Chapter 61: Action Plan?
Since Cool Sister already met Guang Yu yesterday, there were some things that Ye Zhibai had previously been unable to talk about, but now she could finally speak freely to her.
“Cool Sister, about the osmanthus cakes brought back quite a few from the cemetery before. I tasted them, and as expected, they still had the flavor of my childhood. They were delicious.”
After saying that, there was a long silence from Chi Yuliang’s side.
Ye Zhibai thought her super-fast internet must have lagged!
She shook her phone to check the connection.
At that moment, Chi Yuliang spoke up in a voice full of pity.
“Ye Zhibai… while we may need to be frugal, there’s no need to be eating food from a cemetery… It wasn’t necessary when we were kids, and it’s not necessary now! I didn’t realize you loved Osmanthus cakes this much… say no more, if that’s the case, three boxes won’t be enough. I’ll call the store right now and order three more!”
“Let me explain, I can explain.”
“Cool Sister, I’m not as pitiful as you think.“
“There’s a reason for this!”
“Eating your offerings isn’t unreasonable.
Even if the offerings aren’t meant for me but for the gods, it’s still fine if Guang Yu eats them!”
After all, Ye Zhibai and Guang Yu, the goddess and the human worked together, eating those osmanthus cakes with a completely clear conscience.
Explaining this logic to Cool Sister was just the prelude.
The main point Ye Zhibai wanted to make was in the next sentence!
“Most of the osmanthus cakes I brought home were eaten by Guang Yu.”
“Of the thirty pieces she brought back, Guang Yu ate twenty-eight.”
Hey!
Guang Yu shook with rage.
Guang Yu: What you said is true, but your explanation is unjust!
Guang Yu: Eating is called “foraging.” Foraging, ever since the prehistoric times before humanity existed, has always been the absolute law of survival of the fittest!
Guang Yu: You weren’t quick enough to eat the osmanthus cakes—can you blame me for eating faster than you?
It’s like when you forget to bring in your clothes on a rainy day and they get wet—can you blame the rain for that?
No, blame yourself for not diligently bringing them in!
Guang Yu’s rebuttal was impassioned, logical, and full of conviction.
Ye Zhibai nodded repeatedly as she listened to the little tea-colored cat deliver her grand argument from within the blanket.
After patiently waiting for Guang Yu to finish her speech, Ye Zhibai calmly said just one thing.
Ye Zhibai: Guang Yu, everything you said is right. But times have changed. The survival of the fittest now also includes a moral dimension.
Guang Yu: Ah? You mean… you’re saying I’m immoral? Nonsense! Back in the Heavenly Realm, everyone called me a master of *Dao De Jing*!
[*” Dao De Jing (道德经)” – A classical Daoist text often referenced to symbolize moral principles and profound wisdom. Here it is used humorously.]
Ye Zhibai: I think… your divine colleagues might have been mocking you.
Guang Yu: Sob, I’m crying! Even the Heavenly Realm has workplace exclusion!
Ye Zhibai pitied her, but she had to continue teasing this sly fox.
Ye Zhibai: Okay, *Master of Dao De Jing*, I just want to know—why did we agree to split the osmanthus cakes fifty-fifty, yet I ended up with only two pieces?
Guang Yu: Maybe… maybe because my stomach had its ideas.
Ye Zhibai: Oh, *Master of Dao De Jing*, you truly live up to the name.
“…”
“Is this what moral condemnation feels like?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing wrong with survival of the fittest, but we need to understand something.
If you only follow the principle of survival of the fittest, ignoring all other rules, we usually call that— law of the jungle.”
Just as these two rascals were about to launch into another historic-level debate, Chi Yuliang hurriedly raised her hands with a bitter smile, trying to mediate.
“Alright… you two need to get along, no fighting. It seems that little Guang Yu has quite the appetite, but this time there should be enough for both of you ~ Show some mutual understanding and tolerance, and the world will be wide and open.”
Ye Zhibai nodded vigorously.
She agreed with Cool Sister’s philosophy of inclusivity and generosity.
As she nodded in agreement, Ye Zhibai, from under the blanket, crossed her legs and applied a grappling move on the cat-shaped Guang Yu!
Ye Zhibai: I’ll teach you to steal my food!
Ye Zhibai: Will you dare to eat like that again?!
Guang Yu quickly tapped Ye Zhibai’s small feet with her paws.
Guang Yu: Hey, hey! With your period visiting, you still have the energy to attack me. How come when your sister was pressing down on you, you didn’t show this kind of strength?!
Are you just picking on the weak and fearing the strong?!
Ye Zhibai, you really should learn from Chi Yuliang—she sees things very objectively. Look at her! Her analysis of what just happened was rational and unbiased!
Just as Guang Yu thought this, Chi Yuliang’s voice came from the screen.
“Hey… little Guang Yu? Are you still there? Can you hear me?”
“I can hear you, what’s up? Also, don’t call me ‘little sister.’ You and Ye Zhibai’s ages combined, multiplied by a few hundred, still wouldn’t be as old as me.”
“Mhm, well… Guang Yu, I think that since a divine being like you is so ancient, you must be incredibly wise and broad-minded! Surely, you wouldn’t mind something as trivial as food, right? *Ye Zhibai* has loved *osmanthus cakes* since she was a child. I hope this time, you can let her have her fill before sharing, okay? If she doesn’t get enough, that would be upsetting…”
“…”
Turns out, no matter how broad-minded a person is, there’s always some bias!
It’s all a trap!
Damn it! Now that the osmanthus cakes are coming, it feels too embarrassing to eat first!
So, this is what morality feels like.
It is powerful!
Chatting with Cool Sister Was always lighthearted and enjoyable.
She could hear the sound of the stove crackling from the kitchen—it was the sound of Yun’er hard at work.
Thank you, Yun’er. No matter what dish you make, I’ll eat it all properly.
But… please be careful this time.
Don’t burn through the pot again!
That’s a brand-new pot we just bought!
Thinking of that poor pot, Ye Zhibai’s period pain flared up again.
Originally, she wanted to put her phone away and close her eyes while waiting for food.
But just as she picked up her phone, intending to set it down, Ye Zhibai suddenly noticed something at the bottom of the message list—
Xiao Qiu had also sent a message.
Cough cough… sorry, sorry, I’ve been out of it too often lately. Dehydration and all that. Sometimes I don’t have the energy to check messages.
Feeling busy, Ye Zhibai opened the message.
She squinted— Hmm, strange.
Xiao Qiu hadn’t sent any random message—she had sent an Excel file.
Feeling a mix of confusion and curiosity, Ye Zhibai opened the file.
Uh… let me see.
“8:15 a.m., meet at West City Plaza. (Or arrive a bit earlier.)
8:30 a.m., buy two drinks for the road. (If Yezi doesn’t like drinks, we can take a stroll nearby.)
8:45 a.m., queue at the ticket entrance early. (In case there’s a crowd.)”
It took Ye Zhibai a moment to realize.
Isn’t this an action plan for the comic convention?
Wow, this is impressive!
Ye Zhibai looked closely—the plan was comprehensive.
Every fifteen or ten minutes, Xiao Qiu wrote down an action plan, along with contingency plans, in case things didn’t go smoothly.
Her first thought was that Xiao Qiu must be a super-organized girl in real life!
Her second thought— This is exhausting!!
We haven’t even gone to the convention yet, but just reading through this spreadsheet is mentally exhausting!
Plans never keep up with changes, Xiao Qiu.
I suggest we go with the flow when we get there!
Though she thought that way,
Ye Zhibai, holding her phone, felt a mix of novelty and excitement.
This was the first time someone had ever made such a detailed action plan for her.
No matter what, since Xiao Qiu had taken this event so seriously, it wouldn’t feel right if Ye Zhibai didn’t respond.
She tapped out her reply:
[Ye Zhibai: You’re amazing, Xiao Qiu. Alright, we’ll follow your plan.]Xiao Qiu’s replies always came quickly!
And this time, even faster!
[Xiao Qiu: Ye Zhibai, don’t go too far! Who’s ‘your’ Xiao Qiu?(angry) But seriously, you finally replied? I thought you were going to ghost me!] [Ye Zhibai: No way, I, Ye Mou, always keep my word, never break promises.] [Xiao Qiu: Good then. Take a look at the plan—anything you’d like to add? Or maybe refine some parts? Isn’t it still a bit too vague?]
Refine it more? Refine what, exactly?!
Your plan is already down to the minute—how could it be any more detailed?!
Ugh, when this period ends, I’m going to have a good time at the convention.
To heal the pain in my heart!
