NABC Page 76
Page 76
No wonder Baili Xiao had such thoughts. After all, the woman who had just appeared, exuding the intellectual beauty unique to mature women, was not only wearing a brightly colored kimono but also holding a stainless steel soup spoon—by all accounts, she must have been rushing to open the door while cooking, right? 7
"Crunch, crunch..." The sound of her teeth clenching tightly echoed as Eriri's small fangs peeked out. She spoke with a tone that suggested she felt cheated, even though she didn't know what had happened. "Ugh (impatiently)! Yes, that's my mom, Yuriko Ozawa! Seeing her rosy complexion and the fact that she still has the energy to cook, it doesn't seem... as serious as Dad made it out to be!"
0 ····Requesting flowers···· ········ 9
Her heart, which had been pounding, slowly settled. Eriri took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing emotions—a mix of feelings she didn't know how to describe. As if she had made a firm decision, she continued fiercely, "It'd better not be a conspiracy to lie to me. You know, I sacrificed so much time to get here, even leaving my own work (drawing 'Your Name') to Mashiro and the other two! If... if they really dare to lie to me, I'll... I'll..."
... ...... 0 One
She didn't finish her sentence—the castle's iron gates slowly opened—Bai Lixiao smiled, patted her shoulder, and stepped inside first: "Come on, don't overthink it. No matter what, as long as your aunt is alright, that's the best outcome."
...
"I'm so... so sorry!"
"I'm so, so sorry! Really! Eriri, please believe me..."
A few minutes later, in the large reception room, a blond man in a suit and a beautiful woman in a brightly colored kimono stood side by side apologizing to Eriri, whose face was as cold as ice, with a "dogeza" (a deep bowing gesture). Despite their repeated apologies, Eriri's expression did not soften in the slightest.
"So, you really conspired together to lie to me?" Eriri said, suddenly standing up and grabbing Baili Xiao's hand, leading him towards the door. "Let's go back quickly, there's still a lot of work waiting for me to finish!"
"Wait, wait, Eriri, Mom really missed you. And, and your relationship with Hyakuri-kun hasn't progressed for so long, so that's why I came up with this idea to trick you into coming here. Please don't be angry!" Fan said.
Chapter 0218 The Arrogant Daughter, the Mother of a Fujoshi!
"Hey, can you forgive Mommy for being willful just this once?" Sawamura Sayuri's fair face was full of pleading as she clasped her hands together in front of Eriri's back. The latter stopped in her tracks, which made a hint of joy appear in her eyes, but after a few seconds, when Eriri still did not turn around, she showed a hint of anxiety again.
"Being deceived at work by my parents with the excuse that my mother is seriously ill"—no matter the reason, and no matter the relationship between the "deceiver" and the "deceived," it's not something that can be easily dismissed with a "Oh, I see, it's alright" attitude, right?
(Baili-kun, please help me...) Noticing the pleading look in Sawamura Sayuri's eyes, Baili Xiao hesitated—not considering whether to help, but how to help...
He took Eriri's small hand in his own and squeezed it gently: "Eri, now that you're here, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Your aunt and uncle haven't seen you in a long time, and it's understandable that they miss you. To be specific, it's also my fault for not letting you come back for so long..."
"Ugh..." A muffled groan escaped her nose, and Eriri involuntarily shrank her neck—no time to come back? That "excuse" was completely unfounded!
It was simply because "being around Baili Xiao seems more interesting, right?" that she chose the option of "temporarily forgetting the existence of her parents" (well... maybe there are other reasons?).
It's not something Eriri wants to see if she can justify shifting all the blame onto Baili Xiao.
"Okay, alright, then I'll stay here for a couple of days." Eriri's cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes barely registering as they swept over Baili Xiao's hand. Her gaze lingered for less than half a second before hastily shifting elsewhere—the warmth and strength of his hand sent a shiver down her spine. This was the first time Baili Xiao had ever taken her hand so readily (well, it was under special circumstances, though)...
(Perhaps... this isn't so bad? It's just Baili Xiao alone, without anyone else bothering her...) The wild thoughts in her little head were completely out of control. The more she told herself, "Don't think about those embarrassing things!" the more the thoughts in her mind exploded one after another.
(It's just me and Baili Xiao... Does this count as meeting the parents? Hmm... In a way, yes, I guess so?... How embarrassing...)
The thoughts in her mind deepened, causing Eriri's cheeks to flush even redder and hotter. To prevent Baili Xiao from seeing her like this, she abruptly turned around, still looking down, and pulled her hand away from his. With a strangely stiff posture, she quickly walked towards the stairs: "Mom, Dad, I haven't forgiven you! I'm really angry this time! But... since Baili Xiao wants to stay at our house for a couple of days, I guess I'll have to stay with him..."
The last sound disappeared around the corner on the second floor, ending abruptly with a "bang" as the door slammed shut.
Baili Xiao raised an eyebrow, shaking her head with a mixture of amusement and exasperation—(She had clearly calmed down, but she just wouldn't admit it, and in the end, it even turned into "I want to stay here"? This is textbook tsundere behavior...)
As he thought this to himself, Baili Xiao quickly walked over to Sawamura Sayuri and helped her up. In the latter’s eyes, the “dogeza” apology might just be a “solemn” gesture, but in Baili Xiao’s heart, he, as a junior, could not remain unmoved when his elders prostrated themselves before him!
"Auntie, Uncle, please get up. Since Eriri has already agreed to stay here, there's no need for this... The most important thing right now is to explain things to her, since the method you're using... isn't quite appropriate. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask..."
With Bai Li Xiao's help, Sawamura Sayuri slowly stood up. Her bright eyes stared straight at Bai Li Xiao, and she smiled sweetly: "Baili-kun, although this is only our first meeting, Eriri always spends a lot of time describing how wonderful you are in every phone call she makes to us. Before, I was worried that the magic of love had blinded Eriri, but now it seems... I'm very satisfied!"
As she spoke, Sayuri Sawamura's smile widened, and without warning, she leaned forward slightly, her rosy lips less than five centimeters from Baili Xiao's ear!
"You can interpret my 'I'm very satisfied' from various angles. Whatever you want to do, I'll support you!... Oh, by the way, my support is limited to Eriri, so please don't overinterpret it!"
The voice beside him was very soft, almost a whisper, but when Baili Xiao heard it, he was stunned as if he had been hit hard—"What is this? What does it mean? I don't understand!" Although he wanted to say that, his keen senses, which had been honed by "inside jokes" and various "veteran drivers" in the previous world, made him understand the hidden meaning in Xiaobaihe's words immediately!
("Whatever you do to Eriri, I'll support you"? And that "don't overinterpret"... refers to herself? Hmm... no wonder she's Eriri's mom who can sell doujinshi at anime conventions, she's really amazing...)
As far as Bai Lixiao knows, Sawamura Sayuri is not just "Eriri's mother," but also "a former and current doujinshi creator," and "a fujoshi who remains flat-chested even after having a child!" (Eriri's flat chest is inherited from her....)
As a veteran in the world of anime and manga, she truly lives up to her reputation of "saying something outrageous or even worse"... Bai Lixiao's lips twitched slightly as he watched Sawamura Sayuri wink at him with a playful wink that seemed completely out of character for her age. Only one thought remained in his mind...
(Senior, please accept my utmost respect...)
The experienced Sayuri Sawamura could easily see the embarrassment on Xiao Baili's face. She chuckled happily, waved to him, and headed upstairs: "This is the first time I've seen Eriri so angry. I guess I should go and apologize again. Baili-kun, why don't you rest in the living room for a bit? You must be tired after such a long flight, right? Her dad, remember to treat Baili-kun well, otherwise our daughter will be even angrier!"
"Hey! Don't worry!"
Her delicate little feet, clad in wooden clogs, moved step by step up the stairs. Just as her gaze was about to be blocked by the stairs, whether intentionally or unintentionally, Sayuri Sawamura's eyes fell on Xiao Baili once again—even though she only saw the latter's profile, a dreamy light still appeared in her eyes.
Please don't misunderstand as "having taken a liking to Baili Xiao". In fact... Sawamura Sayuri's subsequent soft mutterings betrayed her truest thoughts!
"Baili-kun is quite handsome. If Eriri were a boy, wouldn't the two of them be... hehehe... No, no, I need to wipe my drool. When I go to see Eriri later, I can't let her see my thoughts... But, if it's really what I'm thinking, then who's the top... and who's the bottom?"
"Hehehe... Interesting. Should I draw Eriri as a boy and publish a doujinshi? Hmm, never mind, if she finds out, she'll probably kill me..."
Chapter 0219 I Don't Want My Daughter to Be a Loser!
Standing in front of Eriri's room, Sayuri Sawamura took a deep breath—she hadn't prepared any explanation. In fact, at this moment, any explanation would seem superfluous and pale; a sincere apology would suffice.
"Knock, knock, knock." A gentle knock on the door, followed by a pause of about two seconds: "Eriri, may I come in?"
The inquiry went unanswered, but "no answer" can sometimes be taken as a tacit agreement.
"Click...creak..." Slowly turning the doorknob, Sawamura Sayuri's eyes swept across the room through the small crack in the door, finally landing on Eriri—who was sitting on the bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, staring blankly out the window, seemingly oblivious to her arrival.
She tiptoed into the house and sat down almost silently next to Eriri—even a burglar wouldn't be this careful—Sawamura Sayuri quietly looked at the former's profile and smiled slightly: "What are you thinking about?"
Noticing her mother's presence, Eriri's eyes gradually brightened, and she slowly shook her head: "It's nothing... Mom, please don't make jokes like that again, okay? Do you know how I felt when I received Dad's call..."
A sudden wave of discomfort rose in her throat, abruptly stopping her from speaking. At the same time, a thicker and thicker mist of tears welled up in front of her, forcing her to close her eyes—she was no longer a child and didn't want to exercise her privilege of "crying" in front of her mother.
"I'm sorry, Eriri, it's all Mommy's fault." A gentle stroke of Eriri's golden hair, the strands brushing against her fingertips, sent a shiver down Sawamura Sayuri's spine. She pulled Eriri tightly into her arms. "Mommy shouldn't have done it this way, I'm sorry..."
Her nostrils were filled with the scent of Sayuri Sawamura, a scent both familiar and strange—familiar because they had lived together for so long, yet strange because they hadn't seen each other in so long. Eriri looked up, her slender fingers wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. Bathed in the sunlight streaming in through the window, she smiled brightly: "Mom, if you miss me, you just need to call me. Why go to all this trouble... Seriously, did Mom really come up with this? Even now, I can hardly believe that this kind of melodramatic scene, which only happens in 'manga fanfiction,' is happening to me..."
One moment the scene was warm and touching, the next, Eriri's words shattered it completely—Sawamura Sayuri's faint smile froze on her face, her lips twitching slightly, unsure how to respond...
In fact, this scene of "claiming illness to call people back" does indeed come from a doujinshi, and the author is none other than Sayuri Sawamura herself!
A BL (Boys' Love) doujinshi that was sold at a comic convention in Great Britain received widespread acclaim for its plot device... That's why Sayuri Sawamura had the whimsical idea of recreating it in real life...
But what she got in return was her own daughter's comment, "Is it really that melodramatic?"
"Ha, aha, yes, yes... how melodramatic..." Sawamura Sayuri turned her face away and chuckled dryly. If it were before, if Eriri dared to say something like that, she would definitely "say 'What? That's my doujinshi, do you have a problem with that?' while slapping Eriri on the head with a heavy chop." But today's situation was too special, and she couldn't show any "motherly authority" at all!
However...the saying "old ginger is spicier" is absolutely true!
"Hey, Eriri, how far have things progressed between you and Hyakusou-kun? Holding hands? Kissing? Or... you know... you know?" To cover up her embarrassment and to satisfy her long-hidden curiosity, Sawamura Sayuri changed the subject, her eyes gleaming with a terrifying light.
Eriri froze, forcing an awkward smile as she turned away, unable to meet her mother's gaze. "What are you talking about? Baili Xiao and I are just colleagues! What 'progress'? I don't understand a word you're saying!..."
Such an obvious "lie" naturally couldn't escape Sawamura Sayuri's eyes. A "I know" smile appeared on her face. She placed her hands on Eriri's shoulders, forcefully adjusting the latter's posture so that Eriri's gaze had nowhere to escape from her: "Okay, okay, what's there to be embarrassed about? I've been there, of course I know these things better than you do... Do you think I can't see it? You like Hyakuri-kun very, very, very much, right?"
To emphasize her point, Sayuri Sawamura used "very" three times in a row, and it had an immediate effect—Eri's cheeks turned bright red!
"No, no, how could I possibly like him! He's just a little better at drawing than me..." Eriri struggled to get away from Sawamura Sayuri's gaze—under the latter's gaze, she had the illusion that "everything about her was being seen through."
"Huh? That level is only slightly better than your drawing?" Sawamura Sayuri chuckled—she was also a doujinshi artist (albeit a fujoshi one), and after seeing Baili Xiao's [Love Live!], she could immediately tell how good the latter was.
It is no exaggeration to say that Baili Xiao's comics, in terms of both drawing skills and technique, surpass any other artist today!
Even if they don't want to admit it, this has become a common understanding among doujinshi artists in the anime and manga community!
(Eri, the "slightly better" you mentioned, that "slightly" is probably a world away, isn't it?) With this thought in mind, Sawamura Sayuri looked at Eriri with a half-smile. In just a few seconds, the latter couldn't hold back and gave in: "Okay! I admit it! He's much better at drawing than me, otherwise I wouldn't have studied drawing with him... But as for liking him, that's not true! I don't like him at all!"
Seeing her daughter retort with such seriousness and righteous indignation, Sawamura Sayuri sighed softly and slowly extended a finger, waving it in front of Eriri: "Having a 'textbook-perfect tsundere' is indeed a cute trait, but... Eriri, this cute trait might just make you lose to someone else!"
"Haven't you noticed? Whether in fanfiction, light novels, or anime, the vast majority of people with tsundere traits lose to those who are proactive, don't hide their feelings, and are willing to 'sacrifice' themselves—this unwritten rule is almost as ironclad as the 'childhood friend will always lose to someone who suddenly appears out of nowhere' rule!"
She paused slightly, looking at Eriri with a complicated expression, and lowered her voice, whether intentionally or unintentionally: "Eriri, I hope you won't let your pride ruin your happiness. I don't want to see my daughter become a loser in real life because of this... So, this is your golden opportunity, you know?"
Chapter 0220 A mere Baili Jun!
(Loser! Loser!) Eriri's pupils suddenly contracted. She had heard this word far too many times in the past few months—especially from a woman who always wore black stockings, looked very feminine but was actually extremely cunning. Most people would get used to it after hearing it so many times, but for Eriri, that would never happen!
Admitting to being a loser... how could that be?! Kasumigaoka Utaha only gets close to Hyakuri Akira because of her status as her "little sister". To admit defeat based on that alone is completely unlike Eriri's style!
However... hearing the words "loser" from her own mother was clearly more devastating than what Kasumigaoka Utaha had said—it felt like something was blocking her chest, making it difficult for Eriri to breathe.
With disbelief in her eyes, Eriri stared blankly into Sayuri Sawamura's eyes: "Mom... in your heart, do you have so little confidence in me? I'm your daughter, you know. Although I'm not perfect, I think I'm pretty good among girls. How could I be a loser?"
As if to add weight to her words, Eriri raised her hands and patted her cheeks: "Fair skin, a well-proportioned body, golden twin tails, cute little fangs... No matter how you look at it, I'm definitely one of those 'beautiful girls' in manga, right? If any boy could get me as his girlfriend, he must be incredibly lucky in his past life. He'd be overjoyed, wouldn't he?"
Seeing Eriri's face grow increasingly gloomy, Sawamura Sayuri hurriedly waved her hands with a wry smile, explaining, "Of course! Of course I think my Eriri is the cutest girl in the world, but..."
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, she paused slightly in her speech, her gaze "inadvertently" sweeping across Eriri's chest—though the movement was small and the gaze was brief, it was still keenly noticed by the latter.
In an instant... his already gloomy face grew even colder...
"Mom, were you thinking something really rude just now?!" Eriri clenched her fists tightly, trying to calm her anger with deep breaths, but ultimately failed. "So what if I'm flat-chested! Is it wrong to be flat-chested? I just haven't developed yet. Give me three more years... no, two more years, and I'll definitely go from an A to a C!"
(I used to make the same vow...)
A sudden thought popped into her head, and Sayuri Sawamura awkwardly scratched her cheek with her finger, her gaze darting back and forth between Eriri's and her own chest several times before she gave a "well, it's none of my business" smile—Eri's "flat-chested" appearance was inherited from her, which meant...
Is Eriri's future trajectory one of "no matter what, she can't escape the curse of A"?
We absolutely must not let her realize this!
"Ahem! Things will get better, things will definitely get better... Eriri, you once mentioned that everyone in the studio except Hyakuri-kun is a girl? And they're all very pretty? So... what's the relationship between Hyakuri-kun and them...?" Sawamura Sayuri calmly changed the subject—no matter what, she didn't want Eriri to realize the truth that "she might be an A forever!"
"If that's the case, maybe that would be better?" Understanding the unspoken meaning in her mother's words, Eriri muttered softly in a voice only she could hear, and before Sawamura Sayuri could ask, she continued, "Mom, there's absolutely no need to worry about that! Although there are many sisters in the studio, all this time, Hyakuri Akira has only been close to Kasumigaoka Utaha. As for the others... in his heart, they're probably just juniors, right?"
"Oh?" Sayuri Sawamura raised an eyebrow slightly, a glint of approval in her eyes—in her adult eyes, Baili Xiao, surrounded by a group of beautiful girls but choosing only one, was like a rare animal—but soon, her attention shifted to "Kasumigaoka Utaha": "Kasumigaoka Utaha? Is that the girl you mentioned... who doesn't get along with you no matter what you do?"
In previous phone calls, besides "Hyakuri Akira" whom Eriri mentioned most often, "Kasumigaoka Utaha" was the second most frequently mentioned name. Whenever this name was mentioned, Sawamura Sayuri could always hear the gritted teeth in Eriri's voice.
"Ah! It's her!" Eriri waved her hand listlessly, clearly not wanting to dwell on the "Kasumigaoka Utaha" issue—and there really wasn't much to talk about (and she couldn't help but complain)—her gaze lingered briefly on her mother's apron, her brows furrowing tightly: "Was she making dinner when I came? Is it really okay to just ignore it like this?"
"It's okay!"—Having received her mother's affirmative reply, Eriri nonchalantly leaned back—although her body weight was extremely light, the highly elastic mattress still faithfully lifted her body slightly upwards.
A brief silence fell over the room as both of them stared blankly into their thoughts... Finally, Eriri couldn't bear the deathly silence any longer. She turned to the side, curled up her legs, and let out a soft sigh.
"Mom...am I really not attractive at all? Or is it that...men all like women with big breasts? Even if they are, even Baili Xiao is the same?"
Such questions would uncontrollably surface in Eriri's mind late at night, when she inadvertently saw the lights off in the house representing "Hyori Akira and Kasumigaoka Utaha"—she had tried not to think about them, but... she couldn't...
In every sense of the word, there's "no way" to it!
His gentle gaze swept over Eriri's slender legs clad in black over-the-knee stockings, lingered briefly on her waist, then continued upwards, settling on (Haonuo's) fair and delicate face.
With a soft chuckle, Sawamura Sayuri slowly extended her right hand and gently tapped Eriri's nose: "Don't overthink it! My Eriri's charm is unmatched in the entire world!"
As she spoke, she got up and walked out. Just before the door closed, Sayuri Sawamura paused slightly and gave a mysterious smile.
"Don't worry, Baili Jun is nothing. As long as you follow your mother's instructions, I'll take care of him for you tonight! Now... please allow me to go downstairs for a moment, I suddenly remembered there are some things in the kitchen..."
"Huh?! So you really forgot about the food in the kitchen and ran up here, huh?"
"How can you blame me? It's all because you came without a word, giving me no time to prepare!"