Uneasy daily life

Hiratsuka Shizuka casually posed a question, sneering repeatedly, "You try being lewd with me, just try it."

"The taste? Interesting, but don't underestimate him."

After a moment of preparation, Bai Ying's expression and tone suddenly changed. His voice was neither male nor female, but had a captivating, slightly husky, and deep quality that seemed to penetrate the ears and stir the heart.

"Slender calves stretched straight, toes curled, making the white stockings appear even thinner, barely reaching the dust on the floor. The feet seemed unable to maintain this posture, trembling as if a sour plum were held on the tongue, subtle ripples spreading upwards, from the toes to the heart, then flowing into the social world, transforming into a dissatisfied yet sweet cry, like a candied fruit being violently and hastily punctured—a bitter gasp bursting in the throat, the skin beneath the white stockings coated with a fiery red, the feet, barely supporting the ground, sometimes kneeling, sometimes straining to straighten, sometimes swinging erratically, yearning for a remedy for the burning sensation..."

"stop--!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka shouted angrily, her face full of black lines.

Bai Ying finished her training, calmed herself, and smiled calmly: "This... can I become a master of light novels?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka clenched her fist as her eyes twitched: "I think you're juvenile delinquent material..."

"Cough cough."

Sakurajima Mai coughed slightly, temporarily interrupting the scene of teacher-student harmony: "Every story has a beginning and an end. Let's hear the ending of Black Fan's story first—or is it that Black Fan hasn't decided what to write for the ending?"

"How is that possible?"

Bai Ying immediately changed her tone and voice, continuing in a deep voice to describe, "'They're all quite old, yet their acting is still so immature,' the customer said contentedly, handing over some money and making a few jokes with a smile. The woman responded with a few more jokes in a similarly flippant and mature tone before seeing the customer out. In the not-so-clean and spacious room, she waited for the next customer while habitually counting the banknotes in her hand. She unconsciously recalled the customer's joke, and a vicious memory suddenly rushed into her heart, devouring all the pale joy she had gained."

"The sourest feeling is the generosity of friends, the sweetest feeling is not to think about it, the bitterest feeling is the inability to forget, and the spiciest feeling is the slap from my father..."

She counted the banknotes over and over again, as if she were taking stock of her life, until there was a knock on the door.

"She responded with a playful laugh through the door and strolled leisurely towards the entrance, which made the guests outside even more eager to see her."

"She opened the door, and life came rushing in."

Bai Ying's voice was deep and resonant.

Silence filled the activity room.

Hiratsuka Shizuka was already standing by the window, lighting a cigarette with a strange expression: "This is... the idea you were talking about?"

"Haku-kun has always liked to solve problems flexibly, yet he also likes to stubbornly adhere to principles," Yukino Yukinoshita spoke up first, saying earnestly, "When you like to give a story a tragic tone, there's absolutely no need to pursue any impure creative ideas."

"What do you mean? Don't you guys think this is a great story?"

Bai Ying frowned and said, "I have mastered the ultimate art of light novels and will surely become a master of light novels. You can all exclaim in surprise to make me look good."

"Uh..." Yui Yuigahama said subtly, "Although it's quite different from Zaimokuza-san's light novels, neither of them sound like the kind I like to read..."

Bai Ying snorted coldly: "Sorry, I can't write the kind of melodramatic romance stories you like that will end up on TV."

Yui Yuigahama: "Gulp... But the teacher said sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty, right? Where did the saltiness go?"

"Tsk tsk, look at you, others wouldn't ask this question." Bai Ying spread her hands and said, "Tears that can't be shed, sweat that can't be wiped away, which one isn't salty? You must have lost points on your reading comprehension."

The Yui Yuigahama ship sank.

"General, you speak!" Bai Ying crossed her arms. "As a true light novel reader, I'd like to hear your insightful opinions."

"..." Hachiman Hikigaya nitpicked and said, "Minister, I feel that this story... doesn't quite fit the positive energy of light novels. Simply put, the protagonist lacks a sense of legitimacy and feels somewhat like he's reaping what he sowed, making it difficult for readers to empathize with him."

"I understand!"

Bai Ying quickly added, "There were two policemen standing outside the door. They showed their police badges and arrested her."

Hachiman Hikigaya leaned back: "I'm not talking about that kind of legitimacy—I'm talking about the kind of legitimacy that's unrelated to the law, seems somewhat heretical, and stirs up personal emotions."

"I understand!"

Bai Ying's eyes lit up, and she calmly brought a chapter of her life to a close: "Because she did not have a business license and had not paid taxes, she was sentenced to have all her illegal income confiscated and walked out of the police station penniless, swallowing her last bite of life."

Hachiman Hikigaya raised a hand to his forehead: "That's not what I meant by stirring up emotions..."

"The conclusion is already obvious, teacher. Don't worry, the hater's creative process is already in its late stages."

Mai Sakurajima jokingly said with a smile, "If you really pass the editor's review and get published in the magazine, remember to let me know. Maybe I can even help you gain some popularity."

"Offering congratulations on the surface, but secretly mocking you—you don't look like a kind person," Bai Ying said confidently. "Given that I've already mastered the code to light novels, where do you get the courage to disobey me?"

"Alright, alright, go work on your masterpiece."

Hiratsuka Shizuka rolled her eyes and shook her head, saying, "These young people nowadays, what are they watching, those impure things like romance? Shouldn't they be watching stories full of passion and excitement, like sports and superpower battles..."

Bai Ying shook her head and sighed, "What era are we living in? Still talking about passion? There's a thick barrier between us now."

Hiratsuka Shizuka glared and retorted, "What about Dragon Ball? Dragon Ball is still a very popular and exciting story!"

The white figure pointed down at him condescendingly: "Dragon Ball can be called a story? That's called a manga. Its expressiveness comes from visual imagery. It's completely different from light novels."

"Tsk, you little brat..."

"Let's put aside Haku-kun's creative aesthetics and his failing attempt at light novels for now," Yukino Yukinoshita asked. "What brings Sakurajima-senpai and the teacher to the activity room?"

"Well..."

Hiratsuka Shizuka shrugged: "I happened to run into Sakurajima when I arrived. Sakurajima-kun, you should tell me what you need to say first."

"I'm here because of the commission I've been given."

Mai Sakurajima smiled and took a sticker out of her pocket: "Didn't I ask you to help me with the flower issue before? You guys seem to have a habit of putting stickers on the doorplate after completing a request, right? I prepared this in advance and brought it over."

Uh... there were so many things to do, like puberty syndrome, sports festivals, and playing the older sister, I almost forgot.

Yukino Yukinoshita subconsciously looked at the sticker. The sticker featured a girl with long, straight black hair, in a chibi style. Despite being a chibi style, it captured many of Mai Sakurajima's characteristics: her bangs swept to one side, her deep blue eyes... The most striking features were her light and elegant armor cloak and the respectable sword in her hand, instantly evoking the image of a hero from a story.

Moreover, despite being a chibi-style character, one can still discern certain...

"It's just a stick figure, no big deal." Bai Ying immediately took the sticker, noticing Yukino Yukinoshita's gaze, and said confidently, "I deserve this reward because of my greater contribution!"

The white figure dashed out the door, then ran back and brought out a chair, seemingly excited to apply the stickers and secure the point.

Yukino Yukinoshita didn't care about that; it was definitely Haku who put in more effort for Mai Sakurajima's request...

"Sakurajima-senpai can draw too?"

"Not at all," Mai Sakurajima said with a smile. "I found an artist I know and had her design and draw it for me. The finished product is pretty good."

Yukino Yukinoshita suspected that this person had planned this all along, perhaps even preparing it from the day of the request. She suppressed her thoughts for the moment and picked up the teapot...

"Teacher, did you see that? In terms of the ability to handle requests, the Aid Department is much stronger than the Service Department. We are elite troops, while they are remnants."

Bai Ying ran back carrying a stool, and greeted Yukino Yukinoshita in a good mood: "Vice Minister, it's very good that you took the initiative to serve tea to the two clients. You are very conscientious."

"Once Bai Jun takes office as deputy minister, I will remember to arrange for you to clean the activity room and serve tea and water."

Yukino Yukinoshita gave him a dismissive glance and poured black tea for Shizuka Hiratsuka and Mai Sakurajima.

"It seems you two get along quite well," Hiratsuka Shizuka said with a touch of wistfulness. "You were bickering back and forth when you first met..."

Bai Ying waved her hand and said, "After all, she will be my deputy minister in the future. I am a good boss who cares about my subordinates and will only make her work overtime six days a week."

Yukino Yukinoshita hummed softly, "I was simply showing my understanding towards Shiraki with the compassion and tolerance of a human being."

Mai Sakurajima took a sip of black tea, and then decided to find an opportunity to ask the hater about his intentions regarding the entertainment industry... well, after his failure to conquer light novels.

"Alright, alright, anyway, you've solved a lot of troubles. The idea I came up with was actually pretty good."

Hiratsuka Shizuka casually boasted, then smiled and said, "I do have a request for you here this time, regarding the school's cultural festival."

Bai Ying's attitude became serious.

Cultural festivals, also known as school festivals or campus festivals, are student activities.

If the recently concluded sports festival is the martial arts festival, then the cultural festival is the literary festival. Although both are regular activities in high schools, the cultural festival is often more lively, much like the difference between a sports event and a festival celebration!

The reason is simple: cultural festivals are more engaging and attract more participants.

For example, sports festivals are held separately for each grade, while cultural festivals involve the whole school and have a stronger sense of fun than sports festivals. Many schools' cultural festivals are also like social events, welcoming tourists and parents from outside the school on the day, making the cultural festival more lively.

Bai Ying has already imagined many things about the cultural festival.

E.g……

"What is the minister thinking?"

"I want to open a Chinese restaurant so everyone can experience authentic Chinese cuisine! Speaking of which, a maid café that's more in line with youth culture would be nice too. Girls would wear maid outfits on the first day, and boys on the second! Since it's a cultural festival, I could set up a stage and randomly select lucky audience members to perform with... No, that's too boring. I'll just become a theatrical fanatic, randomly target someone on the street, and improvise without any awkwardness... Opening a fortune-telling shop sounds interesting too... Damn it! Why don't I know the Shadow Clone Technique?!"

boom.

"You better behave yourself, kid. The cultural festival hasn't even started yet, and your mind is already wandering off, is that it?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka blew on her fist and said irritably.

Bai Ying: "Teacher, I haven't washed my hair in a while."

"..."

boom.

"Then do it again!"

Chapter Sixty-Seven: I Want to Become the Chairman of the Executive Committee!

"Before I make the request, I'd like to know what you're planning to do for your cultural festival."

Hiratsuka Shizuka said this.

Bai Ying frowned, her gaze sharpening: "Hmm? Is there something you're having trouble saying, teacher?"

“Well…” Hiratsuka Shizuka’s eyes twitched slightly.

"Huh? Asking us was just a side thing. The real target is the hero?" Bai Ying stroked her chin, pondering. "Why the hero? What would the hero want to do at the cultural festival? This careerist probably wants to run for executive committee member, but the cultural festival is a school-wide event. The position of executive committee member should, in principle, be held by the student council president who is still a second-year high school student and has plenty of time... I see!"

Hiratsuka Shizuka's eye twitched slightly: "Hey, you brat..."

"Election campaigns, persuading opponents to withdraw, campaigning, student council factional splits... Is the Aid Department finally about to step into the dark side of power? Whom are the teachers going to vote for? Leave it to me!"

boom!

"Save your breath, kid!" Hiratsuka Shizuka said irritably. "Just answer my questions and stop overthinking."

Even so, Hiratsuka Shizuka clearly looked like she'd been hit where it hurt, and the others subconsciously glanced at Yukino Yukinoshita.

What could be so difficult for a teacher to ask me?

Yukino Yukinoshita pondered for a moment, then said, “Teacher, please just say what you want to say. I do intend to run for executive committee member in the cultural festival, but it depends on how this year’s cultural festival is arranged. — It’s laughable that someone is talking nonsense like a government official. He refuses to take responsibility and keeps pointing fingers. He’s just like a noisy frog in summer.”

"Quack~"

Bai Ying responded forcefully, coldly snorting, "If it weren't for the teacher's biased view of people, I would have already ascended to the throne at the Sports Festival and become the executive chairman."

"Don't worry, I won't have any complaints about you this time." Hiratsuka Shizuka shook her head, thinking about the sports festival. The atmosphere at the cultural festival was much more relaxed and free. If this kid were an executive committee member, at least he could supervise things nearby, and maybe he wouldn't have time to do anything strange when he was busy. "Anyway, what are your plans for the cultural festival?"

Yui Yuigahama hesitated, "Uh...the date for the school festival hasn't been set yet, right?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka thought about the time: "It will be soon, probably in mid-October, when the weather will be completely cool. After the midterm exams, we will start preparing."

"Midterm exams...?" Yui Yuigahama asked hesitantly, "Why aren't the exams after the school festival?"

"That's exactly why you asked this question." Bai Ying ended Yui Yuigahama's sentence with a single sentence, and then pondered, "I have three plans. Plan A is to run for executive committee chairperson, Plan B is to run for executive committee member, and Plan C is to support my niece Eru in running for executive committee chairperson."

Sakurajima Mai asked in surprise, "Won't you, Black Fan, help organize any activities for the class?"

"We'll discuss that in class later."

When it was Hachiman Hikigaya's turn, he scratched his head and said casually, "The school festival... um, just follow the class's instructions and enjoy the festival..."

A voice from Hachiman Hikigaya popped up from the side, carrying a disdainful tone: "During class discussions, you just silently stand out and get ignored. You just wander off to some random place for the school festival. Who would want to organize an event with these noisy guys, you idiot!"

Hachiman Hikigaya: "Uh... I didn't mean that?"

Hiratsuka Shizuka: "Hehe."

“It’s alright,” Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly. “When the school festival starts, just tell Komachi and invite her to come.”

Hachiman Hikigaya: "Ah, this..."

Yui Yuigahama nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I will inform Komachi when the time comes."

Hikigaya Hachiman: "..."

"Hey, isn't this the reclusive Hachiman Hikigaya?" Hiratsuka teased playfully, then changed the subject, asking, "Where are the others?"

Mai Sakurajima glanced at her phone and pondered, "I am free that day, but I can't organize the cultural festival with my classmates. We'll see how it goes later."

“I will probably try to become an executive committee member, and if I have the opportunity to become the chairperson, I will do my best to succeed.” Yukino Yukinoshita asked, “So, what is your request, teacher?”

"It wouldn't really be considered a commission."

Hiratsuka Shizuka said rather strangely, "I asked the student council, and the student council president doesn't seem to have any plans to host the event. The organization and procedures of the cultural festival executive committee should be the same as the sports festival... Is Yukino planning to nominate herself as an executive committee member first, and then run for executive committee chair?"