Chapter 8: Probing

When the alarm clock rang for the final time, White Li finally crawled out from under the covers.

Sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains, painting a golden line on the floor.

She rubbed her eyes and instinctively touched the top of her head. The furry ears were still there, soft and fluffy.

The life of the past few months wasn’t a dream. She really had crossed over to another world, continuing to live as “White Li.”

‘Time to go to school.’

She threw off the blanket and picked up the paper bag delivered by a runner last night from the bedside.

Inside the bag were two pure cotton undershirts. She picked one and pulled it on, then put on her shirt and jacket. She stood in front of the mirror, carefully checking herself.

No strange bulges, no odd sensation of rough fabric rubbing.

No matter how she moved, she didn’t feel any discomfort.

“Haaah—”

White Li let out a long sigh, feeling completely settled.

‘Thank goodness my figure isn’t particularly outstanding. A random undershirt is enough to handle it.’

She absolutely did not want to experience the torment of yesterday ever again.

Once she was ready, she casually picked up her phone to check the balance.

[27.5 yuan]

White Li fell silent.

That string of numbers was like a bucket of cold water, dousing most of the good mood she had just gained.

Last night’s shared meal cost ten yuan, and the two undershirts cost over twenty more. Her wallet was already empty.

Even if the organization would still send living expenses, she’d have to wait until next week. How was she supposed to survive until then?

Staring at the number on the screen, she sighed and stuffed the phone into her pocket.

‘I’ll just take it one step at a time.’

Pushing open the apartment building door, the morning air hit her face, carrying the scent of grass and earth.

White Li took a deep breath and stepped outside. Just as she turned the corner of the building, she saw a figure standing by the roadside.

Blue and white school uniform, a single-strap bag casually slung over one shoulder, a white plastic bag in hand.

It was Lin Du.

White Li’s steps faltered slightly.

“Morning,” Lin Du nodded at her.

“Ah… morning,” White Li responded instinctively, then realized something was off. “Huh? What are you doing here?”

“Morning jog,” Lin Du raised a hand, pointing toward the direction of the residential complex entrance. “Just happened to run over here and saw you come out.”

“Oh…”

White Li nodded, feeling something was strange but couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

She didn’t dwell on it, her gaze quickly drawn to the plastic bag in Lin Du’s hand.

The bag was slightly open, and a very familiar aroma wafted out.

‘Meat buns.’

White Li’s nose twitched instinctively. Last night’s meal was a completely vegetarian combo. It was cheap, sure, but for a carnivore like her, eating it felt like eating nothing at all.

Now, smelling the meat, her stomach immediately betrayed her with an ungrateful rumble.

“Grrrr—”

The sound was soft, but loud enough for the person next to her to hear clearly.

White Li’s face flushed bright red.

Lin Du glanced down at the bag in his hand, then looked up at her, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He seemed to want to laugh, but held it back.

“Have you eaten?” he asked.

“N-not yet…” White Li forced her gaze away from the buns, looking at the bushes beside them.

“Then these are for you.” Lin Du held the bag out to her.

“Huh?” White Li was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly waved her hands. “No, no, you bought them for yourself…”

“I’m full,” Lin Du interrupted her. “I don’t have much appetite after a morning run. I bought three but only ate one. This soy milk hasn’t been touched either.”

With that, he pushed the bag forward a little more.

White Li stared at the bag of buns, licking her lips.

‘It’s been so long since I’ve had meat. And they’re still warm. I don’t even have to pay for them.’

“…Th-then I won’t stand on ceremony?” she cautiously took the bag. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

White Li pulled a bun out of the bag and took a bite.

Juice exploded in her mouth, the aroma of meat mixed with the fragrance of the dough, and it even tasted a little sweet as she chewed.

Her eyes involuntarily narrowed, her cheeks moving up and down, her whole person resembling a little animal that had stolen some nuts.

Lin Du looked at her, froze for a second, then shifted his gaze away.

“Let’s go, class is about to start.”

“Mhm mhm.” White Li nodded, the bun still in her mouth as she followed him, continuing to eat as they walked.

The two walked side by side, one carrying a single-strap bag, the other holding a bun, their pace neither hurried nor slow.

“You didn’t eat last night?” Lin Du asked.

“I did,” White Li swallowed a mouthful. “But I didn’t eat my fill.”

“Why not?”

“Uh… dieting?”

“Aren’t you a guy? Why are you dieting?” Lin Du looked her up and down. “Besides, you’re still growing. Not eating enough will affect your physical development.”

“Oh…”

White Li suddenly felt this guy was a bit of a busybody, but having accepted his food, she couldn’t very well say anything more.

She had already finished the second bun. She drained the remaining soy milk in one go, then let out a satisfied burp.

They reached the residential complex entrance and turned onto the road leading to school.

The wind rustled the leaves by the roadside, and occasionally a few fallen leaves spiraled down.

“You’re pretty strong. Can’t tell at all,” Lin Du said suddenly. “It still hurts a bit even today.”

“About that… sorry,” White Li hunched her shoulders. “I really didn’t mean to.”

“I know,” Lin Du said. “I’m just curious. Did you used to train?”

“Trained a little,” White Li nodded cautiously. “Learned Taekwondo when I was a kid.”

“Taekwondo can get you to that level?”

“I’m a natural talent.”

—

The morning classes were utterly ordinary.

The math teacher lectured about functions on the podium, chalk tapping tap-tap-tap on the blackboard, strings of formulas appearing one after another.

White Li propped her head up, pretending to listen, but her mind was actually full of messy thoughts.

‘What about the mission?

I have to report to Madam this weekend, but I haven’t even caught a glimpse of the Blazing Knight’s shadow yet.

That silver tin man seems to have evaporated from the world. He hasn’t appeared at all these past few days.

Could it be that without monsters, there’s no knight?

I can’t possibly report, “The Blazing Knight is actually a shut-in who hasn’t gone out recently,” can I?’

Madam’s smiling-yet-not-smiling face appeared in her mind, and White Li shuddered.

‘My living expenses are almost gone too.

I might not even make it through tonight. Do I really have to go find a job?

But with this body, this identity… what kind of work could I find?

And that guy named Lin Du…’

She stole a glance back.

Lin Du was copying notes with his head down, the sunlight outlining a soft profile, the very picture of a model student.

But relying on the Fox Clan’s keen intuition, White Li could confirm he was definitely secretly watching her.

She could feel his gaze periodically, sweeping back and forth behind her.

‘Was he testing me this morning? Trying to fish for information?

Probably not, right?

What could an ordinary high school student possibly test out?

Does he have some forbidden feelings for the same sex?

Creepy.’

White Li shook her head, pushing the thought down.

‘Looks like I need to be even more careful during my next operation. I absolutely cannot expose my abilities.

Better not have the other side catch my scent and come after me before I even find the Blazing Knight.’

“Ding ling ling—”

The bell for the end of class finally rang, like a bucket of cold water waking the drowsy masses.

The classroom instantly came to life. Some stretched, some packed up their books, some started discussing what to eat for lunch.

White Li also breathed a sigh of relief, threw her pen onto the desk, leaned back in her chair, and stretched with a big yawn.

Footsteps approached from behind. She pricked up her hidden ears.

“White Li.”

Lin Du walked up from behind her and patted her shoulder.

“Want to go to the bathroom together?”