Page Twenty-Eight Dinner Afterward
[November 20th, Wednesday, 19:45]
After dinner, Cherry Sauce chased everyone out of the kitchen. She put on an apron and rolled up her sleeves, tackling the dirty dishes alone.
—“It’s not that no one can do it. If you want to help, feel free! In fact, we welcome it!”—
Even with the sliding door closed, Cherry Sauce could still make snarky remarks through telepathy.
However, she didn’t need any help.
—“Why don’t you do some housework? Have you been getting lazier lately?”—
What’s this, the motherly tone from Cherry Sauce!
It was almost eight o’clock, and Brother Zhu was preparing to leave. My mom and I saw him off at the entrance hall.
“I’ll head back to Bifang first. Xiao Kai… Please keep an eye on Qianxia’s affairs.”
“Don’t worry. Lord Hai said he would return her to you this week.”
He nodded and looked at my mom again.
“Miss Xiao Wei, I’m truly sorry for the past. Because of me, you’ve had to bear so much psychological trauma for years. I don’t know how to make amends…”
Uh, Brother Zhu was referring to the incident when he turned back and hit Old Dad.
“In that situation, both sides were acting under duress… You were also a victim of that event, so I won’t hold it against you.”
Whether she truly held it against him or not, because of her overly honest nature, Mom wasn’t the type to dwell on such matters.
Brother Zhu pushed his glasses up and continued, “But if it were today’s you, you’d probably want people to understand more. Miss Xiao Wei, if you’re okay with it, maybe I could treat you to a meal another time as a formal apology…”
Watch out!
How did it come to inviting her to eat?
I sensed something amiss and quickly stepped between them, trying to cut off this budding relationship.
I shouted, “Stop! Brother Zhu, go back now, or I’ll tell Senior Sister about this right away!”
“Ah, this…”
Brother Zhu was speechless.
“Xiao Kai?”
Mom was surprised by my reaction, but I pushed her towards the living room, saying, “Mom, you should go back too! You’re too naive, don’t let anyone take advantage of you!”
“No, don’t say that!”
After sending Brother Zhu off, I pushed Mom back into the living room.
Linhua and Xiaolei were still doing their homework. My own notebook was spread out on the table. I hadn’t attended classes during the day, so I needed Linhua and Cherry Sauce to help me catch up.
Because middle school students have less homework, Orange, who had finished early with Xiao Hai’s tutoring, already ran to Mom and started being coddled, enjoying treatment I never received.
—“Come serve the fruit. Being spoiled is a girl’s privilege. Maybe you could consider turning on your goddess mode.”—
No, I wouldn’t use such a reason to activate my special move!
“Xiaohai-nee, I want to sleep with Sister Xiao Wei tonight. Is that okay?”
Xiao Hai pouted and sighed, “Again? You really can’t be tamed. Even after all this time, you still prefer here? If Sister Xiao Wei doesn’t mind, then neither do I.”
Of course, Mom had no objections. In Sister Qinglan’s manor, Orange had often clung to her… although back then, she only had a female personality.
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
With Mom’s agreement, Orange wagged her tail and went to nuzzle Xiao Hai, who was sulking with her arms crossed.
“I like you too, Xiao Hai-nee!”
Look, cats are like that. They can flatter both sides for their own benefit.
At the other end of the sofa, Sister Qinglan suddenly said, “So, I’ll stay over tonight too.”
I brought the fruit platter Cherry Sauce had cut and casually remarked, “Wait, where did this ‘so’ come from? Mom said she would sleep with Orange, not with you.”
“We’re good friends, and we’ve slept together before.”
Wow, now she’s bringing up their friendship?
I sternly said, “Times have changed, adults.”
“But, but today is Xiao Wei’s night. It’s fine to sleep together, isn’t it?”
“Dad and Mom’s personalities have merged. Considering your ambitions, I think it’s not appropriate now.”
Desiring exclusive access to Mom, Orange echoed my words.
“Sister Qinglan is too dangerous!”
Mom whispered, “I don’t think it’s a problem.”
“Eh, Mom?!”
“I think Xiao Wu wouldn’t do anything. Besides, there’s Orange. Just sleeping shouldn’t be an issue.”
I frowned.
Could it be that Mom wants to pay off Sister Qinglan’s expenses by sharing a bed?
“No way! I definitely won’t do anything!”
Excitedly, Sister Qinglan hugged Xiaolei and bounced on the sofa. The clumsy Xiaolei couldn’t write properly and complained, “Xiao Wu, get lost! This isn’t a teahouse, and I’m not a maid. Don’t take advantage of me!”
Given Sister Qinglan’s old-fashioned flirtatious nature, could Orange still act as a firewall tonight?
She might turn into a dessert.
————–
After finishing our homework, Lonely Xiao Hai left. The girls took turns going upstairs to shower. Cherry Sauce, who helped with the dishes, was the first in line.
Xiaolei was watching Sister Yiji’s live stream on the sofa, while Linhua was filing her nails.
I suddenly realized and asked, “Wait, why are you two sleeping in my room again?”
Linhua waved her hand and said in a coquettish voice, “Oh, we’ve been living together for so many days. Why are you asking this?”
Orange rummaged under the TV cabinet and asked, “Oniichan, where’s the leftover cat food I ate before?”
“It was thrown away. Why do you want to eat it now?”
“It was thrown away? What a shame!”
Orange scratched her head and explained, “It’s cold these days, and the village cats are struggling. I want to gather them for the winter.”
That makes sense. Preparing food.
Xiaolei, who was watching the stream, didn’t look up and said, “Xiaozi is so kind, but there are dozens of wild cats in the village. That amount of cat food won’t be enough.”
I added, “And if the wild cats gather, they might produce new kittens. You can’t take care of them forever. Even taking care of the school ones is exhausting.”
The long cat tail drooped lifelessly. Mom felt sorry for the cats and suggested, “Why don’t we convert our yard into a shelter for the cats? I can provide some food too… After all, Xiaozi was rescued in a similar winter.”
With Mom’s suggestion, Orange’s tail perked up immediately.
“Sister Xiao Wei is so nice!”
Sister Qinglan chimed in, “Then I’ll take care of setting up the cat shelter! With the club’s props team, we can easily build a large one!”
I glanced out the window and had a momentary illusion, as if I saw Mysterious Girl A peering through the window.
—“She didn’t come. Knowing I can now smell her scent, she won’t get too close.”—
Cherry Sauce, who was showering upstairs, sent a telepathic message.
—“Xiao Kai, the meeting this evening has me worried.”—
Mysterious Girl A didn’t admit it, but her identity was basically confirmed.
Like the remnants of a soul that had vanished, she was also a presence intolerable to the Heavenly Path.
She was born for Heavenly Punishment and would dissipate when it was lifted.
—“She doesn’t know when she will disappear, so she doesn’t want to appear in front of us and Dad, fearing ‘secondary harm.’”—
Not knowing when she will disappear, she lives carefree.
—“Because she uses Qianxia’s body, perhaps this interferes with the Heavenly Path’s judgment.”—
Cherry Sauce’s speculation opened a door in my mind.
So, the Heavenly Path considers Mysterious Girl A as Qianxia, which is why she won’t verbally confirm her identity, lest she draw the Heavenly Path’s attention and shorten the time until she is discovered.
Is Mysterious Girl A really our mother?
—“The previous Lord Hai sacrificed himself to hide her within a seal, thus avoiding the Heavenly Path’s erasure… Is there still any way to prevent this from happening?”—
… Should I ask Lord Hai?
—“Would she have to sacrifice herself again?”—
No, that seal only pauses time, which is why she says she is younger than me… As a blank personality born and destined to disappear when Heavenly Punishment ends, she has existed in this world for less than ten years.
—“The Heavenly Path’s notion of correctness… seems too cruel.”—
Cherry Sauce had always upheld the Heavenly Path’s legitimacy, but now she is starting to question its decisions.
—“It’s not questioning, just feeling.”—
The Heavenly Path lacks humanity. It maintains the normal operation of the world, but its methods are abnormally cold.
Although Lord Hai is careless and often unreliable, she brings warmth.
If so, when they merge, wouldn’t they complement each other’s weaknesses perfectly? Then, why separate themselves in the first place?
—“They said it was to better manage the world rationally.”—
It’s laziness, isn’t it?
Emotion isn’t superfluous; it has positive effects.
—“The original Heavenly Path must have had its reasons. The stable world now proves its correctness.”—
Cherry Sauce, with wet hair, came downstairs wearing only an open-shoulder shirt. She glanced at the living room and asked, “Who’s next to take a shower?”
Linhua nudged Xiaolei’s leg with her toe.
“Stupid, you go first.”
But the stupid one replied, “No, I want to watch the联动回 between Ryuukyoku Ethica and Temptress Lucy. I’ll wash up after! Linhua, you go first!”
Sister Qinglan leaned over and looked at Xiaolei’s phone screen.
“Temptress Lucy is Xiao Feiyue, right? Who is she teaming up with?”
“It’s like this…”
Since it was a private matter of the Ryuukyoku family, I didn’t elaborate too much. I told Mom and Sister Qinglan the details while omitting names.
Mom: “To gain her daughter’s forgiveness, she chose to become a streamer?”
“Something like that. Would you like to try it? I think your personality would be popular.”
Mom made a face, waving her hand, “No way! I work during the day and stream at night? Doesn’t that sound too exhausting?”
When someone’s mental health improves, even their habits change. For example…
She hasn’t worked overtime recently.
(In reality, she had become lazy due to Sister Qinglan.)
