Chapter 330

However, she herself was a dog person...

emmmm...

Fujiwara Aoi smiled energetically, feeling that it didn't matter; in the future, she could let Natsume-kun raise both cats and dogs!

After the cat treat was finished, the white cat lowered its head to sniff Natsume Chikage's shoe surface, rubbed against it again, and made a few soft "meow-meow" sounds.

Then it walked away unhurriedly with an elegant cat gait.

Natsume Chikage watched its departing back, not quite understanding these behaviors of the cat.

But at least for now, it seemed to be quite friendly to him?

Near his home.

Natsume Chikage had just walked here when he saw a luxury car drive up from the side of the road and park steadily in a nearby parking space.

After the woman in the car got out, her gaze fell directly on him, and she walked toward him.

Natsume Chikage naturally recognized her, so he stopped and waited.

Natsume Tsubaki was still dressed in that sunglasses-and-fashionable-outfit style, her tone flat:

"Since you're back, then lead the way."

"Mm."

There was no extra small talk between the two, just walking side by side in silence.

Soon.

Natsume Chikage brought her to his front door.

He took out the key, inserted it into the lock, turned it, and opened the door.

"Ruri, I'm back."

"Brother, welcome ba..."

Natsume Ruri, whose face had just bloomed with a smile, saw her expression collapse the moment she saw Natsume Tsubaki.

"Aunt, good evening..."

Natsume Tsubaki furrowed her brows, her tone cold:

"I said, don't call me 'Aunt'."

After speaking.

She took off her shoes and entered the room on her own, sat down by the low table, and scanned the cramped room with a scrutinizing gaze.

Natsume Chikage also walked into the room and gently rubbed his sister's hair:

"Go pour a glass of water for the guest."

Natsume Ruri nodded, took a cup, poured some plain water that had just been boiled not long ago, and placed it in front of Natsume Tsubaki.

After doing all this.

She sat down right next to Natsume Chikage, exactly opposite Natsume Tsubaki.

After Natsume Tsubaki took off her sunglasses, she revealed a face that was well-maintained and looked far younger than her actual age.

Natsume Ruri looked at this aunt, somewhat fearfully, and subconsciously hugged her brother's arm more tightly.

Natsume Tsubaki looked at this pair of siblings, slowly recalled something, her expression complex, then recovered as before, and snorted coldly:

"Now reduced to living in this broken house of less than three tsubo, you really have to thank your old man for those 'wise' decisions he made back then."

"If it weren't for him, you should have continued living a life of luxury!"

"But in the end, you only deserve to stay in this kind of shabby place in your bones."

"Going bankrupt now is just letting you return to the way you were supposed to be."

"How about it? If you kneel down and cry and beg me now, I might soften my heart for a moment and take you back to the main family."

"After all, you two look decent enough. Sending the sister for a marriage alliance, and arranging for the brother to marry into a family, could barely be considered making the best use of everything, right?"

After speaking.

Natsume Tsubaki's gaze locked onto Natsume Chikage's face.

And Natsume Ruri also looked toward her brother with anxiety.

She knew her brother had been accustomed to luxury since childhood and had always hated a life of financial constraints.

He also disliked the current boring life of being unable to play games as he pleased, and only being able to shuttle between school, his part-time job, and home every day.

If her brother really wanted to return to the main family... she... would not stop him.

Thinking of this, a layer of sadness couldn't help but cover Natsume Ruri's eyes.

No one is willing to become a tool for family interest exchange.

She also knew clearly that if her brother agreed, the main family would absolutely be able to do such a thing.

If it were for her brother's sake, she would be willing to make such a sacrifice...

However.

Natsume Chikage refused calmly and firmly:

"If Miss Natsume came here just to say these things, then please go back."

"The two of us siblings will not return to the main family."

Natsume Ruri heard this, and the sadness in her eyes was instantly replaced by surprise; she also looked at her aunt and said resolutely:

"Ruri is the same! Absolutely will not return to the main family!"

Natsume Tsubaki laughed "heh" and mocked:

"Just relying on you two siblings?"

"What can you do?"

"Relying on the few tens of thousands of yen left on you, you want to survive in a place like Tokyo where land is worth gold?"

"Don't make people laugh their heads off!"

"Even food, clothing, housing, and transportation for next month are a problem, what are you still obsessing over?"

"It's just letting you marry someone you don't like in the future. Abandoning this insignificant thing can exchange for a lifetime of glory and wealth, what's wrong with that?!"

"You have no idea how many people outside are begging on their knees for the terms you are refusing!"

"I suppose so, your family hasn't been bankrupt for long, and you haven't truly experienced the time when you are so worried about money that you want to cry, or even want to die."

"When you are truly at the end of your rope, hungry to the point of sticking to your ribs, you will understand how stupid today's choice is!"

"I am giving you one last chance now—accept, or refuse?"

Natsume Chikage refused decisively:

"Even if there is no money, even if the days are truly bitter to the point of being unable to continue, I will never abandon my sister, I will never let my sister go hungry, and I will never treat my sister as a tool for marriage alliance!"

"Not now, and even less in the future!!"

Natsume Ruri also hugged her brother's arm tightly and nodded forcefully:

"Ruri is the same!"

"No matter how bitter the days are, wherever brother is, Ruri will be there!"

Natsume Tsubaki laughed until tears almost spilled out, her tone full of mockery:

"Hahahaha—truly a newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger, ignorant of the height of the sky!"

"You two remember what you said today, and don't let me know you renege. Otherwise, hmph—!"

After speaking.

Natsume Tsubaki glanced at her wristwatch and stood up with a cold laugh:

"It's simply a waste of my time!"

"I don't have time to talk nonsense with you, get up now and cooperate with me to take a few photos!"

Natsume Ruri and Natsume Chikage did not speak again, just cooperated with her silently to take a few photos.

With the photos in hand, Natsume Tsubaki put away her phone, put her sunglasses back on, put on her shoes, unscrewed the door, did not leave a word of farewell, and left without looking back.

The soft sound of the door closing came.

Natsume Tsubaki's footsteps gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Natsume Ruri turned around wordlessly, buried her face deeply in her brother's arms, her shoulders twitching slightly, and let out a suppressed sob.

"Wuwu... brother, we must live well."

"We definitely will!"