Chapter 459, I disagree

After leaving the izakaya, Zhuo hurried back home. Seeing Ling walking towards him with a pace that was slightly more anxious but elegant than usual, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Although Zhuo had told Ling that he would be home later before school was over, it was later than usual, so Ling must have been worried about it, and that was indeed the case. Fortunately, she didn't seem to think too much about it.

"Zhuo, welcome home. It's a little late."

"I'm back. Sorry, I stayed a little longer because I had something to do. It's nothing serious. What were you doing while I was away?"

"Yeah. Didn't do anything."

"what is that?"

Zhuo took off his shoes and handed them to Ling, letting her put them in the shoe cabinet. He raised his head and asked with a smile.

"I just cooked the stew for dinner. It tasted good and I was quite satisfied with it."

"Oh? That's really exciting."

While waiting for Zhuo to come back, Ling had already prepared a delicious stew, which made Zhuo, who was changing into slippers, feel happy from the bottom of his heart, and the corners of his mouth could not help but slightly curl up. Ling said, "Well, let's look forward to it," and helped him pat the dust off his body.

Although Zhuo ate a little at Yui's invitation, it was not enough to fill the stomach of a high school boy like Utsunomiya Zhuo. It was precisely because he was looking forward to the dinner made by Ling today that Zhuo hurried back home.

"I'm also looking forward to tonight's dinner," Zhuo said with a smile as he took off his coat, and Ling naturally took the coat from Zhuo - or rather, he politely snatched the coat from him.

It looked like she was going to help put the coat away as well.

"Ah, please."

In fact, there was no need for Ling to do this, but she seemed to want to do it, and Zhuo had no reason to refuse, so he simply let her do it.

Ling, who had become noticeably more cheerful after seeing Zhuo coming back, suddenly fixed his eyes on Zhuo's hand.

"...Zhuo, is the area on your finger turning red?"

Zero is really considerate and sensitive.

Although it was very minor, Zhuo did burn his finger today. That being said, it was only a slight burn, and it has been completely cooled down, so there are no blisters, at most it is just a slight redness. Zhuo didn't expect that she would notice this.

"Ah... I accidentally got burned a little bit earlier. It was only for a moment, so it was really just a minor burn, and I've already taken good care of it. It just looks a little red."

“…Doesn’t it hurt?”

Ling lowered her head while speaking, and kept her eyes on his fingers. For Ling, who always liked to stare at Zhuo's face, this way of speaking was a little rare. But Zhuo also felt her care from this.

"It hardly hurts now. It was my own carelessness. I will learn this lesson willingly."

Although it was not serious enough to require Ling's concern, she still looked up at Zhuo with a slightly colder look than usual, expressing her dissatisfaction. Even so, Zhuo still did not feel any fear, or rather, felt more warm in her heart and wanted to laugh. Having said that, in order to comfort Ling, Zhuo placed his fingers on her beautiful light golden river and gently stroked it.

Although it was just a burn, it no longer hurt even if it touched something.

"It's okay. Even if I'm not as good as you, this kind of thing happens to ordinary people all the time."

"...Please be careful and don't get seriously injured."

"I'll be careful not to worry Zero."

"…If it happens again, I probably won't allow you to do things behind my back anymore."

"Well - although I really want to say that I didn't do it behind your back, I'll make a note of it."

Zhuo knew that he was not experienced enough and didn't want to worry Ling all the time, so he made up his mind to avoid similar things from happening in the future.

Looking at Zhuo who made a sincere vow, Ling looked at him with concern and said helplessly, "After all, Zhuo's health is the most important," and then sent the coat back to Zhuo's bedroom. Looking at her back, Zhuo, who had just returned home and had not washed his hands yet, walked towards the bathroom.

Zhuo felt a little guilty for not telling others about his meeting with Jiude Mai and Su Enxi.

……

The talks are over, and what follows is the period of final exam preparation that lasts from the end of the month to before the holidays.

Zhuo not only has to make full preparations for Ling's birthday, but also has to consider the time to go home. Every day is already very busy, and now he has to review for the exam. There is even more to do, and there is very little time left for him to relax.

However, Zhuo does not find this life that cannot be more fulfilling annoying.

"The exams won't be until March next year, but we have to start preparing now. It's really frustrating."

Neon's unified entrance examination is in March of the new year, which is three months after the final examinations of the first and second year of high school... But the teachers started preparing for that day early and kindly distributed piles of review materials. Ren looked at the hill and sighed.

Even so, everyone managed to get through it while complaining.

Time came to December.

After the final exams, it was Christmas, which was Zero’s birthday.

Zhuo, who was simultaneously reviewing for the final exam, preparing for his birthday and returning home on time, finally finished the exam in a fully prepared state.

By the way, seeing the corpses strewn all over the class, it is enough to see how hellish this exam was. Ren looked ashen, and seeing him like this, Zhuo couldn't help but be speechless. I hope his test results are not so bad that everyone will worry about him.

After the purgatory-like exam cycle ended, Christmas day and the weekend quietly arrived.

The day before the weekend, which was also the day before Ling's birthday, Zhuo's busyness gradually reached its peak. However, his excessive busyness and absence finally made Ling's worries reach their peak.

"wash?"

"Ah."

During the leisure time after dinner, Ling started cutting fruits again. Even though Zhuo did not study or take test papers at the desk today, this has gradually become a routine, and today is no exception.

She looked the same as always, and seemed completely unaware that her birthday was tomorrow.

As soon as he heard Ling calling his name, Zhuo immediately looked at her. She also raised her head, stopped backing up, and turned towards Zhuo.

However, at this time, Zhuo had not guessed what Ling wanted to say, and there was a sense of doubt all over his body. Until Ling asked directly.

"You went to see them?"

If "they" refers to Lu Mingze, Jiude Mai and Su Enxi, then yes, Zhuo cannot deny it. This matter must be made clear to Ling in advance, otherwise it will be bad if she thinks too much, but how to explain it without revealing the real purpose is also very difficult for Zhuo. Zhuo sat up straight and turned to Ling who was sitting next to him.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

"Why... like this, I understand. I don't agree."

"Huh??? Why? I haven't told you the reason yet."

"wash……"

"Huh? I'm here."

"That was clear from the beginning. I didn't want to go against him, but I also knew you had definitely agreed to something. Even so, I didn't agree."

"Eh? Eh hey hey?"

"You've already agreed, right?"

"Well... this happened a long time ago. The last time I was at the Black Stone Residence... recently, he just asked me to fulfill the original agreement, so he specially asked me to go out and meet."

After saying that, Zhuo saw Ling frowning and thinking about something without saying anything. He must be thinking about when he left the Black Stone Residence last time to fulfill the promise, or he was worried about being asked by Lu Mingze to fulfill the promise. Of course, it could be both.

After telling Ling another little lie that wasn't really a lie, Zhuo felt guilty once again.

(End of this chapter)