I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 147: The Most Grateful Episode

Gen Tsukino never expected to run into Mochizuki Miki, a nationally famous superstar, here. In fact, she was apparently Shiramine Momiji's aunt.

How would anyone know? I'm not omniscient or omnipotent; probably very few people in the entire Baifeng Society know about this.

However, the appearance of Mochizuki Miki can make some things simpler, and also make some things more complicated.

Gen Tsukino already had a similar premonition.

So his smile wasn't particularly bright.

"So there are such coincidences."

He sensed the other person's overly focused gaze, not as if they wanted to see through him, but rather as if they were admiring a toy with great curiosity.

How much more fun can it get? What other interesting ways can we play it?

In short, it's weird.

He felt that this woman was a little too excited as soon as she appeared. Was this not the Butterfly Water Courtyard but the Spider Cave?

Actually, Mochizuki Miki's expression was alright; at least her niece, Shiramine Momiji, didn't notice any further flaws.

In her daze, her aunt was already smiling and saying, "I had a feeling we would meet again, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."

"I didn't expect that either."

"Don't worry, Tsukino-kun. Let's keep things separate and not discuss that now."

Seemingly sensing that Tsukino Gen might be having some concerns, Mochizuki Miki took the initiative to clarify.

She was right after all. Tsukino Gen was indeed wondering if the other person's hopes had been rekindled because of what she had done, and whether they believed that they could cure her illness.

Is he truly more open-minded than he thought, or is he simply enduring it all?

"It's ok."

"Then please sit down, Tsukino-kun, and let's continue our conversation."

Bai Feng Hongye looked at the two's strange way of talking, not understanding what was going on. Then she saw that this strange and difficult-to-talk-to boy actually listened to his aunt and sat down in his seat again.

No, why?

She certainly knew her aunt was very charming; as a nationally renowned actress, her public image and on-screen presence were undeniable. But... had it really reached the point where she could instantly turn a bad guy into a good boy?

That's ridiculous! This isn't charm, that's clearly a superpower!
Sensing that something was off, Bai Feng Hongye slightly adjusted her posture. She looked at her aunt sitting in the spot she had just been in, thought for a moment, and then moved closer.

"Auntie, you..."

Was about to say something.

Suddenly, Mochizuki Miki turned around and looked at her.

The moment she was met with the other person's gaze, Shirafumi Koyo felt a strange threat. This sudden threat left her stunned and at a loss.

Until Mochizuki Miki's hands gently climbed onto the young woman's shoulders.

Then she smiled and turned to look at Tsukino Gen, "I remember Tsukino-kun suspected that Momiji was carrying a weapon, right?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Feng Hongye was stunned and looked at her aunt in confusion.

Gen Tsukino frowned. "That is indeed the case."

"Alright, I'll help Tsukino-kun verify it."

After saying that, she reached out and pulled on the shoulder strap of Bai Feng Hongye's red dress.

"Auntie, what are you doing?!"

Shiramine Koyo was startled and immediately grabbed Mochizuki Miki's wrist to try to stop the woman.

But the woman who had just been smiling at Tsukino Gen as if she were joking turned her head and looked at Shiramine Momiji with icy coldness.

It made Shiramine Koyo feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

Bai Feng Hongye had never seen her aunt with such an expression, nor had she heard her voice so cold.

"If things don't go well, or you're even pushed to the brink, then you have to be prepared to survive no matter the cost, unless you tell me you can die."

"Can you?"

"."

If there is no hope at all.

If it's for the woman in front of me...

Maybe, just maybe, I can do it?
But why her of all people? Why did she have to do this to herself? Why did she have to tear down her facade in front of this young man? Why did she have to completely shatter her dignity and self-respect?
Why.
This pain of victory over defeat feels like betrayal.

She couldn't understand, and her eyes welled up with tears almost instantly. She stared intently at Mochizuki Miki, trying to find some evidence that the other woman was soft-hearted.

But no.

Her fingers traced the straps of her bra, as if trying to strip away her dignity completely, bit by bit, until it shattered and sank to the bottom of the sea.

She saw no tenderness for herself in Mochizuki Miki's eyes; she was like a cold, rule-abiding executor, naturally devoid of any compassion.

But that's not what she wanted.

"It's okay to make mistakes, but you have to admit them, and you have to accept defeat. You're in a yakuza organization, yet you don't even understand this rule? Do you have the ability to flip the table and eat your own food?"

"Clap."

The bra strap slipped off her delicate shoulders, and her fair skin shone like a light bulb that had been suddenly turned on.

But her rosy cheeks looked as if they had been slapped hard.

Milky white skin.

Springtime was suddenly revealed.

Beneath the bright red skirt, black lace trim
"okay."

Just as Shiramine Koyo felt Mochizuki Miki was about to pull down her other shoulder strap as well.

Just as she could barely hold back the scalding tears about to fall from the corners of her eyes.

The boy's voice interrupted Mochizuki Miki's actions.

Mochizuki Miki's hand hovered in mid-air, then turned with her gaze.

"Tsukino-kun, would you like to check if I'm carrying any weapons?"

Upon hearing these words, Shiramine Koyo stopped crying, but before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, she was jolted.

She didn't know how to look at the women around her; she felt like a prostitute fawning over a VIP. All her former glamour had vanished.

She even felt a pang of resentment at why she had said such a thing.

She would rather be naked right now. So she didn't bother to pull up the fallen bra strap.

The edge of the black lace was left partially exposed, like a half-white photograph.

Tsukino Gen glanced at the other person casually, "He definitely brought it, a rather large weapon."

If you can create this kind of look with a turtleneck sweater that isn't even a normal one, it's hard to imagine how you would look with a tight-fitting bodycon skirt or something similar.

This curvaceous figure, coupled with the contrast of his world-weary face, easily reminded him of the alluring scene in the bathroom that day.

Seemingly noticing the momentary pause in the boy's gaze, Mochizuki Miki seemed to understand his meaning, and a blush appeared on her face at just the right moment.

It wouldn't be too dark, and it would be just right so he could see it clearly.

"Would you like to have it checked, Tsukino-kun?"

Gen Tsukino calmly picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

"Forget it, these clothes are hard to take off anyway. There's no need to pretend anymore."

Mochizuki Miki smiled, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"If you find it too troublesome, you can cut it open or tear it to pieces. You'll see if this is just for show once you try it."

".Snap."

Sudden.

Shiramine Koyo suddenly stood up. Without even looking at the two of them, she spoke directly.

"You two chat, I won't disturb you."

After saying that, she walked straight outside.

No one stopped him during this process. Tsukino Gen simply watched quietly until the door closed, at which point he looked at the woman opposite him whose expression had calmed down.

"Aren't you afraid she'll resent you for treating your niece like this?"

Mochizuki Miki said indifferently, "I am a dying person. What does it matter how many people hate me or who hates me? I don't believe in reincarnation or the afterlife, and I don't believe in karma or retribution."

"If you really didn't care about anything, you wouldn't be here."

"Tsukino-kun is very perceptive."

"But I still never imagined that you would have anything to do with Bai Feng."

Hearing Tsukino Gen's words, Mochizuki Miki smiled and said, "Not many people know that, after all, I changed my surname when I was preparing to embark on this path, just so that no one would make a connection."

"Then why did you come back?"

"It's very simple. My conversation with you, Tsukino-kun, has made me understand a lot of things."

"Is it."

“Hmm,” she said, holding the teacup in both hands, “Back then, I wanted to be an actress because I wanted to live life to the fullest while I was still alive, to leave my name behind, and to let more people remember that I was once in this world. Now that I feel tired, and the troubles outweigh the joys I can feel, then I should do something else. For this family, I should do something.”

"It's a very simple and direct reason. You're much more honest than I thought."

This is Tsukino Gen's heartfelt assessment.

He felt that what made this woman most special was not her temperament or her beauty mark, but the way she did things. She was unpretentious, made no excuses for what she did, and didn't insist on sticking to her original intentions.

Do what you want to do now, and resolve any thoughts that arise.

This seems simple, but 90% of people can't do it.

It may also be related to her current situation; after all, she has no shortage of money, only a lack of lifespan.

The woman who raised her eyebrows had an unusually alluring look in her eyes.

"Since Tsukino-kun praised me for being direct, then I'll be even more direct. Would Tsukino-kun be willing to help us?"

Gen Tsukino didn't answer directly, but asked a question instead.

What do you think is the reason I went through all this trouble?

Mochizuki Miki said softly, "With your abilities, if you had ambition, you wouldn't need to get involved with yakuza organizations. Even if you insisted on joining one, you could start your own business and easily make a name for yourself. But you didn't do that."

"That means you may have been forced to get involved with a yakuza organization like the White Summit due to some trouble. You can't allow any future troubles to exist that could affect you or the people you care about. So the best way is to eliminate them completely."

"And you know that indiscriminate killing and violence are unlikely to solve the problem completely, or rather, if you do solve it that way, new problems will arise. So the best way is to reduce your presence and stand directly opposite the problem you need to solve. Ideally, you could support a compliant puppet who won't cause you any trouble but can solve the problem for you in the shadows."

"You can continue to be a carefree high school student and enjoy your youth. You won't expose your special qualities or abilities too much. At the same time, you won't need to worry about anyone in the organization causing you trouble."

"There may still be some errors or omissions, but I think the general direction should be about right."

She finished speaking softly.

He is indeed a qualified actor; his long-winded delivery is enjoyable and never boring.

Gen Tsukino didn't confirm her guess; he just looked at her and said that.

"I would feel a little more at ease if you were in this position. But if it's your niece... do you think she's suitable?"

"Why not? She's still young, she'll grow up."

“Some things can grow, some things are hard to change. Your niece is clearly the kind of person who lacks ability but is ambitious and unwilling to admit defeat. While you're alive, you might be able to guarantee that she won't cause me trouble, but when the day you leave, can you be sure that she won't do everything she can to get rid of this hidden threat weighing on her mind?”

The principle of "one should not allow others to snore on one's side" is as simple as it sounds.

It doesn't matter whether someone is smart or stupid, but they absolutely cannot be someone who is clearly stupid but thinks they are smart.

The leaves of Shirakawa-goro have this potential.

When answering Tsukino Gen's question, Mochizuki Miki's response was even more straightforward and blunt.

She raised an eyebrow and looked at Tsukino Gen.

"It's simple. If you're worried about that, why not just conquer her and make her your woman?"

"Control her true feelings and become the only person she can rely on."

"Use both kindness and firmness to make her understand."

"You can live by relying on me, but you'll die if I betray you."

……

(End of this chapter)