Death: This Death is a bit unorthodox.

"Actually, it's nothing. I've been able to build this business thanks to the tremendous help of all of you older sisters. Of course, I'm selective about who I serve, but Miss Ruri Chiyo happens to be within that range. I wonder how I can help you?"

Aozaki Mayuki waved his hands humbly, his expression somewhat strange.

That cousin of his, whose name he couldn't even remember, really knew how to save herself advertising costs by promoting her business to the head of the household. It was truly admirable.

Moreover, it seems that this young lady in front of me has clearly been corrupted.

"Can I do it too? I have lots of money." Ruri Chiyo Kasumi's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but feel grateful to her cousin.

It's amazing that he's willing to tell me such a good thing; otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do if I met this man!

"This young lady... wants you to..."

"That's really bold," Aozaki Mayuki couldn't help but mutter to himself, already automatically filling in the blanks for the rest of the sentence.

Then, she subconsciously glanced at Kasumi Rurichiyo, who was squatting on the ground...

I have to say, the lifestyle of the Kasumi family is truly conducive to nurturing beauty!

"Miss Ruri Chiyo, please speak freely. I will do my best to help with anything I can."

Aozaki Mayuki raised the corners of her mouth slightly, revealing a polite smile, and said softly.

Of course, whether the "thing" can be done or not is up to him to decide.

Kasumi Rurichiyo felt Aozaki Mayuki's gaze lightly sweep over her, and a shy blush instantly spread across her cheeks.

Slightly stiff, she spoke with some embarrassment:

"Lord Aozaki may not know this... In fact, I have been somewhat... mischievous and naughty since I was a child, and Mr. Kumoi has always been strict with me."

As she spoke, her voice gradually lowered, seemingly carrying a hint of self-reproach and unease.

Then, Ruri Chiyo paused briefly, took a deep breath, and continued:

"Although I am surrounded by many servants, my relationship with them is limited to that of master and servant."

A hint of loneliness and longing flickered in her eyes.

Finally, Ruri Chiyo mustered her courage, raised her head, looked directly into Aozaki Mayuki's eyes, and said firmly:

"I hope that Lord Shingetsu can become my friend."

“I have plenty of money, Lord Shingetsu, please name your price.”

Her tone revealed sincerity and expectation, hoping to exchange money for a genuine friendship.

"Oh..." Aozaki Mayuki couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He had thought the girl would make an even bolder request.

"There's nothing wrong with being friends, but it's not necessary to give money..." Aozaki Mayuki said seriously.

"I'm really rich!" Kasumi Rurichiyo put her hands on her hips, raised her chin confidently, and said with her eyes closed in a coquettish tone, "No matter how much money you want, I can give it to you."

"Or is it that money can't satisfy you? That's true, you're a high-ranking noble now, so this young lady..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

Aozaki Mayuki knew she couldn't continue, so she simply picked up the conversation:

"Let's agree on that beforehand..."

He cleared his throat, then solemnly began to speak:

"Since I'm going to be your friend from now on, I should be able to come see you anytime, right? If I have to go through so many obstacles to get to your house, then forget it, it's too much trouble."

Hearing this, Kasumi Rurichiyo nodded repeatedly, a bright smile spreading across her face, and happily said:

"Yes, no problem. You can come visit me anytime you want."

Looking at the innocent and adorable girl in front of him, Aozaki Mayuki couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness in his heart.

He smiled slightly and said softly, "Alright then..."

Then, he reached out and gently placed his hand on Kasumi Rurichiyo's head, stroking it tenderly a few times.

"I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now. Haiyan's project is probably finished soon too."

His voice was calm and gentle, but a hint of urgency flickered in his eyes. It seemed something important awaited his attention.

"I'll go back right away..."

Kasumi Rurichiyo jumped up happily, like a joyful little deer.

She deliberately nudged his hand gently, her face beaming with a happy smile.

"I will go and tell Yun Jing right away."

“If he doesn’t agree, just tell me, and I’ll find a way to make him agree…” Aozaki Mayuki nodded and said.

Finally, without thinking, he reached out and gently pinched Ruri Chiyo's pink cheek.

The moment my fingers touched my cheek, a warm feeling came over me; it was very soft and smooth to the touch, and slightly hot.

He couldn't help but feel a stirring in his heart, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"I'm leaving now..."

As he finished speaking, he turned and left, his figure gradually disappearing from sight.

Kasumi Rurichiyo was left standing alone, watching the departing figure until it disappeared from sight.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

I would be eternally grateful for anything you ask for.

Chapter 239 Making Friends

Seireitei, the new house of the Shiba family.

The brightly lit corridor was eerily quiet. At that moment, Yun Jing stood by the window, gazing silently at the bright moon in the night sky.

His figure appeared particularly somber in the moonlight.

As a shrewd and ambitious man, Yunjing was well aware of the importance of power and status.

After years of hard work, he finally gained the trust of Ruri Chiyo Kasumi's parents and successfully took control of the family's power after their passing.

Under his meticulous planning, the main family's power gradually increased, and they even began to suppress the old family elders who once held real power.

Yun Jing gently stroked his beard, secretly planning for the future.

He knew that in order to truly consolidate his control, he needed to solve some thorny issues.

Among them, the one who gave him the biggest headache was Ruri Chiyo.

"My lord..." Suddenly, a soft footstep broke the silence of the corridor.

A man dressed in black rushed over, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head to report to Yun Jing.

"How is it? Have you found Lady Ruri Chiyo?"

Yun Jing turned around, frowned, and stared intently at the man in black in front of him.

These assassins were all trained by him personally; they were his most reliable force.

However, at this moment he was dissatisfied with their performance.

"We've found it." The man in black lowered his head, a hint of tension in his voice. He didn't dare look Yun Jing in the eye, because he knew they had almost made a terrible mistake.

Yun Jing's face darkened, and he clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles cracked.

"What kind of work are you doing? How could you let Lady Rurichiyo disappear right under our noses!"

Cold sweat broke out on the man in black's forehead. He quickly explained, "My lord, please calm down. This is what happened..."

"We found Lady Ruri Chiyo in a garden. Lady Ruri Chiyo was safe and sound, but the assassin responsible for protecting her was dead. His body was dissipating when we found him."

"Oh... I mean... you didn't harm Lady Rurichiyo?"

Yun Jing gently stroked his beard.

He still needs Ruri Chiyo to control the Kasumioji family, and he doesn't want anything to happen to her now.

Do you know who did it?

"I don't know... Seventh Brother didn't even have time to send a signal when he died, but the only person here with the ability to do that is Aozaki Mazuki."

"I see." Yun Jing suddenly realized. "Has he taken a liking to the patriarch? This is quite troublesome."

Recalling the rumors about Aozaki Mayuki's romantic escapades, Kumoi fell into deep thought.

"Then, sir... should we get rid of him?" A ruthless glint flashed in the assassin's eyes before he cautiously asked.

"No...don't do that." Yun Jing quickly waved his hand to interrupt the assassin.

That's the downside of being a suicide squad member. They're trained from a young age, and to make them loyal and obedient, they inevitably undergo brainwashing procedures, which can make them lose their sharp minds.

Dealing with Aozaki Mayuki? They'd be more likely to face annihilation!

"Seventh Brother is dead, so we don't need to worry about him for now," Yun Jing said coldly.

Suicide squad members are just consumables; as long as the behemoth that is the Xia Dalu family still exists, there are as many as we need, so there's no need to worry about them.

"None of you should ever appear in front of that man again. I don't believe he would dare to do anything to Lady Ruri Chiyo."

After pondering for a long time, Yun Jing snorted coldly and spoke to the assassins behind him.

"Once I've created the Baku-Yao Blade and taken control of the Kasumi Ōji family, I'll come and meet this rising star of Seireitei."

…………

The spacious room exudes a rugged atmosphere in every detail, yet within this ruggedness, one can also faintly sense a touch of luxury.

This is the unique aesthetic that Shiba Kukaku cherishes.

Shiba Kukaku, lying alone in bed, tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Like Aozaki Mayuki, she was not enthusiastic about various social activities.

She had no problem drinking, but she really wasn't interested in having to go through the motions of flattering those people.

It was all just polite talk; she didn't even need to listen to know that there was no sincerity in it.

The place she lives in now is much more spacious than her old house; in fact, her room alone is as big as their entire old house.

But deep down, Shiba Kukaku still preferred the small house in the suburbs of Rukongai, where she felt more free and at ease.