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

As Shiraishi Sawah packed his things, he checked the messages on his phone and walked outside.

"What are you going to do, Zexiu?" Suwo Wulian asked.

"I'm going to check out the town's community center and get familiar with the beach area. I can't possibly lead you all astray at night if you're all going. You all get some rest."

Shiraishi Sawa smiled at them, then closed the door.

The only one who knew he was there to have a new ring made was Chiyo Ichiri, who sat by the kotatsu without saying or doing anything. She even deliberately hid the hand with the ring on it today, using her other hand to play on her phone.

"I'm going upstairs to rest first." She swiped her phone a few times, turned off the screen, and stood up to say this.

The living room was still the same living room, and the kotatsu was still as warm as before, but with Shiraishi Sawa Hide gone, it just felt like something was missing, and it became meaningless.

--

It was already six o'clock when I got back. The girls seemed to still be in their rooms. The house was quiet, except for the sounds of pots and pans clattering in the kitchen.

Warm smoke drifted from the kitchen, slightly blurring the view and bringing with it the aroma of food.

Without making a sound, Shiraishi Sawa went to the kitchen, where Takanashi Yuko and Shiraishi Kanae were busily working.

"Sorry I'm back a little late, let me help out." Shiraishi Zexiu glanced at the wall, then went back and put his old clothes back on—there were only two aprons in the house.

The dishes I'm cooking today are all things that girls like to eat, especially fish. Yesterday, Shiraishi Kaname went out of her way to buy a whole bunch of the freshest and most unique kinds of fish.

"Zexiu, check how the buckwheat noodles are coming along. Should we get it done?" Shiraishi Kanae instructed skillfully, while continuing to persuade Kotori Yuuko:

"Yuko, just listen to your aunt and go back to rest. How can a guest trouble you? Besides, aren't you going to stay up all night to watch the sunrise?"

Takanashi Yuuko maintained a warm smile and was about to speak when Shiraishi Sawa Hide, who was tearing off a piece of soba noodles with his hands, answered for her.

"Mom, what are you saying? Youzi is no guest. She's family. You should treat her like you treat me, right, Youzi?"

"Yes." She nodded naturally.

Is her son really that good? — This was the question that Kanae Shiraishi had when she looked at such a perfect girl.

--

Completely devoid of any sense of privacy, Shiraishi Sawa pushed open the door to Chiyo's room—after all, that's how they treated her.

"It's good that you're awake. If you were asleep, waking you up would make me sing again." Looking at the girl lying on the bed with her back to him, playing on her phone, Shiraishi Sawah breathed a sigh of relief.

That said, why is it that even under the large blanket, when Chiyo is lying on her side, her curves are so attractive, making one want to lie in the same bed with her?

"I'm asleep, sing away." Chiyo turned off her phone screen and covered it in front of her, pretending to be asleep.

"Stop fooling around, come downstairs for lunch. Did you take a nap this afternoon?"

"I slept until I never wanted to sleep again."

"Okay, let's hurry downstairs. Everyone's waiting. We won't start eating until everyone's here."

"Okay~" Sleeping Beauty finally got up.

--

"President?" Shiraishi Sawah pushed the door open again.

"Awooo!" A 'little monster' that could only be described as cute by any means stood at the edge of the doorway. The moment the door opened, it clenched its paws into cat claws and cried out loudly.

"Ah—!" After a half-second of stunned silence, Shiraishi Zexiu clutched his chest tightly and kept backing away until he hit the wall and collapsed to the ground.

"Oh, it's you, President! You scared me to death!"

With her poor acting skills and an unhappy pout, Suga Wulian touched her pretty face, seemingly wondering if she was too unintimidating-looking.

Just as Shiraishi Sawa was about to get up, he saw Soga Kirei sit directly on his lap, comfortably resting her head on his shoulder.

"Okay, now you're really scared." This is the doorway to the room, and it's in such a bad spot that you can't close it. From the room not far away, you can still faintly hear the sounds of Chiyo getting dressed.

But being scared is a matter of the brain. As for embracing the girl and gently stroking her spine under her thin sweater, that's a matter of the hands, and the two don't affect each other.

"coward."

--

"This is the first time I've had so many people at home celebrating the New Year together," said Shiraishi Kanae cheerfully as she watched the three people coming down from upstairs.

"I'll try my best to bring this many people every year from now on." These were the words Shiraishi Sawashu mouthed to his mother.

Each person's buckwheat noodles had been divided up. After spending a few days together, Shiraishi Kanae had learned about their appetites. Considering that they would be going out in the evening and would need to eat again, she deliberately gave them a smaller portion.

In Japanese culture, buckwheat noodles represent a steady flow of life and good health and longevity. Eating buckwheat noodles during the New Year is also a way for Japanese people to express their hope to put an end to the hardships and troubles of the past year, and it is an essential dish to eat every year.

"I almost forgot." Kanae Shiraishi patted her head. "I'm preparing too late. The Kohaku Uta Gassen has probably already started."

Kanae Shiraishi hurriedly ran to the television, switched to NHK, and turned the volume up to the maximum.

"The evening fire is burning, the street is burning, the drinking is drinking today, and the servant is I'll let you go, I won't be worried about tomorrow..."

It's "Cats" by DISH//. Hideki Shiraishi can sing this song, but considering everyone's good mood during the New Year, he had to keep it to himself.

I still have three chances to exchange for a specific S-level skill. Should I waste one of them on singing?

--

With the background music from the Red and White Song Festival playing, the girl and Shiraishi's parents had become quite familiar with each other after spending a few days together. With Shiraishi Sawah keeping the atmosphere lively, the New Year's Eve dinner was quite enjoyable, and there were no awkward silences.

"Oh, right, and this too." Shiraishi Kanae got up, wiped her hands, and left the kitchen. When she returned, she was carrying four red envelopes.

"Auntie knows you don't care about this little bit of money, but it's all from the heart."

"If you really don't want to accept it, just take it now and give it to me secretly later," Shiraishi Sawa added. Then, Shiraishi Kanae opened a red envelope and took out a 5,000 yen bill.

Without a doubt, that red envelope must be his.

Shiraishi Zexiu quickly snatched the red envelope and the five thousand yen from his mother's hand, saying, "Mom, don't skimp on your son's New Year's money."

Shiraishi Kanae glared at him and stuffed the remaining three red envelopes into the hands of the three girls.

"Don't give it to Zexiu."

"Thank you, Auntie." The three girls nodded obediently, not refusing the New Year's money.

After dinner, the five of them sat on the sofa to continue watching the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Song Battle) – Shiraishi Kawa went out to drink with his friends, and Shiraishi Kanae didn't stop him.

In previous years, I would also bring Shiraishi Zexiu along for drinks a few times.

......

"After watching this show for so many years, I find it increasingly boring." As the song ended and the Red and White Song Festival gradually came to a close, Kanae Shiraishi opened her phone and said.

"Tired of seeing this? Mom, if you're bored, why don't you roll the dice for me? Six! Six!" Shiraishi Zexiu tossed the large dice into the air.

Four people played a physical game of Ludo on the purchased Ludo rug.

"Weren't you going to a temple or shrine? It's about time to go now."

The White Team's final act was Masaharu Fukuyama, who took to the stage to sing, which meant it was already 11:30 PM.

"Auntie, are you going? Won't you be bored staying at home alone?" It was almost time, and the four of them started cleaning up the scene. Soga Kirei asked.

"Me? I won't go. Thanks, Wulian. I'm going to Teacher Jiancun's house next door later. Her husband went out drinking a long time ago and has been asking me to come over for a chat."

--

Tonight, Pengtian Village is different from usual.

The repaired streetlights emit a dazzling light, illuminating every household and adding a touch of prosperity to Pengtian.

The tranquil night is hidden, but if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves in the surrounding farmland.

Every now and then, a few families would come out of their homes and head northeast—where the shrines and temples are located.

A strange scene where liveliness and quietness intertwine.

In the crowd, Shiraishi Sawa and his three companions stood out, drawing everyone's attention but preventing them from getting close.

The night breeze swept through the farmland and reached them, bringing a pleasant fragrance to Shiraishi Sawa's nose.

“I like this feeling,” Shiraishi Zexiu said as he walked through the night, as poised as a nobleman. “My home is not far away, and you are all by my side.”

......

But it was a bit awkward that no one responded to this.

"Um... could you please reply to me? Even insults are fine," the young nobleman asked weakly, his guard broken.

Finally unable to hold back any longer, the three girls turned their heads away, their shoulders trembling slightly, and their suppressed laughter could only be heard by him.

“Sigh~” Shiraishi Sawah sighed, “Should we go to Inari Shrine or Seifinbo? These are the only two places in Hōda.”

"casual."

"Then let's go to the main court first. The Inari Shrine is relatively close to the city, so there will be a lot of people there. I know you don't like crowds."

"Then do you know that we only like two people the most?" Chiyo turned her head and asked with a half-smile.

"I don't know. I don't think two people are enough. You can't fully utilize the Ludo game. Four people are better." Shiraishi Zexiu pretended to be clueless.

“Three people can play Dou Dizhu,” Soga Muren said.

Is this Dou Dizhu (a card game) legitimate? Shiraishi Zexiu didn't dare to ask.

"I hope the last fortune slip of the year will bring great fortune," said Chiyo Ichiriki, who is quite superstitious about this, before turning to Hideaki Shiraishi. "For you, a bad fortune slip would be fine."

“This doesn’t affect me much,” Shiraishi Sawa said with a shrug. “I’m a demigod.”

"Demitheists?" the three girls asked curiously.

"If it says something good, like that I'll have good fortune and auspicious signs, then I'll believe it; but if it says something bad about me, then it's definitely the dregs of feudal superstition and should not be accepted."

In conclusion, those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish.

The soft laughter gently swept over the passersby on the roadside; just hearing their laughter was enough to lift one's spirits.

--

The courthouse wasn't far; it only took about ten minutes to walk there. Although the location was rather remote, there were still quite a few people there.

"Boom~"

As you approach, you can hear the clear chime of the bell ringing from the other side of the mountain. Now it is even clearer, and the lingering sound of each strike wanders freely, washing away the worries in the hearts of tourists.

On New Year's Eve, temples in Japan ring their bells 108 times. Buddhism believes that there are 108 kinds of suffering in the world, so the New Year's bell is rung 108 times to eliminate these troubles.

Because each strike requires waiting for the previous chime to completely subside, striking 108 times would take about an hour, so when the four people arrived, the chimes were already in progress.