They ate a delicious hot pot.
Chisato Sengoku had Lin Xi handle the move-in procedures for Shiina Mashiro.
Well, since Kamiigusa Misaki was currently living alone on the third floor, Lin Xi simply arranged for her to be next to Misaki-senpai.
Kamiigusa Misaki was very happy about this.
Originally, she had been planning to move to the second floor.
But she still preferred the scenery on the third floor.
Now that little Mashiro was next door, she wouldn't feel lonely anymore.
After eating, Ogiwara Sayu pushed Shiina Mahiru out of the kitchen and busied herself.
She would feel embarrassed if Shiina Mahiru took all the housework away from her~.
And this was also a way to show off her girlfriend power-.
Shiina Mahiru had no choice but to leave the kitchen. With Sayu busy, she found herself idle instead.
After Lin Xi took Mashiro to her room, he returned to the second floor and sat on the sofa in the living room to digest.
He had to go to school tomorrow.
He hadn't contacted Sannomiya Sumireko in the past two days, and he didn't know what this great beauty was up to.
So, he immediately sent her a message.
"Sumireko, are you asleep yet?"
Sannomiya Sumireko, who was watching this side with binoculars, curved her lips and took out her phone from her pocket.
She tapped her finger and quickly replied.
"What do you think? Sleeping right after eating, do you think I'm a pig?"
Lin Xi: "Hehe, that's a coincidence. I just finished eating too, and I'm lying down bored."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "How is it? Have you coaxed Shiina-san?"
Lin Xi: "Of course? Who do you think I am? Mahiru and I are already reconciled."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Oh, you can even call her by her first name now. How good are you guys?"
Lin Xi: "Probably to the point where kissing and hugging are okay."
Sannomiya Sumireko couldn't help but pout her little mouth.
How can you even say such things?
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Who are you?"
Lin Xi: "I'm Lin Xi, Sumireko."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "No, you're not. How could Lin Xi, as my prospective boyfriend, be kissing and hugging Shiina?"
Lin Xi: "I think I know who I am now, Sumireko. I'm the legendary light novel protagonist!"
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Bah, shameless!"
Lin Xi: "Speaking of which, there are now two Shiinas in Sakura Dormitory."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Is that the one you brought back holding hands this afternoon?"
Lin Xi: "You saw it?"
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Yes, she looks quite cute. What's her name?"
Lin Xi: "Her name is Shiina Mashiro, she's Mahiru's cousin. Look how similar their names are."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Are you happy? You can hug two Shiina-sans now."
Lin Xi: "I wouldn't mind if you sat in the middle, Sumireko."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Hey, is this the police? There's a pervert here, a super pervert who's cheating on several girls and harassing them!"
Lin Xi: "Don't even mention it. Yesterday, a very fierce police officer invited me to become a detective after graduation, and said I didn't even need an interview. If I just went, he'd immediately give me the position of captain."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Did you finally get reported to the police by a beautiful girl because you're a playboy?"
Lin Xi: "No, actually I went to the police station because I did something heroic. I saw some delinquents bullying Shiina-san and the others, so I stood up for them."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Were you injured?"
Lin Xi: "Unfortunately, they were the ones who were injured. Otherwise, I could have pretended to faint and waited for a beautiful girl to gratefully offer me a lap pillow as a reward."
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Lap pillow? Do you boys all like that?"
Lin Xi: "I don't know about others, but I probably like it, but there's usually no chance to lie defenselessly on a girl's lap."
"Sumireko, can I reserve your lap for tomorrow?"
Sannomiya Sumireko: "You're such a playboy, and you still want my lap pillow? Why do you think I'd agree?"
Lin Xi: "Maybe it's because I'm too greedy. Even though I know you probably won't agree, I still want to try begging you."
Seeing this, Sannomiya Sumireko's lips curled up slightly.
Well, I'll temporarily forgive you for being so close to Shiina for being so good at coaxing me.
Sannomiya Sumireko: "Meet me on the school rooftop tomorrow."
Lin Xi: "Okay!"
Ending the conversation, Lin Xi couldn't help but smile.
He was still looking forward to Sumireko's lap pillow.
However, even if he was looking forward to it, it was still tomorrow's matter.
Lin Xi's gaze fell on Shiina Mahiru, who had just walked out of the kitchen, and he waved at her.
The girl's cheeks flushed slightly, and after hesitating for a moment, she still walked over pretending to be calm.
"What?"
"Hehe, come sit next to me."
"What if I don't come over?" She thought of the scene of him walking in with her cousin Mashiro holding hands, and her little mouth pouted slightly.
"Come on, Mahiru."
"No."
"Come over."
"I'm just not coming!"
"Are you really not coming?" Lin Xi looked her up and down.
"I'm really not coming." She nodded seriously in response.
"Okay, fine, I'll come over, okay!"
He quickly stood up, walked over quickly, and picked her up by the waist.
Then he quickly returned to the room.
Shiina Mahiru hadn't even reacted when she was already sitting in his arms, her pretty face instantly flushed red.
"You, how can you do this?"
"I can't help it, who told you not to come over? I had no choice but to go over and hug you myself."
Lin Xi rested his chin on her fragrant shoulder, breathing in the charming fragrance of a young girl, and couldn't help but ask with concern:
"What were you thinking about just now, Mahiru? I saw you glancing at Mashiro from time to time while eating hot pot, and spacing out."
Shiina Mahiru was stunned, and her heart warmed.
She couldn't help but raise her hand and gently wrap it around his neck, "Lin Xi, you noticed."
"Of course, I care about Mahiru a lot, so I'll naturally pay attention to your expression. Rather, it would be strange if I didn't notice."
His words were full of affection, and Shiina Mahiru glanced at him with a somewhat flushed face, and couldn't help but sigh quietly.
"Actually, it's nothing, it's just... Lin Xi, you already know about my family situation, right?"
She had noticed it long ago. This guy was not only considerate and caring towards her, but he also understood her.
Without knowing her family situation, her relationship with her parents, it would have been impossible to make such a natural reaction and action.
But at that time, she hadn't thought about this at all, and had only selfishly fallen into sadness, acting spoiled with him, and having her heart comforted by him.
"Yes, I already knew about Mahiru not being liked by her parents. I asked Chihiro-sensei about it, and even bought her a dozen beers as a reward."
This reason warmed Shiina Mahiru's heart.
Since it was her cousin Chihiro who revealed it, then it had nothing to do with Sayu.
She had only told Sayu about this matter.
However, her cousin was really unscrupulous.
She told Lin Xi about her situation for just a dozen beers.
Well, she wasn't blaming her cousin.
Instead, she was a little grateful.
If her cousin hadn't said it, how would this guy have come over so considerately to care for her?
Thinking of this, the girl's cheeks and eyes became wet.
She was a little touched.
Compared to her cold and indifferent parents, even her cousin cared about her more than her parents did.
"Sorry, I was really curious about Mahiru's situation. I was super concerned about you being alone in the park in the rain that day and not wanting to go home."
"You still have the nerve to say that, you big dummy." Shiina Mahiru glared at him, and continued:
"You could have forcefully pulled me and gone home together with an umbrella, but instead you made yourself catch a cold by going back in the rain."
Lin Xi smiled and said, "Wasn't I considering you? We weren't as close as we are now back then."
"The only way I could think of to make you obediently go home was to go back in the rain myself, making you feel guilty and obediently go home. Aren't I very despicable?"
"Yes, you're super despicable!"
Shiina Mahiru said affirmatively, but couldn't help but rub her cheek against his chest.
"Thank you for being so despicable."
"And thank you for being so kind and cute."
Lin Xi raised her delicate chin and slowly brought his lips closer.
"Wait a minute! You pervert, do you still want to hear me say what's on my mind?" She playfully raised her hand to block his lips.
He wanted to be bad right now, what a pervert!
"Okay, of course I want to hear Mahiru's thoughts!"
Lin Xi immediately made a decision.
It wasn't too late to kiss her after listening to her.
Shiina Mahiru leaned relaxedly in his arms, thought for a while, and said:
"Since elementary school, I've always been this well-behaved, cute, little angel in everyone's eyes."
"There's actually a reason why I try so hard to be excellent."
"When I was little, the only time my mom and dad took me to a party, I saw my cousin Mashiro being the center of attention from relatives and friends."
"Cousin Mashiro was just quietly sitting there, focused on painting."
"She was like a princess in a fairy tale, shining brightly under the admiring gaze of everyone."
"Mashiro's parents were also proud of her."
"Everyone said she was a genius, and Grandpa even built her an exclusive painting studio to cultivate her genius painting skills."
"I was thinking at that time."
"That's so nice."
"As long as you become excellent, you can get so much praise, and the eyes of your parents, relatives, and friends can all fall on you."
"I thought that if I became this excellent too, my mom and dad would definitely come home and live with me, and I could experience a life with my mom and dad's caring protection like other children."
"But I was wrong."
"Do you remember the time I was in the park in the rain?"
"Through hard work, I tied for first place with the daughter of the Snow Below family and got into Soubu High, even giving a speech on stage as a representative of the new students."
"I thought that being as excellent as I am, I should be able to make a small request for my mom and dad to come home and celebrate with me."
"But both my mom and dad refused my request."
"Mom said that I am not needed or expected by them, and told me not to do unnecessary things. They don't want to see each other, nor will they return to that house and live with me."
"I was very sad, so I left that house out of spite and later moved into Sakura Dormitory. You know the rest."
"That day in the rain, my mom called and told me to come back and live there, but do you know why?"
"She said that I must live in that house as their daughter until I graduate from university, after which they won't care what happens to me."
"I suddenly felt it was so ridiculous."
"I worked so hard for so long to make myself excellent, to be well-behaved, to become the little angel in everyone's eyes, but all of it was useless."
"Yes, I was an unwanted child from the beginning. My birth was actually an obstacle to those two divorcing."
"They conceived me out of a night of passion due to family interests."
"Although they give me money every month, they never come home. When they do, it's only for work needs, as if to show a loving image to someone."
"If they don't need me, why did they give birth to me? Giving birth to me and then ignoring me, what kind of parents is that?"
Speaking of this, Shiina Mahiru was already in tears.
It was different from when she confided in Sayu.
Telling Lin Xi her worries only made her more vulnerable.
"Hey, Lin Xi, do you think I'm very stupid? I foolishly worked hard for over a decade for a family that could never be harmonious, only to find that all my efforts were in vain."
"I gave up on myself, thinking that since no one cared about me anyway, I would just stand in the park in the rain... hoping to catch a cold and fever and just die."
Hearing this, Lin Xi raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, then lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
"Mahiru isn't stupid at all. Those two are the stupid ones."
"They don't know how to cherish you, but I will."
"Mahiru, Sakura Dormitory will always be your home."
"Pfft, have you said that to Sayu too?"
"Uh… that's not important. What's important is… I've already got you in my arms, and I won't let you escape."
"Don't forget, I can be very despicable."
"Yes, you're the most despicable. So, Mr. Despicable Lin, can you continue what you were doing… Mmm…!"
Lin Xi didn't hesitate and lowered his head to kiss the girl's cherry lips.
Everything was understood without words.