Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 178 The Death of Himeya Ryushun

"Isn't this the answer you wanted?"

Ji Yelong looked at the silent Qiu Yuecheng, a slight smile appearing on his aged and withered face, and said, "You want me to make a decision for you, to make you choose Xiaoxue, is that right?"

"..."

Akizuki Makoto remained silent, neither denying nor agreeing.

But most of the time, silence is already the definite answer.

Just as Himeya Ryushun said, what he might need is someone to help him make a choice and persuade him to choose.

The reason he chose Ji Yelongjun as the person to help him make the decision was partly because he could only confide in Ji Yelongjun, and partly because he was more biased towards Ji Yexue.

He had assumed that Ji Yelongjun would make him choose Ji Yexue, but to his surprise, Ji Yelongjun let him choose for himself and even told him Cao Cao's wise saying.

such……

Isn't it like asking him to betray both Hime Yuki and Shiina Maki, and choose both of them at the same time?
By now, his relationship with Ji Yexue and Shiina Maki was deeply ingrained and could not be severed.

Ji Yexue, needless to say, made it clear that only he could save her life.

Qiu Yuecheng didn't want to analyze whether Ji Yexue's words were exaggerated; he had already accepted Ji Yexue's obsessive love that would last until death.

Just like the declaration she made that day after she forcefully kissed him.

Whether it's despicable or selfish, she will use every means possible to get him, regardless of the cost.

So, how does Shiina Maki's affection for him compare to that for Himeya Yuki?

Without a doubt, Shiina Maki's love for him was no less than that.

From a very early age, Shiina Maki had been hopelessly in love with him, and her feelings were unwavering and would never change.

Moreover, Shiina Maki is currently at a stage where her life would come to an end if she lost Akizuki Makoto.

Her only relative in the world has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the person she loves with all her heart has fallen for another woman.

Maki Shiina has a dependent personality; she cannot live independently and can only rely on others, treating them as her emotional support.

But now, both of her pillars are teetering on the brink of collapse.

The timing is so clever, it's like playing a visual novel where you finish the prologue and choose to enter the heroine's route.

Can he make a choice?
It seems like he has no choice in the matter.

He felt more affection for Himeyasuki than anything else, but for Shiina Maki, it was an unbearable sense of responsibility.

The moments he had spent with the two of them during this time flashed through Akizuki Makoto's mind like a revolving lantern.

It all started with him taking away Shiina Maki's exam papers and letting her use time stop to do whatever she wanted.

Then she went to the student council, accepted a request from a student to find the ghost's true form, and was attacked by Himeyasu in the gymnasium warehouse.

He could still feel the tension and palpitations he felt back then, and it felt like yesterday, making him feel nostalgic and wistful.

Those extraordinary everyday moments were actually so beautiful.

It is truly a case of everything changing and people being no longer the same; before I can speak, tears flow.

"...Grandpa, I won't bother you any longer."

Akizuki Makoto cut off the flashback in his mind and bowed his head to say goodbye to Himeya Ryusuke.

He needs some time to sort out his thoughts, so he's thinking of going home first, as staying here is pointless.

"Go ahead and worry, just don't make any decisions you'll regret."

Ji Yelong smiled weakly and said with emotion, "Perhaps this is the last time we will see each other. Suddenly, I thought of many things and felt quite emotional."

"Don't say that, Grandpa. We'll see each other again. Please take care."

"Hehe, I hope so..."

Thus, Akizuki Makoto bid farewell to Himeya Ryushun and quickly left the hospital.

At that time, he had no idea that Ji Yelongjun's words would come true, and that this was indeed the last time they would see each other.

He didn't see Himeya Ryushun again until at the funeral.

……

……

Time flies, and a week has passed in the blink of an eye.

For the past week, Akizuki Makoto has been staying at home, escaping reality.

On one hand, he was still confused and didn't know how to face Ji Yexue or Shiina Maki; on the other hand, he really had nothing to do.

The regular ensemble rehearsals that were originally scheduled every two or three days were also put on hold due to Shiina Maki's absence.

For the past week, Maki Shiina has been tirelessly going back and forth to the hospital, often sleeping there instead of going home.

Rin Shiraishi and Rie Niijima also know about Maki Shiina's mother's illness and have been comforting Maki Shiina and helping her as much as they can.

The biggest event of this week was the death of Himeya Ryushun.

Akizuki Makoto learned of this news late last night from Himeya Yuki who called him and invited him to attend Himeya Ryūjun's funeral tomorrow.

When she made the phone call, Ji Yexue's voice sounded quite calm, without any sobs or sighs, as if she had let it go.

In response, Makoto Akizuki could only mourn silently, since the time of Himeya Ryushun's death had been clearly stated: in September, before the end of summer vacation.

There are still two weeks left until the end of summer vacation. Although it sounds a bit early, no one can say for sure about these things.

"...Dongzi, be a good girl and take good care of the house. If you feel lonely or bored, you can invite your friends over or go to a friend's house. Your brother will probably be back quite late."

Before leaving for Himeya Ryushun's funeral, Akizuki Makoto patted Fuyuko's head, patiently gave her some instructions, and then left with peace of mind.

Dongzi definitely can't be brought to this funeral; Ji Yexue only invited him.

Originally, he wasn't qualified to attend Ji Yelongjun's funeral, since he wasn't a member of the Ji Ye family or a social celebrity. However, with Ji Yexue taking him, there was no problem.

When he went downstairs and arrived outside the apartment, the car that had come to pick him up was already parked on the side of the road.

Ji Yexue wasn't in the car; she had a lot of preparations to do and didn't have time to pick her up.

However, he recognized the driver who picked him up; he had ridden in his car quite a few times before.

In the past, Akizuki Makoto would chat with the driver for a few minutes, but the atmosphere today seemed a bit off, with a sense of solemnity, so they didn't exchange a single word the whole way.

It wasn't until the vehicle reached the port area, returned to the Himeya family home, and entered that enormous mansion that the driver spoke up, reminding Akizuki Makoto to get out of the car.

When Akizuki Makoto came to the Himeya family, it wasn't to meet up with Himeya Yuki, but to change into more formal clothes for the funeral.

They met at the funeral venue.

Right now, Ji Yexue is probably entertaining people from all walks of life who have come to offer their condolences with her mother.

"...Let's go." After changing his clothes at Ji Ye's house, Akizuki Makoto got back into the car and told the driver to drive.

The funeral was held in a private shrine located on a hillside in the port area.

Vehicles can only be parked at the foot of the mountain, and then you have to walk up the mountainside to enter the shrine.

When Akizuki Makoto arrived, there were already many luxury cars of all kinds parked there, and groups of men and women dressed in black suits and mourning clothes, with white flowers on their chests, climbing the mountain together.

These were the guests who came to pay their respects; they were either members of the Ji Ye family or politicians and businessmen.

Akizuki Makoto mingled alone among the crowd, attracting many curious and inquisitive glances.

After all, he was very young and alone, which made people wonder if he had gone to the wrong place.

But they didn't ask or strike up a conversation; they wouldn't do something so unnecessary to avoid making a blunder.

Passing through rows of bright red torii gates, Akizuki Makoto climbed the steps and arrived at the shrine halfway up the mountain.

Ji Yexue and Ji Ye's mother were at the entrance of the shrine, accompanied by several close relatives.

"Xiao Cheng, thank you for coming."

"Auntie, please accept my condolences."

Akizuki walked up to them and greeted them with a bow.

Generally, after exchanging greetings, one would go directly into the venue to wait for the condolences. However, Akizuki Makoto had a special relationship with them, so he stood at the entrance and chatted with them.

"This is so sudden. Grandpa seemed to be in pretty good condition when we last met."

Akizuki sighed, recalling the words Himeya Ryushun had said when they parted last time.

Little did they know, that really was the last time they would ever meet.

Ji Ye's mother nodded and said softly, "Yes, although I've prepared myself mentally, I still can't help but feel sad when I think about how both my father and mother have passed away."

At this moment, Ji Yexue asked, "Cheng, do you want to wait with us, or go inside first?"

Upon hearing this, Akizuki Makoto turned his head to look at her, feeling a moment of bewilderment.

In fact, he hadn't seen Ji Yexue for even longer than Ji Yelongjun had.

Although we keep in touch every day, we haven't met in person. It's been almost half a month since we last met.

Today, Ji Yexue was also dressed in black mourning clothes, which added to her sad and depressed feeling.

Although she was relatively calm, her expression still subtly revealed a hint of sadness.

"...Isn't it inappropriate for me to stay with you? Shall we go inside and wait?"

Akizuki Makoto didn't mean anything by it. His relationship with the Himeya family was ambiguous, but it hadn't been officially confirmed or made public. Therefore, he shouldn't be allowed to accompany them to receive guests.

"Then you go in first, we'll see each other later, I'll come find you."

Ji Yexue nodded and let Qiu Yuecheng go in.

"Well, see you later."

After saying goodbye, Akizuki entered the shrine and saw a heavy black coffin in the main hall, which was decorated with white flowers.

On the wall above the coffin hung a black and white photograph of Ji Yelong. His face was expressionless, just as Akizuki Makoto had seen him before, dignified and rigid.

Logically, a photo of someone smiling or with a gentle expression should have been displayed, but Himeya Ryushun did not leave such a photo.

It wasn't until his deathbed that his mindset changed; he shed his former sternness and rigidity and became gentle.

But at this point, he was no longer in a good condition to have his picture taken.

There were quite a few people gathered in the main hall, chatting in twos and threes. They all knew each other and had business dealings with each other.

Of course, there were good relationships and bad relationships, but because this was Ji Yelongjun's funeral, they all endured it and ignored each other.

"Huh, what's that...?"

When Akizuki Makoto walked in, he immediately attracted the attention of many people, including those who had been walking with him at the foot of the mountain.

They never expected that Akizuki Makoto would actually be able to get into the venue.

Logically speaking, the younger generation, apart from the direct descendants of the Ji Ye family, should not be eligible to participate.

But they had no idea that the Ji Ye family's direct descendants had acquired such a handsome young man.

Ignoring the gossip about him, Akizuki Makoto found a spot and waited for the memorial service to begin.

Seeing this, the others did not take the initiative to speak to him, as they were also unsure about Akizuki Makoto's background and his relationship with the Himeya family.

If you rashly offend them, you'll suffer more losses than gains.

Their doubts about Qiu Yuecheng reached their peak when all the guests had arrived, the memorial service began on time, and Ji Yexue, the next heir of the Ji Ye family, took the initiative to walk to Qiu Yuecheng's side and bring him into the ranks of the Ji Ye family's direct descendants.

By bringing Qiu Yuecheng into the ranks of direct relatives, Ji Yexue undoubtedly sealed the bond between Qiu Yuecheng and the Ji Ye family.

From now on, all the conglomerates and politicians in the island nation will know that the eldest daughter of the Himeya family already has a fiancé.

Akizuki Makoto understood the meaning behind Ji Yexue's decision to integrate him into the inner circle of her direct relatives, but he didn't say anything and accepted it naturally.

If there's anything he's figured out this week, it's definitely...

No one could give up; he simply couldn't give up either Shiina Maki or Himeya Yuki.

He wanted both of them, to be responsible for both of their lives, and to embrace their love.

Just as Ji Yelong said, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me."

As for whether Ji Yexue and Shiina Maki will accept it, that's something he'll have to worry about later.

Next, he should use every means to get Ji Yexue and Shiina Maki to accept and acknowledge each other.

"...Makoto, it's your turn to pay your respects."

"it is good."

Akizuki Makoto nodded, stepped out of the group, took a few steps forward, and came to the coffin containing Himeya Ryusuke.

Because it was a memorial service, the coffin lid, which had been closed, was now open.

Ji Yelong Falcon clasped his hands together in front of him, lying peacefully among the white flowers.

At this moment, he looked as if he were asleep, and was no different from when he was alive.

"Grandpa, Xue... please leave her to me. I will take care of her life, support her, and let her take charge of the Ji Ye family. You can rest in peace now."

Qiuyue Cheng knelt before the coffin, murmuring softly, and placed a white flower that he had prepared beforehand into the coffin.

Then he turned back to the group, his heart filled with determination.

Afterwards, the guests took turns offering flowers, but not everyone was qualified to go to the coffin to pay their respects to Himeya Ryushun.

(End of this chapter)