You call this a love game?

"Yes Yes......"

He wanted to continue making excuses and claiming that he had accidentally injured himself, but when he thought of his amazing ability to instantly heal wounds, Hyakue Nagisa knew that this was not someone he could easily dismiss with a random excuse.

"Was it your mother who hit you?" Bai Yu showed no mercy, directly exposing the secret the girl had been trying to keep.

!!!

Bai Jiangzhu's body trembled noticeably. She gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. The sunlight had somehow moved to her diagonal front, shining on her lowered face, her eyelashes casting dappled shadows on her cheeks.

Bai Yu sighed softly and held her trembling little hand. "Xiao Zhu, children who lie will grow long noses and become very ugly."

"Huh?" Nagisa looked up, her silent expression finally showing a slight change. "Nagisa doesn't want to grow a long nose..."

"Just kidding." Bai Yu smiled slightly and gently squeezed the soft little hand in his palm. "But lying is really not good, Xiao Zhu, are you sure you don't want to tell the truth?"

Bai Jiangzhu hesitated, opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound, but under Bai Yu's encouraging gaze, she finally managed to speak.

"No...Mom didn't mean it..." Her voice was barely audible, and it began to choke up involuntarily. "Mom did it for Nagisa's own good. Mom was sick, that's why she did that..."

"That's why I should go and take a look, isn't it? Maybe I can be of help with my abilities."

Green light emanated from Bai Yu's hand again, demonstrating his abilities to the girl.

Bai Jiangzhu raised her head, sobbing, and tears like tiny pearls streamed down her face. "Can...can it really help Mommy?"

"How will you know if you don't try?"

Bai Jiangzhu hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "I can only stay for ten minutes... If Mom starts throwing things, Brother Bai Yu has to run away immediately."

Bai Yu took out a handkerchief from his pocket, gently wiped away the tears on her face, and comforted her, "Don't worry, if I want to run away, no one can catch me."

Seemingly imagining Shiraha's comical escape in her mind, Hyakue Nagisa instantly burst into laughter through her tears, snot bubbles even popping out of her nose.

"However, I have an older sister who might come along too. I hope Nagisa won't mind?"

Chapter 65 Mami Tomoe's Jealousy

"Well......"

Although I really wanted to say that I minded, I thought that going alone or with someone else would make no difference, so having one more or one less person didn't seem to make much of a difference.

Before letting them see their mother, she had to ask her first. If her mother really didn't want to see them, she could only let Bai Yu watch from afar.

At the same time, she kept praying in her heart that her mother would not be angry. She didn't want her brother Baiyu to see her mother's terrifying appearance when she was angry, like a man-eating monster, as if she would devour her at any moment.

"But Xiaozhu needs to ask her mother first. If her mother doesn't want to see Baiyu-gege, there's nothing Xiaozhu can do."

"Of course, no problem. I won't force you if you really don't want to."

"Yes, Nagisa understands, but..."

The girl suddenly stopped, her eyes fixed on the delicious food beside her, her mouth constantly swallowing.

"If... if Mom doesn't want to see Brother Baiyu, then Xiaozhu will just be eating Brother Baiyu's food for free."

After all, if the deal didn't go through in the end, and she had already received the benefits, wouldn't that mean Brother Bai Yu would lose everything? She didn't want to do that.

However, even though he said it and thought it in his heart, he couldn't bear to put down his chopsticks.

Normally, she struggles to even make ends meet and can only afford to eat unpalatable food. But when faced with such delicious food, her body is unconsciously drawn to it. She cannot resist this instinctive call from her body.

"Don't worry, it's just one meal. It won't starve me. Besides, we made a lot of food. If you don't eat it, I won't be able to finish it all by myself. Wouldn't it be a waste?"

Regardless of whether the girl ate or not, Bai Yu directly took a large chopstickful of each item from the food container and placed it in Bai Jiangzhu's bowl, piling the girl's bowl high.

“...That does seem like a waste.” Bai Jiangzhu nodded in agreement, then waved her little fist and said earnestly, “Xiaozhu will try her best to communicate with Mom and will definitely not let Bai Yu-gege down.”

"Yeah, I believe in Nagisa." Bai Yu gently ruffled the girl's soft hair and chuckled, "But let's eat first, we have class soon."

Bai Jiangzhu obediently rubbed against his palm, like a docile kitten. Whether it was to please him or because she really felt comfortable being patted on the head, she didn't complain at all, even though her hair was all messed up.

You should know that when he touched Mami's head, it was as if he had committed a grave offense, and she immediately turned pale.

The girl forcefully pulled his head down, stood on tiptoe, and kept rubbing his hair until both of their hair became a mess like a bird's nest before she finally stopped.

But afterwards, she would whine and run to Aunt Yadai to complain, and then ask Aunt Yadai to help her comb her hair again.

For Mami Tomoe, that hair was like a treasured gem, and she wouldn't even touch it, while Nagisa Momoe was the complete opposite, letting him stroke it completely.

My hair is a little dry and not smooth enough due to malnutrition. If you put your fingers into my hair, they will get stuck because of the tangled hair.

The girl's body was clearly defined by her bones, almost skin and bones, and her arms were so thin that they seemed to break with the slightest touch. This only strengthened his resolve to help the girl escape her suffering.

Seemingly with a clearer resolve, he could feel something circulating within his body, a tingling, numb sensation spreading throughout his entire being.

He seemed to have become stronger again. This time, not only his body, but even his mind felt much more alert. He could clearly hear the faint breathing of the girl beside him.

So this is also about following one's heart. As long as one has a stronger determination and will, one's strength will also increase, rather than just being limited to the satisfaction of desires.

It's simply about following your heart, not necessarily doing good deeds.

He is not a saint and cannot help everyone in the world who is in trouble. At most, he can only help those he wants to help as much as he can within his sight.

He wouldn't offer any comfort to homeless people under bridges, nor would he give money to able-bodied beggars on the street. Even though Hyakue Nagisa wasn't one of the heroines he needed to win over, he would still help her without hesitation.

After all, this is just a game to him, and he can play it however he wants. Compared to his initial idea of ​​speedrunning or achieving a perfect completion, he has now given up.

Not only is the game too difficult to complete, but the world is so realistic that it feels like reality. Whether it's Sayaka, Homura Akemi, or Mami Tomoe, the characters' feelings for him are genuine.

Even when facing a virtual character on a computer screen, we can sometimes be moved by the character's actions and words, let alone a person we can actually touch and experience.

He couldn't ignore what happened to Hyakue Nagisa. Although the main storyline was more important, there was still enough time. Besides, even if he was anxious, it wouldn't matter. He was too weak and powerless to overcome Witch Night. What he was doing now... could be considered a side quest outside the main storyline.

Since it can increase my strength anyway, why not?

----

The time comes in the afternoon.

After the school bell rang, the students packed their bags and hurriedly ran out of the school gate. Then they stopped at the zebra crossing in front of the school gate and stood behind the members of the "Traffic Youth Corps" who were waiting in front of them. When the traffic light turned green, the members of the "Traffic Youth Corps" holding flags moved to the side of the traffic flow, blocking the oncoming vehicles and providing a safe road for the students who were about to cross.

Of course, some people also drive their own cars or bicycles to pick up and drop off their children. Some older women even had freshly bought groceries hanging on the handlebars of their bicycles, with their children sitting behind them as they wobbled away from the school.

Bai Yu and Bai Jiangzhu naturally do not belong to this category of people. One of them is indifferent to his family, and the other does not want his family to care for him.

In recent years, yakuza organizations have become much less aggressive, and the problem of human trafficking has decreased significantly. Apart from some cults occasionally recruiting children for brainwashing purposes, news of missing primary school students is now rare.

Of course, there's also the reason that Bai Yu's physique is completely out of place for a primary school student. Ordinary office workers who sit for long periods of time in the company may not be as physically strong as him, and Mami's parents are quite at ease with him.

But when Bai Yu led Bai Jiangzhu by the hand to meet Mami Tomoe at the entrance of her junior high school, he didn't know why the girl's face suddenly darkened for a moment.

Before Mami could react, Nagisa Momoe greeted her, "Big sister, you must be the beautiful older sister that Shiraha-nii mentioned. I'm Nagisa Momoe, you can just call me Nagisa."

It was unusual that she didn't have any verbal tics, but judging from the way her small hand was tightly gripping his fingers, the girl was probably nervous.

Seeing how polite and sweet-talking the girl was, Mami Tomoe had no choice but to ignore their tightly clasped hands for the time being and smiled at Nagisa Momoe.

"Hello Nagisa, my name is Tomoe Mami, I'm this guy's older sister, but not by blood."

He added a joking remark at the end, as if it were intentional.

"Can I call you Mami-nee?" Nagisa Hyakue raised her head slightly, her amber eyes looking at Mami Tomoe expectantly.

"Of course! Nagisa is so cute. I wish she were my little sister. She's so much better than my disobedient little brother."

Mami Tomoe glanced meaningfully at Shiraha, a smile playing on her lips.

Bai Yu pretended not to hear, let go of Bai Jiangzhu's hand and took the snack box that Tomoe Mami was carrying. "Is this for Auntie?"

"Well, since I didn't know what the illness was, I made some soft and easy-to-digest small breads."

Mami Tomoe handed over the box, then suddenly noticed Nagisa Momoe staring longingly at the box of sweets. "Nagisa, would you like to try some first?"

"No, no need to say anything, Nagisa is just a little touched." Nagisa shook her head repeatedly and bowed slightly to her. "Thank you, Mami-nee, for preparing these things for my mother."

Mami scratched her head and chuckled, "Hehe, it's nothing. I've been learning how to make desserts lately, so if you like them, that would be the greatest recognition for me."

“She’ll definitely be very happy!” Nagisa Hyakue nodded firmly.

"Let's go." Bai Yu carried the snack box in one hand and naturally took Bai Jiangzhu's hand with the other to prevent her from being separated from the crowd.

"The hospital is still quite a distance away, and Xiaozhu's home is also far from here. It will be dark soon."

Although it's not quite dark yet, judging from the gloomy clouds in the sky, it's almost dark, even if it's not yet time for darkness.

It seems Aunt Yadai was right; it really was going to rain today. Luckily, he always keeps a folding umbrella in his backpack.

Mami Tomoe is in a bad situation. She doesn't really like using folding umbrellas; she prefers long-handled, transparent white umbrellas, which she finds more appealing on rainy days when strolling through streets filled with neon lights.

However, she clearly didn't listen to her mother in the morning. After glancing at the sunny weather outside, she ran away.

After all, carrying a long umbrella is quite troublesome, especially in the morning when it's sunny and no one else has brought an umbrella. It would look very strange if she were the only one carrying one.

As the three walked, Mami Tomoe kept trying to find topics to talk about with Nagisa Momoe.

"What grade is Xiaozhu in this year?"

"Third grade, third grade..."

With her right hand held by Shiraha and her left hand held by Mami Tomoe, Nagisa Hyakue blushed slightly and her voice grew softer as she was sandwiched between the two.

How many people are in your family? Do you have any siblings? Where do you usually like to go? What kind of snacks do you like to eat? Do you have a crush on any boys?

The questions were almost like a census taker's interview, which made Shiraha glance at him sideways, giving Mami a look to stop asking these pointless questions.

But Nagisa Momoe wasn't bothered by this; instead, she answered all the questions very fluently.

“I have a dad and a mom at home, and I’m their only child. Usually… Nagisa likes to read at home or visit her mom in the hospital. As for her favorite snacks, her mom likes cheese! So Nagisa likes cheese too! But Nagisa doesn’t have any friends, so she doesn’t have a boy she likes.”

The girl was so sensible that Mami felt a little sorry for her. You know, at this age, she was still a bit naive. She liked whatever the girls in her class liked, completely following the trend. She even argued with her mother for the snacks she wanted.

However, when she got a little older, she realized that she wasn't actually that interested in idol boy bands or other social circles, so she consciously withdrew from that social circle and devoted herself to learning how to be a housewife from her mother.

For example, making cute and delicious desserts is her favorite thing to do recently, and her second favorite thing is to have Bai Yu call her "Big Sister".

......

Soon, riding the somewhat hot wind, the three arrived in front of the hospital, which looked rather dilapidated.

Bai Jiangzhu gently pulled away from their hands and stopped in front of a hospital room.

"Um... I'll go in and tell Mom first. If she agrees, I'll come out and call you. If she doesn't agree..."

Having said that, Bai Yu knew what to do. He gently rubbed the girl's soft head and said, "It's okay if you don't agree. Xiao Zhu can just give this to Auntie. We'll just take a look at it at the door and leave."

"Yes! I'll try my best to persuade Mom!"

Bai Jiangzhu encouraged herself again, then pushed open the door and went inside.

She knew that her mother's temper had been unstable lately, and she couldn't even eat much, but she still wanted to persuade her mother. What if Brother Baiyu's ability could really cure her mother?

That way, Mom can go back to being the cheerful and optimistic person she used to be.

With a mix of trepidation and excitement, Bai Jiangzhu walked to the bedside and quietly looked at the woman who was leaning against the bed with her eyes closed.

The woman's face is covered with wrinkles, the marks of time, but even so, one can still see the beauty she once possessed in her youth.

"Mommy—Mommy—"

Bai Jiangzhu called out to her mother softly, as if afraid of disturbing her.

The girl on the bed seemed to hear the call and slowly opened her eyes. Her amber eyes looked at her daughter in front of the bed with a somewhat blank expression.

Bai Jiangzhu didn't rush to tell Bai Yu and the other person that they wanted to see her. Instead, she first inquired about her mother's health as usual.

"How is Mom feeling today? The nurse said Mom didn't eat lunch again and is feeling very hungry."

Hearing her daughter's concern, the woman did not show the expected reaction; instead, she turned her head away with a cold face.

"What are you doing here again! Didn't I tell you to get lost!"

The woman, like a boiling pressure cooker, let out a sharp, piercing roar the moment she opened her mouth.

Bai Jiangzhu trembled slightly from the shout, but she did not back down in fear. She simply shook her head gently. "But Mom needs Xiaozhu's words, and Xiaozhu needs Mom's words too."

"Ah... I need..."

The woman's face darkened, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of her lips. "I'm someone who's not needed, and so are you!"

Chapter Sixty-Six: Hysteria, Rainy Day, and Abs

"Where is that person?"

After a brief outburst, the woman seemed to calm down and asked coldly.