December 25, early morning
[Temporary event ended, starting settlement]
[Players and Jiutiao Meijie, Mayi Asuka completed kissing]
[Awarded: One "Master Level" skill designation authority*1]
[Awarded: Ordinary New Year’s gift package*1]
[Player opens New Year’s gift package]
[880 million yen pocket money, half-price mall coupon*1, half-price skill coupon*1]
December 25, early morning
Dubian Che ran through the alleys of the residential district, sitting on the steps in front of Suga Shrine.
While eating a sandwich and drinking milk, he gazed at a neighbor’s balcony filled with potted plants.
The plants were petite and appeared exquisite, obviously well-cared for on a regular basis.
Before long, those three elderly ladies, walking at a race-walking pace, came along.
"Keep it up, the future of the Island Country depends on you," they said without stopping, to Dubian Che.
"Of course! Thank you!" Dubian Che turned his head and waved in thanks.
From what point did they start, perhaps since they had also seen him running on rainy days, they thought Dubian Che was an athlete.
When Dubian Che left, the priest inside Suga Shrine began clearing the snow from the pathway.
Returning to his rented apartment, he took a bath, and it was seven o’clock.
With time to spare before his nine o’clock appointment with Kiyono Lin, Dubian Che decided to visit Jiutiao Meijie.
On the way to the villa, looking again at the tree lights on the streets, last night’s decorations looked romantic like the Milky Way, but they seemed rather glaring in the daytime.
"You’re up already?" Dubian Che asked, surprised to see Jiutiao Meijie neatly dressed.
For all the time they had shared a bed, he had never seen her up this early.
No, wait, the Monday after the temporary event in Ochazuke, he intentionally went to school early and incidentally ran into Miss Jiutiao, who was accompanied by her bodyguards.
"Weren’t you supposed to catch the seven o’clock flight? Why are you here?" Before Dubian Che could answer, Jiutiao Meijie said, "Never mind, just follow me."
They got into a luxury car.
"Where are we going?" Dubian Che asked.
Drinking coffee, Jiutiao Meijie said, "Headquarters."
Although Dubian Che found it odd why they were headed to the office, he had more important matters now.
"Meijie," he took Jiutiao Meijie’s stocking-clad feet into his lap and massaged her thighs.
Jiutiao Meijie glanced up at him.
She placed her coffee cup on the central armrest’s small table, massaged her forehead as if sleep-deprived, closed her eyes for a rest, and said,
"That, about last night..."
Dubian Che explained Kiyono Lin’s planned visit to Iwate Prefecture for the New Year’s using words that would keep Jiutiao Meijie calm, as best he could.
The car fell into silence.
Robot · Shizuru watched Dubian Che with a deadpan look.
Dubian Che gently squeezed Jiutiao Meijie’s beautiful legs, occasionally tapping them.
As the car passed "Tsukiji Market," Jiutiao Meijie suddenly stretched out her fair and tender right hand:
Shizuru pulled out a handgun, thoughtfully unlocking the safety, and placed it in Jiutiao Meijie’s hand.
Jiutiao Meijie withdrew her legs from Dubian Che’s lap.
She stood up, knelt with her left knee between Dubian Che’s legs on the seat, grabbed his collar with her left hand, and pressed the gun against his temple with her right hand.
"Once or twice, do you really think I wouldn’t dare to kill you?"
"No, Meijie, listen, I really just blurted it out, it was a complaint!"
"A complaint?" Jiutiao Meijie’s voice was ice-cold, "Can’t you say no? Do you need me to teach you how?"
Dubian Che could only see Jiutiao Meijie’s chest, his eyes darting to the gun pressed against his temple.
Question: Is it a real gun?
Question: Is it dangerous?
Question: Sure you can snatch the gun?
Question: Then, what would Jiutiao Meijie’s reaction be if you snatched it?
Answer: Dubian Che couldn’t even dare to think!
"Meijie, Meijie! Listen to my explanation! This isn’t what you think!"
"More excuses? Hmph."
In Dubian Che’s understanding, this acutely murderous phrase meant: Speak quickly.
"Kiyono said that for the New Year gatherings, she isn’t welcome, and at such times, as a friend, she wanted to come to my house for the New Year’s celebration, could I refuse? There’s no reason to refuse, right, Meijie?"
"No reason to refuse? So, I want to kill you now, do you have a reason to refuse?"
Jiutiao Meijie’s lips curled into a ’see what more you can say’ smirk.
Of course, trying to find warmth in that smile was like hoping for a Gundam to fly down from the sky right now.
"To prove I didn’t intend to do anything to Kiyono, I came to tell you voluntarily!"
"Where do you want your body buried?"
"Hold on, hold on! I’ve not finished!"
Dubian Che could only bring out his trump card.
"Meijie, I came to invite you to come back with me, I want you to meet my parents."
Jiutiao Meijie stared intently at Dubian Che, examining him for several minutes before pushing him away.
She opened her hand, and Shizuru carefully caught the handgun, immediately locking the safety.
Jiutiao Meijie sat back down, leaning against the seat, her hand propped on the central armrest, her legs naturally crossed.
"Why is it that when other couples fight, at most they brawl, but why must we resort to guns?" Dubian Che complained with a tone of someone who had narrowly escaped death.
Jiutiao Meijie snorted coldly as if to say ’you got off lightly,’ closing her eyes without speaking.
For some reason, Shizuru looked at Dubian Che with a mixture of surprise and admiration.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of the company headquarters, and the three of them got out.
Jiutiao Meijie walked ahead, with Dubian Che and Shizuru following her.
"Miss, young master, good morning."
"Miss, young master!"
Along the way, company staff bowed and greeted them.