The two embraced and whispered for a long time. Ai-yin told him about the fun things that happened during the photoshoot that day, and the atmosphere became warmer and warmer. Although there was some regret, it actually strengthened their feelings for each other.
Just as Banami was about to close her eyes, the door clicked open, and a small figure walked in silently, her bare feet making no sound on the floor.
He tensed up in shock, and just as he was about to shout, he heard Ai Yin mumble, "Xiao Su Shi? What are you doing here? Did you have a nightmare?"
When Banami looked closely, she saw that Suze's eyes were tightly closed, her brows were slightly furrowed, and her lips were pursed, as if she was not sleeping soundly.
"Ah... she seems to be sleepwalking." Aine yawned, rubbed her eyes, patted the empty seat next to her, and said gently, "Come and sleep, don't catch a cold."
Su Shi obediently crawled between the two, and as she lay down, she mumbled, "Onii-chan... Aine-neechan..." Her body gently touched Banami, carrying a faint fragrance.
Banai breathed a sigh of relief, but her heart was filled with unease, as if something was amiss.
Before long, Ai Yin's breathing became completely even, and the only sounds in the room were the heartbeats of the three of them and the chirping of insects outside the window.
Suddenly, Banai felt someone gently poke his waist with their fingertips. The force was light, but it was clearly a test.
He suddenly opened his eyes, meeting Su Shi's open eyes—there was no trace of sleepwalking confusion in them, only a bewitching smile. The girl leaned close to his ear, her warm breath brushing against his earlobe, her voice as soft as the night breeze, yet carrying a terrifying penetrating power: "Xi Jun, you don't have feelings for Ai Yin, but why... do you have feelings for my body?"
Sixth time, start!
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Poor Eighth Brother, Played Like a Manipulator by a Woman
The men's bathhouse was shrouded in a hazy mist of steam late at night, with a few slivers of the waning moonlight filtering through the wooden lattice windows.
As Banami soaked in the warm spring water, the water washed over his waist and abdomen, carrying just the right amount of warmth that dispelled his fatigue.
Before his back had even settled against the cold stone wall, a slender figure emerged from the thick fog—Su Shi's bathrobe hung loosely on her body, one shoulder strap slipped to her arm, revealing her smooth shoulder, and water droplets dripping from her hair slid down her neck and into her collar. Like a kitten looking for its nest, she gently bumped into his arms.
"Stop fooling around." Banai instinctively reached out and hugged her waist. His fingertips had just touched the girl's warm and delicate skin when he paused as if he had been burned. His tone carried a helplessness that he himself did not realize.
I was tempted by this brat and did *that* thing next to Aine. Afterwards, I felt incredibly guilty, so I quietly left the room to take a bath to clear my head. But the naive girl followed me again.
Xiao Su took advantage of the situation and snuggled closer to him, rubbing her cheek against his chest. Her warm breath, carrying the scent of hot spring water, gently washed over his skin, making his heart tremble with a ticklish sensation.
"Is Xi-jun angry with me?" Su Shi looked up, her outline blurred by the misty fog. Seeing this, Ba Nai looked away, and thinking of his deliberate attempts to make things difficult for him today, he still snorted with some resentment.
The image of the girl's fine sweat and swaying long hair under the moonlight flashed uncontrollably through his mind, making his waist and abdomen still ache slightly, and he had to consciously straighten his back when walking, seven times over!
He couldn't help but scoff: "Isn't it right for a child who does bad things to be disliked?"
The moment he finished speaking, the girl in his arms froze.
Out of the corner of her eye, Hanami noticed that her long eyelashes drooped rapidly, her eyes reddened at a visible speed, and even her voice was tinged with aggrieved sobs as she asked in a trembling voice, "So, Onii-chan hates me now, huh? But do you know why I kept bothering you and Aine-nee-san today?"
"Hmph, of course it's because you're lusting after my body," said Banami, seemingly a little annoyed.
That's how it is inside the corner of the wood!
Su Shi was momentarily speechless, wondering where this sulking brat came from.
But the girl remained patient, smoothing out Hakimi's frizzy hair as if to calm him down. Her tone suddenly softened, carrying a hint of newly learned flirtatiousness, as she said, "Of course, Onii-chan is really great, isn't he? I always feel so good..."
She reached out and hooked her arm around his neck, her cool fingertips deliberately tracing his prominent Adam's apple. Sure enough, although Banami's face remained tense, he almost couldn't suppress a smile.
Boys' happiness is really simple. Just praise them with clichéd words like "You're so great!" or "I'm dying!" Even if a boy knows it's probably a lie, he can't help but feel happy inside.
Taking advantage of the boy's wavering heart, the naive girl revealed her melancholy under the moonlight: "I'm just afraid that after Cinderella's magic wears off, she'll turn back into her old self, and the 'Ichinose Motoyo' who's with Onii-chan now will no longer exist."
I...I was really uneasy, so I only did it today...I'm sorry, Onii-chan."
The girl's voice was slightly choked with sobs, which was heartbreaking.
Banami suddenly turned to look at her. Her tearful appearance, like an abandoned little animal, instantly dissipated most of the anger he had been holding back all afternoon.
For both Aine and Banami, the Spirit Bomb was "Cinderella's magic," but only a limited accident.
But for this young girl who has just experienced her parents' divorce and is filled with anxiety, it's perfectly normal for her to be afraid of "disappearing."
Thinking about this, Banami seemed to understand Suze's tough and outrageous behavior today. What did she do wrong? She just wanted to leave her mark in this accident.
"Idiot." He tightened his arms, holding the person even more securely. "You won't disappear. No matter which version of you you are, you're still my beloved Su Shi. Even if you turn back, you'll still have the memories you have now."
This kind of self-questioning was too profound for Banai to explain. She just wanted to try her best to comfort the girl in her arms and stop her from showing such a sad expression.
"Pfft-"
Before Banai could finish speaking tenderly, the girl in his arms suddenly burst into laughter. First, it was a soft "pfft," then it turned into a crisp "haha." Tears streamed down her face as she laughed, dripping onto his skin. All traces of her previous grievances were gone.
She poked Hanami's cheek with her wet fingers: "Onii-chan, you didn't actually believe what I just said, did you...?"
Banami's expression instantly stiffened, then she watched as the girl covered her lips, revealing a wicked, devilish smile: "Onii-chan, you wouldn't happen to be the type who's easily deceived by women, would you?"
Triangle Chuhua: Hey, how did you know?
Banami stared wide-eyed, her face full of confusion. Suze covered her mouth and laughed non-stop, her shoulders shaking violently, her yukata slipping down a bit, but she didn't care: "No wonder I want to be your mother in the future. With your soft-hearted nature, what if you get deceived by other girls outside? Your mother will really worry."
I want a younger mother, I want a younger mother.
"You...you little liar!" Banai was both angry and helpless. She raised her hand and pinched her chubby cheek, saying with some annoyance, "So what you just said was all a lie to me?"
Well, actually, lying to him isn't so bad, compared to the girl's heartbroken look.
Oh, poor Eighth Prince, being played like a puppet.
Hmm, is your palm normal?
"It's half true and half false." Su Shi stopped laughing, rested her head on his chest again, pressed her ear to his heartbeat, listened to the steady and strong "thump-thump" sound, and her voice softened, "Compared to the me who just went through my parents' divorce and was anxious every day, the me in the future who has Onii-chan by my side and a warm family is obviously much happier. Who would be afraid of becoming a happier version of themselves?"
And this confidence of mine comes entirely from Onii-chan, not from anyone else. It's because of you that my future is bright, and that's why I'm not afraid of "disappearing" now.
Banami's heartbeat gradually slowed down, and her chest felt warm, as if she were completely enveloped by hot spring water.
He was practically floating on air from the girl's praise, so he couldn't help but ask, "If you're not afraid of disappearing, then why today...?"
Seven times! Seven times! The boy felt a deep resentment towards this number.
Su Shi suddenly raised her head, the tenderness in her eyes turning into seductive allure, and lightly licked her lower lip with the tip of her tongue: "Of course it's because I'm lusting after Onii-chan's body..."
Hachimi's heart pounded. Hachimi, Tameda, the eighth time, we can't start it again!
"Splash—"
The harsh sound of the wooden sliding door suddenly shattered the tranquility of the men's bath, like a thunderclap thrown into a calm lake.
Hanami and Suze turned their heads at the same time and saw Chihaya Aine standing at the door. Her pink hair was messy and the collar of her yukata was crooked. She had obviously rushed over in a hurry. Her face was bloodless, with only the anger surging in her eyes. Her knuckles trembled slightly from the force.
Hey, Anon-chan, why is your head so pointy... no, it's green.
The truth will eventually come out, and their secret was eventually discovered!
She bit her lower lip, her face ashen, and walked in step by step. The heat from the hot spring did nothing to ease her expression: "Do you two think I'm stupid?"
The battleground under the moonlight, now activated!
Let's fight! Let's fight!
Chapter Thirty Xiao Su: I slept with your man for the sake of justice.
The steam from the men's soup was still rising, but it couldn't suppress the trembling in Ai Yin's voice.
She clenched her fists, her pink hair disheveled by the steam, her eyes reddening, but she bit her lip hard to stop the tears from falling: "You two, do you really think I'm stupid and easy to fool?!"
Actually, Aine had sensed something unusual starting in the afternoon. She was just oblivious, not stupid, and her unusual behavior didn't escape her notice. To be honest, Banami, feeling guilty, didn't hide it very well.
More importantly, there was the "helplessness" he displayed in bed just now.
Based on the few words Miss Xiangzi usually utters, this is almost impossible.
There's only one explanation for this.
If the child isn't eating, it means they've eaten out and gotten full.
As for the object of her affections... she couldn't believe it at first, until she saw the two embracing in the men's bath, and all her guesses became undeniable facts.
A wave of betrayal overwhelmed her, anger mixed with resentment choking her throat, making even breathing painful. Seeing this, Banai hastily released Suze, her yukata slipping down to her waist, and stammered, "Anon-chan, it's not what you think, I..."
But the words caught in his throat—he was indeed doing something insatiable.
But I don't want to do anything that would make Anon sad.
Su Shi was much calmer than him. She straightened her loose bathrobe, walked up to Ai Yin, and spoke in a calm tone as if she were talking about something insignificant, "Ai Yin, don't be angry. I did all of this voluntarily, and it was all to help you."
"Help me?" Ai Yin felt like she had heard the biggest joke in the world. More than being angry, she was shocked by the other party's shamelessness, which was still trying to justify himself.
You ruined my date, ruined my first experience, and slept with my man, all for my own good?
Oh ho ho, you're exaggerating how dirty you are.
Ai Yin is silly, but not to this extent. She rarely puts away her usual naivety, and her face is as black as the bottom of a pot.
Su Shi wasn't intimidated by her anger. Instead, she took a half-step forward and looked directly into her eyes: "Think carefully, why would I, in the future, borrow your power? Even if it means transforming myself into my likeness to help you create the perfect body so that you can successfully unite with Onii-chan—do you really think it's because of 'friendship'?"
Aine's expression froze instantly, and she subconsciously retorted, "Y-Of course! We're best friends!"
But after saying it, Aine also felt that her words were a little strange.
Xiao Su Shi sneered, "I think you're really stupid. How come I didn't know I was such a good person, and so dedicated to creating opportunities for you to sleep with my man?"
Ai Yin was speechless, thinking to herself that what the other person said did make some sense.
"Am I not that boring woman who always has a sour face, is full of petty schemes, and comes up with ideas that only end up backfiring?" Xiao Su Shi coldly evaluated herself again.
Ai Yin, sweating slightly, said: "You're insulting yourself, but you don't need to go to this extent."
But thinking about it carefully, although the two had formed an "Ai-Su Alliance," Su Shi's initiative to go to such lengths for her now seemed rather unusual. Her faith in friendship began to crumble, and seeds of doubt began to be sown in Ai-Yin's heart.
She sniffed, suppressing her grievances: "Then why did she do that? And what does this have to do with you stealing... with you and Xi Jun having an affair?"
Banami seemed to have become an outsider, watching the two debate, thinking to herself, "How come Aine seems to be being led astray by the girl?"
Su Shi slowly dropped a bombshell: "The future me will help you so that you can avoid potential pitfalls."
"Take a thunderbolt?" Ai Yin's eyes widened, completely bewildered.
"She heard from Misaka Hatsuka that it would hurt a lot the first time she did it with Onii-chan," Suze said, glancing at Banami with a hint of disdain in her eyes. "She was terrified herself and didn't dare to try it, so she deliberately tricked you into going first."
If it really hurts, you're the one who'll be embarrassed. With you at the bottom, she can still hide beautifully.
If it's fake, then it'll be perfectly logical for her to be with her older brother.
Both Hanami and Aine were stunned.
These words sounded absurd, yet strangely, they held a certain persuasive power in the hearts of the two. After all, this kind of crooked idea was very similar to Su Shi's mind, which was full of her own little schemes.
Compared to inexplicable friendships, this kind of selfish scheming is more like Nagasaki Motoyo, who loves to play the clever trick.
"You're lying!" Aine took a step back, shaking her head as she shouted, "Soyorin wouldn't do this to me! We're best friends!"
Hanami sighed inwardly: Ah, no, Anon-chan, you really believe that...
You're really stupid.
Su Shi didn't say anything more, but instead took out an irrefutable piece of evidence. She took out her phone from her yukata pocket and showed it to Aine. It contained Su Shi's thought process and the original intention of her plan. Because it had a timestamp, it couldn't have been modified in the last few days.
"I suspect that Triangle Chuhua is trying to fool me, but I don't dare to try it."
If it were true, it would be too inappropriate and shameful for me to scream in front of Xi Jun in pain.
This will definitely be something Xi Jun will laugh at for the rest of his life. No, I absolutely can't do it like this.
"Letting Aine test the waters is perfect. She's easygoing; I can go in after she's done. Perfect."
Ai Yin was stunned. It seemed that the betrayal of her best friend was a greater blow than the two people in front of her having an affair.
Clutching her phone, tears streamed down her face, her voice choked with sobs: "How could she... how could she do this to me..."
Suze gently nudged Banami's waist at just the right moment. Banami immediately reacted, quickly stepped forward, and carefully put her arm around Aine's shoulder: "Anon-chan, don't be sad, I'm here."
Aine struggled symbolically for a moment, then leaned closer to him. The boy's warm body temperature emanated through her yukata, calming her flustered heart slightly.
She sniffed, looked up at Su Shi, and her anger had mostly subsided, leaving only annoyance: "Then what does your doing this with Xi Jun have to do with this? Don't try to change the subject!"
Su Shi put away her phone, her expression suddenly becoming "extremely serious," and she even straightened her small body: "Because I don't agree with my future self."
How can I transfer my suffering onto someone else? So I have to get together with Onii-chan first—to confirm if it's really as painful as she says, so you'll be prepared later.
She paused, her eyes sincere as if making a vow: "I did it for you, with Onii-chan; I took advantage of him for 'justice'."
At this moment, Xiao Su Shi was facing away from the bathroom light, and it seemed as if holy light was emanating from the back of her head.
Chapter Thirty-One: The X-Guide Without Hypnosis (Third Update)
"I rushed ahead for justice, for you." Su Shi's voice was firm and resolute, as if she were reciting some solemn oath, which left Ai Yin somewhat bewildered.
She felt something was off, and her heart was like a lake with ripples spreading outwards after a stone was thrown in—but this twisted logic precisely hit her resentment towards "Future Su Shi scheming against her," causing her originally burning anger to flicker and become a chaotic mess.
"Onii-chan, you go back to your room first. I have something to say to Aine-neechan."
You'll Also Like
-
Douluo Continent: Transmigrating into Huo Yuhao's world and inheriting the Angel of Time
Chapter 113 2 hours ago -
American Comics: Today's Big News
Chapter 469 2 hours ago -
Hogwarts: The Witch Education Handbook
Chapter 616 2 hours ago -
Battle Through the Heavens: Even without the Burning Flame Technique, I, Xiao Yan, still became an e
Chapter 146 2 hours ago -
Starting from the two realms, cultivating immortality by taming beasts
Chapter 621 2 hours ago -
In an American comic book world, you start with a horse charm.
Chapter 75 2 hours ago -
Swallowing the Stars: The Rise of Emperor Wei
Chapter 170 2 hours ago -
Doomsday Mechanic: My Train Can Be Modified Infinitely
Chapter 95 2 hours ago -
Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn
Chapter 206 2 hours ago -
Pirate: I'm about to do something big!
Chapter 69 2 hours ago