People are in Mygo, and I can write their personalities.

"Natsuki Nanami probably understands that if we unite, she will definitely think of ways to deal with her, which is why she tries her best to disintegrate us from within... But what she doesn't understand is that some principles will not change because of a few words from others."

"What makes us human is that we can choose the path we want. Compared to the most precious emotions in our hearts, what can a few words from an outsider change?"

"..."

After hearing Nanami Natsuki's impassioned speech, Nagasaki Motoyo suddenly felt an urge to shed tears.

That's Xiao Xiang for you... He always gives them hope and strength.

Yeah, Nanami Natsuki just doesn't understand what her friends are really holding onto. Talent? How can that compare to the bonds they form in Crychic?

How can it be compared to the simplest and most precious friendship between companions?

However, Su Shi, who only had eyes for "Xiao Xiang", did not notice that Li Xi and Chu Hua's expressions had changed slightly.

Especially for Chu Hua, after hearing what Qi Hai said, her initial hesitation was further solidified.

Yes, she has made the choice she wanted and walked the path she had always wanted to take. Her inner feelings and persistence... none of them can compare to the "band bond" that this person named Nagasaki Motoyo talks about, which has nothing to do with her.

What kind of victim support group... Have you ever seen a support group that pulls the enemy boss in as the group leader and the biggest war criminal in as a member?

“Speaking of which, Lixi, have you run into Nanami recently?” Su Shi suddenly turned to look at Lixi. “It seems like she hasn’t shown up for a long time.”

"Never seen it before..."

"After all, she's at Xiao Xiang's house right now, so it's not easy for her to come out even once, is it?" Chu Hua casually remarked.

Upon hearing this, Su Shi couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Indeed, Nanami Natsuki only thought about enjoying a life of comfort and ease, but she didn't consider that large families also have their unfree aspects... To be honest, I think she's a bit pathetic. She's always lived in her own world and never thought that everyone had already figured out all her plans."

"She thinks she's so clever, and she's so arrogant... She'll pay the price for her 'amazing wisdom' sooner or later."

"Speaking of which, I'm quite curious about how you met Nanami Natsuki, and what she used to entice you into making a deal with her?"

"Eh? Me, me?" Misaka Hatsuka hesitated for a moment. She looked at Nanami for help, and when Nanami ignored her, she took the initiative to place Nanami's small hand on her thigh.

But when she realized that her "betrayal" of Xiaoxiang hadn't brought her any help, she angrily shook off Qi Hai's small hand, and after some thought, she explained herself:

"Actually... I haven't figured out how to make a deal with her yet, because Nanami Natsuki told me that this deal doesn't require any price to pay."

"what?!"

Nagasaki Suze stood up abruptly, "Why does that little brat have the right to make a bunch of demands on me?!"

"Su Shi, calm down..."

"Okay, Xiao Xiang."

Is this dog training? Chu Hua's lips twitched slightly as she watched Nagasaki Motoyo sit down immediately after Nanami Natsuki finished speaking.

"It's a good thing you didn't agree, Hatsuka," Nanami Natsuki said, feigning concern. "Nanami Natsuki is such a liar. She only said it was free to lure you in. That's how I was fooled by her..."

"Yes, free things are actually the most expensive. Hatsuka... you were right not to agree to her request. Never try to gain any advantage over Nanami Natsuki. That girl... always comes up with a trick that makes you want to strangle her."

"Su Shi, haven't you said everything you needed to say?"

Seeing that the time was almost right, Li hope wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible. "I still have some things to take care of at home. Anyway, we've confirmed that the rest of us are already on guard against Nanami Natsuki."

"Hmm...that's all for today. By the way, Xiao Xiang, could you stay for a while? I want to talk to you about something."

"Oh? Sure, Su Shi."

Lixi and Chuhua left separately, leaving behind only Su Shi with a smile on her face and Nanami Natsuki who felt very uncomfortable.

Nagasaki Motoyo didn't seem to be in a hurry to say anything, but just looked at Nanami Natsuki with gentle eyes until she realized that there was nothing left in the teacup in front of her.

"Xiao Xiang... do you know? When I went to your house and found you drunk, I really didn't know what to do."

“I was afraid of you back then. I’m sorry… This might sound hurtful, but I was genuinely scared because I kept thinking, if all the people and things I cherished were gone, how would I face the changes that had occurred?”

"Su Shi, do you think I'm still the same person I used to be?"

“Yes,” Nagasaki Motoyo said firmly. “I believe that even if a person changes a little, some things will not change. That’s great… I don’t think I’ve ever talked to you alone like this before about the past and future plans.”

People tend to cherish things more when they lose them.

It's not because those things are so precious that they can't be given up, but because people are afraid of loss. It's like if you were given two buttons, one that gives you a million dollars and the other that gives you a 50% chance of getting a million dollars, but a 50% chance of getting nothing.

Most people would probably choose the first button.

But what if pressing the button changes the outcome? What if instead of gaining money, you lose money? Then... many people might choose the second button instead, right?

Nagasaki Motoyo is actually in this mindset now. She doesn't really want to get anything more; she's not a greedy person.

She was just afraid of losing it, and didn't want to lose it... In her eyes, Crychic's memories and her friendships with everyone were her treasures, and she didn't want others to take them away, nor did she want to give them up herself.

So why did she make a deal with Nanami Natsuki back then? If she had known that Xiaoxiang cared about her as much as she cared about Xiaoxiang, perhaps she wouldn't have placed her hopes on someone like Nanami Natsuki at all.

"Xiao Xiang, I won't let you face these things alone anymore... I know I may not be able to do anything. I can't change the predicaments you're facing. I don't even know how to resist Nanami Natsuki anymore. I created this mutual aid group just to prevent everyone from suspecting each other."

"To be honest, Xiao Xiang... I've been doubting you these past few days. I've been wondering if Nanami Natsuki has always been you, and you're just trying to deceive me, which is why you're putting on this show."

"...Huh?"

"But I realized that if I think like this every day, I'll be falling right into Nanami Natsuki's trap. What she wants is for us to be suspicious of each other every day, because from the beginning her goal was to divide us. That's why I'm trying to stop everyone from speculating about each other."

"After all, Crychic came together because of mutual trust, and it fell apart because of the loss of trust."

"I've been thinking a lot lately: if I could have trusted Xiao Xiang 100% back then, and if everyone else had trusted each other in the same way, wouldn't Xiao Xiang have come back a long time ago?"

"So... I don't want to doubt everyone anymore. I want to trust you unconditionally... I want... to rebuild the bonds between everyone in Crychic so that we can help each other in the face of any difficulties."

Chapter 71 Xiao Mu, she is no longer Xiao Xiang (4300 words)

April 8th marks the start of the new school year.

Nagasaki Motoyo, who originally came from Tsuki no Mori, didn't feel much excitement about the upcoming high school semester, since the schools were located in the same area, and she might even run into classmates from junior high.

Nothing much will change, except that her views have changed somewhat.

If I could meet those old friends again, I should try harder, at least I can't always let myself drift apart from others.

Wearing the high school uniform that had already been distributed to everyone, Nagasaki Motoyo ignored the teachers who were in charge of guiding the new students and the senior members of the student council, and went to the lobby on the first floor of the teaching building alone.

At the beginning of the semester, class assignments are usually confirmed. Like most schools, Tsukinomori's class assignments are randomly determined by computer and then displayed on the large screen in front of her. She just needs to find her name...

Huh? What's going on?

Nagasaki Motoyo blinked, looking at the familiar name appearing on the big screen with some disbelief: Toyokawa Shoko.

Didn't Xiaoxiang say she was definitely going to Yuqiu? Why...?

Oh right, Xiao Xiang had already returned to the Toyokawa family. Perhaps after Xiao Xiang and Nanami switched bodies, Xiao Xiang's maternal grandfather helped him transfer his school registration here.

It is indeed reasonable for the eldest daughter of the Toyokawa family to study at a prestigious school like Tsukinomori, or rather, Su Shi should have considered this possibility long ago.

"So Xiao Mu was in the same class as me? It's a good thing Qi Hai wasn't in our class."

Because the campus environment of Moon Forest was not unfamiliar to Su Shi, she quickly found her class. However, after finding her class on the first day of school, she would not immediately go to class. Instead, all the new students should gather in the gymnasium for the opening ceremony.

So after finding Xiao Mu, Su Shi took her hand and walked towards the stadium.

"Xiao Mu, has Xiao Xiang contacted you recently...?"

"……No."

Although they hadn't seen each other for a whole spring break, Xiao Mu's personality hadn't changed much, and the way she looked at her was the same as in middle school. In addition, Nanami, disguised as Xiao Xiang, hadn't gone to see her, which made Su Shi breathe a sigh of relief.

"Natsuki Nanami".

"...Huh?"

Ruoye Mu turned to look into Su Shi's eyes, without revealing much emotion, and asked calmly, "The last thing Xiang said to me was the name Nanami Natsuki. She told me not to contact her."

"...Yes, you shouldn't touch her."

"But I don't know who she is."

The two had already entered the gymnasium, but since it wasn't time for the official start of the entrance ceremony, people in the gymnasium were standing casually in twos and threes. Su Shi, like the others, pulled Xiao Mu to a corner suitable for chatting.

Did you know that Xiaoxiang is also studying at Tsuki no Mori?

“Shoko hasn’t told me anything. She… hasn’t spoken to me in a long time.” Wakaba Mutsu’s face turned dejected. Clearly, in the eyes of this doll-like girl, Shoko held a very important position.

Moreover, Ruoye Muku did have a very bad feeling; she felt... as if she was losing her good friend Xiang.

【I'm sorry, Mu... I'm so sorry, I did something that I'm ashamed of.】

This was the first message Xiangzi sent to himself that day.

If Ye Mu couldn't understand the meaning of this message at all, she just didn't want Xiang to apologize to her, because in her opinion, Xiang hadn't done anything wrong, but rather she hadn't done what a childhood friend should do.

During Xiangzi's most difficult time, she couldn't do anything, and even ended up being apologized to by Xiangzi... She felt uneasy and scared.

Mutsuki, promise me that if someone named Nanami Natsuki comes looking for you today, please don't see her. Even if she finds you later and says some seemingly tempting things, please don't believe her!

Also, if she asks about our relationship, you absolutely mustn't tell her the truth. It's best to say our relationship is just so-so... Trust me, Mu, I wouldn't hurt you.

This was the last message Xiangzi sent to Ruoye Mutsu that day, and up to now...

She couldn't understand what Xiang meant by those words.

Who is Nanami Natsuki? Why did she come looking for me... and what is her relationship with Shohoku?

However, Wakaba Mutsu had always listened to Shoko's words and even made this behavior a habit. So on that day, Wakaba Mutsu was on guard at home against a person named Nanami Natsuki coming to the door. She even told the household servants that she did not want to see any friends.

But no one came that day.

And then... Xiang never contacted her again. Ruo Yemu wanted to take the initiative to contact Xiang, but every time she picked up the phone, she hesitated.

Why did Xiang deny their relationship? Why did Xiang take the initiative to apologize to her... saying that she had done something wrong to her?

Ruoye Mutsu is a person with little opinion of her own; most of the decisions in her life are made for her by others.

This "others" includes not only her parents, but also Xianghe Sushi, and even the other "voices" in her heart.

"Xiao Mu, Xiao Mu?"

"Su Shi..."

"What's wrong with you? Did you see Nanami Natsuki?!"

“I…” Wakaba Mutsu’s face turned pained. “I don’t know who she is, no one has contacted me…”

"Xiao Mu..."

Nagasaki Motoyo hugged the girl in front of her with a pang of heartache. By now, she no longer cared about the hurtful words that Wakaba Mutsu had said that night.

Everything should be tolerated because of trust. Now that she has decided to rebuild Crychic, she will no longer doubt her teammates' actions.