Ms. Gojo thought she was dating an ordinary person's boyfriend.

"Enlightenment?"

Sumi Kichikawa didn't notice anything unusual, nor could she see the disgusting things at her feet.

Seeing Gojo Satoru standing still, he smiled gently, waved, and walked towards him.

The moment Sumi Kiseki approached, Gojo Satoru perfectly concealed the shock in his eyes.

He naturally stepped forward, took Kikawa Sumi's hand, and complained affectionately as usual, "Why are you standing in the wind waiting, Sumi? Didn't you say you'd wait for me inside?"

As he spoke, he calmly crushed the low-level cursed spirits that dared to approach into ashes.

"Just arrived." Sumire allowed him to lead her, and the two walked into the restaurant together.

After we were seated, soothing cello music filled the restaurant.

Gojo Satoru rested his chin on his hand, watching Sumi Kikawa elegantly cutting her steak across from him.

He casually stirred the thick soup in front of him with a spoon, and asked, "Speaking of which, has Xiao Cheng encountered anything strange lately, either at the hospital or on her way to and from get off work?"

Kikawa Sumire paused slightly as she cut the steak, looked up, and asked with a puzzled look, "Strange thing? What do you mean?"

Gojo Satoru blinked, his smile perfectly genuine: "For example... like what I've seen in the pediatric ward before, when the children would have nightmares together."

Kikawa Sumi thought carefully for a moment, then gently shook her head: "No. Everything at the hospital has been normal lately, except for a slight increase in patients, nothing unusual."

"I see." Gojo Satoru nodded, not pressing further. Instead, he forked a piece of foie gras from his plate and held it to Sumi Kikawa's lips. "Here, try this. It tastes really good."

Kikawa Sumi opened her mouth and ate, and the two continued their cozy dinner.

Gojo Satoru didn't press the matter further, but a deep, serious glint flashed in his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.

Back at the apartment that evening, after taking a shower, Sumi Kikawa sat on the sofa in the living room reading. Satoru Gojo sat cross-legged on the rug next to him, using the coffee table as a desk, preparing his lesson plans for the next day.

The room was quiet, with only the occasional rustling sound of turning pages.

After an unknown amount of time, Gojo Satoru finally finished preparing his lesson.

He stretched and turned around, instinctively wanting to ask for a goodnight kiss.

"Xiao Cheng, I'm done..."

Before he could finish speaking, he froze.

On the sofa, the book in Sumi Kikawa's hand had slipped onto her lap.

He leaned against the back of the sofa, his head slightly turned to one side, his eyes closed, and he actually fell asleep sitting there.

A hint of surprise flashed in Gojo Satoru's eyes.

If the previous drowsiness was because you were too tired from playing at the amusement park, what about today?

For a doctor who works non-stop, it's perfectly normal to fall asleep on the sofa because they can't stay awake.

However, this person happens to be Sumi Kichikawa.

It was Sumi Kichikawa, whose mental strength seemed inexhaustible and who could always remain clear-headed and rational.

"Sumiko?" Gojo Satoru lowered his voice and called out tentatively.

no respond.

Kikawa Sumi's breathing was long and heavy; he was sleeping very deeply, and even the slightest movement when Gojo Satoru approached did not alert him.

Gojo Satoru's heart sank.

Sumi Kawakawa never sleeps this soundly.

In the past, even if Gojo Satoru turned over in the middle of the night or his breathing became slightly heavier, Sumi Kikawa would wake up immediately and gently pat his back to comfort him.

But now, he hasn't made a move.

Gojo Satoru didn't call him again.

He sat quietly on the carpet, gazing intently at the unguarded sleeping face under the light of the floor lamp.

Previously, whenever he was with Xiaocheng, he would be in a "vacation" state.

There were no missions, no cursed spirits; it was as if the curses of the entire world were avoiding the area where Sumi Kikawa was located.

But... when did it start to change?

Two weeks ago...

Yes, starting about two weeks ago, his task frequency gradually returned to normal.

Gradually, even on nights when he and Xiaocheng slept in each other's arms, he would receive calls about missions.

He didn't think much of it at the time, assuming it was just because the cursed spirits had been active recently.

But now it seems that's not the case at all!

The reason the mission came knocking was because the "shield" on Xiao Cheng, the "absolute safe zone" that could purify everything, was gradually weakening, and even... disappearing.

Therefore, his missions gradually resumed, and Xiao Cheng began to show unprecedented fatigue, even allowing low-level cursed spirits to get close to him.

Wu Tiao Wuji's fingers clenched tightly.

Why is this happening?

What exactly happened to Xiaocheng?

Is that power to purify everything disappearing?

Or perhaps... he encountered someone, or something silently took away his special abilities?

An unprecedented and utterly unfamiliar sense of panic, like a cold snake, crept silently into Gojo Satoru's heart.

His expression turned completely cold, but he forcefully suppressed his anger.

Gojo Satoru stood up and walked quietly to the sofa.

He bent down, his movements extremely gentle, as if handling a fragile, priceless treasure, and picked up Kikawa Sumi along with the blanket.

While asleep, Sumi Kichikawa felt herself being moved. She instinctively snuggled closer to that familiar embrace that smelled of sweets, found a comfortable spot, and continued to sleep.

Looking at the unconscious, even somewhat weak, sleeping face of the person in his arms, Gojo Satoru's last trace of nonchalance vanished completely, leaving only a chilling seriousness and depth.

Instead of carrying her back to the bedroom, Gojo Satoru sat down on the large sofa and held Sumi Kikawa tightly in his arms.

His arms were wrapped around Sumi Kichikawa's body, his chin resting on the top of her soft hair, protecting her in his arms with an absolutely protective posture.

Those azure eyes, like a lurking beast in the darkness, vigilantly and coldly scrutinized everything around them.

Whatever is behind this.

Anyone who lays a hand on Xiao Cheng must be prepared to be reduced to ashes.