Chapter 44

The Oden old man glanced at this high school couple; he wasn't stupid, so he didn't expose them and smiled kindly:

"You've already paid."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun breathed a sigh of relief.

When it wasn't necessary, accepting small favors from others wasn't really a good thing.

Money is easy to repay, but debts of gratitude are hard to repay.

Even knowing this was Kondo Miyuki's kindness, he didn't intend to accept it casually.

After all, he still had to find an excuse to ask her for that special equipment later; if he started owing favors now, it would be even harder to repay later.

Kondo Miyuki helplessly took back the 10,000-yen note.

"Well... then there's nothing I can do."

"But Xia Xia Xia Mujun... my daughter is quite looking forward to you coming to our house for dinner again, remember to come when you have time."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun replied politely:

"If there's an opportunity, I will."

Fujiwara Aoi was stunned; what daughter?

She must be talking about the little girl...

Kondo Miyuki looked at the exquisite watch on her wrist and reminded him gently:

"Then it's a promise."

"It's very late now, you two remember to go home early, and be safe~ I'll be going now."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun nodded slightly:

"Mm, goodbye, Auntie Miyuki."

Fujiwara Aoi waved goodbye enthusiastically:

"Goodbye, Auntie."

After a while.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun and Fujiwara Aoi, having finished their Oden, walked home side by side once more.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was carrying a packed portion of Oden, intending to bring it back for his younger sister to try.

Fujiwara Aoi's steps were even lighter and bouncier than when they arrived, as if she had springs in her shoes; clearly, her mood was so good she could fly.

After all, today she not only rode the subway to work with Xia Xia Xia Mujun, but they also got off work together and shared a late-night snack; what was even rarer was—he was now personally walking her home!

This kind of treatment was something that even that high-and-mighty Senior Tsukishima couldn't help but envy, right?

Thinking of these things, the curve of Fujiwara Aoi's mouth couldn't be suppressed no matter what, and her mood was simply exploding with joy.

However, good times always pass quickly.

It felt like just a blink of an eye before they reached the high-end apartment building where Fujiwara Aoi lived.

The bright lights outlined the grand silhouette of the building, and the marble exterior walls glowed with a soft luster under the moonlight.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun stopped, and knowing he had to take leave tomorrow for the tournament, he didn't say "see you tomorrow," but just waved naturally:

"Then I'll be going now."

Fujiwara Aoi raised a big, energetic smile and waved vigorously at Xia Xia Xia Mujun:

"Mm-hmm! Bye-bye, Xia Xia Xia Mujun! See you tomorrow!"

Not until she watched Xia Xia Xia Mujun's figure disappear around the street corner did Fujiwara Aoi hum an off-key song and walk lightly toward the elevator.

Tomorrow... she would still be able to see Xia Xia Xia Mujun!

She suddenly remembered that it seemed neither she nor Xia Xia Xia Mujun were scheduled for shifts at the coffee shop tomorrow.

Which meant they didn't have to work together tomorrow...

But that was okay!

She remembered Saionji Nanase saying that after school tomorrow, she would go to check out the club stalls with Xia Xia Xia Mujun, and she had promised to call her along.

By then, she would be able to act with him again; maybe after checking out the clubs, she could find an excuse to walk home together again, or... just drag him to go check out somewhere else?

Sketching beautiful pictures in her mind, Fujiwara Aoi couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Gaga... hehehe... heeheehee..."

In the empty elevator lobby, her laughter sounded exceptionally crisp and bright.

Home.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun pushed the door open while carrying the packed Oden, the aroma of the food drifting into the room with his footsteps.

What came into view was still that cramped three-mat room, and Natsume Ruri was watching TV, bored.

Hearing the door open, she immediately turned her head.

"Brother, welcome back!"

Natsume Ruri jumped up from the tatami mat in excitement and pounced over like a happy little bird.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was slightly stunned; after his Spirit attribute increased to 6, his reaction speed had indeed become much faster.

He had wanted to reach out and catch his sister immediately, but his body's response was half a beat slow, and he could only watch helplessly as his sister flew into his arms.

Fortunately, Ruri was very light, and he only had to take one step back to hold her steadily.

Looking at his sister, who was close at hand with a bright smile, his heart warmed.

"I'm home." Xia Xia Xia Mujun rubbed her hair with one hand, and the hand holding the takeout used the momentum to close the door.

"Brother, what's in your hand?" Natsume Ruri blinked curiously.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun shook the bag in his hand gently: "Oden I bought for you."

Natsume Ruri immediately jumped happily on the tatami mat: "Really? It's been so long since Ruri had Oden!"

Chijin gently pinched his sister's soft cheek, handed her the takeout, and smiled: "Take it and eat."

"Mm-hmm." Natsume Ruri happily took the bag and immediately sat on the tatami mat in a duck-sit position.

She placed the takeout on the low table, broke apart the disposable chopsticks, and couldn't wait to taste it.

After Xia Xia Xia Mujun finished washing up and came out, he looked up at the clock on the wall.

The hands were already pointing past ten-forty.

It was indeed very late.

He had just gotten home and needed to prepare for bed.

Although Xia Xia Xia Mujun wasn't very sleepy yet, his sister was clearly tired.

He looked at Natsume Ruri and found her yawning and rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Ruri, are you sleepy already?"

"Mm..."

"Then Brother will lay out the bed now, it's already very late."

But Natsume Ruri shook her head:

"You can't lie down to sleep within half an hour of eating, otherwise you'll get acid reflux, and it's easy to gain weight."

Xia Xia Xia Mujun thought for a moment and nodded in agreement:

"Then let's watch TV for a while longer and sleep in a bit."

Natsume Ruri rubbed her eyes and patted the spot behind her:

"Brother, sit here, Ruri wants to lean on you and watch TV."

Chijin didn't refuse and sat down behind Ruri.

Natsume Ruri leaned into his arms and hugged his arm to her chest.

On this cool night, feeling her brother's body temperature, she quietly watched the entertainment program on TV.

Xia Xia Xia Mujun wasn't in a hurry to take out his phone to write either, but watched the entertainment program with his sister.

Doing things requires a balance of tension and relaxation.

He had just come home from work, and to be honest, he also wanted to let his brain and body relax.

Just like that, a quiet and peaceful atmosphere filled the three-mat room.

From time to time, one could hear the laughter of the two being amused by the comedy show.

Only, when Natsume Ruri watched TV, she would occasionally look up at Chijin.

This made Chijin somewhat confused.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Natsume Ruri's cheeks flushed slightly, and she turned her gaze back to the TV:

"Nothing... it's just that I haven't seen Brother all day, I'm curious how Brother's day went?"

Xia Xia Xia Mujun was stunned for a moment, recalling the things that happened today.

The whole morning was almost entirely entangled by the girls in the class, and he could only have peace during class time.

At noon, he was confessed to by Tsukishima Rin, and then gossiped about by a group of people, surrounded and asked this and that.