Chapter 599

Natsume Chikage nodded to confirm:

"Mm, yes. What's wrong?"

Classmate Tengyuan Kui coughed lightly, her eyes drifting elsewhere, pretending to ask casually:

"That... is Reisa-chan... still at your house right now?"

Natsume Chikage thought back briefly.

"If nothing unexpected happens, she should still be there. There's no one at her house, so she'll be staying at my place very late recently."

Hearing this, Classmate Tengyuan Kui immediately scratched the back of her head with her hand, letting out a hearty but slightly deliberate laugh:

"Ahahaha... I see..."

"Actually, I was thinking, I have nothing to do if I go back now, it's quite boring."

"I really like reading girls' manga! So hearing they are drawing, I'm super interested..."

She glanced at Natsume Chikage quietly as she said this, her tone carrying a hint of probing:

"... So I was thinking, can I go over with you now and see how they are drawing? Maybe I can give some suggestions from a reader's perspective?"

"After watching, I'll come back with Reisa-chan or something."

Natsume Chikage nodded and smiled readily:

"Of course you can."

"Rather, as a boy, I really can't give them any valuable advice on the subject of girls' manga."

"It should be a good thing for them if you can go over and help take a look and offer suggestions."

A smile as bright as sunshine instantly bloomed on Classmate Tengyuan Kui's face, and she nodded vigorously:

"Mm-hmm!"

Soon.

Natsume Chikage led Classmate Tengyuan Kui to the door of that familiar apartment.

The key was inserted into the keyhole and turned gently.

"Click."

The door opened in response.

Under the warm yellow light of the entrance, the petite and cute Natsume Ruri was kneeling on the small table, and beside her was that Kaga Reisa, who looked pure yet carried a hint of charm, though her expression was very shy and timid.

Seeing Natsume Chikage return, light shone in their eyes simultaneously.

"Welcome back, brother!"

Natsume Ruri stood up quickly like a little bird, ran over, and hugged Natsume Chikage.

Natsume Chikage raised his hand and gently rubbed his sister's soft hair:

"I'm back."

A hint of clear envy flashed in Kaga Reisa's eyes.

She also wanted to do that.

But after all, she wasn't true family; acting close rashly would probably make the Natsume siblings feel troubled...

Therefore, she forcibly suppressed the impulse, but still couldn't stop the envious look.

"Welcome back... Brother Natsume."

Natsume Chikage smiled:

"Mm."

Natsume Ruri was enjoying her brother's petting when her gaze shifted, and she suddenly noticed Classmate Tengyuan Kui standing behind her brother.

She was obviously stunned and subconsciously raised her small hand to cover her mouth.

A mental storm instantly blew up in her mind.

Could it be... Brother and Classmate Tengyuan Kui have started dating?

Otherwise, why would Classmate Tengyuan Kui come to the house at this time?

It's over... things might be serious now!

Brother... Brother might be about to be that!

Wuwu~ I don't want that kind of thing, at least wait until Brother is thirty!

... Wait, no!

The two don't look like they have particularly intimate behavior, and Brother and she are still in the stage of needing to work hard to maintain their lives.

With Brother's personality, he shouldn't be considering romance so quickly.

There's no reason to visit without a cause.

In that case... Classmate Tengyuan Kui must have another reason for coming this time.

Natsume Ruri quickly switched to a well-behaved and polite smile on her face and asked:

"Classmate Tengyuan, good evening."

Classmate Tengyuan Kui waved her hand full of vitality and smiled:

"Good evening, Ruri-chan!"

Natsume Ruri blinked her big eyes, revealing a curious expression:

"It's so late, Classmate Tengyuan is here for...?"

Classmate Tengyuan Kui explained with a grin:

"I heard Natsume-kun say before that you and Reisa-chan are collaborating on drawing girls' manga."

"You know, I'm a loyal reader of girls' manga! So I was especially curious about how you are drawing, thinking if I could come over to take a peek, and offer some immature little suggestions~"

Hearing this, Natsume Ruri's eyes instantly brightened, and she clapped her hands happily:

"That's great! Classmate Tengyuan, please come in! We just happened to get stuck on a character setting and have been agonizing over it for a long time!"

Classmate Tengyuan Kui responded happily, took off her shoes nimbly, and followed Natsume Ruri into this three-mat room that was small but exceptionally warm.

Kaga Reisa naturally heard the conversation too and said shyly:

"Good evening... Classmate Tengyuan."

Classmate Tengyuan Kui sat down beside her and returned a bright smile:

"Good evening, Reisa-chan."

"Where are your drafts now? Let me see quickly!"

Natsume Ruri and Kaga Reisa quickly handed her several sheets of draft paper filled with pencil lines.

Immediately after, the three girls put their heads together and chattered about the plot, character settings, and storyboards, the atmosphere warm.

Natsume Chikage looked at their engaged appearance and couldn't help but show a gratified smile.

However, just at this moment, a clear "rumble" sound came from his abdomen.

Only then did he remember that he hadn't eaten anything after finishing work.

Thinking for a moment, he turned and walked toward the kitchen in the corner, tied on the plaid apron hanging on the wall, turned back, and asked:

"Ruri, Reisa, and Tengyuan, do you want to eat some late-night snacks?"

Natsume Ruri immediately looked up from the drafts, her cheeks slightly puffed:

"Brother! Didn't we agree that the kitchen is my responsibility? You're hungry, right? Ruri will go make you a late-night snack now!"

Natsume Chikage smiled:

"Tengyuan rarely comes over, you and Reisa should accompany her to discuss the manga well."

"I'll prepare the late-night snack myself."

Natsume Ruri looked at the enthusiastic Classmate Tengyuan Kui and Kaga Reisa and had to mutter in a low voice:

"Okay..."

Classmate Tengyuan Kui looked at Natsume Chikage's back as he stood in front of the kitchen wearing an apron, and for some reason, her heart suddenly beat a few times faster.

A strange, warm palpitation surged into her heart.

In a trance, she actually had the sweet illusion that "my boyfriend is cooking for me."

Moreover, she had indeed never tasted Natsume-kun's cooking.

Thinking of this, Classmate Tengyuan Kui, who already loved food, immediately raised her hand high, her voice full of expectation:

"I want to eat!"

Although Kaga Reisa was shy, she was also curious about Natsume Chikage's cooking; she nodded gently and said in a soft voice:

"Mm... I, I also want to eat a little."

Natsume Chikage nodded.