People in Tokyo, the world is clear

It's incredible.

Like, someone who exists in imagination.

He looks calm and composed, but he always makes unexpectedly humorous remarks from time to time.

He acts like he has no hobbies or interests, but he actually has some delicate and moving songs hidden in his heart.

He seemed indifferent to everything, but unexpectedly, he was like a soulmate, understanding her dreams, her struggles and efforts.

More importantly——

No one had ever been so sure of what she was pursuing as he was. Even more determined and resolute than she was.

She was even willing to pretend to tell a fairy tale, and to weave a happy and beautiful ending like a last glimmer of light for her dream that was almost dying.

Really grateful, flattered even.

95

I probably don't know when it started, but I started to care about him.

But Qingshan Xiazhi knew.

He, Xiao Linsen, is a man who is determined not to marry or fall in love. From the beginning to the end, it has always been like this.

Therefore, some strange thoughts should be hidden and restrained naturally from the moment they are born.

What Miss Qingshan knows better is that no matter what kind of story it is, it will have its ending.

Especially, this summer when she turned 24.

Well, why not, just leave it like this.

Nothing will last forever. I should have been more open-minded. I should have been less sentimental. It should have been as simple as the reason I came to this city.

But the heart is a two-room house, one for joy and one for pain.

Perhaps Miss Qingshan accidentally laughed too loudly, and thus accidentally woke up Huanle's bad-tempered neighbor.

But, you have to hide it well.

In this final moment, don't be like a cute doll that changes its face and becomes evil, and scare anyone.

So, she endured it desperately and held on to that guy who she had only known for two months but seemed like a close friend of many years.

She slowly began to try to tell him everything about herself: her coming, her going, her best days.

Qingshan Xiazhi will leave Xiaolinsen with a brave, beautiful, and strong Qingshan Xiazhi. Perhaps this is also a way to not feel regret.

——It should be like this. It should be like this.

But it seems that I took it for granted.

Miss Qingshan took two steps forward and turned sideways, feeling a warm heat coming from somewhere behind her.

A figure walked into the house side by side with her, just like how he had been involved in her life for some reason in the first place, without any reason.

He placed the three-ounce paper cup in his hand on the table. Turning his head, his expression remained the same: calm, resolute, indifferent, or perhaps fearless.

He stretched out his hand and pointed at the hot meatballs in a paper cup.

"Take two first, then three. While they're hot!"

So, what are you doing?

Even I have decided to surrender to life. Why, you are still like this, more confident in me than I am in myself?

Really, no.

If I continue like this, how can I be happy in these last days?

What else, always smiling.

Always pretending to be strong in front of you.

If it keeps going like this, then...

How can I hold back my tears?

How can you say goodbye with a smile?

For a moment, Qingshan Xiazhi felt a surge of strength in his body. He wanted to rush forward, grab his clothes, pull him by the collar, push his back, and drive him out.

But I don’t know why.

Finally, the last bit of energy in that exhausted body was used in the wrong place:

"I've eaten enough today."

"I've walked so far to get to your house, I must have digested it long ago. Come on, let's do it together, buddy, I'm starving."

So, some things that were supposed to happen didn't happen.

Obeying the instructions, Miss Aoyama slowly sat down at the table, reached out greedily and hungrily, grabbed the wooden stick, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"This shop is pretty good. It's quite cheap. Besides, Ito and I both like the taste. I wonder if it suits your taste, Aoyama."

"cough cough..."

"I mean, slow down. You don't have to give me face like that."

Lin Sen glanced at Miss Qingshan and watched her pat her chest for a long time before swallowing the food.

For some reason, she suddenly glared at him with a hint of anger, and then, not knowing what she was thinking about, she started to smile foolishly to herself.

It was gratifying. The seemingly smiling but actually dejected look just now seemed to have dissipated a lot.

At least, it's no longer on the surface.

I breathed a sigh of relief and lowered my head to pick up some midnight snack to satisfy my craving.

Listen to the girl sitting opposite you start a conversation.

"Suddenly I'm curious about a question."

"speak."

"I often hear Xiaolin emphasize the principle of not getting married or dating. Is he really that determined?"

"Without a doubt."

"But, look at Kobayashi... and Ito getting really close. Are they just, friends?"

"Yes. However, this involves a series of complicated reasons and stories. If you are interested, I will find a chance to tell you about it."

"Isn't this a private matter? Can we discuss this openly?"

"My goal is to maintain a small but high-quality friendship. So, to the extent possible, I hope to be as honest with my friends as possible."

Halfway through his speech, Lin Sen glanced at Qingshan's curious expression:

"I just realized that I rarely talk to you about my affairs. When we meet, it's usually you, Qingshan, who shares."

"Because I treat you as my friend!"

"We are two brothers."

"Friends! Also, don't ignore gender just to make things easier. Who would call you a brother?"

A wooden skewer poked over and gently tapped Lin Sen's arm as he placed it on the table.

Then, Miss Qingshan sat up, put on a proper posture as if she was listening to a lecture, and raised her right hand.

"Well, today is the best day. As it happens, I have tomorrow morning off. I think today is a good opportunity. Xiaolin, tell me about your story."

"Today, no."

"Eh!!!"

"There's a reason. Eat quickly."

Lin Sen sighed deeply, a rare moment, and stared at the girl in front of him with a ponytail. "If I'm not mistaken, Qingshan has a problem with his mentality. Let's have a good talk today."

"..."

For a moment, it seemed that there was some hidden reluctance in Miss Qingshan's vague expression.

But in the end, she sniffed lightly and laughed again.

"Hmm...Okay. Are you planning on fooling me again?"

"Let me try another approach."

So after the pretentious life coach had rewarded his stomach for the evening, he pulled up the pretentious student lady.

"First of all, I probably need to apologize. I took it for granted."

"right."

"I keep talking to you about dreams. They're too illusory. We still have to return to reality."

"agree!"

"So, let's talk about something practical. From Qingshan's tone just now, it seemed like he was already planning to pack up and leave as soon as the summer was over?"

"Yeah!"

"That's true. In fact, I've always been vaguely aware of the predicament you're facing, Qingshan. I know what you mean. You have a lot to worry about. First of all, your family doesn't want them to waste their time in the big city. And you don't see any hope for that, either."

While narrating, Lin Sen noticed that Miss Qingshan looked at him in a daze, staring at him silently, waiting.

So, continue:

"On the way here, I thought about it carefully. Indeed, the pressure of life in Tokyo is too great. The cost of pursuing your dreams is too high. Qingshan feels that over time, this kind of financial pressure and uncertain future will make you rationalize your passion and ultimately decide to cut your losses. Is that right?"

"...So Xiaolin knew."

Lin Sen saw that the girl sitting opposite him gradually regained her clarity of expression.

Looking over, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief in an exaggerated way.

Again, stay relaxed and tap the table in front of you.

"Although, there may be some other minor reasons. But probably, that's it. After so long, it's time to face reality and...let it go, huh."

She stretched again:

"So, now, I probably just hope that in these final days, I can prepare for a happy ending. In the end, I can leave without any regrets. That's not bad either."

"Do you really think so?"

"...Um."

After a brief pause, Miss Aoyama nodded vigorously again.

She looked over at Lin Sen again, hit him with her fist, and pouted, "Look, Xiao Lin knows everything. Why did you have to say those pretentious words on the old street again? Actually, it made it... quite embarrassing."

The girl took another shallow breath, and then she put her fingers on Lin Sen's arm and shook it gently.

"But I understand Xiaolin's concern. Okay, okay, let's not dwell on this. Tell me about your story. Come to think of it, it's not really fair for me to always have to talk about it."

"can."

"Hurry up, hurry up!"

Miss Qingshan tried hard to control her body trembling. Then, a curious expression appeared on her face again, and she stared at Lin Sen's face with wide eyes.

Gaze at his calm expression and try to be a quiet listener.

Then, he looked over, nodded, and spoke:

"Yes, you can. But before that, there's another matter."

"...what?"

"I'll just say it."

Lin Sen caught the girl's slightly trembling fingers in his peripheral vision. He put down his hands and looked for the pair of eyes that were flickering dimly in the long night.

Listen to her trembling breathing.

Deep voice, righteousness.

"Listen to me. Starting today, until next fall, don't go out to work anymore."

"During this period, all your daily expenses..."

"I come."