Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Mu nodded.

“In that case, you and Mutsu, who adopted me, are just people who have the same appearance, personality, and family background, but everything else is completely different. You don’t have to become my mother, and continuing to raise me is not your responsibility.”

He simply told everyone about his background, but that doesn't mean he wants to continue the kinship with these girls who are about the same age as him—that should be easy to understand, right?

But upon hearing this, Mu suddenly fell into an unprecedented slump, her pretty little face filled with obvious sadness and dejection.

"So, when Xiao said she wanted to become family... it was all a lie..."

No, how could you interpret it that way?

"No, no, no, I told you the truth not because I wanted to rebuild our past relationships, but it would be great if we could become family again, wouldn't it? That's why I didn't lie to Mutsu!"

"But isn't Mom family?"

"Well, this is a matter of necessity and insufficiency, and necessity and unnecessaryness. You weren't paying attention in class, were you?"

"Why can't I be Xiao's mother, but the other me can?"

"Mu, you're confusing things. What I just said didn't mean that at all—"

"Is it really not allowed...?"

Mu lowered her head silently. Although she was very sensible and didn't fight for anything anymore, her pitiful face was filled with indescribable disappointment.

"…………"

After a long silence, Xiao sighed helplessly.

"If... we don't specifically bring this up in front of everyone..."

After much hesitation, he reluctantly made this concession.

Since Mu wants to be a mother so much, let's just go along with her wishes.

"Just follow the way you get along happily."

Rather than pondering pointless questions like "Can these people really be considered my family?", he didn't want Mu to show such a sad and upset expression.

"!"

Mu, who had just been looking downcast, raised his head upon hearing this, his eyes lighting up instantly at Xiao's unintentional concession.

"I...I will try my best!"

She even opened her arms to the boy, revealing a rare expression of seemingly shy yet eager excitement.

"So, the first thing is a hug from Mommy—"

"Even if they are a real mother and child, they don't need to hug each other so often at this age, right?!"

Xiao shifted back slightly, feeling a little guilty, and refused the physical contact that was too enthusiastic for Mu.

Was it just his imagination? He felt that this Mu Ke was even better at expressing emotions through actions than his mother in his memory, just like Chu Hua and Su Shi, who always became heavy-hearted on special topics... In some ways, it was quite scary.

Could it be that the somber mood of everyone in this world has been increased several times over?

Toyokawa Shoko remained silent, but she had observed everything from the beginning, revealing a somewhat complicated expression.

Even if Mu does nothing, just hangs her head and looks pitiful, someone will drop all their guard and surrender, clearing away all obstacles for her like Oedipus—

"Kazama-kun, you definitely have a mother complex."

In response to Xiangzi's spontaneous remark, Xiao completely denied it, while Mu readily accepted it without any psychological burden.

“Hey, this is pure slander.”

"Xiao likes me, and I like Xiao too."

Wait, stop hitting straight at me in this weird place, Mu...!

No matter how she tried to explain, it all sounded hollow and weak. Feeling somewhat tired, Xiao covered her face with her hands for a brief escape from the present situation. At the same time, Toyokawa Shoko also lowered her head due to the overwhelming sense of disorientation that welled up in her heart.

"I'm sorry... and thank you."

After a brief internal struggle, Toyokawa Shoko clenched her arms and, in an awkward tone, revealed her true feelings—

"Perhaps I should have formally told you this a long time ago. All this time... I just didn't notice your good intentions."

Even someone as proud as her had to bow her head and admit the mistakes she had made in the face of undeniable facts.

Because this is something she genuinely regrets.

But will Xiaozhen forgive her?

Y (II) Yi Wei Vqi Jiu Liu Shan Wa answered in a nonchalant tone.

"There's no need to apologize anymore. I didn't do this for you, Xiangzi."

His tone was noticeably cold, as if he were a completely different person from the guy who had just been trying so hard to appease Mu.

"Therefore, you have no obligation to apologize."

These were words that sounded perfectly magnanimous, yet they made Xiangzi's heart clench tightly.

The emotion completely opposite to "like" is not "dislike," but rather "indifference" that means not caring at all.

She sensed this from the boy's tone.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Xiangzi, You're the Only One Who Wasn't Invited!

Now that the whole story has been told to Xiaomu and Xiangzi, it's time for others to share the current information in real time.

"If you all have no further questions, please allow me to make a call to Lixi and the others."

After persuading Muhe and Xiangzi, Xiao took out her phone and pretended to call Lixi.

After a brief moment of surprise, Xiangzi immediately realized what this meant.

"Lixi... and Su Shi and the others, they actually know about this too?"

She learned the truth later than Chu Hua, and even later than Li Xi and Su Shi.

"Well, those two guys are actually much more perceptive than you think. It's not that I deliberately kept you two in the dark until the very end to tell you the truth."

Xiao waved her hand. Even if Xiangzi wanted to express his dissatisfaction, he could only vent to Su Shi and Li Xi, since they were so clever that they guessed the truth using their own methods.

“They learned my secret, and we took this opportunity to become friends and companions.”

"Comrade..."

Toyokawa Shoko felt as if the world was spinning before her eyes.

Not only did her childhood sweetheart suddenly become this guy's mother, but even her former teammates turned into partners with this guy behind the scenes without her noticing.

"So, everyone can accept Xiao."

Mu didn't care about such a trivial matter, nor was he annoyed that he was behind others in learning the truth.

A bright smile appeared on her face, simply because she was genuinely happy for Xiao that her former companion could accept the boy's words and become his partner.

"Mu...aren't you upset that I told someone else before you knew?"

"No. Rather, I'm relieved to have Su Shi and Li Xi with me."

Mingming had only accepted the identity of "mother" for less than half an hour, but Mu had already put herself in the position of sharing life and death with Xiaotong, and was genuinely gratified that he had found a close friend.

If it were her mother, Wakaba Mutsu, who said these words, Xiao wouldn't find it strange at all—but it was precisely these words spoken by Wakaba Mutsu, a girl of sixteen or seventeen.

Although it felt good to be cared for and treated seriously, the thought that such a motherly person was actually a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl inevitably gave Xiao a sense of incongruity.

Fine... teenage mom it is!

Stopping dwelling on the matter, Xiao picked up the phone to call Lixi.

After two brief beeps, the call connected in the next second, and Li Xi's crisp and decisive voice came from the other end of the phone—

"Hello? Kazama? What's up? Or is there anything I can help you with?"

As expected of Li Xi, she immediately and earnestly inquired about any help she could offer, a true service-oriented personality.

In short, Xiao recounted everything that had happened that day from beginning to end. And Li Xi, on the other end of the phone, responded with her classic, signature move after listening to his account—

"what?!"

Li Xi's shouts were so piercing that Xiao subconsciously moved the phone further away. Even Mu He Xiangzi, who was sitting elsewhere, could hear the strange noise coming from the phone.

"What's going on? You said you'd keep this a secret, so I haven't told a single word to anyone. And then that Mikasa guy just blurted it out?"

Lixi's tone sounded somewhat intense, and it seemed that she also couldn't quite understand why her companion would so easily and openly reveal a secret that should have been kept a secret to everyone.

“I think she must have her reasons, and it’s okay. I’ve already taken this opportunity to tell Muhe Xiangzi about all of this. Lixi, calm down.”

"Wait, does that mean you've reconciled and recognized each other?"

"Well, it is."

Xiao's gaze drifted to Mu, who was sitting beside him, staring intently at him. The latter's eyes held a brighter dependence and tenderness than before.

On the other end of the phone, Li Xi spoke in a slightly hesitant voice.

"So, Mutsu... is she willing to continue being your mother...?"

"Why are you so concerned about my family relationships, Miss Lixi?"

"Hmph, I'm just worried that if Mu abandons you, you'll probably come crying to me. I'd love for you and Mu to get back together, so she can be the one worrying about the child."

Lixi dismissed Xiao's questioning in a nonchalant tone, but there was a hint of awkwardness in her words, as if she were forcing someone to do something against their will.

So, do you... still need me now?

She cautiously uttered this unexpected statement.

Li Xi, who is usually fierce and tough on the outside but weak on the inside, can actually show such a vulnerable and sensitive side.

"Of course, I simply couldn't survive without Lixi."

Perhaps out of a teasing tone, Xiao said it in a somewhat exaggerated manner. Xiangzi, standing nearby, frowned and twitched her lips; she simply couldn't imagine that Lixi, who was meticulous and impartial (except for the lamp), would fall for this—

"Tsk...sweet talk."

She really does eat this kind of stuff.

Although Li Xi scolded him, she seemed to have accepted his explanation, and her tone became much calmer.

Perhaps it was because she had gotten used to Xiao's reckless remarks, or perhaps it was because she actually found such seemingly exaggerated words very appealing.

"If you need me, I can come over right now."

"About this..."

Xiao raised her head and glanced at Mu He, who was calm and hesitant to speak, beside her.

"Some things are indeed more convenient to say face to face."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

About half an hour later, Riki, looking travel-worn, arrived at Wakaba's house.

Even though they were teammates in CRYCHIC before, Li Xi and He Mu's relationship wasn't close enough for Li Xi to visit one of their homes—but at this moment, because of Xiao, they broke down this unspoken social barrier between them.

"Kazama! I'm so glad you're alright—hmm?"

However, when she noticed that there were other people in the room, Riki's originally anxious voice became calm and indifferent. She also suppressed her worried expression and returned to the usual stern and cold-faced Shiina Riki.

"Ah... Muhe Xiangzi is here too."

"...Lixi, it's been a long time."

Toyokawa Shoko's expression was complicated. She never imagined that she would be reunited with her former teammates at this time.

However, they had more important things to do than reminisce.

"Regarding Kazama-kun, you really did..."

"Ah, that's right."

Before Xiangzi could finish speaking, Lixi straightened his chest and nodded.

Perhaps mixed with a touch of superiority, as if she had known this before all of you, she acknowledged Xiangzi's guess with a hint of pride in her voice.

“I’ve always been this guy’s accomplice.”