Zongman: I am in Shuchiin, my last name is Uchiha

Yukinoshita Yukino: "How is that possible!"

Hinazuru Akina looked at the others awkwardly, "I'm really sorry, I thought..."

At this time, Chitanda suddenly asked, "Wait a minute, if that legend is just about Aunt Hinazuru hanging clothes, then the legend of Yuanchi is also false!"

When she heard the word "Yuanchi", Hinazuru Akina's expression showed a hint of reminiscence and sadness.

"Sometimes it's hard to keep things to yourself. Do you want to hear a story from me?"

Fujiwara Chika and Chitanda Eru, who were the most curious, would certainly not miss the opportunity to listen to the story, because they both keenly realized that Hinazuru Akina must know something about Fuchi.

Uchiha Ling sat aside, and the experiences he learned from Yingguang were perfectly connected with Hinazuru Akina's own story.

He finally sorted out the truth about the so-called Yuanchi from the story.

25 years ago, Hinazuru Akina was only 8 years old...

.....

Chapter 166: No bond, only more loneliness

25 years ago, Akina Hinazuru was 8 years old and an elementary school student.

At that time, the Hinazuru Hot Spring Hotel was just getting started, and because it was backed by Shuchiin, the Hinazuru family was considered a relatively wealthy family in the area.

Because the Hizaru Inn is located at the foot of the mountain, the little Hizaru often goes up the mountain for walks, collecting wild vegetables, mushrooms or wild fruits from short trees.

But that night, the little crane, which was very familiar with this mountain road, lost its way in the forest.

It was late, and the sky was dark and drizzling. The eight-year-old young crane accidentally came to the shade of the tree by the pond to take shelter from the rain.

The little crane was very cold, but she was too young to know how to make a fire, and she couldn't find the way back.

After all, the road between the pond and the hotel had not been opened up at that time, and the little crane did not dare to walk into the forest where it could not tell the direction in the rain.

At that time, Fluorescent was hiding not far away, looking at the little girl who was about to be drenched by the drizzle. She didn't know whether she should go forward or not. Humans cannot see their own spirits, so even if she went forward... she would probably be ignored.

So, she turned into a firefly that could be seen by humans and flew in front of the little girl.

"It's a firefly..."

The little crane slowly stretched out his hand and let the firefly fall into his hand, then used his other hand to shield it from the wind and rain.

"Little firefly, don't come out if it's raining. You'll get wet."

Fluorescence in the firefly state couldn't help but chuckle. This little human girl was almost drenched by the rain, but she was still worried about the firefly in her hand.

Then, Fluorescent flew out of the little crane's hand and turned into a spirit. But to his surprise, the little crane also stared at Fluorescent's spirit with wide eyes.

Can she see me? Fluorescent didn't think much about it, but took out an extra golden yukata, put it on the little crane, and directed the fireflies to guide the little crane back home.

Although she put on an extra yukata, because she was still very thin, little Hinazuru had a fever for three days after returning to the hotel.

According to Akina Hinazuru's own account, when she had a fever, she dreamed of many fireflies and the blonde sister who handed her a yukata.

After his condition improved, little Hinazuru thought of the older sister who saved him at that time. This was definitely not a dream, because the golden yukata was placed next to his bed.

The little crane held the clothes and wanted to find the pond again to return the clothes to its sister. Although it didn't know whether its sister was still there, the little crane still wanted to go there!

After a few more days, the little crane finally found the pond, but it still couldn't find its big sister.

Just when little Hinazuru was about to go back with the yukata in her arms, she tripped over a rock by the lake and the clothes accidentally fell onto the lake.

The lake water looked quite large. After the little crane climbed up, she did not worry about herself getting hurt from the fall. Instead, she looked helplessly at her yukata which was about to be swallowed by the lake water.

But at this moment, Fluorescent, who had been keeping an eye on the little crane but had no intention of coming out, showed his spirit on the lake and picked up the clothes.

"Ah! It's the blonde onee-chan from that day!"

Yinfeng, who was about to put away his yukata and leave, was stunned for a moment, then looked at the little girl by the lake.

"Can you see me?"

"Why can't I see it? And Big Sister is actually floating on the water, how amazing."

Fluorescent, who had never come into contact with humans, came to the shore and looked curiously at the little girl who could see him.

That day, Yinhe and Xiaoqiaozhe talked about a lot of things, but before leaving, Yinhe refused Xiaoqiaozhe's words "goodbye" and said "goodbye forever" should be used instead.

One of them is a monster, the other is a human. It is their destiny. They cannot be together, otherwise it will only increase their loneliness.

Just like humans and fireflies, humans can live for a hundred years, but adult fireflies only live for a few days. If a person becomes friends with a firefly, he can only watch the firefly's life fade away in the end....

Firefly didn't want to, and didn't dare, stay with a human whose lifespan was no more than a hundred years. She was afraid of how lonely she would become after the little crane died.

Little Hizaru didn't understand all this because she had already regarded this older sister as her benefactor and friend.

Picking up the wet yukata again, Hinazuru said she would wash it and come back later.

But the next day, no matter how the little crane cried, Fluorescent just watched silently in the dark. She had no intention of having any in-depth communication with humans. This little girl was just a passer-by in her life.

The little crane sat by the lake. She didn't understand why this gentle big sister, who had been chatting with her yesterday, left without even saying goodbye.

She waited for several hours, just when Fluorescent thought that the human child would forget about her and go home.

Somehow, the little young crane suddenly stood up and angrily threw the yukata in his hand, which he had washed again, into the lake.

Fluorescence appears again——

"After all, these are the clothes I gave you, don't throw them into the water every time!"

"Ah! Big sister! Hehe, I knew Big Sister was still here. Could it be that throwing clothes into the water is Big Sister's method of summoning her?!"

Fluorescent couldn't help but smile bitterly, then came to the shore and sat down with the little crane.

Forget it! Although human life span is only a hundred years, she must always protect this child who can see her! After all, this is her first human friend so far!

On this day, they became each other's first human (yōkai) friend.

I thought I could stay by her side and protect her, but one month after little Hizaru went to elementary school, when she came back... her eyes suddenly stopped glowing.

My dear, there is more to come after this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. There will be more exciting chapters later!

Even though Fluorescent stood right in front of the little girl, and even though she reached out to touch her, she didn't notice it at all. Although the little crane came to the lake every day to call Fluorescent to come back... she could never see Fluorescent standing right in front of her.

"Sister Ying! Sister Ying! Where are you? I can't see you, please come out!"

Little Hizaru cried out in tears, hugging her yukata.

But the little crane couldn't see the light in front of him. With tears on her face, she threw her yukata into the lake again.

But this time, the method of summoning fluorescence did not work, and the yukata sank to the bottom of the lake. In the end, it was the little young crane who asked the adults to take great effort to fish it out.

"Sister Ying, I'm in junior high school now... and I've made a lot of new friends, but why don't you want to come out and see me? I'll always be waiting for you!"

"Sister Ying, high school life is so tiring, but I will study hard. When I get into college, can you come back to see me?"

"Sister Ying...please come out, do you hate little Hizaru?"

"Sister Ying, I'm getting married, and I'll be staying at Hinazuru Inn from now on. And... I'll come to see you every day."

In the past 25 years, Hinazuru Akina has grown up and got married, but she still finds time to visit the lake every day, hoping that the man will appear again.

The story is over. From Hinazuru Akina's perspective, no one knows where Sister Ying has gone.

Yukinoshita's guess was that Sister Ying was just traveling and passing by here, and her hometown was actually very far away and would disappear.

After all, Yukinoshita doesn't believe in the existence of such creatures as monsters. This includes Fujiwara Chika and Chitanda. While they were comforting Hinazuru Akina, they also thought they had solved the mystery of the pond.

The so-called Yuanchi is just that the boss lady Hinazuru often goes to the pond to wash clothes and then hangs them up. Everything else is just a rumor! After all, how can there be monsters in this world, right?

Uchiha Lingze suddenly raised his head and turned his gaze to the window, looking at the blonde woman sitting by the window.

Just when he was about to say something, Yingguang stretched out his finger and shushed him. He didn't need Uchiha Ling to relay anything.

Because just like she said, this fate was meaningless to begin with, and further contact would only increase loneliness.

Fluorescent flew behind Hinazuru Akina and put her arms around her neck. Although she couldn't feel or hear him, Fluorescent still wanted to say it...

[Thank you for being my first human friend, but I really don't want you to stay in this hotel forever. If possible, I want to accompany you to see the gorgeous mountains and beautiful valleys, and accompany you through this wonderful but short life.]

[...How do humans call this feeling? ]

Chapter 167: Can your seventeen cards defeat me in seconds?

"Now that the legend has been explained, you two won't be curious anymore, right?"

Chitanda nodded, "Yeah, anyway, the so-called hanging legend is actually the yukata hung by the boss lady, and those people who were cursed by the pond are probably made up."

Hinazuru Akina also said, "Although it's a rumor, it's better to clarify it. After all, if customers often talk about Yuanchi, my hotel's business will not be good."

As she spoke, Hinazuru Akina turned and looked at Uchiha Ling.

“Was Firefly good last night?”

"Of course. By the way, do you want to come and see it tonight? After all, it's hard to see fireflies after this season."

Fujiwara Chika looked expectant. "Okay, okay, let's go watch it together after dinner."

Uchiha Ling looked at Hinazuru Akina, "The boss lady will be there tonight too, right?"

"The boss lady smiled and said, "I would go there every day. It's just right for me to bring Xiao Ai with me tonight."

Today is Sunday. Although they came to the hot spring hotel for a short trip, as Uchiha Ling said, the midterm exam is coming soon. And after the midterm exam... it will be the anticipated summer vacation.

During the day, the four of us finished our holiday homework, then went to the hot springs and played some games in the room. For example, playing poker.

Fujiwara Chika, the board game master (self-proclaimed), has studied board games from all over the world, and today! Chika the Gambling Saint is going to show you how to play Landlord!

Then, because there was one more person in the group, Uchiha Ling was directly excluded and could only watch the three girls playing poker.

Uchiha Ling: "Is it fun to play like this? Do you want to add some money?"

Yukinoshita raised her head and said, "There's nothing to gamble. I don't usually spend much money."

Chitanda thought for a moment, "Gambling is indeed boring, so what should we bet on?"

Fujiwara Chika suggested, "How about we bet on lunch? The loser gets to bring a lunch box for everyone tomorrow."

Betting on who will make the bento? That's a good idea. Besides, Chitanda and Yukinoshita are already used to making their own bento every day. Even if they lose, they can just order a few more.

Uchiha Ling sat up, "That's great, then whoever loses will get a lunch box for me?!"

Yukinoshita had just finished playing the cards in her hand, "It's the three of us playing, what does it have to do with you."

"What's wrong with taking me alone? We can make lunch boxes for three people anyway, so for four people it's just a matter of adding more quantity."

Yukinoshita: "But as a spectator, why should you participate in our bet?"

Uchiha Ling thought about it, then sat next to Yukino and said.

"Just in time for you guys to finish this round, let me draw the cards next time. I'm pretty confident in my luck."

Fujiwara Chika chuckled, "So Ling-san chose to team up with Yukino-san, right? If they lose, they will be punished together!"

Chitanda picked up the cards scattered on the ground and handed them to Fujiwara Chika, then looked at the smiling Uchiha Ling and the reluctant Yukinoshita.

"If Ling wants to play, I can let you play a round."

"Oh? Really? Then I'll just give it a try."

Uchiha Ling stood up again and moved to Chitanda's side, then looked at Yukinoshita with a chuckle.

"Don't regret it, Yukino-san. You lost my card draw. The victory of this game is already in my hands."

Yukinoshita was unmoved, "Really? Although I don't usually play these board games, if I already know the rules, I will never give up easily."

Chitanda stood up to pour tea for everyone. At this time, Fujiwara Chika had also shuffled the cards and was waiting for the three of them to grab them.

"Roar, the wind of victory is blowing from behind me. Just as expected, this is my invincible hand."

The corners of Fujiwara Chika's mouth curled up. Although she didn't know why Uchiha Ling was so confident, she knew that her cards were definitely not bad!

Just let Uchiha Ling be the landlord, and ambush him here so that he can make a fortune quietly.

.....

Uchiha Ling: "One 2."

Yukinoshita: "Yes."