Kyoto University, inside a café.
“Natsume-kun, no matter what, you'll always be by my side, right?”
A young couple sat facing each other. In front of them were freshly made coffees, but neither had taken a sip.
Across from the young man, a beautifully dressed girl's eyes were red, and she was wiping away tears and snot with a tissue. Her appearance was standard, considered average in a crowd. Perhaps lacking the final touch to be truly beautiful, but definitely good-looking.
At this moment, the girl was sobbing softly, her face covered in tears like a pear blossom in the rain. Her eyes held a hint of expectation and pleading as she looked at the young man across from her.
Such a delicate appearance would evoke pity even in the most hard-hearted person.
The young man was no different; his expression seemed particularly distressed. He pulled out a few tissues and handed them to the girl, then gently held her hand and said softly, “Haruko, I will always be by your side. No matter what happens, it won't change my feelings for you.”
The girl named Haruko, upon hearing these words, immediately teared up. The sad expression on her face faded significantly, and she looked at the young man with a smile on her lips, saying softly, “I've been troubled these past few days and couldn't find anyone to talk to. After thinking it over, you, Natsume-kun, are the best to me. No matter what happens, I can always feel warmth from you.”
As she spoke, she grasped the young man's hand in return, saying in an extremely gentle voice, “I, I might be pregnant.”
The smile on the young man's face didn't fade. He withdrew his hand, picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then looked at Haruko calmly and asked, “So, Haruko, you're pregnant, is that right?”
Haruko's expression was somewhat awkward, and she lowered her head slightly, feeling a bit ashamed. Then, her eyes became firm, and she looked up at the young man.
“You're definitely willing to understand and help me, right? Natsume-kun.”
She lowered her head, caressing her stomach. Although she felt some shame just now, she had to say it for the sake of her future. After all, she was just a college student and had no ability to raise the child in her womb.
The Natsume-kun before her was different. He was a top student at Kyoto University and an honest, good-natured person. Even though she had always treated him as a backup, he had no regrets.
Whenever she argued with her various boyfriends, he would always be the first to comfort her. His gentle voice would always soothe the sadness and hurt in her heart.
If he weren't so ordinary-looking, if his personality weren't so honest and boring, perhaps she would really consider him as a boyfriend. But she was still young, and her life plan didn't include marriage. When she was tired of playing around and wanted to return to family life as a good wife, perhaps she would choose to marry Natsume-kun.
But all of this was in the future, not now.
As for the most important thing at the moment, it was to find a support for the child in her womb.
Because she couldn't find out who the child's biological father was, and she didn't have enough money for an abortion. The doctor said that if she had an abortion, the chances of her getting pregnant again in the future would be very small.
She was still a student and couldn't let a child ruin her future.
In any case, she could only trouble this Natsume-kun, who had always cared for her. She would compensate him well in the future.
Thinking this way, Haruko felt much of the guilt in her heart disappear. She felt that this matter was a test for Natsume-kun, and if he passed it, she might very well choose to marry him in the future.
“Is that so? Then let's have it,” the young man said, still smiling. His gaze was affectionate as he looked at Haruko. “You know my feelings; no matter what you do, I will support you.”
“Natsume-kun…” Haruko said tearfully, covering her mouth and choking with sobs. “You're really too good to me.”
“What are you saying, silly girl? Aren't we the best of friends?” the young man said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. He looked at his phone and then showed an apologetic expression.
“I'm sorry, Haruko, I have something to do and have to leave first.”
“Natsume-kun, go ahead and get busy; I won't bother you,” Haruko said quickly, nodding. She drank her coffee, a happy look on her face.
“I've already paid the bill; you should rest well and not upset the baby.” The young man patted Haruko's head, then strode out of the café. The smile gradually disappeared from his face, and only when the café disappeared behind him did the smile become sinister.
“Soon, it's almost here. The time for harvest is almost here. Just wait a little longer, just a little longer will do. So, who should I hunt today?” The young man licked his lips, looked at the sky, and walked away.
The sky was gray, with light rain falling.
The subway arrived at the station, and Jiang Wen and Li Mu stepped off the train in the crowd of people.
Passing by the platform, cheerful music sounded. Jiang Wen looked over and saw three girls wearing pink sailor uniforms performing energetically. This kind of underground idol was very common in the capital, Kyoto. Most of them were working hard to pursue their idol dreams. It was just that those who could succeed were ultimately few, and most girls could only return to reality in the end.
And in front of them, a few ordinary-looking men were standing sparsely, waving glow sticks and enthusiastically calling out.
Jiang Wen glanced at them a few times and pulled Li Mu, who couldn't take his eyes off them, out of the subway station.
Even when exiting the station, Li Mu was still reluctant to leave.
“The girls here are so beautiful!” Li Mu muttered to himself.
“After we finish our business, you can play here for a few more days. Anyway, our visa is for half a month, it won't be a problem,” Jiang Wen couldn't help but smile at Li Mu after hearing this.
Although Li Mu was visiting the overseas country for the first time, it was also his first time here.
It was said that this place was a paradise for men, and also a country biased towards ancient culture. Unfortunately, perhaps due to the small land area and the distortion within the culture, the emotions of the people in the overseas country always seemed strange.
Speaking to each other, Jiang Wen touched the white-haired fox sleeping around his shoulders and surveyed Kyoto, which was known as the No. 1 city in Eastern Continent.
Looking at the continuous stream of vehicles and the bustling streets outside, Kyoto girls in maid costumes were working hard to solicit customers. Taking a breath of Kyoto's turbid air, Jiang Wen pondered what he and Li Mu should do first.
“Ask Yaogu if the Bai Ze's Son is nearby,” Jiang Wen said to Li Mu.
“Yaogu said that it smelled the other party's aura, but because the smell here is too mixed, it can't immediately distinguish the direction. It needs to adapt here first.”
Jiang Wen nodded upon hearing this, not forcing it. As long as he finished this matter within the visa period, he could return with peace of mind.
According to Yaogu, the Bai Ze's Son could understand all the demons in the world and even know how to restrain them. As long as he found it and brought it back to Jiang Zhi, he could save a lot of worry about the demons in the country. It could be considered a bit of compensation for causing such a big commotion.
“Then let's go to the hotel we booked first, and then we'll act separately later. You can also stroll around Kyoto. If you encounter any trouble, you can use this communication talisman, and I will get to your side in time.”
Li Mu took the talisman and carefully put it in his arms. After the two arrived at the hotel, Jiang Wen went out to wander around.
He wanted to see if the changes in the spiritual energy in Kyoto were different from those in the country.
