After hearing Jinno Sumire's words, Hikari stopped moving. He lay there with his eyes open, staring straight at the beautiful, delicate face of this noble, cold shrine maiden.
Feeling Hikari's slightly scorching gaze, and the big hand that kept kneading and rubbing the plump fruit borne on slender willow branches, Jinno Sumire knew that today was probably not going to end well.
Realizing that this situation could not be resolved without paying some kind of price, Jinno Sumire's pretty face flushed slightly. She lowered her voice and asked Hikari, "Um… Hikari-kun, if Auntie uses… uses her hand to help, is that okay?"
Jinno Sumire had said before that he could hold her hand, but Hikari knew that the hand-holding now was not the same as before.
Hikari hesitated a bit and said, "This… isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
He said that with his mouth, but he was already about to pinch the poor rabbit until it was swollen. Who knew whether this guy was doing it on purpose or not. Jinno Sumire shot him a reproachful glance, then lightly bit her teeth and said, "It really isn't appropriate, but if this keeps going, I feel like neither of us will be able to hold on. By then, it'll be too late to regret it!"
"Th… fine," Hikari frowned, looking helpless, and reluctantly agreed to Jinno Sumire's request.
"Can you… can you close your eyes?", Jinno Sumire asked softly, her face red.
"Okay," Hikari understood that, given the difference in their identities and Jinno Sumire still caring about her pride, she would be extremely shy. He sensibly closed his eyes.
Seeing Hikari shut his eyes and lean back on the bed, Jinno Sumire tremblingly stretched her fair little hand forward.
Tonight was the hardest night Jinno Sumire had endured in many years.
Even back when her work was at its busiest, she had never been this busy.
Because she felt she owed Hikari several hundred million, Jinno Sumire decided to use the funds she had on hand to help him cash out and ease that bad situation.
But it was not just internal trouble on Hikari's side. The maid Rangiku sent by Jinno Takashi was still an external threat that could not be underestimated.
So today, while Jinno Sumire was tight on funds in her hands, she also had to keep making sounds with her mouth, so that she would not be exposed by Rangiku outside.
Being busy on both fronts like this, how could Jinno Sumire not be exhausted?
The bright moonlight pierced through the clouds, pouring onto the ground like spilled mercury.
This beautiful sight even made the maid Rangiku, who had been sent to monitor the master's daughter and son-in-law, stop to look a few more times, her mood relaxing quite a bit.
But Jinno Sumire, the one being monitored, was extremely tense. She was so busy that sweat had already appeared on her forehead, her chest rising and falling violently.
After being busy on both fronts, reciting and working at the same time, for nearly half an hour, Jinno Sumire finally noticed that the shadow outside had completely disappeared.
It was probably that maid Rangiku had finally believed in their relationship, left, and gone back to report to Jinno Takashi.
Seeing this, the previously tense Jinno Sumire immediately let out a sigh of relief and stopped calling out.
Sitting upright at the edge of the bed, she picked up the cup of water beside her and took a big gulp, moistening her dry throat.
"Hikari-kun, the maid my father sent to monitor us has left," Jinno Sumire happily shared the news with Hikari.
"Mm…", Faced with this good news, Hikari frowned slightly and replied somewhat perfunctorily.
Seeing the shadow outside the window disappear, Jinno Sumire could not help but show joy on her face.
"Originally, as my father's eyes and ears, Rangiku was supposed to monitor us the entire night."
"But through my performance just now, she probably dispelled her doubts and went back early to report to my father."
"After this, my father will definitely have far fewer doubts about our relationship and truly believe that the two of us can carry on the Jinno family line."
Because she was happy, Jinno Sumire excitedly talked to Hikari while gesturing animatedly.
Her soft, pink palm unconsciously used a bit too much strength, pinching Hikari enough to hurt slightly, but still within what he could bear, so he did not say anything.
"Hikari-kun, you don't seem very happy?"
Jinno Sumire had been happily sharing the good news with Hikari, but when she saw that he did not look very happy, she could not help but pause in slight surprise.
"I'm okay, it's just Auntie Sumire, could you please control your strength a bit…", Hikari said helplessly to Jinno Sumire, whose full chest was rising and falling continuously in her excitement.
Hearing this, seeing Hikari's tightly furrowed brows and feeling the burning heat in her palm with no sign of subsiding, Jinno Sumire finally reacted.
The matter of helping Hikari cash out a few hundred million that she had promised earlier still had not been taken care of.
Her small face flushed red. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Jinno Sumire did not dare say much more.
After all, as the head of the Jinno family and a shrine maiden, she had always kept her word. Since she had promised, she naturally could not break it now. Jinno Sumire immediately sped up her rhythm.
Because she felt embarrassed to look at what was happening inside the room, and because she was worried that the maid Rangiku might return, Jinno Sumire kept working with her hands while her gaze stayed fixed outside the room.
Watching the moonlight outside grow brighter, the crescent moon turning into a full moon, Jinno Sumire guessed that Rangiku had probably already finished reporting back to Jinno Takashi. She just did not know when her own work would finally be finished.
After an unknown amount of time passed, Jinno Sumire really could not take it anymore. She even forgot about her shyness and turned her head to stare straight at Hikari.
"Hikari-kun, why are you still… still not done?"
After confirming that Rangiku, who had been sent by Jinno Takashi to supervise, was no longer there, Jinno Sumire had sped up the pace of cashing out, yet Hikari still refused to follow through. She could not help but grow anxious.
After all, even if you have not eaten pork, you have seen pigs run. Hikari was clearly at the age when self-control was weakest, so how could it last this long?
Feeling the funds in her hands gradually running dry while Hikari still refused to hand over his few hundred million, Jinno Sumire could not help but widen her beautiful eyes in shock, staring at Hikari.
"Well… my constitution is pretty good, and Auntie Sumire, your technique also… has a bit of a problem."
Looking at Jinno Sumire's clumsy way of cashing out, Hikari was very helpless. He even started to doubt whether Jinno Ai, her daughter, had been picked up from somewhere.
After all, no matter how young Jinno Sumire looked, her real age should be in her early thirties. And she was a married woman, with a daughter Jinno Ai who was about the same age as him.
She could not be more mature, already at an age that was practically dripping with sweetness. How could she still not understand these things, looking like she had even less experience than Asakawa Aoi?
Facing Jinno Sumire's pure yet alluring face, Hikari did not have the heart to say it directly, and could only hint at it obliquely.
Jinno Sumire, however, did not know about Hikari's inner speech, and only looked at him with some confusion.
"Is it really just that your constitution is good?"
Jinno Sumire's surprised little mouth still could not close, but there was no time to dwell on it.
Seeing the uncomfortable expression on Hikari's face, Jinno Sumire said apologetically, "Auntie really doesn't have any experience. My technique isn't very good… I'm sorry, Hikari-kun."
Seeing Jinno Sumire's face turn a bit red from embarrassment and shyness, Hikari did not say anything more, and Jinno Sumire could only continue to persevere.
"Um! Hikari-kun. Rangiku has already left. How about… how about we just stop here and go to sleep?"
Jinno Sumire had originally wanted to keep working with her own hands to help Hikari cash out a large amount of funds, but feeling her hands grow more and more sore, she could not help but carefully ask Hikari.
"No!", In response to this rare attempt at negotiation from the cold shrine maiden, Hikari rejected it outright.
He said seriously, "Auntie Sumire, I'm already at the point where the arrow is on the string and has to be released. If you stop here now, something might happen tonight that we'll both deeply regret but won't be able to undo."
"Ah?", Hearing this, Jinno Sumire froze, "Th… then what should we do?"
Jinno Sumire had no experience in this area at all, and at this moment she completely believed Hikari's words.
Hearing the consultation from Jinno Sumire, who looked inexperienced, Hikari glanced at the mature auntie's pink, glossy cherry lips.
He asked her very politely, "Auntie Sumire, after calling out for so long just now, is your mouth tired?"
Hearing Hikari still caring about her at a time like this, Jinno Sumire felt a warmth in her heart and answered honestly, "It's actually okay. My mouth was a bit dry earlier, but I drank some water just now, and it feels much better."
"Then… could you put your throat through a bit more hardship?", Hikari suddenly said.
"Huh? You still want me to call out? Rangiku has already left," Hearing his words, Jinno Sumire was slightly stunned.
Hikari did not answer, only quietly looked at Jinno Sumire's cherry lips.
Seeing Hikari's silent expression, Jinno Sumire suddenly understood.
Her pretty face flushed red, and she said in embarrassed annoyance, "Hikari-kun, are you saying you want me to… to change methods and help you finish it?"
Hikari gently nodded.
"I… I…"
"Th… that's not possible!"
Jinno Sumire's pretty face burned red as she shook her head repeatedly in refusal.
"Auntie Sumire, the arrow is already on the string. It has to be released!", Hikari said helplessly.
Seeing the faint trace of pain on Hikari's young, handsome face, guilt welled up in Jinno Sumire's heart.
"Today's situation really is all Auntie's fault. Even though it was that old man's scheme, in the end it was still Auntie who dragged you into this."
"O… okay!"
Jinno Sumire bit her teeth hard and finally agreed with a red face, "But just… just this once, Hikari-kun. You're not allowed to push your luck any further."
"Mm," Hikari nodded seriously.
After getting his answer, Jinno Sumire felt slightly relieved.
Enduring her shame, she bent her slender waist slightly, knelt on the cold floor, and gently raised her head.
"Gulp! Mm!"
.
.
.
"Gulp! Gulp! Mm…"
"Eh Hikari-kun… this… mm… this kind of thing must… must not be told to anyone…"
Jinno Sumire, who was helping Hikari eat a late-night snack, warned him while her cheeks puffed out from eating too much, gagging uncontrollably.
"Ugh!"
When the late-night snack was almost finished, Jinno Sumire accidentally choked. Although she swallowed most of it, she still spat out quite a bit.
Just when Jinno Sumire was already somewhat full, so stuffed that tears were flowing from her eyes, and thought it was finally over, Hikari brought her another serving of late-night snack.
Even though she did not want to eat anymore, there was no choice. Since she had already agreed, Jinno Sumire ate again at Hikari's request.
This time, Jinno Sumire was so full that she could not even speak.
Outside the room, the full moon hung high in the sky, its bright white light pouring down like spilled mercury.
The maid Rangiku's figure quietly appeared once again in Jinno Sumire's courtyard.
She had already gone back earlier to report the situation here to Jinno Takashi. After learning that the two of them were likely working hard for the prosperity of the Jinno family, Jinno Takashi was very satisfied. But being cautious by nature, he told her to come back and monitor once more.
Returning to the courtyard again, the maid Rangiku quietly peeked into the room. Under the lamplight, she saw two hazy figures leaning closely together.
Through the light, seeing the silhouettes cast on the window, the maid Rangiku opened her mouth wide in shock.
"As a shrine maiden, Lady Sumire is actually helping Hikari-kun, who is a live-in son-in-law… how could this be?"
"Could it be that in this regard, Hikari-kun is the one taking the lead?"
"Hikari-kun is so handsome, it's not entirely impossible…"
"But for the usually so cold and serious Lady Sumire to be willing to do this, even willing to eat a late-night snack, it's truly unbelievable."
After imagining the intimate interaction between the two inside the room, the maid Rangiku was so moved that she almost shed tears. She no longer doubted anything and quickly left the courtyard.
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