Chapter 73: The Fifth Heavyweight Member
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 73: The Fifth Heavyweight Member
After tasting the Red Velvet Cake, Tan Han stood up and began browsing through the shop, occasionally picking up an interesting-looking cookie to try.
I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Even if the Shopkeeper told me I could eat whatever I wanted, I wouldn't be able to sample things as naturally as Tan Han did.
I considered going over to introduce the new arrivals to her, but she turned me down, wanting to experience them for herself.
I didn't press the issue. After all, any new product put out on display was at least guaranteed not to taste as disastrous as that cake from earlier.
That said, there were a few items with rather... radical flavors. I just hoped she wouldn't pick those.
Usually, those "heavy-duty" flavors were packaged as the bakery's "Baking Blind Boxes." Because they were cheap and offered a sense of novelty, the blind boxes actually sold quite well—well, relatively speaking, compared to the other pastries.
Since Tan Han wasn't in the mood for small talk and I had nothing else to do, I decided to cast a Cleaning Spell to tidy up the shop. I have to say, in some ways, the Cleaning Spell is truly a god-tier skill.
It wasn't just for washing dishes; it could clear away trash and dust, and even keep the caster themselves spotless.
If I hadn't maintained the habit of bathing, the Cleaning Spell would have replaced showers entirely. It was the same for dirty laundry; I’d hit them with a Cleaning Spell before tossing them into the washing machine. Not for any practical reason, really—just to let the clothes get wet and then dry, giving the process a sense of ritual. It let the clothes know they’d actually been washed.
"Xiao Han, is that... a spell?"
Just as I had polished the floor to a mirror sheen, a voice behind me gave me a start. I hadn't expected this quiet Academic God to initiate a conversation.
"Phew—you scared me. Yeah, it’s a spell. The Cleaning Spell. It’s actually very practical." After calming my heart rate, I didn't complain; instead, I began to explain it to her.
"You can already use spells?" Tan Han asked, her face filled with wonder.
"Uh... sort of. Actually, using spells is simpler than you might think," I nodded in admission. However, I didn't want her to get the wrong idea; after all, using a spell and mastering a spell were two very different concepts.
"I know. It’s the Spellbook."
"Eh? You know?" I was stunned. I hadn't expected her to be aware of that.
Was I the only one out of the loop this whole time?
And here I was, wondering how to explain concepts like Spellbooks and spell slots.
"I know a little. The Senior Sister who’s been mentoring me these past two days mentioned them."
"Must be nice..."
I sighed with genuine envy. She’d been mentored by a Senior Sister for two days straight—why didn't I get that kind of treatment?
Wait, that’s not right. I have Sister Bai!
It was just a pity I hadn't thought to ask. Back then, I had no concept of these things, so I naturally had no reason to bring them up.
Tan Han saw my undisguised envy and seemed like she wanted to explain something, but she ultimately held back. On one hand, there was no real need to explain; enjoying such treatment was simply a reflection of her own value.
On the other hand, Xia Li’s voice was already drifting out from the back. It seemed the Shopkeeper was finished with her work.
"Yihan, honestly! You took the club application form without telling me. I’ve been looking for it forever." Xia Li’s voice carried a hint of helplessness, though she couldn't quite bring herself to be truly angry.
"But you didn't tell me you were looking for it. How was I supposed to know? Besides, couldn't you have just asked me to get it? I’m the one who usually handles these things anyway," Senior Sister Tang Yihan’s voice followed.
A moment later, the group emerged.
"Xiao Han~ Here, I found the application form. If you’ve really decided to join the Baking House, come over and sign it~" Xia Li waved at Tan Han with a smile.
Hearing Xia Li’s voice, I instinctively thought she was calling me, but when I saw Tan Han move, I froze in my tracks.
My eyes widened in disbelief. Tan Han was joining the Baking House too?
Had she been brainwashed by Xia Li?
Did she not know the state of this club? Even counting me, there were only four people in total!
What was she after?
Could it be the Manager's Private Stash?
I had a feeling the [Transcendent Knowledge] in that stash was about to be depleted. Otherwise, I really couldn't see what Xia Li had used to lure Tan Han in. Was it her charismatic personality?
I certainly hadn't seen any of that.
What I had seen, however, was that the Shopkeeper was loaded. Even if she had a thousand flaws, at least she paid well!
And she’d been so punctual with the wages yesterday.
Who can say no to a good salary?
Where else would you find such a great boss?
"Senior Xia, please just call me Xiao Tan. That’s what my family calls me. Being called 'Xiao Han' feels a bit strange," Tan Han said to the Shopkeeper as she walked over.
I was quite touched by Tan Han’s clarification, but that didn't stop me from following them to see what was happening.
By the time I got there, Tan Han had already filled out the form without a moment's hesitation. The speed of it was almost hard to believe. Wasn't she going to sleep on it?
"All right~ Congratulations, Tan Han, on becoming the fourth member of our Baking House—"
Xia Li looked at the completed form and started to celebrate, but she was immediately interrupted by Ying Shiqian and Tang Yihan.
"Shopkeeper, let me correct you. She’s the fifth! There’s something we forgot to tell you," Ying Shiqian explained quickly at Xia Li’s side.
"Huh? The fifth? How come I didn't know?"
It was Xia Li’s turn to be bewildered. She was the Shopkeeper of the bakery and the President of the Baking House—how could she not know about this?
"It’s Xiao Han! Yang Yuehan. We just pulled her into the club this morning. We were waiting for you to show up so we could tell you."
"Xiao Han?" Xia Li turned a suspicious gaze toward me, then back to Ying Shiqian and the other, as if asking for an explanation.
"Honestly, Shopkeeper, don't just focus on Tan Han, okay? You really don't pay enough attention to your employees! Yesterday was Xiao Han’s first attempt at meditation, and she succeeded! You’re telling me you don't want a little genius like that?"
Seeing Xia Li’s stunned expression, Ying Shiqian immediately began lecturing her. To an outsider, it would have been hard to tell who the actual boss was.
"Huh? Eh? What... ah?"
Xia Li let out a string of confused sounds, unable to squeeze out a single coherent sentence. It was clear just how much of a shock this news was to her.
Meanwhile, Tan Han put down her pen. This time, she looked at me with a focused, serious gaze. In this moment, even Tan Han felt that this was something she had to take seriously.
Originally, she had assumed that this new student in the shop wouldn't have much overlap with her life. Consequently, she had intentionally maintained a certain distance, avoiding any deep interaction. She had seen too many people try to curry favor with her, but Xiao Han felt different. The girl had been sensible enough to keep her distance and hadn't forced any contact.
The "meditation" the Senior Sister mentioned had to be the Witch Meditation Method. Tan Han had come across related materials over the past two days but hadn't attempted it yet. She had researched everything about meditation, including the records of how long it usually took to succeed, so she understood exactly what it meant to succeed on the very first try.
Tan Han knew that it was now her turn to take the initiative and build a good relationship. Meditation was the foundation upon which all transcendent energy was made available to a living being. Becoming casual friends and discussing meditation-related topics seemed like a very good idea.