Zongman: Beginning and Snow under the Rain Escape from Raccoon City

Nino Nakano bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "She said... since things have come to this, we might as well try to use the child to secure our future."

The kitchen fell into a brief silence, with only the slight vibration of the pot lid remaining.

"elder sister."

"do you know?"

“My father was very happy after receiving the funds yesterday. He successfully paid off his back wages, and the doctors were able to return to work at the hospital.”

Nino Nakano said quietly, "Next, as long as we can find a way to stop the bank from withdrawing the loan, all our family's problems will be solved."

Nakano Ichika was silent for a moment: "Didn't Father ask where that money came from?"

"He didn't ask anything."

Nino Nakano gave a wry smile, but her eyes betrayed a complex emotion.

"But I feel... Father probably knows everything."

The kitchen light shone on her profile, outlining a quiet silhouette.

Her tone was gentle, as if she were just saying it casually, but it made Nakano Ichika's heart inexplicably heavy.

Nakano Ichika opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she could only sigh.

"So you decided to use a child—"

Nino Nakano whispered, "She said that youth is something that, once it's gone for twenty years, will never come back."

"Twenty years from now, Ye Hai might have long lost interest in us."

"But child, you can help me (acfa)."

She gently touched her lower abdomen, her voice low but calm: "Since we've already gone so far down this path, let's not turn back. Let's just go all the way."

"The worst outcome is that I'll be raising my child alone."

"If we're lucky, it might even have a good ending."

Soft footsteps came from outside the door.

It could be that Miku has returned, or it could be that Yotsuba has forgotten her keys and is rummaging through her bag again.

In the kitchen, the sound of boiling water gradually subsided.

Ichika Nakano gently turned off the stove, turned to Nino Nakano, and whispered:

"If you really make up your mind... whatever you choose, I'll be on your side."

"But you must remember—children are not bargaining chips, they are lives."

Nino wasn't like this before; she was clearly a tsundere yet outspoken person.

Now they're starting to scheme about these things.

Nakano Ichika felt a strange sadness in her heart.

But it doesn't change reality.

……

At the end of the corridor, Nakano Miku tiptoed back to her room, closing the door only a crack before shutting it completely.

She placed the warm water she hadn't had time to drink on the corner of the table, stood for a long time, and then slowly sat down.

She took off her headphones, put them back on, and took them off again. Her fingertips traced back and forth on the earcups, as if trying to soothe her chaotic thoughts little by little.

—She heard it all.

Nakano Miku had been wondering why her father was so happy yesterday; it turned out that the financial problem had been alleviated.

But the price is far too heavy.

And it's not fair to my older sister either.

Nakano Miku subconsciously opened the photo album on her phone.

I clicked on one of the photos.

That was Ye Hai's business card.

After receiving the business card that day, she hesitated for a moment before throwing it away.

I just took a picture with my phone before I lost it.

Nakano Miku stared at the business card photo on her phone screen, her fingertips lingering on the two characters "Ye Hai," her emotions churning.

Before she could figure it out, Nakano Satsuki called out from the living room that dinner was ready.

"Dinner's ready!"

The sound came from the corridor, interrupting her thoughts.

Nakano Miku let out a soft breath, put her phone in the pocket of her pleated skirt, and slowly walked out after adjusting her expression.

At the dining table, Yotsuba Nakano looked around and suddenly asked in confusion, "Huh? Why isn't Dad home for dinner again?"

The atmosphere was stagnant.

Ichika Nakano picked up her phone, her fingertips swiping across the screen, her brows immediately furrowing: "Father is still at the bank."

"bank?"

Nakano Satsuki put down her chopsticks.

"We have been talking to them about stopping the withdrawal of loans."

Ichika Nakano spoke in a low voice.

The group exchanged glances, all understanding the situation.

It's already past 7 p.m., and my father is still not home. There's a high chance that the talks didn't go well.

……

On the other side, the bank.

The bright marble corridor appeared cold and empty under the night lights.

Maruo Nakano's suit sleeves were already a little wrinkled. He sat quietly on the bench outside the bank manager's office, clutching a thick document in his hand.

From dusk until night, from night until complete silence.

He had knocked on the door, but the secretary inside only politely repeated, "The bank manager is very busy, please wait a moment."

Time passed by minute by minute.

Finally, the office door opened.

The bank manager, dressed in a sharp suit, strode out, his expression somewhat indifferent.

Nakano Maruo immediately stood up, his steps hurried, almost leaning forward: "Bank manager! I have something I'd like to discuss with you, regarding our hospital's loan—"

The bank manager frowned almost imperceptibly, but didn't stop walking: "It's too late today, come back tomorrow if you need anything."

"But--"

Before he could finish speaking, the bank manager had already walked away, and his assistant naturally stood in front of Nakano Maruo, completely extinguishing any remaining hope.

The corridor returned to silence.

Nakano Maruo stood there, stunned, almost dropping the documents in his hand.

He slowly raised his head, looking at the overhead light, a hint of despair flashing in his eyes.

He waited all day, but... he still couldn't get even a single positive meeting.

Although the hospital staff have now returned to work, they have no funds to repay the loans if the banks withdraw them.

What awaits Nakano Maruo is the court's seizure.

Everything will then vanish into thin air.

The only difference is that it's slightly better than before.

That means the employee's salary has been paid in full, and at least he won't be chased and yelled at by the doctors and nurses anymore.

Chapter 216 Nakano Miku

Late at night.

The lights on the Nakano family's dining table gradually dimmed.

More than an hour had passed since dinner, and Yotsuba and Itsuki were still clearing away the dishes, while Ichika looked thoughtfully at her father's empty seat.

Miku silently took her cup into the kitchen, washed it, dried it, and then put it back on the shelf.

She didn't say another word and quietly returned to her room.

In the hallway, she looked up at the entrance.

The door remained closed; Father had not yet returned.

She returned to her room, curled up in a chair, hugging her legs which were covered in black stockings.

The earphone cord slipped off the corner of the table. Instead of putting it in her ears as usual, she just stared at the phone screen on the table.

The phone vibrated.

She looked down and saw an unfamiliar name—Kentaro Yamamoto.

From Deepsea Finance.

Ye Hai's subordinates.

She hesitated for two seconds before opening the message.

The pop-up message was a video, less than a minute long.

Without turning up the volume, she lightly swiped her finger across the screen, and the image began to flow.

The corridor was snow-white, the ceiling lights were blindingly bright, and a row of oil paintings that looked too expensive hung on the wall.

The camera panned slightly, then turned to the bench by the door.

My father sat there, his back slightly hunched, his hands tightly clutching a stack of papers.

I sat there for a long time.

The camera panned again, now focusing on the door that read "President's Office".

The door opened. A man in a sharp suit walked out, accompanied by his assistant.

The father hurriedly stood up and whispered something. The man did not stop walking, and the assistant slightly stepped aside to block Nakano Maruo.

The video ends.

Another message appeared in the message box:

Ms. Nakano Miku, I'm sorry to bother you.

It seems the bank isn't giving your father a chance.

If you are willing to talk to Mr. Ye, perhaps there will be a turning point.

Nakano Miku held her phone, her palms starting to sweat.

She put her phone on the table, stood up and walked around the room a couple of times, then sat down again.

After a long silence, she opened the photo album, found the picture of the business card she had taken, and stared at the two characters "Ye Hai" for a long time.

My fingertip landed on the text input box, and I sent a text message.

Can we meet?

Soon, a reply popped up:

"at any time."

Without further hesitation, she picked up her coat, but turned back at the door to get her scarf.

The moment she opened the door, she saw her profile in the mirror—calm, even excessively calm.

She gently closed the door.

……