"Wait, wait! The topic is getting too grand! Let's bring it back, bring it back!"
Shen Qingsheng stopped Su Ze's words. Su Ze was a domineering man, loyal to his country and unwilling to yield to any enemy. In his eyes, Uesugi Akizuki, though the mother of the little goofball, was someone he had heard about for her actions in China. He didn’t particularly like her, but he didn’t dislike her either, as she had once used her power to avert a major crisis at the cost of permanently losing an arm.
This severed arm was irreparable, as it had been consumed by the laws of nature.
Su Ze's words were purely to assert national pride. He didn’t feel that being a citizen of his country made him inferior to a foreigner. Born in this nation, how could he not be proud?
"Can I come along?" Shen Qingsheng asked. "I think I can be of help."
"No," Su Ze shook his head, then suddenly smiled. "I'm just going to meet my mother-in-law. What could possibly go wrong?"
"Big him, big him!" Shen Qingsheng shouted, watching the five enemies on the screen fleeing with low health. He controlled Yasuo, chasing them down the minion line, frantically pressing R.
Su Ze, controlling Yone, sent out his spirit form with E, then unleashed his ultimate, lifting all five enemies into the air!
"I am the wind!"
Shen Qingsheng followed up with his R, his face twisted into a fierce grin!
Suddenly, W, A, Q, and Ignite, followed by a Flash to reposition for the final blow!
Yasuo, still mid-air, landed on the pile of corpses, then froze, motionless.
Yone, Pentakill!
The bottom left corner of the screen lit up with a sea of "6666."
"You're too slow," Su Ze said, controlling Yone to destroy the enemy nexus.
Ignoring Shen Qingsheng's roaring in his earphones, he turned off the computer and pinched the cheek of the little goofball, who was sleeping soundly.
Uesugi Akizuki, curled up on the chair, rubbed her sleepy eyes and stretched out her arms like a pendant, wrapping them around Su Ze's neck as he leaned in to pick her up.
Leaving the internet café, Su Ze held an unlit cigarette in his mouth, carrying the little goofball on his back. He bent slightly to make it easier for her to rest comfortably.
The evening breeze swayed the tree branches, and the potholes in the alley still held the morning dew from the rain. The puddles reflected the starry night sky.
Su Ze opened the door to his home, a villa in Dust City. He had driven back early this morning after receiving a call from Uesugi Akizuki.
On the way to the Rakshasa territory, he would pass through Dust City, so he decided to stop by home and leave again tomorrow.
"Not sleeping?" Su Ze removed the cigarette from his mouth and asked with a smile.
He felt the little goofball nuzzling her cheek against his neck, like an affectionate kitten rubbing against its owner's leg the moment they returned home.
Her wine-red hair, tousled by the breeze, brushed against his skin. She didn’t know why, but she just wanted to nuzzle against Su Ze. It made her feel a sense of happiness.
"ねる (Neru)."
The little goofball's Chinese was still not fluent, and she occasionally slipped into her native language. It meant, "Sleep."
"いい (Ii)," Su Ze replied. He was fluent in eight languages and understood her perfectly.
The little goofball spoke simply, and Su Ze was used to it. She wanted to sleep with him.
Back in the room, Su Ze placed her on the bed and helped her take off her shoes.
After turning off the lights, Su Ze lay down on the bed. Uesugi Akizuki took his hand, and the two lay there, staring at the ceiling in silence.
The moonlight outside flowed like water, casting a silvery glow across the room, resembling a tranquil ocean.
"Want to be naughty," the little goofball whispered softly, lying in the ocean of light. She turned to her side, hugging Su Ze and giving him a light kiss. Holding his hand, she nestled into his embrace and gradually fell asleep.
Su Ze held the little goofball, but he didn’t sleep. He gazed silently at the thin clouds drifting past the floor-to-ceiling window, the moonlight filtering through them and spilling onto the ground.
His mind was a tangled mess of thoughts. Suddenly, he remembered something he had forgotten.
Slowly, he released the little goofball's hand and left her side. As expected, she woke up immediately, looking at him in confusion.
"I'll be back soon," Su Ze said, turning and walking toward the balcony in the living room.
He dialed a number.
"You better have a good reason!" His boss on the other end sounded annoyed, clearly woken up from sleep.
"Can I go to Rakshasa tomorrow? I’m dating their leader's daughter, Uesugi Akizuki… and she’s asked me to visit," Su Ze explained without hiding anything. He was reporting his plans to avoid any misunderstandings, as a Chinese prodigy visiting Rakshasa unannounced could raise eyebrows.
There was a long silence on the other end. "Does she know you’re dating?"
"Probably… not," Su Ze replied uncertainly.
"Hold on," his boss said, hanging up.
This matter was beyond his authority, so the boss made another call.
"You better have a good reason!" Situ Jiayang took off his nightcap, clearly irritated.
"I do, I do," the boss said, scratching his head as he relayed the situation.
Soon, Su Ze received a call.
"Go ahead," Situ Jiayang said lazily. Su Ze could hear the sound of a lighter flicking, probably lighting a cigarette. Situ Jiayang chuckled, "Kid, not bad. You managed to win over Uesugi Akizuki's daughter. Though, it’s a bit late."
Su Ze wasn’t sure what he meant by "late," but he lit a cigarette as well.
After the vine disaster, the country had begun cracking down on the organizations stationed across China.
Foreign organizations stationed in China weren’t limited to Rakshasa. They all wanted to rely on China to survive the disasters, and for the country, they were valuable assets.
Of course, China couldn’t let these organizations run rampant. After the disaster, their privileges had been significantly reduced.
Because the disaster had struck so quickly, Situ Jiayang hadn’t been able to leverage this relationship for any benefits. Rakshasa had already been reined in, and Uesugi Akizuki's influence had diminished considerably, leaving him somewhat frustrated.
Situ Jiayang continued, "Do you want me to come with you? Uesugi Akizuki is an old fox. I’m afraid you, a young fox, might not be able to handle her."
"No need," Su Ze exhaled a plume of smoke. "If you come… it’d be giving them too much face."
Situ Jiayang burst into laughter on the other end. "True."
After a moment, Situ Jiayang asked, "Are you really going empty-handed to meet your mother-in-law?"
Su Ze thought for a moment. "I’ll… bring some fruits and milk."
He remembered his mother bringing fruits and milk when visiting his grandmother. Meeting a mother-in-law… shouldn’t it be the same?
"...So stingy at such a young age," Situ Jiayang muttered after a long silence. "They’re Rakshasa. Do they really need your…? Forget it, do as you please. If she gives you trouble, let me know."
After hanging up, Su Ze leaned against the balcony railing, staring at the moon in silence. He finished his last cigarette, took a deep breath, and walked back into the room.
(Three updates a day, even if it’s not every day: I still deliver three updates.)