Chapter 21: Sister Tong, A Monkey''s Life Matters Too

Restricted Fantasy Invasion

Spencer cursed loudly as the security guards dragged her away. Yan Huan did not even glance in her direction, merely feeling that the collective IQ of the surrounding air had risen significantly since her departure.

Instead, he prepared to head back to the Gymnasium with Sakuramiya Hitomi to retrieve his belongings, his mind occupied with thoughts about the Modifier.

Just like the Memory Correction generated after being hypnotized, his recollection of being locked in the Equipment Room with Sakuramiya Hitomi had morphed into a perfectly logical scenario—one that would be entirely undetectable without his Resistance.

It seemed Vice President Sakuramiya was experiencing the exact same thing.

The setting sun in the sky seemed to pity the girl, silently adjusting its angle so that Sakuramiya Hitomi was bathed in the cooling shade cast by the towering Teaching Building.

Meanwhile, Yan Huan stood fully in the evening light, his handsome face tinted with a warm, rosy hue.

Walking side by side with Yan Huan, Sakuramiya Hitomi maintained her usual composed expression. She tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear and suddenly asked a question.

"Did that girl say anything to you just now, President?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Yan Huan turned to look at her.

"That girl took photos of us for no reason, and her personality seems rather obnoxious. I just felt that she would not delete those pictures so easily."

"No, I just scared her a little, and she obediently deleted them. However, I do not think I have ever seen her around the school before. I have absolutely no impression of her."

Yan Huan smiled faintly, choosing to lie because he had no intention of dragging Sakuramiya Hitomi into the Modifier''s mess.

''Huh?''

''I was threatened with photos by that blonde, and now I am acting like nothing happened while lying straight to Sakuramiya''s face.''

''Why is this sense of déjà vu getting stronger?!''

Yan Huan blinked, the sudden realization hitting him.

"She might be a transfer student,"

Seeing Yan Huan''s expression remain unchanged, Sakuramiya Hitomi gave a perfunctory reply, though in her heart she plunged into an even deeper well of confusion.

''If there is nothing wrong with that girl, then how exactly did she shatter my Jiejiè with a kick?''

''Did my Jiejiè glitch?''

''It even blew out the romantic sparks that the President and I almost shared!'' (Sakuramiya assumed).

''It seems I need to thoroughly study this Ability of mine again. I absolutely cannot allow another mistake like today''s to happen.''

''Fortunately, the Memory Correction effect it described was entirely accurate. We were locked up for half an hour, yet the President did not notice anything amiss.''

By pure coincidence, the two of them shared the exact same thought in their minds.

At the Lockers in the Gymnasium, Yan Huan retrieved his School Bag and clothes, while Sakuramiya Hitomi only had her garments packed in a cloth bag.

"The Changing Room is already closed. Do you want to head back to the Office to change, President?"

Sakuramiya Hitomi walked over clutching her bag. Yan Huan glanced at the time on his phone, thought for a moment, and replied,

"No need, I should just head back early. If I leave now, I can still catch the School Bus outside."

"Understood, President."

Sakuramiya Hitomi tilted her head slightly, doubt lingering in her mind.

''Normally on Mondays, the President would go to the Mahjong club to play tiles, and then take the public bus back a bit later. Why is today...''

She was indeed intimately familiar with Yan Huan''s daily habits, but she could not exactly voice that out loud.

''Well, this is for the best. If he does not go to the Mahjong club, the President will not have to mingle with those bad women.''

''They clearly have automatic tables, yet every time they play with the President, they insist on shuffling by hand. They even use the excuse that "there are only two machines, and since the President is not an official member of the Mahjong club, he cannot use them".''

''Is it really about not being able to use them?''

''They take half the day just to shuffle the tiles! Anyone who didn''t know better would think they were washing their hands together!''

Having observed their sessions once, Vice President Sakuramiya harbored a deep grudge against the Mahjong club. She firmly believed that such a delinquent club, which only served to corrupt students, should be resolutely abolished.

"Then I will take my leave first, President. I need to make a trip back to the Office."

"Alright. See you tomorrow, Sakuramiya."

"See you tomorrow, President."

After bidding farewell to Sakuramiya Hitomi, Yan Huan checked the time on his phone and sprinted toward the school gates.

He needed to make a trip to Sister Tong''s Bar today.

Originally, he was not scheduled to work today. However, since he had missed both days over the weekend, having four hundred deducted from his paycheck caused him a fair bit of heartache.

Therefore, he planned to make up for the missed weekend shifts by working consecutively on Monday and Tuesday.

Working seven night shifts in a row—this was the unyielding resolve of Yan Huan, the man destined to save the world.

Yan Huan jogged all the way and just managed to catch the South Ward School Bus. Cold air blasted from the AC unit inside, and the students who had finished classes were chatting and laughing, though the bus was noticeably emptier than during the morning commute.

Far Moon Academy dismissed its students after a single elective class in the afternoon. Some students chose to remain on campus to participate in club activities.

Most, however, were picked up by their parents, either heading off to Cram School or attending various extracurricular interest classes.

Yabashi Ki was nowhere to be seen on the bus; he was merely another soldier in the afternoon Cram School army.

Linmen followed the Newman-style Education System, where university admissions were primarily based on applications.

Although there were unified exams, they did not hold the same definitive, life-altering weight as the Gaokao from his past life.

Outstanding achievements in personal interests, relevant learning experiences, and recommendation letters from highly respected figures were the most critical factors when applying for higher education institutions.

On the surface, it seemed they had escaped the endless sea of Gaokao test papers. In reality, the competition was still fiercely cutthroat. It even dragged the parents into the fray, resulting in a Chaotic Dance of Gods and Demons as families engaged in intense Competing from a Distance.

The South Ward School Bus was the most crowded route in the afternoon. Why?

It was simply because most students from the South Ward who managed to test into this academy came from families that could not afford exorbitant Cram Schools or elite interest classes, leaving them with no choice but to head straight home.

Even if they could afford to attend, it was only because their families had severely Tightened Their Belts to make it happen.

Well, Yan Huan had it even worse than those returning home to rest. As a Transmigrator battling Modifiers, he still had to go back and work a part-time job just to earn his living expenses.

He suddenly recalled a meme from his past life featuring the Clown and Harley Quinn.

Even after fighting Batman all day, the Clown still had to buy groceries and cook his own dinner. After all, not everyone was as rich as Bruce Wayne.jpg.

''Aunt Ye, oh Aunt Ye, if Ye Shiyu had not been clawing at my bedroom door in the middle of the night, I truly would never have wanted to leave you!''

Yan Huan shook his head and put on his Bluetooth Earbuds, ready to listen to some music.

On the empty seat beside him, a fluffy Black Cat was now sitting elegantly, having appeared out of nowhere.

It was Myau-chan.

Well, at least Yan Huan currently had a kitten to keep him company.

Its sudden appearance suggested it was ready to hear Yan Huan''s report on the Modifier situation, but instead, Yan Huan directly scooped up the chubby Myau-chan.

"Meow~"

He looked down at the wide-eyed Myau-chan in his arms, choosing to Act First, Report Later as he declared,

"Myau-chan, let me pet you for a bit."

"Meow?"

In the South Ward, a street-facing storefront just a few streets away from Yan Huan''s rented apartment was only just opening its doors.

Above the entrance of the stylishly decorated European-style Bar hung a sign bearing its name:

"Ballad"

At the doorway, a beautiful woman with her fiery red hair tied back was busy carrying tables and chairs out of the establishment.

She wore a black denim jacket draped over her shoulders and a white undershirt tucked into long, fitted jeans, exuding an aura of effortless coolness.

After moving one or two sets, she leaned back against a table to take a short breather.

A Flip-Top Lighter danced nimbly between the fingertips of her left hand. She tilted her head back, allowing her red bangs to fall slightly, partially obscuring one of her eyes.

On her gorgeous face, which looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, her exposed eye bore a deeply cynical, defeated gaze that practically screamed, ''Living is fine, but dying is okay too.''

She rubbed the metal earring on her earlobe and instinctively opened her mouth to call that guy over for help, only to abruptly remember that he did not work on Mondays.

Not seeing him for an entire weekend had honestly left her a bit disoriented.

The other employees would not arrive until much later. Only that kid ever showed up this early and was actually willing to help her move the furniture.

"Mmm."

''Though it''s probably better that he isn''t here...''

Her cynical eyes dropping, she lowered her head as her right hand brought a Ladies'' Cigarette to her red lips.

"Snick~"

The striker wheel of the lighter sparked with a crisp sound, igniting a small leaf of flame.

Just as the flame was about to touch the tobacco, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and plucked the cigarette right out of her mouth.

Firelight reflected in the eyes of the woman who looked as if she had been thoroughly beaten down by life. She raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Turning her head, she saw a handsome young man in sportswear twisting the unlit cigarette between his fingers, flashing her a bright smile,

"Sister Tong, are your promises just hot air? Didn''t you tell me you quit? Sneaking a smoke the moment I''m not around?"

The woman before him was Yan Huan''s boss, Tong Yingying, whom Yan Huan typically addressed as Sister Tong.

She was a "grown-up" who had already become completely uninteresting.

"...Crazy. You actually believe the words of an adult?"

Caught red-handed by Yan Huan, Tong Yingying remained utterly unfazed, a hint of disdain dripping from her tone.

She snapped the lit lighter shut and gazed at the boy she had not seen all weekend.

Crossing her long legs, Tong Yingying asked him,

"Why are you here instead of resting after class on a Monday? And what the hell is with this outfit? Are you cosplaying as an athlete?"

"I just finished class. I rushed over before I even had time to change."

"What''s the rush?"

"I just wanted to come see you, Sister Tong."

"...Heh. More like you''re missing the wages that were docked over the weekend."

Yan Huan blinked and smiled warmly,

"I really came to see you, More Real Than Pearls. You have to believe me, Sister Tong."

Tong Yingying did not bother exposing Yan Huan''s blatant act. She stood up and walked into the darkened interior of the Bar, stating flatly,

"Go to the Changing Room and swap your clothes first, then help me arrange the rest of the tables and chairs."

That was her way of telling him to start his shift.

Yan Huan glanced down at the cigarette he was holding—the one Tong Yingying had just held in her lips—before realizing something. He followed her into the Bar,

"You''ve got to be kidding me, Sister Tong. It''s not even five o''clock yet..."

He watched as she lethargically shuffled behind the Bar Counter, expertly taking out a glass and some ice cubes.

Without even looking, Tong Yingying reached out with her pale fingers, trailing them along the neat rows of bottles on the back shelf as if they were patiently waiting to be chosen.

Eventually, her fingers stopped on the cap of an already-opened bottle.

It was a fruit-candy profile whiskey—an Arran 10 Year Old.

"I''m in a bad mood today... Besides, I just woke up. This is perfect for waking me up."

As she poured the amber liquid, she gave Yan Huan a rare explanation.

"Like hell that will wake you up."

Yan Huan tossed the cigarette into the trash can, leaned against the front of the Bar Counter, and asked, "But you''re in a bad mood... Why? Tell me about it."

"Why should I tell you?"

"So I can be entertained."

"...Two hundred deducted from your pay."

Tong Yingying handed down the ruthless sentence without so much as a glance in his direction, nearly making the smile fall right off Yan Huan''s face.

"I was wrong, Sister Tong."

"Brain-Dead Stupid. Did you forget your salary for this month hasn''t been paid yet? Trying to act like a monkey jumping around in front of me?"

She was merely joking.

Yan Huan had been working here for almost a year and knew Tong Yingying quite well. Aside from a few bad habits, she barely put on any airs and was incredibly generous with her pay.

Bickering like this was a regular occurrence between them.

"...Still, Sister Tong, in my experience, it is always better to speak out about the things making you unhappy."

"Heh, in my experience, pouring your heart out to others is just handing them the knife they''ll use to stab you in the back later..."

She finished pouring the drink, picked up the glass, and swirled it gently, watching the crystal-ball-like sphere of ice dance and spin within the whiskey.

Tong Yingying scolded him,

"Shoo, shoo. Adult matters are not for children... No, they are none of a simpleton monkey''s business."

She took a sip of the whiskey, let out a long breath, and waved her hand dismissively at Yan Huan, commanding,

"Hurry up and change your clothes to start your shift. You skipped three days last weekend, actually forcing your boss to run around doing all the work. This week, heh, I am absolutely going to squeeze you completely dry."

"Sister Tong, A Monkey''s Life Matters Too."

Yan Huan raised a metaphorical white flag in pitiful surrender.

At the same time, he silently flipped Tong Yingying the middle finger in his mind, generously applying the secret nickname he had given her when they first met.

That nickname was: "Yu Qian of the South District".

What did it mean?

Smoking, Drinking, and Perming Hair—she was a master of all three.

Although her lifestyle habits had adjusted slightly nowadays—she largely avoided smoking and no longer permed her hair—she simply could not quit the booze no matter what.

Yan Huan even suspected that Tong Yingying had opened this Bar solely so she could openly steal drinks from her own inventory.

Seeing his boss already savoring her fine liquor, Yan Huan ignored her and headed further inside to change his clothes.

White dress shirt, black trousers, brown vest...

Just as Yan Huan was changing in the Changing Room, a male and a female voice drifted in from outside,

"Good afternoon, Sister Tong."

"Sister Tong, aren''t you starting a bit too early today?!"

"Yeah, bad mood. Having a little drink will fix it."

Yan Huan finished dressing and walked out, only to see a couple sitting hand-in-hand at the Bar Counter, chatting with Tong Yingying as she idly spun her glass.

Both were students from a Community College in the South Ward. The man''s name was Tian Li, and the woman''s name was Guan Rong.

They were both part-time workers here, and also a couple.

The girl had a beautiful singing voice and worked as the Bar''s resident singer.

The guy was a bartender. Customers were highly satisfied with his concoctions, but Tong Yingying rarely drank what he mixed.

She usually preferred to do it herself, ensuring she got exactly what she wanted.

Tong Yingying knew how to mix many different cocktails herself. If she were not so incredibly lazy, she wouldn''t even need to spend money hiring someone else.

"Xiao Huan, it''s Monday today. Aren''t you taking the day off?"

"No breaks today, Sister Guan. I''m covering a missed shift."

"Oho, hasn''t it only been one weekend? Why do I feel like you''ve gotten even handsomer... tsk, tsk, tsk."

"Seriously?"

''That must be the charm Fragment taking effect.''

In just that short span of time, Tong Yingying had already downed her small glass of whiskey and grabbed the bottle beside her to pour another.

Watching her mercilessly deplete the Base Liquor he needed for his cocktails, Tian Li dared to feel angry but dared not speak out. After all, she was the boss.

After their brief greetings, it was time to get to work.

Yan Huan briskly arranged all the stools and remaining furniture. Once Tian Li and Guan Rong had changed into their uniforms, one began prepping the Bar Counter while the other started sweeping up.

Only Tong Yingying grabbed her glass and bottle, retreating alone to a corner of the Bar to fully embrace her role as a Hands-Off Boss.

Yan Huan passed by the back room several times, noticing that Tong Yingying was knocking back drinks much faster than usual while holding her phone, typing out messages with one hand.

At first, Yan Huan could spare some attention to check on Tong Yingying, as her drinking so heavily this early in the day was undeniably unusual.

But as night fell, the street-facing establishment''s business picked up. With the influx of customers, a couple of orders for caramel pudding were more than enough to force him to focus entirely on his work.

In the kitchen, he was whisking egg mixture so furiously it practically smoked. His proficiency was undeniable.

It was tiring, but not entirely without its benefits.

At the very least, the pudding he had made for Sakuramiya Hitomi and Ye Shiyu back then had been absolutely delicious, had it not?

The nights in the South Ward were truly restless. The colorful neon lights of the city intermingled with blaring car horns and the greasy smoke from restaurants, painting the South Ward as a place both vibrant and chaotic.

At this hour, if someone walked alone down the narrow alleys between the buildings—regardless of gender—they would almost inevitably trigger some kind of hidden event.

Fortunately, Linmen had strict gun control laws. You wouldn''t find yourself walking down the street only to feel the hard barrel of a gun pressed against your lower back.

Nor would you be robbed entirely of your wallet and phone while being forced to answer absurd questions like, "Do you fancy my M1917 Smith & Wesson?"

"Once, I walked blindly forward..."

Guan Rong strummed her acoustic guitar and sang, sketching out a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere within the lounge bar.

Meanwhile, Tong Yingying, who had been sitting in the corner, vanished at some unknown point.

Down the corridor connecting the Bar to the Restroom, she hunched over with a pale face, leaning heavily against the wall as she staggered toward the facilities.

She had had far too much to drink.

She pushed open the heavy door to the Restroom; there was only a single stall here.

Her face was flushed bright red, though it was unclear whether it was from the alcohol or the glaring light of the phone screen in her hand.

Her stomach churned violently, and unable to hold it back any longer, she collapsed onto her hands and knees in front of the toilet, feeling like she was about to throw up.

Due to this sudden movement, the phone she had been gripping slipped from her fingers and clattered onto the floor, displaying an open chat box and a lengthy log of messages,

Li Xiumei (Mom):

"..."

"I don''t care! I''ve already made the arrangements, so hurry back and meet him. The man is incredibly handsome and talented. You should be grateful he''s even willing to go on a Blind Date with you, yet you''re complaining and picking faults every single day."

"I''m not going back. If you want to meet him so badly, go on the date yourself."

"Aiya, you''re almost thirty and still so hopelessly irresponsible! Looking at you like this... if you don''t get married soon, I swear I''ll bash my head against the wall and die right here in this house! Get your ass back here right now!"

"He''s so much older than me! What kind of joke is this date?! Damn You, if you want it so much, go marry him yourself!"

"A small age gap isn''t a problem! Only an older man will be well-established and know how to take care of you properly."

"Why the hell do I need him to be well-established?! Do I look broke to you? I''d rather find someone ten years younger who''ll call me Older Sister, with a strong body that''s great in bed! Why would I need some old man to ''take care'' of me?! Screw off, I told you I''m not going!"

"Is that how you speak to your mother?!"

"Sorry About That."

"..."

The phone, set to auto-lock, went black after a period of inactivity, plunging the rest of the messages into darkness.

Tong Yingying was left clutching her mouth, retching uncomfortably.

In truth, there were hundreds more densely packed messages below that. And it wasn''t just her mother''s chat box—there were countless others constantly trying to advise her...

Tong Yingying desperately wished she could block every single one of them and never see their names again.

"Gurgle..."

Just as she was dry heaving, a phantom-like, snake-shaped tattoo surfaced from beneath her clothes, seeming to wriggle and writhe in sync with her volatile emotions.

Then, the snake-like tattoo crawled continuously down her arm, shockingly sliding right off her fingertips and dropping onto the floor.

It formed into a tiny, pure white entity that resembled a cobra.

Flicking its tongue, it sized up the woman before it, seemingly exuding a faint hint of satisfaction.

【Among the several candidates, only you are barely capable of bearing my power.】

【Woman, do you wish to become the protagonist of this world? Do you wish to satisfy your filthy Desires? Do you wish to possess everything you have ever wanted?】

An ethereal voice echoed right by her ear, causing Tong Yingying to freeze in startlement.

【Become my Host, and allow me to share my power of Sensation Manipulation with you.】

【Whether it is Pleasure, Pain Sensation, or absolutely any other feeling. Any feeling!】

【As long as you wield me, I can grant your every wish.】

【Do not fear, do not doubt. I will assist you.】

Tong Yingying raised her head and looked at the illusory, snake-like entity rearing up beside her.

''Did the voice in my head come from this thing?''

The phantom white serpent flicked its tongue, its body seemingly coursing with an endless, crackling electrical current.

Tong Yingying opened her mouth. Then, she muttered,

"I must be completely smashed. I''m literally hallucinating... Haha, if I''m this drunk, then even my biggest fear—snakes..."

The white snake watched Tong Yingying''s fists slowly clench tight, suddenly getting a terrible, ominous premonition.

【Hiss!】

It instinctively whipped its head around to flee, but Tong Yingying—who was already teetering on the edge of sheer rage—shot up. With a dark, murderous expression, she viciously stomped her foot right down onto it,

"CAN JUST GO TO HELL!!"

"Bam!"

Following that terrifyingly violent stomp, the illusory white snake vanished without a trace, exactly as if it truly had been nothing more than a hallucination.