After Xiangzi died, I inherited her harem.

Page 153

Otherwise, I would have jumped right out of bed by now.

Although... he just called out Xiao Mu's name.

"Don't make a sound. I sneaked over here. Minami must have some plan for leaving you here. I have to stay here and watch over you."

He gave himself a perfectly legitimate reason, but even Mortis felt a little embarrassed when saying such things, and he just used his acting skills to cover it up.

Regardless of the circumstances, this behavior is still a shameless act of sneaking into a married man's bed in the middle of the night.

Even if she doesn't care much about public opinion, and even feels a thrilling sense of immorality, she still has to consider Toyokawa Yuu's feelings.

However, Mortis's concerns were actually somewhat unfounded.

"I understand. Are there any beds left on the floor?"

Struggling to sit up, Toyokawa Yuu looked sleepily at the golden-eyed beauty who had sneaked into her room and nodded almost instinctively.

Not to mention that she was really exhausted during this period, she quickly fell asleep. In her half-awake state, Toyokawa Yuu didn't really think deeply about what this behavior meant.

Even if Toyokawa Yuu were perfectly sober at this moment, she probably wouldn't question Mortis's words.

It's an objective fact that many people wish for their own death, and even Senmina Nami isn't someone you can trust. It's quite possible that she had ulterior motives for letting me stay overnight.

However...Wakaba Mutsu is trustworthy.

As for whether the two of them being alone in a room will cause any inappropriate consequences...

If you replaced Wakaba Mutsumi with Hatsune Miku, or even with Toyokawa Shoko, he might have to think twice about whether there was anything wrong with it.

But if it's Wakaba Mutsu and Mortis, then it doesn't matter.

In his mind, the last time he spent the night in a room with them was less than 24 hours ago; it was just part of his daily life, and he didn't even realize there was anything wrong with it.

The only thing to be careful about is finding a place to sleep on the floor and giving up the bed, which is why Toyokawa Yuu reluctantly got up even though she was not fully awake.

"I haven't been home in so long, how would I know where the floor is... It's okay, I'll just sit at the desk next to me for the night. Youyu, you still have to preside over Xiangzi's funeral, right?"

Having told a lie that wasn't quite a lie, Mortis, seeing that Toyokawa Yuu seemed to have little resistance, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then, with a bit of trepidation, proposed an even bolder idea.

Pressing on Toyokawa Yuu's shoulders, Mortis gently helped him lie back down on the bed. He could feel his heart pounding wildly, as if it might leap out of his chest at any moment.

Spending the night together in the same room... This is something that Toyokawa Yuu and Toyokawa Shoko haven't done since they returned to the Toyokawa family home.

When Yuu Toyokawa is really asleep, can I take the opportunity to do what I just planned?

However, Mortis underestimated Toyokawa Yuu's favoritism towards her... or rather, towards Wakaba Mutsu.

Yuu Toyokawa has always cherished what belongs to her.

She shifted her body to get closer to the corner of the wall, making room for most of the space, and then turned to face the wall, her meaning clear.

Mortis was overjoyed to see that the person he had been thinking about for ten years did not seem to be resistant.

Sharing a bed is something they had never actually done even ten years ago.

She leaned against Toyokawa Yuu, pressing her forehead against his back, but did not do anything else.

In her eyes, being able to surpass social distancing from ten years ago is already a significant improvement.

In comparison, Hachiman Kairin couldn't even go up to the second floor of the Toyokawa family's house, making the difference in their status immediately apparent.

Mortis, give me back my body.

Completely unexpectedly, Yuu Toyokawa, who had always adhered to social distancing after marriage, would allow Mortis to act so recklessly, and Mutsuka Wakaba immediately became a little anxious.

It wasn't that she was in a hurry to worry about the reputation of her remaining half; after all, she herself had already planned to do something.

What Ye Mu was anxious about was that if she hadn't hesitated at the door and Mortis had taken the opportunity to steal her body, she would be the one enjoying this treatment now.

The supportive personality, which was originally meant to share pain and bear unhappiness, has now begun to take over.

No, you shouldn't have given it to me. Who told you to hesitate? This situation is the result of my hard work.

Without hesitation, Mortis rejected the request from his other self, gently breathing in the scent emanating from behind Yuu Toyokawa.

Unaware that the blonde beauty behind her had once again launched a personality war, Toyokawa Yuu only knew that this sudden incident that disturbed her peaceful sleep was resolved in just a few words and less than ten seconds.

She barely managed to open her eyes a crack before closing them again, relaxing her nerves and breathing evenly, continuing the sweet dream she had just begun to dream.

Fortunately, the beautiful figure was still waiting for him in the same spot.

"do not leave Me......"

The vague murmurs drifted gently into her mind, where they were already raging fiercely, but her body remained motionless. The height of her body disturbed the golden-eyed beauty of Toyokawa Yuu's ears, and even the slight trembling caused by the struggle for her body stopped.

"I will never leave you, Yuu."

After a moment of silence, someone quietly replied to Toyokawa Yuu's ramblings.

Feeling Toyokawa Yuu's breathing become completely steady, the golden-eyed beauty's lips gradually curved into a smile.

"Thank you... a..."

The words were already blurry, but I was certain they weren't calling my name. They drifted into my ears, and the smile on my lips vanished at that moment.

She pressed her body even closer to Toyokawa Yuu, not knowing which personality was whispering in her mind.

We... really can win, right?

We...we can definitely win.

Chapter 140 Chihaya Aine is no longer uninvolved (5k)

Although Tokyo is a city that never tires even at night, not every area is as vibrant as the city that never sleeps.

Even in residential areas, most places don't fall into complete silence around 9 p.m.

At least, at Chihaya Aine's house, people are still coming to visit at this very moment.

A black sedan was parked on the side of the road. The black-haired woman in a suit looked at the house she had just visited with Toyokawa Yuu that morning, her emerald eyes filled with an inscrutable expression.

However, instead of getting out of the car immediately to ring the doorbell, she answered the phone that had been ringing since she was halfway there.

[How rude of you, Hailing! Not answering the phone can be hurtful.]

A cloyingly sweet laugh came from the other end of the phone, causing Hachiman Kairin to pause slightly as she was about to unbuckle her seatbelt.

Turning off the engine to avoid accidentally pressing the button while in a bad mood, Hachiman Kairin responded to the voice irritably, showing no remorse for not answering the phone sooner.

"Why are you contacting me so late? We haven't been working together lately, have we? Ms. Minami."

Even now, Yawata Kairin would find dealing with the woman on the other end of the phone somewhat complicated.

Yu Gong, the former Best Actress, was considered his ally. After she was defeated by Mortis and announced her retirement, she secretly reached some cooperation with him.

The other party used her connections, which she still maintained even after retiring, to help her squeeze into the circles involved with the Toyokawa family, so that she wouldn't be kicked aside after the only valuable information she had was used up.

Correspondingly, one must also act as the other party's mouthpiece and henchman at certain times, so that she will not be taken advantage of and become a complete loser after losing to her daughter.

In short, Minami Nami lost and withdrew, but she didn't die.

In Hachiman Kairin's view, this was a cooperative relationship that wasn't particularly difficult, but it was definitely somewhat unsettling.

The other party is his friend's mother... If Ruoye Mutsu and Mortis still consider themselves friends, they are also the direct participants who forced Toyokawa Yuu back to the Toyokawa family and caused the disbandment of their last band, into which they had poured their heart and soul.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that she ruined the life I was once quite satisfied with, and even willing to indulge in it.

Ultimately, however, Yawata Kairin was unable to refuse the collaboration invitation extended by Mori Minami.

Although she hated those who ruined her life, Hachiman Kairin knew very well that what she needed to do most was not to take revenge on them.

Instead... she returned to Toyokawa Yuu's side.

[Such a cold attitude, Hailin. Are you like this to Yuu-kun too...? Of course, I know I can't compare to Yuu-kun, but I'm here to tell you something you might be interested in.]

Unfazed by Hachiman Kairin's cold attitude, Mori Minami's voice still carried a teasing and playful tone.

It seems that she has never treated Hachiman Kairin as an equal, rather than as a so-called partner; otherwise, she wouldn't have added the word "little" before her address, which is hard to describe as either affectionate or contemptuous.

Even though Toyokawa Yuu is now in a rather dangerous predicament, he still maintains a respectful address towards her.

"I don't think you can say anything that would interest me at this time."

Enduring the unpleasant tone of the other person, Hachiman Kairin made a move to hang up the phone.

As she gradually established herself in the industry, her contact with Minami Nami gradually decreased in recent years.

An old woman who, regardless of her reasons or purposes, ultimately lost to Mortis and ended up living a secluded life at home, had long since lost any chance of contacting Toyokawa Yuu.

Mortis couldn't possibly let her out, and given Toyokawa Yuu's circumstances, it was impossible for him to go looking for her at this critical juncture.

[Yu-Yu is staying at my house tonight.]

It was still that flippant tone, a mix of jokes and teasing, and even seemed to carry a hint of boasting in Hachiman Kairin's ears.

But, it was just a feeling of unhappiness.

Hachiman Kairin didn't take these rumors seriously, assuming it was just a sudden, mischievous idea from her less-than-ideal ally who was trying to annoy her in the middle of the night.

This kind of thing has happened before. In the past, Minami Nami often stirred things up, suggesting that he fight Toyokawa Shoko again. But having already learned his lesson once, how could he do something he wasn't sure of and invite humiliation upon himself?

[I'm serious, and Yuu-kun and Mu-chan are sleeping in the same room tonight... It's just like ten years ago. You should still remember that unforgettable time, right, Hai-ling?]

Her voice became much more serious, making it impossible to simply dismiss it as a joke, which stopped Hachiman Kairin from hanging up the phone.

[What's wrong, Xiao Hailing? Aren't you going to hang up?]

The tone remained flippant, and Hachiman Kairin's expression grew increasingly gloomy. The voice on the other end of the phone seemed to have guessed exactly what she was planning to do, which undoubtedly made her feel even more suffocated.

She disliked the feeling of being seen through, even though she had never truly succeeded in hiding her true feelings.

"say clearly."

"Hey, wasn't I clear enough? My daughter is finally starting to understand, so I specifically called to ask Xiao Hailing what kind of gifts young girls like these days are popular as keepsakes... After all, this old woman, past her prime, is starting to fall behind the times."

"I'm asking you to explain clearly, specifically to me, what you mean by this."

Her fingers gripped the phone tightly, and the veins on the back of Hachiman Kairin's hand began to bulge faintly.

She was fairly aware of Minami's personality; the other woman's intentions were definitely not just to annoy her.

While it's possible that Senmina Nami's malicious personality might have led her to such thoughts, it certainly wouldn't be the primary reason.

[It means... Hailing, could you please pay more attention to protecting Youyu-kun? My daughter is really not very reliable.]

On the other end of the phone, Senmina leaned back on her sofa at home, holding her phone in one hand and gently fiddling with the doll she had placed in her arms with the other. It was hard to say whether she was feeling sentimental or disappointed.

[If she were still of sound mind, she should have forcibly dragged Youyu away when I suggested he stay overnight. Unfortunately, after ten years of persistence, my daughter finally let her emotions cloud her judgment.]

Yuu Toyokawa's decision to stay overnight at this critical juncture could be a big or small matter.

There's no need to elaborate on the major issues, but if someone seizes on such a minor weakness, of course they'll try every means to attack it.

As for Ke Xiao... as long as no one brings this up in the open, even if Toyokawa Yuu had an illegitimate daughter with her villa manager like Toyokawa Sadaharu did back then, no one would care.

The fact that her daughter stayed overnight with Toyokawa Yuu proves that her daughter herself gave up the possibility of simplifying the situation... Perhaps this is exactly what she hoped for.

However, as a former ally who colluded with me in wrongdoing, Xiao Hailing, you wouldn't be so irrational, would you?

"What does it matter whether I'm rational or not? Do you mean I can just rush to your house right now, drag Youyu out of bed, and take him home?"

Yawata Kairin's voice wasn't very friendly.

Ultimately, she still didn't understand why Minami Nami had made that special phone call to her.

While showing off that her daughter got what she wanted, she also said that her daughter was short-sighted... Isn't this a deeper form of showing off?

“Speak your mind. I’m not like you, a retired old woman who stays at home. I still have a lot to do.”

【I need you to take Youyu Jun away. After tonight's events, I've confirmed that my daughter can't protect him. She loses all sense of proportion whenever Youyu Jun is involved.】

The atmosphere of the conversation was forcibly pulled to a serious level by Hachiman Kairin, and Mori Minami gradually put away her joking tone, her voice filled with certainty.

"What is your purpose? I don't remember you and Youyu having such a good relationship, or even caring about his life or death."

Before tonight, I certainly didn't care whether he lived or died, but now that my daughter is no longer hiding her feelings, as her mother, I naturally have to help her... I've worked so hard to raise her to be the person I want her to be. If she becomes despondent because of Yu-kun's death, then all my hard work in the first half of my life will have been for nothing, and...

Gently stroking the doll in his arms, since he had taken the initiative to contact Hachiman Kairin, there was no need to hide anything.

Her fingertips, which were gently stroking the doll's hair, paused slightly, and Mori Minami's voice regained its cheerful tone.

[Yu-kun gave me such a wonderful gift, so of course I have to reciprocate in kind.]

"Then why don't you go and help him yourself? With your connections in the industry, your words should carry more weight than mine."

【Do I really have to tell the truth...? Aside from someone as undisguised as you, or someone as impulsive as my daughter, who else would so openly help someone who's going to die sooner or later?】

A person who's going to die sooner or later...