Can Lixi look at me alone?

Volume 1 Crychic! Chapter 163: Children, I'm Back!

"Yue? Are you sick?"

Hai Ling nodded to the blue-haired girl as a greeting, then half-forcefully snatched Jie Yue from her arms.

The slightly dizzy girl was caught off guard and thrown off balance. Instinctively, she grabbed onto whatever was nearby that could serve as a 'handrail' to steady herself and avoid falling.

As Yuzuki wrapped her arms around her neck as if she were being pampered, Hailing patted her head after noticing the stares around them.

Hai Ling wasn't afraid of those stares, but she didn't think Jie Yue was afraid either.

But in any case, Xiangzi must have been afraid.

Hailing nodded in satisfaction as she watched Xiangzi immediately call a taxi to avoid being mistaken for being with the two people.

They really have a good sense of self-awareness...

"Hai Ling..."

The soft voice whispered in the girl's ear sent a shiver through her, and she quickly stroked the girl's head to comfort her.

"I'm here."

Who asked if you were there? You chased my toys away!

Somewhat unhappy, Yuzuki bit her skin hard, though she didn't use much force because she was afraid of hurting her... but still left a somewhat ambiguous tooth mark.

"hiss…"

Unable to guess whether Yuzuki was punishing herself for something she had done wrong, was simply being coquettish, or had ulterior motives, Hailing came up with the best solution.

Hearing the gasp, Jieyue, thinking she had really hurt Hailing, hurriedly raised her head to check on Hailing's injury.

But someone has already placed their lips there, waiting for their prey to walk into their trap.

"Is this revenge for Yuzuki's prank last time?"

The pink-haired girl was stunned for a moment.

Then I'll play more pranks in the future.

Xiangzi waved to Hailing, signaling her to quickly bring Jieyue over to get in the car.

Hailing helped Jieyue into the taxi and sat next to her. Through the rearview mirror, she made eye contact with Xiangzi, whose face didn't look too good.

She and Yuzuki have a really good relationship / She and Yuzuki don't have a very good relationship.

Both of them defined the other.

The girl they labeled was thinking about what to eat for lunch, and also... figuring out how to play with her beloved Xiao Xiang.

Hailing is her member friend, but she doesn't want to share the toy Xiaoxiang with Hailing.

Why is this?

She couldn't figure it out herself, but... she just could feel it.

She didn't want to share her things.

Just like someone in the past, I would never share my beloved toys... not even with my best friends.

"Hai Ling, could you help me put these at home... Xiao Xiang, how about you come with me to buy some groceries?"

It may seem like a question, but neither Xiangzi nor Hailing would refuse such a common request, so the question turned into an order.

"Okay, be careful on the road. Call me if you feel unwell or encounter any difficulties. Otherwise, I'll get angry."

Hai-ling, delighted that Yuzuki had achieved a new record in the 'Don't Get Hurt Challenge', gently bit her ear.

Yuzuki's progress made her happy and gave her a sense of accomplishment.

With my help, Yuzuki is getting better and better.

He got out of the car in front of the villa and waved goodbye to the pink-haired girl sitting in the back seat.

Hai Ling gently knocked on the security door. She couldn't believe that Jie Yue would have the heart to leave her waiting at her doorstep.

The sound of the door opening was a bit jarring, but it didn't matter at all if it was Mutsuki... Yuzuki's feelings for Mutsuki weren't...

What came into view was a pair of purple eyes.

Hai Ling, who for a moment thought that Li Xi was waiting at Jie Yue's house to threaten her, shrugged.

Mu, standing behind Lixi, proved the man's innocence.

so, what happened?

Hai Ling smiled and looked at Mu, hoping to hear an explanation.

And Li Xi happened to give her this explanation.

"Yatsuki just returned from the hospital, so it's not convenient for her to receive guests... Please leave."

If Yuzuki just returned from the hospital, Mutsuki should know about it. Why then is Shiina still standing here? That means Yuzuki's injury has nothing to do with Shiina, and Shiina must have done something else...

So Yuzuki forgave her, or at least temporarily forgave her.

He quickly figured out what had happened and lowered his guard, greeting them in a friendly manner.

"Could you explain why Yuzuki just returned from the hospital?"

I didn't see any wounds in the car earlier, could she be sick? Even though she usually looks this pale…

Thus, Yuzuki's new record in the "Don't Get Injured Challenge" was confirmed by referee Hailin to be fabricated, and she was disqualified from the competition.

However, Yuzuki, who was trying to lure Xiaoxiang to the high-end ingredients section, didn't care about this. She was busy enjoying Xiaoxiang's adorable expression as he sullenly tried to convince himself that many of the high-end ingredients were not as good as ordinary ones.

"Is that so? But I'm already used to those foods... It's okay if Xiao Xiang minds! I'll..."

Xiangzi was silent for a moment.

"It's alright, Yuzuki."

She spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

"Let's go buy what you want to eat, I'll do whatever you say..."

Soft fingertips gently brushed across the corner of the girl's eyes, wiping away a few tears from Yuzuki's eyes.

I almost made Yuzuki cry again... I'm so terrible.

Didn't you clearly make up your mind to make Yuzuki happy no matter what? Why are you making Yuzuki accommodate you in this place and at this time?

Ultimately, isn't it my fault for not being able to accept these things?

Unaware that she was crying again, Yuzuki took Xiaoxiang's hand.

Her attention was completely drawn to the words, "Let's go buy what you want, I'll do whatever you say."

Because this phrase was very familiar to her; it was something she often said when she accompanied Xiangzi to the store as a child.

Very happy.

This act of putting herself in someone else's shoes, putting herself in the position she had always wanted to be, brought her waves of pleasure.

She finally understood what it felt like to have a well-behaved toy.

"Yes! Xiao Xiang is the best!"

Xiao Xiang has never said anything like this before, but... I will.

She held Xiangzi's warm palm tightly, and playfully traced a few circles on his skin with her index finger, making Xiangzi blush.

That's amazing... Xiao Xiang, Xiao Xiang's reaction is just so amazing, so cute!

Jieyue covered the corner of her mouth and coughed softly for a while.

After the intense pleasure came a sense of emptiness. Yuzuki hated this emptiness. It made her feel like she wasn't alive, that she was still acting consciously, instead of sleepwalking.

She began to ponder the source of her pleasure, and the answer she could find was: because Xiao Xiang was cute, so teasing Xiao Xiang made her happy.

She used to always be the one accommodating Xiao Xiang, but now it's Xiao Xiang's turn to accommodate her, so she feels very happy.

So why are you unhappy now?

Forcing a smile, while casually tossing things into the shopping cart that Xiangzi was pushing, Yuzuki, who was talking to her inner voice, gave her answer.

I do not know.

I'm not afraid that I'll ruin Xiao Xiang, nor am I worried that someone else will take Xiao Xiang away from me.

I just feel unhappy. Seeing Xiaoxiang's unhappy face, his forced smile... makes me feel unhappy from the bottom of my heart.

Perhaps it's because of past habits, but I've become accustomed to considering her needs in every way.

That's all, thank you!

He thanked the salesperson and then handed two full shopping bags to Xiao Xiang.

It's okay, even if you're tired, you still have to help me carry my things.

I know I'll feel bad later for making you do chores, but at least for now I can feel a surge of happiness from your expression.

The present is always more important than the future.

"Xiao Xiang~ I also bought you the snail meat you like! It was just made today, and I hope the express shipping will allow you to eat it tomorrow..."

Yes, yes, that humiliated expression, that expression of having no choice but to depend on me, it's just... amazing!

The pink-haired girl wanted to hold the hand of the toy next to her, but because her hands were already full of things, and Yuzuki didn't want to modify her into having a third hand, she had no choice but to grab the hem of her clothes instead.

Carrying two heavy shopping bags while also leading a girl by the hand, Xiangzi, who had only eaten a little something a dozen hours earlier and had been sleeping poorly, forced himself to walk step by step toward Jieyue's house.

Are we going to live here from now on?

She couldn't help but think about what had just happened. People really do grow up; she could actually accept the fact that her father had become like this.

If she were still at Toyokawa's house and encountered this situation, she would probably be at a loss for a long time.

The bruise on my shoulder still seems to be throbbing slightly.

But the next second, the spot where the beer bottle had hit felt a gentle caress.

Yuzuki also thought of that place, and her concerned, deep blue eyes made Xiangzi slow down a little.

"Xiao Xiang...? Does it still hurt here?"

She continued walking blankly, step by step moving towards her new place of refuge.

Am I very unfortunate?

Xiangzi felt the answer to this question was yes.

A father like this could never make her happy, but... she looked at the girl beside her who always had a gentle smile on her face.

What about the month of reckoning?

Am I unhappy, but will I be happy in my next marriage?

Yuzuki's parents personally sold her to the Toyokawa family so that I could have another playmate... This is, to put it more politely, human trafficking. After Yuzuki developed problems, they weren't even willing to pay a little more attention to her... or spend more time with her.

Now, Yuzuki is almost ready to enter high school. Yet, they still let her live alone outside.

No matter what kind of father he was, at least he gave me a happy childhood.

Even if her mother was somewhat cold-hearted towards her father, even if her father had become like this... these were things that Yuzuki had never experienced.

So... why are you always smiling?

You're laughing, and I can only laugh along with you. But I don't want to laugh...

Yeah, I understand. You used to feel this way too, right? All alone, living under someone else's roof... and because they couldn't bear to make me sad, they laughed with me.

Is this your revenge on me, Yuzuki?

If so…

You're such a hopelessly gentle idiot.

"Xiao Xiang...?"

Oh, I forgot to answer you.

"It doesn't hurt."