Over the vast, desolate sea, fierce winds gathered dark clouds. Between the clouds and the ocean, a sea eagle, like a streak of gray lightning, soared proudly through the sky.
Suddenly, the eagle lowered its proud head. The reason was a jade-like hand gently stroking the crown of its head.
“This method of yours is quite good. Why didn’t I think of it?” Sakurai Mii sat behind Su Mo, lightly holding onto his waist.
While stroking the eagle’s head, Su Mo replied, “Some things just become a habit. If you haven’t experienced it, you naturally wouldn’t think of it.”
His tone carried a somewhat elder-like quality, but Sakurai Mii wasn’t offended. Instead, she grew curious about how exactly he had gotten so accustomed to it…
The sea eagle was extremely fast. At full speed, they would reach their destination by tonight.
Su Mo sat in front, his face stinging from the wind.
It wasn’t that he insisted on this position; it was mainly because Sakurai Mii didn’t trust him enough to turn her back to him. This was the only way.
Despite her currently hugging his waist, seemingly reverting to their old “good sisters” dynamic, the truth was his wound was in a precarious state, right where she was holding him.
He obediently steered the sea eagle, careful not to give the fierce star behind him any chance to “accidentally” slip her hand.
As darkness fell, the outline of land appeared on the horizon. Dazzling lights in the distance spoke of its prosperity.
“We’re here!” Sakurai Mii cheered.
The two avoided the bustling areas, landing in a relatively secluded spot. The sea eagle flew away without a backward glance.
This particular sea eagle had been caught by Sakurai Mii. Su Mo admitted to himself he didn’t have that skill. If it weren’t for that one eagle being particularly foolish, he might never have experienced the feeling of flight.
“Where are we now?” Su Mo asked, putting on a weak appearance.
Sakurai Mii glanced at her electronic map. “Chiba Prefecture. Isn’t this your hometown? Oh, right, you probably forgot long ago.”
A faint trace of sadness flickered in Su Mo’s eyes. “I left home young and return old, my local accent unchanged, but my hair at the temples grown thin.” “Although I haven’t aged to the point of having graying temples, I no longer recognize the way home.”
Infected by his sadness, Sakurai Mii sighed. “I cannot fully share your feelings, but I can sense the helplessness and sorrow in your heart.”
The corner of Su Mo’s eye twitched slightly. Sorrow my foot, he thought inwardly. If you keep this up, I’m going to break character and laugh…
He pursed his lips, then suddenly let out a long, relieved sigh, his whole body relaxing. “No matter what, I’ve finally come home.”
As he spoke, his expression fell again. “But where is my home? My parents are gone…”
Perhaps out of sympathy, Sakurai Mii gently hugged him, comforting him. “You still have an uncle. I’ll take you to him.”
Sakurai Mii smelled fragrant, and her words were very gentle. Even though Su Mo’s grief was feigned, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.
Su Mo felt somewhat helpless.
This person… when gentle, was soft and sweet like warm jade; when cruel, she was practically a living King of Hell.
The key was, neither personality seemed like an act. Su Mo began to suspect she might have a dual personality.
Thinking this, his hand, as if moved by a ghost, suddenly found its way to Sakurai Mii’s waist.
Huh?
So soft…
Su Mo blinked, his heartbeat quickening a notch.
In Sakurai Mii’s eyes, they were both girls, so she didn’t pay much attention. Little did she know the person inadvertently touching her waist was a vigorous young man.
To cover his embarrassment, Su Mo struggled to squeeze out a tear, and his body gave an “involuntary” shudder.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just suddenly feeling a bit excited,” Su Mo replied truthfully.
Sakurai Mii, unaware of any anomaly, pointed towards the direction with lights. “Let’s find a place to stay for the night first. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you to your uncle’s.”
“Okay.” At this moment, Su Mo perfectly embodied the pitiful young woman, Chiba Maka, who had been away from home for twenty years.
That night, the two reverted to being inseparable “good sisters,” lying side by side watching horror movies…
…
Chiba Maka’s uncle was named Chiba Sangai. Su Mo originally thought he lived in Chiba Prefecture, but they boarded a train bound for Tokyo early the next morning.
When asked why, Sakurai Mii simply said that Chiba Sangai’s daughter, Chiba Keiko, had caught the eye of Uesugi Bunka, the Deputy Leader of the Warrior Sect, and was taken as his disciple. That was why the whole family had moved to Tokyo for a better life.
Su Mo wasn’t afraid of interacting with this uncle because they had never met. Their knowledge of each other was practically zero. It was possible the uncle wasn’t even aware of Chiba Maka’s existence.
This turned out to be true. When the two arrived at Chiba Sangai’s home, he was completely bewildered, initially taking them for frauds. It wasn’t until Sakurai Mii produced Su Mo’s identity documents that he gradually became convinced.
“Child, you really are my brother’s daughter!” Chiba Sangai was emotionally stirred, looking Su Mo over repeatedly, muttering, “You look alike, so much alike… exactly like your mother…”
As he spoke, he began to sob. “Child, your uncle will raise you as his own daughter.”
Su Mo maintained an expression of excitement mixed with unease, giving off a feeling of inner insecurity.
Chiba Sangai called into the house, and a plump middle-aged woman reluctantly came into the yard.
“This is Li, your aunt.”
Su Mo hesitated slightly. “Hello, Auntie.”
The plump woman didn’t even glance at him, turned around and went back into the house, leaving behind a very dissatisfied back view.
Su Mo’s heart remained completely unperturbed.
Chiba Sangai looked somewhat awkward. He cleared his throat. “Miss, thank you for bringing Maka home. Would you like to come inside and sit?”
Sakurai Mii waved her hand. “No need. Your family must have a lot to talk about now that you’re reunited. I won’t disturb you.”
Then she looked at Su Mo, reminding him with a smile, “Since you’ve just arrived here, there are still some procedures to complete. So it’s best not to go out much for the next month, just stay in Tokyo. Once the paperwork is done, you can go wherever you want, no one will stop you.”
Su Mo understood this was a one-month surveillance and evaluation period. He replied without showing any change in expression, “Okay. Thank you for everything this time.”
After Sakurai Mii left, Chiba Sangai said kindly, “From now on, this is your home. Please don’t stand on ceremony with your uncle.”
He then took Su Mo on a tour, pointing to one clean and tidy room. “You’ll stay here from now on. When Keiko comes back, I’ll have her take you to buy some daily necessities.”
Keiko was his daughter, Chiba Maka’s cousin, with D-level cultivation. She was the direct disciple of Uesugi Bunka, the Deputy Leader of the Warrior Sect.
After expressing his thanks, Su Mo entered the room and found it spotlessly clean, clearly regularly inhabited.
Suddenly, a violent slamming sound came from outside.
This was followed by the sounds of Chiba Sangai arguing with his wife. Although their voices were very low, they were perfectly clear to Su Mo’s ears.
After about ten minutes of arguing, Aunt Li, holding the hand of a boy around ten years old, left the house, crying and making a scene. Chiba Sangai threw a reassuring glance at Su Mo before chasing after them.
Witnessing this scene, Su Mo felt a deep sense of recognition. He had seen similar situations many times in his childhood—either the husband’s brother’s child or the wife’s maiden Home brother’s child. Basically, any child that wasn’t one’s own often led to such drama.
Although Aunt Li was extremely unwilling to accept a new member, Chiba Sangai was exceptionally good to this niece he had never met before.