Chapter 66 Memories

Looking at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who was standing there stiffly like a puppet, Iwakatsu asked Hoshino Shirone, who had stopped not far away.

"How is he now?"

"I can feel a strong fluctuation, so there shouldn't be any problem."

Hoshino Shirone frowned, she hadn't expected that her emotions, which had been calm since the beginning of the connection, would suddenly fluctuate so much.

Yan Sheng glanced at her; he could sense that the girl had matured considerably since her fight with Douma. However, he was curious about who made the Child of God so special, and asked her.

"He recalled...what, can I...see it?"

Hoshino Shirone nodded: "He will be influenced by his last-minute thoughts, but we should still let his heart decide." After saying that, she paused and continued, "Just import your information into him, but be careful not to disturb him."

After thinking for a long time, Iwakatsu casually broke off a branch and shot it forcefully at Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

"Clang—".

Just as the branch was about to touch him, it was cleaved in two by the crimson blade. Yan Sheng turned and left; it was too close, and it was safer to stay away.

Hoshino Shirone followed Iwakatsu for about two kilometers before stopping. She looked at him, turned her head, nodded, and said, "Let's begin."

"Yes, Lord Kokushibo, please relax and close your eyes."

Guided by Hoshino Hakuon, Iwakatsu gradually sank to the soft music. After an unknown amount of time, he opened his six eyes the moment he regained consciousness; the golden eyes took in everything.

The scene was so familiar, the two-story attic was brand new, and the decorations were exactly the same as those in Jiguo Yansheng's memory.

Following the nation?

Iwakatsu didn't expect that Yoriichi Tsugikuni would return here. He looked up and around, and subconsciously came to the small warehouse-like room with only three stacks of floorboards.

"Yoriichi—".

A small figure in a white kimono ran through Iwakatsu to the door of the room. He knocked gently three times and watched with joy as the small door slowly opened.

Yan Sheng looked at the expressionless child, whose fiery red eyes remained unmoved, and whose black curly hair cascaded down his back. He looked at the boy holding up a dessert in front of him.

"Yoriichi, your brother brought some snacks!"

He pushed the pretty pastries inside, climbed up with his hands, gently hugged the boy who was staring blankly at him, and shared the pastries he brought with him with a grin.

Why here?

Iwakatsu assumed the other person would immediately recall his wife. He remembered Hoshino Shiro's words—that he was influenced by her final thoughts.

Yan Sheng looked at the boy who kept talking, and realized that he really looked exactly like him when he was a child. He shook his head; only their personalities and appearances were somewhat similar. This was Tsugikuni Yan Sheng.

——

"Yoriichi, I have something to tell you. Today, our teacher..."

Tsugikuni Gen ate his pastries expressionlessly, his eyes fixed on the rambling Tsugikuni Iwakatsu. He wanted to say something, but having never spoken before, he didn't know what to say and could only stare at the other man.

"Yoriichi, are you bored here? Your brother can take you to fly a kite!"

Kokushiro raised his hands, gesturing happily for Yoriichi Kokushiro. His smile was so bright it was more eye-catching than the sun.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni reached out and touched that smiling face, as if to confirm it, and looked into his smiling eyes.

"Yoriichi? Do you want to touch your brother's face?"

Ji Guoyan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and closed his eyes, bringing his face close to hers, letting her touch him without any concern.

It's strange, I always feel that my older brother in my memory is more than this. He seems to have red markings and slightly furrowed delicate eyebrows.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni rubbed his pristine white forehead, his mind blank. He had only seen his elder brother a few times, yet he kept having strange hallucinations.

Clearly, she couldn't even speak.

"Yoriichi, wait for your brother! I'll play sugaro with you tomorrow."

Kokushiro noticed the time, touched Yoriichi's slightly messy curly hair, and spoke to him softly.

He looked at his younger brother kneeling there, waving his hand, before taking the empty plate and jogging away.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni watched as Iwakatsu Tsugikuni left, then got up and slowly walked towards the two-story attic.

The night wind was chilly. He opened the door to the room with its dim candlelight and looked at the woman kneeling there gracefully. She was gentle and refined, just like her brother.

She heard the noise, looked up at Yoriichi Tsugikuni who was standing there in a daze, put down her paintbrush, and opened her arms to him.

“Yoichi, come to your mother.”

Without hesitation, Yoriichi threw himself into Akenoko's arms, his arms wrapped tightly around her. It felt like he hadn't seen his mother in a very long time.

"Yoriichi, why are you so late today?"

Akaneko stroked Yoriichi's head and asked with a smile. Her face was faintly visible in the candlelight, but not fully revealed.

"Eating pastries with my elder brother."

He spoke softly, which made Zhu Naizi pause for a moment. She looked at the little dumpling who hadn't looked up and gently patted his back with soft eyes.

"Really? Yoriichi really likes Iwakatsu."

"Um."

After a long while, Yoriichi Tsugikuni finally left Akenoko's room. He slowly walked to his small, storeroom-like room and opened the narrow door.

He had always lived like this, but he felt unaccustomed to it, as if he hadn't done it for a very long time.

He climbed into the room, and as he slowly closed the door, he saw the moon incredibly close to the cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, and a tall figure standing beneath it.

Wearing a purple kimono and carrying a samurai sword, his black ponytail fluttered in the wind, obscuring his features, but revealing red flames climbing up his neck.

elder brother

He was momentarily distracted, and the figure vanished again. He turned and lay down in the old quilt, his mind replaying the figure he had just seen, but he couldn't remember anything.

Elder brother, elder brother.

He stared at the scratched wooden ceiling, his bloodshot eyes remaining unchanged.

His elder brother, Jiguo Yansheng, is a capable, kind, cheerful, and noble young master, an idealistic, ambitious, and responsible heir.

That was all he knew. He enjoyed being with the other person; it felt surreal and wonderful.

He lowered his eyes and drifted off to sleep, his thoughts swirling until the next morning.

"Knock knock knock".

Three soft knocks were followed by Ji Guoyansheng's clear voice.

"Yoriichi, do you want to go to the market? Your older brother can take you today!"

Iwakatsu followed the young Yoriichi Tsugikuni, watching the scenes from his memories and witnessing every day he spent.

He watched as Kokushiro Katsuya knocked on the small door again, and watched as the other man pulled Yoriichi Kokushiro out the back door and secretly slipped away.

Yan Sheng followed along, watching him jog like he was watching a child, until they reached the bustling market.

Kokushima stopped and looked back at Yoriichi, whom he had been leading along, with a worried expression. He spoke to Yoriichi with a serious expression.

"Yoriichi, you must hold your brother's hand tightly! If you get lost, come back here and wait for your brother."

He took the other person's hand, holding it tightly, and led them into the bustling street. Yan Sheng stood beside him, motionless, watching the two figures gradually disappear. He had just clearly heard Ji Guoyan Sheng mutter softly.

"Once this outdated era is lost, it's truly lost. I really miss my Little Genius phone watch."