Happy Chinese New Year! Meraki has once again joined forces with Volare to promote this site and the stories featured.

Are you on DISCORD? If you are, join the Meraki channel and hang out with readers, lurkers, and translators. I promise, you'll have fun. If you're a spoiler junkie, join us in playing 50/50.

Translated by newbienoona

Edited and proofread by anks

After wiping her tears, she clears her throat and asks, "You haven't answered my question. This isn't a bowling alley, but a basketball court, obviously. Aren't we bowling?"

Ling Hanyu looks at An Chuxia like she's an idiot. He doesn't seem to notice Xiao Mingluo's doubtful look. He eyes Chuxia up and down, then curls his lips. "We suddenly decided we didn't want to bowl but play basketball instead. Is that okay?"

[I will tell you I have not bowled so I cannot write about it == puff! ~Author]

It's a pity, it would've been a good experience. Lest she forgets, she'd be made out she has never bowled, and Han Qilu will despise her more. Right! Humanitarian Han Qilu? She looks around, searching for Han Qilu silently, when Xiao Mingluo beckons her with his hand. "Don't look for Han Qilu. When you fell asleep, he said he was hungry and he went to look for a place to eat."

"Oh, that's it… ." Hasn't her opportunity arrived?! They're too refined! It must be too time consuming to be trampled on with iron shoes while searching for the opportunity. Suddenly, her eyes brighten. Hope! She stops wondering about Xiang Mankuai. Freedom is more important!

"Why are your suddenly smiling like a fox?" Ling Hanyu claps Xiao Mingluo's shoulder and says softly, "Not because we're a bit afraid of you, but because you're also too frail."

She sharpens her hearing. What did Ling Hanyu say? She doesn't care. How do adults remember who the villains are?

She walks up to Ling Hanyu and Xiao Mingluo. Grabbing their palms, she earnest asks, "You two, handsome guys, are very worldly. Would you be able to help little me find a job?" She blinks her big eyes and stares at them. Both look back at her in silence.

Just as An Chuxia is about to earnestly plead again, they both look at her. "Between the two of us, who's more handsome?" they ask in unison.

Seriously? These two are full of themselves! She appeals to them and this is all they think about! Unacceptable!

"I won't say who's the most handsome. However, you have to help me! Otherwise…." She sneers. "Otherwise, I will be dependent on you! I will even follow you to the toilet!"

Both glance back to her after they exchange looks. "Do you think this is a high threat? The degree of this threat is negative one thousand!!!"

Xiao Mingluo puts his hand on his chest before looking up and down at An Chuxia. "This young master doesn't always sell into servitude. But you look so sincere. I can't push someone to take such a difficult task… ."

"Oh," An Chuxia interrupts him. "Just tell me! I wanted to ask you to help me look for a part time job."

"Part time job?" Xiao Mingluo heard what she said. He stares at her fiercely. "Don't Han shushu and ayi give you an allowance? It's in poor taste to look for part-time employment."

On the side, Ling Hanyu stares at Xiao Mingluo, puzzled. "What's a part-time job?"

Xiao Mingluo shoots him a disdained look. "It means work. What do you read when you're not studying? Do you just read shoujo manga? Really… ."

Translated by newbienoona

Edited and proofread by anks

"Where would I read shoujo manga? Is that comic book geared to male students any good?" Ling Hanyu raises his fist in dissatisfaction. Xiao Mingluo blocks his fist and meditates to calm himself. Three… two… .

Once again, Ling Hanyu raises his other fist and is about to strike Xiao Mingluo. He really can be dense.

"One." Xiao Mingluo counts back. Ling Hanyu looks into his eyes and turns his head to Chuxia. He carefully reads her. His pupils contract tightly before returning to normal.

"What? Work?!!!" His voice resounds through the entire court. Did An Chuxia unexpectedly request for employment? G.o.d, did judgement day arrive? Otherwise, how can this happen? How?!

With no other recourse but to shake his head, Xiao Mingluo reluctantly apologizes for Ling Hanyu. "I am so sorry for his behavior. Actually, you don't need to be surprised because this idiot of a guy… is naturally slow."

She can't help but smile. His slow response is on point… This isn't a normal reaction, she says to herself as she shakes her head. She looks up with a harmless smile. "You two are very good-looking guys. Would either of you be willing help me keep busy? Help me look for a part time job, one that I can only do on the weekends… ."

Through wisdom, she tries to feed their not-so-silly egos. Calling them "good-looking guys" is a compliment. She needs to add the "very".

Ling Hanyu squints, distrusting her statement. "An Chuxia, today isn't the first of April. If you're playing us, you should've picked a better day!"

Next to him, Xiao Mingluo agrees. He nods, saying, "No one will believe the future Han grandmother is looking for a part-time job. This would've been the best joke ever, but if it isn't, you might as well regard it as one." Ling Hanyu nods in agreement.

Clenching her teeth, she stubbornly says, "You know very well that my status as Han Qilu's fiancée is only temporary. This is why I don't want this ident.i.ty revealed. Since you don't want to help me, why are you rebuffing me so much? I'm so annoyed with this… ."

So annoyed? Ling Hanyu's heart suddenly slows down a bit.

"No one has rejected you. It so happens my family lacks a maid, but, the task is laborious. The entire house needs cleaning. Can you do it?" Both arms cross his chest while he raises his chin. "You decide your wages."

She actually has a laoda saying "the employee sets the wages". These people either have brain damage or are mentally handicapped. Xiao Mingluo, who's been standing at the side watching every person's mood, tilts his mouth in amus.e.m.e.nt… Ling Hanyu? An Chuxia?

The premise to this story is becoming interesting. He would like to sprinkle some oil and see how this plays out.

"That's right. Your previous maid collapsed from exhaustion because she had to clean that big house. She's yet to recover from it." Xiao Mingluo looks at her pensively. "An Chuxia, cla.s.smate, you really don't have to prove your strength. A show-off can suffer much loss… ."