Part 2: Where Did All the Disappeared Affection Go – Part One
I put on my shoes and said goodbye to Xinran and Jiuyuan at the door before walking out.
Looking up, I saw Keling wave at me from the third floor before ducking back inside.
The men’s underwear I had hung out to dry on the balcony earlier had vanished. Just as I suspected, the little demon sister had pocketed it.
Sighing, I walked out of the yard. As soon as I stepped out the gate, someone called out to me.
“Hm? Leaving already?”
“Whoa! You scared me.”
And that voice… it was her…
Cold sweat trickled down my back. The thought that she might know everything sent a chill through me. I might be heading for German orthopedic treatment any moment now.
“Uh, hello… Sorry to intrude, and…”
“No need to be so formal. Her faint smile gave her a gentle and natural aura. She looked a bit like Keling, I mean, Keling when she wasn’t being a little demon. It made sense that we’d look alike… because she was the one who gave birth to me… and her.Standing at the main entrance, leaning against the nameplate, waiting, was naturally my birth mother, An Qian.
She had been cursed into a zombie after giving birth to Keling and me. But in this world, that fact became ‘coma after giving birth to me and Keling,’ and she had only recently woken up.
I’d completely forgotten. While Mom and Dad would come home late due to work, she was always home.
Had she been waiting outside for a long time?
“So… when did you come back…?”
“Around noon.”
…So she really heard everything…
Of course, she couldn’t have missed it. And she returned at noon, meaning she heard it from beginning to end.
She watched me play with her daughters inside, lost in our special ‘game,’ yet she suppressed her emotions and waited until now…
I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling. It was too unsettling that she was acting so calmly.
Maybe she was teasing me? Meaning she didn’t come back that early, but only waited outside out of politeness because she saw a guest. No, that didn’t make sense.
I racked my brain, unable to figure it out.
“It seems you’re worried about whether I know anything.”
Yes, I was worried. Please tell me if you know— huh?
Wait, was I an idiot? Saying something like that implied…
“Are my daughters… comfortable?”
It was a critical hit! With bonus damage!
I immediately fell to my knees with a thud. Anything I said now would be useless; I’d just apologize on my knees.
But she didn’t let me kneel. She steadied me and said,
“I don’t blame you. I don’t think my daughters are idiots. In fact, they should be smarter than ordinary girls. They’re willing to be with you ‘in this way’ for a reason.”
“…I’m glad you can think that way.”
I truly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, An Qian had a broad-minded and natural personality, and she didn’t hold me accountable on the spot.
“But one thing is one thing. Since the rice is cooked, you need to take responsibility. Otherwise—”
An Qian narrowed her eyes, radiating killing intent, with the aura of a commander of the undead she once had as a zombie.
Fine, there would be a price to pay.
“I promise I will take responsibility and ensure they find the happiness they deserve!”
“A man can’t just make pretty speeches. I hope you’ll keep your word.” “Okay!”
“That’s a good answer. It seems you didn’t use any special methods to get my daughters; they genuinely like you, right?”
Seeing me nod shyly, she smiled, her expression finally brightening.
“Well, if you were truly an evil and shameless degenerate, I should be suffering too, just like my daughters. But you haven’t done that…”
I never expected An Qian to be so playful, giving me a wink after I spoke.
“Oh dear, are you saying I’m not charming?”
“….”
It was best to just shut up. Anything I said now would be inappropriate.
“….It seems I’m past my prime, and I don’t even have the capital to seduce pubescent boys anymore.”
Please, stop playing along. This is going to get serious.
“You’re not really trying to seduce me, are you?”
“Just testing your character. It seems my daughters are more beastly than you. Alas, perhaps they…”
(SF Light Novel)
I think both sides are like that. Rather than me subduing them, I was ‘feeding’ them.
They all had tendencies toward ‘blueing’ and dependence to some degree, though Keling’s was more severe, while Xinran and Jiuyuan weren’t as bad.
“Then, regarding the daughters, that’s all for now. Next… Ah, I almost forgot to ask your name, young man. What’s yours?”
“An Juncheng. ‘An’ from tranquil, ‘Jun’ from gentleman, ‘Cheng’ from honest.”
“An Jun… 7-1770—Jun…..”
An Qian repeated my name a few times, her expression becoming distant.
Did the ‘imprint’ remain deep within your soul…?
It was rather comforting.
“I suddenly feel like you’re meant to be part of our family…”
I wasn’t flustered by An Qian’s words because I had already guessed that she might retain memories of me.
In reality, those who were Anomalies in the previous world have much larger souls and can carry more information. Thus, memories of the previous world remained.
The transition from the destruction of the previous world to this new world, copied from zero, wasn’t a complete reset. It was a direct continuation into this new world.
It was as if the world was supposed to end yesterday, and everyone thought it was finished. But then today came, and the world hadn’t ended. Everything was as usual.
What I did wasn’t simply connecting the start and end points. In fact, I couldn’t do that.
Let’s compare the two worlds to two pieces of paper. To connect them, there would inevitably be an ‘overlap.’
Then, after reversing and connecting the tails… the infinite loop world, with its connected inside and outside, was completed.
Humans within the loop wouldn’t notice any of this. Only the three fundamental elements necessary for constructing the world, which I mentioned earlier, could truly see the ‘Möbius strip.’ Even I couldn’t see the whole picture.
Well, in short, humans within the loop shouldn’t have any memories of me.
“This proves I’m well-suited to be a live-in son-in-law.”
“Yes, what a coincidence. You’re also surnamed An.”
“This must be fate.”
“Fate… You seem to be quite popular with women. You don’t have other women besides my daughters, do you?”
(SF Light Novel)
“Yes, and quite a few, probably.”
Hearing my honest answer, An Qian said with a wry smile,
“Xinran and the others know about this?” “Yes.”
“This is crazy, crazy… Now I’m starting to suspect you used some kind of magic to make my daughters obsessed with you like lunatics.”
“At times like this, even if you lied to me, you shouldn’t tell me the truth… Never mind, I have a good impression of you, and I won’t make things difficult for you. But I can’t help you with your father or Sister Yue. You’re on your own.”
“I’ll come to propose with the resolve of having my legs broken.”
“Hoh, if they don’t break your legs, our family will heal you. If they kill you, we’ll even arrange your funeral.”
Thinking back now, it’s true. Our family is too terrifying.
“Haha, don’t be afraid. I look forward to the day you become a member of the An family.”
An Qian patted me on the shoulder and encouraged me with a hearty laugh.
…I’m already part of the An family.
I wanted to say it, but in the end, I didn’t.
“Then I won’t keep you any longer. Juncheng, may I call you Juncheng?”
“Next time you’re with Xinran and the others, remember to take them up to the third floor. If you’re on the second floor and get too carried away and make noise, people in the yard can still hear it.”
“…..”
Seeing my embarrassed look, An Qian smiled slyly, hooked her arm around my neck, pulled me down, and kissed me on the forehead.
“Then you are my son now too.”
“Yes, goodbye, Mom.”
I thought I’d never have this chance again, but I never expected to be able to call you Mom in the end.
I guess this world truly is a wonderful world where my wishes can come true.
Being able to reunite with Xinran, Keling, and Jiuyuan, and gaining the approval of An Qian – the harvest of today can’t be described as merely ‘abundant.’
After bidding farewell to An Qian, I returned home in high spirits. It was already almost 9:30.
Ling was back and seemed to be waiting for me. She had set out a table of food but hadn’t touched it.
“You’re back late. It seems things went quite smoothly? Didn’t cause any trouble.”
“Yes, surprisingly smooth.”
(Light Novel)
It was a very ‘exciting’ day.
“Then let’s eat. This is what I made.”
“Oh, great! I had a huge workout today.”
“It seems you gained more than just… Did you go home?”
“How did you know?”
Ling could see fate, but she shouldn’t be able to see anything about me.
“I guessed. I knew you’d go home first, and then you’d have seduced all three sisters. Was it good? You perverted scum.”
“Yes, extremely good. Much better than someone who never makes a move.”
I blurted it out. It wasn’t because she called me a ‘perverted scum brother.’
It was mainly because I was very casual when talking to Ling, and I was used to speaking carelessly, so I naturally said it.
“Hmph…”
Ling caught my hint and narrowed her eyes, looking displeased.
She put down her chopsticks, stood up, and placed one foot on the low table, looking down at me.
“Do you have any complaints about me?” “How dare I.”
“You enjoyed yourself outside and now you’re fed up with what you have at home, is that what you mean?”
“Fine, then I’ll take the initiative today.” “For once…”
“Once might not be enough. Let’s go for ten rounds.”
“See who surrenders first.”
I’m sorry, it was my loose tongue. Just pretend I didn’t say anything…
At least, let’s eat first, okay…
“I’ll accompany you, to the very end.”
She seemed to be in a bad mood today, possibly because I was late, or possibly because of my earlier remark.
Her affection dropped. The target for her venting would only be me.
In short, Ling wasn’t going to let me off the hook.
And she didn’t plan to.
Ellipsis time.
………
