### Chapter 1: The King of Youth Foot Washing Won’t Meet the Cello Girl
Before him stood a high school boy who’d been sizing her up for half an hour.
Even though he had ordered the extravagant 699 “Nostalgic High School Uniform Gold Medal Massage,” the girl couldn’t shake off the feeling that this intense stare was making her skin crawl.
But really, why was this guy—who must be a high school student—spending so much cash just to ogle a uniform? Hadn’t he seen enough at school?
The 24-year-old Female Master No. 7 usually felt quite confident pulling off a schoolgirl look, but now that she was face to face with a real high schooler, she felt like her entire career was being challenged in ways she never signed up for.
With that face, there was a good chance he’d had a real high school experience.
He’s not going to ask me to solve his math homework, is he?
I barely graduated from a vocational school—there’s nothing “high” about that!
“Why do you do this?”
“Uh?”
“You’re pretty good-looking. Why choose this line of work?” the boy asked.
“When I was young, my dad developed a gambling addiction,” she replied smoothly.
“Gambling addiction doesn’t account for that,” he interrupted, not buying her line.
“Doesn’t that affect your grades?”
“I’m not a student! I’m cosplaying! I don’t have grades, just performance!”
“But there must be gossip, right? If you took someone like me home, you’d have to explain it to relatives and friends while figuring out how to erase that black history!”
The girl began to sweat at this unexpected line of questioning.
Was he seriously contemplating marrying me? For someone so young, he sure had a sense of redemption.
But looking at him, well, it might not be such a bad idea.
“You’d find it hard to pursue another career, though. What if you become famous and someone reveals you used to wash feet? People would certainly comment like, ‘Just a leftover geisha from a businessman—how could you treasure her?’”
The boy was seriously analyzing this.
“If we’re searching for benefits, sure, people might pay more for foot washing later, but if I have that kind of money, why not just date?”
“Dude, are you insane?”
She broke down completely.
This was just what she needed—this embarrassing school uniform, coupled with a high school student belittling her.
“I quit! You and your dirty feet can get lost! Go wash your brain instead!”
In a fit of rage, she stood up, ready to storm out.
“Then can I get a refund on my 699?”
“Seventy minutes of service, and I’ve only done forty! You want a refund?”
“Well, I want my 400 back, and you can throw in a 399 coupon. I saw one at the front desk,” he stated seriously.
“…”
With a coupon in hand, Lin Tian walked out of the spa.
It had just rained, leaving puddles on the street.
Looking in front of him at the All-Purpose Producer system, he sighed.
There still wasn’t a suitable partner in sight.
Having transmigrated into a parallel world for 18 years, Lin Tian had originally aimed for a quiet life, but last week he ended up binding to a system called All-Purpose Producer.
This system was useless alone; he had to bind a female partner to get it activated.
By training this partner to become a world-renowned “idol,” Lin Tian could boost his attributes and earn rewards from his former life—things like novels, music, comics, and scripts.
But despite having a face that made countless men jealous, his lack of social skills in school meant he had practically zero interactions with females.
Finding a girl to bind wasn’t going to be easy.
Desperate, Lin Tian thought about trying the foot bath city.
After all, it was practically the low-cost go-to space for men wanting to meet pretty women.
But as expected, foot washing was just foot washing.
Even if he dressed her in idol clothes, they’d likely just come up with some “post-handshake performance massage package.”
This was a matter that couldn’t be rushed.
If he accidentally bound the wrong partner, the rest of Lin Tian’s life would be spent as a lobby manager.
“What kind of manager?”
Why, of course, the lobby manager at the Golden Foot Impression! The teacher of many golden beauty technicians, known as the “King of Foot Washing.” Lin Tian, possessing a system, still chose to shine for the foot washing industry—his posthumous legacy could enjoy the incense for a thousand years.
Unfortunately, this senior high school student wasn’t particularly interested in foot washing.
After leaving the foot bath city, it was already dark, and Lin Tian boarded the subway back home.
He lived alone in a tiny, rundown rental apartment in an old community. The place was shabby, but at least the location was decent.
Right on the city’s second ring road, only six subway stops from the school and just a few kilometers from the city center—perfect for a commuter like him.
The building was close to the street, and the first floor housed a quaint little café.
The owner was an elderly man named Gan, with a head of white hair but a vibrant spirit.
He knew Lin Tian lived alone, so every time Lin Tian got back from school, he’d greet him with a smile and ask about his life. During holidays, he’d even bring over pastries and homemade liquor for Lin Tian.
For this, Lin Tian was grateful.
Even though he had never developed a taste for coffee, he often bought a cup on his way home at night, even if sometimes the old man wouldn’t accept payment.
However, when Lin Tian returned to the café that night, he found it darkened, with the door tightly closed.
Was it already past nine? Why was the café closing so early?
He was perplexed.
The café usually closed around 11:30, and this time, it wouldn’t be getting any earlier. Once, he returned at three in the morning, and the place was still open.
There must be something going on.
Lin Tian didn’t ponder too long; he approached the glass door for a peek inside.
Just then, the door swung open from the inside.
A girl carrying a cello stepped out, bumping right into him.
She had a plain face, wearing the same high school uniform as him, with a neat ponytail.
Yet for some reason, her gaze resembled still water.
Seeing Lin Tian, the girl barely moved her lips:
“Is something up?”
“Where’s Grandpa Gan?”
“He’s not here. I’m watching the shop today,” she replied.
“And you are?”
“His granddaughter.”
“Oh.”
“Yep.”
The brief exchange wrapped up, and the girl brushed past Lin Tian, her cello case nearly bumping into his shoulder.
She tossed a bag of trash into the nearby bin before turning back and locking the café door.
As she walked away, Lin Tian felt puzzled.
He had no idea Grandpa Gan had a granddaughter, and one who went to the same high school, no less.
But then again, it made sense; he’d never asked about Grandpa Gan’s family, as he was too busy with his own life.
He originally wanted to inquire if he could cut through the café on the way.
But looking at her indifferent demeanor, Lin Tian dropped the thought.
It seemed like communication would be a hassle.
Once inside the building, Lin Tian headed up to his apartment on the sixth floor.
According to regulations, all buildings six floors or higher must have elevators, so most old buildings were six stories tall.
When he reached the sixth floor, he saw that familiar figure again.
The girl was sitting on the railing by his apartment, balancing the heavy cello case.
Her pale legs dangled down into the open air.
What was she doing? Catching a breeze? Or looking for a lost cat?
She couldn’t possibly be contemplating a leap.
The girl turned her head and saw Lin Tian.
“Can’t you not d*e in front of my door?”
Lin Tian inquired.
“Okay.”
The girl smoothly shifted her position from 603 to across from 602.
“No difference there; why not change floors?”
“Going down might just mean I won’t d*e.”
“Feet first might work.”
Lin Tian thought for a second; if that were the case, she’d need to strap the cello on her head, and she’d definitely need help doing that.
Then when he looked in the mirror at home, he’d see “1-0-0” on his forehead.
“Want to go to the rooftop?”
“The rooftop is locked, and I don’t have the key.”
“That lock opens just by pulling down; it’s not locked.”
“Oh.”
The girl’s eyes lit up with realization.
She slowly turned, then carefully stepped down from the low wall.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Nodding as he pulled out his key, Lin Tian prepared to open his door.
Just then, the girl seemed to remember something.
After taking a few steps up, she turned back down.
“By the way, could you help me keep this?”
The girl took off her cello case from her back.
“Sorry, I can’t really do that.” Lin Tian declined.
“Alright.” She replied with some disappointment, “Well, goodnight.”
“Goodnight to you too.”
Saying this, the girl walked up towards the rooftop, while Lin Tian opened his door and stepped inside.
Opening the fridge, he pulled out an ice coffee that had likely been in there for days and settled on the sofa, planning to enjoy a leisurely moment before his shower.
However, one minute passed.
Lin Tian began to feel something was off.
Wait a second,
She… isn’t really dead, is she?
(THE END OF THIS CHAPTER)
