Chapter 100: The Fox Spirit Turns Out to Be Me
"Where did I rush…"
Process? What process? The process of adoption?
Bai Wei couldn't understand, what kind of process does adopting a little girl require? Do people in Yingzhou have such particular customs?
In the Ming Country, there are certain customs to be followed. After Yagyū Simozi was brought back there, her uncle and aunt gave her a new name in accordance with the traditions of the Ming Country. They named her Liu Shuangyue.
Do we really have to take Sakurai Shiru back, so that Uncle can read her face, and Aunt can analyze her birthdate and feng shui, before she can become part of our Bai Family?
This whole process is so complicated! Besides, it's almost December and we won't be able to return to the Ming Country in time.
Bai Wei arrived in front of the bedroom door and knocked on the door gently.
"Simozi, let's talk about it and reach an agreement…"
"Pursuing a sense of ceremony is fine, but it's not good to make it too complicated," he said.
"Nowadays, there's a trend of quick weddings, you know! Who still follows the old customs of riding in a grand sedan chair and going through all the ceremonial rituals? Even the engagement ceremony has been simplified. So, in my opinion…"
There was no response, but they heard a sound from inside the bedroom as something fell onto the ground.
Bai Wei choked on his words.
"Remember to eat breakfast, I'm going out for a walk."
He didn't dare say another word. He left outside the bedroom door. If he stayed any longer, there was a chance that a strong punch might come crashing through the door and hit him on the head.
Inside the room, Yagyū Simozi fell onto the bed, hitting the mattress with her fists.
Her older brother's determination was quite unexpected. What could have prompted him to desire a daughter so much?
However… no matter how impatient he was, it would be absolutely impossible to achieve in just two weeks!
"Getting married should always be a special and meaningful occasion!"
"It must be a proper wedding ceremony, with the blessings of heaven and earth and a vibrant red bridal veil!"
"In addition to my wedding dress, I also need to prepare a pure white outfit in Yingzhou. Wherever I stumble, there I must regain my dignity. I want Hokusinn Kichyō to know what pain is! What it means to have a broken heart!"
"Absolutely must not let go, absolutely must not!"
"Hehehehehe!"
…
Bai Wei held his forehead and walked out of the house. He decided to wait for his little sister to go to school before coming back to take a nap.
He was indeed feeling tired, maybe it was because he was mentally exhausted, which made him look very empty.
Last night, he suffered so many heart attacks. His body felt weak, unable to bear it.
Just as he stepped out of the door, he caught a glimpse of a sneaky figure lurking outside, up to some mysterious mischief.
"You playing minesweeper or picking mushrooms at my doorstep?"
Upon hearing this, Jingūji's body jolted, and he half-closed his eyes, looking at Bai Wei. "When did you come out?" she asked.
"Why didn't you ring the doorbell if you wanted to come in?"
"I'm waiting for her to come out," said Saki Jingūji, crossing her arms. She was simply waiting here for her friend to go to school together. At most, she had a tiny, little crush on her older brother, but she felt too embarrassed to knock on the door. So, she could only sneak a peek through the keyhole, although she would never admit to it.
"She won't come out for now," Bai Wei said, glancing at the time. "Let's wait a little longer. She needs some time to make herself feel better."
"?" Jingūji frowned. "What did you do to Simozi?"
"Do you think I'm the kind of man who would use violence and intimidate his own sister?"
Bai Wei shook his head and said, "I just had a talk with her about some things happening at home, and then she seemed to have some kind of subtle… misunderstanding?"
Saki Jingūji asked curiously, "What kind of misunderstanding?"
"It's difficult to describe," Bai Wei hesitated, then he looked at Saki Jingūji with unfocused eyes.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Jingūji asked, as she crossed her arms protectively over her chest and shifted uncomfortably.
"Um…" Bai Wei pondered, lost in deep thought.
He was considering whether or not to discuss this matter with Jingūji. As the person who understood his sister the most, she might be able to provide constructive advice. Besides, she disliked gossiping and sharing other people's secrets. He wasn't sure if her family background could provide enough theoretical support. If she didn't have several siblings, asking her would probably be pointless.
"May I ask you a question?" Bai Wei said. "Tell me about your family."
"Oh, sure," Saki Jingūji pondered for a moment. "My family is quite big with a lot of people. We're part of a large clan, which can be a bit troublesome. Among people my age, I don't have any brothers, only sisters. I have more than nine cousins who are also older than me, and I have a biological sister who is seven years old. However, I'm often away receiving training as a shrine maiden, so I haven't had much interaction with her. I can only see her occasionally when I go back home."
"Oh, you're from a wealthy family."
"My family isn't considered wealthy, it's just a branch of the Jingūji family," the shrine maiden curiously asked, "Why are you asking about this?"
Bai Wei nodded and said, "Oh, I see now. It would be great if I could talk to you about it."
Saki Jingūji, being very friendly, welcomed the person with open arms and said, "Sure, I'm happy to listen. What would you like to discuss?"
"I am looking for a sense of ceremony, wanting to be as careful as possible," he explained.
"What do you mean specifically?" she asked, wanting more details.
"If you wanted to welcome a stranger into your family and wanted to make it feel like a proper ceremony, how should you go about it?" Bai Wei sighed in anguish. "My sister said that a sense of ceremony is very important, after all, adding a new member to a family is a significant event. It shouldn't be taken lightly and should be treated with utmost seriousness. I believe you, coming from a prestigious family, must understand this better, right?"
"Eh? Me?" Jingūji's mind froze for a moment. "Wait, are you saying… welcoming a stranger into your own family?"
"Oh, adding a new member to the family," he nodded.
"An outsider?" she questioned.
"Yes," he replied.
"Is the outsider from the Ming Country?"
"No, the outsider is from Yingzhou."
"Is it a boy?"
"No, girl."
"Wow!" thought Jingūji. No wonder Simozi's mindset has collapsed. Who wouldn't be shocked to hear that? It's like a bolt from the blue! Why are you suddenly talking about getting married as soon as we meet today?
She suddenly began to feel uncomfortable deep down inside, and hurriedly asked, "Are you joking? This is too sudden, isn't it?"
"Of course not," said Bai Wei. "I am planning to bring her into our family soon, but Simozi seems to be hesitant and disagrees with my straightforward approach." Bai Wei sighed and placed his hand on his forehead. "She said she wants a sense of ceremony and wants to be given enough importance!"
"Wait! Please wait!" cried Saki Jingūji, as she caught another crucial piece of information. She asked in disbelief, "Simozi, she… she agreed?"
"She said yes, that's for sure," Bai Wei replied.
"S-s-swoosh…" The shrine maiden took a sharp intake of cold air.
How could she agree? She should have gone out with a sword and tried to reason with the fox spirit.
"I wonder why my little sister is so insistent on having a sense of ceremony," Bai Wei said helplessly. "It's something that needs to be done urgently."
"Um, this matter should indeed be treated with more importance," Saki Jingūji cleared her throat softly. Gradually comprehending the situation, she began to hint indirectly, "Mr. Bai, the sense of ceremony also depends on both parties. It would be best for me to know about the background of that girl first…"
"I'm not really sure about that," Bai Wei honestly replied. "But her lineage is truly extraordinary, ancient and mysterious."
"Didn't you ask clearly?"
"It's not polite to ask directly, and personally, I don't really care about these things. It's her who came, not her family behind her. I would rather focus on the present and not worry about other people," Bai Wei paused for a moment. "But I have to consider both her and Simozi's feelings… So, the sense of ceremony."
"The sense of ceremony is very important, as it means entering another family's home, and sometimes even changing one's name," Saki Jingūji nodded, showing her agreement. When a woman gets married, she takes her husband's last name, and it must be taken seriously. She then asked, "Have you asked the girl how she feels about it?"
"Not yet," Bai Wei shrugged. "She doesn't know for the time being."
"You haven't told her yet?" Saki Jingūji looked puzzled. "Aren't you afraid she might reject you?"
"With sincerity, even the hardest obstacles can be overcome. I believe she will agree to my proposal. If not, I will just need to be patient and give it more time."
Miss Witch found it a bit suspicious. Where did this fox spirit come from, and why was he protecting her so much?
"This girl must be very pretty, right? What kind of girl is she?"
"A girl who makes my heart unable to let go," Bai Wei said.
"What else?"
"She is someone who can make people feel sympathetic towards her. Her future is uncertain, perhaps filled with hardships that make people want to lend her a helping hand."
"Hmm?" Jingūji suddenly felt that this description sounded familiar.
"We have a strong connection, carrying forward debts from a past life… and in this present life, I am here to repay her."
"!!" Saki Jingūji was speechless.
They talked for a long time.
The fox spirit… turned out to be me!!
