Toyokawa Shoko doesn't want to become a witch

Page 156

"Yes, that's right." Chu Hua suddenly realized.

She felt something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. It wasn't until Hailing pointed it out that she realized the passengers around her were chatting and laughing as they passed by, coming and going, grabbing food, their faces beaming with happiness, as if the fierce battle that morning had never happened.

“They probably have no idea what happened,” Meow Dream said.

"The deck is in such a mess, wouldn't it give us away if someone saw it?" Chu Hua asked.

"The outdoor area is closed due to 'weather conditions,' so everyone has to stay indoors," Mu said softly, taking a sip of mango juice. "It was written on the sign we just passed."

“Hey~ Isn’t this just like The Truman Show? You’re locked in a fake little world where you never know what’s happening outside.” Miao Meng squinted and used her natural voice, sighing with a mix of emotion and sarcasm. “It’s so nice. The people who are protected are always so carefree.”

"It's true that we only found out what happened after we notified Miaomengzi. Is it really okay to talk about others like this?" Hailing glanced at Miaomengzi.

"Hehe~ I found out." Miao Meng's tone immediately returned to its usual tone.

"Looking at it this way, the service on this ship is ridiculously good." Chu Hua glanced around at the passengers and students. "Even with such a big incident, the tourists didn't suffer any losses, and there wasn't a single leak of information that caused panic."

It's important to understand that a cruise ship is essentially an isolated island at sea; if it causes panic among tourists, it could lead to serious trouble.

"Yeah, I just don't know how long they can keep it under wraps." Miao Meng rested her chin on her hand, picked up a pudding from the table, and drooped her eyelids. "I really hope that when the truth comes out, it won't cause an even stronger backlash."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Miao Meng noticed that everyone except her had suddenly fallen silent. She blinked and looked at the other three people in bewilderment.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you all saying anything?"

"Because what Nyanko said might come true."

"What? Weren't the pirates already driven away?" Meow Dream asked, looking confused.

She only knew roughly what happened in the morning, but didn't know the details.

As far as she knew, it was simply a matter of the pirates who had attacked last time being driven away again.

So when Xiangzi said he had a lot of troubles to deal with, she even thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

“It’s not just pirates.” Chu Hua rubbed her forehead and sighed deeply. “I really hope my parents are alright.”

"What exactly happened? Someone tell me!" Miao Meng frowned, her face contorted in a bewildered expression. "Where's Xiangzi? Didn't she say she was going to have a meeting over dinner? Why has she been gone for so long?"

=======

at the same time.

As Xiangzi picked up the tongs and reached for the last caramel pudding on the table, her other hand grabbed the pudding before she could.

Xiangzi accidentally bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry..." Xiangzi looked up.

They met the eyes of the owner of the clip.

"Xiao Xiang?"

"lamp?"

The Lost Tale: The Spirit of a Young Man: Chapter 189 Is the Arrogant Version Still Popular?

If we were to ask what Xiangzi's feelings are right now...

I guess I won't have any other thoughts besides embarrassment. This kind of embarrassment is just like that of a couple who have just broken up and then meet again at work.

awkward.

Extremely embarrassing.

Not long ago, he said so confidently, "Give me a little more time," but then we ran into that caramel pudding again at dinner.

What should she do? What can she do?

Did they mistake someone for someone else?

That seems impossible.

Should we just turn around and run?

It shouldn't have come to this, especially since she was carrying a plate full of things. Even when running away, she should have considered whether the things on the plate would fall off.

This is really troublesome...

Just as Xiangzi was thinking, Deng picked up the last caramel pudding on the table and put it on Xiangzi's plate.

"What...what do you mean by this?" Xiangzi looked awkwardly at the cup of caramel pudding, still avoiding looking directly at the light.

"I didn't really want to eat it, but Xiao Xiang really likes it, right? Caramel pudding," Deng said.

"I......"

Xiangzi stammered and turned his head away.

She really wants it, that's for sure.

But this charity-like approach... and the fact that the object was a lamp, made her feel very uncomfortable.

But this is crème brûlée, so why not take it?

Xiangzi convinced himself in two seconds and carefully protected the caramel pudding on the edge of the plate.

"Never mind, you gave it to me, I didn't ask for it."

Looking at Xiangzi, who was completely different from the one in the morning, Deng couldn't help but feel complicated.

Whether it was his cool demeanor in the morning or his somewhat goofy appearance now, in Deng's eyes, Xiangzi was noticeably different from when they occasionally met at school before.

Yes, before the live performance of "Spring Day Shadow" by Lin Er Er 罒八, Deng did see Xiangzi at school several times.

After all, they're in the next class, so we see each other all the time.

At that time, Xiangzi always had a vague, ethereal feeling around him.

Things are completely different now.

Have you become more cheerful and decisive?

Perhaps more than that.

But no matter how things changed, Xiangzi's obvious resistance to himself remained unchanged.

"Xiao Xiang...why do you hate me?" she asked.

"I don't hate you."

Xiangzi's answer was almost thoughtless; she only added it belatedly after she had finished speaking.

"Of course, it's not that I have no complaints about you."

Xiangzi put one hand on his hip and sighed.

"Why were you outside this morning? You caused me a lot of trouble, you know?"

"After all this time you haven't made any progress. Wouldn't it be better to just break away from the world of magical girls and live a normal life instead?" Xiangzi didn't know what was wrong with her, but she got more and more excited as she spoke, lecturing like an elder, "You haven't made a wish yet, there's still a way back, you should cherish it."

The lamp in front of her, which looked particularly weak, always gave Xiangzi a feeling of disappointment and frustration, making her subconsciously want to say something.

It seems that by saying a few words, the lamp can move closer to the image in her mind.

"I'm sorry..." Deng said, head bowed.

His eyes unconsciously became downcast.

She always knew she was a burden and always wanted to be able to help others in some way.

Ever since I sang "Spring Shadow" on stage that day, I've either been making things worse or holding things back.

First, Su Shi distanced herself from them, and then Le Nai stopped spending every day with them. With only Li Xi and Aine, it became much more difficult to defeat the witch.

Moreover, the two of them happen to be the two who don't get along the most in the team.

The relationship, which had finally started to warm up, plummeted to rock bottom again amid a series of unexpected incidents and attacks. Each time, he had to rely on himself to persuade the two of them to come back. The team was on the verge of falling apart.

Many times, the lamp wondered if it was being too willful by not making a wish.

If we make a wish, will everyone be less nervous, and will Su Shi come back?

But every time, Aine and Riki would oppose this idea.

Does the lamp think we're not capable enough?

The two people gave almost identical answers.

Despite strong opposition from his companions, Deng once again suppressed his own thoughts and chose to obey.

Then came this study trip.

She almost caused trouble again.

Actually, it's all because of her that things got so bad.

Whether you make a wish or not, things will only get worse as long as she exists.

I don't know when it started, but the lamp had this idea.

"So...it's all my fault, from the past to now, it's all because of me."

“Of course…” Xiangzi abruptly changed the last part of his words, “—No, that’s not it.”

She choked for a moment, then glanced at Deng's profile out of the corner of her eye.

"Although you did make mistakes—you made so many mistakes, just being stuck outside in that kind of weather is unforgivable."

"But how could the attack on the String Roll have anything to do with you?"

Xiangzi said.

"Don't be so presumptuous."

No, how come the words I was about to say turned into "tsundere"?

Xiangzi mentally slapped himself.

"Then why won't Xiao Xiang look at me?"

"Didn't I tell you to give me a little more time?" Xiangzi replied weakly.

"Can't I reveal anything at all?" the lamp whispered. "I want to know if it's me... somewhere again..."

"I...it's my own fault." Xiangzi sighed. "Like I said, it has nothing to do with you. Don't be so presumptuous. The world doesn't revolve around you."

"...Is Xiao Xiang trying to comfort me?"

"If you think so, then so be it."

Deng forced a smile.

She couldn't confide these things to Lixi and Aine. If it were them, as long as she didn't touch on the matter of making a wish, they would definitely be like the All-Affirming Bot, no matter what she said, they would be okay, no matter what she wanted to do, they would support her, and they wouldn't blame her for anything she did wrong.

Although Xiangzi's words were not very pleasant to hear, they warmed Deng's heart.

"Thank you," the lamp said softly.

"..."

Xiangzi's cheeks visibly flushed.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going now."

After being delayed for so long, she finally remembered that she had actually come to get food and that someone was waiting for her.

"See you next time," the lamp whispered as she said goodbye.

"When I'm mentally prepared, I'll tell you what I've been through all this time." Xiangzi turned around, his back to the light. "And... thank you for the pudding."

"Ah."

A Lost Tale: The Spirit of Youth - Chapter 190: Sewage Discharge

Xiangzi put the tray on the table and shook his arm, which had gone numb from carrying the tray.

"Oh, finally back!" Miaomeng said in a pretentious tone. "I've been waiting for so long!"