Chapter 27: A Cherished Friendship
Although I wished for my elder brother to stay in Yingzhou, I never expressed my desire for him to marry another woman.
…He has reached the age to seek a girlfriend, in the past, I managed to deter all prospects in the Ming Country. Is it logical now to simply let go once we arrive in Yingzhou?
…If we were to bring my brother to Far East University, with his charm and drive, wouldn't he easily obtain contact information from numerous girls?
…You mentioned that you still want to meet my brother?
…You better go as far as you can from me.
…Our friendship has come to an end!
In that moment, a series of textual statements flowed through the mind of Yagyū Simozi.
In the end, the only thing that escaped her lips as words was a single sentence.
"May I ask who is calling?"
Her icy glare was akin to staring at a lustful dolphin.
Saki Jingūji shivered, trembling apprehensively, accompanied by a subtle blush of excitement that was not easily detectable.
"What's wrong, all of a sudden… I thought we had an agreement yesterday?"
"I just said I needed to think about it. I didn't expect you to be so proactive… Ha, women." Yagyū Simozi swiftly turned and pressed Saki Jingūji against the wall with a firm hand. "Were you plotting something against my brother all along?"
Saki Jingūji lowered her head, her breath quickening, her gaze wavering. "H-How could that be? We are close friends, I never had any thoughts of being your sister… absolutely not!"
"Look into my eyes! Speak the truth!" the lioness exerted pressure.
"There… there might have been… " Saki Jingūji forced a smile, tracing the tip of her finger. "Just a little."
Yagyū Simozi released her grip and declared, "Let us sever our ties!"
"Ah?" Saki Jingūji exclaimed in astonishment. "Am I really incapable of doing it?"
Yagyū Simozi's gaze turned ferocious as she stared at Saki Jingūji's alluring figure, filled with an itching resentment. "Instead of letting my elder brother be lured away by a woman with such sizable bosom and voluptuous curves, it would be better for me to personally…"
"Personally?"
"Flatten your chest! Indecent physique!"
"Simozi, your jealousy is about to overflow. What's wrong? It's been a while since you've had such an outburst," Saki Jingūji expressed with concern. "Did you just start your period? But I don't recall that your period is these days."
"How did you know it was…" Yagyū Simozi took a deep breath. "Shut up! Let's go to school!"
"I've reached your doorstep. Won't you invite me in for a while? I'm quite curious to see your dojo," Saki Jingūji exclaimed eagerly. "I wonder which one is larger, compared to my family's."
"Aren't you afraid of being late?"
"It's all public open days, so there are few classes these days,"
"So that's why you almost failed your cultural courses exam!"
"The swordsman doesn't pay attention to this."
"Look at your despicable physique and yet you call yourself a swordsman! You are nothing but a worthless mass of fat, lacking exercise throughout your entire body!"
Saki Jingūji's face changed drastically as she exclaimed, "I cannot tolerate your words any longer! Even Simozi, you are my friend, you can't say it. I am very powerful! In the past, we had to battle for hundreds of rounds before determining a winner. It's an even match!"
Yagyū Simozi lifted her chin and declared, "Perfect timing. It has been nearly half a month since we last sparred. This time, I shall engage in a duel with you. If I emerge victorious, you are forbidden from entering my residence henceforth, especially within a fifty-meter radius of my elder brother!"
"Then it's settled… Wait a moment, but wouldn't that only result in me being at a disadvantage? What if I win?" Saki Jingūji asked, hands behind her back.
"What nonsense are you spouting? How could you possibly defeat me?" Yagyū Simozi chuckled, her lips pursed. "You truly are an adorably foolish child."
"I, I, I-!" Saki Jingūji exclaimed impatiently. "If I win, you must introduce me to your brother and address me as 'Lady Elder Sister'!"
-Swish!
The wooden sword rested against her neck, half of its length embedded in the groove of her chest.
"Do you wish to die?" Yagyū Simozi's expression turned frightfully fierce, "I shall send you to the afterlife right away."
After Saki Jingūji promptly offered her apology, effectively quelling the fury of her dear friend, she let out a gentle sigh.
"Being infatuated with someone's elder brother is such a hassle, especially when it comes to Simozi, who is such an adorable young lady,"
"I don't really have any ulterior motives, I just wanted to take this opportunity to tell you, since if we continue like this, I'll have to hide it for a long time."
"Actually, I have known your elder brother for a long time."
"And our relationship is quite good, I must say."
…
"Ah-choo!"
"Who is mentioning me?"
"Simozi is getting older, entering the rebellious stage… Surely she is cursing me, guaranteeing my eternal singleness!"
Bai Wei rubbed his nose gently.
After finishing the rice quickly with a few mouthfuls, washing the bowls and chopsticks, grabbing the wallet, preparing to go out for a stroll.
Having spent three days at home, with a surplus of leisure time, he could only attend to his daily tasks. It was truly tormenting, as if suffering from the agony of longing for action.
Not asking for a version update, but hoping for some recreational activities to pass the time.
What surprised Bai Wei even more was that, on the other hand, the underworld organization seemed to be strangely silent.
He had everything ready, but in the end, the other party didn't show up.
Growing impatient from waiting incessantly, gradually losing patience, he decided to venture out and test the waters, attempting to lure and seduce for a momentary thrill.
Surely it cannot be because my actions were too fierce, resulting in the enemies being too scared to do anything, can it?
…
Keep moving forward along the way.
After regaining his memory, Bai Wei embarked on a solitary outing to stroll and appreciate the scenery for the first time.
Yagyū's residence is located on the outskirts of old Edo, just a few blocks away from the new city of Tokyo towards the east. The office buildings shine brightly in reflection, showcasing rapid urban development. To the west, traditional wooden residential buildings dominate, exuding an old-world charm.
He walked along a bustling commercial street, where people greeted him as he passed by, triggering fragments of Bai Wei's scattered memories.
In the past, he had worked on this commercial street for over a month, diligently using his hands and feet, with a sunny smile. He had a natural way of speaking and was a person from the Ming Country, establishing favorable interpersonal relationships.
However, his goal was not merely to earn money through labor, but rather to gain a clear understanding of the local market environment. Once he became acquainted with the shop owners, he often found that the prices of goods here would be discounted by more than ten percentage points.
Yingzhou, with its dense population and scarce resources, faces a shortage in various aspects, particularly in terms of vegetables, poultry, and fruits. This natural scarcity drives up prices, to the point where even enjoying a watermelon requires a sprinkling of salt to enhance its sweetness. For Bai Wei, who is accustomed to indulging in large mouthfuls of melons, this situation becomes somewhat challenging.
After engaging in conversations with several acquaintances, he left old Edo and boarded a tram to enter the area of New Tokyo, embarking on a full day of sightseeing.
Unaware of being under surveillance and with the gangster seemingly non-existent, Bai Wei also released his guard and leisurely strolled around freely.
On the way, he also encountered certain individuals from the Ming Country, whose clothing style was rather unique. Most of their styles were modified from the Confucian attire, adorned with embroidered ink-cloud patterns. Observing the streets of Yingzhou, their eyes carried a hint of arrogance and seven parts curiosity. Upon encountering fellow Ming Country tourists, they would confidently exchange greetings with a martial arts bow. This, in turn, became a peculiar spectacle in the eyes of other residents of Yingzhou. Girls dressed in kimono would even pause curiously to observe them.
They seemingly are visitors from the Jiangnan region.
As this group of tourists wandered around Sensoji Temple and the nearby commercial streets, Bai Wei inquired them about the current state of the Ming Country, receiving mostly favorable news.
Under the backdrop of economic development, a scene of flourishing prosperity.
While Bai Wei engaged in conversation with others, he gradually felt an urge to return to Suzhou and Hangzhou for a visit.
"Desiring to return, you may have to wait until the coming spring," the person from the Ming Country said. "The shipping routes will be closed, obscured by ash tides and sea fog. At the very least, for this winter, it won't be possible to return to the Great Ming. I would say it will be a minimum of three to four months."
Bai Wei asked, "And what about all of you?"
"We are the same. However, we are not in a hurry. This time we came to Yingzhou as exchange students," the person from the Ming Country expressed. "The academies and Imperial Academy have jointly recruited students. We have obtained letters of recommendation and came to Far East University as exchange students for a period of six months to a year."
"How did you come to Sensoji Temple?"
"Come and take a look, we originally planned to visit in the afternoon but decided to come and witness the scenery of Yingzhou under the rule of the shogunate," the group of five Ming Country students exchanged smiles. "It's better than we expected, but it still can't compare to the beauty of Suzhou and Hangzhou, let alone the grandeur of Yanjing."
"However, time is running out, we should leave to avoid being scolded by the team leader."
"By the way, Far East University has recently opened its doors to the public. We have seen enough of the local attractions, would you like to take a detour and visit Far East University?"
Bai Wei, who had originally intended to leave, paused for a moment and nodded towards the five fellow townsfolk.
"Very well."
"Alright, let's go together, let's go together."
The recently grown-up college students were noisy with each other.
Bai Wei noticed the yellow exclamation marks appearing above their heads, squinting his eyes unnaturally.
The gradient-colored exclamation marks gave him a sense of foreboding.
