I save a pathological girl with a twisted love story.

"The end of anything is when the goal of that thing is achieved. Otherwise, it is called a failure, or giving up halfway."

"wrong."

Aoi stubbornly shook her head: "What you said is incorrect."

"What you see as wrong may be wrong. But what I see as right is correct."

Chiho answered Asahi Aoi's question softly, as if she were not firm in her decision.

However, these words, as light as a breeze, carried an iron-like intensity.

Aoi Asahi simply shook her head: "Sorry, I don't agree."

"Then let's ask Xia Wu."

Chiho looked at Natsugiri Kai in front of her: "Natsugiri! What do you think?"

Xia Wuzhao didn't turn around: "Climbing a mountain is just climbing a mountain, so it doesn't matter what."

"Ah, I knew it would happen again," Chiho said wistfully. "Giving such vague answers all the time can lead to some bad things happening."

“What you want to do is your own business, isn’t it?” Xia Wuzhao retorted; “What’s the point of caring about my opinion and answer?”

"Hmph." Chiho scoffed; "As expected, she's trying to shirk responsibility far away."

She then shrugged helplessly at Asahi Aoi; "It seems we can't tell who's right and who's wrong today either."

Aoi Asahi didn't answer Chiho's question again, but quickly followed behind Natsugiri Kai.

The mountain path was narrow, but it wasn't a dirt road. Instead, it was paved with bluestone, and it looked quite proper.

"It's so dirty."

Chiho looked down at the cobblestone paths, which were covered with withered branches, rotten leaves, dirt, and dust.

"Perhaps it's because it rained."

Xia Wuzhao answered casually.

"But shouldn't the rain have washed the bluestone slabs clean?"

Chiho looked at Natsugiri Kai.

"Sometimes even heavy rain can't wash everything clean; instead, it can make things even dirtier and messier."

With a casual reply, Xia Wuzhao looked at both sides of the road.

The woods were haphazard, and not all the trees were straight. There were many crooked trees, with thick layers of moss piled up at the bends.

It looks exceptionally ancient, quite different from the city.

Small stone statues of bodhisattvas can often be seen by the roadside. Most of these statues are incomplete, and their faces are blurred due to wind and rain.

Chiho seemed very interested in these stone statues, and would squat down every now and then to poke them and take a look.

Aoi Asahi wasn't interested in this at all; she simply followed behind Natsugiri Kai, step by step.

"—At this moment, I have an urge to say something."

"Because this is what lovers should be like."

"Lovers should be saying something to each other at this moment."

"However, at this moment, silence may be the best answer."

Even so, I might already be satisfied.

Asahi Aoi smiled, took a few quick steps, and came to Natsugiri Kai's side.

The distance between their shoulders was getting shorter, but as soon as they got close, they recoiled as if they had been electrocuted.

From behind, their walking posture looks strange, wobbling like a penguin.

Chiho couldn't help but chuckle.

"Aoi is definitely that kind of person. She's always worried and uneasy."

"But perhaps that's why Natsugiri Kai subconsciously takes care of her, even though Aoi might not realize it yet."

Chiho dusted off her hands and quickly stepped forward.

"The maple leaves are really beautiful today."

Smiling, she said, "Although it doesn't burn like a flame, its colors are as varied as flowers."

"Ah."

Xia Wuzhao said, "It's alright."

"Ah, that's such a perfunctory answer."

Chiho nudged Natsumi's shoulder with her own, puffing out her cheeks in displeasure: "Girls should at least be a little more serious about their answers."

"This is already a very serious answer."

His tone was as calm as ever, as if the girl's teasing was just another conversation.

"Chichi."

The girl covered her mouth and chuckled, looking as if she didn't believe it.

Instead of looking at Natsugiri Kai, he stared at Asahi Aoi.

"Aoi, what are you thinking? Are you going to continue to endure it? Continue to pretend you don't see it, or have you already accepted the intimacy between me and Natsume?"

She frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled.

"Xia Wu is a very strange man. Even I can't understand what he's thinking or what he's doing."

"So, it's up to you to change him. At the very least, find out why he's been avoiding and denying this issue."

"Although I could do it too, Xia Wu cares about you more than me."

Thinking of this, Chiho felt an urge to sigh.

"Even so, I am not jealous."

"Because I don't need to be taken care of, because I'm not as lost as Aoi."

"Therefore, I am not jealous or envious of the favoritism that Aoi receives."

"On the contrary, I hope that Aoi can change Xia Wuzhao. At least find out why Xia Wuzhao denies things and is emotionally detached."

"I can't do it myself, so I can only let Aoi do it."

She felt somewhat worried and sighed about it.

The three of them walked slowly on the bluestone steps and saw a dilapidated torii gate halfway up the mountain.

The vermilion paint has almost completely peeled off.

The dusty, gray pillar stood starkly in front of the three of them, but thankfully it hadn't tilted or fallen over.

Standing beneath the torii gate, Natsugiri asked Chiho again, "Does this shrine have a name?"

Chiho shrugged and said, "Maybe, but I don't know. After all, there are many small shrines like this, and many names too. Who would remember them all?"

Chapter 309 The Vast Yet Superficial Labyrinth

This little shrine is really small.

It was terribly dilapidated; after passing through the torii gate, I saw two houses.

One is the main house, and the other is a small house on the side.

The hut was probably a place that sold amulets or similar items, but both the main house and the hut were now empty, with only spider webs scattered around.

The water basin is a small pit placed in the open air, filled with water and covered with a layer of fallen leaves.

Xia Wuzhao took a close look and then washed her hands with the water here.

Then he reached into his pocket.

"Ok?"

Chiho peeked out curiously: "Did you find something?"

"No."

Xia Wuzhao said, "What could be in an abandoned handwashing station?"

"Well."

She blinked and looked Xia Wuzhao up and down: "Of course I believe Xia Wuzhao."

"But your actions just now don't make me believe it."

Xia Wuzhao then stretched out her hand and showed it to Chiho: "There's nothing there."

Chiho rolled her eyes, pushed Natsumi away, and looked annoyed. "I knew you'd be so perfunctory."

She also washed her hands briefly in the handwashing station.

Then he shook it again and wiped it clean with a tissue.

Is the water in here clean?

"It's rainwater."

Xia Wuzhao pointed to the sky.

Chiho glanced at the sky, which was obscured by the trees: "It doesn't look too clean either."

"So, what's next?"

She said, "Should we continue walking towards the back of the shrine? That stretch of road is quite beautiful too."

“Then let’s move on,” Aoi suddenly said. “After all, there’s still a very long day ahead.”

So the three of them walked towards the back.

Or rather, to walk into the deeper mountains and forests.

Asahi's personality is too similar to Natsugiri Kai's; even in silence, she is content.

I would look around from time to time, listening to the sound of the wind mixed with birdsong.

Apart from that, she did not take the opportunity to pester Xia Wuzhao.

We just walked quietly, enjoying the picnic.

The only noisy one was Chiho, who would always talk on and on about all sorts of things.

Sometimes she would tease Aoi with malicious intent, and other times she would deliberately induce Xia Wuzhao to say certain inappropriate things.

After each success, it would chuckle like a little fox.

And so, the group stayed until the afternoon.

As dusk fell, we finally prepared to descend the mountain.

"But I'm exhausted."

Chiho complained, tapping her thigh: "I feel like my whole body is trembling right now, it's like there are little bugs wriggling under my muscles."

"And it's so sour it's unbearable."

Bending over, rubbing his legs.

Her crimson hair swayed, and her temples glistened with sweat.

She really did look listless and weak.

"Once we get down there, there will be a place to rest."

Xia Wuzhao pointed to the foot of the mountain.

"That's too far, Xiawu."

Complaining, Chiho struggled to her feet. But then she slapped herself onto Natsume's back and said with a grin, "Why don't you carry me?"

The sunflower, which had been silent all along, said, "You can rest here too. Look, there's a dry spot under this tree."

Chiho didn't refuse, she just smiled and said, "Jealousy?"

"It's not jealousy!"

Aoi retorted without hesitation, saying, "I was just making a suggestion."