Can Lixi look at me alone?

Knowing that Xiangzi wouldn't accept the gift so easily, Jieyue pointed to the cake base hidden under the cream.

"I love this! Xiang, would you like to trade with me?"

I don't like to eat... I want to eat cream.

No, I shouldn't be thinking about cream... I should like...

Chewing on the dry cake base, Jieyue couldn't quite tell the difference between it and bread.

I want to eat cream.

I really want to eat cream...

I don't like eating these.

She's just a child.

Why must we try to please Xiangzi?

She hid her features under her hair; this was the only time she could relax a little in front of Xiang.

You don't need to keep laughing anymore.

The corners of her mouth that had been turned up gradually slid down, and she suddenly remembered what had just happened.

The pink doll in this storybook.

Will she make the same choice as me?

Will she also, behind those dolls... try her best not to be swept into the trash heap?

No, it won’t…

The deity is very gentle... and would not do such a thing.

But I haven't met my divine being yet.

Mu gently put a spoonful of cream into her mouth.

She saw that Yuzuki liked this, although she didn't understand why Yuzuki would give all the cream to Xianglai in exchange for the cake base that she didn't like.

But Mu understands that Jieyue is unhappy right now.

She didn't want her friend to be unhappy.

Mu smiled at her to calm her down, and Jieyue, who had been stimulated by a bite of cream, swallowed the bitter cake base again.

If you can't finish the food, you'll get annoyed again.

Just as Yuzuki had finished eating and was about to get a drink of water, she heard the butler knocking on the door.

"Ladies, dinner is in ten minutes."

Then let's eat less and drink more soup tonight.

Jieyue responded while helping Xiang clean up the mess.

Having already made her plans, the girl washed her hands and followed Xiang, sitting slightly behind her. This was Xiang's favorite spot when others were with her.

Perhaps she herself doesn't even know...?

Jieyue sipped the clear soup slowly, intending to just get by like this for the night.

"Yuzuki~ How about we have a contest to see who can eat more?"

Yuzuki did not feel any negative emotions such as anger or sadness.

Perhaps she's become numb to it all along, after all, this kind of thing has happened many times before.

This kind of life has been going on for a very, very long time.

She grew up until Xiangzi and Mu were used to her presence, and she became so skilled at making Xiangzi happy at all times.

"I will not lose to Xiang!"

……

After Xiangzi left, he found an excuse to sneak into the bathroom, turned on the tap to cover the noise, and then vomited all the excess food in his bloated stomach into the toilet.

Flowing clouds and flowing water.

Yuzuki had no idea how many times she had done something similar.

After taking care of everything, I left and returned to Mu's bedroom.

Mu, who was supposed to have classes at this time, had some free time because of her arrival. The two little girls snuggled together, feeling each other's body heat.

Yuzuki knew that Mutsuki's parents were very busy, so they couldn't take care of her often.

Mutsuki felt that Yuzuki's parents were similar to her own; she had only met the couple once, when Yuzuki arrived.

Yuzuki and I look alike.

She felt much closer to this girl.

Xiao Mu and I are so alike…

Jieyue hugged Mu tightly.

We are all Xiang's toys.

The pink-haired little girl gently stroked Mu's head.

Her parents never spent time with her when she was little.

Jieyue didn't know what being busy meant, nor did she know what the adults were busy with every day.

All she knew was that her parents loved her.

Before coming to Muji, Jieyue's daily life was very regular.

All actions must revolve around the telephone in the living room.

Whether playing alone, watching the servants clean the room, or playing with several maids.

She would stay close to that phone, never leaving it.

Because this was the only thing she could hear her parents' voices from.

"Little Jieyue, your mom and dad love you very much, but we're just too busy... so we can't be with you."

"Little Jieyue, grow up well and don't cause trouble for Mom and Dad. Then Mom and Dad will come back to be with you!"

"Did you have a happy day today, Xiaojie?"

Her parents only have a short time to call her each day.

She had lost count of how many times she had heard the phone ring while eating, only to find it had been disconnected when she ran outside.

It was as if it had never been played at all.

Sometimes, she feels like... the phone keeps ringing, but she's always a step too late.

But she was a good girl, a good girl.

You should listen to your parents.

If I don't cause trouble for my parents, they will come back to see me sooner... right?

"Yueyue learned how to write two characters today!"

"Yuzue is happy every day, and she's happy to be with the maids!"

"..."

When will you come back to see me?

She can't even quite remember what her parents look like anymore.

But she's a good girl... she can't cause trouble for her parents...

I can't say I'm unhappy...

However, she soon met her biological parents.

They took her out for a day, buying her lots of delicious food, fun toys, and pretty clothes.

"Little Yue, would you like to make friends with other children?"

She understood what answer her parents wanted to hear.

"miss you!"

And so, Yuzuki was sent to a big house.

There were no familiar servants here, only a little girl about her age.

Her parents said a lot to her that day.

She remembers every single word.

A very important girl is coming soon, and I want to be friends with her.

You can't upset her; you have to make her happy.

My parents need me to make them happy, and as long as I do that... they will be very happy.

She greeted Toyokawa Shoko with a smile.

From that day on, she discovered that some people's lives could be like this...

It turns out that some people can be with their parents anytime, anywhere. They can ask their parents to play any game with them, and even if their parents make a mistake, they don't have to take any responsibility.

Jieyue didn't understand why she had to come and coax her.

Every time Xiangzi was unhappy, she had to comfort him.

When she's unhappy, Xiangzi also becomes unhappy.

In the end, she still had to coax him.

She didn't understand why.

Why do my parents want me to be friends with such a troublesome person?

Until one day, when Xiang was playing with them, he fell and landed on Mu.

Although no scars were left, Mutsu still shed a few tears from the pain and was taken to find an adult by Shoko and Yuzuki.

Jieyue remembered that she was a woman who was very close to Xiangzi.

After she coaxed the three of them to go play, she started chatting with the people around her.

Yuzuki, who hadn't returned to her room, overheard their conversation.

“It is their responsibility and duty to dedicate themselves to the children of the Toyokawa family.”

What is responsibility? What is obligation?

I've never encountered these two words before.

So she always remembered that sentence, hoping that one day she would understand its meaning.

The studious little girl searched for a long time before she understood the meaning of this sentence.

Responsibility corresponds to obligation

Obligations correspond to rights

Yuzuki understood.

She was kind and gentle, the kind of person adults believed should dedicate themselves to Xiangzi.

They shouldered the obligations and responsibilities of serving Xiangzi, and in return, they gained rights...

It should be in Mom and Dad's hands.

Yuzuki understood that she was a pawn on the chessboard, used for exchange.

The pieces to be exchanged.

But she didn't feel sad.

She was a good child, a good child who listened to her parents.