Morning classes at the University of Tokyo’s Hongo Campus had just ended. Gao Sijin unhurriedly organized his notebooks, preparing to leave the University of Tokyo Law and Letters Building No. 2. He planned to grab a quick bite at a nearby cafeteria, have a cup of barley tea or coffee, and review the day’s lecture material.
The Basic Cultural Studies Program included courses in linguistics, archaeology, art history, philosophy, ethics, and religious studies. His future study plan also involved East Asian thought and culture, South Asian literature, South Asian philosophy, Buddhist studies, Islamic studies, Asian history, Slavic literature, and the Slavic language…
At first glance, the academic workload seemed immense. In truth, Gao Sijin was rather content with it. The knowledge he gained could be naturally applied to his work down the line.
For instance, the world setting of the novel he was currently writing, resembled early modern Europe. The protagonist, a sis-con mercenary surnamed Li, was transmigrated to a nation equivalent to Country F in Western Europe.
“Gao-san, want to go to a mixer?”
A male student sat down in front of Gao Sijin. It was Watanabe, a known playboy.
Truthfully, Gao Sijin had never really liked his classmates at the University of Tokyo, especially the male students. Though they maintained a surface-level pretense of respect, their behavior always subtly reeked of arrogance.
There was a clear hierarchy of contempt at the university: the Faculty of Medicine discriminated against the Faculty of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Engineering against the Science Department, the Faculty of Economics against the Faculty of Agriculture, and the Faculty of Letters against the Faculty of Education.
Gao Sijin, being in the Faculty of Letters, was at the bottom of this food chain. When students from the science and engineering departments spoke Japanese with him, they would always enunciate meticulously and slow down, as if terrified he wouldn’t understand. Gao Sijin couldn’t be bothered to fight against it.
“Forget the mixer. I’m not really interested in those.”
“Really not coming? There will be girls from other schools—Waseda, Ochanomizu, Mizutani Women’s University. You still haven’t joined any clubs, right?”
“Watanabe, the reason you want me to attend this mixer is so you can use me to meet more girls, isn’t it?”
“Don’t be so cold, Gao-san. Don’t you want to meet more girls? Come to think of it, you’re still a virgin, aren’t you?”
“I already have a girlfriend. And I’m not a virgin.”
Gao Sijin took a sip of his coffee, wincing slightly at the heat.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually dating Tsukiyuki Rio, the number one ranked girl at Todai?”
“What ranking?”
“You seriously don’t know about our school’s beauty rankings?”
“That’s a thing?”
“You’re like some kind of reclusive monster. Are all you China folks this bad at socializing? Aren’t you afraid of what people will think of you?”
“What’s the worst that could happen if my reputation takes a hit?”
Gao Sijin shrugged.
Most J-Country citizens are intensely concerned with their reputation. Threaten to beat them up, and they won’t be scared. But threaten to expose their embarrassing secrets, and they’ll be terrified to their core. They possess an almost obsessive sense of honor and shame.
Watanabe pulled out his phone and showed Gao Sijin the University of Tokyo’s internal anonymous forum. Female students from every department were secretly rated by the male students here, categorized as either “cute” or “not cute.”
Ranked first was Tsukiyuki Rio, second was Yu Qingxue. Further down the list, Gao Sijin recognized many familiar names. A number of the girls on the list had come to Yu Qingxue’s house during the opening semester party.
“You guys are truly ruthless with these ratings. Don’t you think this kind of thing is just malicious?”
“That’s why it’s an anonymous forum, Gao-san. Look, I’ve always wanted to bring you into our circle. No secret about it—you’re a light novel author and Tsukiyuki Rio’s boyfriend. Having you join would skyrocket our group’s prestige. You could make some friends too. From what I’ve observed, you’re studying abroad all alone. You don’t seem to have any close male friends, do you?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I think sometimes, it’s better to do something meaningful than waste time on pointless socializing.”
Deep down, Gao Sijin detested Watanabe. Just a few days ago, he’d overheard him bragging about borrowing a luxury car and tricking two high school girls into going to a love hotel for a threesome. Gao Sijin, rather fastidious in matters of romance, naturally wanted to keep his distance from such a person.
After finishing his coffee, Gao Sijin quickly stood up and left.
In the afternoon, Gao Sijin was heading to a high school in Shinjuku Ward. He was going to meet Uzuki, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, and also say hello to Katakura Hayabusa’s cousin.
A couple of days ago, Gao Sijin had already added Hayabusa’s cousin on Line. Katakura Hayabusa claimed his cousin far surpassed him in painting skills, but Gao Sijin didn’t quite believe it. In his eyes, no one could surpass Katakura Hayabusa in art except himself.
Taking the train to Shinjuku Ward, Gao Sijin couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.
Ai: By the way, what’s your distant cousin’s personality like?
Regards: My cousin’s personality is pretty similar to mine. She should count as a good person.
Ai: I’m a bit socially anxious, you know…
Regards: Don’t worry, my cousin is pretty easy to get along with. I’ll talk later, I’m vacationing in Osaka right now. Man, it’s so chaotic over here in Nishinari Ward.
A while later, Katakura Hayabusa’s cousin, Katakura Eiko, also sent a message. She said she would wait for Gao Sijin at the station, and they’d go pick up Uzuki from the school gate together afterward. Regarding the matter of being alone with a member of the opposite sex, Gao Sijin had informed Tsukiyuki Rio in advance to prevent any misunderstandings.
Stepping off the train, Gao Sijin looked around, then took out his phone to ask Miss Katakura Eiko where she was.
Just as he was about to type, a friendly voice came from in front of him.
“Are you Teacher Gao Sijin?”
Gao Sijin abruptly looked up. The young woman before him had dyed blonde hair and wore a white short-sleeved shirt and denim hot pants. Her face was nearly identical to Kitagawa Marin’s. In her hand, she carried a large, thick baseball bat, faint traces of blood still lingering on it.
“Miss Katakura?”
“Just call me Eiko.”
“Alright, Eiko. Do all of you in the Katakura family like carrying baseball bats around?”
“A baseball bat is a necessity,” Katakura Eiko stated. “Let’s go, Teacher Gao Sijin. We’ll head to Kaijo High School and wait for Uzuki to finish school. That kid has really wanted to see you lately.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gao Sijin…”
“Your hometown is Chuncheng in China. You’re a light novel author from China. Hayabusa already told me all about you. I know you quite well,” Katakura Eiko said, leading the way to a parking lot.
A Honda Odyssey was parked there, completely plastered with stickers of Yin Lei from 《In the Name of the Maid》 . It was a full-blown social-death-mobile. If Gao Sijin recalled correctly, that Honda Odyssey used to be Katakura Hayabusa’s vehicle.
“Get in.”
Eiko produced the car keys and opened the door, exuding a certain dashing and spirited aura.
