Chapter 152: Family Lost

[Be Human If You Want] Live Broadcast Chat:

“Hahahahaha, this game is so screwy, it actually threw in three identical NPCs all at once! They must all be aspects of Teacher Qu!”

“I think so too. The kitten didn’t dare blink—he’s definitely cursing the game and cursing Teacher Qu in his heart. What kind of broken game is this, anyway? Copy and paste NPCs now?”

“I can’t stop laughing. What’s this even supposed to be—hang in there, kitten, you’ve gotta find Teacher Qu!”

“The main quest got way harder after the upgrade. Before, there were only two Teacher Qus, split between two backgrounds and storylines, but now suddenly we’ve got triplets in one scenario. If these three are all new personalities of Teacher Qu, that’s wild! Three brothers, three different personalities, and our kitten has to waver between them and choose.”

“Look on the bright side—doesn’t this mean kitten has three more shovelers now? In just two days, this instance has handed him five in total. Isn’t that nice? For a week, a new one almost every day!”

“Hahahahaha I can’t take it, I’m dying here!”

Who would have thought Teacher Qu’s world could be this complicated, even spawning triplets at once?

Yan Jiyun was more inclined to believe this was a smokescreen to conceal Teacher Qu’s true personality. The real one couldn’t be among them!

They couldn’t possibly be Teacher Qu, right? Right?

The three brothers, standing together, made for a striking scene. But Yan Jiyun had no leisure to appreciate their delicate, adorable appearance. One class monitor was cute, two were still bearable, but three at once and he was on the verge of cardiac arrest.

Of course, it was still pretty easy for him to tell them apart—each had their own unique personality.

Yan Jiyun spotted Gu Wenzhu and Qiu Xi, but not Qi Feng or Lan Mo. Perhaps they’d gone off separately to investigate.

All the players must have noticed the triplets by now. Soon, everyone’s attention would be fixed on them.

But Yan Jiyun had no intention of following after; he had something more pressing.

He was hungry, and nothing took precedence over food!

He’d previously planned to find Qi Feng after class, but now, back in cat form, he had no idea where the others had gone.

Nor could he simply dash out in front of the triplets just now.

It was after class—who knew if there might be some brat like in the first instance who treated “catch the cat” as a game?

Just then, the three brothers began to speak.

Class monitor #1, Yan Weilán, was from Class 3; #2, Yan Wei Orange, was from Class 5; and the third, he hadn’t yet identified.

Class monitor #1 asked, “You both paid attention in class today, right?”

Class monitor #3 gave a huff. “Don’t act like Dad, little brother—always questioning me as if I cause trouble every day.”

Class monitor #2 protested, “Yan Weiqing, why are you so grumpy? Your brother didn’t do anything to you. We all paid attention in class.”

Yan Weiqing warned his younger brother Yan Weilán, “Don’t you tattletale to Dad when we go home this weekend.”

Class monitor #1 looked a little aggrieved. “I’m just telling it like it is. I’ve never tattled. I always report to Dad what we’re doing at school right in front of you two.”

Yan Jiyun chuckled inwardly at the class monitor’s style—adorable, reporting his brothers’ mischief right to their father’s face.

Still, why had the three of them come together now? Did they need to discuss something in private?

Class monitor #1, Yan Weilán, was the youngest, while #2 and #3 called him “little brother.”

Class monitor #3 said, “I’ve spent all my allowance. Either of you have any left? Lend me some, and I’ll pay you back next week after we go home.”

Class monitor #2: “Nope. You always blow through your money, even the little brother’s.”

Class monitor #1 didn’t seem able to lie, but he clearly didn’t want to keep subsidizing the third brother’s spending. So he just pressed his lips together, silent.

Class monitor #3 looked to #1, ignoring #2, and said, “I was asking little brother, not you.”

Class monitor #2 gave #3 a look. “Why don’t you worry about the little brother’s health first? Both of our classes’ monitors have had accidents—I’m worried someone bad might target him too. I still have to do chores. You take him to the cafeteria. Got it?”

So that was the reason—class monitor #2 was owning up to being the elder brother, taking turns with his brothers to make sure the youngest never went anywhere alone.

Apparently, their little brother was clever, and so were the two elders—they’d figured out the link between the different class monitors’ illnesses. With the exception of Class 6, which might involve a different sickness, the other three all showed symptoms of poisoning.

That made the youngest class monitor’s safety a serious matter.

With the fierce #3 sticking close, #1 would be safe for now.

After giving these instructions, #2 left.

As soon as he was gone, #3 promptly reached into his little brother’s pocket. “Gimme some money. I want to buy some ice cream.”

Class monitor #1 sternly replied, “No. You can’t eat that every day. Your face is getting puffy.”

3 hurriedly touched his own cheeks. “No way—is my face swollen? Are you calling me fat?”

1 said, “Mm, and if you’re fat, no girls will like you.”

3 was easily distracted.

Yan Jiyun: ……

The class monitor really knew how to handle him, diverting his attention and dealing with his snack money in one go.

Class monitor #1 and #2 headed straight to the cafeteria.

Once they’d gone, Yan Jiyun finally crept out from beneath the osmanthus tree and, after some thought, slipped into an empty corner and used an experience card.

Being hungry was way worse than being tired.

Gu Wenzhu and Qiu Xi had also gone after the class monitors—probably #1.

Yan Jiyun followed after them.

Gu Wenzhu asked, “Where’d you come from?”

Yan Jiyun glanced about with exaggerated caution and, instead of answering, asked, “Where are Qi Feng and Lan Mo?”

Gu Wenzhu replied coolly, “They went looking for the cat.”

During the commotion in the music building, Gu Wenzhu already knew about Qi Feng’s cat; by now, this wasn’t a secret anymore.

Yan Jiyun figured Qi Feng assumed the cat was a player too, who’d joined all the others inside. Everyone who was in the music building had ended up here—no reason why the cat, the first to enter, wouldn’t be here too.

Which was fair enough—he had wound up here, just hadn’t had a chance to turn back into a cat until now.

He looked ahead. “Are we following them, then?”

Qiu Xi nodded earnestly.

The three of them followed class monitor #1 and #3 into the cafeteria.

Everyone was lined up neatly, and the three deliberately queued right behind the class monitors.

Yan Jiyun even called out, “Class monitor!” from the back.

Class monitor Yan Weilán turned, eyes bright. “Yan Jiyun? How did you know which one was me, and which was my second brother?”

Yan Jiyun gave a mysterious smile. “I have my secrets.” Truth was, with his keen sense of smell, even as triplets, each had a subtly different scent—plus, the class monitor had tugged his sleeve earlier, leaving some residue.

Class monitor #1 seemed quite pleased, turning around to gaze at Yan Jiyun even as it was his turn to get food.

Noticing the confusion on his face, Yan Jiyun said, “Why are you looking at me?”

The class monitor shook his head. “When my brothers and I stand together, hardly anyone can tell us apart at first sight.”

Yan Jiyun patted his shoulder. “Your turn—hurry and get your food.” He was starving, and still bitter over not having scored a single can of cat food from Qi Feng’s stash.

The class monitor obediently got his meal. “Oh.”

Yan Jiyun always threw himself eagerly into mealtime, on the dot.

Maybe it was a background setting, but in most instances there was never any issue with food or lodging—something Yan Jiyun rather appreciated. At least the game didn’t let players starve.

Although they were players, Yan Jiyun and his teammates also had to fit into the NPCs’ little social circles, so they shared a table with the two class monitors.

Class monitor #1 ate quietly, while #3 was picky—shoving his unwanted vegetables aside, he ate all the meat, even swiping meat off his brother’s plate and giving him vegetables in trade.

The cafeteria meals were standard portions, with no difference between students’ trays. Yan Jiyun ate only chicken and fish, not pork.

When he saw the class monitor eating only greens, he asked, “Do you eat pork? I’m Hui, I don’t.”

The class monitor nodded. “I eat it.”

So Yan Jiyun, using clean chopsticks, gave him his pork. #3 seemed to bully the little brother, even stealing his meat—how could a smart kid like him keep getting outmatched?

He’d easily diverted his brother’s attention just a moment ago—was he doing it on purpose?

Yan Jiyun watched the class monitor’s every move as they ate, while Gu Wenzhu, not too familiar with #1, started probing #3 for information.

After a few questions, #3 explained why they weren’t in the same class.

3, even as a child, was a little roguish. “Why not the same class—you can imagine. Teachers couldn’t tell us apart at all. We were in the same class in first grade, but later the teacher got annoyed and split us up.”

1 retold it his way. “That’s not true. It’s because you didn’t want to take exams—you made me switch seats with you and take your tests. The teacher never noticed anything amiss until our parents saw the scores at the end of semester. Starting from grade two, we haven’t been in the same class.”

Yan Jiyun marveled, “Triplets have it good—not even having to take your own exams.”

3, finding a soulmate, agreed, “Right? If my parents hadn’t realized my scores were off, we’d still be together.”

He truly regretted no longer having a brother to take his tests.

Yan Jiyun was even more sympathetic toward the obedient class monitor. That big brother was really making use of him. Though, judging by how strict the class monitor was about making Yan Jiyun return to class, the matter was probably more complicated. The outcome—getting separated—might have been exactly what the class monitor wanted.

But that was back in first grade. He’d have been six or seven years old. Could a kid that young have such plans? Or was Yan Jiyun simply casting him too much as the devious type?

Gu Wenzhu asked, “Was it more fun after you split up? I’d love to have brothers.”

The class monitor ate quietly, saying nothing, while #3 (as ever) was talkative: “Way more fun. My big brother and little brother just want to boss me around. Being in different classes is fantastic.”

1 swallowed his food and, with a glimmer of grievance, said, “I don’t boss you around. You just always get scolded by teachers. I only remind you not to break the rules sometimes.”

3 waved him off, “Okay, okay. Don’t start crying again—I’m not bullying you. Don’t go reporting me to big brother later.”

The class monitor kept his head down, “I never ratted you out.”

The relationships among the three seemed a tangled mess—shouldn’t brothers get along simply and harmoniously? This was turning into a family drama.

Meal times always passed too quickly, gone before you noticed.

3 seemed to be running out of patience with his assigned big brother duties.

3: “I’ll walk you back to the dorm, then I’m off to play ball before I shower. Don’t go telling big brother.”

1: “He’ll see you in the yard anyway—no need for me to tell.”

3: “Yeah, whatever. Big brother gets worked up over nothing. And look, you’re fine.”

Hearing the class monitor talk made Yan Jiyun want to smack him—he was way too impatient with his little brother.

Yan Jiyun volunteered, “I’m headed to the dorm too. Let’s go together?”

Class monitor: “Okay.”

3, relieved of duty, skipped off like a bird set free, running straight to the ball court instead of worrying his brother might be in danger.

In Yan Jiyun’s opinion, #3 was just a rough, careless kid—totally normal for his age. On the other hand, Yan Weilán was far too much like a little adult.

Gu Wenzhu asked Yan Jiyun, “Want us to go with you?”

Yan Jiyun whispered, “No need. Go look for Class 5’s monitor—he’s also a potential poisoning target.”

Gu Wenzhu and Qiu Xi left.

The class monitor seemed curious about their whispered conference. “Are you guys keeping a secret from me?”

Yan Jiyun shook his head, then nodded. “Yeah, but I’ll tell you. Just don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

Class monitor: “I promise.”

Yan Jiyun pulled him away from the crowd, leaned in, and whispered, “We formed a detective team to investigate what’s been scaring everyone lately.”

The class monitor was startled. “So, you’re here to protect me?”

Yan Jiyun nodded solemnly, playfully. “Don’t you think it’s thrilling to be part of a big case? These will be the legends of our childhood!”

The class monitor, swayed, said excitedly, “Can I join your detective squad? I can lure the snake from its hole.”

Yan Jiyun: “You know about luring out the snake from The Art of War?”

Class monitor, matching pace with Yan Jiyun: “I love reading—books talk about it. Do you?”

Yan Jiyun: “A bit.”

Class monitor: “Do you like comics?”

Yan Jiyun nodded. “Me too.”

Class monitor: “So I totally fit the detective squad, right?”

Yan Jiyun: “Of course—and my job right now is to protect you.”

Class monitor: “How will you protect me?”

Yan Jiyun: “I’ll grab you and run!” After all, no way was he taking the fall for a non-human NPC—he was a real cat.

Class monitor: “……”

By chatting, Yan Jiyun also learned which dorm was his, and prepared to head to the baths together.

Each boy brought his own basin, towel, and toiletries—they were well prepared; kids these days lived luxuriously.

Still, being sent to boarding school this young—were their parents just busy, or big-hearted, or plain cold? Who knew which the triplets’ parents were.

Was it fine for kids to bath together? It should be, right?

Just as he stepped outside with his basin, he bumped into Qi Feng coming back from his own dorm—right next door.

Qi Feng, seeing him with a towel over his shoulders and a green basin in hand, asked, “Where are you headed?”

“Off to shower with the class monitor. I’m protecting him.” He sneezed. “Ah-choo.”

Qi Feng eyed his sniffles, suspecting a cold. “Wait up. I’ll come with you.”

Yan Jiyun: “Alright.”

The class monitor, hugging his basin, appeared nearby, seeming quite cheerful. “Let’s go!”

Yan Jiyun said, “Hang on—another squad member is coming along.”

Qi Feng was quick to get his things. “Detective squad?”

Yan Jiyun winked. “Yeah. Weren’t we going to quietly check out all the other class monitors’ illnesses? We just formed an invincible detective team.”

Qi Feng played along smoothly. “Right.”

After spotting Qi Feng, the class monitor’s smile faded somewhat—but both players caught this.

Yan Jiyun mused that the class monitor’s eyes betrayed a hint of possessiveness. He wasn’t as naïvely innocent as he seemed—suspicions deepened.

Couldn’t afford to fall out with him now. Yan Jiyun quietly introduced Qi Feng, whispering, “He’s our team leader.”

Corny, perhaps, but effective; everyone was here to play along.

Qi Feng felt his thinking aligned with the newcomer’s. He’d used this approach with NPCs in the mermaid instance, and now the new guy used the same secondhand “detective team” trick on an NPC, and the class monitor seemed convinced.

The class monitor, liking this make-believe, immediately grew closer to Qi Feng. “Captain, what can I do?”

Qi Feng answered easily, slipping into the role, “What do you want to do?”

Class monitor: “I know how to deduce.”

Qi Feng, as practiced as any veteran: “Then your reasoning must be excellent. Once you join us, you’ll team up to search for clues, share them, and reason out the culprit.”

Instantly, the class monitor looked up to Qi Feng, nearly trembling with excitement. “But how can we search for clues while showering?”

Qi Feng: “We work in shifts. Three team members are on clue duty right now. Once we’re done, we’ll go relieve them.”

Class monitor: “Sounds amazing. Why aren’t you Class 6’s monitor?”

Qi Feng: “My grades aren’t as high as our monitor’s—I didn’t ace every test.”

Class monitor: “Oh, that’s a pity.” He regarded Qi Feng with new appreciation.

With the little one pacified, the three of them headed to the communal bath.

This school was a bit old-fashioned, still using a shared public bathroom.

The class monitor and Qi Feng both slipped into stalls.

Little kids all looked the same—nothing to see here.

But as Yan Jiyun stood under the shower head, he realized a serious problem: he couldn’t bathe!

He heard the water running in the adjacent stalls, quickly put his things aside, and called out, “I ate too much oily food and my stomach’s upset. I’ll run to the toilet—help carry my things back, will you?”

Naturally, it wasn’t about avoiding the bath—his experience card time was almost up, and he didn’t want to renew it.

Today’s card time was already nearing his limit. This instance didn’t actually require him to use them—better to save if possible.

Qi Feng rinsed off quickly, only half-heartedly. Had Yan Jiyun truly gotten food poisoning? There was no reason to lie—maybe he just had a sensitive stomach.

But this also reminded him of Caramel. Earlier, he and Lan Mo had scoured the school grounds but hadn’t seen a trace of a cat.

He felt a bit defeated—three years as a veteran player, yet he hadn’t protected his own cat. Now, in this instance, he worried that even if Caramel showed up, would she still recognize him?

The more he thought about it, the worse he felt; dark clouded face as he emerged from the showers.

Yan Jiyun didn’t return, so he and the class monitor headed back, carrying his unused toiletries along the way.

The class monitor tried to comfort him. “Don’t feel too bad about not catching the culprit.”

Qi Feng: “That’s not why I’m upset.”

The class monitor, naively: “Then what is?”

Qi Feng: “My family’s gone missing.”

Class monitor: “What does your family look like?”

Qi Feng: “A particularly cute black cat.”

The class monitor suddenly froze—just moments ago, he’d seen a dark shadow dash past them.

Qi Feng also noticed, and a group of boys in shorts came barreling up behind.

“Hurry, chase that kitten!”

Qi Feng instantly dropped his washbasin.

All Yan Jiyun could think was, Shit!

He had run outside, transformed into a cat to wait for Qi Feng outside the bathhouse, only to spot a man hiding in the bushes. He’d jumped onto the washroom counter, pushed a bar of soap onto the floor to startle a kid shampooing outside, only to blow his own cover at the same time!

What else could he do, but run?

But with short legs, he wasn’t nearly as fast as when he was grown, and the commotion quickly escalated.

Lucky for him, Qi Feng was already done showering.

Yan Jiyun panted as he fled, darkness falling; with his black fur harder to spot, the kids gave up the chase before long.

Damn, kids really did have it in for cats!

So he bolted for the public toilets, and when it was safe, used his transformation card and walked out again.

He pretended to clutch his stomach and asked Qi Feng, “Why are you here?”

Qi Feng asked anxiously, “We’re looking for a black kitten—did you see it come in here?”

Yan Jiyun shook his head. “Nope. My legs are falling asleep from squatting.”

He quickly shifted the subject, glancing behind Qi Feng. The class monitor still hadn’t caught up: “Where’s Yan Weilán?”

Qi Feng turned and sprinted back. Yan Jiyun followed at once.

Outside the bathhouse, toiletries and dirty clothes—belonging to the three of them—were scattered all across the ground.

Yan Jiyun: “Crap.”

Could the class monitor have been taken by that suspicious man?

Qi Feng sighed. “Sorry, I should have been watching him.”

Yan Jiyun scratched his head. It was partly his fault too. “I… shouldn’t have gone to the bathroom?”

Qi Feng relaxed a bit, ruffling Yan Jiyun’s hair. “No, I just got distracted.”

Yan Jiyun felt the warmth of his palm and sneezed. At the same time, a long-missing quest notification appeared before them.

[New Main Quest 1: Find Yan Weilán.]

Sensing Qi Feng’s low spirits, Yan Jiyun grabbed his hand and dragged him off in search of the class monitor!

Qi Feng: ……

Do I look like a little kid in need of comfort?