"Good afternoon."
Bianka entered the hotel and signaled to the waiter in charge that she already had a table.
She then approached where Tian Shi and the others were sitting and greeted them, as their food had already been served.
"Good afternoon, Bianka."
The others responded, and then Tian Shi showed a slightly surprised look.
"Bianka, how did you find this place?"
"Mr. Grey Serpent told me,"
Bianka replied truthfully.
"and Dr. Cleo said you were all together,"
With the exception of Raiden Mei.
"Has Cleo finished the work I left her?"
MEI asked, adjusting her glasses without expression.
"Well... although it's a bit embarrassing to say, by the time I saw Dr. Cleo, she had already finished the work."
Although Cleo's appearance at that time was no longer one of disarray, it looked more like she was inhaling more than exhaling.
Thinking of this, Bianka couldn't help but look at MEI with a somewhat strange expression.
After all, judging by her appearance, Bianka couldn't imagine that MEI was a workaholic who could make Cleo feel that her life was worth little.
From the outside, one can only see that MEI is a very serious and somewhat distant person.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with her character.
"Is she okay?"
MEI continued.
"When I left the lab this morning, she looked half dead."
"…"
"You knew she was half dead?"
At that moment, although Bianka was a calm girl, she couldn't help but complain in her heart.
"When I sent Dr. Cleo back, she was probably not in mortal danger."
"That's good. After all, I find it very convenient to have her as an assistant."
MEI nodded without expression.
"Tsk, I think this news is a bit disappointing."
Raven shrugged.
"But of course, what is that guy, Grey Serpent, doing? First these two, and then you... does he think we are too calm here?"
"I was the one who asked: 'Mr. Grey Serpent, is there space here?'"
"Yes, there is."
Rita nodded, but then looked back with some surprise.
"Although this may sound a bit rude, may I ask who is behind you, Lady Bianka?"
"I met her on the way, she is Dr. Tesla."
Bianka reached out and mercilessly yanked out the red hair and pigtails that were hiding behind her.
"Doctor Tesla?"
Mei's expression suddenly froze.
"Wait, do things not look good?"
"Mei, why are you pushing me?" Senti looked at her confusedly.
"Uh... squad leader, please help me block her."
Mei put her hands together and pleaded.
"Huh? Block her? It's not impossible..."
Senti scratched her head.
"But, logically speaking, shouldn't you have a lot of confidence in that redhead? Mei, why do you feel so guilty?"
"Um... to put it in an analogy, it's like letting Dr. MEI do the experiment, and then you, squad leader, have a secret date with Brother Tian Shi."
"..."
MEI looked at Mei.
"I'm still here! Does that seem like a good analogy? Do you think I would sell you right there?"
"Then you should really feel guilty."
Senti imagined the scene described by Mei, then straightened her body and helped Mei block Tesla's view as much as possible.
"Wait. Why should I help Mei?"
After realizing the treasure, she fell into deep thought.
"Good afternoon, Tian."
Tesla, who was exposed, didn't care at all about Mei's reaction and greeted Tian Shi dryly.
It's over, it's over, it's over! I still haven't put on makeup!
How could I face Tian Shi like that? Wouldn't Tian Shi feel even more miserable than sixty years ago?
Obviously... it was clearly a reunion after more than sixty years, and she should have left a good impression on him... but now isn't everything ruined? If she weren't in front of Tian Shi, she would be crying.
The reunion I imagined should be even more romantic!
"Um... Good afternoon, Tesla, long time no see."
After receiving a round of system prompts, Tian Shi responded somewhat stiffly.
However, this stiffness had a different meaning in Tesla's eyes.
"Well, that... now, I... uh... it's not what you think!"
Tesla tried to explain in a panic.
"...?"
What is she talking about?
Looking at Tesla, who suddenly panicked, Tian Shi tilted his head slightly confused.
"Uh... do you want to eat something first and sit down to chat?"
Tian Shi looked at Tesla, who was a little nervous, and thought it would be better to let her relax a bit, so he opened his mouth to invite her.
You are no longer willing to listen to my explanation? Why, why is it like this? I must be unpleasant, right? Should Tian Shi tactfully ask me to leave soon?
Just, just this kind of thing...
Tesla felt her vision blur.
"Uh... Dr. Tesla, are you crying?"
Even Rita looked confused at that moment.
The last time she tied up this doctor, she didn't cry, did she? Instead, she attacked her verbally with all her might.
"Why are you suddenly crying at this moment?"
"Who, who's crying?!"
Tesla asked stubbornly and unenthusiastically.
"Does something not seem right?"
Mei, with her head down, looked at the tears welling up in her eyes with a strange look, as if she was going to cry the next second.
"Bianka, what is going on?"
Tian Shi wisely did not continue asking Tesla, but instead asked Bianka who came with Tesla.
"Is it because she didn't put on makeup?"
Bianka also looked confused.
"Dr. Tesla was outside, insisting on going back and putting on makeup, but I thought it would be too much work, so I dragged her in... Are these two things related?"
"Makeup?"
MEI suddenly remembered something and looked at herself in the mirror.
"It's fine, it's fine... I was awake all night yesterday and I'm used to working hard, so nothing shows on my face."
"Makeup... is very important."
Raven also showed understanding on her face, which made Rita look at her slightly sideways.
"You, who usually dress grimly, are the least qualified to comment on things like makeup, right? This kind of talk would be more convincing if it were said by MEI, right?"
"I don't understand."
Senti's answer did not surprise anyone.
Well, neither Senti nor Fu Hua seemed to have any affinity for makeup.
(I always feel like I've been subtly misunderstood. Back then, I learned to dress up with my friends... but it was actually too complicated and troublesome.)
"Mmmm?"
Kiana expressed doubts about Fu Hua's explanation.
(My friend at the time was... well, she was a beauty who wasn't beautiful, although saying that doesn't entirely fit my class monitor status, she had some knowledge of makeup, games, and even chasing celebrities, although in the end, she didn't really understand anything beyond games.)
"What does 'beauty who wasn't beautiful' mean?"
(She's... uh, like Miss Raven?)
Fu Hua explained to Kiana.
"Raven... Oh, the grim girl who doesn't count as a grim girl, right?"
Kiana understood after hearing this.
"Anyone who sees Ciora's usual black crow-style combat uniform at first glance will label her as a grim woman, but after dealing with her, they will discover that Raven has nothing to do with the word grim."
"So, the class monitor's friend is just a normal girl who looks like a beauty?"
(Correct answer.)
"Although I don't know much about cosmetics... I understand that feeling, it's like wearing new clothes, after all, girls like to dress up, right?"
Kiana expressed her opinion fairly.
Although she doesn't have much contact with cosmetics, this can be applied to wearing new clothes.
"Is that so?"
Bianka's silly expression made Kiana look sideways at Rita.
"Rita... is your captain really about my age?"
"Perhaps a little older than you."
Rita really wanted to answer that.
"I guarantee her authenticity."
"Miss Bianka, have you ever worn makeup?"
MEI's voice suddenly rang out.
"Does washing my face with facial cleanser count?"
Bianka asked hesitantly.
"Rita used to put makeup on me, but it would run off with sweat after a while in the training room."
"How old is she?"
"Seventeen, at least that's what my profile says."
"No wonder."
MEI said, frowning and then looking at Mei.
"When I was your age, I didn't wear makeup either."
"I spent a month in the lab and came out radiant, you know?"
"Wait, who is the 'you' in this sentence addressing?"
Mei looked confused.
"I am 20 years old this year."
"It's fine. In five or six years, or even less, you should start wearing makeup, Mei."
Well, the target of this sentence is very clear: it is her.
"But... is this a curse? A curse from the 'adult version of myself'?"
"This curse really makes people more stressed."
And by the way, why are you telling me this? I wear makeup!
The one who doesn't wear makeup is this girl in front of me, okay?
Why are you pressuring me?
No, it would be better to ask, why was the hatred inexplicably transferred to me?
"I usually wear light makeup,"
Mei replied helplessly.
"I also wear light makeup, but I mainly focus on skin care and things like that,"
Rita spread her hands.
"And as you already heard, I tried to teach Lady Bianka before, but it didn't work."
"Although everyone here looks good without makeup, except for a few people, who would refuse light makeup that is simple, fast, and can add points?"
While the group of people next to them discussed makeup issues, Tian Shi was still busy comforting Tesla.
"It's okay, it's okay, I think Tesla looks great without makeup."
"Dry... totally unconvincing."
"No, I'm serious, it's not like I haven't seen you with makeup, Tesla. I don't think there's much difference."
Hint: this phrase is a bomb for girls, even though Dr. Tesla is no longer a girl.
Upon hearing this, Rita looked sideways at Tian Shi.
"From another perspective, this phrase denies the meaning of girls wearing makeup."
"Wow... Yes, does that mean makeup is useless? Am I really that useless?"
She's really going to cry... Tesla, the red-haired, tsundere girl with twin pigtails, is going to cry...
This seems to be really bad.
Although Tian Shi used to think that making a tsundere character burst into tears was something very interesting, he didn't find it interesting at all when this kind of thing happened to him!
"Although this is a sensitive aspect, let's forget it."
"No! Who would say that you, Tesla, are useless? What I mean is, Tesla, you are excellent to me, whether you wear makeup or not!"
Tian Shi quickly corrected himself.
"By the way, is there anyone here who knows how to draw?"
Rita suddenly spoke at that moment.
"I have an idea in mind called 'The Crying Loser.' What do you think? Does it have the potential to become a classic?"
"Wait, Rita. Why are you saying this now?"
Tian Shi looked in surprise at Rita, who was adding fuel to the fire.
"Who are you calling a loser?"
Tesla, holding back tears, looked at Rita angrily, but that expression had no deterrent effect on Rita.
"Doctor Tesla, aren't you very self-aware?"
Rita chuckled and picked up Tian Shi, who was possessed by the doll.
Tian Shi thought for a moment and stopped struggling: he felt that Rita was not that kind of person.
"If you want to cry your eyes out, I can reserve a soundproof private room for you. You can cry from now until the day after tomorrow."
Rita had a teasing smile on her face.
"Anyway, please don't ruin our lunch, Dr. Tesla."
"Bastard..."
Tesla looked at Rita through clenched teeth.
"Every time I see Rita, it's surely bad news! Who's the loser? And I didn't cry! I didn't cry!"
"Well, it seems like nobody here knows how to draw, so forget about that crying loser and let's enjoy our well-deserved lunch."
"How about we sit down and eat first?"
Tian Shi asked Tesla.
Tesla bit her lip and nodded silently.
"I can't let Rita, that bastard maid, look down on me! And there's also that damned girl Mei!"
Tesla looked fiercely at Rita and Mei, who was shrinking her head.
"It's okay, it's okay. After sixty years, we can't start with tears, right?"
Tian Shi floated towards Tesla, which made Tesla feel a little better.
"Uh..."
Tesla reached out her hand to dry her tears and hugged Tian Shi.
"This doll is so small... Tian Shi, you won't abandon me, will you?"
"Because you're not wearing makeup?"
"Because, didn't I ruin our reunion after sixty years? I'm useless, right?"
"Hmm... I think this is also a cute point."