Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

"Good evening, Aunt Jiazi."

The phone screen on the bedside table was lit up, with a message from Onodera Zannen quietly displayed at the top, followed by a very simple smiley face, which looked polite and natural, without any extra meaning.

Ritsuki Sawamura stared at it for two seconds, then subconsciously reached for her phone, turning to hand it to Yoshiko Sawamura: "Auntie, yours..."

The sound stopped.

Beside the coffee table, Yoshiko Sawamura had completely forgotten that she even had a cell phone. Her great mother sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding a small piece of chicken in her hand. Big Black squatted opposite her, the light blue bow on his back swaying gently with his body. Between the two of them were three small cups upside down. The atmosphere was as serious as if a final life-or-death battle was taking place in an underground casino in Tokyo.

"Big Black, watch carefully, I'm going to put the chicken in the middle."

"squeak."

"Then switch places, left, right, then left again..." Yoshiko Sawamura moved the small cups around rapidly with both hands, her speed increasing, and her expression becoming more and more excited: "Come on, pick one. If you guess right, you can have it all; if you guess wrong, you can still have half. I'm very fair!"

Dahei sat there, its beady black eyes following the cups as they moved from side to side. When Yoshiko Sawamura finally stopped, it immediately went around the three cups, ran to the other hand holding the chicken, and raised its paw to pat its wrist.

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

It didn't even look at the cup.

The food was held in Yoshiko Sawamura's hand the whole time, and there was nothing under the three cups. This old lady thought she had designed a high-IQ test, but Dahei only had eyes for the real reward from the beginning, and even waited until she finished her performance before going to get it, which at least saved some face for the tester.

"That doesn't count, you peeked at the answer!" Yoshiko Sawamura held the chicken up high, and Daikoku also tilted its head back, its pointed face seemingly filled with doubt about human integrity: "Let's do it again, this time I'll really put it in, and you're not allowed to look."

"squeak?"

"Turn around."

Big Black didn't move.

"Listen to me, turn around, and I'll give you another slice of sashimi if you guess right."

Dahei immediately turned around, its back to Sawamura Yoshiko, its ears perked up, clearly trying to figure out which cup the chicken had been put into by sound. Sawamura Ritsuki stood by the bed with her phone in hand, her long pink hair fluffy and soft after being blown by the wind, but the expression on her face gradually lost its change.

She originally intended to hand over the phone.

Now I suddenly realize that even if Onodera Zannen sent a bankruptcy notice for the Onodera family, the old lady would still have to finish this round of the human-rat gamble first, and then take the time to find out why the Kansai overlord suddenly went bankrupt at night.

do not care.

Anyway, it's not news about her.

Riyue Sawamura put her phone back on the bedside table, crawled back into bed, and after only a few seconds of lying down, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the still-lit screen.

During the day at the zoo, Onodera Zannen was very polite and even ate with them for a long time. Even though Sawamura Yoshiko said a few thoughtless things, she didn't show any impatience. Before leaving, Sawamura Yoshiko excitedly exchanged contact information with her, saying that they could have dinner together when she came to Tokyo in the future, and that she would introduce her to her new friend Amamiya if she had the chance.

It seems impolite not to reply to messages these days.

Ritsuki Sawamura sat up again and glanced at the coffee table once more.

"Big Black, you chose the wrong one, this time it's the right side!"

Big Black lifted the left cup, grabbed the chicken inside, and ran away.

"Why did you put two pieces in there yourself? Wait a minute, that piece was for the next round!" Yoshiko Sawamura hurriedly reached out, but Daikoku had already run to the other side of the coffee table with the chicken in his arms, buried his head and chewed away, completing the destruction of evidence in just a few seconds.

Riyue Sawamura remained silent for a moment, then completely abandoned the idea of ​​letting the old woman handle the message herself. She picked up her phone, unlocked it, and her finger landed on the screen.

Good evening, this is Ritsuki Sawamura.

She thought for a moment, then added another sentence.

[This middle-aged woman is very busy right now. Is there anything she needs me to pass on?]

Message sent.

Meanwhile, in the core area of ​​Tokyo.

In a luxury apartment not far from Kamikawa University, the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the city at night, with the lights of high-rise buildings and the flow of traffic reflected on the glass.

The main light in the living room was off; only the floor lamp in the study and the corner lamp were lit, casting a warm yellow glow on the light-colored wooden floor. The quiver was neatly placed on a special shelf, with a pair of clean archery gloves next to it.

The study door was not fully closed.

On the table was an open laptop. On the left was the activity budget that the Kamikawa University Student Council needed to confirm next week, and on the right were several internal documents sent by the Onodera family from Kansai.

The content ranged from the renewal of leases for two cold chain warehouses near Kobe Port to the new list of students to be sponsored by the family foundation, and then to a young man from a collateral branch using the name of the Onodera family to put pressure on the partners. It was all a jumble of things, with almost no connection between them.

An ordinary person would probably feel suffocated after reading just a few pages, as if they were being repeatedly submerged in the sea by capitalist reports, but Onodera Zannen processed it very quickly.

The lease term for the cold chain warehouse can continue, but the new contract must include a compensation clause for equipment failure.

Two families on the scholarship list have inconsistent information, which the foundation needs to re-verify, but this month's funding cannot be suspended because of this.

As for the outsider who was using his influence to drive down the price, she didn't take direct action against him. She only wrote a sentence at the end of the document, canceling his/her right to participate in external projects for the next year. The cooperation that had already been agreed upon would be carried out as usual, and the difference would be made up by the other party's personal profit sharing.

There's no need for a grand gesture or to specifically call someone over for a reprimand. Simply withdrawing the hand that can be extended and making the person who made the mistake bear the consequences is far more effective than just giving them a scolding.

Onodera Zannen pressed save, sending the last set of annotations back to Kansai. At that moment, the phone on the table vibrated slightly, and the girl lowered her eyes.

After taking a shower, her long black hair wasn't completely tied up like it was during the day; it was loosely gathered behind her, with a few strands slipping down her shoulders and clinging to the soft neckline of her light-colored knit sweater. She was wearing a loose, off-white loungewear dress that reached her calves, with no deliberate cinching at the waist, yet her slender figure was still clearly visible.

Her height of 1.78 meters made her appear exceptionally relaxed even when sitting. Her long legs were crossed under the table, her bare feet resting on the soft carpet. Her delicate and beautiful profile was illuminated by the dim light of the screen. Her eyebrows and eyes were calm, and the corners of her lips had a slight curve. She looked like a gentle girl who had finished her work before going to bed and casually sent a message to a newly acquainted elder.

On the phone screen, a reply appeared from Yoshiko Sawamura's account.

The message, however, was sent by Ritsuki Sawamura.

[This middle-aged woman is very busy right now. Is there anything she needs me to pass on?]

Onodera Zanne looked at it for a few seconds, but did not reply immediately. Her gaze fell on the four words "Sawamura Ritsu", and the words she had prepared were temporarily left in the input box.

She contacted Yoshiko Sawamura today mainly because of Daikoku.

After leaving the zoo, Dahei accidentally fell into the hands of Sawamura and her daughter in the restaurant. By the time Kuroba Shido found out, the two were already several streets away from the Bulgari Hotel. Given Dahei's current mobility, it was unrealistic for him to run back on his own. It was probably less realistic for Sawamura Yoshiko to actively discover the problem and contact the owners than for Dahei to learn to drive.

Therefore, Onodera Zannen prepared to handle it personally.

Now, however, the person holding the phone is Sawamura Ritsuki.

The girl lowered her eyes slightly, her finger hovering above the screen, briefly changing the order.

Riyue Sawamura is currently positioned very far in the relationship chart, farther than Kiyoko Miyazaki, farther than Aoko Jingu, and even farther than Daikoku.

At least Dahei had truly lived with him. During the poorest, most miserable, and most vulnerable period of his life, they shared the same house, the same bag of rice balls, and had a companionship experience that no one else could replicate...

Ritsuki Sawamura didn't even know what Shido Kuroba really looked like. When she saw him in person, she not only didn't recognize him, but also mistook his obviously deliberately distorted face for his real appearance.

The difference in the level of danger is very clear.

Big Black, special, extremely high.

Ritsuki Sawamura, low.

However, low doesn't mean it can be completely ignored. Onodera Zannen never underestimates his opponents just because they are weak. Many seemingly insignificant variables can change a stable situation if placed in the right position. Moreover, Sawamura Ritsuki and Shido have known each other for many years, and time itself is an advantage that no one else can make up for.

Originally, all that was needed was to retrieve Big Black.

Now we can take this opportunity to confirm a few more things.

Onodera Zannen deleted the question about the noble fancy mouse from the input box and retyped it.

[Oh, it's Miss Liyue. Good evening. Nothing urgent.]

Ritsuki Sawamura replied quickly.

Just call me Liyue.

Onodera Zannen looked at the sentence and lightly tapped the screen with her fingertip.

[Okay, Liyue, what is Aunt Yoshiko busy with?]

In the hotel's presidential suite, Riki Sawamura looked up.

Yoshiko Sawamura had already taken away the three cups and replaced them with two cards that she had found out from somewhere. The card on the left had a tiger drawn on it, and the card on the right had a pink kitten drawn on it. Big Black was squatting between the two cards, its black bean eyes moving along with the chicken.

"If I choose the tiger, I'm the prettiest; if I choose the pink kitten, the pink-haired one is the fiercest. Come on, Big Black, make your choice."

Big Black looked at the tiger, then at the pink kitten, and finally lowered its head, raised its paw, and pressed down directly on the chicken meat in the middle.

"Food cannot be selected; food is not among the options!"

Big Black dragged the chicken away.

Yoshiko Sawamura lunged forward: "You choose first, then you eat!"

Ritsuki Sawamura lowered her head and replied expressionlessly.

[I'm currently at a disadvantage in an intellectual contest with a mouse.]

Onodera Zanne's eyes curved slightly.

Aunt Jiazi really likes Dahei.

She likes any living creature that's willing to play with her, provided it doesn't hit her after she says something wrong.

It sounds like Aunt Yoshiko's house is usually quite lively.

【Quarrel.】

Ritsuki Sawamura only sent one word, then felt that her tone was too cold, so she paused for two seconds and added another sentence.

[She can make as much noise as five people by herself. She'll yell if she can't find her clothes in the morning, yell if she chokes on her food, yell while watching TV, and when she's quiet, you need to check if something's happened again.]

As Onodera Zanne looked at the text on the screen, the image of Sawamura Yoshiko wearing yellow tiger ears, almost getting pushed out of the crowd at the zoo, yet still complaining about not being able to see the pandas, naturally came to mind.

That certainly fits perfectly.

However, you still care about her.

Who cares about her?

If I didn't care, I probably wouldn't have specifically checked on her after she calmed down.

Ritsuki Sawamura's fingers stopped.

Why does this woman always manage to find something strange about what she's saying?

They were just discussing a troublesome old woman, but it inexplicably turned into her saying one thing and meaning another. Ritsu Sawamura wanted to refute it, but realized that continuing to explain would only make her seem more concerned, so she could only put the blame back on Yoshiko Sawamura.

I'm just worried that if she dies in the hotel, it will affect tomorrow's itinerary.

I see.

Onodera Zannen didn't expose her, and even sent a faint smiley face. Sawamura Ritsu stared at that face for a few seconds, feeling that the other person had already understood, but considerately left her with a thin layer of stubbornness.

Chatting with this kind of person is very comfortable. You don't have to worry about saying something that will be left unanswered, nor will you suddenly be subjected to a backstabbing like that of Yoshiko Sawamura, who is completely reckless. Even if you say something impolite, Onodera Zannen can accurately pick out what she really means.

The conversation quickly shifted from Yoshiko Sawamura to home.

Onodera Zannen did not inquire about the specifics of the Sawamura family, only saying that she had spent most of her childhood in Kansai and had only recently started living in Tokyo for school. Sawamura Ritsu mentioned that the place she used to live in was far from the city center and that the manor was so large that when she ran away from home after getting angry as a child, she walked for half an hour before realizing that she had not even left her own garden.

Oh, look at this damn rich person's life...

What happened next?

Later, that older woman followed me in her car for half an hour.

Didn't she ask you to go back?

No, she brought water and snacks, and every few minutes she asked me if I was tired and if I needed to take a ride to continue running away from home.

Aunt Jiazi is very gentle.

She just wanted to see how far I could go.

And let's make a little fun of her...

Ritsuki Sawamura still remembers how, as a child, she would carry a small bag and stride aggressively along the manor road, while Yoshiko Sawamura would follow slowly in her convertible, eating potato chips and shouting, "Go, little golden retriever! There are still three kilometers to go!" Eventually, she would be too tired to walk any further and would be carried into the car by the old woman, who would then announce that the runaway challenge had failed and that she could try again next time with her bicycle.

This is not gentleness.

This is like using your daughter as an outdoor variety show.

Onodera Zannen could almost recreate the scene from the text. The smile on his lips became more obvious. He then talked about the manor and Sawamura Ritsu's childhood. The topic moved very slowly without any sudden changes. It was like a stream that flowed naturally along the terrain, bypassing family, school, games and friends, and finally gently landing on the person he had talked about during the day.

You lived so far away when you were little, you probably didn't have many friends your age visiting you.

【Um. 】

Is that why you often play games with that online friend?

Ritsuki Sawamura's heart skipped a beat as she read the message.

Even though Onodera Zannen didn't mention liking her or ask any strange questions, and simply connected her living environment with an online friend she'd known for years, Sawamura Ritsuki felt as if something hidden in a drawer had been accidentally touched.

It wasn't frequent either.

After sending the message, she felt it wasn't very credible. After knowing each other for so many years, it was impossible to maintain contact if it wasn't "frequent". Onodera Zanne had already heard Sawamura Yoshiko tell a lot about those embarrassing things during the day. If she continued to be stubborn now, it would only make her seem unwilling to admit even the basic facts.

Ritsuki Sawamura pursed her lips and added again.

We chatted more when we first met, but later everyone got busy with their own lives, and we only chatted occasionally.

It's rare to be able to stay in touch.

That guy is just free.

[Liyue has never changed its contact information.]

【…】

He got caught again.

Ritsuki Sawamura leaned against the headboard, holding her phone, her long pink hair cascading over her shoulders. Her ears began to heat up without her noticing, but every word from Reincarnation Onodera sounded perfectly normal, with nothing to make her angry.

After hesitating for a while, Ritsuki Sawamura sent her reply!

"We... are just friends."

After sending it, Ritsuki Sawamura let out a long sigh of relief, as if she had completed some extremely difficult task.

at the same time.

On the other end of the phone.

"Snap!"

The sound of a screenshot being taken came through the phone, crisp and clear.

Silently, Onodera Zannen calmly chose to collect it, a faint smile still playing on her lips...

Okay, I got it, it's about friendship...