Chapter 81 Chapter 81 "Yoriichi, you..."
In their first conversation after many years, Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Iwakatsu Tsugikuni parted on bad terms, which was a blow to Yoriichi.
In Yoriichi Tsugikuni's heart, Iwakatsu Tsugikuni has always been the older brother who played with him and whom he respected greatly; this feeling has not diminished over time.
So much so that even after he left, he was still somewhat dazed, and this appearance immediately alerted A-Zhi to something was wrong.
After taking her medicine, she took a nap. She had only been awake for a short while and was full of energy when a maid brought her a basin of hot water to soak her feet, which would also help relieve her discomfort.
Azhi was a little embarrassed and didn't let the maid continue to serve her. She tentatively put her foot into the water, and then, as if afraid of getting burned, quickly stepped back onto the edge of the wooden basin.
Like the rest of her body, Azhi's feet are also very beautiful, with even skin and flesh, a beautiful arch, and round and cute toes, with a faint pink hue.
The candlelight made it even more captivating.
At least that's what the maids who haven't left yet think.
She was sent over without knowing A-Zhi's identity. Seeing that the girl's feet clearly showed she hadn't walked much, she subconsciously assumed she was a noble lady from some great family.
She must be very pampered, always traveling in a sedan chair...
Only after the maid left did Azhi breathe a sigh of relief. After all, she wasn't in her own home, and she felt extremely uncomfortable.
She casually tested the water again, and then she saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni walk in through the curtain, and his lips pressed into a straight line beneath his slightly messy bangs.
A sudden, inexplicable unease welled up in Aori's heart. She called out anxiously, instinctively sitting up straight: "Yoriichi?"
This scene feels so familiar.
As if sensing something was amiss, Azhi continued to stare intently at the boy, her brows furrowed, her dark eyes gleaming faintly in the darkness: "Are you going to abandon me again?"
Before Yoriichi could answer, she continued fiercely, as if issuing a command: "I forbid it!"
Yes, Azhi suspected again that this person was going to abandon her, just like a long time ago. If it weren't for 000's reminder, this person would have secretly slipped away from Jiguo Mansion behind her back.
This incident became a shadow over her, making her feel insecure. So much so that whenever something unusual happened, Azhi would bring it up and emphasize it fiercely.
Of course, that fierceness was just Aori's perception. In Tsugikuni's eyes, the girl still exuded softness and harmlessness. She even unconsciously spread her toes, making her seem even cuter.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni: "…………"
This is precisely where he feels most guilty, and whenever this happens, he becomes speechless, unsure of what to say.
That day, he was carrying his luggage and preparing to leave when he was spotted by Aori. Yoriichi Tsugikuni still remembers the girl hugging her knees, her shoulders trembling, and asking pitifully, "Do you... dislike me?"
She stammered out some terrible words, her large, watery eyes filled with sorrow that could pierce one's heart.
This immediately changed Yoriichi's mind. He went to see his mother again, explained the situation, and then left the Tsugikuni residence with Ori.
The world was in chaos, and even adults struggled to survive, let alone two children. They did not find a place to stay easily, but the girl who stayed by his side never complained.
Azhi never showed any regret, even though she was such a seemingly fragile little girl...
Yoriichi Tsugikuni then realized that his initial idea was wishful thinking. Although it was for the girl's safety, he had not consulted Ori's opinion, which was wrong.
"No." Yoriichi's voice was firm. He walked up to Ori, placed his hand on her shoulder, bent down, and looked directly into her eyes. "We'll always be together!"
As he spoke, the sense of urgency he had sensed from Jiguo Yansheng flashed through his mind again, so quickly that he didn't have time to catch it.
In fact, not only the girl, but also Yoriichi Tsugikuni felt that he could no longer be separated from Ori.
Although life in the mountains was ordinary, Yoriichi Tsugikuni found it precious and became completely immersed in it.
He made his point so obvious that there was no room for doubt. Because they were so close, the earrings on his cheeks dangled, and Azhi heard a pleasant sound.
She quickly regained her composure, her eyes crinkling slightly as she remained silent, but her small hand gently patted the stool beside her, gesturing for him to come over and join her.
This is commonplace for them.
********
A few days later, after Aori's health returned to normal, Tsugikuni Iwakatsu decided to hold a family banquet, which should actually have been held on the day Tsugikuni Yoriichi returned home.
He made no attempt to conceal anything, openly inviting Yoriichi to the family banquet, without any concern that his position would be shaken as a result.
Although it was a family banquet, both the former and current heads of the Jiguo family attached great importance to it, so much so that the servants in the mansion were all careful and dared not be negligent.
The steward felt it was a bit difficult, because in addition to preparing clothes for the head of the family, he also needed to serve Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Oori.
Preparing for Yoriichi Tsugikuni is not difficult. He is the younger brother of the head of the family and is about the same height as Iwakatsu Tsugikuni. Since it is a family banquet, it is always safe to prepare in the same style.
The difficult part is for that girl.
It's incredible, but while his peers have long been married and have children, Tsugikuni Iwakatsu has not yet married, so there is naturally no mistress in the household.
Besides maid's clothes, there were no other clothes in the manor for girls of Azhi's age, so they had to go out to buy them.
Unaware of A-Zhi's identity and preferences, and lacking similar experience, the steward carefully selected a few items and, wiping away cold sweat, delivered them to Tsugikuni Iwakatsu.
They are all currently fashionable, with similar styles but different colors and unique patterns. They are neatly stacked for the homeowner to choose from.
"…………"
Jikuni Iwakatsu stared at the three kimonos presented on the table and remained silent for a long time.
He had never worried about these things before. As long as his daily attire was neat and without mistakes, that was enough. But after seeing the women's clothing that the steward had brought, he inexplicably took a few more glances at it.
Cherry pink would look gentle, orange would make one look delicate, and purple would look inexplicably precious, but... if A-Zhi wore them, they would all look great.
Ji Guoyan lowered his eyes and couldn't help but think this.
After a moment, he looked away without changing his expression, concealing his thoughts well, and seemed no different from usual: "Just pick one that suits you."
Anyway, every single one fits perfectly.
Through the curtain, the young master's voice sounded deep and resonant. After the steward bowed respectfully, he took the clothes and left.
This family banquet was supposed to be just the three of them—Jiguo, his father, and his son—so Azhi shouldn't have gone.
However, after learning that she was chosen by Akeno and had been by Yoriichi's side, sure enough, Kokushibo heard his father's instructions to call the girl over.
…………
As dusk fell, candlelight was lit, and servants filed in, carrying various grooming and dressing items.
"Miss Aori."
Azhi was in a daze when she was first startled by the maid who appeared out of nowhere, and then she was startled by the way the maid addressed her.
She was dazed and had no time to resist before she was helped to sit up and allowed these people to change her clothes, then comb her hair and put on makeup.
After everything was over, Aori was stiff all over. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who had just been called away by the steward.
His hair was tied up high, and he had changed into a brand new light-colored kimono with lush bamboo painted on the fabric. He knelt silently to the side, watching Azhi.
For a moment, Azhi even thought it was Tsugikuni Iwakatsu. She was stunned for a few seconds until she saw the boy's familiar earrings and then she snapped out of that state.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni had actually been waiting for a while; he was always faster than Ori. Under the surprised gazes of the maids, he came to Ori's side to wait.
He saw that the maid had white powder on her fingertips, as if she was about to apply it to the girl's face, but she withdrew it just before touching her, because Azhi's face was already white and flawless enough.
Next came drawing her eyebrows, but she hesitated for a long time and didn't start. Yoriichi Tsugikuni agreed with this, thinking that Aori was already doing a good job.
Finally, the maid dipped her little finger in the lip rouge and lightly dabbed it across Azhi's lower lip, instantly making the color appear vibrant and luscious, something that...something...
Yoriichi Tsugikuni never imagined that Ori had this side to her. When the girl looked over, he suddenly felt something was wrong with his heart, clutched his chest, and suddenly couldn't bear to look any longer.
This feeling persisted until the banquet, and Yoriichi Tsugikuni was not the only one who felt this way.
Ji Guoyan was the first to arrive. He looked at the food and drinks that were gradually being prepared and casually thought about what might happen later.
After the steward left, he couldn't calm down. He spent half a day alone in his room, and under the influence of selfish motives for unknown reasons, he still asked his attendant to convey his orders to the steward.
Ji Guoyan had imagined that Azhi would look good when she was dressed up, but he didn't expect her to be so stunning that she was simply captivating.
The Creator favored her exceptionally; even though Azhi lived an ordinary life for more than a decade, hardship never left a mark on her.
The young girl had beautiful eyes and rosy lips, and her thick black hair was styled in the most fashionable way at the time. She wore an exquisite purple kimono and looked no different from a well-maintained noblewoman.
Only his expression still retained a rare innocence.
She looked around curiously, and when she saw Ji Guoyansheng, her pursed lips curved into a smile, and she gave him a shy smile.
Ji Guoyan felt his heart skip a beat.
Upon seeing Yoriichi Tsugikuni beside her, he suddenly felt a pang of regret. He regretted that, despite being the one who arranged it, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the first to see the girl in this state.
So, a subtle smile curved his lips, so well hidden that no one else could see it.
The warm candlelight illuminated half of his face, outlining a remarkably cold and aloof profile.
…………
Perhaps because there weren't many outsiders around, or perhaps because he was genuinely happy, the usually stern father spoke at length to Yoriichi Tsugikuni, mentioning his search over the years.
Regardless of the reason for saying those words, Ji Guoyan Sheng didn't really take them to heart. After seeing his father raise his glass with a smile, he casually picked up his glass as well.
This was Ah Zhi's first time attending a banquet. She had no idea what to do and passively followed along, raising her glass without knowing it contained wine. She carelessly tried to put it in her mouth.
They were not far apart. Kokushiro wanted to tell Aori that she didn't need to drink, but before he could say it, Yoriichi Tsugikuni stopped the girl in time.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni didn't think much of it. He expressionlessly took Aori's glass of wine and drank it down naturally.
Kokuichi suddenly gripped his wine glass tightly, spilling some of the cool liquid. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Yoichi, you..."
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Author's Note: Yan Sheng: My silence is deafening! Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-08-09 23:27:05 and 2023-08-16 15:30:22!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Cola Bean 58 bottles; Wenjiu Qingshiyin and A Miao Jiang 10 bottles; Xiaobai 3 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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