Chapter 6

A few minutes passed, and Lingmeng finally stopped behaving like an Angel.

"Um... weren't you a little too brutal? They look like they're about to die."

Shido, one of the people involved, watched Lingmeng deal with the thugs and actually began to feel a little sorry for them.

The scene had been so bloody and vicious that even remembering it made him shudder, and he had only been watching.

"Huh? You think so?" She glanced at the thugs sprawled on the ground. Their faces were swollen and bruised, and they looked as if they'd given up on life.

"Don't worry! I held back. A few weeks in the hospital, tops. You're really kind, though. They just beat you up, and you're still speaking up for them."

"Uh... I guess I can't stand seeing people suffer." Shido scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.

"Ah, that kindness of yours is a menace!" Lingmeng walked up to Shido. "Does it still hurt anywhere?"

"My cheek still hurts a little, but I don't think it's anything serious."

"That won't do! You got hurt because of me. Sure, you coming out there didn't help at all, but I still have to take responsibility!"

With that, Lingmeng took Shido's hand and led him out of the alley. The gesture caught him completely off guard.

As an innocent virgin, it was Shido's first time holding hands with a girl. His little sister Kotori didn't count, of course.

(Kotori: "Resentment +1")

"Um... aren't we a little too close? A man and a woman shouldn't be so familiar... (///ˊ?ˋ///)"

Shido spoke bashfully, but Lingmeng wasn't embarrassed in the slightest. She had once been a man, after all, and didn't see it the way he did.

"Why are you so shy? I'm the girl here, and I'm not complaining. What are you so scared of?"

Lingmeng looked back at Shido and teased him. Having once been a man herself, how could she not know what was going through his head?

He's so nervous he's probably a virgin who's never had a girlfriend. That expression is adorably silly! (?ω?) hiahiahia

Though Lingmeng herself wasn't much better off than Shido. (╥ω╥`)

After a short silence, Shido asked, "Where are you taking me?"

"I spotted a pharmacy on my way here. I'm taking you to get something for your injury, of course! Don't worry, I'll pay!"

Lingmeng spoke generously. She had a hundred thousand yen in cash, after all, which was more than enough for some medicine.

"Uh... thanks." Shido couldn't think of anything else to say, so he thanked her and fell silent again.

Wasn't there something I forgot? Oh well, never mind!

Lingmeng had the nagging feeling she'd forgotten something important, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember it. She decided to set it aside for now, picked up her pace, and hurried toward the pharmacy with Shido.

Back in the alley, the three thugs lay helpless on the ground, their voices trembling with tears.

"Big sis, don't leave us here! Call an ambulance..."

I'm A Wei

"Here we are. This is the pharmacy I was talking about."

Lingmeng stopped in front of a shop.

Shido looked up. He didn't recognize the pharmacy at all; it must have opened recently.

"Ah Wei Pharmacy?" he read from the sign, then muttered, "What a weird name."

"The name doesn't matter. Come on, let's go in!"

"...Okay."

Still holding Shido's hand, Lingmeng led him inside.

The pharmacy's automatic door slid open with a swish, and Lingmeng and Shido walked in.

"Welcome! I'm the owner, Zhang Wei, but you can call me A Wei. What can I get you?"

The owner behind the register greeted them with a practiced smile.

He was a rugged-looking man in his twenties, with black hair and dark eyes.

"Okay, A Wei!" Lingmeng flashed him an OK sign. "Do you have anything for injuries? My friend here needs some."

"Medicine for an injury? No problem. Give me a moment."

A Wei left the register and went into a nearby storeroom. Before long, he returned with a rectangular cardboard box in his hand.

"Here you go—Yunnan Baiyao from China. It works wonders on minor injuries like this! Since it's your first time shopping here, I'll throw in two bottles of Jizhi Syrup."

Producing two bottles of syrup from somewhere, A Wei set them on the counter beside the Yunnan Baiyao.

"Haha, thanks! How much is the Yunnan Baiyao?"

Lingmeng wasn't surprised to find something from her own country in a pharmacy here. She'd seen that often enough in her previous life. She simply thanked him and asked the price.

"That'll be two hundred and fifty yen."

"Here you go."

Without another thought, Lingmeng pulled out a banknote and handed it to A Wei.

"Thank you for your purchase. Here are your change and receipt."

A Wei quickly took her change from the register and handed it over with the receipt.

"Thanks!" Lingmeng opened the box, took out the Yunnan Baiyao, removed its cap, and sprayed it straight at Shido's face.

"Wha—"

"Haha! Why are you so jumpy? It's just medicine! Heehee."

Lingmeng laughed at Shido's startled expression.

"Anyone would jump if someone suddenly sprayed something in their face!"

Shido gave her an exasperated look when he realized she was teasing him.

"It was just a joke. Don't take it so seriously. How does it feel now?"

Lingmeng shrugged, looking not remotely sorry.

"You..." Shido scowled for a moment before answering. "My face feels a little cool, and there's a bit of an herbal smell. Overall, it feels pretty good..."

"Great. Spray it a few more times when you get home, and you'll be fine in no time. Take these two bottles of Jizhi Syrup, too. I won't use them."

Lingmeng put the Jizhi Syrup and Yunnan Baiyao into a bag and handed it to Shido.

"Haha, you two get along well! If you don't mind me asking, are you a couple?"

A Wei suddenly laughed and asked them with a teasing grin.

"A-a couple?" Shido hurried to explain. "N-no, you've got the wrong idea..."

"Oh, we're definitely not a couple. We only just met—we don't even know each other's names. We might not even count as friends. ╮(￣▽￣)╭"

Unlike Shido, who was flustered and stumbling over his words, Lingmeng calmly explained their relationship.

"Right! Just like she said! (///ˊ?ˋ///)"

Shido nodded quickly, though his cheeks were still red.

"Oh, I see. Then how did you two meet?"

A Wei looked openly curious.

"You're a guy. Why are you gossiping like an old lady?"

Despite the jab, Lingmeng told him what had happened.

"Wow, you were pretty brave, young man!"

A Wei gave Shido an approving thumbs-up.

"Haha, thanks, though stepping in didn't seem to do much."

Shido scratched his cheek bashfully.

"Well, we've bought the medicine. Let's go, kid!"

"...Oh, right."

Lingmeng headed for the door, and Shido hurried after her.

"Bye, A Wei."

"Come again!"

After saying goodbye, Lingmeng and Shido left the pharmacy.

"Hey, kid, I have a question for you," Lingmeng said outside.

"What is it? Ask away. I'll answer if I can," Shido said, puzzled.

"Are you free for a while? It's my first time in this city, and I could use a guide to show me around."

Kotori probably won't mind if I get home a little late, right?

After thinking it over, Shido agreed.

"You want me to show you around the city? Sure."

Lingmeng smiled.

"Thanks! My name's Qian Lingmeng, but you can call me Lingmeng. What about you?"

"I'm Shido Itsuka. You can just call me Shido."

"Got it, Shido. No problem, Shido. Let's go!"

Lingmeng slung an arm around Shido's shoulders and pointed ahead.

"Um... where would you like to go first, Lingmeng?"

Though he'd agreed to show her around, Shido had no idea where to take her. He could only ask.

"A phone store! I want to buy a phone!" Lingmeng answered without hesitation.

She had been in this world for a month, which meant a whole month without electronics. As a homebody, she'd felt painfully empty every day.

Now that she had money and AST wasn't hunting her, Lingmeng finally dared to ask Shido to take her to a phone store.

"A phone store? Sure. I think there's one nearby." Then something occurred to Shido. "Lingmeng, the money you used to buy my medicine—and the money you're about to spend on a phone—it isn't..."

"Uh... don't worry about that! Where's the store? Just take me there!"

Lingmeng looked deeply embarrassed and hurried to change the subject.

"...That's robbery, isn't it? (ー_ー)!!" Shido stared at her, speechless.

"I can't hear you! Can't hear you!"

Lingmeng covered her ears and shook her head vigorously, trying to escape reality.

"Ah... fine. Just don't do it again. Follow me!"

"Aye aye, captain!" Lingmeng gave Shido an excited salute.

And so, with no small amount of resignation, Shido led Lingmeng toward the phone store...

A Toast to Friendship?

"Ohoho! I finally have a phone again! My darling, Daddy swears I'll never abandon you again!"

Leaving the phone store, Lingmeng gazed at the brand-new "Dami" phone in her hand, feeling as though she had the whole world.

Lingmeng was happy, but Shido, who had accompanied her the entire time, had suffered. He'd thought she would buy a phone quickly and move on. He never imagined she'd spend two whole hours in the store.

She'd gone on about how you couldn't choose a phone carelessly: it needed plenty of storage, a good camera, a screen that was easy to use, a comfortable feel, a reliable brand... and dozens more requirements.

Lingmeng spent two hours going back and forth with the salesperson over those demands before finally finding a phone that met them all.

The price was frighteningly high, eating up half the cash she had on her, but she paid without blinking. She'd been longing for a phone for so long—what was a little money compared to that?

...All right, Lingmeng just didn't feel bad about spending someone else's money. -_-||