Unusual Fate Records

Chapter 148, Chapter 019: Falling Asleep
A red warning light stood at one end of the street.

Several detectives were asking passersby questions and taking notes in their notebooks.

It was late at night when the strange fog and small explosions in Honhara Town attracted the attention of the police. Fujiwara Chizuru also rushed over because she remembered that during the last attack by the Otherworldly beings in Honhara Town, a mysterious man was also able to manipulate the fog.

She wanted to find this group of people first, and then use them to learn about the "Mirror".

Pedestrians near the cordon were questioned one by one, but there were not many eyewitnesses, and the officers could only kindly advise those who were agitated.

After they finished giving their statements, some of them walked away and disappeared into the streets.

Jin Ziyue's pickup truck was also stopped, but fortunately the vehicle was tall enough that the police officers only asked him a few simple questions.

"Hello, sir, could you please show me your identification?"

An undercover officer spoke, then beckoned to Jin Ziyue's car window.

"Okay." Jin Ziyue turned over to get the bag, and while he was at it, he pushed Sada Haruko, who was hiding in the gap between the back seats, into the gap again.

The girl glared at him, gritting her teeth without making a sound.

"What are you doing around here?" the plainclothes officer asked.

"The boss asked me to come back and check the inventory. Our restaurant is nearby, and we close a bit late," Jin Ziyue said with a modest smile, handing over his employee ID.

"Have you noticed anything unusual?"

"I don't know. I've been in the warehouse, trying to finish up and get off work as soon as possible. My girlfriend is waiting for me."

"Oh, I see. I hope you get some rest." The plainclothes officer smiled knowingly and didn't ask any further questions.

At this moment, someone suddenly asked, "Mr. Jin?"

Jin Ziyue turned around and saw Fujiwara Chizuru dressed in formal attire.

"Officer Fujiwara," he greeted Fujiwara politely.

"What a coincidence, what are you doing here so late?" Fujiwara had a good impression of this gentle young man, and it seemed that every time she met him, she felt much more comfortable around him.

"I'm just stocking up on some goods around here for tomorrow's restock," Jin Ziyue said, sticking to his usual excuse.

"Aren't you working at the restaurant anymore?" Fujiwara asked. The reason she had such a strong impression of Jin Ziyue was because of their time at the restaurant, so her memories of the restaurant were also tied to Jin Ziyue.

"Miss Fujiwara has a good memory. I resigned a while ago." Jin Ziyue smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, I see." She apologized and said, "It's been a bit unsafe here lately, so please be careful when you go out."

"Hey, what happened?" the big boy asked in surprise.

"The order isn't very good, please be careful," Fujiwara Chizuru said reassuringly.

An undercover officer standing nearby couldn't stand it any longer and said, "Ahem, section chief, the young man's girlfriend is still waiting for him."

Fujiwara Chizuru raised an eyebrow.

"Then I won't bother Mr. Jin any longer," she said.

Jin Ziyue drove away in his pickup truck as if fleeing, glancing at Fujiwara Chizuru in the rearview mirror, where he could vaguely see the woman's scrutinizing gaze.

After driving for a while, Haruko Sada suddenly leaned her head closer and said, "I didn't wait for you."

She said with a delighted expression.

“You’re not my girlfriend either,” Jin Ziyue replied.

"Hmph!" The girl frowned, but couldn't help but grin. "You're just being hypocritical, you stinky man!"

Jin Ziyue took Sada Haruko back to the rented apartment.

"Ding-dong-"

The woman who opened the door was my mother-in-law.

"Hello, Grandma!" Haruko Sada said sweetly.

"Eh~" she replied as if to her own granddaughter.

Jin Ziyue also said, "I'm sorry, it's so late and I'm disturbing your rest."

"No, no," the mother-in-law said, looking the two of them up and down. "It's good that you're back..."

The elderly woman, her back hunched, slowly turned around, her figure somewhat forlorn: "Grandma knows, this house isn't well soundproofed..."

Jin Ziyue gave an awkward smile: "Mother-in-law, you're here again."

Haruko Sada was also laughing heartily, but Jin Ziyue turned around and tapped her on the shoulder expressionlessly.

"It hurts!" Haruko Sada cried, her eyes brimming with tears. "My mother-in-law hit me!"

The old woman, who had walked to the door, pulled it open again and leaned against the wall, saying, "I won't concern myself with the affairs of you young people."

Her tone was melancholy, and the figure closing the door seemed to have aged even more.

Jin Ziyue glared at Sada Haruko, his eyes full of threat.

The girl's sobs gradually subsided, and her initial forceful resistance turned into a soft "meow..."

……

After tidying up, Haruko Sada, wearing duck-shaped slippers, ran around, holding her father's jade pendant in her hands. Sometimes she would bury her head in the blankets, leaving her legs sticking out, and she would swing the duck around.

"What should I do? What should I do!" She was overjoyed, yet also somewhat at a loss. "I'm going to see Daddy!"

Jin Ziyue ignored her.

"Being too happy is no good. What if I can't sleep later? Then I won't be able to see my dad!"

She patted her cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement.

"I can help you if you can't sleep." Jin Ziyue raised his hand in a chopstick motion. "If you dare to disturb me."

"Hehehe!" Haruko Sada stuck out her little tongue; she wasn't afraid at all.

Why do you insist on seeing your father?

Jin Ziyue suddenly asked a question.

"What for?" Haruko Sada asked, her eyes sparkling. "As children, isn't it normal to see our deceased parents? My dad was so good to me when I was little. Even though I'm with my mom now, I still miss the days when my dad held me in his arms."

She recalled her father's prickly beard with a smile: "If it weren't for seeing my father, I wouldn't know what the point of living in this filthy world is."

Jin Ziyue gave her a deep look and asked, "So what are your plans next?"

"I haven't decided yet." Haruko Sada frowned and rolled her eyes at him. "Would it kill you to let me reminisce about my father for a little while? Are you in such a hurry to get back to reality?"

"No matter how beautiful a dream is, people living in reality always have to face their own lives head-on," he said meaningfully.

Haruko Sada retorted, "Come on, stop lying to children. Aren't you the same? You need to borrow my abilities to see the person you miss. Why don't you say you also want to live in a beautiful dream?"

Jin Ziyue remained silent.

He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then asked softly, "If one day even dreams are no longer beautiful, what would you do?"

“Then this world is truly beyond saving,” the girl said, gazing at the ceiling.

Then, she said with a grin, "Maybe I'll die?"

"It's getting late, you should get some rest."

Jin Ziyue patted her head, smoothed her hair, and got up to turn off the light.

"Wait! This isn't fair! You heard what I was thinking, but you never gave me a hint. You're too cunning!"

"Snap." All the light and shadow went out.

"Go to sleep first. If you want to hear more, we can talk about it tomorrow."

The man's voice softened.

Haruko Sada gripped the jade pendant in her hand tightly. It was engraved with auspicious words, symbolizing good fortune and peace.

The girl carefully wrapped the silk thread around the back of her hand to prevent it from falling off while she slept, and then, with a solemn expression, covered herself with the quilt.

Jin Ziyue sat quietly in the corner like a sculpture.

Soon, soft snoring could be heard from beside the bed.

(End of this chapter)