Chapter 556: Pitiful puppy
It was night, at the entrance of Zhulin Tang Residential Area.
The weather tonight was exceptionally clear. The night sky hung low, the sky was a piece of clear blue, with stars scattered here and there across the cloudless night sky, like brilliant diamonds filling the vast firmament.
A gentle breeze blew, carrying a faint fragrance of fresh earth and leaves, as if the entire world was immersed in this tranquil and warm atmosphere.
The moon hanging overhead was also exceptionally bright, its silvery-white radiance falling on the ground, illuminating a soft glow. Streetlamps in the distance shone through the sparse branches, their warm lights like a kissing embrace, illuminating every inch of the surrounding land.
Kazumi stood at the entrance of the residential area, looking at the blond young man who had walked her all the way to her doorstep. His unchanging, almost familiar appearance made the girl’s mood improve a bit more. She raised her hand to wave, gently shaking it, a sweet smile uncontrollable on her cold face.
“You should go back too, it’s getting late.”
Perhaps it was too accustomed to such scenes, or perhaps the girl was never one to be overly sentimental. Even after such a pleasant date, Kazumi wasn’t overly excited. She waved goodbye as usual and turned to walk in the direction of her home.
“Kazumi!”
The moment the girl turned, a call came from behind her.
Kazumi turned back in surprise, seeing the young man still standing in his original position. Satō Shin’ichi seemed a bit tense now, with an unnatural smile on his face, but his eyes held a hint of entanglement and reluctance.
“I just… I just feel like today’s time was very special. Kazumi, thank you so much for agreeing to play with me.”
“Huh?”
The young man’s sudden, almost confessional words stunned Kazumi for a second. She looked at his clumsy appearance, and a hint of a smile involuntarily curved her lips.
She couldn’t help but walk a few steps back towards Satō Shin’ichi, until she stood at his feet.
Then, she placed a fist on his chest, her gentle force seeming like a warm intimacy.
“Silly, you really don’t need to say that. It’s not necessary to be so sentimental in front of me, is it?”
Kazumi chuckled softly, her eyes full of gentleness and care.
“I’m sorry, I just… I was just too happy.”
“You don’t need to apologize so often. You haven’t done anything to be sorry about.”
“Ah, I’ll remember. Today, I accidentally…”
Looking at the pitiful puppy before her, who became flustered by her few words, Kazumi’s heart softened. The girl could feel the pure emotions emanating from him.
Beautiful, fervent, and desirable.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Stop talking.”
With that soft smile on her face, Kazumi interrupted the young man’s rambling. Then, she spread her arms towards Satō Shin’ichi.
“If this will make you feel any better, let’s hug before we part.”
Satō Shin’ichi froze for a moment, a flash of shock and bewilderment in his eyes. He hadn’t expected Kazumi to suddenly make such a gentle suggestion. As her arms, which she had gently opened, seemed to hang in the air for a moment, only the sound of their subtle breathing remained. The moonlight fell on Kazumi, her soft radiance making her look like a fairy descending from a dream.
Kazumi knew that this younger boy in front of her could be willful. If she didn’t take the initiative, today would just drag on endlessly. Although she had decided to compensate Satō Shin’ichi well today, she didn’t really care about this physical contact. She still had more important things to do when she got back.
With that thought, Kazumi no longer hesitated. She leaned in and gently hugged Satō Shin’ichi, who was still flustered.
“I can receive all your feelings, so don’t overthink things. Don’t we see each other every day?”
The girl’s gentle voice was like the soft moonlight in the night sky, warm and comforting, gently seeping into Satō Shin’ichi’s heart. Satō Shin’ichi stood there blankly, feeling the girl’s warmth and the faint, lingering fragrance from her body.
His hands trembled slightly. He gently raised them, hugging her a little tighter. Although he didn’t quite know how to express himself yet, in this moment, his heart was full, and it could only be filled with his affection for the girl.
“Okay, okay. If we keep playing, it’ll never end.”
Kazumi gently pushed Satō Shin’ichi away, her smile still on her lips, but her eyes held a hint of tenderness and playfulness.
“It’s time to say goodnight, classmate Sato.”
She raised her hand, patted the wrinkles on her clothes caused by the hug, and looked up at Satō Shin’ichi standing before her.
This sudden, special address stirred a peculiar emotion in Satō Shin’ichi’s heart. It wasn’t exactly a sign of distance; rather, it had a hint of affectionate playfulness.
The surging emotion in his heart intensified. He nodded, his lips unconsciously curling into a smile.
“Mhm, goodnight, Kazumi.”
“Eh, what should I do? It feels like this thing is getting harder and harder to handle? Is it my problem?”
Finally returning to her room, Kazumi slumped into her chair. She looked up at the old, worn ceiling, rocking her chair as she muttered to herself.
However, the lingering smile on the girl’s lips did not make her words very convincing.
In fact, Kazumi also knew that this was due to their interaction style. After all, Satō Shin’ichi was a straightforward man who didn’t know how to date. The only way he interacted with her was to do everything she said, even willing to suppress many of his emotional needs.
And now, with her giving him just a little bit more, he was already hoping for more, like a dog following a scent.
“Sigh, forget it, forget it. I decided on this from the beginning anyway.”
Thinking this, Kazumi no longer intended to dwell on it. This time, it was her own decision, so she accepted the results.
However, the thought of the young man’s previous pathetic, puppy-like appearance made Kazumi’s smile erupt uncontrollably. She genuinely regretted not taking out her phone to take a picture of him then.
“No more thinking, no more thinking! Business first!”
She quickly gave herself a gentle slap on the face, snapping herself out of her love-struck state. Kazumi knew that although she had deliberately indulged him, she could not let it go too far.
She tidied her expression, returning to her usual cold and serious demeanor. Kazumi picked up the brand-new laptop that had been placed on the desk, skillfully plugging in the power cord and mouse.
Then, she took out a pure black, standard USB drive from a nearby drawer, took a deep breath, and steadily plugged it into the computer.
