Chapter-331
However, things did not develop in the direction that Zenji Sei had hoped for.
Nanako looked up at Zenji Sei, took a deep breath, and her expression revealed a hint of determination.
"Whatever path Lord Xia Youjie wants to take, he must have his own reasons. All we need to do is follow behind him. He is wiser and more mature than us. Following behind him is the choice of me and Meimei."
Looking at Nanako's expression, Zenji Kiyoshi wasn't too surprised. In the original story, Nanako and Mimiko had already shown an almost pathological dependence and trust in Natsumi Yuuki. It was clearly impossible for him to turn the other side with just a few words.
He wasn't in a hurry. There were still about ten years until Xia Youjie's death, so he had plenty of opportunities to change their minds.
Seeing that Mimiko didn't say anything, Zenji knew that today's process should end here, and continuing to force it would not yield any good results.
But he didn't leave without accomplishing anything. He turned to look at the family rules handwritten by Xia Youjie on the wall, and smiled at Nanako, saying:
"In that case, please pass on a message to that guy Jay for me."
"What did you say?"
Nanako's expression remained tense, and she continued to look at Zenji Sei with a hint of wariness.
As for this, Zenin Kiyoshi seemed oblivious to Nanako's growing distance, his smile remaining warm and gentle.
"Please tell Jay that the fifth rule of the family, which states that everyone should avoid using objects created by monkeys as much as possible, is problematic. If he really wants to do that, he should at least throw away the phone I gave him first, right?"
Hmm...and the digital watch Shoko gave him, the fitness tracker Satoru gave him, and the one Yoga-sensei gave him..."
Zen-in-Chih recounted a long list of gifts that Xia Youjie had received from them. Although the timeline of this world was in the future before it happened, the events that had already occurred in the past were no different from the timeline in which he lived.
It is precisely for this reason that the things Zenji Sei said are all actually real.
Listening to Zenjiro's long, rambling speech, which sounded like a menu, Nanako felt a little dizzy. She turned to look at Mimiko, hoping that the smarter Mimiko would remember what Zenjiro had said.
Just then, Nanako suddenly noticed that Mimiko had somehow taken out the phone Xia Youjie had bought for them and quietly turned on the recorder. After realizing her sister was watching her, she turned her head and said somewhat weakly:
"There's nothing we can do about it. He said just too much in one breath, and I can't remember it all. Besides, I think if we recorded his voice, Lord Xia Youjie would be even happier to hear it in person."
Hearing Mimiko's words, Zenin Kiyoshi smiled and said:
"Oh, and by the way, tell that guy that if he doesn't want to hear my voice, he'll have to throw this phone away, because this thing is also a product of monkeys."
Mimiko hadn't reacted yet, but Nanako had already guessed that Zenin Kiyoshi was teasing Xia Youjie. She pouted, wanting to say something, but found that the man in front of her had completely disappeared at some point.
Only a slightly chilly moonlight remained in the room, and the surroundings were somewhat quiet as the pure white curtains swayed gently.
Looking at the vanished Zen temple, Nanako turned to Mimiko and then said with a solemn expression:
"Miko, quick! Check if the recording on your phone can play. We don't even know if that guy is a ghost, how can a phone really record his voice?"
Urged on by Nanako, the two sisters opened the recording file with curiosity. After a slightly noisy crackling sound, Zenji Sei's gentle voice, as soft as the first melting snow of spring, came through.
Hearing that voice, even Nanako couldn't explain why, but the feeling of unease in her heart dissipated considerably.
At this moment, Mimiko sighed softly:
"Sister, his voice really has a way of unexpectedly putting people at ease."
Seeing her younger sister praising Zenin Sei's voice so highly, Nanako didn't say anything. She simply shook her head and then said:
"Stop talking nonsense. Let Lord Xiayou hear it for himself when he returns. Also..."
At this point, Nanako paused slightly, lowered her head slightly, looked at her younger sister, and her voice became somewhat heavy.
"Mimeiko, neither you nor I have the right to judge whether Xia Youjie's path is right or wrong. All we need to do is follow behind Xia Youjie. If even we can't unconditionally support him, then who else can make Xia Youjie feel at ease?"
TANTRA MAX79 सल की उम्र में भी मर्दन्तरकत 10 गुनर कैसे बढ़ाएं?
The person who rescued us from that hellish life was Lord Xiayou; the person who released us from the dog cage, gave us food and drink, and spared no expense to treat us was Lord Xiayou!
So, no matter what happens, I hope you can unconditionally stand by Lord Xiayou's side. Can you do that?
Mimi was startled by her sister's serious tone and nodded subconsciously.
But when she looked at the recording still playing on her phone screen, a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes.
"But sister..."
Mimiko looked at her older sister, her voice slightly lowered:
"But if the person who just appeared was really Zen-in-Tsuyoshi, then he must really be a close friend of Xia-you. Such a person should also be for Xia-you's sake, right?"
Furthermore, Lord Xiayou often mentions Lord Chanyuan Qing, and we…"
Mimiko didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.
Nanako was silent for a moment, then sighed slightly, and gently took her sister's hand:
"That's why we need to be even more cautious. Lord Xiayou himself doesn't know if his path is the right one, but the only thing we can be sure of is that the path Lord Xiayou is on now... is indeed very lonely, so lonely that it seems like he is the only one on this path."
Her gaze drifted out the window, towards the direction Xia Youjie was heading home:
"But it is precisely because this lonely road is so difficult that we must follow Lord Xiayou at all costs and never leave him alone!"
As for this recording... let's just let Lord Xiayou listen to it. Whatever he thinks, we just need to follow him.
Mimi nodded as if she understood, then carefully put her phone into her pocket.
The two of them stayed by their phones for about a night, until around six or seven in the morning when they heard familiar footsteps outside.
"I'm back."
Xia Youjie pushed open the door and entered, a tired yet gentle smile on his face. He was carrying a bag of warm, fragrant breakfast. He looked at the two sisters with dark circles under their eyes with some surprise, a look of astonishment on his face:
"Did neither of you sleep all night?"
Chapter-332
When Xia Youjie said these words, his expression was slightly unpleasant.
As a professional childcare teacher, Xia Youjie is actually quite skilled at taking care of children. For him, if a child doesn't get proper rest, it's a huge problem.
It's important to know that for children like Nanako and Mimiko, staying up late can be very harmful to their health.
Looking at the two sisters whose dark circles almost completely covered their eyes, Xia Youjie decided to teach them a lesson.
But just as he was about to give the two sisters a little scolding, he keenly noticed that the atmosphere between the two sisters was a little strange, and it seemed that they had something they wanted to tell him.
And as Xia Youjie had predicted, Nanako and Mimiko exchanged a glance, and finally Mimiko mustered her courage and stepped forward, whispering to Xia Youjie:
"Well, Lord Xiayou, it's not that we don't want to rest tonight, but a very strange person came by last night."
The moment Xia Youjie heard Meimei's voice, the feigned anger on his face froze, and he became somewhat serious. Last night, he had set up many cursed spirits around his house, but he had not received any reports from any of them all night.
If Mimiko and Nanako aren't lying, then there's only one possibility.
The guy who came last night was at least at the Special Grade level. As far as he knew, the only people like that were Satoru and Miss Tsukumo Yuki. Teacher Shen could also be considered one, but after Xiaoqing's death, he didn't know where he went, so it was probably not him.
Neither of these two people was the one Xia Youjie wanted to see right now. He looked at Meimeizi, his voice somewhat somber:
"Who was it? Do you still remember who it was? Do you remember what that person looked like? Did he do anything to you? Did he hurt you?"
Mimiko was somewhat bewildered by Xia Youjie's series of questions, and Nanako, seeing this, could only answer helplessly:
"Lord Xiayou, the fellow who came last night claimed to be your close friend, saying his name was..."
Upon hearing the words "close friend," Xia Youjie's expression became somewhat uncontrollable. His already turbulent mind was now like a huge stone thrown into it, creating countless ripples.
He looked at Mimiko, took a deep breath, and forced himself to calm down.
"Who is it?!"
Even though Xia Youjie consciously controlled his emotions, the undisguised panic still made Nanako sense the rare sense of panic in him.
She looked at Xia Youjie in front of her, nervously observing his reaction.
"He said, he said his name was Zen-in-kimi."
The moment he heard that name, Xia Youjie's pupils contracted sharply to the size of needles, his voice tightened as if squeezed from his throat, each word uttered with extreme difficulty:
"Are you sure he said he was Zen-in-Yuan Qing?! Are you sure you didn't mishear me?!"
The moment those three words were uttered by Nanako, it was as if they struck a sensitive nerve in Xia Youjie that could never be touched, instantly stirring his thoughts to the extreme.
The breakfast bag in his hand fell to the ground unconsciously, and some oil stains splattered onto his cuffs, but he didn't notice them at all.
At this moment, he simply opened his mouth wide, subconsciously panting heavily, his eyes slightly red as he looked at Nanako, hoping to get any information about Zenin Kiyoshi from her.
"What did he say? Don't leave out a single word! You must tell me everything!"
Xia Youjie subconsciously took two steps forward, placed his hands on Nanako's shoulders, and his anxiety was almost palpable.
Seeing Xia Youjie's appearance, Nanako knew in her heart what kind of status Zenin Kiyoshi held for Xia Youjie!
"He said some inexplicable things."
Nanako seemed to be trying to ease the tense atmosphere caused by Xia Youjie. She shrugged casually and spoke in a very normal tone:
"He said there was a problem with Article 5 of the family rules you wrote, Master Xiayou, and he also listed a bunch of gifts you had received, such as the cell phone you received from him, and the one you received from Night Moth..."
He added, "If you really don't want to use anything made by those 'monkeys,' at least throw it away to show your determination, right?"
Xia Youjie stood there, stunned. There was no way any third party could know such a detailed list of those gifts except for him and the people who gave them.
In other words, the person who just came here was really Zenji Kiyoshi himself?!
But, how could that be? Wasn't he already dead?!
How is this possible?!
No, that's not right. He knew Xiao Qing wouldn't die so easily!
Wait! Wait! The person coming might not be Xiao Qing. I need to double-check!
Xia Youjie forced himself to calm his emotions, which had reached their limit. He looked at Nanako, his voice trembling with excitement.
"Does he have anything to prove his identity?"
TANTRA MAX79 साल की उम्र में भी मर्दाना ताकत 10 गुना कैसे बढ़ाएं?
"He recorded it..."
Mimiko added quietly, taking out her phone as she continued:
"He also said that if you don't want to hear his voice, remember to throw your phone away too."
These words were like a key, unlocking memories that Xia Youjie had long since sealed away.
He recalled that over the years, Zen-in Kiyoshi had often teased him in this way.
Every time Zenjiro gets so angry with Gojo that he says he wants to stay away from Gojo, Zenjiro Kiyoshi tells him to throw away the fitness tracker Gojo gave him and the comic books at home.
But how could Xia Youjie possibly do these things? It wasn't that he couldn't bear to part with those things, but rather that those gifts contained precious friendships that he could never bear to sever.
Thinking about this, Xia Youjie felt as if his heart had been trampled on countless times, making it hard for him to breathe.
"Lord Xiayou?!"
Nanako looked at his pale face with concern, her panic evident in her voice:
"Are you alright?! Your face looks so pale, and why are you sweating so much on your forehead?!"
Xia Youjie looked at the two frightened sisters and forced a smile. He patted their heads, then slowly shook his head, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible:
"It's okay, I'm just a little surprised. Mimi, the recording on your phone is Xiaoqing's, right?"
Upon hearing this, Mimi nodded vigorously.
Seeing this, Xia Youjie spoke slowly in a trembling voice:
"Let me hear his voice, Mimiko."
Chapter-333
As Mimi listened to Xia Youjie's words, she carefully turned on the phone's recording function, as if afraid of damaging the recording.
When Zenjiro's familiar voice came from the phone, Xia Youjie was struck dumb, frozen in place, as if by lightning.
"Jay, you bastard, it's only been a short time since we last met, and your mind is already full of that kind of nonsense. You keep saying you want to destroy ordinary humans. Are you Devimon from Digimon?"
Even Satoru wouldn't have such reckless thoughts as yours. I remember you used to mock Satoru, calling him some kind of evolved, faulty Greymon...
So, Jay, if you really want to uphold that family rule, you'll at least have to start by throwing away the phone I gave you.
That smiling voice, that familiar teasing tone—every syllable struck Xia Youjie's heart like a heavy hammer, and every word made Xia Youjie tremble uncontrollably.
TANTRA MAX79 साल की उम्र में भी मर्दाना ताकत 10 गुना कैसे बढ़ाएं?
Zen Monk Qing spoke at length, and Xia Youjie listened intently from beginning to end, afraid of missing a single word.
Hearing that familiar voice, Xia Youjie involuntarily reached out to touch the phone screen, as if he could touch the owner of the voice and see that face in his memory.
"These words..."
Xia Youjie stared at his phone screen, his eyes uncontrollably reddening, his voice slightly hoarse as he said:
"Xiaoqing...is it really you? But if you're still alive, why haven't you come out to see me? Why don't you come to see me even though you've seen Nanako and Mimiko?"
Nanako and Mimiko watched Zenjiro with nervousness. They had never seen Xia Youjie so out of control. The man who had always been calm and composed in their memories was now as vulnerable as a lost child.
The road is a solitary one, a road full of blood and thorns, and only Xia Youjie himself knows the pain and loneliness within it.
After the recording finished playing, the room fell into a deathly silence. No one spoke, except for Xia Youjie's slightly heavy breathing.
He slowly squatted down, as if his body could not bear the pain. He couldn't help but cover his face with his hands, and his shoulders trembled slightly.
"Lord Xiayou...you're crying. Here, take a tissue."
Mimiko timidly handed over the tissue, her face showing an indescribable worry.
Xia Youjie didn't take the tissue; instead, she suddenly stood up, her face still streaked with tears.
"What else did he say besides these words? Did he leave anything behind?"
Seeing Xia Youjie's anxious expression, Nanako hesitated for a moment, but ultimately conveyed Zenin Sei's last words:
"Master Zenji said that he cannot come to see you right now, but one day he will come to find you. He also said that none of this is a hallucination between me and Mimiko, and that you must not continue to make this mistake."
These words struck Xia Youjie like a thunderbolt.
He recalled the words he had spoken to Zenjiro many years ago in that dark and damp basement.
To protect all those who deserve protection and to create a better world, the strong must protect the weak—this is the meaning of the existence of sorcerers.
He said all of these things himself, and he even remembers how he felt when he said them.
And now... he is destroying that dream and promise with his own hands.
"Lord Xiayou? You..."
Nanako looked worriedly at Natsumi's conflicted and ferocious expression.
Xia Youjie took a deep breath. Looking at the two sisters in front of him, who both wore expressions of worry, he forced himself to calm down and said gently:
"It's okay, don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's you two who haven't slept all night. Go to sleep now, kids won't grow tall if they don't sleep well!"
Xia Youjie's gentle words, which were almost identical to those of the past, had no effect on the two sisters this time. The usually obedient Meimeizi was even faster than her older sister, reaching out and grabbing Xia Youjie's clothes.
Then, her small body suddenly unleashed a power that surprised even Xia Youjie. She gripped Xia Youjie tightly, her voice revealing an indescribable determination:
"Lord Xiayou, I don't understand what kind of relationship you have with Lord Chanyuan Qing. I don't know what you are thinking right now. I don't know anything. I'm stupid, but even I, who am so stupid, know that I absolutely cannot leave you at this time."
"This is the time when you need our company the most, that's my gut feeling! Yes, it's a woman's gut feeling!"
Without any hesitation, Nanako imitated her sister's actions, trapping Xia Youjie firmly between her left and right.
Looking at the two young girls in front of him, Xia Youjie's complicated emotions were instantly washed away, especially when he heard the phrase "a woman's intuition," which made him laugh and clear his mind.
Xia Youjie looked at the two girls' serious little faces and couldn't help but chuckle. He pinched their still slightly chubby cheeks.
"A woman's intuition? How old are you?"
Mimi puffed out her cheeks, revealing a charmingly naive expression:
"Lord Xiayou, don't underestimate us! My sister and I have grown up!"
Nanako nodded vigorously, echoing her younger sister:
"That's right, we can definitely help, and we'll take care of you when you get old, Lord Xiayou!"
Hearing the two girls' words, Xia Youjie's gloom dissipated considerably. However, remembering Chan Yuanqing's words, he still shook his head slightly, then gently knelt down, embraced the two girls, and softly said:
"Thank you both for your kindness, but right now, I really need to be alone."
His gaze involuntarily drifted to the window, as if searching for that possible figure.
"Then... Lord Xiayou, please grant us one request!"
Nanako said earnestly, her eyes filled with an unwavering determination:
"No matter what the future holds, we will always follow behind you. Your path is our path together! We will never be separated from you!"
After Nanako finished speaking, Mimiko added with a smile:
"Also! Try to come back at night as much as possible in the future, otherwise what if you can't see Master Qing from the Zen Temple next time?"
Hearing that familiar name, Xia Youjie paused for a moment, then nodded with a light laugh:
"Okay, I promise you. Now, go to sleep obediently. Oh, and if you're hungry, eat some breakfast before you go to rest."
Chapter-334
After Nanako and Mimiko finished eating and went back to bed to sleep, Xia Youjie quietly closed the door and left.
He held a cell phone recording the Zen temple's clear voice in his hand, sat on the wooden bench in front of the door, looked at the gently rippling sea in the distance, and felt the slightly salty sea breeze. For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to that summer in Okinawa many years ago.
The sun was rising slightly in the distance, and the sea surface was shimmering with an almost golden halo.
"Xiao Qing, if you are really watching me, then... give me a clearer hint. The road I'm walking alone is more tiring than I imagined, and it's so lonely. There's no one I can talk to."
Mimi and Nana are both too young. I don't want them to be in this predicament. I don't want to become a curse master. Even now, I still don't want to associate with those guys.
But I really can't like ordinary people. Those ordinary people, they just radiate their curse power and create cursed spirits that can destroy them and us. We, who have the ability, do our best to protect them, but what do we get in the end?
There's nothing there, absolutely nothing!
Only the corpses! Those corpses so badly damaged that even the entire body couldn't be preserved!
As Xia Youjie spoke, the veins on his forehead bulged slightly, and his voice unconsciously grew louder.
As if the Zen temple had answered his call, he felt the sunlight in front of him dim for a moment, as if someone had stood in front of him and blocked the blinding sunlight.
Xia Youjie involuntarily raised his head. In the interplay of light and shadow, he seemed to see a blurry figure. He was all too familiar with that figure; it was the figure he had seen in countless dreams.
At that moment, the figure was nodding slightly to him.
"This is...?!"
Xia Youjie stood up in a daze, then took a step forward and subconsciously reached out his hand, wanting to touch the figure in his field of vision, but before he could fully raise his arm, the phantom had already disappeared.
The sunlight brightened once again, and looking at the sea surface shimmering with light, everything I had just seen seemed like an illusion.
Xia Youjie gripped his phone tightly, and the recording played again. But this time, a resolute glint flashed in Xia Youjie's eyes.
I understand, Qing. Give me a little more time... I want to explore the feasibility of this path, I want to see just how far I can go!
For the rest of the morning, Xia Youjie sat listlessly on that bench.
He neither ate nor drank, just sat there blankly until Mimiko in the room slightly opened her eyes, at which point Xia Youjie stood up.
And it was at the moment he stood up that Xia Youjie made an important decision.
He wanted to change his course of action; at least until he reached the conclusion that "ordinary people are completely beyond redemption," he would not kill any ordinary person indiscriminately.
At the same time, in order to hear Zen-in Kiyoshi's voice more often, he decided to improve the family rules that stipulated that monkey creations should never be used unless absolutely necessary.
Zenjiro is right. He only wants to create a world with only sorcerers, not to regress humanity to a primitive society. In addition, many of the inventors are actually sorcerers, although he doesn't know who they are.
But now that this relationship exists, there's no need for him to go to such extremes.
Moreover, what Zen-in-Chiyo said later was also very true.
"Jay, you bastard, you've enjoyed the convenience of electronic products yourself, and you've been addicted to all kinds of anime and video games. Now that you have two kids by your side, you're ruthlessly depriving them of their right to enjoy these things. You're really an irresponsible parent."
Don't you know? For kids this age, if they don't have common topics to talk about, they'll get ostracized by those around them, tsk tsk tsk. That's why I say that a large part of the reason why many children are isolated is due to their parents' parenting issues...
Zen-in-tsuki's words echoed in Xia Youjie's mind again and again, and he couldn't help but smile, muttering to himself:
"You actually know so much about parenting? Tch, I guess I'll just concede defeat here. But you're really long-winded, saying so much. It's a good thing you didn't say it to my face, or I definitely would have fallen asleep halfway through..."
However, despite saying that, he had practically worn out the loop playback button on the recording.
Meanwhile, in another dimension, Zen-in-Chief looked at Xia Youjie with a slightly gratified smile.
His words now seem to have been useful; at least Xia Youjie no longer harbors as much aversion towards ordinary people and their creations.
As for the claim that sorcerers are also inventors?
Zen Temple Qing had long worried that Xia Youjie might follow the same path, so he just made up some things. No one would bother to verify them, since the man had been dead for so many years, and even if they had the intention, they wouldn't have the ability.
Although the changes are small, the seeds of hope have already taken root and sprouted.
Perhaps a different ending can be found in Xia Youjie's tragic story.
As Zenjiro was thinking this, he suddenly felt an indescribable force of repulsion slowly pushing him away from Xia Youjie.
Sensing that power, Zenjiro knew that this was most likely the counterattack of the [Balance Mechanism] after it noticed his actions.
It seems that I probably won't be able to get close to Xia Youjie anytime soon.
But it doesn't matter. Now that the seed has been planted, Xia Youjie won't let himself down.
Just as Zenjiro was being pushed away from Natsume, on the other side of Okinawa Island, a strong sense of sorrow seemed to permeate Zenjiro's very soul.
His body flew towards that direction almost instinctively, because the sorrow was so intense that just feeling that emotion made the Zen monk Qingxin tremble.
But just as Zen Monk drifted toward that sorrowful direction, the flow of time around him seemed to suddenly accelerate, and before he could react, five years had already passed.
Before Zenju Qing could recover, a wave of sorrow swept over him in an irrational way.
Once Zen Monk had calmed down, what came into view was a familiar face that looked haggard and tired.
Riko Tenn with short hair, a more mature version.
Chapter-335
Upon seeing that familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar face, Zenji Kiyoshi's soul seemed to be firmly nailed to the spot by an immense sorrow. He stared blankly at the woman before him, his heart filled with indescribable complex emotions.
At this moment, the most striking feature on Riko's face is still her beautiful eyes.
Her features were simply too beautiful. Even now, with heavy dark circles under her eyes and an overwhelming sadness, her star-like eyes still captivated people.
But the somewhat messy room and the scattered beer cans on the floor all indicated that the woman in front of me was in a depressed mood.
Riko's once vibrant long hair has now been cut much shorter, only reaching her shoulders.
Moreover, it seemed that her hair looked somewhat dry and brittle, perhaps because it had just been washed. The split ends stuck to her pale skin, making her complexion look even worse in comparison.
At this moment, Riko sat by the window of her somewhat cramped and messy apartment, gazing at the bustling Tokyo night view outside, but her eyes remained completely unmoved. The myriad lights of the city had nothing to do with her, and did not even arouse her the slightest interest.
She held a half-smoked cigarette between her fingers, the ash trembling as it was about to fall, but Riko paid no attention to these things. She was just staring blankly out the window, where a light rain was falling. The neon lights and the puddles on the ground mingled together, making the world seem somewhat unreal.
Five years have left many marks on her, but none of them are positive.
At this moment, Shoko looked haggard, as if all her life had been drained away. Zenin Kiyoshi could hardly connect the woman in front of him, who exuded a decadent aura, with the willful yet vibrant, energetic girl in his memory who would loudly proclaim, "I am Tengen!"
He continued to look around and noticed that there were many empty beer cans and convenience store bento boxes in the room. The most conspicuous one still had some unfinished pork cutlet curry in it. The clothes and dirty socks scattered around all showed Riko's perfunctory and almost terrible attitude towards life.
Yet, in this cluttered room, on a coffee table piled high with various items, there was a spotlessly clean photo frame in the very center, standing out somewhat from everything around it.
Zenjiro glanced at the photo unconsciously. In the photo was Riko, a carefree girl laughing, and next to Riko was Misato Kuroi, whose expression was slightly helpless but whose eyes were gentle and doting.
More importantly, behind Shoko was herself, all smiles, holding the food she had cooked for Riko.
Zenji Sei gazed at the photo, and memories flooded back to him instantly. He remembered that it was the first year he met Riko, when he was cooking for her and Ms. Kuroi at Riko's house.
At that time, I think I made Kung Pao Chicken. Riko enjoyed it very much, and even Ms. Kuroi found this stir-fry method very interesting.
Various memories flooded his mind at that moment. Even though Zenji Kiyoshi didn't feel the reality of so many years in the past, when he looked at Riko in front of him and at the messy surroundings, his heart still couldn't help but twitch twice.
TANTRA MAX79 साल की उम्र में भी मर्दाना ताकत 10 गुना कैसे बढ़ाएं?
When he first acquired the system, he treated most people like NPCs. But as he got to know them better, their every move and smile seemed to seep into Zen Temple Qingxin's heart as his favorability towards them increased.
He didn't know when it started, but he discovered that the people bound to the succubus system were not only the characters from the original story, but also himself.
After his death, Xia Youjie went astray, and Tian Lizi, who should have died, is still alive, but only her body has lived into the future. Her mind seems to be forever trapped in a cage called "the past".
"Riko..."
Zenjiro subconsciously called out to Riko Tennen, but there was no response. Zenjiro sighed in frustration. Just as he had expected, he was unable to communicate with Riko at all; she was completely unaware of his presence.
However, Xia Youjie, who should not have been able to see himself before, seemed to have seen himself at some moment. Does this mean that as long as he finds the right way, Riko might also be able to see him?
Thinking of this, Zenji Kiyoshi began to ponder, but at that moment, Riko suddenly let out a low gasp.
Her finger was burned by the cigarette butt; the half-smoked cigarette had somehow burned her finger.
"hiss..."
Riko winced at the burn, but paid no attention to the burn on her hand. She stubbed out the cigarette and then lit another cigarette.
She took a deep drag of her cigarette, but it choked her and made her cough, bringing tears to her eyes.
She stood up, went to the coffee table, picked up the photo, wiped the now quite clean mirror, and looked back at the photo, her fingers gently tracing the face of Zen-in-no-Kiyoshi in the frame.
"Qing...bastard..."
Riko muttered something in a low voice, her voice hoarse and tired, her eyes almost overflowing with pain.
"You told me you'd always be with me, that you'd take me and Kuroi-nee to eat food from your hometown, that you'd take me there... You bastard liar, you're a liar just like Kuroi-nee!"
Why did both of you leave me all alone without my permission?
And before they left me, everyone wrote wills telling me to live well—how despicable! How despicable! Aren't you taking away my right to even seek out you?!
How am I supposed to live well alone in this world without both of you?!
As Riko finished speaking, tears streamed down her face, large drops falling onto the photo frame, conveying bitterness and struggle.
After what happened with Zenin Kiyoshi, Kuroi and Zenin Kiyoshi died together that summer.
Because she no longer possessed the identity of a Starmash Body, and because Riko lacked the potential to become a sorcerer, she attended an ordinary school and tried ordinary jobs under the arrangement of the Night Moth Sect, but she always felt out of place.
Like a black and white sketch, it can never blend into a colorful world.
Deep within her heart, there was always a void, a void of color—the memory of summer in Okinawa, of death and sacrifice, of the boy who died for her.
Chapter-336
Riko could never escape that summer. Almost every night she would dream that she had returned to that summer, to that summer that was not exactly a free one for her.
The emotional void and loss of self-identity caused her to be unable to truly integrate into normal society.
Because of the incident involving Lord Tengen, people in the world of sorcery almost all kept their distance from her.
In this situation, Riko is like a ghost, wandering on the edge of two worlds, and no one can get close to or understand her at all.
Of course, she also refused to let those people get close.
TANTRA MAX79 साल की उम्र में भी मर्दाना ताकत 10 गुना कैसे बढ़ाएं?
During this time, students from the vocational high school, such as Gojo Satoru and Meimei, tried to approach her, but she politely declined their offers.
It wasn't that Riko was being willful, but rather that she could see that, compared to herself, the people at the vocational high school were even less able to move on from Zenin Kiyoshi's death.
Therefore, Riko left Tokyo, and after a long period of consideration, she returned to Okinawa, her old haunt.
Although this place holds countless memories of those two people, and although one should try to get rid of these memories if one wants to move on, Riko can't bear to part with them, she can't bear to abandon those memories.
But every time Riko sees those past scenes, the warm memories, after a brief moment of tenderness and concern, turn into the sharpest knife piercing her heart, followed by a surge of thick blood and emptiness.
Whenever she encounters this kind of emotion, Riko can only use alcohol and numbness to fight against the long nights and the bone-chilling loneliness.
Many times, she thought about ending it all, but every time she thought about how those two people died so that she could live a better life, Riko felt extreme pain in her heart.
If she dies, then what was the point of the sacrifices of those two people?!
This painful and agonizing struggle was driving Riko almost insane.
"Today... I encountered a cursed spirit. It's ridiculous, isn't it? I can see cursed spirits, but I don't have the power to become a sorcerer and destroy them..."
Riko seemed to be talking to a photograph, or perhaps to herself, her voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the wind outside the window:
"That cursed spirit looks weak, so weak that you should be able to kill it with one blow, but to me it is so powerful that I cannot contend with it. But I am not afraid of that cursed spirit. On the contrary, I wish that cursed spirit could see me and then kill me with all its might."
That way, I can legitimately go find you two. But that stupid cursed spirit didn't notice me and left without a word. I won't deliberately go to my death; I will fight to survive, as I promised you two.
But I really, really want to give up. I don't want to continue like this anymore. What's the difference between living like this and being dead? Qing, Hei Jing, can you two tell me what I should do...?
Listening to Riko Tennen's words and seeing her trembling shoulders, Sei Zenin's soul began to tremble violently.
"But... whenever I think about how you risked your lives to keep me alive..."
Riko, with a wry smile, stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray overflowing with cigarette butts, her voice hoarse and tinged with helplessness:
"I keep thinking, if I just die so easily, wouldn't that be too unfair to you all, especially you... you silly Qing, you big liar, didn't you say you'd be back soon?"
Riko muttered to herself, quickly finishing her cigarette. She glanced at the empty cigarette box, clicked her tongue, and then picked up a can of beer from the pile of clutter on the coffee table.
With a "hiss," Riko opened another can of beer. She tilted her head back and gulped down a large mouthful. Japanese beer isn't exactly low in alcohol, and drinking so much in one go made Riko feel a little uncomfortable, even with water.
Even so, the brief amnesia caused by the alcohol numbing her brain allowed her to escape for a moment from this desolate memory filled with pain.
"A teacher from the vocational college came to see me before. He was the one wearing sunglasses who looked like a gangster boss. He told me…"
He said, "I should look forward, try to move on from your and Kuroi's deaths, try to reach out to more people, and try to embrace a new life."
As Riko spoke, she gulped down large mouthfuls of beer. One hand rested on the table, her eyes were slightly red, and she murmured:
"But every time I try to do that, I find that no matter how wonderful life is, it can't compare to the feeling you give me. No matter what kind of person you are, they will pale in comparison to you. Xiaoqing, do you remember what you used to say to me?"
You said that when you are young, you shouldn't meet people who are too amazing, otherwise you will be trapped in that for the rest of your life.
Ugh~ You bastard, you were absolutely right!
Why did you appear in my life so early? Now I can't accept anyone but you!
Xiaoqing, tell me, if you, you bastard, were still here, would you like me like this?
"Tch, I know without you saying it. I hate myself in this state, let alone you."
Riko's questions went unanswered, but she wasn't disappointed; she just kept talking to herself.
The stuffy air in the room and the clamor of rain outside the window made the solitude of the room, where one was murmuring to oneself, seem even more profound.
As Riko spoke, tears streamed silently down her face, but she didn't wipe them away, letting them drip onto the old floor.
Five years have passed. In these years, I have spent countless nights crying and feeling depressed. I'm numb to it all. What else is there to care about?
Looking at Riko's appearance, curled up in the chair like an unwanted stray cat, or a drowning person about to be overwhelmed by pain, a strong desire arose in Zenin Kiyoshi's heart.
He had to do something, even if it was just a tiny hint or a bit of support.
The despair and confusion emanating from Riko at this moment were heavier than any curse from a cursed spirit, and even more intense than that emanating from Natsume.
It was at this moment that Zen Temple Qing realized that the illusion created by the balancing mechanism this time might not have only affected Xia Youjie!
The person in front of us is very likely also pulled here by the balancing mechanism!
The best evidence is the aura about Riko that seems out of place here.
Chapter-337
Looking at the extremely haggard-looking Riko Tenten, a sense of solemnity arose in Zenin Kiyoshi's heart.
The changes in the [Balance Mechanism] have not only dragged a single person here. Among those who are already aware of it, there are two people, Riko and Natsuyu. Does this mean that there may be other people who have been pulled into the illusion without their knowledge?
The illusions created by multiple people are far more difficult and complex than those created by a single person.
Taking Gojo Satoru's previous solo illusion as an example, Zenin Kiyoshi only needed to save Gojo Satoru and change his mind to find a way to redeem himself in that illusion.
However, the illusions of multiple people are different. Zenji Kiyoshi cannot unravel the obsessions of multiple people so quickly, which means that the development trend of this world is diverse. Even if Zenji Kiyoshi perfectly achieves Xia Youjie's future, as long as Riko's future is bad, then his original real world line may also have considerable problems and hidden dangers.
In other words, in this illusion, he not only needs to find Xia Youjie's perfect world line, but also needs to take care of Riko's world line, and absolutely cannot let either of them collapse.
Thinking of this, Zenji Qing didn't feel too troubled; he only had one thing on his mind.
Taking Gojo Satoru's case as an example, anyone who enters this illusion will retain all their memories when they finally clear the level.
In other words, all the experiences here will be preserved in Riko and Natsuyuki's minds exactly as they were after they cleared the illusion.
It is equivalent to the fact that because of Zenji Sei, these two people had to endure painful experiences that they should not have had to endure.
Looking at Riko before him, Zenji Seiji sighed silently. He needed to give Riko some support, even if it was just a little bit.
After making this decision, Zenji Seishin took a deep breath, then focused all his energy and tried to communicate with Tenniri Riko in the same way he had influenced Natsuyuki.
This is much more difficult than influencing Xia Youjie, because Riko is not a powerful sorcerer; her spiritual world is more fragile and she is more difficult to access that ethereal spiritual realm.
Fortunately, the repulsive force around Riko was not as strong as that around Natsumi.
Zenji Sei wasn't surprised by this.
After all, even in a dream world where many people are present, Riko's importance is definitely lower than Natsuyuki's.
Firstly, according to the original timeline, Riko was destined to die, so whether she lived or died would not have much impact on the future.
Secondly, Riko's power is too weak. Even if she is bewitched by the "Balance Mechanism," she will find it difficult to exert a significant influence on the real world on her own.
However, even though the repulsive force wasn't that strong, Zenji Sei was still unable to transmit complex information at this time.
He could only try his best to touch Riko's head. He reached out and gently stroked Riko's hair.
His fingers pierced through her hair. Although there was no tangible sensation, Zenji Kiyoshi could feel that he was transmitting his thoughts and ideas to Riko in some way.
It wasn't words; it was more like a ray of sunlight on the edge of darkness, a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day, or a silent encouragement in the face of despair.
At that moment, Riko Tennen, who was curled up on the sofa, suddenly moved slightly. She almost abruptly raised her head and looked around in confusion.
The room was empty, and the clock on the wall continued to tick with a dull, calm sound.
The momentary warmth on her hair seemed like an illusion, but Riko felt a strange sense of familiarity and conviction.
That feeling was absolutely, absolutely not my imagination!
Because that feeling was all too familiar to Riko!
That was a long, long time ago, when a certain guy was around... that feeling of involuntary peace of mind.
Looking around at the empty room, and listening to the complete silence except for her own breathing, Riko couldn't help but feel self-doubt.
Is this an illusion? Is it a hallucination caused by missing you so much?!
Riko didn't know that in her tear-streaked eyes, she could no longer distinguish between what was real and what was fake.
But the moment she felt that sensation, the tears that had been building up for so long burst forth as if a dam had been broken.
TANTRA MAX79 साल की उम्र में भी मर्दाना ताकत 10 गुना कैसे बढ़ाएं?
She could no longer suppress her emotions and burst into tears, crying her heart out, as if she wanted to release all the grievances, loneliness, sadness, depression, and pain she had accumulated over the past five years through her tears.
Zenji Sei stood beside Riko, gently stroking her hair, his eyes filled with guilt and heartache.
Since the emergence of the balancing mechanism, Zenji Kiyoshi has felt an indescribable sense of guilt towards himself.
He didn't know whether the acts of redemption he had performed were selfish or not.
When he went to help Riko, Natsuyu, and Satoru, was it because he really wanted to become friends with them, or was it for their power and techniques?
Although what I did allowed them to live a better life in the real world than in the original story, it was also because of me that those people were trapped in these illusions.
If I hadn't managed to save them in the illusion, wouldn't they have had to endure such a painful existence before dying?
Can I really guarantee that I can save them in every illusion?
Zenjiro didn't know if he could do it. He just silently stroked Riko's hair, but seeing the tears falling, Zenjiro knew that in the subsequent illusions, as long as he still existed, he would never allow anyone around him to be killed by the so-called balancing mechanism!
Looking at Riko, who was crying loudly, Zenin Kiyoshi felt a sense of relief mixed with sadness.
Because he knew that crying could be a form of release at times, at least much better than numb silence.
He couldn't truly embrace her or comfort her yet, but he hoped that this insignificant sense of "presence" and "familiarity" would let Riko know that she wasn't completely alone, and could offer her a little psychological comfort.
In the distance, the sky was beginning to lighten, and the dawn was gradually breaking through, as if a new day was about to begin.
Riko was also exhausted from crying. She curled up on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep, her face still bearing tear stains, but her brows seemed to have relaxed a little.
At that moment, Zenji Kiyoshi accidentally touched Riko's tears, and the next moment, his body gradually materialized!
Chapter-338
So-called cursed objects are actually things that have been soaked in too much of people's negative emotions.
Blood-stained high heels, tear-stained notebooks, torn and blood-stained clothes, notebooks filled with curses...
Various props that seem to appear in horror novels are essentially just ordinary items that have been imbued with strong emotions.
The core of those cursed objects lies not in the ordinary objects on which they are placed, but in the various curses that reside within them.
In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, even Zenin Kiyoshi had to admit one thing.
That is...
More often than not, love is the most powerful curse.
The power and emotion contained in those tears are no less than those contained in any cursed object.
Even more coincidentally, the very objects of those curses were standing on the tears.
By a twist of fate, Zenji Kiyoshi unexpectedly brought his body, which shouldn't have been able to materialize, back into existence in this world!
At the very moment it materialized, the sensation from his fingertips startled Zenji Seijin.
The feeling coming from my hands was no longer that hollow feeling as if it were clipping through something, but the touch of hair that was slightly cool and damp, not completely dry!
Riko's hair was actually resting on his fingertips!
A faint fragrance, the smell of alcohol, and the lingering faint smell of smoke all wafted in, enveloping the Zen temple, which should have been odorless, in a whiff of the surrounding scents.
Zenjiro took another breath unconsciously. Even the smell of the rancid fast food on the table was so obvious and real at this moment.
Zenjiro Kiyoshi quickly realized what was happening. He subconsciously looked down and saw that the tip of his right finger, where it had touched Riko's tears, was undergoing an extremely dramatic change.
An unprecedented sense of solidity began to spread from the fingertips that touched his tears, spreading throughout his body like ripples on water, rapidly reaching every part of his body.
How can I describe that feeling? It's like someone is blowing air into your body through a wound on your finger.
If I had to describe it, then Zenji Kiyoshi could only say that it was similar to the scene in One Piece when Luffy first activated Gear Third.
His arm, which was originally translucent and even slightly twisted in the air, now had a clear outline, and you could even see the fine veins on the back of his hand.
Skin, bones, blood, muscles—all the real bodies emerge at this moment.
As his body became more and more real, he noticed the stale smell of the food around him, the faint scent of shampoo lingering in Riko's hair, and even the dust floating in the air and the increasingly faint sound of car horns outside the window.
Perhaps because it had been so long since he had experienced these things, Zenji Kiyoshi felt as if all his senses had been amplified countless times in an instant, and everything felt so real.
He... materialized?!
Upon seeing Riko's tears, which were filled with intense emotion, Zenin Kiyoshi instantly understood what had happened.
Riko's intense emotions, combined with the fact that the illusory world itself was not well-designed for its cursed objects, actually created a cursed object that could make his body real!
Thinking about this, Zenji Kiyoshi felt that there were more and more ways to control the future.
Compared to those feelings, looking at Riko in front of him, most of his guilt dissipated. No, perhaps it was more accurate to say that he had a thought that could gradually lessen his guilt.
Now that he has materialized, he can at least do something to comfort Riko, even if it's just a little bit, that will be enough!
At this moment, Riko seemed to sense something unusual in her sleep, or rather, she sensed the presence of someone who had suddenly appeared beside her, giving her a long-lost sense of "security".
The dark circles under her eyes, left from years of staying up late, trembled slightly, and her long eyelashes quivered as if called by some voice. Riko slowly opened her eyes.
When Riko first opened her eyes, her gaze was still hazy, filled with the turbidity of a hangover and the emptiness of sadness.
Like a hangover, she instinctively covered her forehead. She had experienced this feeling many times in the past five years, but every time she did, she still felt uncomfortable.
However, the physical pain was nothing compared to the emptiness in her heart.
But at that very moment, when her blurry vision focused on the figure crouching beside her, staring at her with a complicated expression, Riko froze on the spot. At that moment, she felt as if everything around her had frozen.
Even time and the faint dawn seemed to be forcibly frozen in time at this moment.
The moment Riko saw Zenjiro's figure, her pupils contracted instantly, then widened sharply.
She felt as if she had been choked, unable to make a sound. At this moment, she was like the duck in Lu Xun's novel who was being held by the scruff of her neck, unable to utter a single word.
At this moment, she was staring intently at Zenjiro's face, as if trying to confirm whether this was yet another heartbreaking illusion or some kind of reality that she simply could not believe.
"...Xiao Qing?"
A breathy sound squeezed out of her dry throat, so faint as to be almost inaudible, yet filled with an unbelievable tremor.
The voice was tinged with the smell of alcohol, accompanied by a slight tremor of disbelief, and... a final, bitter sigh of helplessness.
Seeing that Zenjiro didn't reply, Riko suddenly sighed and patted her face hard, making it turn red.
"Tsk! This dream is so real? Aren't we supposed to not feel pain in dreams? Ahhh! Since it's a dream, let that idiot Zenin Sei say a few words to me!!"
"It's so rare for me to dream of him, so rare for me to dream of him in this house. Can't I just let that bastard talk to me, give me even the slightest illusion that he's still alive?!"
Riko seemed to be complaining about something, but her tears just wouldn't stop falling.
Looking at Riko before him, Zenin Kiyoshi could no longer bear it. He reached out and gently stroked Riko's head, feeling her rough hair. His voice was gentle and tinged with sadness.
"Riko, this is not a dream, this is reality. I'm back. I'm sorry... I made you wait for so long. I'm really, really sorry."
Chapter-339
The moment Riko heard Zenin Kiyoshi admit that this was not a dream, she was completely stunned. She didn't say anything, but simply reached out her trembling arm and gently touched Zenin Kiyoshi's face.
She dared not use force, only touching it lightly, as if with the slightest force, Zen-in-Tsuyoshi would shatter like a bubble before her eyes.
The real touch came from her fingertips, carrying a trace of Zenjiro's body warmth, causing Riko's mouth to open unconsciously, and tears to fall uncontrollably.
When a person's emotions reach a certain extreme, and they release them, it's like an overloaded computer, leaving the person stunned in place.
But tears, as if a self-reflex, kept falling from Riko's eyes, like pearls falling from a broken string, large drops streaming down her face.
Seeing her reaction, Zenjiro felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and a surge of bitterness and guilt welled up inside him.
He tried to force a smile that was as gentle and normal as possible, but in the end, his smile was filled with guilt and complicated emotions.
Zenjiro gazed at Riko, who was now weeping silently, and offered words of comfort once more, his voice slightly hoarse from just regaining his physical form:
"Riko, if you keep staring at me while you cry, it gives me the creeps. It feels like you're mourning me at my funeral."
Upon hearing Zenjiro's words, Riko's reaction surprised Zenjiro.
She didn't refute as usual, nor did she utter any shocking exclamations; she stopped crying at this moment.
The next moment, Riko suddenly sat up and stretched out her hand, hanging on Zenin Kiyoshi like an octopus!
A soft, fragrant scent wafted over, but mixed in with it were tears and snot on Riko's face, and the muffled sobs from her nestled in his arms.
The sounds of weeping were transmitted through the vibrations of her clothes, and the hot breath exhaled from Riko's mouth made Zenji Sei's heart feel hot.
But Riko did more than that; while hugging Zenin Kiyoshi, she also pinched his arms, back, and neck hard, again and again.
Riko used all her strength with each pinch, trying to confirm whether the Zen-in Seijin in front of her was really real.
"hiss..."
Zenji Kiyoshi was caught off guard by Riko's attacks and gasped in pain.
It was this sharp gasp from Zenji Sei that made Riko completely certain that what she was seeing was not an illusion.
"It's not a dream! It really isn't a dream... Waaaaah, damn it, it really isn't a dream..."
Riko muttered to herself, watching Zenin Kiyoshi's pained expression. Her hands trembled slightly, and then she seemed to suddenly lose all her strength, freezing in place. Without any hesitation, she hugged Zenin Kiyoshi tightly once again.
A constant "huffing" sound came from her throat, similar to the sound of an old bellows.
But this time, the voice wasn't born of despair from loneliness; it was a different kind of speechlessness born from the overwhelming joy.
Seeing this, Zenji Qing felt even more distressed.
He reached out and hugged her still slightly trembling hand.
Riko's hands seemed to be a little cold, perhaps because she had been drinking too much.
When Zenin Seina's warm and real touch reached her, Riko actually fainted from crying.
Perhaps due to her intense emotions, even while asleep, Riko continued to murmur in her dreams:
"Xiaoqing, Heijing, don't be so willful and leave me again, I..."
She was still worried that everything that had just happened was a dream, and she gripped Zenjiro's sleeve tightly, afraid that he would disappear in the next instant.
Hearing Riko's murmured words in her sleep, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't hesitate at all. He laid Riko down flat, then gently stroked her forehead, softly comforting her:
"It's not a dream, Riko... I'll stay here with you."
As the morning sun shone down, Riko dragged her somewhat heavy head out of bed.
Looking around at the empty room, tears welled up in her eyes again. A self-deprecating, ironic smile appeared on her lips as she whispered:
"Having those impossible dreams again, Riko, you're really useless..."
But just as Riko finished her self-complaining remarks, a faint fragrance wafted from the bedroom doorway, instantly freezing her in place.
That was the aroma of fried eggs and noodles, but... I haven't cooked in years, and besides myself, how could there possibly be anyone else in this house?!
But the sounds of pots and pans clattering together and the unique aroma of the food could be heard from the kitchen.
The moment she smelled that scent, Riko sprang up from the bed as if she had springs in her body.
Her head was still a little sore from last night's drinking. She staggered to the bedroom door, and just as she pushed it open, the soft sunlight streamed in. Zenji was wearing an apron and holding a spatula.
Sunlight streamed in from outside, carrying a fresh, slightly cool, and damp breeze, along with Zenjiro's radiant smile:
"Are you awake? I made breakfast, let's eat together."
Riko stood frozen at the bedroom door, as if she had been frozen in place by some strange spell.
She stood there, leaning against the doorframe, her eyes wide open, her pupils trembling violently in the morning light.
The familiar figure in the kitchen, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, was now bathed in sunlight, its edges tinged with a fuzzy gold. The fried eggs in the pan sizzled, and the air was filled with the aroma of food and a kind of warmth called "home" that she thought she would never have again in her life.
"...Xiao Qing?"
She uttered the word again, her voice dry and hoarse, like the rubbing of withered old tree branches.
Even at this point, Riko still thought it was just her imagination.
She even wondered if her hallucinations had intensified.
Has hallucination evolved from touch to smell, and then to such a complete system of sight and hearing?
Right now, I can even see the fine beads of sweat on Zen Temple Qing's forehead, hear the sound of noodles bubbling in boiling water, and even smell the unique aroma of noodles and vegetables in the air!
"Don't just stand there like an idiot, go wash up, breakfast will be ready soon."
Zen-in Kiyoshi turned around and casually pointed towards the bathroom with a spatula, his tone as ordinary as if they had always lived like this:
"Your fridge is so empty, you can only make some noodles and fried eggs."
Such an ordinary conversation, such a realistic scene, completely shattered Riko Tennen's last psychological defenses.
She wasn't dreaming, and nothing from last night was a dream! He really was here! Alive, talking, cooking, and smiling at her—Zen-in Kiyoshi!
He's really here!
Chapter-340
Even after she finished washing up, Riko was still somewhat dazed.
When Zenji came out of the kitchen and served her a steaming bowl of vegetable and egg noodles, she finally came to her senses.
Before Riko could even speak, Zenin Kiyoshi's voice, tinged with helplessness and disdain, rang out:
"Riko, how do you live your life? The only fresh vegetables in the entire refrigerator are leafy greens and eggs. The other meats have been stored in the freezer for who knows how long."
Also, why don't you throw away the bean sprouts, lettuce, and watermelon inside, even though they're all moldy?
What are all those beer cans in the fridge for? If you're going to drink ice-cold beer, shouldn't there at least be some beer left in those cans?
Listening to Zenjiro's rambling words, Riko felt no annoyance whatsoever. Instead, she simply stared blankly at Zenjiro, then whispered:
"Xiao Qing, you're really back?"
Seeing Riko's somewhat stunned expression, Zenin Kiyoshi didn't say much, but simply nodded slightly, and then said:
"Well, because I just couldn't stand how decadent you are every day, I crawled out of hell to come and take good care of you."
Zenjiro's answer confirmed this fact once again, and Riko chuckled upon hearing this, then stood up from her chair.
While Zenjiro was still somewhat dazed, Riko had already walked up to him. She reached out and, without much hesitation, hugged Zenjiro's neck, then pressed her entire body down on him.
She didn't angrily blame Zenin Sei, nor was she greatly confused by his sudden return. She spoke softly, almost inaudibly, close to Zenin Sei's ear, as if having a casual conversation:
"You, you're just back, that's enough... please spend more time with me."
After Riko finished speaking, Zenin Kiyoshi could feel large tears falling again. He gently raised his head, then took Riko's hand and said softly:
"You don't need to beg me to do these things; I'll do them anyway. Now, go eat your food, or the noodles will absorb too much water and become soggy, which will make them unpalatable."
Also, you need to learn to quit drinking in the future, otherwise I won't spend much time with you. After all, accompanying a drunkard is the most worthless and meaningless thing, because they always forget everything after sobering up.
As for smoking, you absolutely must quit. I don't want to be diagnosed with some incurable disease early on when I'm living with you in the future.
Zenji Sei's admonitions and nagging were like heavenly music to Riko at that moment.
She had longed to hear that voice for far too long, or rather, she had been alone in that deathly silent house for far too long.
These things, which she used to long to hear but were so ordinary and mundane, were now incredibly precious to Riko.
Just as Zenjiro was rambling on and on, Riko could no longer hold back her emotions. She changed her gentle embrace of Zenjiro and began to pat him repeatedly on the back.
"You bastard! Zen Monastery Qing, you bastard! Five years! A full five years! Do you know how I've spent these past five years?! I thought you were dead! Really dead! Not even a body! Do you know how long I've searched for you in these five years since you died...?"
Riko kept pounding Zenin Kiyoshi's back with considerable force, but it was as if she had exhausted all her strength. By the end, she had even tightly gripped the cuffs of Zenin Kiyoshi's clothes, as if she could keep him by her side forever in this way.
Zenji Sei silently endured Riko's slaps and sobs, knowing that she had suppressed these emotions for too long and needed to release them.
In response to her venting of her grievances, Zenin Kiyoya simply hugged her tighter and whispered in reply:
"I'm sorry, Riko. I'm so sorry..."
After a while, Riko's crying gradually subsided, turning into soft sobs. She looked at Sei Zenin, whose eyes were swollen like walnuts from crying so much, and whose nose was red. She looked disheveled and pitiful.
"so..."
At that moment, Riko sniffed, her voice thick with nasal congestion, and asked a crucial question.
"Xiao Qing, will you... will you disappear again? Just like last time? Leaving without any warning?!"
Zenjiro looked at the cautious fear in her eyes and felt a pang of indescribable sadness and inner turmoil.
Because, at this moment, Zenjiro couldn't give her a definite promise, but he hoped to at least put her at ease for the moment, so after taking a deep breath, he said:
"I don't know how to tell you, but I can only say one thing: I don't know how long I can stay."
Zenji Kiyoshi chose to be honest, but tried to keep his tone light. He did not choose to lie, because he knew that giving people hope followed by despair was the most egregious act.
He looked at Riko, his voice rather calm, tentatively changing the subject. At least until a perfect solution was found, he didn't want to discuss this uncertain future.
"But at least for now, I'm still here, and breakfast is almost ready. So, Ms. Riko, would you do me the honor of trying my cooking? It might not be as profitable as Ms. Kuroi's, but it's better than a cold convenience store bento, and perhaps even better than a beer that's been sitting out all night?"
Without any hesitation, Zenji Kiyoshi grabbed Riko's sleeve and pressed her down in front of the dining table.
At this moment, two bowls of steaming clear soup noodles were already placed on the table, topped with golden fried eggs and garnished with a few bright green scallions, simple yet full of rich aroma.
Riko was pressed into a chair by him, but her gaze remained fixed on Sei Zenin, as if he would disappear in the blink of an eye.
She picked up her chopsticks, her hands still trembling slightly, picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on it, and carefully put it into her mouth. Throughout the entire process and her actions, her eyes never left Chan Yuanqing.
It's as if Zen-in-the-Palace is Schrödinger's cat, disappearing if left unobserved.
The warm, light broth, the soft noodles... the ordinary taste brought tears to her eyes again.
This was the first time in five years that she had eaten a warm breakfast prepared for her by someone else in the early morning.
"Is it tasty?"
Zenjiro's voice came through, carrying a tenderness that made Riko unable to hold back her tears.
"It's delicious, but there's too much salt in it."
"That's because you've cried too many tears."
"This is your problem. You're the one who made me shed so many tears!"
For Riko, the next few days felt like an unreal dream.
Zenjiro's materialized state seems unstable, sometimes strong and sometimes weak. Sometimes he can clearly pick up a water glass, and sometimes he becomes slightly transparent. But at least, he can truly "exist" in this space and be seen, heard, and even touched by Riko.