Chapter 220 Riko?

[Birth]…

Jiang Lai's expression dimmed slightly.

He knew that this was the spiritual world of Amanouchi Riko. Because Riko was currently the vessel of "birth", his eldest sister (eldest brother) in the conceptual sense was also here, sleeping in the endless darkness.

The past events of a thousand years ago have long been coated with a layer of time, but the feeling of longing continues to ferment, brewing into a mixed and sour mood.

Gojo Satoru noticed Jiang Lai's depressed mood, he turned half sideways and paused slightly.

However, he didn't say much in the end. Instead, he reached into his pocket and muttered, "Ah... Come to think of it, I wonder how much the dream world is related to the real world—"

As he finished speaking, the white-haired man pulled out his hand, revealing a strawberry candy in his palm.

His eyebrows were shining, and his tone was cheerful: "Wow, little surprise! It seems that the dream world also understands me, and there is never a shortage of candy in my pocket~"

Jiang Lai's attention fell on Gojo Satoru. He glanced at the pink-wrapped strawberry gummy candy in his palm and couldn't help but smile: "Why is it such a pink candy?"

"The packaging is not important, as long as it tastes good, the sweetness of this strawberry gummy candy is top notch~" Gojo Satoru gave it a high evaluation and threw it towards Jiang Lai, "I'll give it to you - try it."

Jiang Lai subconsciously reached out to take it, and the strawberry gummy candy fell into his palm. He then noticed that it was in the shape of a little bear, and overall it looked a bit like children's gummy candy.

Wu sometimes acts like an older child, and this childlike soft candy is quite suitable for him. Jiang Lai peeled the candy and put it in his mouth, smiling and thinking casually.

Then, in the next moment, Jiang Lai vaguely realized that his originally depressed mood had calmed down a lot.

Just now, Gojo Satoru's action of looking for candy and giving it to others seemed to be to ease the depressed atmosphere around him - it was a bit unexpected that the strongest person could show such attentive concern.

But it wasn't too surprising. Jiang Lai knew it in his heart. Under the arrogant and casual appearance of the white-haired man, he had a sincere heart towards his friends.

The six eyes can see everything, and Gojo Satoru certainly has excellent ability to read people's expressions, but most of the time he is too lazy to pay attention to the noise around him.

If he wants, he can become an excellent social master at any time.

However, the strongest character is destined not to change because of others.

Noticing Jiang Lai's gaze, Gojo Satoru smiled, blinked his blue eyes, and then shook his fingers exaggeratedly and said: "I knew that you were also moved by this candy! But I only have this one, even if you want to eat it again~"

"It's really good, but a little too sweet. It's more to your taste, Wu." Jiang Lai put away the candy wrapper. Even though this is a spiritual world, he didn't throw it around. He said in a gentle tone, "But it's not bad to have one occasionally. Thank you."

"Do we still need verbal thanks to each other?"

Gojo Satoru stepped forward and placed one hand on Jiang Lai's shoulder. He laughed and joked, "Why don't we just do something physical? For example, next time - how about you buy the limited edition snacks from Suzuneko Saburo's? All you have to do is get up at four in the morning and queue up to buy them."

"It's not good to force a [minor] to get up early and wait in line." Jiang Lai, who is currently using the brown-haired boy vest on the human side, said jokingly, "Gojo-sensei, you are a teacher."

"It's because you're a minor that you have to get up early and chase the sun. Don't waste your youth. Teacher, I'm helping you." Gojo Satoru said casually. He shrugged, "Principal Yega always said that. I've memorized it."

After this casual and brisk conversation, the last bit of gloom in Jiang Lai's eyes disappeared. After pulling himself out of the whirlpool of emotions, his mind became much clearer.

Gojo Satoru saw that Jiang Lai had almost adjusted himself, so he pointed forward leisurely and said, "Go forward?"

"Let's go." Jiang Lai nodded, his eyes fell on the faint light not far away, and his expression was filled with a certain determination.

——He still misses [birth] and recalls the past. But he will not let himself indulge in gray sadness.

Because only by moving forward can suffering retreat.

The two walked side by side in the endless darkness. This area was extremely quiet, and their footsteps were silent.

They followed the faint light and walked a long distance before they could see different scenery in the distance.

As Jiang Lai saw when he came here last time, at the end of the dim light, there was still an ordinary wooden desk. The warm-colored desk lamp above the desk was the source of the dim light.

The girl with braided hair in a Japanese sailor suit was still writing and drawing on the table as before. As she moved, the white scarf on her head swayed.

Noticing another figure in front of her, Amauchi Riko raised her head with a cold and alert expression.

However, when his gaze fell on Gojo Satoru, that hint of cold alertness paused for a moment, and after a brief recollection, it turned into visible surprise.

The girl with braided hair stopped painting and said with wide eyes: "Huh? It's you——!"

"Long time no see, Tenuchi." Gojo Satoru put one hand in his pocket, as lazy as before. He raised his hand and waved it casually, "Are you catching up on your homework? You must be working so hard."

It seemed like a casual remark for the sake of conversation, but in fact it was to further test the intelligence. Jiang Lai saw this. Gojo Satoru wanted to confirm the other party's mental state through what Tenuchi Riko was painting.

"I don't need to do any catch-up work. These are my masterpieces." Tenuchi Riko pouted and stood up from the stool.

She raised her hand and picked up the paper on the table, showing it to the front, "Look! This is me, this is Kuroi, this is my former good friend Momoka, and my most admired idol Qi-san——"

Facing the white paper shown by Jiang Lai and Gojo Satoru, there were messy colored pencil lines drawn on it. With the guidance of Tenuchi Riko, I could see some unique characteristics of the characters from the randomly drawn outlines.

"Well... of course, I drew you too." Tenuchi Riko coughed, she moved her finger to the corner and pointed at the figures, "This is you, and Getsuyu-kun. Well... and the Tengen-sama I imagined."

Gojo Satoru blinked his blue eyes, took a few steps forward, and made careful and detailed movements: "Hey! I can see a little bit. However, it turns out that my handsomeness cannot be drawn - you can't appreciate even one ten-thousandth of me from here~~"

He did not raise direct questions about Tenuchi Riko's messy and strange colored pencil lines, but instead used a different approach and led the topic to drawing through a very natural dialogue.

"Arrogant ghost——!" Tenuchi Riko made a face, then pinched her painting, lowered her eyes and whispered, "I really didn't draw it very well... because I, I can't remember what you look like."

There was a blank look on her face: "I still remember you. I haven't forgotten you, but I can't remember clearly. It seems like a long time has passed - how long has it been?"

Tenuchi Riko tilted her head in confusion, then relaxed her frown and turned back into the carefree, innocent girl she was before.

"But you're here this time! I'll remember that I'll definitely draw it well next time - my painting skills are really great!"

She clenched her fist and waved it in a cheery gesture. Her expression was full of anticipation, as if she had no worries.

At this point, Jiang Lai, who had been observing from the side, roughly judged that the appearance of a girl in Tenuchi Riko's dream world was most likely due to her mental stagnation.

Riko Amauchi seemed to have stopped at that moment in junior high school, at her best and worst year.

As for what happened with the regulatory agency, was it the brain's self-protection mechanism that blocked her from hearing about it?

In other words, the current image of the girl is just a silhouette in the dream world, and the real Riko Amauchi has not yet fully appeared.

Gojo Satoru did not comment on Tenuchi Riko's interesting painting plan.

He did not continue Tenuchi Riko's topic about painting, but gestured to Jiang Lai and said, "By the way, let me introduce you, this is my close friend, Lai~!"

"...Hey, Wu." Jiang Lai's eyes were half-mooned.

"It's just a joke." Gojo Satoru changed the subject, and then said in a light voice and serious expression, "He is also my friend, a very important one - Tennai, please don't treat him as an enemy."

The purpose of these words is naturally to make Tenuchi Riko no longer reject Jiang Lai.

Gojo Satoru still remembered what Jiang Lai had said about the last time he was pushed directly into the dream world by the vigilant Tenuchi Riko. So he introduced Jiang Lai in time and put him in his own area.

His blue eyes slightly raised, and the movements of raising and lowering his hands were as graceful and elegant as a big white long-haired cat shaking its tail.

Following Gojo Satoru's guidance, Tenuchi Riko's gaze turned to Jiang Lai.

She blinked and nodded, "We are friends, I see! It's our first meeting, please take care of me."

The words "first meeting" made Jiang Lai feel uneasy.

He raised his brown eyes and looked at the lively and polite girl with braided hair in front of him.

The other person didn't look like she was lying. The bright middle school girl's eyes were full of sincerity and friendliness.

But this wasn't the first time they met. They had just met in a dream not long ago.

After a brief moment of confusion, Jiang Lai's thoughts flowed, and then he suddenly realized.

…It seems that my guess was right. Jiang Lai thought in his mind. The person in front of him was probably just a silhouette in the dream world, not the real Tenuchi Riko.

She is the best part of Riko, so she guards this beam of light in the dark night. She stays here, becoming a lighthouse and a fortress.

Well, if this is the case, then the real Amanouchi Riko and the [birth] in the same area——

Jiang Lai's gaze passed by the faint light and fell on the boundless darkness around him.

The shadows carried a sense of emptiness and coldness, but vaguely they also seemed to bring the power of grass and trees growing in the drizzle.

She and He are not engraved in the glittering light of old memories, but float in the hazy night around them.

Only by having a friendship that can walk into the old times and a state of mind that can walk out of the old times can we truly cross the mountains and meet again.