Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Chapter 70 The Drunken Chrysanthemum

The embarrassing incident at the training ground caused by the vice-captain's desertion was eventually barely resolved thanks to the vice-dean's efforts to smooth things over.

The ceremony ended hastily, as everyone's attention was clearly elsewhere.

As soon as the ceremony ended, Shiba Isshin eagerly grabbed Yanagawa and Toshiro, and stormed off towards the academy's infirmary—

He wanted to see just how "ill" his deputy captain, whose "old illness had relapsed," really was!

However, when they arrived at the infirmary, which smelled faintly of disinfectant, they only found the on-duty medical officer looking bewildered, saying, "Vice Captain Matsumoto? He's never been here."

Shiba's ominous premonition grew stronger.

With a dark expression, he relied on his deep understanding of his vice-captain's character to track him down, eventually stopping at the entrance of the academy's spacious student cafeteria.

It wasn't mealtime, and the cafeteria was empty and quiet, except for the intermittent, off-key humming coming from a corner, along with the soft clinking of porcelain.

Shiba Isshin pushed open the half-closed door with a livid face, followed by Yanagawa and Toshiro.

At the far end of the cafeteria, Matsumoto Rangiku was sitting sideways, one arm casually draped over the back of the chair.

His other hand was gripping a finely carved silver wine jug that was clearly not part of the cafeteria's standard equipment.

Her long orange hair was draped messily over her shoulders, her eyes were unfocused, and her once charming blue eyes were now watery and unfocused.

On the table in front of her, several empty plates lay scattered about, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol, much stronger than before.

"Hehe—I learned it.—Hiccup—It's a bit...but it's not bad.—It's not bad either."

She mumbled incoherently, then raised the wine jug to pour it into her mouth, but tilted it slightly, spilling a little wine that soaked the front of her dress.

"Matsumoto Rangiku—!!!" Shiba Isshin's roar was like a thunderclap, exploding in the empty cafeteria.

He rushed forward and snatched the wine jug.

"Huh? Who is it? It's so noisy—" Rangiku raised her head with blurry eyes and saw Shiba Isshin's angry face.

Far from being afraid, he laughed, nimbly pulling his hand back to hide the wine jug behind his back. "Captain~ you're here? Want to have a drink? My treat—the academy's—burp—"

"Drink my ass! Look at the state you're in!" Zhibo was furious, grabbing her arm. "Get up! We'll deal with you when we get back to the barracks!"

"Hey! Don't pull me! That's rude!" Rangiku protested, twisting her body to avoid him, and with the help of alcohol, she was quite strong.

The two of them, one pulling and the other struggling, began to tug and pull among the tables and chairs, causing dishes to clang and rattle, creating a chaotic scene of chaos and disorder.

Toshiro stood at the door, looking at his boss and future colleague who had no regard for appearances whatsoever.

In his icy blue eyes, only a deep sense of powerlessness and the despair of "Is it too late for me to leave the team now?" remained.

During the struggle, Matsumoto Rangiku stumbled, broke free from Shiba Isshin's grasp, and staggered drunkenly toward Yanagawa Station.

Zhibo was startled and tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Yanagawa-kun~~" Rangiku, reeking of alcohol, pounced on Yanagawa and grabbed his arm without a word, practically hanging on him.

She tilted her flushed face back, her hazy blue eyes gazing at Liu Chuan, her breath reeking of alcohol: "Liu Chuan-kun is so much better—unlike my captain—crude, and always forcing me to do chores—hiccup—"

Liu Chuan: "————" His body stiffened slightly, but he did not push her away immediately.

Shiba Isshin: "————" He froze on the spot, pointing at Rangiku, so angry that his hands trembled and he couldn't speak.

Toshiro: "————" He silently looked away, feeling that he had received too much shocking information today and needed to cool down his brain.

The cafeteria was deathly silent, save for Rangiku's heavy breathing and the sound of her hiccups.

However, this extremely awkward scene was not over yet.

Perhaps it was the full force of the alcohol, or perhaps it was because he found a foothold by grabbing Yanagawa's arm.

After Matsumoto Rangiku muttered those words, her eyes quickly glazed over, her grip on Yanagawa's arm loosened, and she slumped forward as if her bones had been removed.

Without veering too far, she fell right into Liu Chuan's arms, resting her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed, her breathing becoming long and even—she actually fell asleep standing up!

It even unconsciously rubbed against itself, finding a more comfortable position.

Yanagawa: "————"

Shiba Ichishin put his hand to his forehead and let out a long sigh filled with despair and shame.

He felt that the Tenth Division's reputation, accumulated over the past hundred years, had been completely shattered by Matsumoto Rangiku in this moment.

Yanagawa looked down at Matsumoto Rangiku, who was leaning on his shoulder, fast asleep and even snoring softly.

He glanced up at Isshin Shiba, who looked utterly dejected, and Toshiro, who was pretending to admire the scenery, and remained silent for a moment.

"Never mind." Liu Chuan finally spoke, his voice still steady, revealing no emotion.

He adjusted his posture, supporting Rangiku, who was leaning almost entirely on him, and said to Shiba Isshin, "I'll take her to the academy's temporary dormitory to rest. Captain Shiba, you and Toshiro handle things here, and—the follow-up matters."

Shiba waved his hand listlessly, too exhausted even to complain: "Um, thank you for your trouble, Yanagawa-kun—that shameful guy—sigh!"

Liuchuan said no more, helped the unconscious Matsumoto Rangiku up, and turned to walk out of the cafeteria.

His movements were steady, and even with someone in his arms, his steps were not disordered at all. He quickly disappeared around the corner from the cafeteria to the dormitory area.

Leaving behind a scene of devastation, a distraught captain, and a gifted young man filled with anxieties about the future.

The college's temporary dormitory area was quiet and secluded, mostly consisting of single rooms, intended for visiting nobles or special circumstances like today.

Yanagawa found an empty dormitory room, helped Matsumoto Rangiku inside, and settled her on a clean single bed.

His movements weren't exactly gentle, but they were steady enough as he laid her flat on the bed. He was about to get up and leave to meet up with Shiba Isshin—

A scalding hot hand suddenly emerged from under the covers and grabbed his wrist as he tried to pull away! The force was immense.

Liu Chuan paused, then looked down.

Matsumoto Rangiku, lying on the bed, kept her eyes closed. A hint of pain and unease seemed to flash across her face as she uttered a muffled whisper, filled with unprecedented vulnerability and pleading: "————·————"

"Don't go!"

"----·----·you----"

The sound was very soft, yet it reached Liuchuan's ears clearly.

Yanagawa recalled that the "Gin" Rangiku mentioned was the captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru? The captain with the squinty eyes who looked like a fox.

Liu Chuan stopped all movement and stood quietly by the bed, letting that burning hot hand grasp his wrist.

He silently repeated the name to himself, noting down this unexpected piece of information along with the rare vulnerability that Matsumoto Rangiku was displaying at that moment.

A moment later, the grip on his wrist loosened as Matsumoto Rangiku fell deeper into a deep sleep.

Liu Chuan withdrew his hand, took one last look at the sleeping vice-captain on the bed, turned around, and silently left the room.

The graduation ceremony ended in this farce.