Charm, Chaos, and Cold Eyes – Chapter 146
Ren leaned back ever so slightly on the couch, the corners of his lips curled into that same infuriating smirk he always wore when something was about to happen. His thoughts were calm and precise.
'Hmm, now that I know they're not actual jujutsu higher-ups… what to do… Hmm… ha…'
A quiet chuckle bubbled in his throat.
'That would be fun.'
And slowly, so smoothly that even Mei Mei didn't notice until it happened, Ren's hand slipped down from her shoulder… and settled on her waist.
A pause.
Mei Mei's eyes twitched.
Her lips stayed smiling, but her cheeks bloomed with sudden heat. A rare, unmistakable blush was painted across her controlled expression.
'Wha—?!'
'What… the fuck… Ren! You bastard!'
Across the room, Ogami froze.
Not a single twitch on her face—yet her eyes widened in ways that revealed decades of composure had been shattered in a second. Her thoughts were loud and horrified.
'Never in my life… have I seen such a bold young man act like this in front of his elders!!'
Next to her, Jiro sputtered violently on his cup of water, coughing as if someone had stabbed him in the lungs. He wiped at his mouth furiously while side-eyeing Ren like he'd just watched a classroom catch fire.
Mei Mei clenched her jaw as she kept smiling, internally vibrating like a bomb about to go off.
And then Ren spoke—his voice casual, airy, and full of mock innocence:
"I didn't even know Mei Mei had family, to be honest. She's always acted like a spoiled girl. You guys must've done a bad job."
He chuckled. He laughed.
Like he had said something light, something harmless.
But Mei Mei was looking at Ren like she wanted to kill him!
She blinked rapidly, almost in physical pain.
'BAD girl?!'
'What am I, five?! I'm older than you, you little shit!'
Her toes curled inside her slippers. Her whole body tensed.
If she hadn't spent years mastering her expressions, she would've grabbed her drink and splashed it right into Ren's smug face.
But she didn't. She stayed calm. And instead, she retaliated.
"Hey! Don't call me a bad girl…"
She leaned in, batting her lashes, her voice smooth as honey.
"I try to be a good girl for you… most of the time."
Her words landed with venom. It was the ultimate test of Ren's composure—and he passed it with flying colors. He just smiled.
On the other side of the room, Ogami blinked.
Her mind raced to keep up.
'Ah… she acts like that with him? In front of us? Oh my… Even I would have trouble doing something like that so smoothly… Mei Mei truly is capable. She's perfect for this job…'
Meanwhile, Jiro gritted his teeth.
'What is this circus?! I thought Mei Mei was seducing him with class, with elegance—not like this! This is… shameless!'
He turned away slightly, as if shielding his eyes would make the scene less blasphemous.
Ogami tried to salvage the moment. She raised a hand with a graceful chuckle and spoke with playful amusement:
"Hmm, Ren… You're quite the bold boy, aren't you? Holding Mei Mei like that right in front of us~?"
But Ren didn't even blink. He responded with the same smooth tone, not missing a beat.
"Oh, I'm not bold. I just know how to hold my woman."
He turned slightly, meeting Ogami's eyes with a relaxed gaze.
"Surely a beautiful lady like you must know what I'm talking about~."
The entire room froze.
Mei Mei blinked.
Ogami blinked.
Jiro… just stared.
'BEAUTIFUL?!'
Mei Mei nearly choked.
'WHAT. THE. HELL. DID. HE. JUST. SAY?'
She felt her face go red—not from shyness, not from confusion, but from sheer rage. Her eye twitched. Her fingers twitched. Her brain exploded into a thousand curse words.
'He actually just called her beautiful? In front of ME?! THIS BRAT!!'
But she couldn't react.
On the other side, Ogami was so stunned she actually leaned back and covered her mouth with her hand. Her cheeks flushed slightly, a look she hadn't worn in decades.
'Oh, he's that type of boy, huh?'
'But isn't he only sixteen? This boy is… dangerously bold. But beautiful? He called me beautiful… It's been years since anyone said that.'
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
"Oh my~ you're good at flattery, aren't you? No wonder you were able to get through to Mei Mei so easily…"
And Jiro?
He had shut down.
'Nonsense. This is all complete nonsense.'
He shook his head and muttered under his breath.
'He's bold. That's it. Just another brat like Gojo. All flash, no depth…'
He sighed and leaned forward, thinking deeply.
'And he also seems to have a weak spot. Skirts, huh? Flattery. Vanity. He's young, of course. Easy to bait. This all makes sense… But still… Calling Ogami beautiful? Hah. I'd pay money to see his face when he sees her real body.'
"Oh, would you two please excuse me, Ren, for a second? please?" and Mei Mei speaks in a calm tone as she stands up, pulling Ren by his hand to the kitchen…