“Sleepwear… Bo Yutong?”
Ruan Tao thought: I wish.
Regarding her human form, Ruan Tao had always been quite aware of herself. Bo Yutong would never like a human—let alone someone like her… who at first glance looked like an underage little fool.
She pinched her cheeks and sighed: “I don’t exactly have a face that can attract anyone.”
Qian Bian waved his hands, using his wind-type ability to dry Ruan Tao’s hair, and said: “It’s fine. How else would you attract someone? You’re still completely bare-faced.”
Ruan Tao: “…You actually know words like that?”
“What’s wrong with that?” Qian Bian asked. “I know how magical makeup can be for girls.”
Ruan Tao: “…”
In the apocalypse, there were still people concerned about makeup?
She pondered for a second and realized it made sense. In this era, many people couldn’t survive on their own and had to depend on someone stronger. Without any special abilities, they could only rely on their face and body…
Only a lucky girl could come to Bo Yutong as a Life Assistant. They were rare.
In that case, it made perfect sense for her to act as a girl without abilities, desperate to become Bo Yutong’s Life Assistant.
After a few minutes of drying, Qian Bian suddenly stopped and exclaimed: “Oh no, I forgot!”
Ruan Tao: “Hmm?”
“I only have wind-type ability. I’m blowing cold air,” Qian Bian stared at her. “Aren’t you cold?!”
Ruan Tao: “…I didn’t notice.”
Before she could respond further, she suddenly heard the sound of a door opening.
The noise made Ruan Tao almost jump out of her skin.
Within those few seconds, she decisively used her beast stone to retract Qian Bian, and quickly stored all the clothes into her portable storage space—
The only mistake was that she had rehung the towel.
The situation was so urgent that Ruan Tao panicked. She should have taken the spare towel from her space to replace the one on the rack.
Bo Yutong’s towel rack always had two towels, but he always grabbed the first one on the left, leaving the second untouched.
Ruan Tao used the second towel, then stored the used one in her space and rehung an unused one.
Inside the Administrative District, towels were collected and washed uniformly. The exact process was described in detail in the novel Ruan Tao had read, including strict disinfection. After washing, they looked as good as new.
Every time, Li Yudong would help her replace towels with a fresh one.
This time, it was too urgent. Ruan Tao didn’t have time to think and simply rehung the towel she had used.
It was slightly damp…
But Bo Yutong was already approaching, and Ruan Tao had no time to change it. She dashed toward Bo Yutong’s bedroom outside the bathroom, transforming into a hamster as she leapt onto the soft bed.
The furry little hamster tumbled across the blanket.
At the same time, Bo Yutong entered the bedroom.
The extreme few seconds of movement left Ruan Tao panting, her little hamster body lying on the blanket, catching her breath.
…While gasping, she had to quickly and carefully consider whether any evidence had been left in the bathroom.
…Apart from the towel, there shouldn’t be anything.
“Tao Tao?” Bo Yutong’s voice sounded surprised, as if he hadn’t expected to see his little mouse here.
Ruan Tao slowly turned, raising her upper body, and waved her tiny paws at him.
Bo Yutong: “…Why are you here?”
He used his psychic ability.
The sensation was peculiar. At first, Ruan Tao couldn’t quite discern it. But with repeated use, whenever Bo Yutong “initiated a conversation,” she could sense it instantly.
“You’re back?” Ruan Tao squinted, trying to look drowsy. “I was sleeping.”
Bo Yutong removed his hat, placing it casually on the table, unbuttoned his jacket as he approached Ruan Tao.
Ruan Tao was still lying on the bed; the scene was almost surreal.
With such beauty before her, she wanted to slap the table and sigh: From now on, no more morning duties!
Bo Yutong stored his jacket in his portable space, smiling, and extended his hand toward Ruan Tao.
She obediently climbed into his palm.
Bo Yutong lifted her and stroked her back, smiling: “Has Tao Tao been behaving these past few days?”
Ruan Tao nodded her little head.
Bo Yutong’s smile didn’t change: “Why does it seem… a little damp?”
He ran his finger over Ruan Tao’s slightly wet fur, and she felt a gentle warmth wrap around her body, quickly drying the damp spot on her head.
Ruan Tao hadn’t expected that after showering and not drying her hair, her hamster fur would still be wet.
“Really?” she stretched out a paw, realizing she couldn’t reach the top of her own head, and gave up. “Maybe the air’s too humid?”
This era? Humid air?
The air was dry enough to affect human life. If it weren’t for humans’ overall resilience, nosebleeds would be a daily occurrence.
Moreover, Bo Yutong noticed her damp fur visually, not by touch.
He didn’t discover anything.
Bo Yutong didn’t expose her secret. After all, this little creature always had her own ideas and could slip to unexpected places at any moment.
Being able to quietly stay in his bed was already considered good behavior.
Bo Yutong placed her in the chest pocket of his shirt and rose, heading toward the study room, saying as he walked: “Tao Tao, accompany me at work today.”
Ruan Tao poked her little head out: “Sure.”
She had a private agenda.
Ever since Qian Bian had told her those things, she had wanted a chance to see what Bo Yutong’s work involved. If lucky, she might discover the cause of the Beast Tide.
From the information she had so far, the Beast Tide was far from a natural phenomenon—it was likely human-made.
Her eyesight had fully recovered, even sharper than before.
Perched in Bo Yutong’s pocket, she could see the documents he was reviewing clearly.
The first document seemed related to weapons research and development.
It was filled with a dense list of firearms and ammunition names. The combinations of letters and numbers made her dizzy. The weapon development process was somewhat understandable, but the production and consumption data that followed was incomprehensible.
Ruan Tao tried hard to find clues about the conspiracy…
Her efforts resulted in…
She became very sleepy.
And she dozed off, clinging to the edge of Bo Yutong’s pocket.
When she awoke, it was already nighttime. Ruan Tao even suspected Bo Yutong was doing it on purpose—he couldn’t possibly review these files every day.
Such summary reports only appeared about once a month!
Complaints aside, there was still work to do.
Ruan Tao rested for two days, saving enough human time. On the third day at noon, she went out and transformed back into a human.
That day was Sunday, also the day the Administrative District recruited new personnel.
These “new personnel” were weekly temporary recruits, brought in according to needs, without entering the Administrative District center or accessing any confidential information. They were all dismissed the following Sunday.
Normally, such recruits would hardly have the chance to meet Bo Yutong.
But if she didn’t try, she’d have no chance at all.
Qian Bian pressed a small leaf onto her forehead with force.
The leaf disappeared. Anyone who saw her face wouldn’t associate it with her real appearance, making it difficult to leave any lasting impression.
Qian Bian explained that this was his most common self-defense when blending into human crowds.
It prevented trouble before it happened and protected her fragile body.
Ruan Tao understood.
No wonder his human form had been such a plain face last time. Because she wouldn’t be recognized, Li Yudong couldn’t assist her either.
These inspections weren’t strict; after all, it was only weekly temporary work. They did minor tasks, only accepting those with a neat appearance who had never been there before.
Recently, it seemed that the A9 Administrative District was under construction, so more people were being recruited in recent weeks.
Of course, the recruits had no right to know how many were being brought in.
Ruan Tao submitted her application in advance, obtained a number, and quietly waited outside.
Traditionally, two aunties and one uncle oversaw recruitment. The aunties selected people for cleaning and cooking, while the uncle handled labor.
Several people entered and left, all looking displeased.
Ruan Tao was about to question one when a voice called: “Number 9!”
Number 9 was her.
She quickly jumped from the chair, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
Her face had been practicing a smile—friendly, but not foolish—
But when she saw the people inside, the smile froze.
Four people were clearly in the room. Besides the standard two aunties and one uncle, there was…
Bo Yutong???