Tokyo Soft Rice King.

"So I'm a public amusement facility after all... Anyway, I understand what you mean, Hong-jie, but it will take Zi-yin some time to understand these things, right?"

It doesn't sound much better than a bus.

"Of course, time alone may not be enough. Ziyin may need to go through some more things... But I think you, Amin, are probably surrounded by women who would make Ziyin feel 'frustrated,' after all, she never managed to make you her exclusive one from the very beginning."

This is all thanks to the class monitor's masterpiece at the cultural festival.

Kuroba Akira thought that the class monitor might have thought all of this out beforehand before carrying out the plan.

It just goes to show that "the person who knows you best is your enemy," so the person who knows Ziyin best might not necessarily be the class monitor.

"Anyway, when the time comes to 'have to understand,' if Ziyin still loves you that much, she'll most likely choose to 'compromise,' and then I'll get a 'pardon' too~"

Da Hongxiang said these words in a lighthearted tone, which made Hei Yuming admire her nerves and envy her personality of being able to solve her troubles in her mind.

Although this is just an optimistic speculation, and no one knew what the actual situation would be before the incident, it at least made Kuroba realize that the 'peace line' was not an impossible route.

After all, even his soul, as an adult, is still growing, so the girls will certainly continue to grow as well.

After discussing these matters, it was already quite late, and Ziyin had probably already returned to her room and discovered that Kuroba Akira was no longer there.

If we don't go back soon, she might get suspicious.

"Then I should probably head back too..."

"Wait a minute! Senior Bai!"

Just as Kuroba Akira was about to turn around and leave the room, Koko called out to him.

"Hmm? Xiao Hong, is there anything else?"

"Um...you just asked me what my dream is...I've thought about that question carefully."

"Oh, so you've thought of something?"

"Yes, I'm not sure if this can be called a dream... but I do have things I want to do, or rather, things I'm passionate about."

"Well, let's hear about it then."

Kuroba Akira turned around to face her again, revealing a serious expression, indicating that he would listen carefully to what she had to say.

"I want to help Ziyin... appear on the big screen with the most perfect appearance! I hope that I will design her makeup and do her makeup myself!"

"Oh, so you want to become Ziyin's personal makeup artist?"

"No, not exclusively... I mean, I also want to try doing makeup for more people who need it... Well, although no one might contact me right now... but I'll give it a try!"

Hearing Xiao Hong's heartfelt words, Kuroba Akira smiled with joy.

That's great! Xiao Hong is starting to seek external validation!

It seems that my conversation with Sister Hong has also enlightened Xiao Hong, making her more willing to actively treat her social anxiety!

From only doing makeup for the dead, to doing makeup for Ziyin, a living person, and then to doing makeup for most people, she is actively breaking down the walls in her heart!

"Really? Why do you suddenly think that?"

"Actually, my previous job at the funeral home... although I had a very annoying boss and very annoying colleagues... I didn't actually hate the job itself."

"Yes, I can see that too. After all, Xiao Hong, you paid out of your own pocket to repair the deceased's appearance. That's really impressive."

Xiao Hong's face flushed red from Kuroba Akira's praise, and she explained happily and shyly.

"Because it allows the deceased to leave with dignity, and allows their families to see them one last time in perfect condition, I think it's a very meaningful thing..."

Then, thinking about her past mindset, Xiaohong lowered her head slightly and confessed.

"But... I used to use the dead as an excuse to avoid contact with the living..."

Her body trembled, she bit her lower lip, and desperately squeezed out a sound.

"But...actually, I also want to feel warmth..."

This is a challenge that Tashiro Kurenai faces in her heart, and also a signal that she is reaching out to the world again.

"So... I won't run away anymore!"

"Hmm... I believe you."

Akira Kuroba witnessed the moment she emerged from her cocoon.

For Xiaohong, Kuroba Akira was like a ray of dawn, bringing brilliance and warmth, and giving her renewed courage.

"And Senior Bai... thank you again for saving me."

"Didn't you already thank me?"

"Ah, yes, ah, no, I'm not thanking you for saving me this time. Of course, thank you very much for that too... but my gratitude this time is mainly for Senior Bai's... kindness in recognizing and nurturing me."

And thank you... for letting someone like me have someone I like...

Xiao Hong couldn't bring herself to say those words.

She still can't bring herself to say it.

But she wants to say it herself later.

Tell him in person... I like you.

Da Hongxiang silently shared the feelings of another version of herself, as if she had rediscovered the feelings of her girlhood, pure and sweet.

Two personalities with an age difference, souls from two different worlds, are the same person, yet they have subtle differences, seemingly identical but not quite.

But at this moment, they seemed to become one.

However, their strange state of mind did not last long; it was Kuroba Akira's question that brought them back to their senses.

"Speaking of which, Xiao Hong, haven't you ever thought about being the 'protagonist'?"

"Huh? The main character? Me, me?"

"Yes, you're very pretty and have a great figure. You could easily be a magazine cover model."

"I...I...I can't do it...Maybe it would be possible if it were another version of me...After all, she's much more confident than me..."

"Aren't you using the same body... But actually, what I mean is, Xiao Hong, aren't you planning to use your makeup skills on yourself?"

"Huh? Use it on myself?"

Seeing her surprised expression, Kuroba Akira really wanted to complain: Why do you look like you've never thought of this before?

Xiao Hong, you're so weird. Generally speaking, girls learn makeup to do their own makeup, right? You clearly have superb skills, but you don't seem to want to use them for your own benefit at all.

Perhaps her motivation for learning makeup wasn't for herself, and then she continued working at a funeral home, which led to a habitual way of thinking that makeup was for serving others.

"Exactly, it seems like you only think about 'doing makeup for others,' but never about 'doing makeup for yourself.'"

"Ah... Senior Bai, do you think I need to wear makeup?"

"No, I didn't mean you need to rely on makeup to improve your appearance. I just meant that if you tried doing your own makeup, Xiaohong, maybe you could become more confident?"

"Hmm... I... I don't know... Although I've tested various cosmetics on my own skin before, I've never seriously put on makeup for myself... Will it... will it make me more confident?"

"Probably, you'll know once you try it. Although I'm just learning as I go, someone told me yesterday that I shouldn't just think about being nice to others, but also live more freely myself... I think putting on makeup is also a way of pleasing myself."

Although Kuroba Akira, being a man, couldn't understand it, he knew that girls loved cosmetics, and that loving beauty was a woman's nature, so makeup must be a way to improve one's mood.

However, it seems that most girls actually find makeup troublesome?

Japanese girls, in particular, almost regard makeup as a kind of "etiquette". Going out without makeup is like a student from Kiwatos going out without a gun, which is very embarrassing.

If you have to spend more than an hour on makeup every day before going out, and then have to endure itchy skin, constantly touch up your makeup, and make sure it doesn't smudge, etc...

That's really troublesome just thinking about it.

"Also, I've seen some cases of treating social anxiety before, saying that some people with social anxiety can communicate normally with others by wearing a mask. So, Xiaohong, could you also consider 'makeup' as a kind of 'mask'?"

"...!"

Xiao Hong was shocked, while Da Hong Xiang thought to herself that this was a great idea and they should definitely try it.

Da Hongxiang was also blinded by her own involvement and forgot this point as well. After all, she had no need for makeup because she was disfigured in her previous life.

"Anyway, I was just making a suggestion... I'll retreat now, otherwise Ziyin will have a fit."

"Okay, okay! I wish you, um... good health!"

"Ah... I appreciate your kind words."

After saying goodbye, Kuroba Akira left Kurenai's room and returned to his own.

Ziyin was waiting for him in the room. Her outfit was different from usual; it wasn't a gymnastics outfit and stockings, but rather underwear and black pantyhose... just like Hongxiang's outfit earlier.

This means she saw it, and probably heard it too, but it's unclear how much she heard.

If Shion asks, Kuroba Akira intends to answer truthfully.

But Ziyin didn't ask him where he went or what he had said to Hongxiang. Instead, she invited him to come and sleep.

That night, Ziyin didn't make things difficult for Heiyu Ming. She simply held him gently in her arms until he fell asleep peacefully.

As Kuroba Akira breathed evenly, Shion murmured in a voice filled with sorrow and a hint of hope.

"I know I'm just being willful... but please let me be willful for a little while longer... Wise ruler..."

I know I can't be your only one, and you can't be mine alone...

But among all the people who are special to you...

I also want to be the most special one in your heart.

Chapter 306 The Cat Who Stole Fish Enraged the Heavy Daughter

Singles' Day, also known as Double Eleven, was once packaged as a shopping festival in the world. Later, there were also Double 12, 618, and so on, all of which are man-made festivals.

However, in a world where e-commerce platforms have not yet taken off, and especially in Japan, it was just another ordinary Monday.

As usual, Kuroba Akira ate his lunch with the class monitor during lunch break, but this time they changed their seats because the temperature had dropped sharply in the past few days, and it was a bit cold to eat lunch outdoors.

Although it would have been fine to eat in the classroom, Akira Kuroba wanted to report to the class president about what had happened over the weekend, so he went to the Arts Club's activity room instead, where the other two club members were not present.

After that, Kuroba Akira ate the food that the class monitor fed him while talking about what happened over the weekend, and of course, he had to apologize first.

It was about lying to both sides about dating the other person. Anri Hitomi wasn't angry about it. She just told Kuroba Akira that if there was a next time, he didn't need to worry about his feelings and could just do what he wanted to do. The implication was that hiding and deceiving were unnecessary.

Kuroba Akira sighed, "As expected, the class president is the best~" and gave her a hug. Anri Hitomi thanked Murasomiya Shion in her heart. Thanks to that woman's pressure on Kuroba Akira, she was able to gain Akira's trust so easily.

Whenever Myojun suffers injustice at the hands of Shion in the Purple Palace, he will come to me for comfort. Over time, this will become a habit, and Myojun will regard me as a pillar of support.