Tokyo Soft Rice King.

“I know, Uncle Yong. And even if something really happens between me and Ziyin, it won’t affect you. Uncle Hong did trust me because of Ziyin, but he only chose to cooperate with us because he decided to side with Xiaolin. For him, this is a big ‘strategic shift,’ so he won’t suddenly stop cooperating.”

Hijikata Isamu nodded, feeling slightly relieved.

"I see... So we're getting some help from the Kobayashi family again."

"Yes, our predecessors laid the foundation for us long ago. We are standing on the shoulders of giants."

"Good! Amin, you have perfectly completed your task! Now leave it to me and Yong-ge! We'll lay the foundation for you this year! Just wait a few years and you'll be on the list of the world's young richest people!"

"Ah ha ha……"

Kuroba Akira could only chuckle awkwardly; he felt that Nishimura's statement was an exaggeration.

Unexpectedly, even the usually composed Hijikata Isamu showed a relieved smile and said...

"Yeah, now I should be able to pay off my debts soon... I'll finally be able to see them..."

It was only then that Akira Kuroba realized that from this point on, many people's life trajectories would be changed.

They are transforming from wanderers who have drifted into this world into pioneers who are leading the world into a new era.

A sense of mission to 'advance history' arose spontaneously.

And then... and then Kuroba Akira was kicked out.

Because they need to relocate to the new company, they also need to prepare for data transfer and can no longer keep their base in Tu Fangyong's dark little room.

Kuroba Akira, being a technical novice, couldn't be of much help. Furthermore, Kuroba Akira had essentially 'sold himself out' to attract investment and talent, so the two of them urged him to quickly go out and curry favor with Shion, becoming her gigolo.

For some reason, it gives me the feeling of going into prostitution to support male escorts...

Damn it, you two are so carefree, you just throw yourselves into what you want to do, do you know how much it hurts me!

Just thinking about the class monitor and Ziyin, their relationship, and the scene when they met, made Kuroba Akira feel a sharp pain in his stomach.

It seems I'll need to keep stomach medicine on hand from now on.

Then, just as he came out of Hijikata Isamu's room, he heard the sound of a door opening downstairs.

It must be Ziyin and Hongjie who have returned.

Kuroba Akira took a deep breath, patted his cheeks to cheer himself up, suppressed all his bad mood, and walked downstairs with a smile to welcome them home.

"Ziyin, Sister Hong, welcome back..."

Before she could finish speaking, Ziyin hurriedly took off her shoes and rushed into Kuroba Akira's arms, exclaiming joyfully.

"Wise ruler! I got the role!"

Kuroba Akira hugged Shion and steadied himself. He had originally wanted to congratulate her, but then realized something was wrong and asked with some confusion.

"Really...wait, a character? What character?"

"It's an anime character! It's from the winter anime season starting next January, and I got the female lead role!"

"Oh! So soon? So you went for the audition today?"

"Yes! Director Fuyumi told me at the last minute that I had to audition for an anime role today, so it was a bit sudden, but I still managed to get the role! It's all thanks to you, Akira!"

"I see..."

Kuroba Akira was only slightly surprised at first, but when he thought about Shion's talent, he felt that it was only natural for her to achieve such results, so he smiled and stroked Shion's black hair to congratulate her.

"Congratulations, Ziyin. Now you've officially debuted."

At this moment, Daikou, who had taken off her high heels and helped Shion put her hastily taken-off shoes into the shoe cabinet, also walked into the room. Seeing that Kuroba Akira's reaction was relatively normal, she felt that Saotome Fuyumi was right after all.

Amin had long known how formidable Ziyin was.

"Hmm...hehe..."

Ziyin pressed her cheek against Kuroba Akira's chest, tightening her grip on him more and more, as if she wanted to meld herself into Kuroba Akira's body...

I want a reward.

I want it so badly, I want it so badly, I want it so badly!

However, Ziyin also knew that this was only the first role she had landed, and she hadn't officially debuted yet or received any payment, so it wasn't really a remarkable achievement.

So now you want to be patient and wait until you get the money... When you get your first payment, you can give it all to the wise ruler and then you can rightfully receive the reward, right?

Upon hearing this unexpected good news, Kuroba Akira felt he could tell Shion about his meeting with Uncle Kazuhiro today, to make her even happier.

"Oh, by the way, Ziyin, I met your father today."

Thinking that Ziyin had several fathers, Kuroba Akira added.

“I’m referring to your current father, Murasaki no Miyako and Uncle Hiro.”

"Hey?"

Upon hearing this news, Ziyin froze, her joyful smile freezing on her face.

"Father...why did he seek you out, Mingjun?"

Ziyin did not lift her head from Kuroba Akira's chest, but Kuroba Akira could hear a trace of anxiety in her voice.

"Does that mean... he doesn't approve of me being with you?"

To prevent Ziyin's mood from plummeting, Kuroba Akira quickly explained.

"No, no, Ziyin, you're overthinking it. Uncle Zizhigong just came to convey some things to me, and then asked me to tell you."

"tell me?"

"Yes, Ziyin, you can go home now."

"...Huh? Going...home?"

Ziyin was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned down, revealing a look of disgust and aversion.

“My home is right here… I’m ‘home’ now.”

After emphasizing this point, Shion lifted her face from Kuroba Akira's arms, her eyes looking at him empty and dark.

"Or... are you trying to get rid of me? Don't you want to live with me anymore?"

He suddenly turned evil!

Has Shion's rate of turning evil accelerated?!

Why have you become so skilled at this?!

Kuroba Akira quickly grabbed Shion's shoulder and explained with all his might, his forehead covered in sweat.

"No! Ziyin, listen to me! Your uncle means that your mother's condition has improved! So he asked me, your 'boyfriend,' to take you home whenever I have time so that you and your mother can reconcile! He doesn't mean to send you back to your hometown!"

"what……"

Boyfriend...hehe, boyfriend...

I am Mingjun's girlfriend...

A girlfriend who belongs only to the wise ruler... the one who loves the wise ruler the most!

The words of acknowledging her identity had an outstanding effect; Ziyin's expression instantly changed from gloomy to sunny, and her black pupils turned into hearts, transforming her from a dark to a red-hot person in a flash.

"Oh my, isn't this great news? Now you've achieved success in both your family and career, Ziyin, congratulations!"

At this moment, Da Hongxiang also noticed that Ziyin's condition was a bit off, and quickly came over to help her out.

She's probably still not out of character, since the character she voiced today has yandere traits.

"Yes! But... is Mom really all better? Mingjun, have you seen my mother?"

“I didn’t see him. Today I only met Uncle Hong. He said he was very grateful that I took you in and helped you find your dream. He said he would continue to ‘support’ us.”

Kuroba Akira wasn't lying; he just said the nice things and didn't mention a word about the risks associated with Shion's talent.

To keep Ziyin calm, we can't tell her anything that's bad for her mindset.

Moreover, Akira Kuroba had originally decided to support their dreams; it was something he wanted to do, and it was also a promise he made to the class president.

Upon hearing that her father was willing to support her, Ziyin gave a wry smile that was both happy and troubled.

"Oh, I see... Father has been so good to me... If he hadn't been so good to me, Mother probably wouldn't have had these mental health issues... It's all my fault..."

Uh, why am I blaming myself again?

Although he wanted to convey good news, it seemed that the topic itself was on Shion's sore spot, leaving Kuroba Akira unsure of how to comfort her.

The atmosphere became slightly heavy, and Da Hongxiang walked over and put her hands on the shoulders of the two of them, saying something.

"Alright, alright, stop thinking about those unhappy things. Today is a great day to celebrate. I'll cook you something delicious right now, let's have a party!"

"Um……!"

Seeing that Shion had shaken off her melancholy, Kuroba Akira breathed a sigh of relief.

Da Hongxiang winked secretly at Hei Yuming, as if to say, 'Did you help, sister?'

Kuroba Akira quickly returned a grateful look.

This is a huge help!

Sister Hong... I love you! How could I live without you!

Ziyin's state is becoming increasingly unstable. Who could withstand such a sudden turn to the dark side? It's impossible to know which word might upset her.

At this point, a wingman is needed to help change the subject and avoid a vicious cycle.

After smoothing things over, Kuroba Akira and Shion helped Daiko prepare dinner together.

After finishing, they called over the two people upstairs and Grandma Kobayashi, who had won money playing pachinko. The Kobayashi family hosted a dinner party to celebrate the many good things that had happened that day.

Everything is moving in a better direction.

……

After dinner, Kuroba Akira returned to his room after taking a shower. Shion, who had showered earlier and changed into a white leotard, sat on his lower bunk waiting for him to return.

After closing the door, Kuroba Akira walked over, placed a pillow on the headboard, and sat down against it. Then, Shion naturally sat in Kuroba Akira's lap, letting him place his hands on her absolute territory, and then covered the back of Kuroba Akira's hands with her own.

This is a pose that Ziyin prefers, allowing Kuroba Akira to appreciate her front, and all parts of her body are within 'reach', ready for him to take advantage of.

However, the two did not immediately begin interacting today. Ziyin leaned against Kuroba Akira's chest, relaxing as she spoke.

“Wise ruler…you’ve never asked me about my family before…aren’t you even a little curious about my past?”