Chapter 501

"Reisa-chan! Chizuru-chan! Did you see that?!"

She turned around, her voice trembling with excitement, but very loud.

"My brother won!"

"And he won against a quasi-professional! A quasi-professional!"

Kaga Reisa’s delicate face, which was always weak and shy, was now also filled with deep surprise and admiration.

She leaned close to the screen, looking at that calm and handsome profile, and felt her little heart pounding, very moved:

"Xia brother... is really amazing."

In her limited cognition, when Xia brother was at home, he was really either writing novels, resting, or laughing and talking with them.

She had never once seen him study shogi manuals or fiddle with a shogi board.

Yet like this...

He actually defeated those quasi-professional shogi players who studied shogi day after day?

This was simply... unbelievable.

Ando Chizuru, who also had a sweet and cute appearance, had her gaze more attracted by Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s focused and calm profile in the news photo.

The light in the arena outlined his clear jawline and straight nose bridge.

That serious look of being immersed in the world of the game had an indescribable, captivating charm.

Her heart skipped a beat involuntarily.

Ripples that she herself hadn't noticed rose in her beautiful eyes, and her cheeks were slightly hot.

"Ruri-chan..."

She spoke subconsciously, her voice somewhat unfocused.

"Your brother... is really amazing."

"I am really... so hap..."

Halfway through the sentence, she woke up suddenly.

Seeing the clear gaze of curiosity cast by Natsume Ruri, Ando Chizuru’s face turned bright red "swish."

Like a ripe apple.

"I... I mean!"

She waved her hands quickly, trying to remedy it incoherently.

"I really want a... brother as amazing as you, Ruri-chan!"

"Yes! That’s it!"

She nodded hard, trying to strengthen the persuasiveness, but her flushed ears betrayed her guilty conscience.

Kaga Reisa lowered her head shyly, whispering in agreement:

"I... I understand too."

"Xia brother... is indeed very admirable."

The girls around were also attracted by the photos and results in the news, and they all sighed with envy.

"I also want such a handsome and amazing brother!"

"So envious! Ruri-chan, you must have saved the galaxy in your last life!"

"Wuwu, if my brother could be one-tenth as good as Xia brother, I would thank heaven and earth!"

"Don't say it, mine is like a salted fish, it’s hard to even turn over, if only I could swap with your brother, Ruri-chan..."

"Are you making a wish? Wake up!"

Listening to the envious words of her friends, Natsume Ruri felt sweet in her heart.

She tried hard to suppress the corners of her mouth that were rising, but the pride and happiness she felt for her brother from the bottom of her heart couldn't be hidden at all.

On her fair cheeks, the smile bloomed brilliantly like flowers in the sun.

She felt that her brother must be like this—actually always very amazing, just that he used to put all his heart into playing games and was too lazy to show it.

It should be like this...

Just then.

Izumi Hideaki, who had always had a crush on Natsume Ruri, was also watching all this silently not far away.

He looked at Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s dazzling figure on the screen, and a strong desire surged in his heart.

*I also really want to... become someone as radiant and looked up to as that.*

In that case, would Ruri’s gaze stay on me more?

This thought made his heart beat faster.

At the same time, he also suddenly remembered another important thing.

A few days ago, he mentioned Xia Xia Xia Mujun to his sister, who always thought he was annoying.

His original intention was to "show off" a little that he knew such an amazing person, and by the way, see if he could get his sister to help set him up with Ruri.

He originally thought his sister would be impatient and perfunctory as usual.

But he didn't expect that after his sister heard the description, especially after seeing Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s photo, her reaction would be unusually intense.

Not only was she not disgusted, but instead... overjoyed?

She even stuffed two violin concert tickets that looked very high-end into his hands, and told him repeatedly that he must invite Natsume Ruri and Xia Xia Xia Mujun to listen together.

Under the pretext: she was Xia Xia Xia Mujun’s "fan," wanted to see the real person up close, and preferably get an autograph.

His sister’s look of eyes shining, refusing to be denied, and even clenching her fists, made Izumi Hideaki a little scared.

But regardless, this was indeed a good opportunity to get close to Natsume Ruri.

Thinking of this, Izumi Hideaki gathered his courage, and while Natsume Ruri was alone holding her homework, on her way to the teacher’s office, he stopped her in the quiet corridor.

"Na... Natsume-san!"

His voice was a little nervous, and there was a shy blush on his face.

Natsume Ruri stopped and looked at him with some confusion.

"That... Izumi-kun? Is something the matter?"

Izumi Hideaki took a deep breath, carefully took out the two beautifully printed concert tickets from his schoolbag, and handed them over.

"It... it’s like this..."

He didn't dare to look directly into Natsume Ruri’s eyes, his gaze drifting to the ground.

"My family... recently had two extra concert tickets, it’s... it’s a violin solo concert."

"The seats are very good, but my family and I really don't have any use for them, it would be a pity to waste them..."

He paused, and according to what his sister taught him, continued:

"And... my sister... seems to be a shogi fan of Xia brother."

"She heard that I knew you, so she kept begging me, saying if it’s convenient, she hopes Xia brother and you can go listen to the concert together."

"She... she thought if there’s a chance, she wants an autograph from Xia brother or something..."

His voice got smaller and smaller, and his face got redder and redder.

"So... if, if you don't mind..."

"Please accept them!"

He pushed the tickets forward.

Natsume Ruri blinked her big eyes, her gaze falling on the well-made tickets, and then looked at the nervous and at a loss Izumi Hideaki in front of her.

She was thoughtful, didn't take them immediately, but revealed a polite smile.

"This..."

"Thank you for your kindness, Izumi-kun, but..."

She tilted her head.

"I want to ask my brother’s opinion first."

"If he thinks it’s okay, and the time is suitable, I have no problem."

"I’ll reply to you then, is that okay?"

She didn't refuse directly, nor did she rush to agree, giving a safe response.

Izumi Hideaki heard this, although he was a little disappointed that it couldn't be finalized immediately, at least he wasn't directly rejected.

He nodded quickly, a relieved and expectant smile appearing on his face.

"Mm-hmm! Of course!"

"If your brother agrees, just tell me anytime!"