Tokyo, Bunkyo Ward.
At this moment, Lu Nian—completely unaware that a certain little loli was living happily in another world—stood on the bustling streets of Bunkyo Ward, calmly inspecting the building in front of him with evident satisfaction.
This was the most suitable location he had found after an entire morning of searching.
The two-and-a-half-story building sat right in the heart of a lively commercial street. Pedestrians flowed endlessly past the storefront, and even without opening for business, the future foot traffic was easy to imagine. Once the store was officially running, business would never be lacking.
The layout was almost tailor-made for him.
The first floor could serve as a shop, while the second floor was a living space. It solved the biggest problem at once—Lu Nian couldn't keep staying at Hiratsuka Shizuka's place forever. Having a home of his own felt… right.
"Sir, are you satisfied with this property?"
At his side, the real estate agent—immaculately dressed in a suit—asked with a professional smile. Years of experience told him this young man was already sold.
"Yes," Lu Nian nodded. "This one. Please contact the landlord. When can we sign the contract?"
"The landlord has authorized me to handle everything," the agent replied smoothly, pulling a document from his briefcase. "If you're satisfied, we can sign immediately. If funds are an issue, I can also help apply for—"
"No need."
Lu Nian interrupted calmly. "I'll pay in full."
A loan?
That was unnecessary.
If this were his previous life, he might not have had such confidence. But now? Money had become one of the least interesting things to him.
The contract was signed swiftly. Payment was completed on the spot. Moments later, the key was placed into Lu Nian's hand.
From now on, this place belonged to him.
Pushing the door open, Lu Nian stepped into his new home.
The first floor had been decorated like an antique shop by the previous owner. Wooden shelves, muted colors, and faint traces of age gave the space a mysterious, time-worn charm. Lu Nian liked it. He didn't plan to change much.
Upstairs, the second floor had clearly been used as a residence. The layout was reasonable, with no major issues.
Lu Nian moved efficiently.
Old furniture and unwanted items were sealed away without hesitation. Then, one by one, brand-new furniture he had prepared earlier was taken out and placed neatly into position.
When everything was done, the once-empty space finally felt alive.
Satisfied, Lu Nian headed back to the commercial street to buy fresh ingredients. While shopping, he sent a message to Hiratsuka Shizuka, asking her to come over directly after work.
After all, she was his only friend in this world—and she had let him stay at her place for quite some time.
It was only right to invite her over.
Near five o'clock, just as the last dish was nearly finished, the doorbell downstairs rang.
Before it could ring a second time, the visitor seemed to notice the door wasn't locked.
"Welcome, Teacher Jing," Lu Nian called out without turning around. "Sit wherever you like. Dinner will be ready soon."
Hiratsuka Shizuka leaned against the kitchen doorway, a cigarette between her lips, quietly observing him.
She wasn't polite about it. Instead, she wandered around the house, inspecting each room with interest. Only after Lu Nian finished cooking and called her did she finally sit at the dining table—though her eyes never left him.
"I won't ask why you suddenly moved out," she said casually. "But what about the card you showed me before?"
She hadn't forgotten.
If that thing were ever released, whether or not the world would be destroyed, humanity would certainly be thrown into an apocalyptic nightmare.
To avoid waking up one day and having to survive the end of the world, Hiratsuka Shizuka needed reassurance.
"Oh, you mean this?"
Lu Nian raised a finger. A card appeared above it, rotating slowly. On its surface was a grotesque, cat-shaped monster formed from writhing flesh and blood.
"The Proenterovirus card."
He smiled lightly. "What? Teacher Jing, are you dissatisfied with the world? Planning to 'purify' it? As thanks for letting me stay before, I could give it to you."
"Absolutely not!" Hiratsuka Shizuka snapped, glaring at him. "Put that thing away—preferably forever!"
She rolled her eyes irritably. Despite her age, her single status, and her parents' constant urging to marry, she was still quite satisfied with her life and this world.
Why would she ever want something so dangerous?
"Alright, alright," Lu Nian chuckled, putting the card away. "Just joking."
This card would never be sold in this world. Lu Nian intended to stay here for a long time.
A peaceful, prosperous, and vibrant world was exactly what he needed.
"Oh, right. There's also this."
He pulled a key from his pocket and placed it on the table.
"Keep it."
Hiratsuka Shizuka paused mid-bite, steak in one hand and wine in the other, glancing at the key without picking it up.
"You don't need to."
"Then I'll keep it for you," Lu Nian replied naturally. "Teacher Jing, you're welcome to come anytime."
"…As if you needed to say that."
Dinner disappeared quickly.
Most of it, unsurprisingly, went into Lu Nian's stomach. Hiratsuka Shizuka, full halfway through, could only stare enviously at his unchanged abdomen before switching entirely to beer.
As expected, she was drunk again.
After carrying her to the guest bedroom and settling her down, Lu Nian returned to clean up the living room.
Just then, the doorbell rang again.
Carrying the trash, Lu Nian went downstairs and opened the door.
Standing outside was a girl with long golden hair tied into twin ponytails, black-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. She looked slightly frail and was holding a neatly packaged bag of cookies.
"Hello," she said softly. "My name is Kaori Miyazono. I'm the daughter of the cake shop next door. My mother asked me to bring some crepes to our new neighbor."
When she looked up and saw Lu Nian, she froze.
Only after a few seconds did she realize she had been staring. Her face flushed faintly as she lowered her head and hurriedly held out the package.
_____________________
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