My daily life in love is too contrary to my character.

"That's about right. I've been divorced from her father for almost ten years. Wu Lian's personality wasn't like this ten years ago. I wish I had discovered it sooner."

At this point, Soga Yugetsu's face showed a hint of sadness and self-reproach as he vigorously rubbed the cigarette butt in the ashtray.

"Her father used to be a traditional novelist, but he was an unknown one. His books were rarely bought. The best-selling one was bought by someone I secretly sent."

I guess I was attracted to his artsy vibe because I wasn't short of money.

Shiraishi Sawah stirred his coffee with the stirrer, listening attentively. Even when Soga Yuuki suddenly stopped talking, he didn't remind her, but waited quietly.

"Let's not talk about these trivial things. After getting married and having children, I was still very busy with work. I thought it would be better for my parents to take care of the children themselves than to hire a nanny, so I directly handed this task over to him."

After all, his job was nothing more than writing unsellable pieces at home.

"When Wulian was little, she was a very lively child. She loved to talk and had many interests. Every time I came home, she would pester me to tell her what had happened at school that day. To be honest, she was quite a chatterbox back then..."

As Soga Yuzuki spoke, a look of nostalgia appeared on his face, but his self-reproach deepened.

"But her father, a man with lofty ambitions, believed that his writing was unparalleled and that these were works of art that would be recorded in history."

After one of his articles was rejected by several publications, he not only angrily berated the editors for being blind, but also blamed his writing environment.

He felt that once Wulian got out of school, she would often talk to him about the day's events, which he felt greatly affected his writing, especially since he didn't have school all day on weekends and often worked overtime.

I only found out afterward, when I pressed him for details, that for a long time after the manuscript was rejected, he would tell Wulian to shut up when I wasn't home. If Wulian said anything more, he would lock her in her room.

"Aunt Su, please wait a moment. Excuse me, could you please replace my spoon? I'm sorry." Shiraishi Zexiu handed the bent spoon to the waiter and asked for a replacement.

"I apologize for interrupting you, please continue." Shiraishi Zexiu said apologetically.

Soga Yuzuki shook his head, indicating that he was alright, and continued:

“I also had a problem. After I went home during that time, Wulian became noticeably quieter, but I didn’t notice because I was busy with work.”

This continued for a while. One day, when I went home early to get some documents, I found her locked in her room. Under my questioning, she finally learned what had happened.

"I couldn't forgive him, so I divorced him without hesitation. Because of the difference in our economic capabilities, the court naturally awarded the prize to me."

As for him, he was a good-for-nothing. Without my support, he couldn't earn any money from his writing. After begging me repeatedly to no avail, he somehow became addicted to gambling. When he ran out of money, he tried to rob someone and end up in jail.

"I was just released a while ago, and ever since then I've been pestering her."

"Then he won't go directly to the chairman, will he?" Upon hearing this, Shiraishi Zexiu frowned, his irritation intensifying. The sound of raindrops falling outside the window only made him more agitated.

“No,” Suga Yuyue shook her head. “We signed an agreement with him before, which prohibited him from appearing in front of Wulian. But he’s a gambler, and we’re not sure if he’ll risk going after Wulian if we push him too far.”

He was stopped at the entrance of our community the night before last. I guess he saw Akiko drive out and followed you. I'm worried that he might have found out where Kirei is from through this. Now, when I ask Zuoye to pick up Kirei, he drives directly to the school gate.

He'll probably only be punished for a few days after being arrested. I'll think of a way to send him to jail longer, or maybe kick him out of Tokyo.

At this point, Soga Yuuki looked a little tired. She rubbed her temples, then looked up at Shiraishi Sawashu earnestly:

"However, I should be able to handle these things; it just takes some money. Actually, what I really wanted to talk to you about today, Mr. Shiraishi, or rather, what I wanted to ask you for a favor, is not these things."

Chapter 244 He and They, a tangled mess of threads

"After the divorce, even though I often turned down work to spend time with Wulian, it was all in vain. Wulian basically stopped talking to anyone."

They only speak a few words, no longer the same as before, especially the boys, who won't say a word, and will deliberately avoid the opposite sex when they approach.

Fortunately, the neighboring Shimizu family has a girl named Miko, who has always had a good relationship with Kiri. Even though Kiri doesn't speak, she is willing to stay with her and protect her, and she has also taken on the task of speaking up for Kiri.

For many years, Wulian has spent her days going to and from school, and after returning home, she goes to her room to practice her various hobbies, such as calligraphy and painting, and otherwise goes online.

The only difference in recent years is that when she goes home, she spends all her time on her phone, but it doesn't seem like she's playing games; it's more like she's chatting. During that time, she also developed a particular fondness for calligraphy, and she put aside all her other hobbies.

I could only catch a glimpse of her smile occasionally, but she wouldn't let me know what she was doing or who she was chatting with. I didn't pry; I was happy enough that Wulian was happy.

Soga Yuzuki then turned her gaze to Shiraishi Sawa: "However, all of this has changed this year."

When Soga Yuuki met Shiraishi Sawa's gaze, he noticed that the emotions contained in his eyes were extremely complex, to the point that they were difficult to decipher.

“Akiko told me this the first time she heard Kirei speak to you.”

At first, I thought that Wulian had started to talk on her own, but after further observation, I found that Wulian was only willing to talk to you.

Then, for the first time in her life, she said she wanted to go out and have fun by herself. She didn't even ask Miko to come, and only asked Akiko to pick her up in the evening.

He also invited you to buy books, just the two of you going out; he stayed at your house, giving up his trip to Hokkaido, just to arrive at Takarazuka ahead of time for your competition.

She smiled more often, her whole demeanor changed, and she talked more to me and others than before.

I also heard about Meizi's relationship recently.

Once, when I was alone with Meizi, I asked her, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Does Wulian have no one to protect her?"

What Miko told me was: 'Wu Lian has someone he wants to protect even more, and he is protecting her too.'

Now, Wulian has changed her previous routine of going back and forth between school and home, and she even has some time to spare for the student council.

That time, Miko even 'complained' to me that Kirei didn't have time to offer her any advice, and that she, as the vice president, had been forced to usurp the presidency.

Soga Yuuki, watching Shiraishi Sawa Hide stirring the coffee that was now completely free of sugar cubes and creamer residue, continued:

"Mist Lotus must like you, Shiraishi-kun."

"I think so." Shiraishi Zexiu picked up his coffee, took a sip, but couldn't taste anything.

"May I ask what your opinion is on the Mist Lotus?"

Unlike the previous times she had met Soga Yuzuki, she seemed unusually nervous at this moment, with no trace of her strong, independent woman aura remaining, as if she were asking for the opinion of the person she liked.

“Mist Lotus…” Shiraishi Zexiu hesitated for a few seconds, as if choosing his words, “I have never experienced the side of her that you mentioned before. As you said, she has always been special to me, and I think I just realized why.”

Therefore, I never felt any flaws in her; in fact, the worse her attitude towards others, the more I felt her favoritism towards me.

Shiraishi Sawah stopped there, and the table fell silent for a moment. Outside the window, the muddy rainwater flowed and gurgled in the drain, making a noisy sound.

"Do you like her?" Soga Yuzuki asked, seeing that there was no follow-up.

"I have no reason not to like such a girl, but..."

But how should I put it?

I may say I like her, but have I just decided to choose another person I like, Chiyo Ichiriki?

So should I give up on Soga Kirei, who has placed all her hopes on me and is very likely my best online friend of many years?

Looking into Soga Yuuki's eyes, sensing her sorrow and longing, Shiraishi Sawa Hide couldn't bring himself to speak.

.......

As Shiraishi Sawah walked out of the coffee shop alone, he looked at the puddles around his feet, each one reflecting a version of himself.

It turned out they hadn't even taken a step out; instead, they had gotten stuck in an even more muddy situation.

However, he had no sewers to hide in.

He did not grant Soga Yuzuki's request, but he was also unable to firmly make his original choice.

"System, help me create a tool that will keep the chairman's father in jail for the rest of his life."

[Creation of a matchmaking item... Successful! [Life Imprisonment Card] Price: 10000 points]

You have successfully redeemed the [Life Imprisonment Card], with 24339 points remaining.

[You have used the "Life Imprisonment Card". Target: Soga Nagamasa. He will be imprisoned for life on reasonable grounds.]

As for Soga Kirei's father, the crimes he committed did not warrant this treatment. Shiraishi Sawashu no longer wanted to care. His mind was in a mess, even more so than before he had sorted out his thoughts the day before yesterday.

Moreover, after making his choice with great effort, the choice soon became more difficult again, leaving Shiraishi Sawah feeling exhausted, extremely exhausted.

The Soga family doesn't have any power or influence; they're just wealthy people. He wasn't sure if Soga Yuuki could solve this problem, so he figured he might as well let the system solve it for him.

"System, help me create a tool that can solve my current problem."

[Creating a matchmaking item... Creation failed!]

"Tch, still as unreliable as ever." Shiraishi Zexiu continued walking expressionlessly, his umbrella held low to shield his face, raindrops kicked up by his shoes flying forward with each step.

--

"Why did you come back here... Shiraishi, what happened to you?"

Takanashi Yuko was surprised that Shiraishi Sawa had returned so early. She was about to ask him a question when she saw how listless Shiraishi Sawa looked, so she quickly went over to support him.

"It's nothing, just a little tired, mentally tired."

Shiraishi Sawa Hide did not refuse Takanashi Yuko's help, and listlessly changed his shoes.

"Let me do it." Seeing that Shiraishi Sawah's problem wasn't physical, Takanashi Yuuko knelt down and helped him change his slippers.

Watching Yuko Takanashi's earnest and careful movements, Hideaki Shiraishi felt an even greater weight on his shoulders.

For a moment, he even thought that since he couldn't have it all, he might as well not have it all at all, but the heartache that followed made him stop thinking about it.

Men are truly insatiable creatures.

"Shiraishi-kun, have you made your choice?" Sitting on the sofa next to Shiraishi Sawa, Takanashi Yuko, unusually not sitting very close, asked from the side.

"No, I'm in an even more difficult situation now, and I have absolutely no idea what to choose," Shiraishi Zexiu said weakly, no longer trying to hide anything.

"Ugh, this is so annoying." He lay down on one side, but ended up falling onto Takanashi Yuko's shoulder. Just as he was about to get up and lie on the other side, Takanashi Yuko grabbed him and pressed his head down onto her lap.

A plump and elastic sensation came from the back of her head. Takanashi Yuko began to massage Shiraishi Sawa Hide with both hands, on his scalp, shoulders, and cheeks.

Shiraishi Sawa Hide did not struggle.

"If you're feeling down, take a break," Yuko Takanashi said, gently closing Shiraishi Sawa's eyelids and humming a lullaby.

"Take a break, Shiraishi. You will never abandon me, so I will always follow you. I will follow you in any way I can, without having to choose."

"I will always love you and always stand by your side."

"The word 'love' is too heavy, Takanashi."

“The words aren’t heavy, and lovers are easily forgotten, right? Stop talking and rest for a bit. I’ll continue singing for you,” Yuko Takanashi said gently.

As Shiraishi Sawah inhaled her fresh and clear scent—somewhat like the first breath of air on a winter morning—a sense of fatigue gradually crept over his entire body, and his eyelids became so heavy that he could no longer open them.

Shiraishi Sawa was sleeping like a child, and Takanashi Yuuko kept watching him, her hands never stopping massaging him, feeling sad for his situation.

If only the two of them were like me, Shiraishi wouldn't have such a big problem.

--

When Shiraishi Sawa opened his eyes, Takanashi Yuuko was still bending over and looking at him. The area where her hands had roamed was still tingling with the tingling pleasure of the massage.