With Soya as the representative, and Kirino Akane as a supporter, the negotiations with the Kirino couple went very smoothly.
Asagiri Suzu was allowed to live in the Kirino family's old house, and all she had to pay was cleaning and keeping it clean, just like Soya.
"Then let's go back first."
After the discussion, Soya wanted to stay and work, while Kirino Akane and Asagiri Suzu were going to go back and clean up the room.
"Kirino."
"Um."
"..."
"Eh?"
Seeing that he hesitated to speak, Akane Kirino looked puzzled, "What's wrong?"
The cold wind outside made Zonggu wake up a little, and he suddenly realized that what he was about to say was just trying to hide the truth.
"I just wanted to ask, when will we set off tomorrow morning?"
She was startled, then quickly smiled, "I would have forgotten it if you didn't tell me."
"For Soya, get up around seven o'clock and wait at home. We'll take the train there."
"good."
The three of them separated outside the izakaya, with Kirino Akane walking in front and leading Asagiri Suzu along the original road to her old house.
Although Soya hid a lot of Asagiri Suzu's true situation from her, when it came to spiritual awareness, she couldn't hide it even if she wanted to.
"Miss Asagiri can also see spirits, right?"
Chao Wuling nodded.
"really……"
Seeing her response, Kirino Akane asked about her previous experience at the Kyoto Imperial Garden.
"When I came out of the barrier, was the man standing next to Ms. Asagiri actually a spirit?"
"yes."
"Why did I see so many of him when I was trapped in the barrier?"
"Illusion spells targeted at spiritual senses."
"Illusion...can I learn it too?"
Shake his head.
"it's a pity……"
While leading the way, Akane Kirino quickly discovered some patterns in the way Asagiri Suzu responded:
She will never ask questions that can be answered with a nod or shake of the head;
But if she does not appear in his field of vision, that is, when he is looking elsewhere and cannot see her, she will still speak and briefly answer "yes" or "no";
For those issues that must be explained, she will explain them in the most concise and clear terms. Usually no more than two sentences.
Her voice and expression were both calm and smooth, but it did not affect the communication between them. In other words, this method of communication was extremely efficient... although it seemed to avoid communication.
However, this feeling...
Kirino Akane raised her eyes and looked at the yellowing sky.
Kind of cool.
"Can I call you Ling too?"
nod.
"Great. By the way, when did Ling come to Kyoto?"
"Two years ago."
"It was after Zong Gu fell into the underworld..."
nod.
"The relationship between Suzu and Soya is actually that of childhood sweethearts, right? That's great. I also want a friend who grew up together.
Nowadays, fewer and fewer people are willing to stay here. Growing up, I had many friends who moved to big cities with their families not long after we met... When Soya disappeared suddenly, Suzu must have been very sad, right?
"
"..."
Chao Wu Ling suddenly stopped, neither nodded or shook his head, nor spoke. He stared at her for a while and then looked away.
"Eh?"
Kirino Akane was stunned on the spot.
What does this reaction mean?
...
The moving company sent a lot of cardboard boxes, which were piled up in more than half of the room, but it wasn't too much trouble to sort them out.
Although Asagiri Suzu stayed in the new room for less than five minutes, she already had a very clear plan on how to arrange and place it.
"This way."
"Put it here."
Save time and effort, decorating the room becomes pure manual labor.
After working efficiently for more than half an hour, Akane Kirino was exhausted and felt that she would be able to fall asleep tonight.
The empty cardboard box was filled with a few newly bought clothes, some books and notes. As long as Soya's few things were sent to the next room, Asagiri Suzu's room was tidied up.
"Thanks."
"You are welcome……"
Kirino Akane sat on the rush mat and looked at the bookshelves leaning against the walls on both sides. Half of the contents were filled in by her.
"Ling has quite a collection of books."
Asagiri Suzu's books were not only numerous in number, but also mostly ancient books bound in threads. Some of the books even had only Chinese characters on them, which were so obscure that she couldn't even recognize the full title of the book.
"But, does it matter if these books are kept here? It feels like it's quite humid here all year round."
"Each book has been treated to protect it from mildew."
"Hey, that's it."
These books are probably what Asagiri Suzu is proud of, as she talks a little more.
"I have collected them for many years, and some of them are unique copies."
"Five years? Ten years?"
"It will take longer."
Considering that the other party was only sixteen or seventeen years old, Akane Kirino guessed very conservatively, "Is that eleven years? Or twelve years?"
"..."
And add a hundred times more.
Of course, because of Soya's warning in advance, Asagiri Suzu never said this.
Fortunately, Kirino Akane didn't really care, and when she didn't answer, she didn't continue to ask further questions.
After almost resting, she got up and moved the cardboard box containing Zonggu's things, intending to send them to the next room.
Seeing her staggering, Chaogiri Ling came over to help.
Opening the sliding door, both of them saw the envelope casually placed on the table.
This was something they had just delivered before they went out. Souya only glanced at the contents inside, and Asagiri Suzu took it away before he even had time to open it. It turned out to be placed here.
"What's this?"
Shake his head.
"Well..."
Kirino Akane was very curious about these two letters, especially the one belonging to Asagiri Suzu.
After all, she only came to Kirino's house this afternoon, and it wasn't an email. The speed with which the sender sent the letter and the postman delivered it was a little too fast...
Chao Wuling glanced at her, and then in her expectant eyes, he picked up the envelope with his name on it, as a thank you for her help in cleaning up the room.
Opening the envelope, she picked up the hard paper inside, glanced at the two lines at the top and paused.
"ah."
"'ah'?"
This was the first time Kirino Akane saw her react like this.
"..."
Asagiri Suzu stuffed the letter back and instantly understood the reason for Soya's secretiveness.
Although this kind of thing cannot be hidden after all, it is obviously not the right time now.
"New Year's greeting card."
"..."
If it were still the end of January, even before Valentine's Day, Akane Kirino felt that she might have believed it.
"I see."
Although there were many flaws, she did not get to the bottom of it.
After cleaning up the room, she invited Chaogiri Ling to visit her place.
This was the first invitation, but the latter did not refuse and stayed in her room until nightfall before preparing to leave.
"Ah, it's already dark... Let me send Ling back."
Chao Wuling shook his head and took out a small folded paper bag from his pocket.
"For me?" Kirino Akane took it blankly, "What is this?"
"Peach wood powder."
"Eh?"
"Powder from that peach tree."
"The peach tree?"
"amulet."
She seemed to understand, "So..."
"Don't open it, light it when you're going to rest, and put it in the room."
"..."
Is it homemade mosquito coils?
But it’s not yet the mosquito season.
Kirino Akane was about to ask about the specific function of this packet of peach wood powder, when her eyes suddenly fixed on the night sky behind Asagiri Suzu.
The storm has not subsided, but it is coming back again.