Chapter 497

After gratefully accepting the invitation from "No. 7", "No. 7" said goodbye to them, quickly picked up his pizza and walked to another street while eating.

After Zhuo finished eating half of his pizza, he tidied himself up and prepared to find a proper place to rest.

There was no room left at the rest area set up on the roadside... That made sense, otherwise the two wouldn't have chosen to eat in the alley... It was also not convenient to stay too long at the rest areas of other stores, so after filtering by elimination, the two came to the park where there might still be room.

There were some couples and elderly people in the park, but since shops were not allowed in this place, there were not many people coming, and it looked like there was a place to sit.

Zhuo laid a towel where the two of them were going to sit, sat on the bench under the light, and then leaned back against the chair.

"However, the streets are too busy and it's hard to calm down."

"Well, you prefer a quiet environment, and so do I."

"Also, I hate it when people stare at you all the time. It makes me feel disadvantaged."

"Nothing to lose..."

“My spirit will suffer.”

This situation was inevitable, so Zhuo had been enduring it, but he felt bad. Now Ling was dressed in black men's style from head to toe, and the eyes of others were not as excited as when she was in China, but the beauty was still very eye-catching.

Since Ling has gotten used to it and has let it go, Zhuo won't say much, at most he'll just complain a few words like this.

Ling probably understood this, so he turned his head and glanced at Zhuo, then raised his arm and patted his head soothingly. Zhuo accepted it obediently and sighed softly.

"The airport won't be under martial law just for tonight. It's been such a big commotion, and our flight is the day after tomorrow."

"As long as we can make it through tomorrow, everything will be fine. Half-bloods don't do things in a blatant way... Didn't Zhuo think that person was weird?"

"No. 7" enthusiastically handed over two invitation tickets and left. Although Zhuo wanted to return the favor, they were unable to exchange contact information. Zhuo scratched his cheek, shrugged at Zero who asked the question and said:
"If you have too many lice, you won't be afraid of itching; if you have too many debts, you won't be worried... Besides, if you want to leave here, you will definitely come to this city to take a plane. We are not the only ones."

"really?"

"You're a little different, eh? I'm not thinking about dancing anymore~ Besides, it's normal for men and women to dance together during festivals. I'm the one who's abnormal. To be honest, I was secretly jealous for a while because I thought about you getting together with others because of your dance lessons."

“…I didn’t say that.”

"Ah? Oh! W-What is that?"

"..."

Excessive love will lead to excessive possessiveness - Zhuo was unhappy in the past because Ling was unscrewing bottle caps for others, and it is better to say that he feels the same way now. He has never thought of making excuses for himself, or continuing to restrict Ling's behavior, because no matter how you look at it, this is his problem, so Zhuo is also trying to overcome it.

Ling is already a girlfriend or wife who is almost isolated from the outside world, but Zhuo still feels uncomfortable because of other people's gazes. From a certain perspective, if it were someone else, Zhuo would definitely not get along with that person.

After hearing what Zhuo said, Ling's eyes showed obvious surprise.

"Is this the kind of thing that happens when you're not paying attention?" He murmured, and without waiting for Zhuo's response, he slapped the spare wet towel he brought on Zhuo's face again and again, trying to make him recognize his own color. While slapping, he muttered faintly: "...Zhuo's skills in doing that kind of thing can't be self-taught."

wash:"……"

Even though his vision was blocked by the white wet wipes, Zhuo seemed to be able to feel the dark energy emanating from her resentment from her tone.

Zhuo felt that the pizza box on her legs was about to fall over, so he helped her get the pizza and gently stroked her head to comfort her.

After the headband was removed, her light golden hair fell down. Her hair had gentle curls because it had been tied up all day. Zhuo's stroking made her hair more fluffy. Ling stopped patting her hair and looked up at him with her side face.

"...Do you still think you can just pat your head and get away with it?"

"No, I just thought it would make you happy."

"Another similar answer."

Ling put on a cold attitude as usual towards others, but her obviously turned away face betrayed her.

That look made Zhuo couldn't help but laugh secretly, and this time he changed to stroking her head while combing her hair neatly.

Zhuo didn't intend to explain those things, after all, they were all things of the previous life. Zhuo had heard "If I had known I would meet you, I would have avoided other people like the plague", because there is no if and there is nothing you can do.

It was like Zhuo didn't intend to ask further questions, nor did he want to ask how Zero learned to dance in the past, and who he practiced dancing with... The past is the past, and what he felt under his palm now was Utsunomiya Zero.

After resting for a while, Zhuo and Ling started talking again. The place they were in began to be bathed in the whispers and gazes of passers-by, but the two were not affected.

One of the reasons why they attracted attention again was that they held hands in silence.

Perhaps it was because sitting together and holding hands made people feel immature, and Zhuo was a little embarrassed. But Ling didn't seem to want to let go. Her fingers gently but firmly held Zhuo's fingers, expressing her unwillingness to let go.

When he happened to meet an elderly couple passing by and was teased by their innocent smiles, Zhuo glanced at Ling and found that she just nodded politely in response and moved closer to him, with no intention of separating. Instead, it seemed as if she was stating her identity.

(…It doesn’t matter. They are already a legal couple anyway.)
By the way, after the two got married, they met a classmate from the same school who once had a crush on Ling. Because Ling was also very famous in other grades, he was visited by a senior who graduated a year earlier. At that time, the boy was extremely depressed and frustrated. Zhuo was even pestered and questioned by Ling before Ling arrived.

However, the senior was then stabbed in the back by Ling Wuyan who came over silently - he was referring to Ziran holding Zhuo's arm and asking "Are you a guest?", which was not a real personal attack.

But thinking that maybe it would be easier to just stab him, instead he could not stand the sight of the couple receiving him together.

After all the things they had been through, they felt that nothing could really separate them. Even if they complained about the resentment they had kept buried deep in their hearts and chose to digest it silently, they would not really care about the past that no longer existed. Instead, they were more afraid of really losing each other, or the desire to hold each other more tightly was stronger.

However, Ling, who was unwilling to leave Zhuo's shoulders, seemed to have some plans. After parting with the passing old couple, she still quietly snuggled beside Zhuo.

"What's wrong?"

"Zhuo is very popular now."

"Are you still struggling with this?"

"Aren't you the same?"

"Because Zero is beautiful and has a great temperament, and her voice is nice even without the intonation, so of course we have to be cautious."

"This is it."

"I don't quite understand..."

If you can be popular just because you show your ability to fight, then what is the meaning of this kind of liking? Or is it really possible for the other party to like you because you "like strong people" or because you "admire" them instead of liking them? Zhuo couldn't understand this kind of thing.

Anyway, if someone likes Zhuo, they should have liked him before they met Ling. There is no need to emphasize it now.

But the fact is that there is no such person.

"You want to know that badly?"

"Huh!?"

Zhuo immediately turned his head and looked down at Ling, his expression saying that he had never thought about that. He was just joining in the conversation and didn't think too much about it.

Ling didn't look back, as if she didn't notice anything. She continued to lean on Zhuo's arms and look straight ahead. It was certain that she understood what Zhuo meant.

"I thought you would want to know, but it's understandable. Zhuo is not good at assuming malicious intent towards others."

"...I understand. You mean I'm heartless." "Zhuo, have you ever thought about this? The bloodline of mixed-bloods will be inherited to a certain extent, but most of it will be diluted. So what about your ability? Will it be inherited?"

"Eh? This... can't be true? My ability comes from..."

"Don't tell me."

"Well—I don't think so."

"Are you sure?"

"Woo——"

"Almost every generation of the surviving mixed-blood families have many women and many offspring. This is to increase the base number after knowing the uncertainty of bloodline inheritance in order to ensure that the next generation can have excellent offspring... The same logic applies. If your ability can be inherited, even if there is only a tiny possibility, what do you think will happen?"

"...all the people will die."

Zhuo didn't want to state the issue directly, because he tried to gloss over it, but unfortunately his attitude and method made his efforts in vain.

In response, the soft flesh on his waist and ribs was twisted half a circle, but in the end, he didn't really use any force and it didn't hurt much. Zero just wanted to give a warning.

After hearing this obvious question, Zhuo was not honest enough to believe others.

(I always feel that this scene is familiar, but this time it seems to have been upgraded to something like a stud.)
Zhuo felt that there was nothing to be surprised about, except that Ling didn't seem to like it.

(On the way here, he was still looking forward to his and her future family, but the moment he changed the subject, he began to be wary of others' prying eyes.)
The nature of human beings is to be double-standard - Zhuo actually thinks it's cute.

Maybe Ling just noticed Zhuo's indifference, so she looked at him with a slightly dissatisfied look, but it could also be that she seemed to have noticed the thought that she was cute, causing her eyes to lack any courage.

"You clearly denied what I said before."

"You're not smart enough, are you? From now on, no matter what we do, you must stay by my side, even when we go to the bathroom or take a shower."

“… Exactly what I want.”

"Oh my, why do you sound so reluctant?"

"The imitation doesn't look like Sa Chiko at all."

Zhuo was just joking, but Ling agreed with a bluff, which made Zhuo become more aggressive.

"Is it really okay to be so stubborn? You were the one who wanted to kick me out before."

"I'm not showing off. If there really is someone who has no bottom line... Zhuo Lian didn't even have a bit of guard against that person before."

Ling leaned against Zhuo again and looked over. Zhuo quickly reached out and gently covered Ling's mouth with his fingertips, sighing at the same time.

Before parting with "No. 7", Zhuo kept his distance from the other party because he was a hunter, and had no intention of having a deep communication when they met again - it could be said that he was already on guard.

It was just that "No. 7" sent a gift of goodwill. Ling's mind was quicker than his, and he was more likely to notice something that Zhuo couldn't pay attention to. Zhuo didn't intend to deny it. But he had clearly received goodwill from the other party, and he hadn't made any clear targeting. It would be a pity to be misunderstood.

“…I am stating my personal opinion, which has nothing to do with your position.”

"What if I'm also having these crazy thoughts? What should I do then?"

"That's your business. I don't mean anything else."

"You can also say that you have polluted me."

Ling poked his waist, so Zhuo grabbed her outstretched hand again to stop her.

Ling seemed to be very happy to have her hand held, and her originally complaining expression softened. Zhuo smiled back and took her hand.

Of course, it is the direction to go back.

"……wash?"

"No matter what other people are thinking, we can't always doubt everyone. Since we are here, let's just wait and see. After all, they are conveying good intentions."

"You are jealous of anyone who looks at me for even a second?"

"Another thing! Another thing!"

Zhuo waved his free hand and looked away guiltily, but Ling just blinked and then took his arm unceremoniously and walked towards the hotel.

……

An old man was sitting in front of a heavy desk, working on documents with his head down. In front of the desk was a magnificent crystal desk lamp, but the pen in the old man's hand was a little rusty.

The door was pushed open.

The young man stopped three meters in front of the table, put the red-stained gloves on his heart, and lowered his head.

The old man was still writing at the desk without looking at him.

The young man always maintains this posture.

After a long time.

The pen, which was obviously old, was capped and placed on the table. The old man looked up and remained silent for a long time.

"Have you taken any medicine?"

"Ate."

"Um……"

The conversation was incoherent. The old man stared at the young man for a long time and sighed dejectedly.

"Take care of yourself, Percy. Let others do this kind of thing."

"Lai Jing understands the family's style. I don't feel comfortable if someone else goes."

"Hey...how's the kid?"

"She doesn't know her own status, but she has received news from Tokugawa and has not given up."

“Is that so…” the old man muttered to himself, his cloudy eyes staring at the rhinestones on the top of the lamp.

It seemed that it was rare to hear such a sigh of sunset from an old man. Percy looked up quickly, then quickly lowered his head.

"It's all my stupidity! I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"Loyalty is of course valuable, but sometimes villains are more loyal than loyal people. I know it's not easy for you... Loyalty, benevolence, who in the world can tell the difference? This is not your fault. Go and have a rest."

"……Yes."

(End of this chapter)