Chapter 46: Comic Characters
The red-crowned cranes continued their persistent knocking on the window.
To be honest, Yan Shi didn't want to accept the offer.
This is a confidential shipment.
The outer packaging even has "[For children's books, choose Baitong]" printed on it.
She was certain that at this hour, any colleague going out for lunch could see, if they looked up, a huge red-crowned crane outside the director's office, with a package tied to its leg and large characters written on it, knocking on the window.
Yan Shi walked expressionlessly to the window, swiftly opened it, grabbed the red-crowned crane by the wing, pulled it inside, then quickly closed the window and drew the curtains.
Although the red-crowned crane seemed a little listless, it was very skilled at its job. After entering the room, it used its beak to take out a shipping manifest from a bag hanging around its neck and handed it to Yan Shi, then deftly removed the package tied to its leg.
"The goods have arrived. Please sign here to confirm receipt. Please give Linghe a five-star review." The red-crowned crane said, taking out another review form from the bag.
"Oh." Yan Shi took the receipt and habitually prepared to check the box next to "Yan Shi." After writing "Yan," he suddenly paused, thinking that perhaps, maybe, it seemed he couldn't say his real name?
Then, with a sudden shift in tone, the character "澜" (lan) is added.
She usually approves official documents directly with the director's seal, and almost forgot that she had lost her real name.
"Good review." The red-crowned crane placed the review form next to the delivery receipt.
Yan Shi took it and immediately gave it a three-star rating, commenting: "The red-crowned crane has a bald head, which is unsightly. It affects my mood."
Red-crowned crane: ...
Red-crowned crane: "Ms. Yanlan, this is an attack on the deliveryman by your crane body."
Yan Shi: "Are you leaving or not? If you don't, I'll complain to your company. The deliveryman is forcing us to give you a five-star review."
The red-crowned crane let out an angry cry, and Chao Yanshi spewed out a mouthful of flames. Then, he used his wings to open a spatial portal, grabbed his evaluation slip, and crawled inside.
Before the flames even got close to Yan Shi, they were dispersed by the blazing sun. Without even glancing at the red-crowned crane, Yan Shi tore open the package with a "rip".
She knew that the courier who sent packages from the other world to the surface world couldn't possibly have simply flown in.
The red-crowned crane was banging on her window with a large package on purpose!
After using spatial teleportation to leave Yan Shi's office, the red-crowned crane took out a Bluetooth device from its bag and began preparing to deliver the next order while making a phone call to a friend.
"I just delivered a package to the headquarters of the Bureau of Special Management," the red-crowned crane said, braving the howling wind. "Guess which office it was delivered to?"
"The Bureau of Alien Affairs Headquarters? Impressive. Since the headquarters moved to the surface world, the procedures for entering have become even more complicated. Only some powerful figures on official business have the opportunity to go in. Which office? What's the environment like inside?"
Red-crowned Crane: "Director's office! I can't see the other areas. The Cross-border Affairs Department is stingy. They only gave me five minutes of cross-border access, and the Foreign Affairs Bureau system only opened this one office for me. The others are all just white fog."
"I've long heard that the General Administration is a formation set up by several top-level figures, and it seems the rumors are true. The director's office? Have you seen the director? What's the director of the General Administration of the Bureau of Disorder like?"
Red-crowned Crane: "This is what I wanted to tell you! I didn't see the director, but I saw the rumored director's sister. She not only plucked three of my feathers but also gave me a bad review."
"Hahaha, you've finally met your match. No, how do you know this is the director's sister and not the director? Huru said that according to her witch, the director's sister and the director look almost exactly alike."
Red-crowned Crane: "There's a procedure for express delivery called 'signing for delivery,' please be aware. Also, Huru said that her witch said she can tell the director and the director's sister apart at a glance. The director's sister is really not like a director."
"What a strange description of 'not the director'... By the way, what's the director's sister doing in the director's office?"
Red-crowned crane: "I even bought books and sent them to the director's office."
“I also want a sister like that. So I quit my job and went around dismantling bureaus that didn’t comply with regulations.”
The red-crowned crane said mercilessly, "Dreaming comes faster. You need the strength to dismantle the Bureau of Eccentricity. Not everyone can defeat the witch and escape unscathed."
"There's no need to be so realistic. I'm just thinking. If I had the strength to defeat the witch and escape unscathed, I wouldn't have to be exploited by the Nine-Tails."
The red-crowned crane sighed, "Yes. The tax rate collected by the tax bureau has never changed, yet it's still a collection agency. The bosses above make so much money but still complain about the high tax rate, constantly squeezing us lowly laborers out of our maximum allowable amount."
"If you have a problem with that, go to the office and give Nine-Tailed Fox a couple of whacks."
Red-crowned Crane: "It's not like we haven't done it before. This isn't a nine-tailed fox, it's an ancient demon. I was kicked out of the office right away."
"Don't be so impulsive in the future. Go have lunch and go to work."
Yan Shi was also having lunch.
Because of the recent incident with the red-crowned cranes, she didn't want to see any of her colleagues from the Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs for the time being. She was afraid they would inevitably ask, "Director, what made you decide to buy books for young children?"
Then she really has to leave this Bureau of Extraordinary Affairs.
I can't stay here any longer.
Because the food at the Bureau of Foreign Affairs canteen is good, Yan Shi has been eating there since he started working. This is the first time he has gone out for lunch at noon.
The Bureau of Management is located near the Summer Palace, and there is a strict security system outside the unit. The public area is just one street away from there.
It was summer vacation, and Yan Shi emerged from the alleyway controlled by his workplace, only to be greeted by a sea of people.
This street is an ancient road close to the Summer Palace, and it has countless restaurants serving classic old-fashioned flavors.
Aside from the large number of people, it has no drawbacks.
Yan Shi: I was careless.
She belatedly realized that she was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt uniform, which seemed out of place in summer vacation and on this tourist street.
We went from one potentially awkward place to another that was absolutely awkward.
What is she thinking?!
Yan Shi hesitated for a moment, then leaned against the alley entrance and sent a message to Sheng Chunqiu: "Chunqiu, are there any restaurants outside Headquarters that don't have a queue?"
Sheng Chunqiu replied quickly: "[Director, what would you like to eat? I know several places.]"
Anything is fine. Preferably something popular with young people right now. I'm near the north alley entrance of the General Administration.
[Sheng Chunqiu: Okay, Director. I'll send it to you right away.]
Sheng Chunqiu didn't know much about the restaurants outside the General Administration. She was always busy with official duties and ate three meals a day in the canteen.
So she made a direct call to Gui Gemu: "Gui Gemu, are there any restaurants outside the headquarters that you would recommend?"
"A rare guest indeed. It's unusual for you to call me during the day, Sheng Chunqiu." Gui Gemu replied quickly, "A restaurant? Aren't you in the Otherworld right now?"
Sheng Chunqiu: "The director is probably going now."
"Director?" Gui Gemu asked in confusion. "That's strange, why isn't the director going to the cafeteria today?"
Based on her understanding, the bureau chief and Sheng Chunqiu had the same personality; both were human office machines with only official duties in mind. The bureau chief was even worse; Gui Gemu felt that the bureau chief had no personal feelings whatsoever.
Except for her sister.
Wait a minute, Director suddenly remembered to go to the restaurant outside Headquarters today. Could it be that Yanlan is here?
Sheng Chunqiu: "This is not something that you or I can concern ourselves with."
"Don't you have any gossip in your heart?" Gui Gemu pouted. "Never mind, the restaurants outside the headquarters are packed at this hour. I can cut in line and reserve tables at two of them. Here you go."
Yan Shide said that Sheng Chunqiu is really a very reliable adult.
Moreover, they are very efficient at handling matters.
The restaurant chosen by Sheng Chunqiu was right next to the corner tower of the Summer Palace. Yan Shi sat by the window, and from the window, he could see the eaves of the main hall in the center of the Summer Palace.
The restaurant has a quiet and peaceful environment, located in a bustling area but not noisy.
At the next table were two young girls who had probably just come from the Summer Palace; there were several shopping bags of Summer Palace souvenirs on their table.
They seemed engrossed in their discussion, their voices low but their excitement barely concealed. Yan Shi glanced at them while waiting for his food.
The little girl seemed even more excited, and kept looking in her direction.
Are you looking out the window?
Yan Shi turned his head in confusion to look at the other side of his body, which was the Summer Palace in the middle of a normal afternoon.
She turned back to look at the little girl again and suddenly noticed that the creative gift bags on their table had tilted from side to side.
Yan Shi: ...?
Was she seeing things?
She looked again, and the creative bag swayed violently from side to side once more.
You really didn't see it wrong.
Perhaps it was the bright afternoon light that made people feel drowsy, but Yan Shi, unusually nosy, spoke up and said, "The switch on the stationery you bought is loose. The stationery bag is wobbling."
Lin Xuya: "Ahhh, she's looking over here!"
Wen Han: "Yes, it even talked to me! It's actually a real person!"
Yan Shi: ...
She found it difficult to understand these two sentences. Had she entered another worldview she didn't know after leaving her workplace, from the fantasy worldview of the inner world?
Yan Shi: "What are you talking about?"
Wen Han held her breath for a moment before blushing and saying, "I'm sorry, it's just that you look so much like a character in a comic book. We really like this character, so we got a little excited."
To be precise, they're not just similar, they're almost identical.
Wen Han and Lin Xuya were stunned the moment they saw Yan Shi as they entered the store.
Yan Shi wore a black shirt that seemed out of place for the season. Despite the sweltering summer heat, she buttoned it all the way up to the top, yet it didn't look stuffy. Perhaps because it was afternoon, a few strands of her hair, which was held up by a hairpin, had fallen down, adding a touch of softness to her otherwise serious demeanor.
She sat by the window, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the trees outside and falling on her face, rising and falling with her breath.
For a moment, I felt like I didn't belong here.
Wen Han gripped Lin Xuya's wrist tightly and whispered, "Director Yan!"
Lin Xuya: "What?"
Wen Han said excitedly, "Don't you think this is Director Yan?"
"Have the anime characters come to life from comics?"
Then the two of them had been so focused on looking at Director Yan by the window that they were caught red-handed, and they were both a little embarrassed.
Yan Shi: Why is the Curse of Laws so popular in the surface world?
She thought the forum's discussion numbers were just a facade of prosperity.
Yan Shi didn't know what to say, and even felt her long-dormant social anxiety kick in. She decided to pretend she didn't know about the comic: "Hmm. What a coincidence."
Lin Xuya: "Excuse me, are you talking about the creative gift bags? What, is the closure loose?"
But she bought bookmarks and ceramic roly-poly toys...?
Lin Xuya opened the paper bag, then slowly opened her mouth wide and let out a silent scream.
The paper bag suddenly fell onto the table.
Yan Shi looked over.
A small figure dressed in ancient costume with a pattern of rain-drenched duckweed slowly crawled out of the paper bag. Upon seeing Yan Shi, the figure gracefully bowed and said, "Director Yan, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Yan Shi: ...
What is this?
Author's Note: Two enormous beetles have entered the room, and they can even fly!!!
(Fear) (Scream)
It took me ages to finally catch one with a mop, and my hands are shaking now. (Oh my god, is this the real world? What kind of strange creatures are these?!)
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2024-07-03 20:47:13 and 2024-07-04 23:32:32!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Gui Jun (1);
Thank you to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Shanggaotang 30 bottles; (／_＼) Dayuanzhong 25 bottles; Wenjing 23 bottles; Kong Yiji 15 bottles; Suiba Kang Kang, Fuxi Miyu, Bingtang Zhouzi 10 bottles; Xiyue, Liuxiangjieyu 5 bottles; Zimi 3 bottles; Shangfeng 2 bottles; 52909358, Yuluo, Yubanmo, Aihe~, x_zenian 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
