Noon: Eleven o'clock...
Komi Shouko, as the employer, was going to treat everyone to a meal.
The girls gathered together, discussing which restaurant to go to.
Although... only Miko was enthusiastically recommending places.
She was creating conversation topics for Komi Shouko and Gotou Hitori.
Attempting to liven up the atmosphere by herself.
Lu Ren looked at the time and went alone to the nearest parking lot.
At this moment... a white SUV was parked at the agreed location.
The car window rolled down... Hiratsuka Shizuka covered her mouth, yawning discontentedly.
"Little Lu, today is a holiday."
Hiratsuka Shizuka grumbled, feeling wronged.
Her original plan was to lie in bed until noon.
After Lu Ren made lunch, she would eat and then go back to sleep!
She had been very tired these past few days, and on this rare holiday, she only wanted to sleep until dusk!
But Lu Ren called, saying there was an emergency and asked her to come be a driver.
And... Lu Ren also promised that if she was willing to come... he would take her camping in the back mountains in the afternoon... and let her taste his proud barbecue skills, with unlimited alcohol!
..."Didn't I promise you we'd go camping later?"
Lu Ren leaned against the car, teasing her with a smile.
At the same time... he then realized... the car Hiratsuka Shizuka drove was also a luxury car.
A Land Cruiser.
It is also known as the Land Cruiser.
It's a highly valued car among enthusiasts, and there's even a jingle:
Mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers, but for off-roading, it's always a Cool Cruiser...
"Teacher Shizuka, what exactly made you give up being a rich young lady?"
"And suffer to become a teacher?"
"Not just a homeroom teacher, but also taking on the most exhausting role: life guidance teacher?"
"You, what exactly were you thinking...?"
Lu Ren sighed regretfully, asking Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Stop calling me 'Xiao Jing'!"
"Please! I have some dignity!"
"Boo-hoo—! (Fake crying)"
Hiratsuka Shizuka covered her eyes in annoyance, feigning tears.
It was the third day of being with Lu Ren.
His way of addressing her had already dropped three levels!
Teacher Shizuka!
Sister Shizuka!
Xiao Jing!
If this continued, the consequences would be unimaginable!
..."Tch..."
"Didn't you yourself say it?"
"Someone who can't cook doesn't deserve to be called an adult!"
Lu Ren crossed his arms, imitating Hiratsuka Shizuka's tone, and said with full confidence.
Last night, after eating the meal Hiratsuka Shizuka made, he almost ended up in the hospital due to stomach pains!
"Don't bring that up again!"
"I was wrong! Isn't that enough?"
"I didn't know it would turn out like that!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka clutched her head, wailing in pain as if a Master had recited a binding spell.
"Until you become a qualified adult, I'll keep calling you that."
"Xiao Jing, you really need to work hard!"
Lu Ren smiled exceptionally brightly, even reaching into the car to ruffle Hiratsuka Shizuka's head.
"Alright, let's talk about something serious."
"Who are those two girls?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka's gaze was sharp as she raised a hand, pointing at Miko and the others, questioning Lu Ren.
"The quiet girl is Komi Shouko."
"She's in a bit of trouble, and we're about to go help her."
Lu Ren raised his hand, pointing at Komi Shouko.
"The lively, smiling girl is Yotsuya Miko."
"She has the ability of spiritual sight and can see evil spirits."
"I recruited her, and now she's my assistant."
Lu Ren then pointed at Miko, smiling as he spoke to Hiratsuka Shizuka.
However... Hiratsuka Shizuka suddenly thought of something, and her face was filled with worry.
"A girl who can see Yokai?"
"Among my students, there's also one like that."
"When I first started, I didn't believe in such things."
"I thought it was chuunibyou and even gave her psychological counseling."
"It wasn't until recently, when I actually encountered a Yokai, that I believed it was real."
Hiratsuka Shizuka's face was full of guilt.
She felt deeply remorseful for her mistake.
That feeling of being misunderstood must be incredibly difficult.
"Who is it?"
"My Club has just opened."
"It's precisely when we're short on staff."
"I don't want to miss out on such a promising talent."
"After all..."
"There's still a bet between Yukinoshita and me."
Lu Ren sensed Hiratsuka Shizuka's guilt and, pretending not to care, asked about the person's identity.
Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed, habitually patting her pocket.
She was searching for her cigarette pack; it was her way of relieving stress.
Her empty pocket, however, contained nothing... It was only then that she suddenly remembered she had promised Lu Ren to quit smoking...
"Her name is Natsume Reiko."
"She's a very beautiful girl..."
"Sunny, cheerful, enthusiastic, and free-spirited, like a gust of wind."
"She always said she could see Yokai and had even defeated them."
"But the people around her always laughed at her; no one ever believed her."
"Her background is very difficult, and I really can't say much."
"She lives with relatives, and her relationship with them is very poor."
"It's for the same reason..."
"She always says she can see Yokai, and her relatives dislike her too."
Hiratsuka Shizuka said, while irritably running her fingers through her hair.
She no longer had her way of relieving stress and was still very unaccustomed to it.
"And then?"
Lu Ren asked curiously, inwardly marveling.
He never imagined... that in this world, Natsume Reiko was born several decades later.
And was also Lu Ren's classmate; fate is truly wondrous!
..."Then..."
"Then one day, Reiko came to me..."
"She said she didn't want to study anymore and wanted to live with the Yokai."
"As her homeroom teacher, I naturally couldn't stand by and do nothing."
"We had a half-hour debate."
"I didn't believe a word she said, and we ultimately parted on bad terms."
"And then..."
"Reiko... she never came to school again."
Hiratsuka Shizuka's expression dimmed, and her eyes began to redden slightly.
She believed that she bore the primary responsibility for all of this!
It was her distrust that ultimately led to such a result!
If only... she had been more tactful back then, things might have turned out differently...
"Is that so...?"
Lu Ren murmured softly, considering whether to help with this matter.
Just then... the system's options appeared once again...
[Warm Reminder: You have triggered a hidden event!]
[Make a choice to receive generous rewards!]
[Event Introduction: Natsume Reiko has lost her life's ideals.]
[Option One: Do nothing. Reward: Elixir of the Moon Sage.]
[Option Two: Offer advice. Reward: Mystic Eyes of a random level.]