Chapter 417

In a primary school classroom.

A small figure bit her pen, her tiny face filled with indecision.

"What will the future be like?" Mochihara Shoko whispered softly. "Will I still be able to see the future?"

As a girl with a heart condition, she had to face life-and-death issues at such a young age, making her more mature than her peers.

Sitting there, she was as mature and composed as an adult.

"Uh…"

Just as she thought this, her heart suddenly clenched in pain. "Can I no longer see the future?"

The pen slipped from her hand; Mochihara Shoko felt her strength fading, her heart filled with disappointment.

Eventually, even her thoughts came to a halt.

Suddenly, she felt warmth again, as if returning to her mother's embrace.

"As for the future, you must go and see it yourself, little Shoko!"

A rich, resonant voice sounded beside her ear; Mochihara Shoko suddenly felt utterly at ease, as if her heart condition had vanished entirely, and she opened her eyes.

There she saw herself slumped over her desk, with a strikingly handsome man standing before her.

The classroom was noisy, the teacher at the podium—yet neither seemed to notice him.

"Who are you?" Mochihara Shoko asked softly.

Zhang Taixuan smiled. "A person from another world, a god, an immortal—take your pick."

"Another world?" Mochihara Shoko froze. "A god? Does this mean I'm dead, and now I'm seeing a god?!"

Thinking of this, she grew sad.

If I'm gone, won't Mom and Dad be heartbroken?

"You didn't die," Zhang Taixuan chuckled. "Right now, your body is already healed. From now on, you can live the life you want. The future? Of course you must go see it yourself!"

Mochihara Shoko gasped. "I'm healed?"

She stood up carefully, jumped a few times—no matter how much she bounced, her body felt no discomfort at all, only brimming with vitality, as if she had endless energy.

"I'm really healed?!"

"And, God-brother, why doesn't the teacher seem to see me?"

Mochihara Shoko, curious, leaned closer. "Is this also the power of a god?"

At this moment, Mochihara Shoko, like Chitanda Eru, had become a bundle of curiosity.

"Something like that," Zhang Taixuan explained. "I've concealed our existence. Even if you went and punched someone you hate, they'd just think they tripped."

"I wouldn't punch anyone!" Mochihara Shoko pouted. "So God's power is really this strong?"

"God-brother, you saved me—I don't even know how to repay you!"

"Repay?" Zhang Taixuan smiled. "As long as little Shoko is happy, that's enough. For me, saving you was just to fulfill a small wish of my own."

Saying this, he stood up.

Mochihara Shoko gasped. "Is God-brother leaving?"

"Mm." Zhang Taixuan nodded. "It's time to go."

Mochihara Shoko froze, feeling as if something precious was slipping away. "Then, God-brother… will you come see me again?"

"If fate brings us together in the future, we shall meet again." Zhang Taixuan's voice echoed softly—he had already vanished.

Mochihara Shoko stood frozen in place until the teacher asked, "Mochihara, are you feeling unwell again? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"I'm sorry, Teacher! I was just a bit tired from sitting!"

Mochihara Shoko snapped back to reality and sat down quickly.

"It's fine. Keep filling out your future plan form." The teacher didn't scold her—he knew her condition well.

She was physically weak, yet always well-behaved and obedient.

Seeing such a child, he often lamented the injustice of heaven—why must such a sweet child suffer?

"The future?" Mochihara Shoko, seated again, gripped her pen and thought carefully, her eyes bright. "I will meet God-brother again in the future!"

As for anything else, her heart held no room for it.

That afternoon.

When the teacher flipped through the students' assignments and saw Mochihara Shoko's answer, he froze: "This child may be calm and well-behaved, but she's still a child—there's no such thing as gods in this world!"

"Still, if gods do exist, please grant this child a new life."

After thinking for a moment, the teacher folded the questionnaire carefully and placed it aside with care.

Evening.

The Mochihara household.

"Mom and Dad, I met God-brother today—my body's already healed!"

Back home, Mochihara Shoko's voice rang with joy as she rushed toward her mother, busy in the kitchen.

"Uh… God?" Mochihara Lady froze. "Shoko, slow down! Your health isn't good yet!"

Mochihara Shoko spoke seriously. "My body is healed. Don't believe me? Look."

Saying this, she jumped again.

Mochihara Lady watched, terrified—as if each jump danced on her own heart—and broke into cold sweat.

Mochihara Shoko's father also stepped closer, face pale with fear.

Their precious daughter had always been so well-behaved—why today did she do something so terrifying?

What if something happened to her?

"Shoko, are you really alright?"

Mochihara Shoko nodded firmly. "During class, my illness flared up—and just then, God-brother appeared. He healed me, then left."

"I should not be hallucinating right now, right?"

Lady Makihara came back to herself: "It's not a hallucination. Mama and Papa are real. Hubby, should we take Shoko to get a checkup tomorrow?"

"How could we possibly wait until tomorrow?!" the father said urgently. "Let's go right now. As for dinner, we can just eat out later."

Lady Makihara nodded: "I'm so busy I've gone dizzy. I'll go turn off the stove, then take Shoko for the checkup."

Half an hour later.

The doctor received Makihara Shoko's examination report and was utterly stunned. Only when Lady Makihara pressed him did he finally speak: "my lord, Mr., Miss Makihara's body is healthier than a normal person's — this is simply a medical miracle. Can heart problems actually improve on their own?"

"That's probably because Shoko usually takes care of herself," Mr. Makihara said with a smile. "Sorry to trouble you, Doctor. We're going to take Shoko out to celebrate."

For how many years now — ever since learning that Shoko had a heart problem — he and his wife's nerves had never relaxed, had always been wound this tight.

Now, their daughter was well, and at last they could breathe a sigh of relief.

"Papa, when can I see the God-Brother again?"

At the restaurant, Shoko sat in her own seat, not very interested in the grand meal before her.

Lady Makihara said with a smile: "Since the God my lord has taken a liking to Shoko, naturally you'll meet again in the future. For now, little Shoko should eat properly. Otherwise, if your figure turns out bad and you grow up ugly, the God might not want to see Shoko anymore."

"Mm, Shoko will eat properly."

Time flew like a bird; in a flash, ten years had passed.

Makihara Shoko graduated from high school and walked out the school gates.

After ten years, Makihara Shoko had grown into a graceful, slender beauty. Wearing a one-piece dress, her figure was slim and delicate yet not bony — she was a famous beauty at her school.

"Sigh… why hasn't God-Brother appeared yet!"

Suddenly, her expression shifted. She looked toward a corner of the street, tears welling in her eyes.