Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 2 Shangzi
Is the bedroom that I have lived in for more than ten years so small?

No, it's not too small. This is the largest room on the second floor.

There is a large bed in the middle, and there are desks and bookshelves on the walls and corners, not to mention necessary furniture such as wardrobes. Apart from that, there is still a lot of space, but it is not as spacious as I remembered.

Naruse moved his feet, and the kicked cardboard box made a muffled sound.

He bowed his head.

Or is it because there are too many moving boxes stacked up right now?
After taking out the clothes in the cardboard box and packing them into the closet, he bent down again and dragged another cardboard box to his feet.

Seeing [Winter Clothes] written on the side, he pushed the carton aside again.

"what happened?"

"That's winter clothes."

"Is Chunhai planning to save it until winter?"

"I just... no, nothing."

Naruse shook his head, stretched out his arm, and pulled the cardboard box back.

Holding the soft down jacket, he suddenly realized that it will snow in November in Aomori area, and winter is not far away.

After packing up a box of winter clothes, Naruse took a breath.

He looked at the girl on the other side of the room for a while, until she noticed something and turned to look at him before speaking:
"When did Shangzi come back?"

"I arrived home shortly after Chunhai went out. What a coincidence."

"Then you have been helping at my house until now?"

She smiled, and the sweat on her face was thicker than when she went downstairs to meet him just now.

"I have nothing else to do."

Putting the library book in her hand on the bookshelf, she bent down and picked up a few more, looking at the covers one by one.

"Chunhai went to school, what's going on there, have you completed the transfer process?"

"It's about the same, only the uniform has not been customized." Naruse said, "The person in charge is not here today, so I have to go back tomorrow."

"is it?"

Shangzi thought for a while, then smiled, "Then I will go there with Chunhai tomorrow, I also have some things to buy."

"Okay."

After a short rest, the girl turned around and continued to organize the bookshelves.

Naruse looked at her for a while, lowered his head, raised his foot and moved another cardboard box to his side.

Shangzi, formerly surnamed Dongyun, is the adopted daughter of the Hua family next door and one of his childhood playmates.

Almost eight years ago, Dongyun and his wife were involved in a car accident on the way to work, both of them died, leaving behind the orphan Shangzi;

Then, Dongyun and his wife's best friend, Huache, also stepped forward and adopted Shangzi with his wife.

The couple are both researchers at the Aomori Institute of Agriculture and Forestry. They are busy with work and have been married for many years without having a child. Their adopted daughter, Naoko, is still their only child.

"Mr. Hana and the others don't have time to come back during the Obon festival?" Naruse asked.

"Well, I can't get away from work at the research institute."

Shangzi in front of the bookshelf responded, and turned around to see that he was still tidying up with his head down, and his eyes slowly focused on his side face.

"Mom and Dad are currently working at the main research institute in Aomori City. It is said that after winter, they will go to the branch office in Heishi City to help for a while."

"yes."

During the four years of separation, the two have been in contact almost every day, and they have already known each other's situation clearly, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the other's diary.

At this time, Naruse just sighed softly, "I'm so busy."

"So... I'm really happy that Chunhai can come back here." She whispered.

He raised his eyes and saw that Shangzi's back was facing this side, the long hair hanging sideways was black and soft, shaking slightly.

"Me too."

Although there were so many luggages piled up half the room, fortunately there were people around to help, and the packing efficiency far exceeded Naruse's expectation.

After flattening all the empty cardboard boxes and stacking them together, he raised his eyes and looked out the window.

The sky in the west was orange, and it was already evening.

"It was sorted out in one afternoon...it was a great help."

Shangzi still smiled gently, "These things are all I can do."

"I'll do these things." Naruse bent down, took the cardboard from her hand, "Put them all up."

"no problem?"

"Ah."

Carrying a thick stack of cardboards downstairs, Naruse was thinking about what to do when a figure walked out of the next bedroom.

"It's all finished? It's so fast. Pack these cardboards together and send them to the garbage room."

The cardboards on the ground were piled up randomly, and there were traces of reluctance everywhere.

"Is there any paper string?" he asked.

"No. Forgot to buy it."

"As for the paper rope, I have it at home."

Shang Zi also went downstairs, hearing the words quickened his pace and walked outside, "I'll get it."

"Then I'm counting on you, Shangzi."

Watching Shangzi go out, the woman standing at the door of the bedroom felt a little emotional: "This child is really reliable. Chunhai just left for a while at noon, she came back, and has been helping until now."

"I know." Naruse replied, bending over and squatting on the ground.

Looking at the cardboard that was dismantled at will and squashed forcibly, he felt a little helpless, but he could only do it himself and fold it again;
After all, the person who walked behind Shangzi while saying good things about him was his biological mother, a well-known actress who was proficient in housework and devoted all her talents and energy to her career as an artist, Song Qianqiu.

"Can't you pack it like this?"

"No. If you send it directly to the garbage room, you will definitely be reprimanded by the administrator."

"Even me?"

Naruse finally looked back.

Looking at his son's white eyes, Song Qianqiu smiled.

"Fortunately, Chunhai is also very reliable, otherwise my mother's life must have become a mess."

Naruse turned back again, leaned forward, and pressed a few times with his hands to flatten the cardboard.

"I'm not around yet."

"Then I can only ask Ms. Sato."

Ms. Sato is Matsu Chiaki's assistant. She didn't come with her this time and is still in Tokyo.

"no problem?"

"If Chunhai is fine, mom will be fine."

The two talked to each other, and Shangzi, who was going home to fetch the paper string, also came over quickly.

Bundled and packed all the rearranged cardboards and sent them to the garbage room at the intersection. The 60-year-old administrator showed a relieved expression when he saw Shangzi, and didn't check much at all.

"Is this old man so gentle?" On the way back, Naruse said in a low voice, "He used to pick on me."

Shangzi followed with a smile on his face, "Mr. Yamada is just taking his job seriously, and he actually likes Harumi very much."

"Really? He didn't seem to recognize me just now."

"I recognized it. Mr. Yamada asked me quietly just now, 'Is that Mori's son?'...Ah."

Naruse fell silent and looked towards the sky.

The setting sun is about to end, burning a piece of fiery red on the horizon, and the tall Yanmu Mountain is only an embellishment of the sunset at this time.

"Will you have dinner at my house?"

Shangzi raised his eyes to look at him, stretched out his hand, and put it down quietly.

"it is good."

The dinner was prepared by Naruse and Shangzi together, it was just a few simple dishes, but Matsu Chiaki received almost exaggerated praise.

After a few words of modesty, Shangzi just smiled.Naruse could tell she was happy, but probably didn't take it too seriously.

"Stop reciting lines."

"It's too much! Mom just thought of it and used it."

"But who is 'Kyoko'? Is there such a person in our family?"

"Hey, did I just say that name..."

After eating a few more mouthfuls, Song Qianqiu looked at his son, and then at Shangzi next to him.

"However, Shangzi is really reassuring, just like an older sister. When I'm not around, Haruhi will take care of you."

Shangzi nodded.

"Anyway, your parents are not at home, so why don't you just stay at my house."

"..."

She raised her head and looked at Naruse next to her, but didn't answer directly.

"Shangzi's house is next door, not too far away." Naruse said as expected, "And I don't need to take care of you, so don't make things difficult for others."

"You have to take care of each other."

Song Qianqiu looked at his son, "Shangzi is also at home alone, Chunhai occasionally relies on Shangzi more, and when she encounters problems, she is more willing to ask Chunhai for help."

Naruse said nothing, but nodded.

Shangzi pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just nodded solemnly.

After dinner, Naruse stayed in the kitchen to help wash the dishes.

"Anything on your mind?"

Shangzi was wearing an apron, turned his head and smiled slightly, "What?"

He also looked at her, and pointed down: "This plate is almost getting thinner after washing."

"..."

Shangzi came back to his senses, put aside the plate that he had rubbed for a few minutes, and picked up another plate from the sink.

After a while, she spoke again: "I'm just a little happy."

"I've been happy for too long."

"Being praised by people who often appear on TV, of course, will be more happy for a while."

"Really... next time she is on a variety show, let her also praise the hardworking and reliable Shangzi on TV."

"No."

Shangzi objected immediately, raised his arm again, and bumped lightly on his arm.

"The heart is really bad."

Naruse laughed, "I just want others to know how good Shangzi is."

The water was rushing, and Shangzi stared at the plate being rinsed in his hand, the corners of his mouth rippling.

"It's enough for Chunhai to know."

After tidying up the kitchen, when Naruse and Shangzi returned to the living room, Matsuchiaki was on the phone.

"...I've taken this type of role three times, and I'm really not interested... Who do you think the screenwriter is? Are you sure it's him? Well... send the script to my email first... No, I didn't Promise! Take a look first before talking."

At the end of the call, Naruse didn't bother to see her thinking while holding the phone, but just whispered to Shangzi: "I probably received a script from a well-known screenwriter, but she doesn't like the character."

Shangzi approached him, looked at him, and replied in a low voice: "Will Auntie agree?"

Naruse stared at his mother for a while, then shook his head, "It's hard to say."

"Need to read the script?"

"Ah."

While waiting for the agent to send the script to the mailbox, while pacing and wandering in the living room, Song Qianqiu gradually became impatient, and turned his attention to the two children in the middle of the sofa.

Although he was reluctant to part with Chun Hai, the separation was inevitable, and it was only a matter of time;

And now, he has another child by his side.

A kid who seems a little quiet, but who occasionally shows a surprisingly positive side.

"Do you want to continue?" Naruse asked suddenly.

"The script hasn't been sent yet."

Song Qianqiu shook the phone, walked around again, and then walked to Shangzi and sat down.

"This time, the character is an elite woman who is busy with her career but neglects her family. As a result, both sides gradually collapsed. Isn't it cliché?"

Shangzi nodded, and casually mentioned a role of the same type that she had played before.

"Hey, this drama was filmed the year I just came back, did Shang Zi watch it?"

"I have watched all the TV series, movies, and variety shows that my aunt has starred in."

Shangzi paused for a moment, looked up at Song Qianqiu who was close at hand, "My favorite artist is Chunhai's mother..."

"I also like Naoko the most—"

Song Qianqiu smiled all over his face, hugged Shangzi and held him in his arms.

"Chunhai, find a way to make Shangzi a child of our family!"

"You can discuss it with Uncle Hana yourself." Naruse responded casually, turning his ear to the door, and vaguely heard voices outside.

Soon, the doorbell rang.

Ding-dong-

There were still people coming to the door at this time, both Matsuchiaki and Shangzi were a little surprised, but Naruse had already got up to open the door.

"Good evening - we are here to interrupt~"

A refreshing greeting came from outside the door.

Living in Tokyo for a long time, Matsu Chiaki felt unfamiliar with this voice, and lowered her head to ask Shangzi.

The girl in her arms frowned, looking at the door and muttering to herself.

"Light? When did you get in touch..."

　Newcomers and new books, please recommend pinch

　　


(End of this chapter)