Chapter 15: An Exclamation Point Arriving at the Doorstep
Bai Wei opened the front door, and outside stood a young woman…no, a teenage girl.
A high school girl wearing a simple uniform and a scarf despite the early autumn weather.
Under the sunshine, the girl's hair appeared chestnut brown with a hint of red and a faint scent of chestnuts.
"Excuse me, senpai…" She looked at Bai Wei in surprise, then lowered her head. "I apologize for interrupting."
Bai Wei searched his memory and confirmed the other person's identity.
This was one of the interpersonal relationships that Bai Wei had established since arriving at Old Edo.
The other person was a high school girl working part-time at a shop and a convenience store, Guan Ling.
She sounded like a person from the Ming Country, but she was born and raised in Hokkaido and moved to Edo with her family.
Enduring hardships and displaying hard work, she wore black framed glasses and usually dressed conservatively in a female school uniform. She was an unremarkable country girl.
Considering her young age, Bai Wei had taken care of her while working, and their relationship was still good, but not to the extent of visiting each other at home.
"Is there anything I can assist you with, Miss Guan?" he courteously asked.
"This, this… " The little girl stuttered and stumbled, generally not being very fluent, and seemed to be somewhat ashamed when she saw such a grand mansion. She bent down and handed over what she had in her hand, "It's a relief supply."
"A relief supply?" Bai Wei asked in confusion.
"The news of your hospitalization was known by people in the shopping district, and the store manager asked me to bring some relief supplies over," Guan Ling said quietly.
"It's only been one or two days and everyone already knows?" Bai Wei scratched his head and accepted the relief supplies.
"Well, that's it then. Sorry for bothering you," Guan Ling bowed and was about to turn and run away.
"Wait." Bai Wei saw her about to run and grabbed her scarf. Although he let go as soon as he pulled, he still saw a very serious red and swollen injury under the scarf covering her neck position.
"Well, um…" Guan Ling turned back, tears in her eyes. "I, I don't have any money."
"Who would rob you at their own doorstep?" Bai Wei stepped aside. "Come in, a guest is a guest. Let me at least offer you a cup of tea."
"No need, I'm the kind of person who will dirty up your courtyard if I go in." She said with her head bowed.
"The yard and the house will naturally accumulate dust and need cleaning. There's no such thing as making it dirty, it's simply not clean to begin with."
"But, but…" She still didn't dare to approach.
Seeing her weak appearance, Bai Wei couldn't help but think of Liliana when she was still a helpless slave, and his tone was filled with a hint of lament at her misfortune.
He emphasized his tone, "I said come in, so come in."
"Yes."
After being scolded, she quickly agreed.
It was still the same living room, but the two men in suits had been replaced by female high school students.
Guan Ling couldn't help but look around curiously at the spacious and beautiful big house, but then she withdrew her gaze, lowered her head, and wiped her glasses so as not to appear too unsightly.
To conceal her expression, upon seeing the teacup handed over, she immediately lifted it up and wanted to drink it all in one go, then make a quick escape.
She was quickly burnt on the tongue.
Bai Wei shook his head helplessly and said, "It's a bit hot. Let's wait for a while before drinking it."
His gaze rested upon Guan Ling and then slowly lifted upwards.
Wow!
Yellow exclamation mark.
It's not a golden legend, nor a purple rarity, but rather yellow… with signs of turning into crimson.
With such a big exclamation mark sent over, it's impossible to just let it go.
Triggering the click, Guan Ling showed no reaction, only nibbling on the bright red Fuji apple.
At this time, the brand wasn't so expensive yet, but Yingzhou's fruits are never cheap at any time.
Upon triggering the exclamation mark, the first thing that Bai Wei saw wasn't the task bar, but the character information.
[Guan Ling]
[16-year-old female high school student]
[Features: Part-time work expert, dexterous, mentally agile, not fluent in speech, timid personality, poor family background]
[Condition: Mental stress, mild illness, pain resistance]
[Mental Stress - Poverty, the need to work multiple jobs to barely sustain a living…Academic, social and family obligations bring mental stress]
[Mild illness - Lack of sleep, malnutrition, illness caused by long-term frugality…Suffering from this illness during the growth period can leave serious sequelae]
[Pain endurance - Induced violence, multiple old injuries, strong tolerance to pain, inferred as domestic violence and school bullying]
Enough, enough.
Bai Wei took down the information bulletin board and as he kept staring at it, his fists clenched and his scalp went numb.
It is difficult for any reliable adult male to tolerate the unfair treatment and excessive oppression of minors in society.
The kind and gentle nurturing instincts in human nature.
However, why can't it be activated?
Why can't such a big exclamation mark trigger the mission?
This ability is really quite peculiar.
After sitting for a while, Guan Ling became restless and tried to leave several times, but Bai Wei kept her with the excuse of "Drink more teas".
Just as Guan Ling was about to leave for the fifth time, Yagyū Simozi, who had just finished exercising, came back. She wiped off her sweat and glanced at Guan Ling.
Both of them are about a year and a half apart in age, but their temperament differs by many multiples.
"Brother, do we have a guest?"
"She is a junior from my place of work who came to visit and offer their condolences when they found out I was hospitalized."
"Ahem, pardon me, I am Yagyū Simozi. Thank you for taking care of my elder brother."
The top-scoring younger sister knelt on the ground, exhibiting refined gracefulness befitting a proper young lady, and made a bow in respect.
After a moment of being stunned, Guan Ling finally reacted, bowed her head in return and stuttered, "I'm the one who's being taken care of, you're praising me too much…"
Unconsciously used a respectful term.
Yagyū Simozi smiled and said, "Elder brother, why don't we invite our guest to stay for dinner tonight? I will freshen up and make dinner later."
Watching the elegant departure of Yagyū Simozi, Guan Ling's eyes filled with indescribable emotions as she murmured, "Senpai, your younger sister is really pretty."
Pretty.
It's not just pretty.
After being persuaded, Guan Ling finally sat back down without asking to leave again.
It was not until the end of dinner that Bai Wei stood up to see off his guest.
They talked a lot, and she was very good at reading other people's emotions and saying things that others like to hear. She had a high level of emotional intelligence.
However, Guan Ling always kept her conversation topics shallow and quickly changed the subject, making it difficult for others to pursue further questioning.
Until he walked her to the door of her residence, Bai Wei showed no signs of being triggered with an exclamation point, but maybe…
It became a little more red.
"I'm not feeling well, so I won't accompany you," said Bai Wei. "I'm also worried about leaving Simozi to walk alone at night, so… I'm sorry about that."
"It's okay, the distance to the tram is very close, and there is police patrol on the way, it's safe," she said.
Guan Ling's words became very smooth, with no more stuttering or pauses. She didn't actually have a communication barrier; the problem was psychological.
"Okay, be careful on the way," Bai Wei said, his hands tucked in his sleeves.
"Goodbye, senior, Sister Yagyū," she politely bowed to express her gratitude while carrying the food container with the leftovers from dinner.
"Guan Ling."
Suddenly a voice came from behind, and Guan Ling, who had just walked five steps away, turned around in confusion.
"If you encounter any trouble, you can come to me."
Bai Wei stood under the eaves at the door, the light shining on his back and shoulders. His shadow blended with the night, as if everything else had become a background and support, only highlighting the central figure.
Guan Ling paused, not responding, then bent down slightly and walked away step by step with the bag in her hand.
"She is already gone, brother," Yagyū Simozi said softly.
"Um," Bai Wei turned his head back and said, "This time you didn't get angry."
"I won't be angry with a little hamster," she said softly.
"She is indeed a hamster, but she is different from you," Bai Wei smiled.
"Aren't I cute?"
"Cute… but you are a hedgehog. You know how to protect yourself by raising your spines when you're hurt, but she has nothing to protect herself."
"Really pitiful," she said.
"It's possible to support her," Bai Wei said casually. "But it wouldn't make much of a difference."
"Why?"
"Because the root cause is not here," Bai Wei muttered to himself. "Because fate hasn't arrived yet."
An exclamation mark drifted far away.
However, nearby a group of exclamation marks was swiftly drifting over.
