Are you, as meal replacement users, ready for the consequences?

What the heck is "master"? Is it really okay to have someone like this as Ningzi's classmate?

Shoko Toyokawa was speechless for a moment, not knowing where to begin her rant about the matter.

She heard an unexpected name.

"You left with Takamatsu-kun?"

"Yes, they ran that way, like they eloped, no, it was practically an elopement."

A helpful classmate pointed in the direction of the astronomy club, which was very close to the teacher in charge of the review.

"Thank you for your help, see you later."

Shoko Toyokawa bowed slightly, picked up her bag, and rushed towards the teacher's office.

Go ask the teacher which club Ningzi joined, then go to the club to find Ningzi. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes...

Lamp, please take good care of Ningzi during this time.

Shouldn't you at least tell her where you're taking her? Is this child supposed to run around everywhere?

As Xiangzi walked up the stairs, she remembered what Ningzi had told her at noon.

Ningzi said that Deng confessed his feelings to her.

At first, Xiangzi didn't believe it. She knew Deng well; Deng wasn't that kind of person.

Even if she can't clearly express her own thoughts, will she ever confess her feelings to someone else?

Ningzi must have misunderstood.

But what that classmate just said about "eloping" really gave Xiangzi a fright.

Could Deng really be interested in Ningzi? What a joke, they've only known each other for less than twelve hours!

Don't let anything go wrong, Ningzi!

Shoko Toyokawa quickly climbed the stairs; this was the first time she had complained that there were too many stairs in Haneoka.

……

"Ning, don't we need to continue cleaning? There's still quite a lot of clutter..."

Toyokawa Ningko happily acted as Takamatsu Takayuki's seat, wrapping her arms around him like a seatbelt.

"Cleaning? It's okay, we can clean it up slowly later."

I feel like I've forgotten something, wait...

Did I leave my teddy bear in the classroom? Oh no, I'll have to go get it later.

"Question: Does Xiaodeng think Ningzi is comfortable?"

"Wha...what?"

Ningzi's smile was quite wicked; she loved teasing the mischievous fish lanterns and watching their genuine emotions and adorable little expressions.

And the lamp is very easy to make red; just touch it and rub it, and the other person will be as afraid to move as a small animal.

Just like playing the piano requires a lot of skill, playing with a Takasō lamp is definitely not a simple matter.

Toyokawa Ningko wants to become a master in the field of playing with Takamatsu lamps!

"Little Lamp, may I put my hand inside your clothes? Believe it or not, I just saw a tiny butterfly with colorful wings get lost inside your clothes."

"Huh? Okay, alright?"

The lamp didn't have much belly fat, which matched Ningzi's imagination.

She had no intention of exploring further up or down, since the child might not be able to handle that level of exploration.

Even though we've been together for so long, she's still as shy and charming as when we first met.

There's no such thing as not being able to eat something after marriage.

Haven't we been married for over thirty years? But I'm only sixteen.

"Wait a minute, Light, what's that on the back of your neck? Don't move, let me take a look."

Because they were embracing face-to-face, Ningzi could clearly feel the strong and healthy heat emanating from the lamp.

The warm breath pattered against Ningzi's cheeks, carrying the unique scent of a sentimental sixteen-year-old girl.

Cleaning? You can do that anytime.

The most important thing in the world is to spend some quality time with the lamp.

She loves me, she really loves me.

Takamatsu Akari loves me, and I love her too.

I am a seashell buried on the beach of her heart; I cannot survive without the surging tide of the light.

Is this the boundless love I've always dreamed of?

This must be it, right?

Let me hold you a little longer, Lamp, until my body rots and my filthy, broken soul is taken away by the demons and their lackeys from hell.

"Ning? Are you inside? It's time to go home."

Shoko Toyokawa, panting heavily, knocked on the wooden door of the astronomy club a few times after running halfway across the campus.

No response? Could it be that Ningzi isn't inside?

Or...did something go wrong?!

The fears of the past, along with the anxieties of today, bounced in, and Toyokawa Shoko pushed open the door without hesitation.

"Ningzi, I... um? You guys?"

What did Toyokawa Shoko see?

If Shoko Toyokawa were a teacher, she would confidently admit that this was a teacher training program.

She saw it: her old friend was roughly riding on her innocent, adorable, and pure-hearted younger sister.

He actually put Ningzi's hand there?

What have you been learning lately, Deng?

To do such a thing in broad daylight, in the sacred classroom...

The key issue is that the victim was her sister.

Could this have been an accident? I don't know, but it certainly doesn't look like an accident.

"What are you doing? Deng, I told you to take good care of Ningzi, is this how you take care of her?"

"Xiao Xiang! I didn't, that's not true..."

Takamatsu, holding the hem of her skirt, lifted herself off Ningzi, her sweaty little hands gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.

She was so bewildered, like a student being punished by a teacher.

It feels like I've been caught cheating.

Toyokawa Ningko, still lying on the ground, blinked.

Oh no, I forgot about my sister.

"Sister? Let's...go home."

"Please go outside and wait for me. I need to talk to Deng about something."

Xiangzi helps Ningzi up and protects her behind him. Is this posture meant to guard against someone?

"Oh, should I go outside and wait?"

"Come on."

I hope Xiang won't beat the lamp to death. I don't want this to happen.

"Little Lamp, I'll contact you by phone later."

Ningzi silently spoke to Takamatsu, and obediently retreated.

Xiangzi works very hard, supporting his family all by himself. Although he could resist and stay here, that would only make him more tired...

Ningzi didn't want her sister to overwork.

"it is good."

Ningzi stared at the lamp for a few more seconds before reluctantly leaving the astronomy club.

boom-

The door was closed, followed by a crisp click.

"What, you're still locking the door? You're even keeping your own sister away?"

Ningzi tried to peek through the curtains, but unfortunately someone saw through her plan and ruthlessly sealed off the space.

Chapter 14. Being loved is a person's fantasy.

"Do you know what they're doing in there?"

"what?"

Toyokawa Ningko had half her face pressed against the door, but even so, she couldn't hear the conversation inside.

Are these two communicating through writing? Why is there no sound at all?

Has someone already been stabbed to death? And the other person is collecting the body?

She was so engrossed in listening that Ningzi was startled when a familiar voice sounded behind her.

"A cat? When did it arrive?"

A kitten was perched on the railing behind me, its gray and white fur remarkably well-maintained, suggesting it was brought by one of the faculty members.

“I’ve always been here, Xiao Ningzi.”

The kitten licked its paws and answered Ningzi's question casually.

"So, you know what they're doing in there?"

Do you think this silly cat knows the answer? What strange things am I saying? I don't even know how she could possibly know.

"They might be flirting in there, you know, they might have been together for a long time."

Auspicious lamps?

Are you making fun of me?

"Sister...would never betray me, and neither would Deng. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll...I'll throw you off the building! I'll throw you really hard!"

Ningzi tried to pounce on the variegated cat, but the cat ignored her and casually jumped back onto the windowsill.

"Do you know about meal replacements, Xiao Ningzi?"

Don't talk to me like that... you cat...

"Meal replacement? If you can't get a proper meal, just grab a couple of bites to tide you over, what's wrong with that?"

"Xiangzi is a meal replacement."

"What? I didn't understand."

Ningzi sat on the ground leaning against the railing, her posture utterly lacking in grace, looking quite disheveled.

"Because Takamatsu couldn't find you, after meeting your sister, she automatically mistook your sister for you."

"What's the point of lying to me and trying to fool me?"

"It's a fact, an unchangeable fact. I admit it, Toyokawa Neko, Akari truly loves you, but have you ever thought about..."

"What."

"When she can't find you, and then meets someone who looks exactly like you, how does she feel?"

Happy? Excited? Anxious? How should I know?

"Yes, she has all of those things, but your sister is very nice. She had been rejecting him all along. Didn't she tell you this morning to stay away from Gao Songdeng?"

“I might be over-interpreting things, but have you ever considered that it might be your older sister, Toyokawa Shoko, who wants to keep the Takamatsu lamp all to herself and doesn’t want to share it with you?”

"Perhaps that's what she meant by saying that this morning, what nonsense about not wanting you to get into trouble."