I save a pathological girl with a twisted love story.

"Ah."

"As a minister, I feel it is my duty to be concerned about the health of my ministers."

"Ah."

"So, Xia Wuzhao, do you like men?"

"Hmm?" Xia Wuzhao glanced at Asahi Aoi: "No."

"Isn't that right?" Aoi smiled wickedly. "Really not? Then why do you still have such a blank expression when a beautiful girl like me is standing in front of you?"

"Moreover, this is the second time they've been mistaken for a couple. Any normal man would be smug by now."

Asahi Aoi said this, she put her hands on her hips and looked at Natsugiri Kai.

Xia Wuzhao said, "I think you're getting smug."

"Didn't I already say that?" Aoi Asahi said with some dissatisfaction, "The person I am in front of others is just a facade."

Don't you think that method is quite good?

She seemed rather proud, saying, "There are no friends or anything like that."

"I think this is fine."

—This girl has forgotten all her past pain, as if the smiling version of herself today is the real her.

The person I used to be, who was in so much pain that I felt almost completely lost, is not me anymore.

Xia Wuzhao said somewhat calmly, "Really?"

"Of course it's true."

Aoi smiled and said, "Otherwise what? Could something like this be fake?"

"Who knows?" Xia Wuzhao said, "People are best at deceiving themselves."

"Are you talking about yourself, Xia Wuzhao?"

Asahi Aoi, with her sharp tongue, said, "What you said before was all a lie?"

She spoke with a sharp tongue, as if watching a good show, waiting for Xia Wuzhao's reaction.

Xia Wuzhao casually remarked, "I think you're the one lying, after all, you're so arrogant that you think you're a beautiful girl."

"The person who can't tell I'm a beautiful girl is the one with the problem."

Asahi Aoi stood on the steps, looking at Natsugiri Kai.

The dense foliage of the trees on both sides intertwines to form a natural dome, with sunlight only able to filter through the gaps and cast dappled light.

Perhaps because it was in front of a shrine, even the light seemed to have been deliberately filtered by the gods.

The warm sunlight shone on the sunflower, and in the slightly shady grove, she alone exuded a hazy, misty glow.

Her cheeks were radiant from the sunlight.

She smiled like the warm sun: "As the first person to see my face completely, what do you think?"

Asahi Aoi spoke with confidence, but her eyes seemed somewhat evasive.

Her cheeks seemed flushed with a hint of shyness.

But she still mustered up her courage and stood there, showing her most beautiful side.

"I think we should hurry up and go dig up some moss."

Xia Wuzhao answered slowly and deliberately.

Chapter 48: Truth and Falsehood That Even Oneself Cannot Distinguish

Sunflower was somewhat annoyed, and also felt a little bitter.

The two were only five centimeters apart.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shorten the distance between them.

"What exactly should I do?"

"I've already tried my best, and I've been brave enough today."

Aoi felt a pang of sadness again.

Risa Yajima is like a time bomb; who knows when she'll explode.

Aoi is terrified of that day coming, so she wants to get the answer before everything collapses.

But they couldn't say it, and could only keep pretending.

The girl turned her head and shouted to Xia Wuzhao behind her, "Hurry up~~"

Her tone was urging, and her face wore a mocking smile.

She's like a proud and strong girl.

But only Aoi herself knew that this was just a facade.

—She was unwilling to reveal her true self, because even Aoi herself felt that way.

It was too heartbreaking to see that side of him exposed in front of Xia Wuzhao.

"Perhaps, I really am just like my mother. My mother pretended to be a good woman to deceive men, and I am also pretending to be a strong girl to deceive boys."

She suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

But they couldn't express it; they could only try their best to move upwards.

Before long, he was so tired that he was panting heavily and could only stand up.

Natsugiri Kai walked very slowly, so Asahi Aoi had plenty of time to rest.

Whenever she got tired from walking, she would stand still and look at Xia Wuzhao.

Although she was resting, she always pretended to be waiting for Xia Wuzhao.

After resting four or five times, Asahi finally stood on the mountaintop.

A cool breeze, carrying the scent of damp grass, swirled around the girl, making her feel much less hot.

Looking down at Xia Wuzhao, a smile played on her lips.

She held up one finger: "I was the first one up! Xia Wuzhao! I won."

Xia Wuzhao said, "We shouldn't have any matches."

“That’s right,” Aoi said. “But this time, it’s my victory.”

"And you should exercise more, Xia Wuzhao."

She laughed, but her eyes shone with a starlight-like brilliance.

"She was a little too enthusiastic today, as if she were an old woman who had seen her death date, so she became a bit bold in her final moments. It was like she was a brand new person, but it was all just an illusion."

Xia Wuzhao thought to herself, "Finally, I've climbed all the steps."

"Is this Chibayashi Shrine?"

“Otherwise what? Natsugiri Kai. Did you think there would be two shrines on this low hill?” Asahi Aoi stood below the torii gate, patting the torii gate that was full of the marks of time.

Most of the vermilion lacquer on the torii gate has peeled off, revealing either brown or black wood.

The base of its right pillar has been hollowed out by termites and can only be barely secured with wire and wooden stakes.

Even so, it was tilted 15 degrees.

But it's much better than a complete collapse.

Sunflower patted the torii gate a few times, causing it to sway slightly before stopping. But when she raised her hand, she found gray and black rotten wood chips in her palm.

Since she couldn't find a handkerchief, Asahi prepared to pat it a few times to shake off the damp wood shavings in her hands.

Xia Wuzhao shook her head, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to Asahi Aoi.

He said casually, "I don't want you to get infected because you've shoved sawdust into my flesh. That would be too much trouble, and I don't want to carry someone down the mountain."

Aoi Asahi looked at the handkerchief that Natsugiri Kai handed her, and a slight smile appeared on her face.

I couldn't help but ask, "Really?"

"You really didn't bring this especially for me?"

The unspoken words echoed in the girl's heart.

Her inferiority complex, timidity, and gloomy nature intertwine with her sharp tongue and stubbornness, blending truth and falsehood.

She could sometimes give completely different answers in front of Xia Wuzhao, but she often couldn't continue because of her timidity.

Xia Wuzhao said, "I just hate trouble."

Looking at the indifferent Natsugiri Kai, Asahi Aoi ultimately didn't say anything.

She deliberately feigned surprise and said, "Hmph, Xia Wuzhao, you really are well-prepared."

The girl came to the handwashing station, brushed aside the fallen leaves, and carefully washed her hands.

He then used a handkerchief to wipe the water droplets off his hands.

She did not return the handkerchief to Xia Wuzhao, but instead walked straight towards the main hall.

The main hall, made of cedar wood, was very small. The paper sliding doors were wide open, and one could clearly see the empty interior covered with dust and cobwebs.

The copper bells hanging under the eaves are covered with verdigris and emit a dull sound when the wind blows through them.

There was a covered walkway under the eaves, and the two of them put their backpacks on the walkway.

Just as they were getting ready to start working, Asahi sat under the eaves.

She kicked off her loafers and swung her legs around.

When the girl noticed Xia Wuzhao looking over, she gave him a smug look and said in a mocking tone, "What's wrong?"

"Aren't we supposed to be digging moss today?"

Xia Wuzhao answered calmly.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Aoi bent over, cupping her chin in her hands and resting her elbows on her legs. "Don't you think it's rare to have such leisurely time?"

I don't think so.

"In those big cities, being able to spend a day leisurely like this is a rare and precious moment."

Aoi Asahi found a reason.

She looked at Xia Wuzhao, her chestnut eyes gleaming with a certain light.

"Perhaps the leisurely feeling isn't because of being in these mountains and forests, but because Xia Wuzhao is by my side."

The girl thought to herself.

"It's so incredible. Just being with Xia Wu makes me feel like I'm isolated from the world. All my past worries, confusion, and pain have vanished, like a dream."

As she thought this, she looked at Xia Wuzhao.

Xia Wuzhao said, "If they were to actually live here for a few months, they would grow tired of the monotony and dullness, and miss the bright lights and bustling city."

"Xia Wuzhao, you're really no fun."

Asahi complained, "I'm just feeling a little tired, let's eat first."

The girl blinked and said with a smile, "Did you prepare two bento boxes again today?"

"Ah."

"Is this for me?"

"No," Xia Wuzhao replied calmly.

"really?"

"You're being a bit presumptuous, Aoi Asahi," Natsugiri Kai replied calmly.

"Then why did you bring two bento boxes?"

Xia Wuzhao said, "I'm just planning to sell it for money."

"Just as I thought." The girl smiled and took out a coin from her pocket, holding out her hand to Xia Wuzhao: "Here, one hundred yen."

Chapter 49: Lingering on the steps is a bittersweet resentment.