My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 108

The two of them are a perfect match.

On this point, my opinion remained unchanged both before and after the failed confession.

They even felt that there was no other couple in the world who could hit it off as well as they did.

However, the difficulty in interpersonal relationships lies in the fact that they don't necessarily become lovers.

"Now Yui-onna can't take her time touching me anymore!"

"what?"

My mother's sudden remark made my heart skip a beat.

Wait, wait, how did this get to me? Could it be that Mom—

"Even a girl like Yui needs a charming boyfriend, otherwise she'll lose to Mizuto! You're so cute now, you'll find one soon!"

"Ah...oh, um..."

That's what I mean...

I have boyfriends... besides Shuidou?

"...There's no point in comparing them, just be patient."

"How could this be—?"

It is very regrettable—really, really regrettable.

This part remains the biggest point of contention to date.

Volume 4: First Kiss - Before the Declaration of War, the Couple Returns to the Countryside ① The Siberian Dancer

As I got off the train at the station, I thought to myself, "It's not really that rural."

The large train station had many souvenir shops, and upon exiting, you were greeted by a large building that resembled a shopping mall. There were also many pedestrians; it could easily be described as a city.

Mizuto said this place is a "standard rural area," could it just be an exaggeration?

However, once he boarded the bus, the question disappeared.

With a soft slam, the car door closed.

There were no other passengers on the bus besides our family of four.

How could such a thing happen in broad daylight?

As I gazed out the car window, the signs of civilization quickly faded from my sight. Buildings vanished without a trace, and as far as the eye could see, only countless iron towers with power lines stretched out.

Once you enter the mountains, the greenery becomes even more lush. Apart from the buses that are moving along the entire dull and monotonous county road, you can't find any trace of human civilization.

"Thanks!"

When I got off the bus at the stop, after hearing what Uncle Fengqiu said, the bus driver slightly lifted his hat in greeting. It seemed they were old acquaintances.

After the bus drove away, a vast expanse of dry fields came into view.

The bus stop had no roof; instead, only the overlapping treetops cast shadows. Every time the wind blew, the treetops rustled, and the glaring sunlight intensely burned my eyelids.

--Know--Know-know-know-know-know-know-know-know...

After the bus engine stopped running, all that could be heard was the chirping of cicadas.

It felt like stepping into another world.

It made me a little uneasy, wondering what I would do if I couldn't go back to that familiar world.

"Wow! Yui, look! There are only three buses a day!"

Even though Mom is quite old, she still excitedly exclaimed as she looked at the empty timetable.

Uncle Fengqiu said with a warm smile:

"Having one bus in the morning, noon, and evening is already quite good. Running bus routes in this kind of rural area doesn't actually make any money."

"What should I do if I need to buy things?"

"There are a lot of senior citizens around here. Under the guidance of the district office, the shops in the city center will arrange a time to deliver the goods all at once. Besides, most elderly people nowadays know how to use mail order. If that's not enough, they can drive to the city center."

"Waaaaahh ...

"Young people who can't drive are a bit disadvantaged, having to catch the last bus home. But then again, it's not bad to stay here for a few days to relax."

Uncle Fengqiu added a kind word, saying, "Then let's go." and took a step. It seemed that it was still a short walk to Uncle Fengqiu's mother's house—that is, Shuidou's grandmother's house.

I was about to pick up the suitcase that was on the ground, but another hand swiftly reached out from the side and snatched it away first.

"Ah, what are you doing...!"

My stepbrother, Mizuto Irito, seemed not to hear me and ignored me, dragging my suitcase away, leaving behind a series of rolling wheels.

Ugh, what's wrong with you...! You took my things without asking!

I wanted to catch up with him and say a few words—but the words I was about to utter immediately went back down my throat.

why?

Because there is a very steep slope ahead of us.

"........."

Without saying a word, Shuidou began climbing the hill, dragging his wheeled suitcase.

That must have been quite strenuous to walk up, but he didn't show the slightest impatience and walked uphill with ease.

...I already told you.

Before you do anything, make sure you explain your reasons clearly!

“Wow…”

"Oh...oh oh──..."

After climbing the slope, my mother and I were stunned when we saw the gate in front of us.

This is Shuidou's grandmother's house.

No, rather than a home... this should be called a residence, right?

I stared blankly at the white wall that stretched more than fifty meters to the side, and the imposing tiled roof.

"Could Uncle Fengqiu's family actually be quite wealthy...?"

"No, no, the wealth only lasted until my maternal grandfather's generation. My grandfather seemed to have no intention of letting his children inherit his property at all—he donated almost all of his estate, leaving them only this house."

"Wow...what a pity..."

"However, my mom and uncle left home a long time ago, so they don't seem to have any complaints."

Speaking of which, I remember that Mizuto became a special student because of his tuition fees.

I stole a glance at my stepson beside me, only to see him staring at the sun in the sky with a look of disgust.

"It's so hot..."

"Yes, that's right. Let's go inside quickly."

We walked through the front yard, and Uncle Fengqiu rang the doorbell. Hearing the electronic "ding-dong" sound in this quaint old house made me feel a little amused.

"Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes..."

The sliding door opened with a whoosh from the inside, revealing an elderly woman wearing an apron.

At first glance, I thought she was a maid, but her expression lit up the moment she saw the water basin.

"Oh—oh—oh—! Isn't this Shui Dou?! You've grown up!"

Shuidou nodded slightly in greeting.

The old woman took one look and burst into loud laughter, "Hahaha!"

"Still as aloof as ever! I doubt you'll ever get a girlfriend like that!"

"Mom, didn't you say you didn't want to become a country bumpkin who keeps nagging people to get married?"

"Oh, right, right. That was close."

She said, "Let's come in anyway." So we stepped into the entryway.

An old woman wearing an apron stepped onto the wooden frame of the tatami mat and said:

"I am Natsume Irito."

After giving his name, he bowed politely and respectfully to my mother and me.

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to meet and greet you. It's all my fault for my stupid son announcing his remarriage so suddenly..."

"How could it be unexpected? I told you two weeks in advance."

"What else would you call this if not a surprise attack!"

I nodded secretly. Shuidou did the same thing quietly beside me.

I understand that the two of them kept it a secret until the last minute because they were afraid of affecting our exams, but I also think there might have been a better way to do it.

...But then again, if we had found out about the remarriage before we broke up, things would have been a lot worse than they are now.

"I'm so sorry, Mom! We hesitated until the very last moment..."

"It's alright, Miss Yu-ren. I'm overjoyed that you've made my son want to remarry. Thank you so much."

"No, no, please don't say that!"

The mother was flustered and terrified, waving her hands incessantly at Natsume's grandmother.

It was only then that I realized I had never heard my mother tell me how she met Uncle Fengqiu or how their relationship developed... Perhaps there were some twists and turns along the way.

"So, this lady over here is Yui."

Her gaze turned in my direction, causing me to straighten my back without thinking.

"I am Irito Yume, and I will be under your care."

"Oh my, this child is so polite and seems very well-behaved. Does he get along well with the water bucket?"

"It's...it's alright."

"Their relationship is even better than ours. Right, Yujin?"

"That's right! Mizuto is really good to Yume!"

"A water bucket?! Really?!"

Grandma Natsume smiled gently and said:

"However, it feels quite strange to suddenly have such a big granddaughter. To be honest, it's more like a grandson getting married."

"what?"

Daughter-in-law?

When I was stunned, my mother chuckled mischievously.

"What should I do? Should I marry Mizuto?"

"No, no, it's not necessary..."

"Just kidding! Just kidding!"

I almost had a heart attack...

I took the opportunity to observe the water bucket's reaction, and all I saw was a grumpy face that seemed to be thinking about nothing.

Although it's much better than being panicked and at a loss, I still feel very angry.

"You must all be tired. Come in, come in. Fengqiu, have you had lunch yet?"

"I ate on the way."

"Oh, then let's go put the luggage down first. Fengqiu, you take them there."

"Okay. Come over here."

I picked up my luggage, walked into the corridor, said goodbye to Grandma Natsume for the time being, and then followed Uncle Mineaki.

This house is so big that someone might get lost if they wander off. It's also an old house, and the floorboards creak with every step.

"Is your mother from the Kansai region?"