Chapter 68: Care from My Seniors~
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 68: Care from My Seniors~
It was already very late by the time I returned to my bedroom.
I didn't even have time to take a proper bath. Still carrying the faint scent of aromatherapy, I collapsed onto the bed and fell straight asleep.
When I opened my eyes again, it was nearly noon.
"Ah... yawn..."
I let out a long, drawn-out yawn, squeezing out a tiny, glistening tear from the corner of my eye.
"Is it really that late already?"
I picked up my phone from the nightstand to check the time. It was past nine, almost ten.
By this time, the bakery should have already entered its "slacking off" period, right?
Even though I’d slept until now, I still felt a bit drowsy. However, after washing up, I felt much more refreshed.
I changed into a dress and took a quick shower. Today was going to be another day full of energy!
I seemed to recall promising Sister Bai last night that I’d go take the flight license exam, but I was so tired I couldn't really remember what was said.
Since Sister Bai wasn't in a rush to find me, there was nothing stopping me from going out to make some money.
Yesterday, I truly learned what it meant to spend money like water. Just a simple experience with meditation had basically wiped out all my savings.
And that was with me succeeding on the first try. Most people wouldn't succeed the first time, and just thinking about the potential costs made my heart ache.
I needed to work even harder to earn money!
Back when I had no concept of money, I thought working part-time at the bakery was pretty good. But as soon as I touched the Transcendent world, I realized my funds were woefully inadequate.
It was a real headache.
Walking down the street, I checked the messages I’d sent to my Senior Sisters yesterday. They should know that I’d be arriving a bit late today.
I hadn't paid much attention yesterday, but looking at it now, I saw they had replied almost immediately after I sent my message in the early hours of the morning. I’d missed it because I was out cold. It seemed my Senior Sisters were definitely night owls.
Unfortunately, my biological clock hadn't adapted to that kind of nightlife yet. I’d tried it once yesterday and ended up sleeping until noon.
Even now, I still felt a lingering fatigue.
Moreover, I hadn't told them why I’d be late. I should probably give them a proper explanation today. Since it was about my first meditation, they probably wouldn't mind.
Thinking about it made my stomach growl. I wondered if they still had bread available at this hour—even the most ordinary kind would do. Though, I’d pass on Senior Sister’s "dark cuisine."
When I arrived at the shop, it was as empty as expected.
"Senior Sister, I'm here~" I said politely as I pushed open the glass door.
Since I wasn't there, Senior Sister Ying Shiqian was the one busy out front.
I didn't see Senior Sister Tang Yihan; she was likely in the back again, trying to "improve" her new desserts.
I just hoped she hadn't whipped up another batch of dark cuisine.
"Oh~ Xiao Han~ My life has been so bitter without you here this morning!"
The moment Ying Shiqian saw me, she pounced, acting as if we hadn't seen each other in years.
"Eh? It hasn't been that long, has it? Isn't that a bit much, Senior Sister?"
"It's not too much at all! That Tang Yihan... she recreated that disgusting thing from yesterday! She said she changed some of the secondary ingredients, but it ended up tasting even more horrifying than before!" Ying Shiqian wailed, treating me like her personal venting outlet.
I felt a bit awkward. After all, there wasn't much I could do about her grievances.
"What 'disgusting thing'? How did my masterpiece become 'that thing' the moment it hit your mouth?"
A figure walked out from the back—it was Senior Sister Tang Yihan, who had heard the commotion.
"Xiao Han is here. I saw the message you sent last night. Did something happen?"
"Ah... it's nothing. I just went to try meditation yesterday, and it took a lot out of me. My biological clock hasn't adjusted yet, so I spent the morning catching up on sleep," I explained quickly.
"Meditation, huh? That stuff really does drain your energy. How did it feel? Like you had no idea where to even start? Don't worry, all freshmen go through that. You just have to grind at it slowly," Tang Yihan said in a comforting tone once she understood.
"Exactly. That's why I said you should look for books on meditation and rituals. It's better to believe they help than not, right? It never hurts to be over-prepared," Ying Shiqian chimed in.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sisters. It really did feel like I had no idea what I was doing. Meditation truly is something that relies on intuition," I said, following their lead. To be honest, I didn't know if my "shortcut" even counted as proper meditation, nor did I know what other people experienced.
But even if the methods differed, the goal was achieved, so it wasn't really a problem.
As I spoke, I headed to the locker room to clock in and change.
Happy part-time hours had begun!
No... more like "slacking off" hours.
"Xiao Han~ I'm back to chat with you~ Didn't you say you were going to try meditation yesterday? As a member of our Baking House and your senior, I naturally have to look out for you. This is some extra stock I picked up for myself yesterday. Consider it a gift~"
Ying Shiqian abandoned her usual slacking-off attitude and leaned in close. It made sense—there was nothing to do, and if she wanted to chat, I was her only option.
She was holding an exquisite box, wearing a "long-plotted" expression as if she were showing off a rare treasure.
Looking at the box, it seemed very familiar. In fact, I knew it all too well—wasn't this the same packaging from the aromatherapy shop yesterday?
It was just significantly larger than the one I had bought.
"A gift? You're giving this to me, Senior Sister?" I watched as she placed the box on the counter and pushed it toward me.
"Mhm~ This is top-grade incense. There isn't much, but it's the thought that counts~ Don't you dare refuse it."
Ying Shiqian grabbed my hand and, under my startled gaze, pressed the box into my palm.
"But receiving such a gift for no reason is a bit..." I said, feeling hesitant. I had seen the prices of that incense. This box was much larger than my previous purchase; it had to cost at least several hundred credits, right?
"It's fine! Just think of it as an investment to help you enter meditation sooner!"
"I appreciate the kindness, Senior Sister..." I said, opening the box. The packaging inside was substantial. In terms of quantity alone, it was many times more than what I’d bought yesterday!
The price of this incense had to be at least a thousand credits!
I probably hadn't even earned that much from the bakery yet.
"You have to take it~" Ying Shiqian insisted, completely oblivious to my awkward expression.
"But... I can already meditate."
"What did you say?"
"I said, I can already meditate. Otherwise, why would I have stayed up so late last night?" I looked at Ying Shiqian's face and repeated myself clearly.
Honestly, watching her expression shift from pride to confusion, then to shock, and finally to the look of a young girl who had been played with... it was hilarious!
Cough... I mean, it was very awkward!
I never intended to hide it, though. After all, if you have talent and don't show it, how will anyone know you're a genius?
In my limited understanding, the Transcendent world worked like this: within an ordered system, only by proving your value can you obtain more resources and gain access to higher permissions and the unknown.