I save a pathological girl with a twisted love story.

"Yes, I didn't succeed."

Chiho suddenly became somewhat gloomy.

Do you know why you didn't succeed?

The old man asked Chiho.

"Because Xia Wu hasn't realized my feelings for him yet, nor has she realized my determination."

Chiho said, "If Natsugiri realizes the extent to which I am willing to give, then he will understand how much I like him."

As she said this, a happy expression appeared on her pretty face.

"At that time, we will become lovers."

She muttered to herself, thinking that her grandmother would agree with her.

But when he looked at his grandmother, he found that the old woman's eyes were full of pity, sorrow, and a slight disgust.

"Indeed, after spending so much time with that abominable thing, you've become so unfamiliar to yourself."

The old man sighed, then reminisced.

“When I first saw your mother, I knew she would end up like this. She had a very good personality back then, a typical hardworking poor person. If she had been able to maintain that, she would definitely have become an ordinary, kind person.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being poor. Our family started out as farmers and only became rich by chance,” the old man said. “But your mother’s original living conditions were so different from ours.”

"She changed after being exposed to a luxurious environment. She became vain, and all her former good qualities vanished."

"If that's all there is to it, then it's alright. After all, what's wrong with vanity to us?"

"However, she abandoned the good character she had cultivated through hardship, but she couldn't let go of her pride. She always thought she was great and unique."

"But she had nothing to be proud of. So-called dignity is just a ridiculous joke when there is nothing to support it."

"She looks down on others, so of course she will be looked down on by others. But she can't accept it, so her mentality naturally becomes distorted."

Ultimately, it's because she has nothing to be proud of, especially in this environment, so she set her sights on you.

"What's the use of her being a good student? She's no longer in school, she's already in the real world, and the rules have changed."

"But you, you're still in school. The children of those who look down on her are also in school. So, you're qualified to compete."

"Grades, filial piety, tutoring classes—everything related to you becomes a basis for comparison."

The old man said, "So you've become a tool, a perfect tool."

"It was used as a tool for showing off."

"You were raised and distorted in this way, yet you didn't realize something was wrong. Instead, you accepted your identity."

"What a pity," the old man said, looking at Chiho. "I thought you would come back sooner, but I didn't expect you to come back so late."

Chiho listened, but remained silent.

She knew what her mother had done to her, and she had always been able to tolerate it in the past.

But now, she can no longer tolerate it.

Because, you see, summer mist is the most important thing.

She said, "I knew all that, but I've changed now. I no longer listen to my mother; I've completely understood."

"Oh? You really understand now?"

The old man asked in return.

The girl nodded firmly and said, "Yes, I understand now."

"Then why doesn't Xia Wuzhao like you?"

The old man asked this question.

This question was like a sword, piercing the girl's heart.

It caused her heartache.

Her gaze wandered, and she found herself involuntarily looking at the courtyard outside.

The scorching summer sun and the greenery reflected in her eyes.

"Perhaps it's because I haven't done enough."

The girl answered softly.

Who would like a girl who treats herself like a tool?

The old man said, "A guy like Natsugiri wouldn't like you as you are now, because you're not Chiho, you're just a tool called Chiho, not a person named Chiho."

"What is there about you that is likable? Even if you are a crown, no matter how dazzling or radiant you are, what good is it?"

"And do you like him?"

"Of course I like him!" Chiho exclaimed. "I like him, absolutely I like him. If I didn't like him, why would I do that kind of thing? If I didn't like him, why would I want to give him my whole heart?"

"He is my god, my everything."

The girl spoke earnestly, and she believed it to be true.

"You're just looking for someone to rely on," the old man exposed her lie.

"Your mother molded you into this. She made you someone who cannot survive without being dominated."

"You just want Xia Wuzhao to continue to control you, so you can ignore all the realities of life and continue to live according to your old ways."

“No, how could that be?” Chiho retorted. “How could I be like that? Before, I was clearly in so much pain that I wanted to die. Now that I’ve finally escaped that, why would I want to continue being controlled?”

"Because your life has become fractured," the old man said calmly. "Because your family has broken apart, you are afraid to take on such responsibility, so you subconsciously want to find someone to rely on."

“You used to be in pain, but you are not in pain now. Rather, you are very smart. You know that Xia Wuzhao will not control you, and will not cause you pain like your mother did.”

"So, you're the one who wants to hand over all ownership to Xia Wuzhao."

The old man's words almost shattered Chisui's heart.

Chiho didn't think she was like that, but she couldn't come up with an effective rebuttal and could only remain silent.

The old man glanced at Chiho, then stood up to leave the tea room, saying to her, "You should stay here and think it over."

After leaving the tea room, the old man went to the main house and called Xia Wuzhao to another room.

Only Aoi was left sitting in the main house, at a loss.

What can I do for you?

Xia Wuzhao looked at the old man in front of her and spoke softly.

"It's nothing serious, I just wanted to thank you," the old man said.

"Thank me?" Xia Wuzhao shook her head and said, "I haven't done anything, and I've been eating and living here for free. I should be the one thanking you."

The old man glanced at it before saying, "No matter what, I should thank you for what happened with Chiho."

"Although I'm here and don't know much about what's going on in Second New Tokyo, the fact that Chiho brought you here proves that you helped Chiho solve the problem."

"Although Chiho still looks like she's been deeply affected, at least she's no longer suffering."

Xia Wuzhao looked at the old man and said, "It was all Chiho's own choice. Even if things have changed, it's because of Chiho's own efforts. It has nothing to do with me."

The old man looked at Xia Wuzhao as if trying to see through him.

"You seem to really hate admitting that you've helped others?"

“No.” Xia Wuzhao shook her head and said, “What kind of help am I? Everything Qianhui has done is her own choice, and the path she is on now is also her own choice.”

"If all the credit is to me, then where does that leave Chiho's efforts, her resolve, and her suffering?"

"Did Chiho do nothing at all? Did she just sit and wait for someone else to help her?"

"That's not the case. Chiho also made an effort."

“If you attribute all the credit to me, then you are underestimating Chiho.”

Although Xia Wuzhao had no expression, she still spoke earnestly.

The old woman stopped arguing with Xia Wuzhao about such things and said, "You should know that Qianhui likes you, right?"

“That’s not love, that’s just gratitude,” Xia Wuzhao said. “She’s just grateful to me, but she’s mistaken it for love.”

"If you can like someone just because I offered such a trivial assistance, then isn't liking someone too cheap?"

"So, this isn't liking. It's just gratitude, gratitude that's been mistaken for liking."

The old man nodded: "I see. So that's why you don't accept Chiho?"

"Probably," Xia Wuzhao replied. "Chiho has no reason to like me, at least not for something like this."

"And what about that sunflower girl?"

The old man asked, "Do you like her very much? And if so, what's the reason?"

“I probably don’t like it,” Xia Wuzhao said. “So, there’s no reason for me to like it.”

"But she probably likes you too."

The old man saw it clearly: "Although the girl named Asahi Aoi wasn't as proactive as Chiho, she still likes you."

"Perhaps it's just a slight feeling of goodwill," Xia Wuzhao said. "It wouldn't be considered liking."

"Is that so?" The old man looked at Xia Wuzhao and said, "Then what kind of liking do you think it is?"

"If you like something, you like it. What does it matter what it looks like?"

Xia Wuzhao said, "When you truly fall in love, you realize that this is what love is. If I had to choose one word to describe it, it would probably be 'authenticity'."

Chapter 195 The Indistinguishable Between Reality and Fantasy: Likes and Pains

"Is that so?"

The old woman looked at Xia Wuzhao and said, "As expected, Chiho can't win other people's favor now, but it's not Chiho's fault. You understand that, right?"

"Yes," Xia Wuzhao said, "I understand."

“Although I don’t understand young people’s thinking, if you are confident that you can make that child better, then go for it.”

The old man said, "That child has been too deeply influenced by her mother, and it is impossible to change her without special methods."

"So, just do whatever you want, as long as it changes Chiho."

"The Kirishima family will thank you."

She spoke so sincerely.

Xia Wuzhao replied, "It's not me who changes Chiho, it's Chiho herself who changes."

Xia Wuzhao repeated the sentence again with a serious expression.

"Whatever happens, happens."

The old man shook his head, then placed his hands on the tatami mat in front of him, bent down and touched the back of his hands with his forehead, saying in a standard posture, "I entrust everything to you, Natsugiri."

Xia Wuzhao quickly stopped the old man, saying, "You don't actually need to do that."

Whether it's the identity of the family patriarch, an elder, or a member of the martial arts family, such etiquette towards Xia Wuzhao is excessive.

Xia Wu could not accept such etiquette.

"As an elderly person, I always feel I should do something for the children."

The old man said, "The older you get, the more you want to leave something behind in the world. I guess that's what blood ties are, or just the inertia of society."

"Chiho is the child I worry about the most. She's too smart, but not decisive enough. That's probably a common problem for people here."

"Succumbing to the gravity of society and rules, even when danger is seen, they simply wait for the day it ends."

The old man sighed, then said to Xia Wuzhao, "But you are different; gravity seems unable to bind your soul."

Xia Wuzhao said, "Gravity and soul are too ethereal. Besides, there's probably no one more selfish than me."

Seeing Xia Wuzhao like this, the old man could only smile warmly: "That's enough for today."

After bowing and saying something, Xia Wuzhao left the room.

As the old woman watched Xia Wuzhao's retreating figure, she said, "If only I could become his adopted son-in-law."

She thought Xia Wuzhao's abilities were quite good, but after thinking about it carefully, she shook her head.

"But he has a problem with his personality. The Kirishima family doesn't need someone who is used to taking risks and is extreme."