I won't be a loser.

By the time he returned to the arcade machine carrying the big bag, Akihisa Yoshii and Yuji Sakamoto had almost finished their game.

"You've gotten stronger, Akihisa."

"Hmph, you've made quite a bit of progress, Yuuji."

"Winning or losing?"

The wise man who was walking by heard what the two said and asked casually.

"12:2"

Yoshii Akihisa slowly stood up, his body filled with the glory of a winner.

"You 12?"

"No, Yuuji."

"........"

"By the way, there are so many dolls. Did you just go and catch them?"

Akihisa Yoshii's eyes fell on Kento. Looking at the big bag in Kento's hand and the big doll inside, Akihisa Yoshii was a little surprised, and Yuji Sakamoto was also a little surprised.

"Did you catch so many?"

"For you two."

He casually took out two small dolls from the bag and gave them to the two people. Yoshii Akihisa and Sakamoto Yuji did not refuse and accepted the dolls from Xianren.

Because they didn't have much living expenses, the three of them didn't stay in the game hall for long. At around two o'clock in the afternoon, they left the game hall together.

Xianren, who was carrying bags and dolls, found it inconvenient to continue shopping, so he said goodbye to the two and returned to his apartment early.

But just as he was returning to the vicinity of his apartment, he met an unexpected person.

Wearing a gorgeous kimono, with fair and delicate hands, holding a small folding fan, she stood quietly in front of the apartment building, looking up at Xianren's room, not noticing Xianren who was not far away.

- - - -

I'm going to open a bounty tomorrow, and I'm going to fly now!!

Thanks to Digarex22, Xiluo Weimian, Cangqi ff2d51, Sushi Ashiqi, oldpilot, Lonely Day, World Prosperity, and Fallen Stone for their monthly tickets and blades! Thank you all for your recommendation votes!

Cherry Blossom Season: 78. I have to convey the message to Setsuna.

When he saw his former lover, Xianren did not feel happy. Instead, countless sorrows lingered in his heart. He couldn't help but take two steps back and slowly hid behind the electric pole on the corner of the street. Through the gap between the corner of the wall and the electric pole, he watched the familiar figure from afar.

Why is she here?

He was confused and puzzled. He and Sayuri should have no connection at all now. Why would she suddenly come here and appear around his apartment? The deep doubt made him purse his lips.

A mature and beautiful woman stood in front of the apartment, quietly looking at the place in front of her that seemed familiar yet unfamiliar.

She just wanted to go out for a walk, but she came to this place unknowingly. Looking at the apartment in front of her, she felt inexplicably familiar, but she didn't know where this familiar feeling came from.

"......It must be just my illusion, right?"

The folding fan was gently placed in front of her. Sayuri slowly withdrew her gaze, sighed, and headed back in the direction she came from, returning to her home along the same route.

The wise man standing behind the telephone pole watched the other person's figure disappear at the end of the street without saying a word, then he slowly walked out from behind the telephone pole, stood there silently, thought deeply for a long time, and then slowly walked towards his apartment.

It was still some time before evening, and Setsuna didn't know whether he was with Sekai Saionji. Standing in front of the balcony, looking at the apartment opposite, it didn't seem like he was at home, so he walked to the table alone, slowly pulled out his chair, and took out the manuscript paper from his drawer again.

The income from the last manuscript fee is just a drop in the bucket for the current wise man. If he wants to cover the expenses of the private school, he has to work hard.

"This time's theme..."

After thinking about it, all kinds of topics came to his mind. There were so many types to choose from that he didn't know how to choose.

Sitting at the table in silence and thinking for a while, he realized that he really still liked to write works on rural themes.

"Well, let's write a story about a city protagonist returning to the countryside, marrying her uncle, a beautiful and mature aunt, a pure and lovely cousin, and a middle-aged neighbor. Three people... well, let's add a middle school girl she met while taking shelter from the rain."

I simply confirmed the characters of the story. For a work like this, there is basically no need to think too much about it. As long as I follow my original desires, a smooth and exciting story will naturally come to life on paper.

He used to make a living from this, but now he picked up his pen again. When he started creating, he didn't encounter any bottlenecks, and the whole process was as smooth as flowing water.

A young man who is unhappy in the city can arouse and increase the sense of substitution for most people who are unhappy with their lives.

The reason why he chose the countryside as the place to be is that his works will basically not flow into the countryside. Most of his readers are young and middle-aged people in the city, and their understanding of the countryside is generally vague.

The plot of the story is basically about a young man who is down and out in the city and chooses to return to his childhood hometown. He is pursued by his cousin who has never been to the city but has a yearning for it. This is to satisfy the inner sense of superiority of some urban readers.

In addition, topics such as cousins and aunts, which involve moral taboos, are also quite common types in the "random genre".

However, even for "chaotic" themes, he often adds some "sad" content, such as plots of humiliation and bullying, which he often writes with ease, allowing people who are timid in reality to vent their inner depression when seeing such works.

It only took two hours for nearly two thousand words to be created. His right hand, which was holding the pen, felt sore, so he stopped writing, folded up the manuscript paper, and sat quietly in his room.

When he was immersed in creation, he didn't feel anything, but as soon as he stopped, he felt like his whole body was hollowed out. He slowly raised his head and looked at the hands of the clock beside him. Xianren slowly stood up and went to the bathroom.

After washing and drying my hands, I returned to my room, poured myself a cup of tea, and seeing that it was getting dark outside, I turned on the light in the room and started preparing dinner...

When Qingpu Mai returned home, the lights were still off. She didn't know when it started, but she had gradually become accustomed to this kind of life.

"Is it at the virtuous man's house again?"

She put down her shoulder bag, took off her coat, unbuttoned her collar, and sat down on the sofa in the living room in a white shirt, thinking about what she should do next.

"It seems there's nothing much to do. The wise man should have prepared dinner, right?"

With her legs lifted up and placed on the sofa, Qing Pu Mai gently rubbed her calves through her transparent and silky black stockings, looking at the clock on the wall beside her. She was too lazy to change her clothes, so she slowly sat up and prepared to go to Xianren's apartment.

But just as she stood up and before she could even take a step, the phone in her pocket started buzzing.

Reaching out of her pocket, she pulled out her trembling cell phone. Seeing an unfamiliar number, Qingpu Wu frowned. She didn't know who was calling, and after hesitating for a moment, she chose to answer the call.

"Qingpu Mai, who is this?"

"It's me, Mom."

The familiar voice surprised Qing Pu Mai. Shouldn't her daughter be with Xianren? Why did he call her specifically?

"Aren't you with the wise man?"

"Well, today, Sekai and I went to visit Kotonoha's house. We will stay overnight at Kotonoha's house. Can you please tell Xianren?"

"I see......."

Last week she stayed overnight at Saionji Sekai's house, and today she is staying overnight at the house of that new friend again. Qingura Mai was a little surprised, but still agreed.

"Hey, are you talking to Miyamizu-kun?"

The familiar voice of Saionji Sekai could still be heard in her ears. Qingura Mai reminded Setsuna to be polite in someone else's home. Then she slowly hung up the phone after Setsuna and silently put away her phone.

"Sleeping over at someone else's house?"

Qingpu Wu pursed her lips slightly, but she was not too worried. Instead, her heartbeat quickened slightly, and she felt her whole body became lighter.

After putting down her phone, she walked towards the door. She had to tell the wise man a message on behalf of her daughter.

- - - -

This month ends, and so do the years 21. Woohoo, another year of being tortured by life.

Thanks to Tabby Cat, The Cutest Sister, Xiaodao Bakucrow, Qiuyue Xiaosan@, Yulexiyu, Magical Shuke, Digarex22, Yakumo Ren, I Am the Moon Princess, Qipei-chan~, Somareze, Yi Zixiao, A Story of Horseshoe Prints, Zhongyan Xiaoyu, Fengmingjie, Shuke 65827832197, and ※Twenty-three for their monthly tickets and blades! Thank you all for your recommendation votes!

Cherry Blossom Season: Open a Reward

This month will mark the 22nd year. In this final month, I am offering a reward to encourage myself.

50 blades + 1 more

10000 cat coins + 1 update

200 monthly tickets + 1 update

5000 Recommended +1 More

Until the end of this month.

Whether we can have a good new year depends on everyone.

Basically, as long as the conditions are met, we will try our best to update on the same day and report the situation.

Cherry Blossom Season: 79. Even adults can be childish sometimes.

The wise man was standing in front of the kitchen counter, frying green peppers with a wooden spatula when he suddenly heard the doorbell. He slowly looked in the direction of the door, lowered his head to look at the green peppers in his pot, hesitated for a moment, turned down the heat, poured the shredded meat into the pot, stir-fried it briefly, and then hurried to the door.

"Good evening, sage."

"Good evening... Miss Mai? Is Setsuna not here?"

Seeing Qing Pu Mai in front of him wearing a white shirt and a black silk skirt, which was completely dressed for work, Xianren was a little surprised. Not seeing Setsuna beside her, Xianren was also confused.

"I came here to tell you something. Setsuna hasn't come home yet. Today..."

"Wait a moment, please come in first. I'm still cooking. If you don't leave now... please come in."

Before Qingpu Mai could finish her words, she thought of the stir-fried pork and green peppers in her pot. If she didn't stir-fry them, they would probably burn, so she hurried back to the kitchen counter. As for Qingpu Mai, she looked at the hurried Xianren, walked slowly into the house, closed the door, and gently took off her shoes. Her delicate black silk toes touched the slippers beside her, and she pulled them to her side little by little.

When Qingpu Mai entered the house and came to the kitchen counter, Xianren was carefully stir-frying green peppers and shredded pork. The smell of green peppers wafted in the air, and Qingpu Mai leaned in to take a look.

"Um, Miss Mai, were you trying to talk about Setsuna? She hasn't come home yet?"

"Just ask me to dance now. Setsuna is staying over at her new friend's house tonight, along with Sekai."

Without her daughter here, Qingpu Mai slowly came to Xianren's side, smiled sweetly and moved closer to him, putting her arms around his waist, causing Xianren, who was preparing dinner, to stiffen his body.

hiss--

Looking back at Qingpu Mai beside him, Xianren took a breath. He didn't expect that she would be so proactive when Setsuna was not around. He lowered his head to look at the almost finished dish and put the stir-fried pork with green peppers in the pot into the tableware. Xianren cleaned up simply and let Qingpu Mai let him go.

"Setsuna's gone, so it's okay tonight, right?"

Watching Xianren bring the dishes to the table, Qingpu Mai was the first to sit down at the table, supporting her cheek with one hand, and looking at Xianren with a chuckle.

"Aren't you afraid that Setsuna will find out?"

Xianren brought the bowl of rice to Qingpu Mai, sat down, and looked at Qingpu Mai sitting opposite him.

In response to this, Qingpu Mai's eyes flickered for a moment.

"It's better if Setsuna doesn't know. Besides, you don't want Setsuna to know, right?"

The wise man did not answer, but quietly picked up the bowl in front of him, picked up the food with chopsticks, and started to eat.

Looking at Xianren's reaction, Qingpu Mai also lowered her head and started to eat dinner silently. The atmosphere between the two was a little silent. They sat opposite each other quietly and had dinner in silence.

Until the end of dinner, when the two of them sat quietly at the table to rest, Xianren glanced at Qingpu Mai who was sitting opposite him and slowly spoke.

"There's something I want to ask you."

"what?"

Qingpu Mai looked at the wise man opposite her, smiled, and propped up her cheeks with her hands again, looking at the young man opposite her. It was the first time that she heard the other person ask for her help.

"In order to earn a living, I plan to continue writing, but I need an adult identity, so I want Miss Wu to use your identity to help submit it to those publishing houses."

"Adult status? Last submission..."

"It's a little different. Last time it was just the magazine, but this time it should be related to publishing. There are some problems at home. Itomori and Tokyo are really too far away, so the only person I can think of who can help is Miss Mai."

"It's okay with me. Have you written it yet?"

"Not yet. We still have to wait for a while before it's completed. Only then will we need Miss Wu's help."

Xianren shook his head. He had just started writing today, and since he had to go to school on weekdays, he didn't have much free time. It would take him at least a month to finish the book.

"I understand. Then, when the time comes, use my identity."

Qing Pu Mai didn't mind this at all. Instead, she smiled and nodded.

"Nothing else?"

"why me?"

There was nothing else, but Xianren was a little confused in his heart. Looking at Qingpu Mai in front of him, he didn't know why the other party chose him.

"Hmm? There's no reason, right? Come to think of it, I noticed Xianren earlier than Setsuna, but I didn't think too much about it at the time and let Setsuna get in touch with you first. I didn't expect that Setsuna would fall in love with you so easily."

Looking at the young man in front of her with a smile, Qingpu Mai answered with a smile, without any reservations.