Rebirth In The Days When Curse Gao Was The Boss Chapter 9

Day Nine of Transmigration

The afternoon sun filtered through the gaps in Jujutsu High’s dense forest, casting dappled spots of light on the ground. Gojo Satoru walked ahead with a light step, humming an off-key tune, his hands shoved into his pockets. Xue Yang followed about half a step behind him. He had changed into the Jujutsu High uniform Gojo Satoru had sent over—a black athletic top and trousers—which made his complexion appear even fairer. His slightly curly black hair also seemed to have been tidied up a bit, looking less messy than before.

However, his gaze still carried its usual scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible gloom as he assessed the unfamiliar environment and the ridiculously tall, white-haired man walking in front of him.

“How is it? Does the new uniform fit?” Gojo Satoru asked without turning his head, as if he had eyes in the back of his skull.

Xue Yang tugged at his cuff, his tone flat: “It’s alright. Just a little unfamiliar when moving around.”

“You’ll get used to it soon enough! The Jujutsu High uniforms are specially made; they offer a certain degree of protection, you know.” Gojo Satoru turned around and walked backward, his sunglasses slipping down his nose. His pale blue eyes looked at Xue Yang with a smile. “Next, I’m taking you somewhere nice. Consider it a welcome to the school.”

“You mean the… shopping mall?” Xue Yang’s concept of the word “mall” was vague. In his original world, it would roughly correspond to a marketplace or street market.

“Exactly! There are tons and tons of interesting things there, and—super~~ delicious desserts!” Gojo Satoru’s tone clearly rose when he mentioned desserts, carrying undisguised excitement.

The two left Jujutsu High in a car driven by an assistant manager. As the car entered the bustling Tokyo metropolitan area, the sight of skyscrapers and heavy traffic made Xue Yang narrow his eyes slightly. The rapidly flashing lights and noise outside the window were completely different from the Kuizhou or Yi Manor he was familiar with, carrying a cold, yet orderly, vibrancy.

Gojo Satoru brought him to a large, multi-purpose shopping mall. As soon as they entered, the cool air conditioning mixed with the scents of various foods, perfumes, and leather hit them. Bright lights illuminated the interior like daylight, and dazzling arrays of merchandise were displayed in transparent windows and on shelves. Well-dressed people moved through the crowds.

Xue Yang kept his hands in his pockets, his gaze sharply scanning the surroundings. A habitual, faint, slightly mocking curve hung at the corner of his mouth. This place certainly looked much cleaner and prettier than the Burial Mounds, but it felt incredibly fake.

“Stick close, Xue Yang-kun. It’s crowded here, and it wouldn’t be good if you got lost,” Gojo Satoru’s voice sounded beside him, carrying a hint of teasing. He deliberately slowed his pace to walk side-by-side with Xue Yang. His tall figure was quite conspicuous in the crowd.

They wandered around casually at first. Gojo Satoru seemed very familiar with the area. When passing trendy clothing stores or electronics shops, he would casually ask Xue Yang if he was interested. Xue Yang mostly just glanced and shook his head. He had little interest in these modern gadgets. However, when they passed a specialty knife store, his steps paused almost imperceptibly, his eyes lingering for a moment on the various styles of kitchen knives.

Gojo Satoru noticed this small detail. He raised an eyebrow behind his sunglasses but said nothing.

Their true destination was an exquisitely decorated dessert shop located on the top floor of the mall. Gojo Satoru was clearly a regular here. As soon as they entered, a waiter enthusiastically greeted them and led them to a reserved window seat.

“Order whatever you want. My treat today.” Gojo Satoru pushed the beautifully designed menu toward Xue Yang. He himself skillfully ordered several signature desserts, whose flowery names Xue Yang didn’t understand a single one of.

Xue Yang opened the menu and frowned slightly at the brightly colored, delicately shaped pictures. He randomly pointed to something black-looking named “Bamboo Charcoal Chocolate Lava Cake.”

While waiting for the desserts to arrive, Gojo Satoru propped his chin up, observing Xue Yang through his sunglasses: “How is it? Are you adapting to Jujutsu High?”

Xue Yang leaned back in his chair, his posture somewhat relaxed: “It’s alright. Cleaner than Yi Manor, more comfortable than Jinlin Terrace.” He paused, then added, “It’s just too quiet.” He was slightly unaccustomed to the lack of corpse stench and ghostly wails.

Gojo Satoru chuckled softly: “It will get ‘lively’ later on, trust me.” He spoke with hidden meaning.

The desserts were quickly served. Several plates were placed in front of Gojo Satoru. He eagerly picked up a small spoon, scooped a large chunk of the pancake covered in strawberries and cream, and put it in his mouth, letting out a satisfied sigh, like a big child who had received a beloved toy.

Xue Yang looked at the plain-looking black cake in front of him and poked it with his spoon. The outer layer was hard. With a little force, warm, thick black chocolate sauce flowed out from inside. He took a bite. The extreme sweetness was mixed with a hint of bitterness, and the texture was rich and smooth—a taste he had never experienced. He ate quickly, finishing the cake in a few bites, not even sparing the cream decorating the edge of the plate, licking it clean with a swift, almost wild movement.

Gojo Satoru watched him, then suddenly pushed a matcha parfait—decorated with gold leaf and shaped like a work of art—from his own selection toward him: “Try this one. The flavor is different.”

Xue Yang looked up at him, didn’t stand on ceremony, and took a new spoon to scoop some up. The fresh tea fragrance mixed with the milk scent, creating rich layers. It was indeed distinctly different from the chocolate cake he’d just had.

“Do you like sweets?” Gojo Satoru asked.

Xue Yang licked the matcha powder from the corner of his mouth, a flash of something akin to satiety in his eyes: “Sweet things are always better than bitter ones.”

The sentence was spoken plainly, but Gojo Satoru heard something deeper in it. He recalled Principal Yaga’s grave expression after hearing his vague “background introduction” of Xue Yang, and he remembered the turmoil he felt when he brought back Geto Suguru’s body. He looked at the youth before him, who seemed rebellious but whose eyes occasionally revealed a ruthlessness and emptiness unsuited to his age. He suddenly felt that using sweets to bridge the distance might be a good start.

“Right! Sweets are the cure that saves the world!” Gojo Satoru declared in an exaggerated tone, attempting to dispel the momentary subtle atmosphere. “Follow Gojo-sensei from now on, and I guarantee you’ll eat all the best desserts in Tokyo!”

Xue Yang put down his spoon, picked up the water glass on the table, and took a sip to wash away the sweetness in his mouth. Then he tilted his head toward Gojo Satoru, that half-smile returning to his face: “That good? What’s the catch?”

“The catch, you ask…” Gojo Satoru leaned forward across the table and gently pushed his sunglasses up with a fingertip. The gaze behind the lenses became somewhat inscrutable. “Stay put at school, don’t cause me trouble, and while you’re at it… help me keep an eye on those less-than-obedient ‘classmates’?”

Xue Yang scoffed, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Gojo Satoru didn’t seem to mind. He leaned back in his chair and continued to enjoy his dessert. The atmosphere between the two seemed slightly more familiar than it had been at Jujutsu High, but the faint, mutual probing and wariness still permeated the sweet air like an invisible spiderweb.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the city’s neon lights flickered on. Gojo Satoru paid the bill, stood up, and stretched: “Time to go. We should head back. Starting tomorrow, you officially begin classes, Xue Yang-kun.”

Xue Yang also stood up, taking one last look at the strange, brightly lit night view outside the window. He turned and followed Gojo Satoru’s steps. This new world, this new “game,” seemed… somewhat interesting. He licked his canine tooth, and a glint of keen interest flashed deep in his eyes.