At noon, Minamoto Yorimitsu was left to eat. I don't know why, but Granny Qingshui seemed to be recovering from a serious illness and was in good spirits. She took him and talked a lot.
There was no special cooking, but a salty noodle soup that looked clear and watery. There were a few green scallions floating around, and the color was not turbid.
But the saltiness was just right, and it didn't have the umami flavor of common dishes. To be honest, it just suited his appetite. He hadn't eaten non-greasy noodles in many days.
"As people get older, their craftsmanship is no longer good. The salt ramen I made back then was much more flavorful than it is now."
Grandma Qingshui put down her kuaizi, picked up the teapot and filled their cups with water. She pursed her lips as if to savor the taste, and for a moment couldn't help but sigh again.
The tea cup was handed over.
Minamoto Yorimitsu stretched out his hands to take it.
“But it’s still delicious.”
Looking at the soup noodles that had been scooped up, he wiped his mouth with a tissue and said, "Although it's just simple noodles, it tastes more at ease than the food at the food pavilion."
This is not a compliment at all.
This bowl of salt noodle soup is very suitable for the Oriental stomach, and it is a common meal. After all, the food kiosks outside use heavy salt and heavy oil in order to pursue the taste. Only the ones at home use it just right, and it has a real taste.
Once you're used to eating clear soups with little water, you'll be happy to eat delicacies from the mountains and seas at first sight. Once you're used to eating the latter, you'll feel better eating home-cooked meals once in a while.
Listening to Minamoto no Yorimitsu saying that he likes to eat, Grandma Qingshui's eyebrows were full of smiles, but she did not continue talking on this topic. She just shook her head and said:
"It's still far worse than in the past. You can't do anything well as you get older. The future belongs to you young people. Don't waste your good time."
"Although we are young now, we will grow old one day. There is no need for you to be so pessimistic."
"Oops! I'm not as thorough as you, old lady. This is a good saying. Indeed, everyone will grow old, so before you die, you must at least do something you want to do."
At the dining table, Minamoto no Yorimitsu and Grandma Shimizu were talking to each other, while Sakichu Koto was eating with his head buried next to him, only looking up from time to time to peek.
Grandma Qingshui is probably very talkative by nature.
In addition, I was seriously ill some time ago, and I had no one to talk to when I was hospitalized. After I was discharged from the hospital, I stayed at home all day without going out, so I couldn't stop talking.
Minamoto Yorimitsu is also relatively free today.
In addition, most of what the other party said were interesting things about the countryside and the living habits of the Showa era, so he himself listened with interest.
Sakichu and Koto remained silent the whole time.
I just carefully cleaned the dining table, ran to the kitchen, washed the dishes and pots, and swept the floor, as quiet as a diligent kitten.
"A Teng." Grandma Qingshui suddenly turned her head and said to her, "I'm going back to my hometown tomorrow."
"Ah! Go back to your hometown?" Sakichu Xiaoteng, who had just put the broom on the wall, was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously blurted out: "But isn't the house in my hometown already..."
The house in her hometown has been sold by her.
But she didn't dare to say these words.
Although it is to raise money for grandma, the house in my hometown symbolizes the ancestral home, which contains the life memories of several generations, which is more important to the elderly.
Grandma Qingshui also noticed something was wrong. She smiled and did not mean to blame her granddaughter. She just put down her rolled-up sleeves and said casually:
"Your grandma and I still have some friends. The old man from the Mingshan family is gone, and she is very lonely living there by herself. I asked and simply planned to be a companion."
"But..."
"Don't try to persuade me. If I stay here and stay at home all day, I will die of suffocation even if I don't die of illness."
It seemed that she was well aware of her granddaughter's temperament. Grandma Qingshui's face suddenly tightened, showing her strong character, and she complained a little angrily.
Although the original intention of the words is to complain.
But Minamoto Yorimitsu sitting at the dinner table could clearly detect a trace of sadness flashing in Grandma Shimizu's eyes.
Not to mention that I love my granddaughter, even if I follow normal logic, it is impossible to blame the little girl.
"I can go out with you every day from now on."
Sakichu Koto obviously doesn't understand much. Her emotional intelligence has always made people anxious, but this is both a disadvantage and an advantage. Otherwise, Miyoko Shimizu would not think that her granddaughter has the potential to be Minamoto Yorimitsu's wife.
Sometimes it's better to be silly.
If you are too smart, you will be delayed, and you will not be favored. Being wise and foolish is the bright road.
"Why are you so ignorant, kid? I just want to go back and live, and you have to prepare for the exam. You talk nonsense about going out with me every day."
Grandma Qingshui pretended to be angry, but in fact it sounded like she still didn't want to stay here and delay her granddaughter.
Even Sakichu Xiaodou could hear this sentence, but she also knew why her grandmother did this, so she lowered her head and remained silent.
"Then, how do you live at home?"
"Although I am old, I will not starve to death. I can still do some crafts. In the worst case, I can apply for relief funds."
Grandma Qingshui had a smile on her wrinkled face, but she didn't care how she lived her life.
But these words made Sakichu Kodou feel even more uncomfortable.
She just felt powerless, always thinking that she could help, but often it was not ideal. Although she did the right thing, she still could not hide her sadness.
Sakichu and Koto's body trembled slightly.
"I am still..."
"In that case, after you finish packing tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I will send someone to take you back."
Before Sakichu Kodou could finish speaking, Yorimitsu Minamoto who was sitting next to him suddenly spoke, instantly attracting everyone's attention, and the scene was quiet for a moment.
Sakichu Koto opened his mouth when he saw this.
But he couldn't say anything.
A strange look flashed in Grandma Qingshui's eyes, and she reacted in the blink of an eye. She nodded with a smile and said, "Then tomorrow I'll really take care of you, kid."
Just after Minamoto Yorimitsu made the final decision.
Even if this matter comes to an end directly.
After dinner, Minamoto no Yorimitsu did not leave.
Instead, Sakichu Kodō, who had his head lowered and a hesitant look on his face, was pulled directly into her room.
He said he needed to measure his body size.
It wasn't clear what exactly to do.
Sakusatsu Koto's room is very clean, no change from the last time he came here. The sheets are pink striped, and there are two rabbit dolls on the bedside.
The only thing that can be called change.
Probably when Minamoto Yorimitsu came last time, the table against the wall of the room was basically filled with handmade products such as origami, which were used to make money part-time.
But now there are stacks of books, and Minamoto norimitsu flipped through them at random. They were the test questions from previous years' public examinations.
He was very satisfied with changes like this.
Because it means that the little girl is on the right track.
While Minamoto Yorimitsu was secretly observing, Sakichu Kodō walked over from the side with a tape measure and said a little embarrassedly: "Please raise your arm."
"Is this okay?"
Minamoto no Yorimitsu raised his hands outward.
"It would be better if you raise your arms a little higher and hold your chest out as much as possible. Your waist also needs to be straighter."
Sakichu Koto stood in front of him, only a dozen centimeters away. She could clearly smell the sunshine on his clothes, and her cheeks turned slightly red.
Minamoto Yorimitsu obeyed, but looked at the little girl playing with the measuring tape, thought for a moment, smiled and asked: "Why do you suddenly want to measure me?"
"I, I suddenly wanted to know, so I wanted to measure it."
Sakichu Koto was suddenly asked, and was a little stunned for a moment. It took him a long time to hold back these words.
She lowered her face, her crow-feather-like hair covering a large part of her face, and measured him with clumsy hands and feet. She obviously didn't have much experience before.
But her evasive answer was not uncommon for Minamoto norimitsu. He raised his hands and thought for a moment before asking:
"You're not going to buy me clothes secretly, are you?"
"No." Sakichu Xiaoteng paused for a moment, then quickly shook his head, his eyes even more evasive than before and said: "I don't want to buy you clothes."
"Then make clothes for me?"
Minamoto Yorimitsu pondered for a moment and then asked.
As soon as he said these words, Sakichu Koto's body visibly trembled, and even the tape measure in his hand shrank back, making a snapping sound.
She froze on the spot.
He looked at the tape measure in his hand in a daze.
Seeing this, Minamoto Yorimitsu knew that he had guessed correctly, but on second thought, he felt bad. After all, she was supposed to be preparing a gift, so being guessed did take away the surprise, especially for her, which made her lose motivation.
"Ahem——"
Minamoto Noraimitsu coughed, looked at the dumbfounded little girl in front of him, thought for a moment, then changed the subject and asked:
"Grandma Qingshui will go back tomorrow. Are you unwilling to let her go back? Are you afraid that it will be difficult to live with someone else?"
Sakichu Koto came back to his senses after hearing this.
When her grandma was mentioned again, her attention was diverted as expected. A sad look appeared on her fair cheeks, her nose wrinkled and she fell silent for a while.
Even if it's a long-time friend or even a relative.
Living in other people's homes is undoubtedly a troublesome thing for others. It doesn't matter for a few days, but over time there will eventually be problems. Even close relatives living together can cause conflicts, let alone friends who have been friends for many years.
Although her emotional perception is poor, it does not mean that her logic is stupid. Otherwise, she would not have been able to get into Kyoto University, and she would not have been able to achieve top academic results here.
"Um."
She nodded hesitantly.
Biting her pink lower lip.
I finally admitted my feelings.
"Then wait for me here."
Before Sakichu Koto could completely raise his head, Minamoto Yorimitsu beside him suddenly walked away and walked to the living room outside the room, then came back ten seconds later.
It's just that Minamoto Yorimitsu came back this time not empty-handed, but with the same document bag just now.
Under Sakichu Koto's anxious gaze, Minamoto no Yorimitsu handed over the document bag in his hand, looked into her eyes calmly, and then spoke.
"this is for you."
The little girl obviously hadn't reacted yet, and she was a little confused with the tape measure in her hand. She didn't come back to her senses until she watched Minamoto no Yorimitsu take out the contents of the document bag.
And in her gradually focused gaze.
[Registration Identification Information], [Copy of Registration Book], [District Office Real Estate Transfer Certificate] and several forms printed in bold came into view.
Sakichu Koto's eyes widened suddenly.
My brain suddenly shut down.
But when Minamoto no Yorimitsu took out the form, he also lifted it up, and used his fingers to twist the top of it close to Sakichu Kodou's eyes so that she could see it clearly.
[District number], [Location], [Public registration area], [Family house number] also appeared one after another.
But what made her look dull was...
The above data and housework numbers were all very familiar to her. After confirming them several times in her mind, she realized that this was actually her hometown house!
——————
When she learned that Yorimitsu Minamoto had purchased the ancestral home and planned to give it to Sakichu Kodō for free, the news was undoubtedly extremely shocking to Granny Shimizu.
Even though I know Minamoto no Yorimitsu is rich.
But neither Sakichu Kodou nor Grandma Shimizu thought of reaching out to ask for it, or by hinting, nor did they ever have such an idea.
Although they are poor, they are also spirited. They are not people who follow the crowd. They may not have much cultural background, but they also know the principle of repaying kindness.
I have already asked for too much, so I don’t have the shame to reach out anymore. I am just grateful beyond measure.
Not only did he cure his illness, but he also bought a house back.
Such a favor cannot be repaid!
However, she couldn't repay the favor in the first place, and she had no intention of repaying the favor again, so Grandma Qingshui's eyes became firmer, and she rarely acted like an old lady to Minamoto.
In the afternoon, when Granny Shimizu refused to let Yorimitsu go, the latter thought it was because she was too grateful, so she planned to express her gratitude to herself more.
But at the end of the day, after dinner, at ten o'clock in the evening, I still had no intention of letting him go!
They even let Minamoto Yorimitsu stay overnight.
He didn't want Grandma Qingshui to sincerely plead.
In the end, Minamoto Yorimitsu had no choice. Although he didn't understand the other party's thoughts, he still decided to stay.
After all, the apartment has three bedrooms and two living rooms.
There happens to be a room available.
Moreover, we have to arrange for Nagayama Hide to go to Mizuho Town to send the elderly home tomorrow. It would be good to help pack things during the day. I don't have anything urgent to do these two days anyway.
But just after Minamoto no Yorimitsu went to the toilet and was about to go to bed, he finally noticed something unusual!
"What dose of this should I put in?"
"Almost a spoonful is enough."
"Wait! Why do you kid use a big spoon for soup? You should use a small spoon for seasoning!"
"Ah? I-did I make a mistake?"
"You kid, if you put in so much, the color of the water will change! And just this dose is not only bad for A Guang's health, you won't be able to handle ten of them!"
"Then I'll put it less..."
A rustling sound came from the gap in the kitchen door, which was ajar, and strange but intriguing words fell into his ears, making Minamoto no Yorimitsu stop for a moment.
Until the ajar door is about to be opened.
He finally came back to his senses, lowered his steps and returned to the room, and within ten seconds there was a knock on the door.
"Light...Light-kun...I'm coming in."
Wearing a white nightgown, Koto Sakichu walked in with her head lowered, holding a glass with a pale yellow liquid in her hand, and stood hesitantly by the door.
Until Minamoto Yorimitsu, who was sitting at the table, nodded.
Only then did she dare to take a step, walked up to him with her head lowered, put down the glass and whispered:
"This is honey water that I just made. Grandma said that drinking a cup before going to bed is good for the stomach. Let me give you a cup."
"Okay, leave it alone, I'll drink it later."
Minamoto no Yorimitsu looked at the cup and fell into deep thought.
Seeing that he had no intention of speaking.
Seeing this, Sakichu Koto opened his mouth, with a guilty feeling on his face, and the intention of retreating in his heart.
"Then I'll leave first."
She said this and left in a hurry.
It feels a bit like being a deserter.
But before Minamoto Yorimitsu could look at the glass of honey water on the bedside table for too long, the door that had just been ajar was reopened by Sakichu Kodou.
"That, Guang, Guangjun..."
Yuan Laiguang turned his head at the sound.
Then he saw Sakichu Koto holding a pink pillow tightly in his arms. His body in pajamas was trembling slightly, and his delicate cheeks were faintly red.
She lowered her head slightly, covering her shame with slender bangs, and whispered in a trembling voice:
"Can I sleep here?"
After saying this, her face turned even redder, her head almost buried in her chest, her earlobes were rosy and crystal clear, and the skin of her body seemed to be steaming.
He didn't even dare to look at Minamoto Norimitsu.
He just stood there blankly, looking very nervous, as if he was afraid of being rejected.
Time passes minute by second.
The atmosphere gradually became ambiguous.
But there was no response for a long time, and Sakichu Koto's heart gradually sank. However, when she wanted to endure the shame and leave, Minamoto no Yorimitsu suddenly spoke.
"Then let's sleep together tonight."
The words were like falling drumsticks.
In an instant, Sakichu Kodou's heart beat faster.
Success!
Stayed again!
Just let him drink water!
She walked over nervously, looked at the cup in front of Minamoto no Raimitsu and pursed her lips. Her eyes flickered under her slender bangs, and she reminded with a stutter:
"You, drink it quickly. You can't drink honey water cold. If you don't drink it, it might get cold."
After she said this, her heart was beating violently, but she tried to keep her face as natural as possible.
She has never successfully lied.
I feel like my lie this time is definitely solid!
But half a minute later, Minamoto no Laiguang didn't drink the glass of honey water, but looked at her strangely.
The look in her eyes made her panic.
She had seen the look in Minamoto Noraimitsu's eyes many times.
For example, if you lie and are exposed, or you want to reprimand yourself, or you are about to reprimand yourself.
But this is the first time for such a strange look!
She wanted to run away again for no reason.
I remember what grandma said.
This panic instantly turned into determination.
Seeing Minamoto Yorimitsu's lack of movement, Sakichu Kodou was secretly worried. He didn't notice his strange look, but couldn't help but pick it up and hand it over.
However, Yorimitsu Minamoto still had a strange look in his eyes.
She stared at the honey water in her hand and hesitated, not intending to take it. She obviously didn't intend to drink it, so she couldn't help but poke the cup.