My and Their Anime-Style Otherworldly Survival Adventure

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jiu Xiao hung up the phone.

Miki Sayaka breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing limply into Jiuxiao's arms as if she had just survived a life-or-death battle. Upon closer inspection, she quickly realized something was amiss: why did Jiuxiao have Kaname Shunko's contact information?

Looking at Jiu Xiao with suspicion, Miki Sayaka asked, "You... went to Xiao Yuan's house? Why do you have Aunt Xunzi's contact information?" Miki Sayaka stared intently at Jiu Xiao, as if trying to find the answer in his expression.

Jiuxiao nodded, gently stroking her hair, and told Miki Sayaka the whole story. Of course, that night, between him, Madoka, and Akemi Homura...

He didn't mention a word about what happened.

He's definitely a scumbag!

"Actually, I've recently started trying to write light novels. As you know, I come from another world and need money to support myself here. So, I started writing in the hope of earning some income this way. How about I support you when I've earned enough money? At least I won't let you suffer materially."

Miki Sayaka pouted, seemingly not entirely convinced by Jiuxiao's explanation. She gently pushed him away, straightened up, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Writing light novels? That sounds quite plausible. But are you sure you can make money? Won't it be canceled after the second volume?" Sayaka Miki raised an eyebrow, her tone laced with a mix of teasing and skepticism.

"Oh ho, you actually dare to question your man? I think you're asking for a beating." Jiu Xiao pretended to roll up his sleeves, reached out and pinched Miki Sayaka's cheek, gently tugged it, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

Miki Sayaka couldn't dodge in time, seemingly not expecting Jiuxiao to do this. She couldn't help but let out a soft gasp, then slapped away the hand that was playing tricks on her face, glared at him, and a hint of shyness flashed in her eyes.

Rubbing her cheeks, which were slightly red from being pinched, Miki Sayaka feigned displeasure and said, "Idiot, you idiot, what do you mean by 'your man'? Ugh, shameless..."

Even so, a faint blush rose to Miki Sayaka's face, and her eyes unconsciously darted away. She lowered her head, appearing quite flustered.

Jiuxiao remained completely unmoved, even somewhat enjoying being insulted by the beautiful girl...

He took her hand, and their fingers intertwined. Miki Sayaka initially resisted, but quickly gave up struggling, letting Jiu Xiao hold her hand tightly. She felt the warmth of his palm, and her heart involuntarily quickened. Looking at her shy yet stubborn expression, Jiu Xiao couldn't help but chuckle softly.

They soon arrived at Miki Sayaka's house, and she felt a pang of reluctance. After taking several deep breaths, Miki Sayaka finally mustered the courage to look up and meet Kyuu's gaze. She said softly, "Um... thank you for coming home with me today. Would you like to come in and sit for a while?"

Her voice was barely audible, the blush on her cheeks was more pronounced, and her fingers were unconsciously twisting together, making her appear somewhat nervous.

Seeing her uneasy expression, Jiu Xiao pretended to think seriously for a moment, then leaned down slightly, got close to her ear, and whispered, "Are you sure you want me to go in? What if I don't want to leave once I'm inside?"

Miki Sayaka was startled. Before she could react, Jiuxiao had already taken a half step back and continued, "Hehe, don't be so nervous. I was just joking. Let's leave it at that today. I'm empty-handed right now, so I'd be embarrassed to come and visit."

Miki Sayaka froze for a moment, then realized what she meant, her cheeks instantly turning bright red. She glared at Jiuxiao angrily, her voice tinged with embarrassment and annoyance: "You, you really are something! Who asked you to stay! I just... just, yes, just said it casually out of politeness!"

Seeing Miki Sayaka's insincere expression, Jiuxiao couldn't help but pinch her chin and laugh even more unrestrainedly.

"Is that so~ Then I won't sit down. A goodnight kiss is fine, right?" Jiuxiao deliberately dragged out his words, a hint of teasing in his eyes, his gaze fixed on Miki Sayaka.

Miki Sayaka quickly looked around. This was her front door! It would be too embarrassing if her neighbors or family saw her! She subconsciously took a step back, but found that she had nowhere to retreat. Her body had been forced into a corner by Kyuu.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, she could only close her eyes and let Jiu Xiao "take liberties" with her, feeling even more guilty.

'Guomei, Xiaoyuan...'

After a friendly "exchange," Jiuxiao was completely satisfied, while Miki Sayaka was utterly despondent.

She stood at the door, taking a long time to calm her racing heart. Watching Jiuxiao's figure recede into the distance, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Idiot, see you tomorrow..."

After walking a distance, Jiuxiao seemed to suddenly remember something, took out his phone and sent a message to Miki Sayaka.

Miki Sayaka heard her phone vibrate and looked down to see a message from Jiu Xiao: Tomorrow is Saturday, can you come with me to the Shinazugawa Bunko bookstore to sign a contract? I'm new here and don't know anyone, what if we get lost?

Sayaka Miki looked at her phone screen, a smile involuntarily playing on her lips. She felt a mixture of anticipation and reluctance to agree too easily. She quickly replied, "You're not a child, how could you possibly get lost? Besides, isn't there GPS?"

Jiuxiao's reply came quickly: "No navigation is as reliable as you. Besides, I can only feel at ease when you're with me."

After much arguing and persuasion, Jiu Xiao finally got Miki Sayaka to agree to accompany him to the Shinazugawa Bunko bookstore to sign a contract. She put down her phone, sighed softly, and couldn't help but feel a sweet warmth in her heart. Although Jiu Xiao always liked to tease her, she had gradually gotten used to the feeling of being led by him.

Jiuxiao quickly returned to the entrance of Homura Akemi's apartment building alone. Before entering, he carefully tidied his clothes to ensure he looked neat and presentable. After all, Homura Akemi's keen observation skills were no joke, and he didn't want to give anyone away.

Although secrets can't be kept forever, Jiu Xiao decided to keep a low profile for now and focus on maximizing his favorability first. He gently knocked on the door, and after a moment, it opened. Akemi Homura stood in the doorway, her eyes filled with a hint of doubt and scrutiny. She looked him up and down, then asked in a flat tone, "Why are you so late? Where have you been?"

Chapter 175 Anime is all lies

Jiu Xiao opened his arms and gave Xiao Meiyan a bear hug, holding her tightly in his arms. He said casually, "Xiao Yan, doesn't your tone sound like you're questioning your husband who comes home late from work?"

Homura Akemi remained expressionless. She had considered running away, but through her time with Jiuxiao, she had gradually figured out his tactics. He was a man who wouldn't give up until he achieved his goal; she could hide for a while, but not forever. Rather than running away, she decided to remain calm and wait for the right moment. She let Jiuxiao hold her, coldly saying, "Had enough? Let go!"

Upon hearing this, Jiuxiao not only didn't let go, but hugged her even tighter, a smug smile on his lips, as if declaring his victory. He lowered his head, leaned close to Homura Akemi's ear, and whispered, "Homura, you clearly care about me, so why do you always act so cold? That's not being honest at all."

Homura Akemi was exasperated; she really wanted to punch this guy twice! Doesn't he ever get tired of this every day?

She thought this to herself, but her words were anything but gentle: "Come on! Ask yourself, why am I like this? Isn't it because you always push your luck and never take things seriously!"

Jiu Xiao chuckled awkwardly, reluctantly releasing Xiao Meiyan, and feigned grievance, saying, "Xiao Yan, you're wronging me. How am I being indecent? I genuinely care about you and want you to smile more. You have such a lovely face; it's such a waste to have you always looking so serious." Jiu Xiao looked heartbroken, as if he had lost a billion dollars.

Homura Akemi glanced at him, then turned and walked into the house, her tone still cold: "Stop talking nonsense, come in quickly, don't stand at the door and embarrass yourself."

Jiuxiao followed behind Akemi Homura, closing the door as he chuckled, "Homura, you're really hurting my feelings by saying that. How can that be called being cheeky? I clearly..."

"I'm trying so hard to cheer you up! You see, you're so busy with your studies and under so much pressure, I'm just trying to find a way to help you relax." Jiu Xiao said, while dramatically clutching his chest as if he had really suffered a great injury.

Akemi Homura walked into the living room without looking back, casually taking off her apron and draping it over the back of a chair. Turning to look at Jiuxiao, her eyes held a hint of warning: "Don't give me that. If you really want me to relax, stop hanging around in front of me all day and give me some peace and quiet."

Jiuxiao immediately put on a hurt expression and sighed dramatically, "Xiaoyan, you've changed..."

Before he could finish speaking, Homura Akemi turned and walked towards the kitchen, interrupting him coldly: "Stop acting, go wash your hands and get ready to eat."

After dinner, Jiuxiao tried the same trick again, attempting to climb into Homura Akemi's bed. But this time, Homura Akemi resolutely refused, her attitude gradually softening from its initial hardline stance, and finally even carrying a hint of pleading.

She hesitated and said she wasn't feeling well lately and wanted to rest alone. Jiu Xiao suddenly understood what she meant. Although he hadn't done anything when they slept together before, and he didn't plan to make a move at this age, girls always have special periods that need care.

Jiuxiao scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "Oh dear, it was my oversight, Xiaoyan. You should have told me sooner, I would have gone to make you some brown sugar ginger tea to warm you up."

Akemi Homura was exasperated, inwardly rolling her eyes. This guy always presumptuously interpreted her meaning, with that "I understand you" look on his face—it was both infuriating and hilarious. She wanted to explain that she simply wanted to rest alone, but seeing Jiuxiao already excitedly running towards the kitchen, muttering "brown sugar ginger tea is the best for warming the stomach," she decided not to say anything more.

"Never mind, let him be." Homura Akemi sighed and turned to walk towards her room.

The next day, Sayaka Miki got up early, carefully dressed herself in front of the mirror, changed into a light blue dress, meticulously combed her hair, and even applied a touch of light lipstick. Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but blush, inwardly scolding herself: 'What am I doing? It's not like we're going on a date, I'm just accompanying him to sign a contract…'

Nevertheless, she couldn't help but take a few more glances to make sure she looked presentable and elegant before hurriedly leaving the house.

The agreed-upon meeting place was near the station, and Miki Sayaka spotted Jiuxiao's figure from afar. He was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, holding a can of coffee, and leaning against the wall waiting for her. Sunlight shone on his profile, making him look exceptionally refreshed. Miki Sayaka involuntarily slowed her pace, but her heart began to race.

Jiuxiao seemed to notice her arrival, looked up and waved to her with a familiar smile: "Good morning, Sayaka! You look really beautiful today. Indeed, clothes make the man."

Miki Sayaka ignored the second half of Jiu Xiao's sentence, and walked to his side, forcing herself to remain calm, her face already flushed. This was the first time Jiu Xiao had ever praised her beauty so seriously. Although his tone still carried his usual teasing, Miki Sayaka couldn't help but feel a surge of secret joy.

"Good morning... Have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just arrived." Jiu Xiao smiled and walked closer, handing her another can of coffee. "I bought it for you. I don't know if you'll like it."

Sayaka Miki took the coffee, a warm feeling welling up inside her: "Thank you..."

The two walked side by side to the station. Along the way, Jiu Xiao would occasionally make witty remarks, making Miki Sayaka both annoyed and amused. Although she always complained that Jiu Xiao was too irresponsible, she secretly felt that these moments were exceptionally beautiful.

Inside the station, Jiuxiao looked at the Shinkansen with a troubled expression. He scratched his head, turned to Miki Sayaka somewhat awkwardly, and asked, "Um... Sayaka, do you know where the Shinazugawa Bunko headquarters is?"

Miki Sayaka paused for a moment, then couldn't help but burst out laughing: "Pfft! You didn't even know your destination before coming straight to the station?"

Jiuxiao touched his nose somewhat awkwardly and chuckled, "I asked you to be my guide, right? You should be quite familiar with the area around Tokyo, right?"

Sayaka Miki shook her head helplessly, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips: "Alright, since you trust me so much, I'll reluctantly take you. But you'd better thank Sayaka-sama properly."

Jiuxiao immediately adopted an exaggeratedly respectful posture, placing his right hand on his chest and bowing slightly: "Yes, Lady Sayaka! I am extremely grateful and am willing to serve you like a dog!"

Jiu Xiao's voice was loud, quickly attracting the attention of those around them. Coupled with their good looks, they drew many curious glances. Miki Sayaka couldn't stand it and quickly grabbed Jiu Xiao's sleeve, complaining in a low voice, "Hey, you're definitely doing this on purpose to embarrass me, aren't you? Let's go, everyone's watching us!"

Miki Sayaka tugged at Jiu Xiao's sleeve and hurried through the crowd, her face burning. Jiu Xiao, however, continued to follow behind her with a grin, showing no sign of restraint. He even deliberately slowed his pace, forcing Miki Sayaka to turn around and glare at him.

The tram was crowded, and the two of them finally managed to squeeze on, forced to stand close together. To prevent Miki Sayaka from being jostled by the surrounding crowd, he slightly turned to the side, using his arm to create a small space for her. Miki Sayaka felt his movement, and her heart skipped a beat. She lowered her head, pretending to be focused on the coffee can in her hand, but couldn't help but steal glances at Kushou out of the corner of her eye.

They traveled in silence until they reached the vicinity of the Shinazugawa Library. Kyusho then asked Sayaka Miki to rest at a nearby cafe while he went to take care of some business.

Guided by the receptionist, Jiu Xiao was led to the meeting room. Shortly after he sat down, the door was gently pushed open. A middle-aged man in a black suit, looking quite mature, walked in. He had a gentle smile on his face, held a document in his hand, and went straight to sit down opposite him.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Jiu Xiao's eyes. Anime really is a lie. There was no Machida Sonoko, not even a young and beautiful editor! He thought he had hidden it well, but the middle-aged man seemed to sense his emotions, smiled slightly, and said, "What? Disappointed? Did you think a young and pretty editor would be in charge of your work?"

Caught off guard, Jiu Xiao blushed and quickly waved his hands to explain, "No, no, how could I have such thoughts! I just didn't expect that a newcomer like me could be personally received by the editor-in-chief. I'm truly flattered." Jiu Xiao pointed to the other person's name tag, which clearly read "Editor-in-Chief of Shinazugawa Bunko - Tanaka Ichiro".

Tanaka Ichiro chuckled and waved his hand. "Don't be nervous, I was just joking. Actually, we've been seeing more and more young people like you submitting their work lately, bringing fresh ideas and unique perspectives. Our editorial department is really looking forward to working with you. Let me formally introduce myself: I'm Tanaka Ichiro, the editor-in-chief of Shinazugawa Bunko."

We have carefully read your work, and both the plot and the character development are truly impressive. Especially…”

Hearing this, Jiu Xiao breathed a slight sigh of relief, the weight lifted from his heart. The two then engaged in an in-depth discussion about the work's content. Tanaka Ichiro highly praised Jiu Xiao's creative concept and story structure, while also offering some constructive suggestions for improvement. Jiu Xiao listened attentively, taking notes and nodding in agreement from time to time.

“Your work has great potential. Our editorial department has decided to print 10,000 copies as a trial to see how the market reacts. If the response is good, we will consider reprinting it.” Tanaka Ichiro closed the file in his hand, his tone filled with anticipation.

Jiu Xiao naturally had no objections and readily signed the contract, essentially getting it for free. Moreover, the profit-sharing was substantial, a full 20%, which was considered quite generous for a new author. It seemed his mother-in-law had put in a lot of effort behind the scenes, Jiu Xiao thought to himself with secret relief.

After signing the contract, Jiu Xiao asked if he could get an advance on part of the royalties, since he was a little short on cash and had been squeezed dry by that little girl Bai Jiangzhu.

Tanaka Ichiro smiled and nodded after hearing this: "That's no problem. We can give you a portion of the royalties in advance. However, according to convention, the advance amount cannot exceed fifty percent of the total royalties. Is that alright with you?"

Jiuxiao silently calculated in his mind that the light novel was priced at 660 yen per volume, and the total royalties for 10,000 copies would be 66 million yen. A 20% share would be 132 million yen, and a 50% advance would be 660,000 yen. Although it wasn't a huge amount, it was enough to alleviate his current financial pressure.

"Absolutely no problem, thank you so much!" Jiu Xiao nodded with a smile. With this advance payment, at least he wouldn't have to worry about not having money for dates later; he couldn't possibly live off all the girls...

Seeing that he readily agreed, Tanaka Ichiro took out an application form for advance payment of royalties from his drawer and handed it to Jiuxiao to fill out.

"By the way, Mr. Jiuxiao, have you decided on your pen name yet? This needs to be written into the contract." Tanaka Ichiro asked casually while organizing the documents.

A pen name? He hadn't really considered this question before. After thinking for a moment, Jiu Xiao's eyes lit up, "Let's call it 'Writing with Immediate Cough'."

Having successfully completed the signing and walked out of the library building, Jiu Xiao stretched, the sunlight shining on his face, the warm comfort making him squint his eyes. He looked down at the contract in his hand, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.

This is a golden goose, a long-term source of profit, but the price is just a little effort. His past experience tells him that each copy, conservatively estimated, will sell no less than 300,000 copies, and possibly even more.

After reuniting with Sayaka Miki, Jiuxiao was even more delighted, and the smile on his face almost overflowed.

"Stop grinning like an idiot, is it really that big of a deal? It's just a contract, isn't it?" Miki Sayaka rolled her eyes at Jiuxiao's smug look, but the corners of her mouth turned up slightly, clearly happy for his success.

“What do you mean ‘it’s just a contract’? Do you know how much money I made in just this short time?” Jiu Xiao raised an eyebrow mysteriously, his tone tinged with a hint of boasting.

Miki Sayaka shook her head, clearly unimpressed by Jiuxiao's smugness, but still couldn't help asking, "How much did you earn? You seem so happy, it must have been quite a lot, right?"

Jiuxiao smiled mysteriously, stretched out his hand, and made a "six" gesture.

"6? Really? Is your novel that popular?" Sayaka Miki's eyes widened in surprise, clearly taken aback by Jiu Xiao's income. Although she knew Jiu Xiao had some talent in writing, she hadn't expected to receive such a large advance on royalties right after signing a contract.

Jiuxiao shook his head and corrected, "No, no, no, 6? Who are you looking down on? It's 66!"

"66?!" Sayaka Miki repeated in surprise, her eyes wide, clearly shocked by the number. She instinctively held up her fingers, silently calculating the magnitude of the sum in her mind. It was more than her family's total monthly income.

Chapter 176 Sayaka is an idiot

"How about it? Pretty impressive, right?" Jiuxiao raised an eyebrow smugly, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing. Seeing Miki Sayaka's reaction, he felt even more pleased.

"Tch, it's just 66, what's so great about it?" Miki Sayaka feigned disdain, but the surprise and envy in her eyes betrayed her. She couldn't help but ask again, "You just signed the contract and you can get such a large advance? Won't you be making a fortune in the future?"

Jiuxiao didn't deny it. Instead, he took Miki Sayaka's hand, squeezed it gently, and said, "This is nothing! What's mine is yours. Come on, let's go shopping!"

Miki Sayaka blushed a little at Jiuxiao's sudden action, but she didn't break free. She just hummed softly, "Hmph~ Who asked you to take me shopping? It's not like I don't have money."

Jiu Xiao smiled but didn't reply. Instead, he pulled her towards the station. He was actually more interested in taking Shuang Ge to find Sakura Kyoko than spending money. There was still plenty of time; it was time for these two "enemies" to meet.

The Five Colors Team can't be without the "Red Warriors," just as the West can't be without Jerusalem. Having made up his mind, Jiuxiao's steps became even lighter.

"Hey, why are you walking so fast all of a sudden?" Miki Sayaka, being pulled along by Kyushou, stumbled a little and couldn't help but complain.

"I'll take you shopping, and we can meet someone while we're at it." Jiu Xiao continued walking forward without turning his head, his tone relaxed, as if everything was under his control.

Miki Sayaka felt a vague unease. Every time Jiuxiao showed this expression, someone was going to be in trouble.

"Meet someone? Who is it? You're not up to something again, are you?" Miki Sayaka asked suspiciously, trying to glean some clues from Jiuxiao's expression.

"Hehe, it's a secret for now, we might not be able to run into each other."

Miki Sayaka frowned, feeling even more uneasy. She had a feeling that Jiuxiao had ill intentions.

The two arrived in Kazamino City by Shinkansen, immediately enveloped by the city's bustling atmosphere. The streets were teeming with people; it was springtime, and a faint floral fragrance filled the air. Sayaka Miki looked around and couldn't help but ask, "Who are you taking me to see? So mysterious."

Jiu Xiao didn't answer, but instead pulled the girl along and continued walking. His gaze wandered across the street, as if searching for something. Although Miki Sayaka was full of doubts, she didn't ask any further questions, but simply followed him silently, unable to help but wonder what Jiu Xiao was up to.

The two strolled through the streets, pausing occasionally to buy snacks and trinkets, but Jiu Xiao would buy four sets of trinkets at a time. Although Miki Sayaka said, "Who asked you to take me shopping?" her actions betrayed her true feelings.

However, Sayaka Miki was very sensible. When choosing gifts, she always opted for inexpensive yet practical little items, and didn't squander Jiu Xiao's generosity. She knew that although Jiu Xiao now had a good income, money didn't grow on trees, and she couldn't be too extravagant. She didn't want Jiu Xiao to think she was a greedy girl; after all, she had her own pride.

"You really have a good eye for things." Jiuxiao looked at the small ornaments in Miki Sayaka's hand and said with a smile, "But you really don't need to save money for me. Since I said I'd take you shopping, don't overthink it. My income isn't astronomical, but it's more than enough for this kind of expense."

Miki Sayaka pouted, feeling somewhat touched, but still retorted, "Hmph, who saved you money? I just didn't want to waste it."

Jiu Xiao gently put his arm around Miki Sayaka's shoulder and pulled her closer to him, his tone full of affection: "Okay, okay, you're right. Our Shuang-ge is the best at managing money. She will definitely be a thrifty and hardworking bride in the future."

Miki Sayaka blushed, immediately broke free from Jiu Xiao's hand, and glared at him: "I told you not to call me by that nickname! And who, who's going to be your bride!" Her voice was a little stuttering, her cheeks flushed even more, and her eyes darted away, not daring to look Jiu Xiao in the eye.

"Oh? If you won't be my bride, then whose do you want to be? Hmm?" Jiu Xiao teased, his voice low and playful, his eyes gleaming with mischief. He deliberately moved closer to Miki Sayaka, watching her flustered appearance, and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

Miki Sayaka was forced back a small step by him, her heart racing, her cheeks as red as ripe apples. She hurriedly pushed Jiuxiao away, her tone tinged with embarrassment and annoyance: "Idiot, you idiot! Don't, don't get so close! In public, what kind of behavior is this!"