Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

It turned out to be the case.

So this is why Mu wanted to escape reality and let Metis temporarily take control of his body.

"Please don't treat things beyond your capabilities as responsibilities you have to fulfill. Ah... of course, I don't mean to deny your interpersonal skills."

Chu Hua then stated her opinion with a serious expression.

"Besides... although I didn't want to see those two become like this, Xiaojun and Xiaoxiang are probably destined not to be able to get along."

At this point, Chu Hua shook her head helplessly.

She certainly wanted the two most important people in her life to get along well, but Mu was right.

From the moment Kazama risked his life to save Shoko, who fell into a coma and was hospitalized, but for some reason never visited him during that time—

There is no possibility that the relationship between these two people will be repaired.

“亿笼?V{?II玐④7罒5〆?柳唔…”

Mu snorted softly upon hearing this. Of course, she understood this principle, which was why she didn't know how to face Xiangzi.

"Xiao... how have you been lately?"

“He is very healthy. I accompanied Xiaojun during his rehabilitation training. He has already been discharged from the hospital.”

Chu Hua smiled and nodded. Sometimes she herself didn't know why she would try so much to cover things up where there was no need to elaborate.

She clearly didn't need to make her presence known at this time.

However, when she saw Mutsu cautiously inquiring about Kazama's recent situation, she felt a little uneasy, and couldn't help but say something that seemed like she was trying to cover something up.

Ah, actually, this is also the part of Chu Hua that she hates most about herself.

She was also mentally prepared to be disliked by Mu.

"Is that so... Thank you, Hatsuka."

However, Mu's reaction was somewhat unexpected—when she heard Chu Hua's answer, she simply breathed a sigh of relief and smiled with relief.

"Thank you for staying by Xiao's side."

Her tone was devoid of even the slightest possessiveness, as if she was already satisfied just to hear that he was safe and sound.

The smile on Mu's face was serene and happy, as if it didn't matter to her who accompanied the boy—as long as someone was with him, as long as he wasn't alone, she would be content.

However, Chu Hua, who was watching that smile, found it difficult to maintain her composure, and the smile on her face gradually faded.

That smile really was... jarring.

Chapter Seventy-Seven: There's Only One Truth!

Being treated as a formidable enemy by someone who considers you an opponent isn't actually a troublesome thing. If it were Chu Hua, she would simply see it as respect from her opponent.

For example, Nagasaki Motoyo's initial attitude towards him.

It was precisely because Su Shi was quite concerned about her existence and even seemed particularly wary of her that Chu Hua was able to confirm from this point that she was not just playing around—thus regarding her as a worthy opponent.

But Mu is not like that at all.

She should have been just like Su Shi, wary of every girl who approached Kazama—

"Thank you, Chuhua. Even when I wasn't around, you were always there for Xiao."

Yet she managed to wear a rare, warm smile, feeling grateful for the boy who wasn't present, knowing that someone else besides herself cared about him.

Why wouldn't she mind at all that there might be other girls in Xiao's life who could become close friends with him?

Wanting to get close to someone, to possess someone, or even to completely monopolize someone—these are all dark yet perfectly normal girlish feelings, aren't they?

"...By the way, Xiao Mu. Has Xiao Xiang talked to you about forming a band? Have you considered her suggestion?"

Unable to continue dwelling on the issue and feeling increasingly overwhelmed, Chu Hua quickly changed the subject.

"Hmm... I think there was such a thing."

Mu lowered his head for a moment, and finally gave an answer without hesitation.

"If Xiao thinks it's okay, I'll join. If Xiao is unhappy, I'll apologize to Xiang."

"what……"

Su Shi, who was standing to the side, was a little dumbfounded, not to mention Chu Hua, who had not expected her to answer like that at all.

Originally, Wakaba Mutsu should have been someone who revolved around his childhood friend Toyokawa Shoko in everything, and had little sense of agency or self-awareness.

That's at least the impression she left on everyone.

But would someone like her actually go against Xiangzi's ideas because of that boy?

Even though she herself didn't stand unconditionally on Xiaojun's side like she did.

Compared to the magnanimous Mu, Chu Hua could feel that her own petty, unwise thoughts seemed even more clumsy, uninteresting, and utterly exposed.

Not to mention that she had hesitated between Xiao and Xiao Xiang, and even hoped that the relationship between the three of them could be eased and that they could live together peacefully.

Compared to this, it seems there's a reason why Xiaojun treats Mu as a very special person.

Chu Hua couldn't continue her bluffing. She simply avoided the topic after noticing the firmness and satisfaction in Mu's calm, even somewhat dazzling, eyes.

“I understand… Alright, since Mu doesn’t know the exact source of this photo either… it seems we can only rely on the combined efforts of Su Shi and me to find out the truth.”

Of course, this high-sounding explanation was merely an excuse for Chu Hua to gracefully escape the topic.

If she lingered for even a second longer, she feared she would completely shed her pretense under Mu Na's calm and gentle gaze.

Chu Hua stood up politely, his movements as decisive as someone ready to engage in the next battle, even his tone deliberately carrying a hint of lighthearted banter.

"Let's go, Su Shi. It seems our detective journey isn't over yet. We'll have to rely on our own reasoning to solve the mystery in that photo."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help."

Mu lowered her head and apologized honestly, taking it upon herself to take responsibility for other people's troubles.

"So I've already said, Mu doesn't need to apologize. This was originally a mystery that suddenly appeared and has been troubling us."

Su Shi comforted Mu with exceptional patience and care, hoping she wouldn't take it too seriously.

"Hatsuka and I will stop here. Mu takes good care of yourself and doesn't let that Metis-chan cause any more trouble."

"Uh-huh."

Mu nodded his head very seriously and forcefully.

If Teacher Da Mo could hear this conversation, he would definitely be so anxious that he would be stamping his feet in frustration.

"If anything unexpected happens, remember to message or call me."

Even after packing her belongings and following Chu Hua to the entrance, Su Shi still gave Mu earnest instructions like a worried old mother.

"Well, I will."

Mu was like a sensible and honest child. She would obediently nod once for every word Su Shi said. She came to the entrance and watched the two leave Ruoye's house.

Chu Hua and Su Shi walked out of Ruo Ye's house one after the other. As the door clicked shut, the wind blew through the corridor, carrying away the unspoken words in Chu Hua's heart.

The evening sun cast a pale golden glow on the streets, and the light filtered through the wind chimes under the eaves, casting dappled shadows. A gust of wind blew through the branches, causing a few yellowed leaves to twirl and fall onto the sidewalk with a soft rustling sound, seemingly unintentionally disturbing the thoughts of the two silent figures.

Chu Hua walked ahead, her steps slow, yet each step seemed to tread on the edge of her own thoughts. Her shadow, stretched long by the setting sun, swayed against the wall, almost overlapping with Su Shi's shadow several times, only to tacitly diverge at the next corner.

I always felt that Chu Hua seemed to have some reservations about Mu.

With just one glance, Su Shi keenly observed the subtle oddities about Chu Hua.

—But this has nothing to do with her.

Although the two have temporarily formed a cooperative relationship, Su Shi knows very well that there is still a competitive relationship between them.

"What do we do next?"

So instead of offering any words of concern, she pretended not to notice anything amiss and changed the subject.

"As you just said, Chu Hua, Mu's answer wasn't helpful. We'll have to continue the investigation using our own abilities."

All she cares about now is how to solve the mystery of the photo of 〩妻侕3龄⒋?-就+〩q i⑶咝悦怡.

"Yes...that's right, and I actually already have a few clues."

Chu Hua suppressed her burgeoning emotions, turned around, and gave Su Shi, who was following behind her, a pure smile.

"However, I'm afraid Su Shi might think my idea is a bit far-fetched—"

"I think it's fine to say anything, it's a clue after all."

Su Shi shook her head, soothing Chu Hua with her still sweet voice that could make people let their guard down.

"Hmm... this is just a guess of mine."

With her approval, Chu Hua lowered her head and stared at her casual canvas shoes, a complicated smile on her face as she spoke her mind.

"Is it possible that... we've been overthinking all along? The people in that photo—are indeed Su Shi and Xiao Jun, without a doubt?"

"……Eh?"

Su Shi's smile froze.

Chapter Seventy-Eight: Detective Chu Hua Jiang!

"Is it possible that... we've been overthinking all along? The people in that photo... really are Su Shi and Xiao Jun, without a doubt?"

"……Eh?"

Su Shi's smile froze in that instant.

The setting sun shone on the side of her face, casting a warm golden glow, but her pupils seemed to suddenly constrict at that moment, reflecting an indescribable sense of confusion and bewilderment.

"I know it sounds incredible."

Chu Hua didn't laugh; she just stared at her quietly, and her tone didn't sound like she was joking.

"But the more I think about it, the more I feel that it's not fake, nor is it a misunderstanding. Could that strange sense of incongruity be precisely because... it's real?"

The streets grew increasingly quiet.

The streetlights suddenly lit up at that moment, slowly one after another, their dim yellow light casting long halos on the asphalt road and casting mottled, intertwined shadows of the two people.

“Su Shi, I think even if I only had short-term contact with you, I can sense it, not just from you personally.”

Chu Hua took a step forward, her voice becoming low and slow.

“That’s not a photo of you. You’ve never had that hairstyle, that expression, let alone been wearing clothes that are clearly not student uniforms for this era.”

Su Shi frowned. She wanted to say something to object or agree, but she couldn't say anything.

In fact, she deeply resonated with every detail Chu Hua mentioned.

The "self" in the photo... certainly doesn't resemble Nagasaki Motoyo from any previous period.

She looked more mature, and her expression carried a calmness completely different from that of her youth—a familiar self, yet not the self she was now.

"I...I definitely haven't taken those kinds of photos..."

"Ah, that's only natural. After all, you can tell just by looking at the photos that they were taken by [Su Shi from decades in the future]."

Chu Hua summarized in a calm tone.

"Of course, Su Shi won't have any memories now."

"But this just doesn't seem right, does it?"

Su Shi simply couldn't ignore the suspicious aspects of the photo, so she subconsciously refuted Chu Hua's conclusion.

"If that's a photo documenting my future self, then why is Xiaojun as a child also in it? Unless it's not Xiaojun at all—"

"No, I think so."

Su Shi's divergent thinking was immediately refuted by Chu Hua. Compared to Su Shi's intense reaction, Chu Hua's reaction was much calmer.

"Speaking of which, Xiaojun did tell me about his family relationships."

"Eh?"