hotmtlnovel Page 86
Page 86
"I'm starving after a busy afternoon, Genmi. Would it be convenient for me to come to your place for a meal? I'll pay."
"It's convenient... but sir, my home..."
Xuanmi looked troubled.
His family's porridge is so fine that you can count every single grain of rice in it, how could they possibly serve guests?
"As long as there's food, that's fine."
Ryosuke didn't give him a chance to refuse, reaching out and pulling him along: "Let's go."
On his way to the Shinazugawa family's residence, Ryosuke deliberately took a detour and bought a lot of food.
Back in the familiar little house, Sanemi was helping his mother cook. Hearing footsteps, he didn't turn around and habitually complained.
"Xuanmi, why are you so late coming back..."
Genmi's words came to an abrupt end.
He saw Ryosuke following behind Genya, carrying large and small bags.
Sanemi pursed his lips into a thin line, but did not immediately lash out.
Mother Shizu also came out of the house.
She was a petite, gentle-looking married woman with her hair styled in an updo.
She looked at Ryosuke with a hint of confusion on her face.
"Xuanmi, who is this...?"
Chapter 82 A sudden change occurred!
Ryosuke nodded in greeting.
"Hello, Madam. I apologize for bothering you. My name is Yasui Ryosuke."
He looked at Xuanmi, his tone relaxed.
"I feel like I have a special connection with this little guy. Since we ran into each other again today, I thought I'd come and have a meal with him, and also to thank him for giving me directions yesterday."
Ryosuke made up an excuse on the spot and gestured with the food in his hand.
"Consider this my meal payment."
Xuanmi quickly nodded in agreement.
"Mom, Mr. Ryosuke isn't a bad person. He even helped me today."
Shizu glanced at Ryosuke, then at Genya, and nodded gently.
"You're too kind. My humble abode is really simple and there's nothing much to offer you. I'm just glad you don't mind."
Ryosuke smiled and naturally opened the food, distributing it to the eager children.
The little ones were a bit shy at first, but with Genya's encouragement and Ryosuke's smile, they quickly cheered and surrounded him.
The cabin was filled with cheerful laughter.
"Eat slowly, don't choke."
Ryosuke patted the youngest member, Kotomi.
Seeing his younger siblings so happy, Genya also helped Ryosuke distribute the food.
"Hey, that's for Sadako... don't take it!"
In the kitchen, as Zhijin listened to the children's innocent laughter, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
Sanemi leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed, his gaze never leaving Ryosuke.
He snorted and muttered something.
“A suspicious fellow…”
Zhijin stirred the porridge in the pot and gently advised.
"Alright, Sanemi, stop being stubborn. Mr. Yasui doesn't seem like a bad person. He brought food and made his younger siblings so happy. Since he's here, he's a guest."
"Who knows what his purpose is?"
Sanemi turned his head away, his tone still stiff.
The meal was prepared quickly, and as expected, it was light and simple: a pot of rice porridge with vegetable scraps and a small dish of pickled vegetables. That was all.
With a stern face, Sanemi slammed the bowl of porridge down in front of Ryosuke.
"Well, we don't have much to offer you, so please make do with this!"
Shizu looked at her eldest son reproachfully.
Ryosuke smiled nonchalantly and began to eat heartily.
"It smells very warm, madam."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Sanemi, and he casually picked up a piece of hagi mochi from the oil paper package and handed it to him.
Here, would you like some?
Sanemi's temple throbbed, and he abruptly turned his head away: "I won't eat!"
Ryosuke shrugged, took a bite himself, and nodded in approval.
"Well, it tastes pretty good."
This delicate dinner ended without us even realizing it.
While clearing away the dishes, Shizu glanced at Ryosuke's Nichirin Blade at his waist and asked him gently.
"Mr. Yasui, are you a wandering samurai?"
Ryosuke nodded, acknowledging this identity.
"I guess so. I travel around and handle whatever I can."
Zhijin didn't delve into it further, but simply sighed.
"This kind of life must be tough. Thank you for taking care of Xuanmi today and for spending so much money to buy so many things."
"You're too kind, Madam. Xuanmi and I get along very well."
Ryosuke smiled and chatted for a few more minutes before getting up to say goodbye as it was getting dark.
In the days that followed, Sanemi and Genya often ran into Ryosuke at the construction site.
He always seemed to have free time and was incredibly strong, helping them carry heavy objects and move stone slabs.
Meanwhile, Ryosuke continued to bring all sorts of food to the Shinazugawa family for meals, and soon became friends with all the children except Sanemi.
Even when Shizu sees Ryosuke, the worry between her brows will slightly dissipate, revealing a rare, faint smile.
Ryosuke and Genya usually chat and laugh together, and they have a harmonious relationship.
Sanemi remained vigilant throughout, occasionally clicking his tongue in dissatisfaction.
But seeing the expressions on his mother's and younger siblings' faces, he ultimately swallowed back the harsh words.
After a meal, Ryosuke pointed to an empty house not far away.
“I’m staying there temporarily. If you encounter any problems and need any help, you can come to me anytime.”
Genya nodded gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Ryosuke!"
Sanemi, with a stern face, said irritably.
"We can handle this ourselves! We don't need you to interfere!"
Ryosuke shrugged and didn't seem to care.
During this time, Ryosuke cleared out most of the evil spirits near Kyobashi Ward.
He wasn't bothered by the missing bread rolls, so he simply lay on the rooftop and pretended to sleep, sensing the movements of the Shinazugawa family.
One night, in the dead of night, all was quiet.
Suddenly, Ryosuke heard a series of hurried footsteps.
He immediately sat up and saw Xuanmi running towards him, panting.
"Mr. Ryosuke! Mr. Ryosuke!"
Xuanmi's voice was filled with panic.
"Something might have happened to my mother! She's never been this late before! My older brother has already gone out to look for her!"
Liang Jie's heart was ringing with alarm bells.
He jumped down from the roof and gave instructions to Xuanmi.
"Genya! Listen! Wake up your younger siblings right now, bring them here, lock the door, and don't come out no matter what noise you hear! I'm going to find Lady Shizu and your eldest brother!"
The next moment, a flash of lightning appeared, and Ryosuke's figure instantly disappeared at the end of the street.
Zhijin bid farewell to his employer and walked wearily on his way home.
She had just finished her work and was tightly clutching a small cloth bag in her arms.
Inside were some extra snacks and leftovers that the host had given us.
Thinking of the children seeing those bright, sparkling eyes, she quickened her pace.
As I walked through a familiar alley, a rustling sound of gnawing came from around the corner.
Shijin was startled and cautiously peeked out.
Under the moonlight, the demon was completely gray and its body was hunched over.
At that moment, he was lying on a corpse, gnawing on it, and the strong smell of blood filled the air.
Zhijin quickly covered his mouth, his stomach churning.
She instinctively took a step back, and the evil spirit paused, then suddenly turned around!
It was a twisted and terrifying face, its mouth gaping open, stained with blood and bits of flesh, utterly horrifying.
"Humanity……"