Can Lixi look at me alone?

I command you not to break.

The man lying on the ground took another swig of wine.

"That's why you're willing to stay by my side, Xiangzi, right? No matter what happens to you, she'll always be there to protect you, that's why you can keep hanging around in front of me..."

Confidence...?

What gives me the confidence to be Xiao Xiang?

Jieyue turned around and looked at Xiangzi, whose eyes were filled with tears.

"No, I... Yuzuki is just my good friend, there's nothing more between us!"

Shoko, who denied that she intended to take advantage of Yuzuki, kept trying to explain to her father, but no matter what she did, she could not succeed.

"No other relationship? Then you have nothing to do with me anymore! I don't have a daughter like you! Take whatever you want from this house, then disappear from my sight!"

The man casually shoved Jieyue aside and then forcefully pushed Xiangzi out, telling her to pack her things and get out.

Jieyue watched as Xiangzi was pushed out of the room, and also watched as the man waved a wine bottle as if to smash it at Xiangzi.

She suddenly found it somewhat ridiculous that she had envied Xiangzi for having a happy and fulfilling family when she was a child.

In retrospect, Xiangzi's father was no different from a good-for-nothing.

After kicking his daughter out, the man returned to his dark room, lay on the floor, and started drinking beer again, ignoring Yuzuki who was still in the room.

After glancing at Xiangzi and noticing that she was secretly crying, Yuzuki made a decision.

She picked up a glass bottle and smashed it hard on Xiangzi's father's head.

She was prepared for the man to retaliate, but he just glanced at her and then continued drinking.

This made Yuzuki feel ignored.

She wasn't afraid of the man's revenge, but she resented being ignored like this by someone she looked down on.

So she decided to do something that a man couldn't ignore.

She held the shattered beer bottle in her hand, pointing the sharp shards of glass at the man's throat. Then she forcefully stabbed it in.

With a scream, the man clutched his bleeding neck. Fortunately, Yuzuki wasn't strong enough to kill him.

It was just a little blood.

Seeing that it was effective, Yuzuki prepared to continue thrusting, but the man dodged her attack, so she stopped.

"What, after getting beaten up, you're like a piece of trash, only knowing how to hide? You only dare to act like that towards Xiao Xiang?"

She saw the man nod in agreement.

"I only dared to do that to Xiao Xiang, I wouldn't dare to do that to you..."

The man, who appeared drunk, was actually quite sober; in a single sentence...

This made even the desire to continue cursing him disappear.

Nobody gets angry with a piece of trash; if they do, they're not trash enough.

Looking at the useless person in front of her, Yuzuki could no longer muster any desire to attack. After throwing away the bottle in her hand, she left the room filled with a strange smell.

He covered his mouth and nose and went to the bathroom.

She vomited up all the breakfast she had eaten at the hospital that morning while holding the toilet.

Nobody knows how she managed to stay in that small room for so long.

The mingled stench of various kinds made her marvel at the incredible resilience of human life.

While thinking about it, I also wondered why Xiangzi was unwilling to tell her that her father was a good-for-nothing.

Isn't the answer obvious? No normal person would think it's normal to tell others about something like this.

Huh? Is that how it is? I thought we were normal people now…

As she got up, holding onto the toilet seat, the pink-haired girl still felt waves of nausea and vomiting. She had no choice but to lean against the wall and leave the bathroom to get some fresh air in Xiangzi's well-ventilated bedroom.

And so, two girls, their faces as pale as paper, met in the cramped room.

Despite crying, Shoko, trying to control her emotions and care for Yuzuki, closed her bedroom door.

"Yueyue, how are you feeling? Is there anything wrong with you...? Also, did Daddy do anything to you?"

Your dad disgusts me to death.

After thinking about it for a moment, Yuzuki felt that the answer was a bit too hurtful, so she shook her head and didn't say it.

"No, he...didn't do anything. It was Xiao Xiang who..."

She suddenly fell silent.

This was the first time she had ever said something disgusting to Xiao Xiang in order to amuse herself.

How would a normal person handle this situation? Being unilaterally severed from one's parent-child relationship by one's own biological father... it seems like we can't handle it no matter how we think about it.

What should you say when you lose a loved one? Something like "please accept my condolences" or "take care of yourself," right?

But isn't her father still alive?

But can her father still call her father now?

The complicated relationship left both of them somewhat bewildered, so they tried to find a way to cheer Xiangzi up.

Or rather, don't just lie there crying and do nothing else; you're a spineless coward.

"Xiao Xiang?"

Xiangzi, clutching his still throbbing shoulder, softly responded to Jieyue's call.

"I'm here. Are you getting anxious, Yuzuki? Sorry... I'll start packing right away..."

Although I really wanted to say "please accept my condolences" and see how Xiaoxiang's expression would turn, Yuzuki wasn't that kind of person. She wouldn't make such a cruel joke at a time like this.

Although it's unclear when Uncle Toyokawa became like this, we still need to comfort Xiaoxiang.

After all, seeing Xiao Xiang with tears streaming down his face, yet still trying to pack his things, made her feel a little sorry for him.

……

The man pushed open the door and watched the two girls embracing each other as discreetly as possible. Then he silently watched them wipe away each other's tears, pack their bags, and leave the room.

He only breathed a sigh of relief the moment Xiangzi gently closed the door.

My alcohol tolerance is much higher than that.

Xiangzi...

I'm not a good father; I can't provide you with a better life. But at least I can make sure you... have a slightly better life.

Yuzuki is a good girl; she won't do anything to you. Whether you go to be with her or atone for your sins, at least by her side, you can still have a happy adolescence that belongs to you.

A youth where you don't need to worry too much about reality.

I have plenty of ways to keep myself from starving, so don't worry about me. Cut ties with me and go back to your mother... the Toyokawa family won't mistreat you.

Goodbye, my daughter.

……

Xiangzi couldn't help but squeeze her companion's cold, soft hand even tighter. She had never imagined that one day she would feel so...happy because of Yuzuki's company.

"Xiao Xiang? What's wrong?"

Her gentle smile made her involuntarily look away.

"Thank you, Yuzuki."

Thank you for helping me, and thank you for keeping it a secret after you knew everything.

Thank you for always being on my side.

Although Yuzuki was simply worried that Shoko would be ruined, she still accepted the gratitude.

"It's okay, because... it's Xiao Xiang."

Haha, that's what I'll say! Xiao Xiang will think I like her! That way, I'll see some really funny expressions... I'm sure I will!

She was disappointed.

Xiangzi's expression remained calm.

She calmly concluded that she hadn't yet emerged from the shadow of losing her father.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Xiang... please accept my condolences."

It should be okay to say it now.

Xiao Xiang, who I made cry, also looks quite funny.

He offered her his shoulder to lean on for a while, letting his tears soak his clothes.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Xiang... I shouldn't have said that..."

You can't be forceful with Xiangzi; you have to act like this...show weakness to her! Only in this way...will Xiangzi willingly feel uncomfortable.

"No, no! It's my...my fault."

Xiao Xiang has admitted his mistake.

Happy!

"Let's go buy some ingredients, I'll cook in a bit..."

The girl, having had her fill of fun, was about to take care of some serious business when Xiangzi forcefully pushed her down onto a chair on the side of the street.

"Then there's no need."

No longer needed?

Jieyue, who had just vomited at Xiangzi's house for a while, saw her own face on her phone. She tried to hold on a little longer, but Xiangzi patted her head.

"It's alright, Mutsuki and Riki will understand. There's no need to cook for them all the time. Let's rest today and go shopping..."

Xiangzi was stunned.

What should we buy?

Should I buy fast food? Or a near-expiry bento box? Are these foods really suitable?

If Yuzuki hadn't pointed out the restaurant next door, she would have almost forgotten that you could actually get takeout.

Jieyue generously handed the bag full of takeout containers to Xiaoxiang, asking her to help carry them home with her. She had packed several servings of pork chop rice and buckwheat noodles.

Feeling somewhat disgusted by the midday sun, and already feeling unwell, Yuzuki glanced at the taxis parked by the roadside and considered taking one... but quickly abandoned the idea.

After all, she couldn't let Xiao Xiang walk back alone; who knew if he would run away on the way?

She couldn't let her toy just leave like that.

At least until she's had her fill of fun.

The sight of the pink-haired girl swaying slightly made Xiangzi feel uneasy, so he had to support her to prevent her from suddenly falling.

And so, with one hand carrying the things and the other arm around Yuzuki's waist.

If Hai Ling hadn't known Toyokawa Shoko, the keyboardist for Crychic, she would have chosen to report a human trafficking incident to the police.

Dividing line

I'm so sorry, everyone, I'm just really exhausted.

I have to attend classes, review, and write all at the same time; I have absolutely no desire to type even when I pick up the keyboard.

I need to rest for three days.

I'm very sorry, I will be taking a break from December 5th to December 7th, a total of three days.

I need to rest.

Don't worry about the author running away; the author will try to build up a backlog of chapters during this time.

I love you all, and thank you to each and every one of you.

Also, the storyline for Xiang's father was what I envisioned from the beginning; it wasn't influenced by anything else.