The sign for the Classical Literature Club’s clubroom shone brilliantly under the setting sun.
Jian Shuye took a key from her pocket and unlocked the front door to the locked clubroom.
“Come in.”
“Oh, okay, pardon the intrusion…”
Truly fitting for Jian Shuye, the club she frequented had such a literary atmosphere.
Entering the classroom, the space was not much different from what Lin Yi had imagined.
It just had a lot more bookshelves, a few large desks pushed together to form a conference table, a standing air conditioner, and a computer.
There were indeed many books on the shelves, but Lin Yi felt they were all quite distant from her.
Even if they were given to her, she’d probably think they’d just take up space.
Titles like Golden Slumbers, The Reasons for Disintegration, The Murder Case of the Astrological Magic, and The Summer When Sunflowers Don’t Bloom.
However, one shelf was completely filled with the entire Hyouka series, probably serving the triple purpose of reading copies, collector’s copies, and lending copies.
Seriously, girls, is this the “Classical Literature Club”? Why is it all mystery novels? Where’s the classical part?!
It seems you really need to be kept in check!
Jian Shuye casually opened a cabinet, put on a kettle of water to boil, then turned and asked, “Black tea or oolong tea?”
“No need for the trouble, plain water is fine!”
“Then oolong tea it is.”
Lin Yi broke into a cold sweat.
This beautiful girl’s personality was really a bit forceful.
After brewing the tea, Jian Shuye lightly patted the desk in front of her, and the two sat down facing each other.
“Um, Jian Shuye… classmate?”
“Mhm.”
Jian Shuye gently blew on her tea, not surprised that Lin Yi knew her name.
“Why did you ask me to come here?”
Jian Shuye picked up her teacup, smiling.
“Do you want to join a club?”
“Uh, I have that intention.”
Lin Yi gripped her athletic school pants with both hands.
“But, my roommate already invited me to join the badminton…”
“Abandon that thought. It doesn’t suit you.”
“Huh?”
Jian Shuye took a small sip of tea, frowned slightly, then put the lid back on the cup and placed it on the table.
She crossed her legs, those irresistible legs swaying gently under the table with practiced ease.
“You’re wasting your advantages, wasting time, and wasting your youth.”
Before Lin Yi could say anything, Jian Shuye cut her off further.
“Your grip is weak, your gaze wanders, your footwork is sloppy, your reactions are slow. Not a single movement is proper. Playing badminton is just torturing yourself.”
Sorry my playing is so terrible it polluted your eyes.
But didn’t you leave before I even started playing? Did you sneak back to watch?
Lin Yi didn’t dare voice these thoughts, only asking, “Then, Jian Shuye, classmate…”
“No need for the ‘classmate’.”
“Then, Jian Shuye, you…”
“Isn’t calling the full name troublesome?”
“Then… Shuye?”
Jian Shuye didn’t speak again, clearly accepting it by default.
Why didn’t you say so earlier, making me ask over and over?
For the first time, Lin Yi felt this beautiful girl in front of her was really troublesome.
“What club do you think I should join? The Art Club? Or this… Classical Literature Club?”
The corners of Jian Shuye’s mouth lifted slightly as she clasped her hands and countered, “Why do you think I would let you join either of those clubs?”
“Because I heard from others that you’re in the Art Club, plus you brought me here today.”
Seeing Jian Shuye remain silent, Lin Yi continued, “You think I’m not suited for the badminton team, so you must think I have some talent for painting or writing, which is why you brought me here.”
Jian Shuye delivered her judgment.
“Wrong answer. You have absolutely no connection to the aforementioned talents.”
Lin Yi pouted.
She didn’t want to talk anymore.
She wanted to jump off this fourth floor immediately.
“Let’s be direct. Don’t waste your appearance on meaningless club activities. You should aim for something higher.”
Huh?
Appearance?
Ah, right.
Lin Yi thought.
After all, she had Charm A.
Though because she hadn’t styled her hair in a long time and rarely bought new clothes, this Charm A seemed somewhat hidden.
But in front of these eyes that could see through everything, her external value had still been unearthed.
“So, you want me to…”
“Become my private model,” Jian Shuye answered.
“Ah, so that’s it, haha. A private… private what?”
“Private model.”
Jian Shuye repeated.
Lin Yi frowned, stroked her chin, and looked up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment.
Then she tilted her head and asked, “Private model… for what exactly?”
“Many aspects. To be more detailed, it means reserving your after-school time.”
Jian Shuye looked directly at Lin Yi.
“Your time after class, including weekends, is to be at my disposal.”
“Disposal?”
Jian Shuye counted on her slender fingers.
“Including painting model, writing material, clothing try-ons, drama partner… models have many uses. You’ll learn more later.”
“Wait!”
Lin Yi rubbed her forehead, distressed.
“You mean, once I accept this arrangement, I’ll never have any free time of my own again?”
“You could say that. But you can request leave from me.”
Jian Shuye held her palm up.
“With a reasonable reason, I’ll approve your time off.”
What is this girl saying?
What does she think she is?
And what does she think I am?
Isn’t this clearly saying I can only be a花瓶, incapable of doing anything else?
Barefaced humiliation!
Utter degradation!
Unbearable slander!
“I absolutely will not…”
“As compensation for your loss, the payment is this.”
Jian Shuye extended her right hand, pinching a pink banknote.
“…not…”
Jian Shuye pinched her right fingers, and five more notes fanned out from behind the first one.
Lin Yi swallowed.
“Per session?”
“Hourly.”
Are you insulting me with money?
Lin Yi wanted to rebuke her like that, but the offer was simply too generous.
Six hundred per hour.
Lin Yi had no reason to refuse.
Jian Shuye put away the notes in her hand, then took out her phone.
“Then let’s exchange contact information. But let’s be clear first: only I can contact you. You cannot send me messages. I won’t reply to a single character.”
“Hold on!”
Lin Yi reached out, still trying to struggle.
No, this can’t be.
I’m still a first-year high school student.
Using my looks to earn money… that’s something you do after messing around for four years in university, failing to find a job, going home to mooch off your parents, wasting your life, getting kicked out by them, and having no other choice.
Starting such work now… isn’t it too early?
[Time-limited mission opportunity detected: You, in your thirties and still a NEET at home, realize under your mother’s tears and your father’s scorn that you must support yourself. At this moment, finding a job has become your primary goal!]
[Mission: Find a job]
[Time Limit: 15 days (Difficult), 7 days (Hard), 1 day (Extreme)]
—Haki-system, what are you doing?!
Are you forcing a decent girl into prostitution?!
[Abandon this mission?]
—No.
Lin Yi clenched her fingers, then finally pulled out her small phone with the cracked screen from her pants pocket and exchanged contact information with Jian Shuye.
Jian Shuye looked at the account with the Tom Cat avatar and nodded.
“No need for a contract. Since I’m giving you money unilaterally, daily settlement is fine.”
“Hey, I want to ask you something.”
Lin Yi felt somewhat uneasy.
“Will this… affect my studies? After all, I still want to…”
Jian Shuye interrupted.
“You can rest assured. The work intensity isn’t high. Or rather, if you find this bothersome, you can give up at any time.”
As if talking about something very casual, Jian Shuye put away her phone.
“My invitation to you was just a spur-of-the-moment idea. Think of it as joining a club. If you’re not satisfied, just quit. I don’t care.”
“Alright. I’ll… give it a try.”
[Mission completion detected. What incredible speed! It’s as if an HR recruiter was blocking your door demanding you sign a contract. Your future is truly bright!]
[Base Reward: Unlocked Skill Painting Lv.1; Extra Reward: Painting Skill increased to Lv.2; Additional Reward: Unlocked Skill Performance Lv.1]
Heh.
Lin Yi looked at Jian Shuye.
That face, set against the backdrop of the setting sun, was truly flawless.
She probably didn’t need money; just showing a slightly pleading attitude would make anyone unable to refuse her request.
The world was realistic.
Good-looking people had an invisible pass, and she was rich on top of that.
Lin Yi sighed.
“Do rich young ladies like you always prefer to solve problems with money?”
Jian Shuye leaned back in her chair.
“Isn’t that the normal way?”
“But high school students usually use friendship, favors, promises, things like that. Who directly talks about money?”
“I think paying for work is what society something that is only natural.”
Lin Yi no longer knew what “normal” and “rightfully” meant in Jian Shuye’s dictionary.
Click.
The front door of the Classical Literature Club opened.
Two bespectacled girls holding books froze upon seeing the two people inside the clubroom.
They looked at the words on the doorplate, then at Lin Yi and Jian Shuye, and immediately asked, “You two… who are you?”
Jian Shuye stood up, patted her black and red pleated skirt, and said to Lin Yi, “Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
“If you’re not leaving, then I’ll go first.”
Lin Yi was shocked.
“Wait, you’re not a member of the Classical Literature Club?”
Jian Shuye calmly replied, “Of course not.”
“Then your key?”
“Borrowed from the teachers’ office.”
That’s just stealing!
And you sneak in and casually use someone else’s tea and cups without a care!
Ignoring Lin Yi’s stunned expression, Jian Shuye walked right between the two Classical Literature Club members and left gracefully.
This S-rank beautiful girl really had a screw loose!