Chapter 147 – Indeed, It Feels A Bit Wasteful to Give It to Snow之下
Bright moonlight poured over the forest, casting a shimmering silver glow over the massive, majestic owl familiar.
Yukinoshita Yono sat on the thick back of the bird, with one hand on the waist of the black-haired youth and the other waving at Yukinoshita Yukino, smiling more brightly than ever before.
“Sister?” Yukinoshita Yukino widened her eyes slowly, “Why is Sister here?”
“Of course, I came for some midnight snacks,” said Yukinoshita Yono, concealing her mouth and laughing softly, as if she were very pleased with her younger sister’s astonished expression.
Yukinoshita Yukino silently looked at Lin Qi.
The latter pretended not to see the resentful gaze of the black-haired girl, and waved at the two, saying, “Come up, and I will take you for some late-night treats.”
Hachiman Hikigaya, who was about to sneak away, was called out and responded immediately.
When he saw the sisters looking at him, he yawned and feigned drowsiness: “No thank you, I need to go to sleep.”
He then turned toward the wooden hut and headed inside.
Lin Qi shrugged his shoulders slightly, bending forward, and extended his hand to Yukinoshita Yukino.
She glanced again at the young woman whose hand was still lightly resting on the black-haired youth’s waist; instead of taking her hand away, this woman happily patted the spot behind herself, signaling her to quickly sit down.
Snow之下 frowned slightly, but nothing was said. Yukinoshita Yukino took Lin Qi’s hand firmly, allowing him to pull her onto the bird’s back, where she sat next to her older sister.
“Why don’t Snow乃 sit at the back? This might be a bit cramped,” asked Yukinoshita Yono, pouting.
Obviously, this was a deliberately feigned appearance by her sister, though the purpose was unclear. However, Yukinoshita Yukino did not comply, opting instead to pinch her sister’s soft cheek and vent her displeasure directly onto her face.
Contrary to expectations, instead of retaliating, Yono wrapped another arm around Lin Qi’s waist, despite her lovely face being repeatedly pinched. Through her bent brows and eyes, Yukinoshita Yukino could still perceive an unmistakably triumphant smile.
The girl’s frown deepened even further as she was about to severely reprimand her sister.
Just then, Lin Qi sighed helplessly and patted the head of Nue, the owl familiar, that received the sign.
Upon receiving the instructions, the owl familiar immediately spread its wings, shaking off its feathers vigorously before flapping them powerfully, creating a strong gust that bent the surrounding trees.
As it rose up into the sky, the passengers sitting on it felt as if they were being thrust into a plummet like a person on a free-fall ride, causing Yukinoshita Yono to tightly close her eyes and instinctively hugged the resolute figure in front of her, pressing her body against him.
Yukinoshita Yukino also had to hold onto her sister’s waist, lest she be thrown off.
By the time they opened their eyes, the Nue was steadily flying in the sea of clouds, the size of which had somehow increased several times, as if blocking out the sun itself.
There was no doubt a crowded situation, or even a multi-room setup on Nue’s back would fit just fine.
The star river hung upside down above them, while below, the clouds drifted like mist.
Yukinoshita Yukino was seeing such magnificent sights for the first time, her eyes momentarily lost in the view.
But thinking about it, perhaps her elder sister Yono had already seen this splendor earlier.
Her excited mood sank slightly.
Turning around, she saw Yono lying in a wide, star-shaped manner on the soft feathers, her face smiling at the brilliant night sky.
Yet, for some reason, there was an air of melancholy that Yukinoshita Yukino picked up from Yono’s faint smile.
Would Yono occasionally show such a somber expression without noticing?
…
“Mr. Lin Qi, you mean that dinner is ramen?”
At the door of a ramen shop, Yukinoshita Yono’s lips twitched, her perfect smile wavering slightly: “Could you have been infected with some kind of ramen virus by Xiao Jing?”
“Tasty, very tasty.”
The black-haired young man stepped forward, pushed open the curtain at the entrance, and entered the shop.
Seeing this, the two sisters exchanged glances, reluctantly followed inside.
The warm orange lights replaced the darkness, and the specially formulated soup base’s smell filled the air instantly, making their mouths water.
They took seats.
“Boss, two large bowls of tonkotsu ramen.” After Lin Qi placed the menu before them, he stated.
“Isn’t it three portions?” Yukinoshita Yono asked curiously.
“I will eat two bowls.”
“And I will have the same as him.” Yono chuckled without even glancing at the menu.
When Yukinoshita Yukino was about to take a look at the menu, hearing what Yono said, her expression froze, and she promptly pushed the menu right back, stating solemnly, “Me too.”
“Alright then, four large bowls of tonkotsu ramen! Please wait!”
After serving three cups of hot tea to the three, the middle-aged man in chef’s hat shot a surprised glance toward Lin Qi, then rushed back into the kitchen.
Ignoring the boss’s look, Lin Qi reached for his phone and began browsing leisurely, treating the two beautiful girls seated across him as if they were not there.
Yukinoshita Yukino was used to it, calmly seating herself, but her inner thoughts reflected anything but tranquility.
What’s sister up to now!
Yukinoshita Yono’s gaze was striking, her eyes fixated on the black-haired young man across from them, a gentle, sweet voice tinged with honey-like smoothness: “Mr. Lin Qi is so unfair.” She sighed lightly, “Without hesitation, he drags me out, lets me see that breathtaking scenery, and after leaving me moved, he takes me straight to the ramen shop. What a whimsical mind!”
How has the ramen shack wronged you!
The boss, busy in the back kitchen, peeped out of the snack window, looking at them with an aggrieved gaze.
“Do you believe I could do more outrageous things?”
Hearing this, Lin Qi put down his phone, smiled, and questioned back.
“Oh? Tell me about it then.” The curiosity in the short-haired woman’s eyes flashed.
“You’ll pay your own share later,” he added, “For what you ordered.”
Yukinoshita Yono instantly pouted disapprovingly.
Huh!
Noticing the gaze cast beside, Yukinoshita Yukino slightly turned her body, her back facing Yono, trying to suppress laughter, but the clear laughter continually slipped out through her fingers.
After finishing their ramen, Lin Qi first drove Yukinoshita Yukino back to Chiba Village. With Nue reduced, the bird skimmed low among the treetops. Yukinoshita Yukino hopped down off the owl familiar, nearly scaring Yono into a scream at the sudden sight.
Watching the black-haired girl wave goodbye with a graceful landing, Yono finally sighed deeply in relief.
After dropping off Yukinoshita Yukino, Nue circled once more in the sky, headed for Tokyo.
On the way, there were no more stars dazzling overhead nor more glances directed upwards; instead, she watched the figure ahead in silence.
Suddenly, her gaze caught a glimpse of something.
Warm and moist breath accompanied the scent of a young girl, brushing softly against the nape of her neck, her hair gently swept past causing a tickling sensation.
“Mr. Lin Qi is so unfair,” she murmured again.
“He showed me a spectacular and true-to-life starry sky. Yet he made me realize more clearly my own falseness.”
“What is it?” Lin Qi asked.
“Nothing, just… in thoughts…” Yukinoshita Yono’s thin lips parted, “It feels slightly wasteful giving it all to Snow乃, doesn’t it?”
…
After school, and become a jujutsu sorcerer:
…
(Note: The translation assumes some context and character relations from the original text.)
