Novel Bin Book 1: Chapter 3: Boosted Luck
Book 1: Chapter 3: Boosted Luck
“Look, I brought you out for lunch. I did not mistreat you, right?”
“Yes, yes, yes. You did not mistreat me. To think that you are willing to go to such expense! So, what good thing happened to you? Tell me about it.” Mo Qingtong looked at the dishes before her with gratification; they were all food she loved. At the same time, she felt curious about why Chen Heng would treat her like this on an ordinary day.
“Alright, let’s not waste time talking. Let’s eat. Aren’t these all your favorites? You won’t be getting such a treat again.”
“Alright! Alright! Let’s start!” Mo Qingtong picked up a piece of cola chicken and placed it in her mouth. As she ate, she kept commenting, “It’s so good! I have not eaten such good food for some time already!”
[TL Note: Here is the Wikipedia entry on cola chicken: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cola_chicken. Surprisingly, it does taste quite good, and it’s quite easy to make.]
There was a reason for Mo Qingtong’s comments. It was not that she was impoverished. On the contrary, she had a privileged family background. Simply put, her father’s family was wealthy, and her mother’s family had political power.
Those who knew her situation would think she had nothing to worry about. In fact, that was true—except in one area: food.
Mo Qingtong’s mother, Liu Yunxian, was a flawless and perfect woman in the eyes of others. However, she had one critical flaw: a poor sense of taste. Furthermore, she had a beloved hobby: cooking. Combining a poor sense of taste and a love for cooking produced an extraordinary reaction.
In the Mo Family, Liu Yunxian held all the rights to cook. Aside from special occasions, she cooked all three meals of the day.
Breakfast was still alright. It was an ordinary Western-styled breakfast. Occasionally, there would be some fried dough sticks and soy milk. However, lunch and dinner were disasters. Chen Heng had the “fortune” of trying it once. The taste was indescribable.
[TL Note: The Western-styled breakfast likely refers to fried eggs, sausages, and toast or some variation of that, like sandwiches.]
[TL Note: Wikipedia entry for fried dough sticks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youtiao.]
One might think, since Mo Qingtong couldn’t eat well at home, couldn’t she sneak out and eat outside? Sorry, that wouldn’t work.
Well, what about eating in secret? It had better not get discovered. If Liu Yunxian found out, she would get angry. Furthermore, her anger could not be appeased.
That was light. If the father and daughter were caught repeating the crime within a certain period, the severity of the situation would escalate.
Liu Yunxian had a dual personality. This was caused by her ability. Generally speaking, she was similar to Seele Vollerei, having a clear difference between the aggressive personality and the passive personality.
[TL Note: Seele Vollerei is a character from Honkai Impact 3rd. She was originally a sweet and kind girl. However, her ability birthed a second personality called Veliona, who is manipulative and dangerous, the polar opposite of the initial personality. Here is some information about her: /wiki/Seele_Vollerei.]
Aggressive personality: What? My cooking tastes terrible? Even if it is awful, you have to finish what I cook. It is fine as long as it is nutritious. What is the point of tasting good?
“Oh, by the way, have you called my mother yet?” Apparently remembering something, Mo Qingtong put down her chopsticks and glared at Chen Heng.
“It only occurred to you now? Food is all you think about. Of course, I did. I already called her.”
This girl…she forgets about everything when she sees good food.
“I don’t believe it. When did you call her?” Mo Qingtong appeared skeptical. She even took out her phone as if to call home.
“When we were waiting for the dishes to be served. Didn’t you see me go out for a while?”
“Alright, alright! It’s fine if you have called.” Mo Qingtong waved her hand and resumed eating.
“Hey! Don’t just watch me eat. You eat as well!”
“Me? I’m not hungry. Just quickly eat.”
Chen Heng did not eat. Instead, he propped his head on his hands and just watched quietly.
Ding! Welcome, Queen of Rhodes Island, to the association!
17-Year-Old Youkai Sage: Newcomer, look at the announcements.Updated from nov𝒆lbIn.(c)om
Queen of Rhodes Island: …
17-Year-Old Youkai Sage: Oh, right. @He Who Knows Fate, is your world merging?
He Who Knows Fate: That’s right. However, it is an ordinary world. It does not have any monsters.
Umaru-chan: Monsters? It looks like He Who Knows Fate’s world is a high fantasy type.
He Who Knows Fate: Well…it’s still alright on the surface, but the hidden world is like the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. However, the mundane world and the hidden world rarely interact under normal circumstances. There are also rules in the hidden world.
[TL Note: The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in Japanese folklore is a procession of demons and other supernatural beings. Here is the Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakki_Yagy%C5%8D.]
Queen of Rhodes Island: This Dimension Administrators Association is quite magical. Furthermore, what kind of people can fight until they damage multiple worlds? Also, what kind of organization is the Purple Firmament Palace?
He Who Knows Fate: There’s no need to worry about that. In any case, we will come in contact with them in the future. After all, the Dimension Administrators Association is responsible for wiping their asses.
He Who Knows Fate: Also, for some reason, “Purple Firmament Palace” sounds familiar. I seemed to have heard it somewhere before.
17-Year-Old Youkai Sage: Don’t tell me it’s from some sort of prehistoric genre novel?
He Who Knows Fate: You also read that stuff? Wait, we have gone off-topic. Anyway, I saw it in my clan’s repository. I will go back and check later.
Umaru-chan: Aren’t you in class?
He Who Knows Fate: Isn’t it lunch break now?
Iron Fist Teacher: Do you intend to play truant, skipping afternoon classes?
He Who Knows Fate: What a time for you to pop up.
Iron Fist Teacher: Heed my advice: take your studies seriously. Only then will you find a good job later on in life. Then, you can find a boyfriend and get married. Don’t be like me, left on the shelf at the age of 30…
He Who Knows Fate: Stop! Yamete! I’m male.
[TL Note: Yamete is “stop” in Japanese. The raws used Chinese and English, so I adapted by using English and Japanese.]
Efreet: Just ignore her. It’s starting again. An old woman left on the shelf is very pitiful.
He Who Knows Fate: Erm…I’m speechless.
He Who Knows Fate: I just accepted the mission to search for System 10086 in the mission hall. I hope I can run into it when completing other missions. It would be even better if it transmigrates to my world.
Magus of Flowers: You must be sleeptalking.
Queen of Ice and Snow: I accepted that mission too. It is not just me; most people have. For example, the one above. →_→
Magus of Flowers: Even ordinary people must have dreams. What if I run into it?
Queen of Ice and Snow: Shut up, you grade C luck. Do you think that you can run into such a good thing?
Magus of Flowers: I’m dying from laughter. What qualification do you, a grade D luck, have to mock me? Your poor luck?
Queen of Ice and Snow: The status screen is not just filled in casually.
Magus of Flowers: Then, why are you laughing at me?
He Who Knows Fate: What are those two talking about?
I Have a Strong Presence: These two seemed to have similar worldviews. However, they could just be in parallel worlds. That status screen is something that lists their abilities.
Umaru-chan: According to Queen of Ice and Snow, the status screens of those powerful people are filled in casually.
“Hey! Chen Heng, stop staring at me. I can’t keep eating like that. I’m going to get angry!” Mo Qingtong felt very uncomfortable under Chen Heng’s fixed gaze.
Mo Qingtong’s words pulled Chen Heng back to reality, prompting him to react. To her, it seemed like he kept staring at her.
“Alright, alright, alright. Let’s eat together!”
“Keep staring at me, and I will hit you.”
“Alright, alright, alright. I’ll stop looking.”
“If you look, I’ll really hit you.”
“Alright, alright, alright!”
“Speaking of which, it is about time for the college entrance exams. Which university are you planning to enter?”
“I don’t intend to enroll in a university.”
“Huh? What? What did you say? You won’t attend university? Are you crazy?!” Mo Qingtong even put down her chopsticks when she heard that.
“I’m just joking.”
“I nearly thought I broke your brain when I hit you a few days ago. Come here! Let me check your head!”
“Stop messing around.”
“Who is messing with you? I’m genuinely concerned that I damaged your brain!”
“If you damaged it, would you support me for life?”
“I’ll support you for life!”
“Erm…are you serious?” Chen Heng could not believe that Mo Qingtong had said such words.
“You tricked me!” Mo Qingtong slammed the chopsticks she had just picked up on the table.
“Heaven above be my witness, when have I…alright, alright, alright! I tricked you. I admit it!” Chen Heng decisively chose to submit. Yes, he absolutely chose to—not because Mo Qingtong was about to toss an empty cup at him.
Honestly speaking, it would be easy to get into any school he wanted with the Precognition. It was not cheating, just doing it again. That was not cheating. How could the things a Precognition user did be called cheating?
However, it might depend on luck if he wanted to see the high school examination questions with that short-circuited Precognition. He might have to try several times. If that still did not work, Chen Heng recalled that the Dimension Administrators Association’s shop sold High School Knowledge (Full Set), something completely unexpected.
Ding! Detecting an illegal transmigrator in this world. Please quickly go and investigate. Eliminate, deport, exile, or capture according to the situation. The reward will be given based on the situation.
Ding! Detecting that the illegal transmigrator is carrying System 10086 with him. Please quickly collect it.
Hot damn! My luck must have been boosted.
Please note that Future Sight has been changed to Precognition, the change took place shortly after the release of Chapter 3.