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Translator's note: I have a feeling that the job won't be as easy as she imagined.
Editor's note: I bet 20 that it'll be an easy 10,000 yuan.Time passed faster than I expected.
Before I knew it, evening had already rolled in, and the training field’s lights dimmed, signaling shutdown for the day. I had no choice but to stop. Flight practice here only ran during fixed hours—no late-night overtime heroism allowed.
Qingxue told me that I could come practice whenever the field was open.
And in her words: “If the field’s open, I’m here. You’ll find me before you find the broom racks.”
I understood—but I still had another commitment to consider. I had just started my part-time job at the bakery. If I suddenly vanished every afternoon because of flight training without saying anything, that would be pretty irresponsible.
Especially since both schedules were flexible.
Finding a balance was just common sense.
So—decision made. Half a day of training, half a day at the bakery.
Perfect equilibrium.
Also, a perfect excuse for why I’m not practicing from dawn to dusk like the training maniacs.
I spent the entire afternoon working solely on hovering—not even low-altitude flight yet. Just the prerequisite. Just floating.
But that alone drained a surprising amount of mental strength, and the broom did consume mana—quite a bit of it.
Mana cores naturally replenish, but alchemy tools do not sip mana gently. Compared to something like a simple Cleaning Charm, this thing drank energy like a thirsty desert monster.
So yes—half-day training was quite enough.
After washing up, I went back to the villa for the night.
And the next morning, I headed to the bakery.
“Good morning, Senior Yihan! Senior Shiqian! You’re both early today?”
There were still customers this early, but Shiqian could usually handle them by herself, which meant—either today was busier, or Yihan wasn’t in her usual experimental-lab-in-the-kitchen mode.
“Morning, Yuehan. You’re pretty early, too. What were you up to yesterday?” Yihan asked while sealing a cake box, her tone casual.
“Yesterday? Hehe… I didn’t really play. I mentioned before I wanted to try getting a flight license, right? So I went to try it out yesterday.”
“You actually went?” Shiqian leaned over from the counter. “I thought you were just saying it casually.”
“Mhm. And flight license training isn’t cheap either,” Yihan added. “Do you need us to help cover the fees?”
“Not for now. Bai Yu handled everything,” I smiled. “But thank you, really.”
“You really got lucky with that sis of yours. She actually came to me a few days ago and asked us to look after you.”
“Bai Yu treats me the best,” I replied honestly. “I’m going to go change—be right back to help!”
Uniform, apron, hair tie—smooth and practiced. Another good, busy morning.
After working for a bit, I quietly leaned close to Yihan.
“Oh—also, about the flight training… I might not be able to stay all afternoon from today on, so…”
“I know,” Yihan responded before I even finished. “Go. Handle what you need to handle. This was never something you were obligated to do every day.”
Relief washed over me.
“Thank you, really. I’ll get that license quickly and come back to help more.”
Even though my absence didn’t really burden them, I’d received a lot of warmth here—and I wasn’t about to take that for granted.
Feelings, debts, kindness—I remember all of it.
With the morning rush over, the bakery quieted down. A few online orders came in here and there, but nothing that needs my full attention.
I was bored.
The book I had borrowed from the library was currently being passed around like a baton, now in Tan Han’s hands. So I couldn’t even pretend to study.
I wiped down tables, polished the display case, and rearranged pastry tongs. Presentation mattered, even when the store was nearly empty.
And that was when someone I absolutely did not expect walked through the door.
“Tan Han?” I blinked. “You came here?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” she replied, her usual icy expression softened just a little. “I am also a member of the Bakery Club, remember? Isn’t it normal for me to visit?”
Her tone was calm, her face as elegant and composed as always.
A flower in full bloom, untouched by dust or heat.
“You’ve been working here this whole time?”
“Yep. Even though I’m also technically a club member, I’ve been… uh… actually working here. As in, paid.”
“…Paid?” Her eyes flickered. “Are you short on money?”
“Short? Extremely.” I nodded with perfect sincerity.
Tan Han studied me for a second—Evaluating? Thinking? She had the kind of expression that made you feel like you were being read like a book.
“Then I have a high-paying part-time job to offer. Interested?”
I froze. Even my Cleaning Charm fizzled out mid-air.
“High-paying… part-time?” I asked, voice quivering.
She nodded. “I want to hire you as my meditation instructor.”
“Eh????” I stared, like, really stared. “I mean… we’re the same year. Wouldn’t it make more sense to hire a senior? Someone with experience? Or a teacher…?”
Never mind the problem of fairness. I didn’t even know how to teach it. I’d just… fallen into success. How was I supposed to explain that?
This was feeling dangerously close to lying for profit. And yes, I wanted money, but I still had a conscience!!
“Meditation is… vague,” she said quietly, folding her arms. “It’s not something that can be explained step by step. Seniors can’t explain how they went from zero to one. Only someone who has just experienced their first breakthrough can describe that moment in a way that others can follow.”
Her gaze lowered slightly.
“You are the only person I know who has meditated successfully recently.
Your perspective matters.”She said it with such calm conviction that I almost believed I was some kind of enlightened master.
“But still, I…”
“Don’t worry.” Her tone didn’t change—but the sentence landed like wealth itself.
“Even if your guidance turns out to be useless, I will still pay you.”I stopped breathing for a second.
...
Money.
White money.
Clean money.
Free money.
Pure income.
This was definitely someone who had more money than she knew what to do with.
“I don’t really know what the going rate is,” she continued, thoughtful. “But for a single session… how does 10,000 yuan sound?”
“10,000??” My head snapped up so fast I nearly got whiplash.
Do you know how long I’d have to stand at this counter to make 10,000 yuan?! How many cakes? How many brooms would I have to hover on?!
Tan Han saw my expression and tilted her head, uncertain. “Too little?”
She actually looked like she was considering raising the price.
I flailed so hard the universe nearly rewound. “No! No! No!! Ten thousand is perfect! Absolutely perfect! Exactly perfect! Don’t add a single cent!”
I slapped down the emergency integrity mode switch.
She smiled—barely. Just the smallest curve of the lips, but I swear I could hear an angel choir go ahhhhh in the background.
“So you agree?” She asked sweetly.
Which was unfair.
Because my resistance stat is zero.
“…I— I mean— I— y-yes.” My soul left my body and signed the contract on its own.
“Good.” Her smile said: I have you.
And honestly? …She did.
Oh gods. I really did sell my soul for 10,000 yuan... Why am I like this?