You Still Don't Understand Lolicons (Continued)

"I listened to today's Honkai history class, but I didn't remember any of it. Lend me yours so I can copy it."

"That was way too direct, Kiana."

Zhao Bai sighed. "You should buy at least one dinner, then sneak over and ask to borrow my homework. Maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll give it to you."

"?"

"You need to spend money. The customer is king. As long as you pay, I'm willing to do anything."

Kiana took a deep breath. Instead of taking out her money, she began to think carefully, light flickering in her ice-blue pupils as though fireflies were flying within them.

Kiana suddenly understood and slapped her thigh.

Like a negotiator, she said, "The principal and I are relatives. I don't know why, but she wants to keep you under medical observation indefinitely. If I plead for you, though, she might let you go."

"That's a very favorable offer, but... I refuse!"

Zhao Bai instinctively refused Kiana.

Was this a joke? The principal's voice, the principal's petite face, the principal's translucent pale-pink nightgown, the principal's white stockings, the principal's starfish swimsuit...

Only an idiot would leave her.

"I refuse."

"Mm... huh?"

Kiana stopped acting coy at last. She froze, staring blankly at the homework notebook.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go!

Shouldn't he have mysteriously leaned close, thanked this young lady for her righteous deed, and offered up his homework with both hands? Along with vanilla ice cream drenched in hazelnut sauce. Why had he refused without hesitation? How could there be someone in this world who welcomed being watched? Would it really make someone happy to have an observer living in his home, eating his food, drinking his drinks, and sleeping in his bed?

She couldn't understand. She truly couldn't understand.

Zhao Bai shook his head, just short of saying, You don't understand my happiness.

Kiana could only obediently pay for a serving of vanilla ice cream drenched in hazelnut sauce. Only then did she earn the right to copy his homework. She had originally planned to spend that money on gacha pulls; Bronya's Wolf Pack needed a warrior who could soak up damage, and her gear was still lacking.

And Kiana was copying homework so she could finish her mission early and get back to gaming sooner.

Now that she thought about it, why exactly was she paying to copy homework?

In any case, Kiana couldn't figure it out.

After seeing off the bewildered Kiana, the sun gradually sank westward. Zhao Bai had been busy all day and was about to close up for the night. He had listened to the wind chimes sway all day; no matter how pleasant they sounded, he was getting tired of them. As Zhao Bai tidied up, he heard the chimes again. The final customer had arrived.

Theresa stopped in her tracks.

When she was outside, Theresa always wore neat nun's robes and looked exceptionally imposing. Only at home did she put on that useless shut-in act. Zhao Bai could not even tell which one was the disguise.

Perhaps the principal was a shut-in who coasted through life, usually pretending to be a mature working adult.

Or perhaps she had always been a working adult, merely pretending to be a shut-in in private to gain Zhao Bai's trust.

After thinking it over, the former was probably more likely.