Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

Nishio Reki took a step back, looking warily at Yuuki Yukino.

"Xiao Li can't hide it from me."

Yuuki Yukino pressed forward relentlessly, and Nishio Ryū retreated a little while Yuuki Yukino moved forward a little, always maintaining a distance between them until she cornered Nishio Ryū.

"What have I been hiding from Xiaoyuan?" With nowhere left to retreat, Nishio Reki turned his face to the side, leaning against the wall, his gaze fixed on the floor tiles beside him.

"Xiao Li probably wants to say this or that to me, and do this or that with me, right?"

Yuuki Yukino's eyes curved into narrow slits, and the glint in her eyes was as cunning as a little fox.

The girl's soft voice was as gentle as a glass of sake, carrying a delicate fruity fragrance. It wouldn't make one drunk and unconscious, but it made Nishio Reki, who was listening, feel as if he were floating in the clouds, with a slightly tipsy feeling.

Even though Yuuki Yukino didn't explicitly say it, the way she said it in such a seductive tone was no different from making it clear.

Nishio Reki knew the truth, but due to his pride, he had no choice but to play dumb.

"What exactly is Xiaoyuan saying?"

"It's nothing." Yuuki Yui pulled back from her forward lean, stood on tiptoe, spun around in place, and stopped with her back to Nishio Reki.

Yuuki Yukino turned her head back and shrugged.

"Xiao Li, I'm hungry."

……

From the time school ended until now, Nishio Reki has been following Yuuki Eri closely.

During this long period of time, Yuuki Yuen didn't even have time to eat a snack, she only drank a cup of coffee, and she was outside in the cold for so long. It should have been dinner time, but Yuuki Yuen started dealing with the case of that strange woman whose name she didn't know. She must be starving by now.

Nishio Reki never thought about what to eat with Yuuki Yuki, or even about having dinner together.

She felt she should give Yuuki enough personal space to rest, so that Yuuki would have time to sort out the newly discovered clues.

The same goes for me. Asahimi, who had been quiet for a long time, has made new moves again. Nishio Reki also needs to analyze the situation carefully and do his best to help Eri.

Yuki En has already made it clear to him, so if Nishio Reki still doesn't understand what Yuki En means, then he's being a bit too clueless.

After taking a short stroll around the streets, the two sat down at a small hot pot restaurant not far from Yuuki Yuki's house.

The steaming hot pot dispelled the chill from the girls, allowing them to gradually relax.

Yuuki Yukina didn't say anything more about what had just happened, and Nishio Reki was even less likely to bring it up, so their conversation was reduced to normal daily exchanges.

"Xiao Li, this meat is cooked, here you go—"

"Ah, thanks."

"Don't be shy. Since we're already here for hot pot, let's enjoy it!"

Although it was Nishio Reki who found the shop and decided to go in, it was Yuuki Yukino who ultimately paid the bill.

Yuuki Yukina said that she had actually earned a lot of money from her part-time job and wanted to eat something nice today, so she righteously refused to let Nishio Reki pay the bill.

However, Yuuki Yuki really ordered a lot of meat, so if Nishio Reki were to pay, it might actually hurt a little.

Thanks to Yuuki Yuki, the two of them enjoyed their meal very much.

It would be better if Yuuki Yukino didn't mention the past, and Nishio Reki also felt that things were already good as they were.

This isn't strictly a Valentine's Day date, but spending time alone with someone you like, no matter what you're doing, can be considered a date.

Such peaceful times may never return once the war with Saint Yuuji begins.

When Nishio Reki thought this way, he was quickly proven wrong by Yuuki Yuuki.

"Hoo hoo, this is delicious. I haven't eaten this happily in a long time." Yuuki Yuu put down her chopsticks, raised her hands and stretched out a long yawn, as if she wanted to expel all the fatigue from her body through this yawn.

“That’s right.” Nishio Reki’s mood had improved considerably after this meat feast, but having just cried, his appetite was definitely not as good as Yuuki Yuki’s. He had already put down his chopsticks and waited for Yuuki Yuki to finish eating.

"So, speaking of which, Koyomi cried so badly before." Yuuki Yui lowered her hands, propped them up on the sofa chair next to her, and raised her chin at Nishio Koyomi.

Nishio Reki had just taken a sip of lemonade and hadn't even swallowed it when he heard Yuuki Yukino's sudden remark, almost spitting it out.

Even though she managed to hold it in, she still choked and coughed for quite a while.

"Cough cough, cough cough cough, what are you saying!"

Nishio Reki's face turned even redder than before. She looked around, but fortunately, the hot pot restaurant was decorated with partitions made of sofas and chairs, so no one could see her flushed face and her current embarrassment.

"Xiao Li cried earlier, and I was very worried about her." Yuuki Yui seemed to have been possessed by Inuyama Tomoe, saying whatever came to mind without any beating around the bush.

“I…” Nishio Reki didn’t know what to say again.

In a moment of panic, Nishio Reki quickly changed the subject.

"So why was Xiaoyuan near the station at that time?"

Yuuki Yukino's reasoning left Nishio Reki with no way to refute it.

"Because I'm hungry, I need to find food."

“Finding food… Fine…” Nishio Reki rubbed his forehead, speechless.

"Oh, there's another reason."

Yuuki Enishi stretched again, this time a little shorter than before, then placed her hands on the table and lifted her chin.

"I want to see Xiao Li."

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone!

Chapter 156 Why did he make that expression?

"Xiao Yuan... wants to see me?"

Nishio Reki muttered to himself, unable to believe what he was hearing.

As the steam rising from the hot pot restaurant above and Yuuki Yukina expressed her desire to see him, Nishio Reki felt an intense sense of unreality.

If the air were filled not with the savory aroma of hot pot, but with the delicate scent of roses befitting Valentine's Day, Nishio Reki might have already fainted from happiness.

Nishio Kore pinched his thigh hard under the table. The sharp pain reminded him that what he was experiencing was not a dream, but an undeniable reality.

The pain also made Nishio Reki's mind clearer, and he couldn't help but think more about Yuuki Yukino's motives.

It was these reflections that made Nishio Reki understand the meaning behind Yuuki Eri's words.

Actually, it should be said that Nishio Reki understood why Yuuki Yukino had said those words to him.

Because she and Xiaoyuan had a date that was unexpectedly interrupted, because she cried and shouted in front of the station hoping to get Xiaoyuan's care, and because Xiaoyuan is such a gentle and kind girl who can fulfill everyone's wishes.

What Xiaoyuan said might not have been the truth, but rather what she wanted to hear at that moment.

Just thinking about this possibility dimmed the light in Nishio Reki's eyes.

The girl's gradually fading gaze was nowhere to be hidden from Yuuki Yuki, who was holding her cheeks and smiling as she looked at Nishio Reki.

Is eating with me a torturous experience?

Yuuki Yukino suppressed her smile and asked softly, though she knew the answer to her question.

"How could that be... Being able to have dinner with Xiaoyuan is of course a very happy thing!"

Nishio Reki quickly retorted, as if Yuki Yuki was really interrogating him.

Even if Nishio Reki knew that Yuuki Yuuki might not be asking the question seriously, she couldn't possibly give a half-hearted answer.

Yuuki Yukina lowered her long eyelashes and looked away from Nishio Reki: "Then why does Reki have that expression?"

My own expression?

Nishio Reki raised his hand to his cheek, subconsciously trying to use his sense of touch to figure out what kind of expression he was making.

The moment Nishio Reki's fingers touched her skin, she realized how idiotic her impending action was.

Although he was verbally refuting Yuuki En, Nishio Reki realized that he wasn't actually thinking at all; he was just subconsciously communicating with Yuuki En based on his instinctive reactions.

At least, I wasn't smiling.

Nishio Reki doesn't like to compare herself with others; she has a very clear understanding of herself.

She couldn't compare to Inuyama Tomoe or Tenrai Herika in terms of grades, nor did she have a privileged family background or a special skill like them. Apart from being Yuuki's childhood friend, she had nothing.

But she often couldn't help but think this way, comparing Xiaoyuan's reactions when she was with others.

If I can't even show a genuine smile myself, how can I expect Xiaoyuan to smile?

At times like these, Nishio Reki's feelings of inferiority would intensify.

This reminded Nishio Reki of Yuuki Yukibara's words just now.

Does Xiaoli find eating with me a form of torture?

He doesn't feel tormented at all. As long as he's with Yuuki Yuki, he's happy no matter what he does.

But have I become a torment for Yuuki Yuuki?

Nishio Reki's eyes seemed even dimmer, like a pool of ashes after a fire, which would lose their original shape if a gust of wind blew by.

The slightest movement could turn that ash into nothingness, even if it was just a random thought from Nishio Reki.

The self-reproach should be left at home; no matter what, I should try to bring this date to a relatively perfect end.

"No, I was just spacing out for a little while. I just couldn't believe I was going to have dinner with Xiaoyuan. I didn't even get to have a date, and now I have a second chance. I'm so happy."

Nishio Reki lowered his long eyelashes, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

This is Nishio Reki's honest opinion, but it doesn't fully capture his feelings at this moment.

Nishio Reki's true feelings are definitely far removed from the happiness she is expressing now.

"Look, Xiao Li, you're making that face again."

Yuuki Yori extended a hand across the table, her soft index fingertip touching the corner of Nishio Reki's lips.

It was very soft and light, carrying the unique scent of Yuuki Yuki's hand cream and a hint of cooking oil. It made Nishio Ryū's lips curl slightly, revealing a not-so-sincere, even somewhat comical, smile on one side of his face.

"Xiao Li, smile."

The person sitting opposite him was indeed Yuuki Yukino, but her every move today was strange, completely unlike what she would normally do.

It's like...being a little too excited?

Yes, that's right. It's like the kind of incoherent behavior that comes with being drunk, at least it started when Nishio Reki saw Yuuki Yuuki again after he had a good cry.

But this novel experience was actually quite good for Nishio Reki.