Chapter 8

You Yu discovered that this might have nothing to do with what he did or said.

Anyway, as long as he stood there, the maid's favorability seemed to increase naturally...

There was no way around it; being too handsome also brought its own troubles.

It was just that the maid concealed it very well, showing no signs of increased favorability on her face, making You Yu even think for a moment that there was a malfunction in the system's corresponding module.

However, not long after getting to know the maid, You Yu realized that he was overthinking it. The maid probably never intended to hide anything; she was just a simple, expressionless person...

After asking all the questions, the maid slowly closed her little notebook.

"That's all I need to ask," she said.

Just that?

You Yu didn't mean anything by it; he just thought these questions were a bit strange as interview questions—how could they be related to the position he was applying for?

You Yu asked, "So... am I hired?"

"I don't know," the maid shook her head.

"Huh?"

"Because I'm not the manager, and I don't have the final say." Her tone was calm, almost matter-of-fact, "I'm still in high school, just helping out here during the holidays."

You Yu: "..."

Damn!

So you were just messing with me?

But at a time like this, you have to keep smiling.

"Oh, I see," You Yu asked, "Is the manager here?"

The girl shook her head like a rattle drum.

"He's out," she said, "Out of town, temporarily unavailable. But I can call and ask for you."

"...That would be a bother."

The girl turned and went to the back storage room. You Yu leaned against the glass counter, his gaze aimlessly scanning the card packs in the store.

Before the穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越" in English, but it's better to use "transmigration" or "transportation" in this context), these cards in the card shops were just decorations for players, like scenery. Only NPCs could use these cards, and even if players bought them, their systems couldn't read them.

But now, things were different for You Yu. As an NPC, he could use all the cards here. He had already decided to come and open packs when he had the money.

Hmm... when I have the money.

Since the manager wasn't there, You Yu didn't have much hope for the position. He was already planning where to look for work next.

But unexpectedly, the maid came back quickly with good news: "The manager said you can stay."

"Huh?" You Yu was taken aback, "He didn't ask any questions?"

"No," the girl said, "He said to try you out first, and we can talk more when he gets back. He said I should help you get familiar with the work."

"My job is..."

"Just help me," she pointed to the nearby bar, "Sometimes customers come to drink coffee, and when it gets busy, I can't handle it alone... do you know how to make coffee?"

You Yu nodded: "A bit."

My dad taught me in Hawaii...

...Oh, this is Yu-Gi-Oh, never mind.

"That's good."

The girl gestured for him to follow her, leading him through the rows of shelves. You Yu discovered that there was a red wooden door in the most inconspicuous corner of the store.

"If you stay here, you'll get room and board, but the salary might not be high. There's no salary during the trial period, and you can discuss the formal salary with the boss when he returns."

"Okay." You Yu nodded.

He didn't really expect much in terms of salary; he came here mainly for room and board...

...Alright, maybe also for a discount on cards.

The girl pushed open the wooden door, and behind it was a long staircase extending into darkness, invisible due to the poor lighting.

"Your room is up there," she said, "I live on the third floor—I like living higher up. The two rooms on the second floor are empty, you can choose one, and I'll give you the key."

"Okay."

You Yu walked along, suddenly thinking of something: "By the way, I don't even know your name."

"Chinami, Ito Chinami." She didn't turn her head, "Just call me Chinami."

She led You Yu to the second floor. You Yu randomly chose a room, pushed the door open, and was hit by a musty, moldy smell, as if he had opened a wine cellar sealed for years.

The room wasn't very spacious, with only a bedroom and a narrow bathroom. Morning light filtered through the only small window, and countless dust particles danced freely in the light.

Ito Chinami took a step back, pinching her small nose.

"Because no one has been in here for a long time, the environment is a bit bad."

She might have genuinely felt a bit guilty about the conditions of this dormitory.

"...If you don't mind, I can help you clean up after the store closes tonight."

You Yu waved his hand: "No problem, I can handle it myself."

After a pause, he asked: "More importantly... is it really okay for me to just move in like this? I mean, the manager hasn't even met me... no, we haven't even talked on the phone."

As they spoke, they had already left the room and started to go downstairs.

"It's fine," Ito Chinami said calmly, "Although he might give you a hard time when he gets back, he won't kick you out. The manager is actually a pretty nice person. If I have to say anything about his flaws... he's all bark and no bite."

"Oh? So he's harsh in words but kind in heart?"

"No," Chinami shook her head, speaking calmly, "It means he's harsh in words but always thinking about how to take advantage of situations."

You Yu: "..."

Don't fool me, I didn't read much, but "all bark and no bite" doesn't mean that...

So you're saying the manager is a... um... gentleman?

It just felt a bit strange hearing this from such an expressionless, beautiful girl.

"By the way, you'll need to change into a work uniform if you're going to work," Chinami stopped, suddenly remembering something, and turned to look at You Yu.

"There are a few spare ones in the storage room, but I don't know if they'll fit you..."

You Yu instantly became alert.

Work uniform? What kind of work uniform?

Could it be that he had to wear a maid outfit too?

That's not what was agreed upon; he just came to freeload, not to sell his dignity.

Fortunately, a moment later, Chinami returned with a men's suit.

A white shirt, black vest, and bow tie. Wearing this outfit, You Yu felt like a bartender in a movie, except he was responsible for coffee, not alcohol.

The maid stood in front of him, helping him smooth out the wrinkles in his clothes, skillfully tying the bow tie, and adjusting his collar.

Then she took two steps back, tilted her head, and examined him for a while, nodding like an artist admiring a completed masterpiece.

[Favorability +5]

You Yu was already numb to the occasional pop-up notifications on her head...

Seeming quite satisfied with this "junior," Chinami nodded to herself: "Good, it should work."

You Yu: "?"

Wait a minute, little girl, explain yourself.

What do you mean by "it should work"?