Chapter 185: Wangwang Became Xiao Chaomu’s Dog…?
Chaomu was quite satisfied with Matsuda's understanding.
That's right, Xiaosong! Your best friend was saved by a player, so you should show some appreciation, right? It'd be best if you offered your body to them. You wouldn't want your best friend to be... No, that's not the scenario.
She walked back, sandwiched between the two police officers. She felt this was the treatment a player deserved—in other games, wouldn't players who just saved the world get to enjoy a post-credits storyline or some other celebratory plot? Or perhaps, after a significant plot point and a close bond with an NPC, they'd return to camp to recuperate and trigger some welcome, sweet storyline...
...But the two NPCs didn't seem very happy about it.
Matsuda, who seemed to have agreed reluctantly, didn't say anything, so why did Kohagi also fall into a strange silence?
Chaomu held onto the corner of the snack bag, looking around curiously. The halo of the streetlight behind him gradually stretched and faded, eventually being replaced by the warm glow of the apartment building.
The three of them walked into the apartment side by side. The sensor light in the entrance hall came on, dispelling a small area of darkness and illuminating the different and slightly uncomfortable expressions on the faces of the two young police officers.
Matsuda Jinpei bent down to change his shoes, his movements a bit wider than usual, the sound of his slippers clacking against the floor particularly loud, as if he were venting some inexplicable irritation. He carried the heavy bag of snacks, his gaze fixed on the living room, as if the bag were some important evidence that needed to be immediately disposed of.
The feeling of holding the bag with the girl on each side was quite subtle, giving him the illusion that they were holding hands in the air... No, what was wrong with this innocent little boy's fantasy? Was he an elementary school student?
Even more than his own complex emotions, Koujunran's strange silence made Matsuda's mood even more complex: So why did he join some snack party? Was he trying to be a third wheel? Such a clueless Matsuda! That new couple will definitely dislike you... Hagi's unusual silence was definitely due to anger.
Hagiwara Kenji wasn't actually angry with Kokunran—at that moment, he was closing the door with a hint of annoyance, and inwardly he was spitting bitterly at himself...
…We were just eating snacks together, watching TV and chatting, what on earth was he thinking?! Why was he even thinking about his own world with Xiao Chaomu, and all those bad things… Even though Xiao Chaomu had just kissed me, she said eating snacks should just be eating snacks together! This kind of activity between friends shouldn’t have that kind of meaning…!
But even though Hagiwara was being rational, being the king of the party (?), he shamelessly had countless "snack parties" in his head: Why couldn't he have a game later after eating snacks? Like the classic pocky game, or something else entirely... Judging by how passionately Xiao Chaomu had kissed him earlier, he had a feeling she'd be climbing onto his lap mid-eat, grabbing a bite of something like chocolate...
Xiao Xunran and his beloved girl had already entered the living room. The half-long-haired young man, who was left alone in the entrance hall and slammed the door shut at a snail's pace, slammed his forehead against the shoe cabinet with a bang, supporting himself and shaking his head frantically: "No, no, no... I can't think about it anymore! Don't think about weird things like a pervert, Yan'er. I can't let Xiao Chaomu think you're obsessed with something... Absolutely not!"
He took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress those charming thoughts, then changed into slippers and walked towards the living room pretending to be calm: "There seem to be some drinks in the refrigerator. What would Xiao Chaomu like to drink? Orange juice or..."
"Drinks..." Chaomu was originally sitting cross-legged on the carpet, arranging the snacks Matsuda bought, deciding which one to try first. When he mentioned this, she pinched her chin and suddenly had an idea. "I remember if there's sake and beer at home that we bought earlier? Just snacks seems a bit monotonous. How about a drink together?"
……drink wine?
Kenji Hagiwara was not the type of person who was extremely self-disciplined and abstained from smoking and drinking. He was no stranger to drinking to liven up the atmosphere when participating in various social activities and he enjoyed it - but when the words "Let's have a drink together" came out of the girl's mouth, his brain stopped working and he almost instinctively wanted to refuse.
At this time... staying at his house... drinking together... and after they had just kissed...
The thought that he had just tried so hard to put behind him revolted and entered his mind again, disturbing Hagiwara's restlessness. He was still brainstorming, while Matsuda on the other side was much more straightforward than him.
"You're not even 20 yet, what are you drinking?" The curly-haired officer objected almost instinctively, grabbing her by the back of the neck in disapproval. "Go drink Coke, kid—"
Chaomu had completely forgotten about this. Blinking, she remembered that the Neon drinking permit seemed to be set at twenty years old, while the player setting was nineteen... Given Hagiwara and Matsuda's personalities, they probably wouldn't let her drink.
But whether she drank or not was not the most important thing. She suggested having a drink just out of some simple evil motive: she wanted to see Hagiwara drunk, and she wanted to see Matsuda too - and in various plots, alcohol is an excellent catalyst for the development of the relationship line. Wouldn't it be a loss of soul if you don't drink in such an occasion?
The player was calculating in his mind, but his expression remained calm. He controlled all his expressions and didn't throw the abacus beads in the NPC's face.
"Alright, alright, I'll have a Coke." Although she looked a little reluctant, she put on an expression that said, "I really can't do anything about you two," shrugged, and gave up struggling with remarkable ease. "Why don't you two have a drink? After all, so much has happened today, it's good to celebrate... Hagiwara-kun still looks a little out of sorts, so drinking a little will probably help him sleep better tonight."
Thoughtful, sweet, and kind. As if she wasn't the one who had just kissed him and made him uneasy.
Such a proposal was provocative, and at least Hagiwara Kenji genuinely felt he might need a drink to calm his nerves. As for safety...he could hold his liquor quite well, so a little drinking wouldn't be a problem.
He rubbed his forehead, stood up and went to the kitchen to get some beer, and casually asked his young friend, "Then I'll have one less drink... Would you like to drink something, Zhenping? You've worked hard today, too."
"...Get me one too, beer will be fine." Matsuda said, exhausted both mentally and physically. "But having said that... Asami, you little brat, don't actively suggest that a man drink! What if we run into some bad guys—"
"If I meet a bad guy, it won't be a big deal." Chaomu said, "Because I'm even worse than them—"
Those vague dialogues lingered vaguely in Hagiwara Kenji's mind, washed away by the alcohol.
When he woke up the next morning, all that remained in his mind were a jumble of memories: beer, snacks (he seemed to have eaten some strange-tasting snacks in between), the cute, smiling face of little Chaomu, and then...
That lovely face that had left such a lasting impression on him was remarkably clear, as if it were right before him. His head still ached slightly, and in the glaring morning light, Hagiwara opened his eyes and saw that face again—close at hand, but now peacefully asleep, its breath caressing his cheek.
"Hmm...Xiao Hagi...Mimi...We need to get along well..."
She murmured something vague in her sleep, not knowing what she was dreaming about. Hagiwara only caught a few words, and when he heard her nickname, he felt like an arrow shot through his heart.
...So cute. Even when she's quiet, she's cute.
This thought popped into his mind almost spontaneously. He wanted to control himself and not let the corners of his lips rise too dangerously, but he was also extremely sure that he was definitely showing a smile that could not be more stupid.
It is indeed a blessing to be able to see Xiao Chaomu's sleeping face in the morning after waking up like this...
...No...No!
Hagiwara Kenji suddenly reacted, his pupils dilated: Why did he see Asamura's sleeping face?!
The young girl was unaware of his shock and continued to sleep peacefully. Her breathing was soft and even, like a spring breeze, caressing his... fur?
No, what's wrong?
Hagiwara tried to raise his hand to rub his forehead, but found his arm was somewhat unresponsive. Not only that, he also had a strange urge to shake something.
Tail?
The moment this thought came to his mind, he rejected it himself: How could it be possible? How could he have such a thing as a tail? It must be an illusion caused by drinking too much last night... Yes, an illusion.
He strained to open his eyes; his vision was wider than usual, though the colors were somewhat faded. Chaomu's sleeping face was still close at hand, her black hair spread out on the pillow, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth.
So cute.
Although the situation was quite strange and ominous, Hagiwara was still a little eager to move. He wanted to reach out and touch her face, but after moving with difficulty, he saw a furry white paw appear in his sight.
paw.
White.
The furry little cat with thick and pink paw pads was being held in the girl's hand and slowly pulled out.
"Woof?!" Shocked, he tried to make a sound, but all he heard coming out of his throat was a fairly standard...dog bark.
Hagiwara Kenji: “……Woof?”
The clear and loud "woof", with a naive echo, seemed particularly abrupt in the quiet morning bedroom.
Hagiwara Kenji's entire body froze.
No, that was impossible. How could he, the elite of the Metropolitan Police Department's illicit drug handling team, the dream lover of countless girls, make such a sound? It had to be an illusion, definitely the aftereffects of a hangover, or maybe there was something wrong with the way he opened his eyes... He must still be dreaming.
But even if it's just a dream...
Ha, haha, I dreamed about sleeping with Xiao Chaomu and becoming Xiao Chaomu’s dog... He absolutely... absolutely has no problems!
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The author has something to say: The puppy is Xiangxiang, and a certain raccoon skipped the training with Skylark.
Back to update, I've been moving these past few days (not yet finished). The new house has better lighting, and I finally don't have to be a shady rat man anymore (wiping tears)
How should I put it… although it's exhausting, it gives me a sense of control over my life, which is better than just living in a simmering state of anxiety. I was chatting with my roommate the other day and she found out that another friend of hers had asked her if she wanted to share her apartment after her lease expired. She said she was worried I might get a letter back home one day due to my sleep schedule or mood swings, living alone. If it's sent on a Monday, my family might not even know until they can't contact me over the weekend… It's hellish, but it's a little too real.
Anyway, I'm still actively trying to find ways to adjust. I actually feel like I'm in a slightly better state recently than I was a while ago, but the interruption of serialization and the chaotic outline have made it feel terrible. I'm very inspired to work on other things, but the ending of dual openings will only be that the one with the worse feeling will be discontinued forever... I don't want that! It won't happen!
I'll be updating over the next few days to keep up with the charts, but my schedule might be a bit erratic. I'm still struggling with the move. I pulled through again today, trying to get back to sleep and adjust to my sleep schedule. I'm feeling pretty hazy now. See you all tomorrow.
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