A Core Ship From The Start

Stakeouts are often very similar to fishing.

Duanmu Huai also hates this the most.

Because if something is like fishing, then its outcome will also be like fishing.

Just like now, he's sitting all alone on the bench in front of the station square, head down, staring at his phone. Just like a fisherman staring blankly at a fishing rod with no movement.

It's almost midnight now, and the once bustling station square has become empty, barely a person in sight. Only Duanmu Huai sits silently on the bench, mindlessly scrolling through his phone.

According to Yuko Shionji's suggestion, after dinner, Duanmu Huai went around again. In fact, at night, it is indeed possible to find more people, and Duanmu Huai successfully connected with a few. However, after agreeing to meet, there was no further message. When the agreed time arrived, no one appeared, and sending a message through the app revealed he had been blocked...

Alas, life is lonely like snow.

Forget it, time to go home.

Duanmu Huai quietly dusted off his clothes and was about to stand up and leave. Just then, a voice suddenly sounded from not far away.

"Ah, hello, Uncle."

"Hmm?"

Duanmu Huai turned his head to see a girl standing not far away, curiously observing him. Her hair was dyed brown, shoulder-length with natural curls. Her attire seemed quite fashionable—Duanmu Huai didn't understand girls' fashion, but just looking at the strange dress she wore, he knew that if it wasn't trendy, ordinary people wouldn't dress like this.

However, the question is, who is she?

Duanmu Huai specifically glanced at the app, but he hadn't arranged any meetings?

"Who are you...?"

"Ah, my name is Kana."

The girl who claimed to be Kana introduced herself, though it was obviously a pseudonym. That's normal—except for the first-timers in this line of work, no one would be stupid enough to reveal their real name.

"Uncle, you're doing compensated dating too, right? I saw you in the store today with two girls..."

"Oh... I see."

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai finally understood why she approached him. He did run into several groups of people engaged in compensated dating when he was with Mianmu Zuoniao and Inaba Tsukuyo at the store, but he hadn't noticed if this girl was among them.

"Did you need something from me?"

"No, I was just curious... Uncle, haven't you found a partner yet? I took a job just now, and when I left, I saw you sitting here. When I came back, you were still here, so I was a bit surprised..."

"..........."

Hearing this, Duanmu Huai was left speechless.

Life is hard enough; don't rub it in, young lady.

It's normal for a fisherman to come up empty-handed, but saying it to someone's face is impolite.

However, Kana seemed naturally sociable, smiling and getting closer.

"By the way, were those two really doing compensated dating before? Tell me more."

"No, they... are my relatives' children."

Duanmu Huai made up an excuse to brush it off, and Kana simply nodded.

"I see; that's right. I thought it was strange doing this job when one of the girls couldn't even see. I even wondered if you, Uncle, had some special hobby."

"What if I did?"

Duanmu Huai didn't deny Kana's words. In fact, from an outsider's perspective, a fierce-looking man like him being with two delicate girls like Mianmu Zuoniao and Inaba Tsukuyo usually didn't suggest anything good.

"Hmm? Doesn't seem like it, because both girls appeared calm. If they were afraid of you, they wouldn't act like that. That's why I dared to approach you, Uncle, because you don't look like a violent criminal at all."

"..........."

It seems Mianmu Zuoniao's acting can at least fool ordinary people.

"So, why did you approach me?"

Duanmu Huai didn't believe she purposely came to chat with him at this late hour. Sure enough, after hearing Duanmu Huai's question, the girl awkwardly smiled.

"Ahaha, actually it's a bit embarrassing. A little issue came up with my previous job..."

"Hmm?"

Listening to this, Duanmu Huai carefully looked at Kana and noticed her clothes were disheveled, and she wasn't even wearing shoes—a clear sign she'd hurriedly run out.

"What happened?"

Could she have encountered some kind of mutant monster? But from her appearance, that didn't seem to be the case?

"I previously agreed with the guy to spend the night in a hotel, but it turned out he was a drug addict. When he took off his clothes, I saw needle marks on his arm, which scared me. Later, I got him to take a shower, seized the chance to check his bag, and found syringes and drugs inside, so I hurriedly ran out while he was unguarded."

At this point, Kana also felt a lingering fear as she reached out to pat her chest.

"Phew... Thank goodness I ran fast... But I really lost out on this deal; not only did I have to leave the bags and clothes I bought there, I even lost my shoes... And they were a limited edition! I worked so hard to get them. But, well, at least I hadn't progressed to the adult stage with that 'papa', so it's not all bad."

Saying this, Kana clasped her hands together, putting on a cute expression as she looked at Duanmu Huai.

"So, could you give me a ride home, uncle?"

"......"

Looking at the girl pretending to be cute, Duanmu Huai paused in silence. He had long noticed that even though this girl had been acting all cheerful and lively while chatting with him, her eyes were filled with anxiety, and her body was trembling slightly. However, this was normal; if someone could stay completely calm and composed when facing him, that would surely be abnormal. The fact that she could suppress her fear and chat with him showed her strong nerves.

As for why she turned to Duanmu Huai instead of the police — joke's on you, at this hour, going to the police was practically asking for trouble. They'd definitely call her family. And for someone in this line of work, who would want others to know!

"Alright, follow me, I was just about to head home too."

Duanmu Huai stood up and spoke, and upon hearing his response, Kana clenched her fists and pumped them in excitement.

"Thank you, uncle!"

Duanmu Huai took the girl to the parking lot. When Kana saw Duanmu Huai's car, she naturally gasped in amazement again. However, Duanmu Huai didn't care much about these things, and he simply gestured for her to get in the car and then sped off.

On the way, Duanmu Huai chatted with Kana and learned that she was a university student who had come here alone for her studies. Due to the high tuition fees and the cost of renting a place and daily expenses, a normal part-time job didn't pay enough, which is why she chose 'sugar dating.'

Before, she worked at a restaurant, exhausted, earning only 850 per hour and still having to deal with troublesome customers. With 'sugar dating,' she could earn 20,000 per hour and be pampered, so Kana chose this path.

Of course, doing this kind of work comes with its dangers, but Kana had been in the field long enough to know how to protect herself. Like earlier, if it were someone who just started, they might have been trapped.

"Ah, here it is!"

With Kana's directions, Duanmu Huai drove to an old apartment building. Seeing her familiar home, Kana also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, uncle!"

"You're welcome, actually I have a favor to ask."

"Huh? What is it?"

Hearing Duanmu Huai's reply, Kana looked at him curiously.

"It's simple, you said you've been in this line for over a year, so you should know the girls doing sugar dating around here, right?"

"Well... I do know some of them, but does uncle want me to introduce them to you? Although it's not impossible, I think they might refuse. Most people are indeed in this for the money, but your appearance, uncle, might be somewhat... and your figure..."

As she spoke, Kana stretched out her hand, compared herself to Duanmu Huai, and shivered.

"A bit intimidating."

"That's part of it, but more than that, I'd like some information."

Duanmu Huai hadn't forgotten his purpose, and upon hearing his request, Kana was a bit puzzled.

"Information?"

"That's right, in your line of work, there must be some weird rumors, right? I'd like to know some information about that."

"Weird rumors... Hmm..."

Kana thought for a moment, then clapped her hands.

"Ah, how about this, uncle, let's add each other as friends, and you can treat me to a meal tomorrow. If I find any interesting info, I'll share it with you."

"Alright."

Although the process wasn't quite what he expected, as long as the outcome was smooth, it was fine. No matter how you look at it, it seemed he'd found a useful informant, and she seemed to have been in this field for some time, with quite a network. Through this connection, he might get the results he wanted.

It's like fishing. Who cares if I caught it or bought it at the market, it's all the same when you eat it!?

As long as I don't say, how would you know if I bought or caught it?

As long as the result is the same, it's all good.

"See you tomorrow, uncle."

Having made the arrangements, they added each other as friends, and Kana waved goodbye as she got out of the car. Watching her back, Duanmu Huai paused briefly, then called out to stop Kana.

"By the way, one last thing."

"Hmm?"

"Don't call me 'uncle.' I'm not that old, I'm not even 30 yet."

"Eh...!?"

Teenage girls calling him 'uncle' he could tolerate, but a 20-year-old college student calling him 'uncle' was something he couldn't stand.