My name is Levi, and I work in anime.

Liangyi went back to her hometown, Guanbuzi City, not long after graduating from elementary school.

Of course, such a small distance is hardly an obstacle to their friendship. Besides, with today's advanced communication networks, Li Wei often communicates with them and visits their homes every few days.

Over the years, my best friend's appearance hasn't changed much; she's still as cool and beautiful as ever. Apart from needing Li Wei to change her sanitary napkins and make brown sugar water for her every month, there's nothing else that's changed.

The boy still remembered when he was twelve years old, fresh out of elementary school, visiting Ryougi's house. That night, the two of them secretly slept in the same bed while the adults were away, and when they woke up the next day, they found Ryougi covered in blood.

"Liangyi, you're injured!?" Li Wei, very concerned, pulled down his best friend's pants: "Let me help you treat it..."

"How are you? How badly am I injured?" Ryougi took off her socks.

"It's not serious, it's just that my period has started." The boy's head was buzzing.

"Idiot!" Ryougi kicked the boy in the face.

That morning, the Ryougi family ate red bean rice.

Just as Li Wei was reminiscing about the pleasant times he spent with his best friend.

The sound of a door opening came from the house to Li Wei's left, which was another neighbor's house, and the house numbered "Touma Residence".

A troubled girl with long, jet-black hair, a model-like tall figure, and a cold, sharp temperament appears before a human and a cat (?).

"Good morning, Lucy," she greeted the mutated girl.

"Meow~"

"Yes, I like Lucy too!"

"Meow meow meow~"

"That's right, we need to work even harder today."

"Meow meow meow~"

"I will definitely try my best. Well then, goodbye."

After ending what seemed like a nonsensical conversation to outsiders, Li Wei's long-haired, straight-haired neighbor walked straight to school without glancing at Li Wei once, as if the boy didn't exist in this world.

Touma Kazusa, a girl, is the boy's neighbor.

Despite being neighbors, sitting in front of and behind each other in the classroom, having known each other for several years, and being perceived as very close by others until high school—even being jealously called "Levi's Dog" by a certain twin-tailed devil—their relationship plummeted after entering high school, with zero interaction between them at school.

In other people's eyes, Li Wei is the undisputed "perfect child" from everyone else's family.

She excels academically, is proficient in calligraphy, art, and sports, cares for her classmates, stands up for the weak and helps the strong, and is courageous in doing what is right. She once gave a speech as a representative of the freshmen and is loved by countless girls, cute boys, and adorable children of certain genders.

Touma Kazusa, on the other hand, is completely different.

She only possesses outstanding talent in music; her grades in all other subjects are terrible. Aside from Hiratsuka-nee's classes, where she might show some leniency, sleeping, being late, or even leaving early are commonplace in other classes—a typical problem girl.

Hiratsuka-nee's earnest advice was: "Kazusa, you can't do this! I used to think that everything would be fine when I was young, but now I can't even find a boyfriend. You must not waste your time!"

The class monitor, still sporting a ponytail, gently tried to guide him: "Dongma, I don't know what happened to you, but this isn't right. Every gift of fate comes with a price." But it had no effect.

In the past, Li Wei and Yaozi could still control her, but later she stopped listening to anyone.

"Meow—" Lucy looked at her companion's (?) back as it gradually disappeared into the distance, somewhat puzzled, as if saying, "We used to be pets together, how did things turn out like this?"

"Don't worry, I'll handle everything."

"I'll straighten out Lucy's messy clothes again," Levi said confidently.

Although this is the umpteenth time I've made this promise.

Chapter 2: What Did She Go Through from Ultimate High School Beauty to Office Worker?

On the first day of school, there was the familiar speech from the leaders, followed by a speech from the freshman who ranked first in the entrance exam, and then recruitment activities for various student clubs.

All of this feels so familiar. Last year, as a representative of the new students, I experienced all of the above. It's just that this year I'm an observer, so it's a different perspective.

After everything was over, he didn't return to the classroom. There were no classes today, so he went straight to the homeroom teacher's office.

Hiratsuka Shizuka is one of Li Wei's favorite and most trusted people. She is his older sister, whom he grew up with. After graduating from university, she successfully passed the teacher qualification exam and is now teaching Japanese literature to second-year high school students at Hakuou Academy. She is also his homeroom teacher.

She's 27 this year, three years away from the legal marriage age, and for some reason she can't find a boyfriend, but thankfully she's not in a rush.

Perhaps it's because there are too many teachers in the school who are eager to get married. After all, 27 is still a very competitive age. Looking at the teachers in the next class, such as Ms. Yomi Kawa, Ms. Totsugi Natsumi, and Ms. Yokoshima Naruko, they feel a little more at ease.

"I'm not the worst one. There are plenty of people like me, and some are even worse. Look at Natsumi Totsugi, she's forty years old and still can't get married, right? So the problem isn't me, it's the world!"

"Don't make the world take the blame for you, Hiratsuka-nee."

Sitting in his office grading papers, Li Wei looked at the female teacher lounging on the sofa, seemingly shirking her responsibilities, and couldn't help but complain, "And did you drink again yesterday? Didn't I tell you that excessive drinking is harmful to your health?"

"Don't listen to those claims that having a few drinks is good for your health. Alcohol is alcohol. Hot alcohol damages the liver, and cold alcohol damages the lungs."

“But I’m heartbroken without wine,” Hiratsuka Shizuka said dejectedly.

Seeing the once radiant and beautiful high school girl gradually degenerate into this state, Li Wei couldn't help but feel even more heartbroken.

Why, why can't Hiratsuka-nee find a boyfriend? I've been trying so hard to help her.

Since her graduation, she has always had her clothes and makeup chosen and done by herself for every date, and her behavior and manners are impeccable. However, whenever she meets her blind date, her well-trained physique involuntarily unleashes an astonishing aura, as if a realm called "desperate to get married" has emerged, and this aura grows ever stronger over time, overwhelming her date and ultimately causing them to flee in terror. Some have even been so frightened that they burst into tears on the spot.

The final result, naturally, was complete failure.

After each failure, Hiratsuka would become depressed and listless. She would keep repeating, "I failed, I failed, I failed, I failed..." as if she were a time traveler from 2036 who had lost her memory and lived for 24 years before finally remembering her mission.

During work hours, I can manage to keep my low mood from affecting the students. But as soon as I get off work, I immediately become like a useless person, holed up at home and not wanting to do anything.

They eat mostly snacks and drinks, which are not nutritionally balanced at all. They drink excessively, buying beer by the case and baijiu by the kilogram.

To take care of her, the boy had no choice but to take the initiative to visit her after each failed blind date, cook for her, do her laundry, clean her room, help her take a bath, cook for her, tidy her clothes, keep an eye on her to make her drink less, write her notes and correct her homework to prevent her from becoming a complete failure.

Even if she still can't find a boyfriend, at least she's healthy.

Thinking of this, and looking at the female teacher lying on the sofa, her enthusiasm worn down by life, the boy recalled her cheerful and lively appearance and couldn't help but sigh.

If an outsider were to pass by looking like this, they might suspect that Li Wei is the teacher and Hiratsuka Shizuka is the problem student who was called to the office.

Height and appearance are not issues. The teacher in the next class, Tsukuyomi Komoe, is even shorter and smaller, but she is still the homeroom teacher.

With a silent sigh, Li Wei lowered his head and continued grading homework.

How can the thermal efficiency be calculated as 225%? The electricity meter is running backwards!

Is the old lady walking at 150 kilometers per hour? Is that the speed of being hit by a 100-ton rocket?

What do you mean by 12.5 people on a bus? Does that mean one of them is a half-demon?

This is even more straightforward; they simply submit a blank paper without writing anything, not even bothering to put up a fake one.

I opened the notebook and saw the name—Touma Kazusa.

Li Wei fell silent.

"Touma-san, what exactly happened between you and her?"

After noticing Li Wei's complete silence, Hiratsuka leaned closer curiously and asked, "Weren't you two on good terms back then? If she had a tail, she'd be wagging it at you 24/7."

"..."

"Forget it, everyone has their own problems. I'll just do the grading myself."

Seemingly having finally emerged from the shadow of being dumped on her last blind date, the female teacher pushed the boy aside: "You should go back to enjoying your pleasant campus life. Let me continue to bear this corporate slave life."

"Hmm." Li Wei looked at Hiratsuka-nee with some concern, who seemed to be forcing herself to stay awake, and then added with a hint of worry, "But..."

"It's okay. Just talking to Kazusa more often when you have time will be enough to help me."

"Oh."

“I don’t know what happened between you two, but I know you must have upset her.” The older female teacher said very seriously, “No matter what means you use, restore the relationship to normal immediately. Since you’ve offended so many girls, you have to act like a real man.”

If you lack ability and responsibility, what kind of Crystal Palace are you running?

"I understand." Li Wei nodded.

"By the way, there's one more thing."

Just before Li Wei reached the door and grasped the handle, ready to push the door open and leave, Hiratsuka Shizuka looked up and added, "You haven't joined a club yet, have you?"

"Are you going to drag me into joining a club again?" the boy said helplessly. "You know how big of a mess the last strange investigation department incident caused, right?"

"But the final result was pretty good, wasn't it?" Hiratsuka-nee shrank back a little guiltily.

"Whose club is facing disbandment this time due to a lack of members?"

"You know this person very well, Yukino Yukinoshita. Aren't you on good terms? The Service Club she founded is currently severely understaffed."

It was another familiar face.

However, the name of this club is really worth criticizing, as it always makes people think in a less-than-healthy direction, but it's definitely not Li Wei's fault.

And how should I answer? Actually, my relationship with her isn't as good as you think. On the contrary, I'm quite close to her mother and her sister.

"In short, even if you don't participate, you can still show your support. A high school life without participating in club activities is incomplete."

Hiratsuka Shizuka earnestly urged, "You absolutely must go."

"Oh."

"Oh, you big dummy, hurry up and leave." The female teacher, exasperated and amused by her failed blind date, watched as Li Wei pushed open the door, opened it, and then slammed it shut.

After that, the smile gradually disappeared from the nearly 30-year-old single woman, and she returned to her listless state. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.

"Ugh……"

I sighed unconsciously.

Chapter 3: The little girls from back then have all grown up so much.

Leaving Hiratsuka Shizuka's office, Li Wei did not participate in club activities or enjoy a pleasant youth life as his older, unmarried female homeroom teacher had imagined.

On the one hand, the boy was very self-aware.

His abilities far surpass those of normal high school students, or even normal humans. Participating in club activities would be tantamount to bullying him. Ultimately, clubs are only fun when people of similar skill levels hang out together; spending every day with non-humans is incredibly discouraging.

Of course, there are countless strong individuals in White Emperor Academy, and even Li Wei wouldn't dare say he excels in every club. At least he wouldn't be able to completely dominate the Mahjong Club next door, which can play mahjong with dazzling skill, or the Tennis Club, which can hit the ball with black holes.

On the other hand, teenagers' time is very precious, and they don't want to waste it on this.

Since you've joined a club, you'll at least need to maintain a certain attendance rate and participate in various activities. If it's a competitive sports club like basketball or soccer, you'll also need to allocate time for competitions. Even disregarding whether your participation constitutes bullying, the time commitment is simply too much.

Instead of wasting time on that, you should practice your boxing and spear techniques, study the teachings of Confucius and runes, or even treat more patients online and save more broken families.

There aren't any classes this morning, so how about I go check out Xiaozhi's Yukinoshita?

Thinking this, Li Wei walked down the stairs aimlessly.

Then, his shoe touched a soft, squishy object.

It was a pure white, soft and elegant beret, which looked to be at least ten years old. However, because it had been carefully cared for by its owner and was of very good quality, it did not show any signs of age.

This style looks somewhat familiar; I feel like I've seen it somewhere before.

"that……"

Following the sound and the direction from which the hat had fallen, Li Wei looked up. There he saw a plain-looking, cute, short-haired girl in white stockings and a red coat. Standing at the top of the stairs, she spoke to him softly, in a calm but slightly confused voice:

"That hat is mine, so, Li Wei, could you please return it to me?"

"No problem, Kato-kun." The boy picked up the hat at his feet, gently dusted it off, and then handed it over.

"Hey! Li Wei actually remembers my name!"

After thanking her, the seemingly ordinary but cute girl showed a surprised expression, looking slightly taken aback.

"Of course I remember you, because you sat behind Saeko in class," Li Wei replied naturally.

"...So it was because of Busujima that you remembered."

The girl called Kato's eyes dimmed slightly, so briefly that the boy thought he must have seen wrong.

"But that's normal. I've always been inconspicuous since I was little. Apart from my family, no one really notices me," the girl said. "Even in kindergarten, I didn't have many friends. Only two classmates would ask me to play the roles of little animals like kittens, puppies, sparrows, turtles, and goldfish when they played house."

"That's really going too far. Isn't this already considered passive-aggressive behavior?"

"Not at all. On the contrary, my childhood was only complete because of the two of them." Kato gave the boy a deep look: "Anyway, I will work hard in the future."