Chương 160: Page 160

A slight heat permeates the cozy town of Shiding.

early morning.

Tiny clouds rippled like small white waves in the clear, light blue sky.

Sunlight streamed down, casting dappled shadows on the trees.

The crisp chirping of cicadas drifted into the quiet courtyard on the gentle breeze.

Water Village.

Inside a simple yet cozy room.

She changed into a short-sleeved school uniform, revealing her fair and radiant skin.

I gently placed last night's efforts into my handbag and turned to look at myself in the mirror.

Her beautiful eyes were vacant, and her cute little face always seemed to have a calm and undisturbed expression, as if she had seen through everything.

Put on your shoes and step out of the entryway.

The bright and refreshing sunlight shone into my eyes.

Mai Mizukami's lips seemed to curve into a slight smile.

"I'm going."

……

The Usami family.

"All right."

I carefully put the project plan on the desk into my bag.

"We absolutely cannot let the club president slack off today!"

Usami Mizuki said with a firm expression, I glanced at the clock and realized it was already seven o'clock.

She arrived at the entrance hall, bent down to hook her shoes, and then tidied her hair in front of the mirror on the wall.

After finding nothing wrong, a healthy blush rose slightly on her fair and delicate face as she said, "Okay, let's go."

"Mom, I'm going out!"

She turned her head and said loudly, just as Usami Mizuki opened the door and was about to step out.

"Rui Xi" Yuko Usami's voice came from behind.

"Ok?"

Upon hearing the sound, Usami Mizuki turned around and saw her mother standing in front of her, reaching out to smooth the hair at the back of her head.

"What's wrong with Mom?"

Usami Mizuki asked.

Did you not style your hair properly at the back?

"You should tell your mom if you have a boyfriend."

Yuko Usami smiled and said something that made Mizuki Usami pause in surprise, her face instantly turning bright red with embarrassment.

"Mother!!"

"What... what are you saying?!"

……

Dongyun Research Institute.

"Waaaaah—" A deep, clear train whistle sounded from above and to the side.

The train passed by, making a sound as familiar and nostalgic as the countryside.

A gentle breeze wafts through the cozy courtyard, bathed in bright sunlight.

"Pfft-Pfft-" He patted the quilt hanging on the rope in the small courtyard, skillfully and gently smoothed it out, and then secured it with a frame, making a crisp "click" sound.

Listening to the crisp chirping and flapping of cicadas, Sakamoto walked out of the wooden house, her fleshy body squeezing out a cute "tap tap" sound.

He squinted and squatted on the wooden platform.

He said in a faint, helpless voice, "I'm hungry."

After saying that, out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to notice something, and Sakamoto looked to the side.

"Oh?!"

He was momentarily stunned, and a large bead of sweat instantly rolled down his forehead.

A wooden stick with a long rope lifted the bamboo basket, and a simple trap with a fish in the shadow below appeared before Sakamoto's eyes.

"Is it a kid? 々ˇ …"

"It's really frustrating."

Knowing it was just the professor's usual playful antics, Sakamoto reluctantly walked to the bamboo basket.

"Well, let's give her face and let her step into this kind of trap."

Like an adult playing along with a child's clumsy prank.

Sakamoto picked up the fish, lay down, and began to eat it with gusto.

"Fill your stomach first, then..."

Before Sakamoto could finish speaking...

"Snapped!!"

In an instant, the wooden rope lashed violently across the waist of the man.

"Ahhhhh!!"

Sakamoto felt an intense, sudden pain, as if his kidneys were about to shatter, rush into his mind.

Its eyes turned completely white, resembling a simplified drawing style. It screamed and collapsed onto the platform like a piece of paper, its tail standing upright.

"Haha~" Suddenly, a cute, childlike voice rang out.

"We've been tricked! We've been tricked!"

A cute, petite doctor, wearing a full-length white lab coat, a red tie, and with slightly dull orange-yellow hair, ran out from around the corner of the wooden house, arms outstretched, holding a rope and laughing happily.

His little face was beaming with the joy of a successful prank.

"hateful…"

"I tripped over the stick without missing a beat..."

He shakily climbed up from the platform.

Before Sakamoto could say anything more...

"what…"

Suddenly.

A melodious and clear voice sounded helplessly in the ears of the professor and Sakamoto.

After hanging up the quilt, Higashiono turned around, lowered his eyelids, and picked up the half-eaten fish body that had been bitten and exposed its bones, saying helplessly.

"These are side dishes for lunch."

"There are no side dishes left..."

Looking at the playful professor, although I'm used to it, there are no side dishes today, so I can only eat white rice.

"Sakamoto~" The professor, however, was completely oblivious to this, and with his adorable big eyes crinkling, he subtly pointed out Sakamoto's gluttony.

Upon hearing this, a triangular red line immediately appeared on Sakamoto's forehead.

"You're an accomplice too."

"No, it's because Sakamoto said he wanted to eat..."

"I didn't say that! What nonsense are you spouting, kid!"

"But you already ate it..."

Watching Mr. Version and the Doctor playfully bickering as usual, Shinonome Nana smiled. There was nothing she could do about it; she was used to it after all.

"Yo! Mai-chan~ Selamat Pagi"

"Yuko, you haven't given up on this way of greeting yet..."

……

Suddenly, several girls' voices, as if greeting her, entered her ears, piquing her curiosity.

"Ok?"

Higashion Nao was slightly taken aback, her eyes widened, and she couldn't help but turn her head to look.

Three adorable girls passed by the gate outside the wooden wall of the courtyard.

With a shoulder bag slung over his shoulder, wearing a blue and white short-sleeved school uniform, he was chatting and laughing, his face beaming with a happy smile.

"..."

The hand chasing the fish didn't fall; it just stayed suspended in mid-air.

Staring blankly as the girls left, Shinonome Nono didn't turn around, and no one knew what she was thinking.

"Ok?"

The doctor, who was smiling happily, suddenly noticed Sakamoto's glance.

Slightly puzzled, she subconsciously turned her head to look in the direction of the gaze and found that Mingnai seemed to be in a daze for some reason.

"Um…?"

……

"Why-" Seeing that both of them had their eyes wide open.

Version sighed helplessly and walked a few steps forward with a "clatter".

"Hey, kid."

"?"

Coming to his senses, the doctor looked at the version with a puzzled expression.

"Does the little girl want to go to school?"

Upon hearing this, the doctor was immediately taken aback.

"what?!"

She quickly turned her head to look at Shinonome Nao, who was still staring motionless at the alley outside the wooden gate, seemingly lost in thought.

"nano (名乃)..."

As if remembering something, the doctor's clear, jewel-like blue pupils widened slightly, his eyes sparkling.

She stared at Shinonome Nana for a few seconds.

next moment…

"I don't want you to go!!"

"what?!"