulder.
—An ita-bag covered in badges, with a chibi plush doll inside.
—A mousepad featuring a reclining Xue Changyi, the design of his buttocks ergonomically sculpted in soft silicone…
Clatter—clink, clink…
A keychain with the words “What are you looking at? Don’t you have a wife?” rolled to Xue Changyi’s feet.
Xue Changyi picked up the keychain, stunned, a rare look of blankness on his face. “What… is all this?”
