I save a pathological girl with a twisted love story.

She glanced at Xia Wuzhao.

Just then, he met Xia Wuzhao's gaze.

Asakawa Yo didn't look away, but simply stared at him silently. Xia Wuzhao didn't seem to care, glancing at him before looking away.

"But why should I avoid Xia Wuzhao? Avoiding her—that would make me seem too cowardly."

She shook her head and didn't say anything.

The old man just smiled and didn't insist on saying anything.

The atmosphere at dinner was quite pleasant. Asahi Aoi chatted with the old man from time to time, while Chiho chatted with Natsugiri Kai.

—Although it was one-sided, Chiho always said interesting things, and sometimes she would even chat with Aoi Asahi.

But Xia Wuzhao always seemed very quiet. He found it difficult to talk to others, which made him seem a little out of place.

—Just like Asakawa Yo.

"How can he be like me?"

Asakawa Yo felt an instinctive resistance to the very thought of this possibility.

However, this possibility cannot be denied, which is extremely annoying to Asakawa Yo.

Her expression became listless, and her appetite also became listless.

In the end, they barely managed to finish dinner. The maids cleared away the dishes and brought tea to everyone.

After finishing his meal, the elderly man planned to take a walk and then go to sleep.

Older people are like that; they go to bed early.

"Alright, finally it's just us left."

Chiho chimed in, "Want to play some games? Otherwise it's too boring."

Patting the tatami mat, like a child throwing a tantrum: "It's so boring in the countryside, there's absolutely nothing to do."

"No."

Asakawa Yo shook her head, rejecting Chiho's suggestion.

"Asakawa, do you have anything else to do?" Chiho looked at Asakawa Yo with curiosity, her smile full of wonder.

But his pupils were full of mockery.

Asakawa Yo was somewhat displeased with Chiho addressing her by her surname.

“We’re not close enough to call each other by our last names,” Asakawa Yo said seriously. “Besides, do you think I have nothing else to do but play games?”

She shook her head, stood up, and walked towards her room.

Chiho immediately put on a crying face and sobbed loudly, leaning on Natsugiri Kai's shoulder.

They even made sounds on purpose.

But Asakawa Yo's pace only quickened.

“Don’t do that.” Aoi Asahi frowned as well. “This fake crying is too obvious.”

"Is that so?"

Chiho looked up, heartbroken.

Aoi looked at her helplessly and said, "I don't feel like playing games either, so I'll just take a shower and go to sleep."

"Ok."

Chiho looked dejected and very sad.

So, Aoi got up and went to take a bath.

Chiho took the opportunity to wink at Aoi Asahi, a mischievous grin on her face.

Once Aoi Asahi had walked far away, Chiho whispered, "It seems that Natsugiri, your chance to win over Asakawa Yo has missed."

"What game are you talking about?" Xia Wuzhao glanced at her.

"Tch, do we really need to put on this act between us?" Chiho lay on the floor, slapping the wooden floorboards beside her in dissatisfaction.

Xia Wuzhao made no comment, nor did her expression change.

Chiho had no choice but to stop slapping the floor: "It hurts."

After saying that, she put on a serious expression: "Asakawa, it seems she really dislikes you."

"Oh."

"Aren't you surprised?" Chiho looked at Natsugiri with curiosity.

"Why should I be surprised?" Xia Wuzhao retorted. "Does that mean I'm someone that others have to like for them to like me?"

As if she had heard a joke, Chiho laughed heartily: "If you were really that kind of person, it might be better, after all, then I wouldn't have to work so hard."

She knew Xia Wuzhao wouldn't answer, so she continued, "But it's good this way. At least, Aoi won't have to live in so much fear anymore."

"what!"

She sat up abruptly, as if she had suddenly realized something.

Leaning on Xia Wuzhao's shoulder, she said slyly, "Could it be that you did this on purpose to put A-Kui at ease? You really are cunning, Xia Wuzhao."

I underestimated you~~

Xia Wuzhao didn't look at her, but simply said, "I don't quite understand what you're saying."

"Yes, yes, yes." She stood up, pressing on Xia Wuzhao's shoulder. "I'm going to take a shower too. Now it's just you and Qianchuan left. Please don't let anything shady happen."

It sounded like a lover warning her cheating boyfriend, but her smiling tone made her words seem frivolous.

Xia Wuzhao had become accustomed to not responding to such questions.

Chiho always says things that are inexplicable.

Chiho was already used to Natsugiri Kai never answering questions.

After standing up, he slowly walked towards the room.

Xia Wuzhao watched her retreating figure. The girl walked with incredible lightness, looking like a born optimist.

But the hands behind her back were shaking incessantly.

—It seemed as if she was certain that Xia Wuzhao would see her.

"You've been caught, Lady Natsugiri."

Xiao Ai reminded her.

"It's just something Chiho often does," Xia Wuzhao said casually, looking at the starry sky outside the house.

The surrounding bamboo curtains were all rolled up, making a rustling sound when the wind blew through them.

Accompanied by the chirping of insects around, it was not bad at all.

Unfortunately, the mosquitoes around were quite annoying.

Xia Wuzhao touched the area in front of her and made a wish: that mosquitoes would not be allowed to enter the house.

With a thought, all the mosquitoes among mortals vanished.

Xiao Ai also sensed the fluctuations of Lord Xia Wu's wish, but she did not stop her.

"If Lady Natsugiri were to be more extravagant and squander all her wishing energy, perhaps Asakawa Yo would be even more enthusiastic."

She had a very malicious thought.

"Lord Natsugiri, just now when we finished eating, Asakawa Yo's demonic aura fluctuated again."

She gave a hint.

"Did it only fluctuate once?"

"Yes, that's right, it only fluctuated once." Xiao Ai said with certainty, "Her emotions fluctuated just now, starting from this afternoon."

Xia Wuzhao frowned slightly, because her lack of demonic energy fluctuations this afternoon seemed too abnormal.

Just as Natsugiri Kai was pondering this, Ai said again, "Natsugiri-sama, Chiho and Asahi are whispering in the bathroom. Do you need me to eavesdrop for you?"

"unnecessary."

"Oh."

Xiao Ai seemed very disappointed.

In the bathroom, Aoi Asahi and Chiho were indeed chatting.

Aoi, soaking in the bathtub, watched Chiho lathering herself with bubbles: "What do you think of Asakawa-kun?"

"Asakawa?"

Chiho thought for a moment and said, "She's probably a very charming girl."

"Chiho, you think so too?" Aoi Asahi asked in surprise. "I thought you didn't like Asakawa-kun."

"Haha, Aoi, you're being too harsh on me! I'm so sad!"

"Feel sorry."

After Aoi apologized, Chiho said in a peculiar tone, "A girl as stubborn, headstrong, and even very intelligent as Asakawa would be considered very charming by anyone."

"At least, I think she's smarter than me."

Chiho turned on the shower, and the steam from the hot water turned the entire bathroom into an almost invisible fog.

"Is he smart?"

Asahi Aoi kept repeating this word.

Although Asakawa's grades were also in the upper range, they were still slightly lower than the others.

However, Aoi Asahi believed that Chiho was absolutely right about being smart.

"Yeah, she's really smart," Chiho said slowly. "If I had that scar on my eye, I wouldn't be able to be like her at all."

At this point, the atmosphere instantly fell silent.

Chiho also sensed this silent, even slightly awkward, atmosphere.

In the past, she could easily and neatly change the subject.

But Chiho didn't do that.

She simply smiled, hummed a song, and rubbed her hair.

As if trying to make amends, Aoi said softly, "But, she seems to really dislike Natsugiri. I don't know why, she just really dislikes her."

"Perhaps, this is a good thing."

Chiho seemed to be comforting Aoi Asahi, but her words were full of deeper meaning.

Aoi Asahi didn't grasp Chiho's deeper meaning; she could only smile and say, "Maybe it's a good thing."

Asakawa Yo sat in her room, opened the sliding door, and looked at the starry sky.

The starry sky is neither dazzling nor bright tonight.

Everywhere was gloomy, except for the bright moon, and everything seemed to be covered with a layer of white gauze.

"Today is truly a disastrous day."

Asakawa Yo spoke softly, glancing again at the bright moon.

Chapter 395 The Silent Brilliance in the Darkness [4k]

On their fourth day in the countryside, the group seemed to have nothing to do.

Aoi goes back to practice archery in the morning and studies or chats with Natsugiri Kai in the afternoon. Chiho, on the other hand, has to practice her naginata.

He was often panting and drenched in sweat.

As for Asakawa Yo, she remained as elusive as ever, almost never staying at home unless absolutely necessary.

It's like how fish don't stay on land.

Natsugiri Kai would occasionally chat with Asahi Aoi, but most of the time she was just spacing out.

"How boring, Natsugiri."