Chapter 306: A call from the main family's aunt!

Just in the gap between the few of them chatting.

The vibration from the mobile phone.

Natsume Chikage looked down, and a long-lost name was jumping on the screen—Xia Mu Chunhui.

His finger hovered over the answer button, pausing for several seconds.

A female voice, lazy yet tinged with a bit of impatience, came from the receiver:

【Xia Mu Chunhui: Hey, hey, hey, little brat, can you hear me?】

【Natsume Chikage: Ms. Chunhui, is there something the matter?】

【Xia Mu Chunhui: You didn't answer the phone for so long, I thought something had happened to you.】

【Natsume Chikage: Just say what you have to say.】

【Xia Mu Chunhui: Tsk, I don't know what's wrong with the laws in Japan... anyway, as your legal guardian, I'm required to "visit" you at least once a month and take some photos of your life to fulfill the requirement. Otherwise, the 'Child Consultation Center' will have a record, it's just a huge pain.】

Her speaking speed was very fast, as if she were reading out a task that had to be completed.

【Xia Mu Chunhui: So I'll come by your house tonight for a quick look and then leave, that's it.】

【Natsume Chikage: That's fine. But I won't be home until ten tonight; if you're coming, it's best to come at that time.】

【Xia Mu Chunhui: Ten at night? So late, what have you been doing?】

【Natsume Chikage: Working.】

【Xia Mu Chunhui: Well, that's no wonder, hahahaha.】

The call ended crisply and cleanly.

Natsume Chikage stood silently for a while; the bright sunlight outside the window and the clamor inside the classroom seemed to be separated by an invisible thin film.

He tapped open LINE and sent a message to his younger sister.

【Natsume Chikage: Ruri, are you there?】

The reply from the other side was almost instantaneous.

【Natsume Ruri: I'm here! Is there something the matter, Brother?】

【Natsume Chikage: Xia Mu Chunhui is coming over tonight.】

【Natsume Ruri: 【○? ｀Д?? ○】 At this point, why is she coming over for no reason?!】

Natsume Chikage relayed the brief conversation from the phone.

【Natsume Ruri: I knew it... how could she be so kind. So she was afraid the 'Child Consultation Center' would come knocking.】

【Natsume Chikage: That's how it is. If you get home early, don't open the door until ten, wait for me to get back.】

【Natsume Ruri: Mm-hmm, got it. I'll wait for Brother to come back before opening the door.】

Ending the conversation, Natsume Chikage put his phone back into his pocket.

However, the previous call had already been seen by Xiyuanji Qilai and Yukimura Lingyin in the neighboring seats.

Xiyuanji Qilai carefully observed his profile, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke softly:

"Natsume-kun, over there... did you encounter some trouble?"

Her voice contained sincere concern.

"If... if you need help, please don't be polite."

Natsume Chikage came back to his senses, met her worried gaze, and shook his head with a smile:

"No need, thank you."

"It's just a... relative I don't have much contact with, coming over to take a look tonight."

"It's nothing worth mentioning."

Xiyuanji Qilai blinked, reading the meaning of "no need to mention this again" from his smile and tone.

"I see..."

She nodded obediently and stopped asking.

After all, that was someone else's family business, and asking too much wouldn't be good...

Yukimura Lingyin did not speak throughout the whole process, only moving her gaze away from Natsume Chikage and quietly casting it toward the distant sky outside the window.

On the glass window, her profile, which was even colder than usual, was reflected, as if this phone call had also stirred up some of her own, unspoken worries.

Ring-a-ling—

The bell for the end of the last class of the morning finally rang.

As soon as the teacher closed their lecture notes and left the classroom, the originally quiet space was instantly filled with various sounds—the noise of moving desks and chairs, laughter, and the clamor of discussing where to go for lunch.

Students gathered in twos and threes, taking out their own bento boxes, or flocking together to the cafeteria and the snack shop.

Natsume Chikage was naturally a "bento person."

He took that simple and plain bento box out of his school bag.

Since when—probably last week—his lunch time had fixedly become one spent with Xiyuanji Qilai and Yukimura Lingyin.

This small change had invisibly warded off quite a few girls who brought bentos or snacks and tried to crowd over to "have lunch together."

For Natsume Chikage, who preferred quiet, this was something worth secretly rejoicing over. ===== CHAPTER 307 =====