Li Wei laughed and said, "Don't be so pessimistic. There are many paths in life, and the fact that you've met me has already changed your lives. So, living in the moment is no longer the only option."

Ayaka Haruhara was most deeply moved by Li Wei's words, because without him, she would have had no future. In Japan, tens of thousands of people "disappear" every year. Before, she was curious about where those people went, but after the kidnapping incident, she understood where those so-called disappearing people went. However, she preferred not to know about such nightmarish events.

Now, with Li Wei by her side, Ayaka Haruhara has the courage to look to the future. It feels really good to have someone to rely on.

Chapter 1. The Double Act

The group didn't linger at the door and quickly went inside. In the living room, a burly man with blond curly hair was sitting on the floor. There were two opened bottles of sake and some snacks on the table.

Alex turned around, looked at everyone, and said, "Write down all the expenses for the past few days, and settle the bill when we settle the accounts later."

Li Wei said, "I just didn't expect you to get used to the sake here in Japan. Your wounds haven't even healed yet, and you're already drinking."

Li Wei sat down, took a new wine glass from the drawer of the low table, and poured himself a glass.

Alex said, "I've already called my boss, and he'll cover all my medical expenses. I have to say, that's the comfort of having a rich boss—no worries at all."

Li Wei said, "Because you are an important fighting force for the opposing team, and very important for them to compete for the Qin Secret Manual, that's why you are treated this way. Try asking your boss if he's this easy to talk to at another time."

Alex laughed and said, "It's better to see things clearly than to say them. Sometimes, being a little oblivious can make you happier. Doctor, you see things too clearly, which is why you're always frowning."

Li Wei asked, "How is Yashu-kun's training? Did he train diligently today?"

Alex said, "You mean that bean sprout? If I don't supervise him, he'll definitely slack off. I've never trained such an undisciplined trainee. I think he should get gender reassignment surgery while he's still young. Someone like him is better off as a woman than a man."

Li Wei said, "That's a bit of an overstatement. That kid really wants to become a reliable man, even though it's a difficult goal for him to achieve."

Ayaka Haruhara sat down next to Levi and began tidying up the messy low table. Although the table was a bit messy, Alex hadn't let any trash spill onto the tatami mats, so it was quite easy for her to clean up.

Unbeknownst to her, Haruhara Ayaka had already placed herself in the position of Li Wei's wife, so she appeared very skilled and virtuous when doing such housework.

Watching this scene, Alex said, "As expected, Japanese women are so virtuous. Unlike those female gorillas back home, who are always thinking about partying in nightclubs or having sex. Those brain-damaged female poisoners are disgusting to look at. Doctor, you really do have women following you wherever you go."

Li Wei said, "Don't tarnish my image. I'm a person of integrity. During my trip to South America, I was avoiding people every day. The girls there were just too enthusiastic, but to be honest, I really didn't like them."

This is a lie, but since he is acting opposite himself, Li Wei is not worried about the lie being exposed at all. Moreover, since he is acting as a double act with himself, he does not need to worry about coordination. He can show the side of himself that he wants to present to Ayaka Haruhara.

Alex said, "You really are a perfectionist. The girls in South America are great, they're warm and open, and they're especially willing to show themselves."

Li Wei said, "Yes, yes, they are very daring to show themselves. As long as you are willing to pay a hundred dollars, they can show themselves in front of you without reservation, and even let you do whatever you want."

Listening to the conversation between the two grown men, Haruhara Ayaka thought to herself, "Foreigners are indeed open-minded, and Li Wei's comments are quite interesting." She had never been abroad and her knowledge of foreign countries came entirely from movies and magazines. This narrow access to information meant that the information she received was relatively biased, a fact she was well aware of.

Li Wei picked up a cold dish with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. Alex took out various dishes that had already been prepared in the refrigerator. They were all Japanese-style snacks to accompany drinks, with relatively light flavors, which did not suit his taste very well.

Alex's expression suddenly turned serious, and he said, "The Qin Secret Manual is divided into three volumes: Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Earth volume, which controls power, has been obtained by someone."

Li Wei's expression also turned serious, which surprised Haruhara Ayaka, who was standing nearby. It was the first time she had ever seen Li Wei with such a serious expression.

Li Wei asked, "Who got it?"

Alex said, "The Scarlet Order in Europe, but they're not having an easy time either. Do you think the Scroll of Earth is so easy to get? Right now, their people in Tokyo are being hunted down by everyone, and they have no chance to take the book out."

Li Wei said, "No wonder it feels even more chaotic these past two days."

Alex said, "The three scrolls are as follows: the Heaven Scroll records the secrets of immortality, the Earth Scroll records powerful martial arts and internal energy cultivation, and the Human Scroll contains the art of governing the people and the way of commanding troops. To be honest, I personally think the Human Scroll is the most useless, after all, times have changed. But the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll are true treasures. It is said that the techniques recorded in the Earth Scroll are extremely difficult, and the entire scroll is written in coded language. The printed version cannot be deciphered in reverse. As long as the Earth Scroll is still in Tokyo, the destruction of those religious fanatics is only a matter of time."

Li Wei said, "What a hassle. I just want to live my peaceful life. Why are all sorts of monsters and demons flocking here?"

Alex said, "Then you might as well just leave Tokyo. Once you leave this place of trouble, it'll be so easy for you to live a peaceful life."

Li Wei shook his head and said, "No, I have to stay here."

Alex asked, "Why?"

Li Wei said, "Because I have to protect this place, and I also have to protect them. So I can't go anywhere. Even if a meteorite falls from the sky, or a huge tsunami suddenly occurs, I won't leave here."

Several girls who were watching TV were touched by Li Wei's words. In the huge city of Tokyo, few people were willing to care about them. After all, in today's high-pressure society, most people are too busy taking care of themselves to bother with other people's business.

It's fair to say they've been in Tokyo for two years now, but before meeting Li Wei, the only people who truly cared about them were Ayaka Haruhara and Honoki. Now, in addition to their two older sisters, they have a reliable older brother.

Li Wei's words warmed their hearts; this feeling of being cared for is incredibly powerful for young girls of this age.

Chapter 1. Sisters' Night Talk, Part 1

Alex looked surprised and said, "It's been years since I last saw you, Doctor. You seem like a completely different person. You weren't this fussy before. But you're more human now, and you're quite good as you are now."

Li Wei said, "People change, and I used to be too self-centered. When I realized the problem, I consciously corrected it. Now, my life is ordinary, but it is my happiness."

Alex said with a sigh, "You have a weakness now. You'll become weaker if you keep doing this."

Li Wei said, "But if weaknesses can bring happiness, then I think it's worth it."

Li Wei glanced at the girls out of the corner of his eye, a gentle smile on his face. The girls, who had been secretly glancing in their direction, felt a sense of belonging when they saw Li Wei's smile. Li Wei was like a harbor, a place where they could find shelter from the storm.

Although Sunohara Ayaka is a gentle older sister, she is ultimately a fragile woman and cannot protect them well. Li Wei's appearance can be said to have filled the most vulnerable part of their hearts.

Alex picked up the bottle, only to find it was empty.

Ayaka Haruhara said, "I'll go get a few more bottles."

Alex waved his hand and said, "Ms. Haruhara, alcohol is best consumed in moderation. Let's stop here for today. I'm so sorry to trouble you to clear the table. I didn't expect the doctor to have changed so much since I last saw him. It's all because of you, isn't it? I have nothing else to say but I wish you both happiness."

Haruhara Ayaka never expected that this burly, golden-haired man would say such things. While feeling shy, she also became even more curious about Li Wei's past.

Li Wei said, "Thank you."

Alex looked like he'd seen a ghost and said, "I actually heard you say thank you! I should have recorded what you just said. Damn it, how could I forget to record it with my phone! Sure enough, women can make men more mature and gentle."

Li Wei said, "Get some rest. I think you've already tidied up the guest room yourself."

After Alex took the trash away, only Levi and a few girls remained in the living room.

Yuzu looked at Li Wei curiously and said, "Brother Li Wei, I really don't know what you've been through in the past. It seems like you have a very wide network of connections and friends everywhere."

Li Wei placed his hand on Yuzu's head and gently rubbed it, saying, "Because no one wants to offend a doctor who can save lives. The adult world is very realistic. Those so-called friends aren't really true friends. They're only willing to be on good terms with me because I'm of great use to them and irreplaceable. If I weren't a doctor and didn't possess medical skills far beyond those of ordinary people, I would be from a completely different world from them."

Sumire Tsukimi said, "Even though they are so-called friends who came close because of mutual benefit, they are still friends, aren't they?"

Tsukimi Sumire usually has a cold expression, giving off a cool vibe. Li Wei knows that this girl's favorite thing to do is "human observation," which is why she occasionally makes mature remarks beyond her years. However, in Li Wei's opinion, this girl is still a bit naive. Some things cannot be clearly seen through observation alone. The so-called tempering of the world requires personal involvement to observe things up close. Tsukimi Sumire's detached perspective can only yield some seemingly false answers, which is her limitation. But the fact that she can start observing at such a young age already puts her far ahead of her peers.

Li Wei laughed and said, "At such a young age, you're already thinking about these things. While maturity isn't a bad thing, living like this will take away a lot of fun from you."

Sumire Tsukimi didn't answer Li Wei's question. Due to her family's circumstances, she had to mature early. She knew that there were more and more precocious Japanese students like her now, all forced by the environment. After all, Japan was a country where the future was hard to predict, and as an ordinary person, she didn't have enough family wealth to cover the costs of making mistakes. So she had to mature early and avoid the various pitfalls on her life's path as much as possible.

She also wanted to enjoy life, but that was something for the powerful and wealthy. As an ordinary person, she could only live in the moment, like Kazami Yuri, and cherish every beautiful little moment in life.

Li Wei said, "Everyone has worked hard today, so go wash up and get some rest."

Sunohara Ayaka nodded and urged the girls to go to the washroom. After watching the girls obediently brush their teeth and wash their faces, Sunohara Ayaka left and returned to her room.

Ayaka Haruhara lay on her bed, thoroughly enjoying the feeling of relaxation after a busy day. She turned her head and looked at the photo on her desk—a picture of her and her younger sister, Nana Haruhara.

Ayaka Haruhara hesitated for a moment, but quickly made up her mind. She picked up her phone and dialed her sister Nana Haruhara's number.

The phone rang only twice before it was answered, and a vibrant young woman's voice came through the line.

"Hey, sis, is it something important that you're calling at this hour?"

At this moment, Chun Yuan Nana was in her rented three-square-meter room, taking notes on her studies using a tablet. She had put her phone on speakerphone and placed it beside her so as not to disturb her studies.

Ayaka Haruhara asked, "What are you doing right now? Are you in your rented room, or out there?"

Haruhara Naka was a little confused, but she still honestly said, "I'm currently in my rented room, studying for the next semester. Is there anything I can help you with, sister?"

Ayaka Haruhara breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that she wasn't wandering around outside. Nana Haruhara had dressed herself up like a gyaru (a type of Japanese slang term for a sexy girl), and Ayaka's biggest fear was that Nana would cross that line and become a real gyaru. There weren't any strange noises coming from Nana's end, so she was most likely in her rented apartment. Her call was answered instantly; in such a short time, if she were in a noisy place, she wouldn't have had time to find such a quiet spot. This reassured her.

Ayaka Haruhara said, "Nana, you should move back next semester."

Holding a pen, Haruhara Nana said with a disgusted expression, "Eh?! I don't want to. Haruhara-sou is too far from my high school. The daily commute is very inconvenient. The place I live now is close to the school, only a three-minute walk away. If I move back, I'll have to get up early every morning to wait for the train. Haruhara-sou is not close to the station."

Nana Haruhara moved out because of the commuting issue. Haruhara-sou was more than ten kilometers from her school, so if she moved back, she would have to walk two kilometers to the train station every morning. That's why she preferred to move out.

Chapter 1. Sisters' Night Talk, Part 2

Haruhara Nana was lying on the futon on the tatami mat. The rented room she was currently living in was very cramped and the conditions were relatively simple, incomparable to Haruhara-so before the renovation. However, it was very close to the school now, so there was almost no need to worry about commuting. The only problem was that the rent was a bit expensive. The landlord saw that she was a student from the neighborhood, so the rent he offered her was higher than that of similar houses.

There were other rental properties nearby, but after careful consideration, Nana Haruhara found this place to be the most cost-effective, so she settled down here.

She felt that apart from being a bit shabby and needing to buy some small pieces of furniture herself, there was nothing wrong with the place. She was quite used to living there, so she didn't plan to move anytime soon. After all, moving was a hassle, and she wasn't rich enough to just throw away all the small appliances she had bought. Moving back to Chunyuan Manor would be a hassle just to move all that stuff.

Haruhara Nana said, "Sister, it's not that I hate the old house that we've inherited from our family, but it's more convenient for me to go to school here. You know how far my school is from Haruhara-sou, right?"

Ayaka Haruhara said helplessly, "You're just lazy, you just want to sleep in in the morning, right? I'm not kidding you, Tokyo is in such a mess right now, it's not safe for you to live outside. Have you heard about what's been happening in Tokyo lately?"

Haruhara Nana said, "I saw some news on my phone. The security situation in Tokyo has been quite bad lately. The head of the official department has already bowed and apologized for the third time. That's really strange."

Ayaka Haruhara said, "Is that all you know?"

Haruhara Nana asked, puzzled, "Is there some other story behind this? Or do you, sister, know something?"

Ayaka Haruhara said, "That's why I brought you back, because I know exactly what happened. The place you're living now isn't absolutely safe, and you live alone. If something really happens, you won't even have time to react."

Haruhara Nana said, "The problem isn't that serious, is it? At worst, I'll just go straight back to my rented room after school and not go out at night. I don't believe I can still run into problems like that."

Since school hasn't started yet, Haruhara Nana spends most of her time studying for the new semester in her rented apartment. She only occasionally goes out shopping with two close friends. You could say that she's been living a secluded, homebody life, almost completely detached from the world.

Ayaka Haruhara said, "You can sit at home and still be struck by disaster. In this chaos, even the Imperial Palace cannot guarantee absolute safety. Do you really think your small, three-tatami-mat rental apartment is safe?"

Chun Yuan Nana retorted, "If my place isn't safe, does that mean Chun Yuan Manor is absolutely safe? It's the same. Just like you said, even the Imperial Palace can't guarantee absolute safety. If ordinary people like us really encounter any problems, we can only blame our bad luck."

Ayaka Haruhara said, "I'm sorry, but Haruhara Manor is actually a very safe zone in a certain sense right now. The reason I asked you to move back is because Haruhara Manor can guarantee your safety now."

Haruhara Nana laughed and said, "Sister, don't joke around. Our old house is so small that it's hard to even keep out a thief, let alone ensure safety."

Haruhara Ayaka said, "Haruhara-so has changed a lot. You'll see when you come over tomorrow. It's hard to explain over the phone. Some things can only be explained in person. Also, if you're willing to move back, I'll buy you a scooter for transportation. Haven't you always wanted your own scooter? If you move back, I'll buy it for you."

Haruhara Nana is already ten years old and has obtained an entry-level motorcycle license. She can legally drive small-displacement gasoline motorcycles and electric vehicles, but due to the age limit of her license, she is not currently allowed to carry passengers on the back.

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like