Aunt Xiangzi, how did you manage to live?

Then the problem is coming.

"...Why did Kazama go and hang out with Motoyo and the others?"

As night fell, Toyokawa Shoko leaned against a building next to the station, lost in thought while looking at her phone. Her childhood friend, Wakaba Mutsumi, stood obediently behind her, not uttering a single word.

Did she turn to her former teammates because she couldn't get close to him?

If that's the case, Toyokawa Shoko is somewhat unhappy.

But then I thought about it.

"I thought that auntie's target would be Mutsu..."

Looking at Mu who was still by his side, Xiangzi felt somewhat at peace.

"why?"

Mu looked up blankly, seemingly unaware of how sought-after she was.

"Because he keeps saying he likes you a lot, Mu, you've seen that before, haven't you?"

"Ah."

Normally, a girl would only look terrified upon hearing such a confession, but Mu simply nodded lightly.

"...Mumu, aren't you scared?"

"No, actually I like him quite a bit too."

"……Eh?"

Mu's answer caught Xiangzi completely off guard.

You see, during this time she would spend all her time around her childhood sweetheart as soon as she finished work, and all she did was work and guard her family's cucumber field—even so, it seems her home was still raided.

Why?

Now Xiangzi was genuinely puzzled, and even felt a little aggrieved.

Despite being incredibly busy, she was the one who always stayed by Mutsu's side, yet in the end, Mutsu actually developed feelings for her aunt, Doroki, who had designs on her...

Is this right?

"Hmm, I can't quite put my finger on it..."

Mu was never good with words, and he found it even harder to face Xiangzi, whose expression was becoming increasingly strange.

"Maybe I've seen him somewhere before..."

I just can't bring myself to hate it.

However, saying this would only make Xiangzi angrier, and Mu's few skills in reading people finally came in handy in this situation.

She shut her mouth and didn't say anything more, but quietly observed Xiangzi's changing expressions.

"Anyway, if he is one of my maternal grandfather's people, Mu shouldn't get too close to him."

Xiangzi's tone became somewhat sour, but she couldn't be too openly jealous—at least her dignity told her she couldn't.

"Besides, there's no smoke without fire when it comes to favors. Mu, you need to be careful to protect yourself in front of him, understand?"

Therefore, she could only use this seemingly high-sounding advice to keep Mu and that auntie's distance.

"Well, um..."

Mu nodded as if she understood, but in reality she did not agree with Xiangzi's point of view.

At least this time, I disagree.

"...You'll always be on my side, right, Mutsu?"

Seemingly sensing the hidden emotions beneath Mu's seemingly calm expression, Xiangzi remained silent for a long time before solemnly taking Mu's hand.

They are inseparable, childhood friends who have never betrayed each other, and partners who will always look out for each other.

—That was the case, at least before Kazama Akatsuki appeared.

Although Mutsu didn't change much after he appeared, as Mutsu's childhood friend, Xiangzi could still keenly sense the subtle ways in which she was gradually being influenced by that person.

Toyokawa Shoko felt somewhat insecure.

"……Um."

Mu simply nodded silently, letting Xiangzi grip her hand tightly.

When she doesn't know how to reply, she chooses not to reply.

"...Seeing that Mu is still as bad at answering questions as ever, I feel relieved."

Xiangzi gazed at her for a long time, and finally smiled with relief. He released Mu's hand and gently placed it on her head.

"Fortunately, Muk Hui will always be my partner."

"..."

Mu, as gentle as a golden retriever, said nothing more, letting Xiangzi express her delicate emotions through intimate words and actions. Her eyes were also covered by her light green bangs, making it impossible to see the expression flowing in her eyes.

"Then I'll head home first; I still need to cook for my father. Mu should head home soon too!"

"Ah."

The relationship between these childhood sweethearts seems to remain strong on the surface, but something seems to be subtly off.

Even so, a calm surface of peace was maintained between Toyokawa Shoko and Wakaba Mutsu after that.

This tranquility was soon shattered by a sudden accident.

As always, after work, Toyokawa Shoko would stay by the side of her childhood friend, Wakaba Mutsu, like a sheepdog guarding its sheep, only revolving around her.

If it were the old Mu, she would have been very pleased with Xiangzi's attention and would have shown some excitement—but she didn't show any reaction at all, remaining calm and indifferent.

They agreed to have dinner together near Xiangzi's workplace, naturally choosing a family-run restaurant that would be a good fit for Xiangzi's current spending habits, offering large portions and plenty of food.

Everything was ordinary, just like any other day.

As Mu got up to go to the restroom, Xiangzi, who was left at the dining table, accidentally glanced at the phone screen that Mu had left on the table—

Toyokawa Shoko's breath even paused for a moment.

She saw Mutsu's chat history with the boy named Kazama Akatsuki.

And so the gears of fate began to turn.

Author's Note & Bounty

The story has reached its climax in Volume One. The maintenance a few days ago must have made everyone anxious. The upcoming plot is going to be amazing, and hopefully it will bring you a lot of fun.

Xiangzi and Su Shi's current image in this book isn't exactly great, but it's only because their darker sides and flaws have been amplified (plus, as the author, I really dislike the succubus-conquering setting of Teacher Muji Kari Da Xiangzi). So, some changes have been made.

These two chefs might be a little unsettling to watch, but please believe me, I haven't portrayed them as villains. People change, and their personalities might undergo a transformation in the end of this book.

Banami is currently somewhat peripheral, but she will play a unique role in the upcoming storyline. Ritsuki and Aine are also somewhat peripheral, but their time to shine is fast approaching.

Chu Hua and Mu Yu are a strong favorite with an advantage, and a seeded player who is considered the pre-selected champion...

Stay tuned to see who will come out on top!

Forget all the musings. Let's put a bounty on its release!

Of course, there will be regular updates as well; updates will be released within the next two days, so don't worry!

规则还是跟以前一样，每满50月票/200推荐/200收藏/200刀片/1000打赏一次更新！

I hope everyone will give me lots of support! The story has only just begun!

Chapter Sixty: Xiangzi, Moving

"I miss you today too, Mu."

This is a letter that Xiangzi accidentally glimpsed on Mu's phone.

Since Mu met Xiao for the second time at the plantation, the two have exchanged contact information and chatted every day.

Toyokawa Shoko initially had no intention of peeping into her childhood friend's chat history, but the messages she stumbled upon were so captivating that she inexplicably picked up her phone and turned on the screen.

So you haven't given up on Mutsu yet, huh? Hagi Akatsuki, you bastard...

While Mu went to the restroom, Xiangzi's strong curiosity and determination to protect Mu led him to enter her lock screen password based on his understanding of his childhood friend, and then open the chat box to take a look.

Their conversation caused Xiangzi's face to turn pale and then flushed.

"What are you doing today, Mu? The cucumber seeds I got from you have sprouted a few new shoots! Let me take a picture and show you! [Image]"

The photo was taken several days ago. The boy is holding a simple flowerpot, but he looks like he has found a treasure and has a handsome smile on his face.

Mu didn't respond much, only sending him a thumbs-up emoji.

Even though Mutsumi's response was cold, Kazama continued to send her a bunch of messages relentlessly—as if he was certain that she would respond to him.

"Lixi asked me to spar again today, but I really just wanted to sit down and have a coffee with her. Never mind, rather than being pressured by her, I'll go help you take care of the plants in the plantation! Is there anything I should be careful about? Mu should let me know in advance!"

Mu did reply with "Remember to fertilize more," followed by a thumbs-up emoji... Does Mu really like sending emojis that much?

Next came Mu's question, which seemed to come after Kazama had finished taking care of the plants.

"Why is Xiao willing to help me? It's clearly very troublesome. Su Shi said = Yi (Jiu) Ling 6 4 VI Qi Ba Er Xia. They also need you."

Mutsu's questions were always incisive and concise, and Kazama's reply successfully made Shoko's brows furrow.

"It's like this, Mu. I've always held Lixi in high esteem and felt grateful to her. I sympathize with Su Shi's plight and share her obsessions. I feel pity for Deng and can't help but protect her... But for you, it's a love that's etched into my very bones!"

If it weren't for the fact that it belonged to Mutsu, Toyokawa Shoko, with her back teeth clenched, would have almost crushed the phone screen in her hand.

She had initially thought that Kazama had stopped bothering Mutsumi, but it turned out that he had been holding back a lot of trouble in this kind of place.

What made her blood surge even more was that Mu gave Kazama a thumbs-up again.

Mu is really something; if I hadn't replied, he wouldn't have bothered me at all!

Of course, Xiangzi could only feel helplessly furious inside, because based on her understanding of Mu, she knew very well that the boy's seemingly unserious and glib tongue was precisely the way Mu communicated without feeling nervous.

In other words, although she didn't want to admit it, Mu actually fell for it.

Xiangzi grew increasingly angry, not because the two were becoming more and more intimate—in fact, they had always been open and honest, and apart from the occasional lighthearted banter, they had never crossed any lines.

However, Toyokawa Shoko could sense unpleasant emotions from their conversation.

Things are getting really tricky.

If this continues, Mu will definitely be lured away by this guy.

Mu would never be like this, so unguarded with someone she had only known for a short time, even allowing him to take the initiative to get close to her.

Even compared to her relationship with Toyokawa Shoko, Mutsu appeared more cheerful in her chat history with Akira, and their relationship became closer and more intimate.

Yes, their conversation didn't seem like teenagers testing each other's feelings... it was more like family members who knew each other well asking about each other's lives.

This is precisely what makes Ling Xiangzi feel like he has a fishbone stuck in his throat.

She was clearly the one who stayed by Mu's side from beginning to end, wasn't she?

She was clearly the one who grew up with me harmoniously since childhood, someone who was closer to me than family.

This glib-tongued auntie, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, how did she manage to steal Mutsu's attention and take away Toyokawa Shoko's place in Mutsu's heart so unexpectedly?

Even before she realized it.

No. No one is allowed to take away Mu.

This kind of thing must never be allowed to happen.

Absolutely not... let that glib-tongued hothead steal Mu away from her.

Mingming Mu belongs to her, doesn't she?

She was already almost completely penniless.

"I'm back... Xiang?"

As Mu Gang returned to his seat from the restroom, he sensed that Xiangzi's aura seemed off; her face hadn't looked this dark just moments before.