We moved to Golden Courtyard

59. Alicia, tears streaming down her face.

At night, a light rain was falling outside, pattering against the window and making it impossible to fall asleep.

With the air conditioning on, there was no need to worry about the room being too stuffy. He was also wrapped in a blanket, but Xu Qi had to admit... he really had a hard time falling asleep.

Even though there were previous instances where he played games until he fainted and slept with Airi, this time... it's clearly different.

Xu Qi looked at the raindrops outside the window. The sound of the rain seemed to be hitting his heart rather than the window, making him extremely irritable.

At this moment, Alicia was lying beside him.

Just two days ago... he had been intimate with Mei in bed.

Thinking about it this way, I really am a scumbag.

Moreover, she kept saying she would try her best to fulfill what Sakura-nee said—to win over both Airi and Mei!

But as the moment approached, I felt a pang of fear. What was I afraid of? I was afraid of taking on more responsibility... afraid of facing Mei... afraid that I would hurt them.

Xu Qi was somewhat confused; he had never been good at handling matters of the heart.

"Xu Qi, are you asleep?"

The sound came from behind, making the idea that Alicia was lying in the same bed with her even more vivid...

Not yet.

After replying, I heard rustling sounds coming from Ellie's side.

It seems like she... rolled over?

That's...

Just as I was thinking this, I felt someone twist my shoulder.

"Turn around, let's have a chat."

Alicia...don't you really know how dangerous this is?

Although that's what she was thinking, Xu Qi still obediently turned around and looked at Alicia, who was so close to her. Even though the room was pitch black, it still felt somewhat dreamlike.

How could it be that Xu Qi doesn't like Alicia?

Even now, he can still recall the feeling of falling in love at first sight when he first met Ellie upon arriving at the Golden Courtyard.

My heart felt like it was about to be shattered by this girl.

"Huh? What's wrong, are you stunned?"

Ellie waved her hand in front of Xu Qi. If she wasn't mistaken, she was shirtless.

Indeed, Xu Qi remembered very clearly that after taking a shower before bed, Ai Li put on a camisole nightgown and went to bed. At that moment, Xu Qi could even see Ai Li's fair and tender shoulders.

Damn Xu Qi... why did he have to emphasize his night vision ability at this time?

"Speak honestly, and don't get physical."

"Hmph... You're so mean to me, but I've never seen you treat Mei like this?"

How can they be the same? But I can't bring myself to say it...

"Xu Qi, before dinner, your mother pulled me aside for a private chat."

“Whispering…you’re so cute, Alicia.”

"That's... I'm a beautiful girl, aren't I?!"

I'm not praising you... Xu Qi almost covered his face, but he didn't dare to make any big movements, afraid of touching Ai Li and causing some unnecessary ambiguous misunderstandings.

What did my mom say to you?

"She told me a lot about your childhood, and... and..."

At this point, Alicia hesitated a little, and Xu Qi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"What else?"

"She said... she said that although you are decisive in doing things, you are always indecisive when it comes to matters of the heart... She said that I should take the initiative so that I can get results."

……

My mom really knows me well...

"Xu Qi, is it true?"

You're a girl, lying in the same bed with me, and then you ask me this question. Don't you think that's weird?

But Xu Qi subconsciously ignored these issues, and perhaps Alicia did too. He was silent for a while, then suddenly told a story.

"Actually... Mei is my first love, but she's not the first girl I've ever liked."

Alicia's eyes lit up! She loved listening to stories, especially stories about Xu Qi.

"I had a crush on someone in high school, and things were going pretty well; I was just short of confessing. But... I was always a little hesitant, maybe because I was afraid."

In short, by the time the college entrance exam was over, she was probably tired of my ambiguous behavior, so... she found a boyfriend and broke up with me.

"Huh?" Ellie couldn't help but move closer and said, "How could this be? This girl is so wrong."

"Ok?"

Xu Qi was somewhat confused. Shouldn't the first reaction of a normal person upon hearing this story be that the man is a weirdo?

"She should take the initiative! Relationships are a two-way street. If one person hesitates, the other has to make the first move! What's the point of just changing partners... it just shows she doesn't like you at all!"

"Or...maybe."

Xu Qi scratched his head and suddenly felt... that what Ai Li said seemed to make a lot of sense?

"You must have been in a lot of pain during that time. It's obvious that you really liked that girl."

"It's alright, it's all in the past anyway, and besides, there's still..."

At this point, Xu Qi suddenly stopped—damn it… there was Mei's comment, she should never have said it in front of Alicia…

"And Mei too, right?"

Alicia took the initiative to finish Xu Qi's sentence.

This caused the atmosphere between the two to become somewhat silent again.

"She can't seem to put Mei in every single sentence..."

……

"Even when you're at home during the day, I notice you always stutter when you speak. Are you thinking about Mei? ... Including with me. No matter what we talk about, it seems like we always end up talking about Mei."

Xu Qi lowered his head, somewhat afraid to look at Alicia.

"It's like... she's become one with you. It's really like you and your husband... you are Mei, and Mei is you, a relationship as inseparable as water and milk."

……

"You know what? I'm so... envious... so envious of Mei. She was able to meet you so early, and she can express her feelings for you so unreservedly."

In this respect, I am far inferior to her... By the time I realize what I'm really thinking, it might be too late.

Xu Qi suddenly looked up and noticed that the girl's tears were streaming down her cheeks like the light rain outside.

"I love everyone in Golden Garden, I love every single one of them. I think... I think my feelings for you are the same, but it seems... a little regrettable."

This liking seems to be much heavier than liking anyone else, and this love seems to be much heavier than loving anyone else.

When did it start? It's so frustrating... I... how can I not feel it? Why am I..."

"Aili!"

Driven by an impulse, Xu Qi couldn't help but pull the girl into his arms.

Xu Qi, you really deserve to die!

How could you let Alicia cry in front of you?

But the tears seemed unstoppable.

When Alicia felt Xu Qi's embrace and sensed his loving heart... she finally understood what she had missed.

Tears streamed down Xu Qi's face, soaking his clothes, and Xu Qi...

The moment he embraced Alicia, he understood something.

Some responsibilities are ones that you must take on yourself.

Just like Sakura said, you can't let Mei or Airi be sad, Xu Qi!

I did something really stupid.

Sorry, I'm an idiot. I wrote Chapter 60 on the company computer, and I only realized after get off work that I didn't copy it to a USB drive. As a result, my home computer only has the first half of Chapter 60; the second half is missing. I can't take it anymore.

This was such a stupid move! Don't worry, everyone, I'll post chapter 60 as soon as I get to the office tomorrow morning. I'm very sorry, I'll make up for it tomorrow; I'll post three chapters: 60, 61, and 62.

There will be some small perks in Chapter 61, so please look forward to it.

Since this is a separate chapter, I'll give a preview here: "Summer at the Seaside," which obviously means the swimsuit episode. It'll probably be in the middle or at the end of the volume, and the release will start soon. The pacing will be the same as before: a steady slice-of-life segment to develop the characters, plus a short story to further solidify their development. That's about it.

I apologize again to everyone, I am truly very sorry.

60. Use me, Alicia, as your practice subject.

The sobbing continued for a long time before finally subsiding.

Xu Qi... after calming himself down, he noticed that it seemed that Alicia really liked to cry.

When I see touching animations or movies, I often shed tears or simply sob on his shoulder.

He kept muttering to himself, "Is this the beauty of humanity?"

It's like you're not human.

Thinking of this, Xu Qi gently patted Ai Li's back, but also laughed out loud.

For some reason, when he saw Ellie nestled in his arms and crying, his first thought wasn't anything else, but rather... that she could cry like this because of a relationship.

It's as if, in one's own eyes, she was supposed to be an ethereal, flawless fairy, untouched by worldly concerns, but now she's stained with a tiny bit of dust.

And when Xu Qi realized that this speck of dust was something he himself had added to her...

To be honest, I felt a little strange, but overall it was probably pleasant...

And she felt even more real in front of you. You could clearly feel Alicia as a person, lying in your arms.

Rather than a god, or some other perfect deity.

This feeling, like being tempted to fall from grace, is probably the dark side of human nature.

All I can say is that I'm sorry for being born a human being.

"How...how long are you going to keep hugging me? That's not how you take advantage of someone...I'm going to cry!"

"You've already cried."

"Hmph!...Xu Qi, you should learn more from Kevin's meticulousness, instead of learning how Kevin stays single."

"But I have Mei!"

"I think there's no hope for humanity if people live like you."

In Xu Qi's arms, Ai Li raised her head, and the two looked at each other, but couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Xu Qi, you've really corrupted me."

“Yes…” Nodding his chin at Aili’s little head, Xu Qi gently stroked Aili’s back as he said, “I’m gradually seducing you to become a bad woman.”

"Then you'll have to take responsibility for it."

"Hmm...yes. I turned you from a perfect fairy into a flawed human, so even if it's a bolt from the blue..."

He was interrupted halfway through his sentence.

With a serious expression, Ellie covered Xu Qi's mouth with her hand and said earnestly, "You are not allowed to swear on this."

Xu Qi's expression softened, and he nodded gently before Ai Li finally let go of his hand.