Absolute Zone Zero: I am a Succubus in Six Points Street

"Eh? Airen likes people like this~"

"No, it's not because of work... I just simply like you..."

Although the habit of being a playboy cannot be changed...

Ailian added this in her heart. As a girl, she was still very shy when talking about love with others, especially when the other person was a friend she had just met.

"Yeah, I get it! I recently met someone like that, and I'll be preparing a gift for him this time too!"

Jiayin couldn't help but think of Zhe, and so did Ailian in front of her.

"Then let's think about it while we look for the lattice flower."

"Okay."

Ailian did not refuse. During the following empty journey, she collected things and thought about the gift.

"Yeah, that went very smoothly! This will be enough for the lattice flower."

"So fast……"

Ailian was somewhat surprised at how quickly the commission was completed, and Jiayin, who had put the things away, also looked at her.

"Oh, that's right, I haven't come up with any good ideas for Ellen yet!"

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Ailian shook his head.

"I just thought about it, no need."

"Eh? No, no—"

Jiayin's tone was a little excited, and Ailian hurriedly explained in order to avoid being misunderstood.

"I mean, I should figure this out myself. Just like you would personally come to the cave and collect the lattice flowers one by one for your partner.

I will also invest time and effort in him. That way, this gift will be unique.”

After hearing this, Jiayin nodded in understanding.

"I see. I understand. Airen wants to think for herself."

"I think only by doing it myself can I create something that best represents [us]. It's a bit troublesome though..."

"Well, just seeing the other person's expression when they open their gift makes it all worth it!"

The two reached a consensus on this point, both sides were happy about it, and naturally became friends.

On the way back, Jiayin felt a little bored, so she took the initiative to talk to Ailian next to her about love.

"Aileen, Ailian~ Tell me more about your boyfriend. I want to hear more details!"

Jiayin couldn't help but feel curious about the gossip mentality of this kind of content. Moreover, they were new friends, and chatting about this kind of topic was the easiest way to enhance friendship.

"I've told you all this before..."

“I want to know more!”

Unable to resist Jiayin's questioning, Ailian recalled everything about Zhe and told her all the good things about him.

"...Even though there was a big accident on a date, and VR and things like that are pretty cool, I think he's the best. Anyone who can win... right?"

Ailian acted as if it was a matter of course when she said this, but Jiayin clenched her fists in dissatisfaction after hearing this.

"I know Ailian likes him... and I understand that he's very powerful as you said, but... what's going on?"

"Ah? Because it's true."

Ailian recalled that some time ago, Zhe broke the record of arcade games, and no one has been able to surpass it so far, but her attitude made Jiayin unable to help herself.

"Well... I don't mean to belittle Airen's boyfriend at all. But the strongest person in this area should be my friend! He's the best!"

"what……"

Jiayin's somewhat childish remarks made Ailian feel a little stunned, but both sides had their own opinions on this point.

Neither side expected that the person the other was talking about was the same person. After all, one of them was a household name in New Alidu.

The other was a Victorian domestic worker who handled business for the upper class.

Not long after, the two left the cave, and Elen prepared to say goodbye.

"Well, I'm going back to insomnia."

"Come on! When Ailian is done, please send me a photo~"

"Okay."

After returning home that night, Ailian hugged Zhe's body in bed and confirmed it several times, which made the latter feel confused.

Don't we usually just hold each other and fall asleep after we're done? Why are you moving around so much today?

……

In front of Guangying Shopping Mall, Ling stretched lazily with emotion.

"Finally I can relax... New Year's Day is just a few days away, so it's time to say that... No matter what happens, let's talk about it [after the New Year].

Alas, I actually wanted to say this a month ago. Originally, I went to the concert to relax... "

"Don't worry, everything will be fine."

Zhe reached out and touched Ling's head to comfort her, but the latter quickly waved her hand when she heard this.

"...Brother, please take that back... Um, wait, where's Ies?"

Ling was just trying to tell her brother not to say anything unlucky, but suddenly she found that Bomb was missing.

"Over there, Master."

Odilea pointed her hand not far away and saw Ies talking to another Bomb. Looking closely, wasn't that Emilian?

Chapter 361 Nicole's Repayment Plan

"Yeah! Hmm! Hmm? (Ies! Competition! Competition! Going?)"

"Hmm? (A competition? What kind of competition...?)"

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! (Big competition! Bomb beauty contest! Every year! Ies, don't you know?)"

After listening to Emilian's explanation, Ies mistakenly thought that the other party wanted it to go and cheer, but in fact the former wanted it to participate in the competition as well.

If they meet then, let Ies lose on purpose. That way, after Emilian wins, Nicole will even pay her back!

"Hmm, hmm... (Did Nico tell you that...? I won't believe it, and Tetsu and Ling certainly won't believe it...)"

After hearing this, the brother and sister who were listening on the side couldn't help but sigh, saying that Bangbu is indeed smart.

Seeing several people coming over, Emilian immediately turned around, and before leaving, she did not forget to repeatedly emphasize that Ies should participate in the competition.

Seeing this, the brother and sister wanted to ask Ies what exactly happened. When the latter was still hesitating, a light cough came from behind him, followed by a familiar voice.

"Excuse me, Miss, I have something urgent to ask of you. Could you please come with me?"

With mixed feelings, I followed Evelin to the riverside cafe...

"Zhe~! And Ling, did you miss me?!"

"Haven't we seen each other every day recently?"

Zhe's honest words immediately aroused Jiayin's dissatisfaction.

"Hey~~Will you stop missing me if we see each other every day?"

"Yes, I am thinking about it now."

"Hmph, I knew it! So~clang clang, it appears!"

After hearing the satisfactory answer, Jiayin's face instantly lit up with a smile. Her mood changed so quickly, perhaps she was too easy to coax...

"Come to think of it, why is there no one in the coffee shop today? Could it be..."

"Well, I've got it! It's convenient for us to talk about things~"

Jiayin said it as usual, which made Ling feel the arrogance of being rich, and the former spoke again.

"I wanted to go look for you guys at the video store, but you guys were out! I had to ask Eve to catch you... Didn't you miss anything important?"

"Nothing, just some family shopping."

"Then give the shopping list to Eve, and everything will be fine. I have something urgent and important to ask you, so..."

Before Jiayin finished speaking, Ling beside her silently raised her hand.

"Can we talk about it after the New Year?"

After all, the New Year is coming soon, and he really has no interest in working. Jiayin was only stunned for a moment before he reacted.

"Ah, I understand! I completely understand! I wanted to say that too... but this matter...

Hey~ The concert is finally over, and I really want to start my vacation now... But before New Year's, or rather, on New Year's Day, I still have one more task to do..."

"Huh? Work on New Year's Day? Can't we even take a break on the first day of the new year?"

But in fact, it was not as Zhe thought. Jiayin was not dissatisfied with working overtime at this time. On the contrary, she was a little happy.

"Well, how should I put it? It's actually midnight on New Year's Day, or even the eve of the New Year... Once I finish this, all my work for this year is done."

"New Year's work at midnight... Could it be that Jiayin is the star of this year's lighting?"

Now that things have come to this, how could Zhe not know? Jiayin was also very proud with one hand on her waist.

"You guessed it right! I'm the star of this year's lighting. There's no one more suitable than me~ hehe~"

Ling looked at the two people talking in front of her and asked without quite understanding.

"What on earth is going on with the Lighting Star..."

"It's the annual [Qisui Lantern Festival], the one that's supposed to be lit at midnight, remember? Although you fell asleep halfway through last year's New Year's performance and didn't see the lantern lighting ceremony.

Who was the star of last year’s lighting… But I remember last year’s lighting Bomb was very cute.”

Besides this, lighting the Bangbu lantern is a tradition of the Qisui Lantern Festival. Some people who are particular about it will even change the paint of the Bangbu lantern on the day of the Jin Tuojin Festival.

After all, once Tuojin Day is over, it will be a new year.

"By the way, Jiayin, did you know that Takujin Day is also a festival to commemorate the ancestors of rope craftsmen?"

"Huh? This is the first time I've heard of it—"

Jiayin looked at Zhe in surprise, and the latter continued to explain.

"Takujin Day means [the day when light begins], but there is actually another explanation.

Because, it was on that day that Joyce, for the first time, walked out of the void by independently calculating the path and brought out the first carrot in the history of Eridu...

Or rather, it was only after the birth of the radish that the history of the city of Eridu began to move forward.”

After all, in this apocalypse where void disasters are everywhere, only with the technology to escape from the void stably could the city builders of the time [use the disasters as mines], obtain ether resources from them, and build Eridu.

The reason why Bombu was asked to light the lamp was because of the legend that when Joyce walked out of the cave, there was a borrowed Bombu by his side.

That was the prototype of the Bangbu made by Ms. Wan Zhou herself. The first carrot was stored on this Bangbu.

"I see~ Since Takujinri still means this to the rope craftsman, then—you should agree to me!"

"Okay, I agree."

"Eh? Wait, wait, don't you need to listen to what I'm saying?"

"It won't be a bad thing anyway."

Zhe answered very confidently. At this moment, he probably had guessed what Jiayin was talking about.

Sure enough, just as he thought, the ceremony of lighting the New Year Lantern requires not only a lighting star, but also a partner named Bangbu.

Every year, the lighting of Bangbu is always the champion of [Lidu Bu].

"And I want Ies to win this year's championship. My lighting partner must be Ies!"

"OK?!"

Ies let out a sound of surprise, and Ling also thought of something at this time, and then looked at Bomb at his feet.

"I remember this is the annual Bombu beauty pageant, right? Could it be that Emilian came to Ies just now to talk about this?!"

"Yeah... (Yes... but...)"