Chapter 21: I Have Questions

[ The Celestial Heavens Have Seen The Display ]

[ One of the Observers 'Fire Dweller' is pleased by your kindness ]

[ You Have Been Sponsored With 1000 Charm Points ]

The Panda looked at the notifications and shook their head, "Fuck it. Why am I still even here if they're showing up." The situation they were in right now, they were practically here just to watch and become an object of entertainment as well? They didn't want to be some streamer!

"What exactly is happening…" A furtive expression was on the man's face.

"...It's not actually fun when you already know what's happening, but you're on what you first assume to be a 'reality TV show'." The creature eyed the human and awaited their reaction. The man usually had a good head on his shoulders, and so they could already see the man capitalizing on this.

Truth be told, the Panda was begrudgingly impressed with them thinking loopholes—but they could only do it for so long.

Yang Li stared at the notifications and dismissed them, "Is the heavens really that bored that they'd watch a boring mortal like me?" He continued on to his house, unlocking his door and placing the pot of bamboo at the doorstep.

The creature didn't reply.

A statement like that was… offensive in a way. Downright offensive to the viewers. But this was also the first time that they were venting and so the creature allowed it to be heard. The way that they took it well in the first place was troubling in a way; but they always said that humans were resourceful so this might have been the natural course of action.

"I don't remember signing up for this." Yang Li said again.

The Panda clicked their tongue, if the man kept this up then he would go beyond the bounds. The creature has to make it steady and clear to them that they've made their choice. "You accepted the System and so this observation of Heavens goes along with it." The Observers might have been much lesser if the CEO didn't insist on joining the chatroom as well, but they weren't going to say that.

"Let me repeat it. You get a System and it entails a lot of quests and missions you need to achieve whereas the observers from Celestial Heavens watching you—"

"It's scummy."

"W-What? Be careful of what you're saying now, CEO." The Panda's brows furrowed together. As far as their interaction went, this was the first time that the man actually expressed distaste.

And they didn't want to be hit by a tribulation lightning this early.

It still hurt the creature even if they were a being of a higher caliber than the human—so if they didn't play their cards right, there was a much worse game play happening in the realm of King Yama right now.

"I mean what I say, this is a horrible situation to be in. Your privacy and practically your willpower is taken away from you as you follow on these quests—and for what? Divine Entertainment?" Yang Li's voice dripped with irritation. One of his eyes twitched. "I appreciate the 1000 Charm Points, but if they truly value kindness, then this 'Fire Dweller' would have been against this in the first place."

[ ... ]

[ …. ]

[ ... ]

The creature eyed them, at the sudden lack of viewers as it took the chance to give them a tiny piece of advice, "They won't stop beating a dead horse if it'll still twitch and entertain them. But you don't want to be a dead horse so I suggest you do what's asked. You can try to tilt a bit to the left or to the right—but in the end, you're still going to do the quest at the end."

"I am aware of that." Yang Li crossed his arms, "And it's also likely that all of the suggestions you've been giving me are supposed to create more entertainment for them, isn't that true?"

"...of course, and it's supposed to entertain me as well." The creature scoffed. "Is that surprising?"

"No. Not all." Yang Li glanced at his watch. "Well then, that's enough questions for one day—I'm heading back to the office. I'm already late." The conversation of theirs was cut abrupt as he headed to his car and got inside. From the way they just walked out, it was obvious that they didn't truly take it well and yet the CEO was looking at the creature's direction.

The Panda's eye twitched, "I'm staying with this… this bamboo! You're going to do nothing interesting at the office so I'll stay here."

Soon enough, Yang Li drove away.

.. .

There were certain thoughts and opinions that came along belatedly to individuals. Thoughts that they were unwilling to admit to themselves and continued to deny, because it was better off not to speak about it. Even the mere thought of breakfast with them was enough to send off an electrifying sensation through their veins. Her face burned with shame as she cleaned up the breakfast table.

And so she continued to push it away.

Somehow it seemed that she might have eaten more dumplings than she out to have eaten. Had she been stress-eating now? The man barely touched the food… "I'll sleep after this." Bo Lifen muttered to herself. The day was still early, but if she truly was on vacation—then she'd sleep all her cares away.

Who needs a therapist? Certainly not her.

This… this kind of break from work was enough though. She sighed and picked up the tray. Maybe she did need to take a couple of leaves every month, but only to unwind. And this much was fine…?

Was it truly alright?

"What's the matter, Bo Lifen? Did you get sick?" Granny Lanfen asked with raised brows. Although the smirk on the old woman's lips told them that she was aware that the physical symptoms were the result of something else entirely. "I didn't think that he was enough to make you take a break."

Bo Lifen tried to ignore the invitation from her great-grandmother to share what happened during the 'breakfast' with her guest—but the old woman was still insisting on telling what she thought of him. They probably won't stop pestering her, so it was best to give an answer now. She cleared her throat lightly and looked out the window, "That Yang Li is… he's not that bad. But a break really is long overdue for me and it's not because he said it, that I'm taking it so don't misinterpret it, Granny."

"I haven't even said anything yet, Lifen."