Long Time No See!

After several hours on the plane, it was already night when Li Ming returned to California. His headache had eased somewhat, and only then did he realize how lively California was at the moment. Even the airport was bustling, with colorful lights hanging everywhere.

"Oh, right. It's Christmas Eve today, and New Year's is coming up here too." Looking at the prosperous scene before him, Li Ming finally noticed the changes in California and glanced at the sky outside.

The sky had already turned completely dark, though it had not started snowing heavily like it always did in TV dramas and novels.

He checked the time in the airport lobby. "18:06. I can still make it."

However, after arriving, Li Ming discovered one problem: aside from a few scattered cents, he did not have a penny left on him.

Fortunately, there were banks where he could withdraw money.

"Woohoo, it's a little cold! It wasn't this cold back in Jackson, was it?" After leaving the airport, Li Ming shrank his neck into his collar. Mobile phones at the time did not have weather forecast functions. "Should I buy an apple or something?"

After hailing a taxi, Li Ming leaned against the backseat. The driver was not much of a talker. As he stared out the window, his gaze gradually drifted. It seemed that New Year's was almost here in Shenzhou too. Should he go back and visit the old man?

As he thought about it, the faint pain in his head from the tranquilizer injection gradually became less noticeable.

Meanwhile, Himeko in the apartment grew anxious. She had just knocked on Li Ming's door, only to find that he was not in his apartment. They had clearly agreed to go out together, yet he was nowhere to be found again.

"That damned Li Ming, who knows where he ran off to this time. Forget it, I won't bother with him. I'll go cook."

Himeko looked at the sky. It was already completely dark, and she finally decided to settle tonight's dinner herself. Looking at the ingredients for curry rice in front of her, she recalled that after cooking with Li Ming over the past three months, she had realized that her food was always too spicy. Back when she took home economics classes, her mother had always cooked with her. After her mother passed away, she had not cooked for a long time.

"Come on, let's try again and see whether my cooking has improved today."

Himeko carried over her freshly made curry rice. After taking a bite, her expression changed.

o((⊙﹏⊙))o.

"No, why is it still so spicy?!"

Looking at the curry rice in her hands, Himeko was utterly confused. She had clearly made sweet pepper curry, so why was the difference so huge?

Her pretty brows furrowed when there was suddenly a knock at the door.

"Coming!"

The moment she opened the door, she saw Li Ming, who had hurried back covered in travel dust. His dark red hair had been blown into a middle part, and his chest heaved unevenly. He had clearly jogged over just now.

"Well, picking out a gift took a little time. Here, tonight's food!"

Li Ming carried a bag in his left hand while hiding his right hand behind his back. Himeko took the bag from him and curiously glanced behind him, but Li Ming hid it tightly, not giving her even the slightest chance to peek.

"You still won't let me see it? Get in already. I made curry rice, so wait here for a bit."

Li Ming, exhausted from head to toe, sat in the dining room. Looking at Himeko's back as she wore casual clothes and an apron, he took out the gift he had bought. It was not an apple, but a Peace Buckle.

"Here, try it. How does it taste?"

Himeko brought over a plate of curry rice and placed it in front of Li Ming. Her orange-yellow eyes unconsciously darted toward the gift box on the table. Li Ming wolfed down the curry rice, and after finishing it, he did not forget to praise it. "It's delicious! Smells amazing!"

"Delicious?" Himeko was somewhat doubtful. She had just tasted it, and she clearly remembered it being a little spicy. Thinking that, she picked up a spoon and took a bite herself, then quickly stuck out her tongue. "Ah, so spicy! You lied to me! Water, give me water!"

Watching Himeko's face turn bright red from the spice, Li Ming smiled and handed her a glass of milk.

"Hahaha, didn't you taste it beforehand?"

The corner of Li Ming's lips curled up. He found Himeko especially adorable like this, though his gaze flickered when it fell on the curry rice.

After finishing the milk, Himeko pounced on him directly, waving her claws. "Li Ming, you're finished!"

Li Ming struck first and pressed one hand against Himeko's head. Himeko only threw her little tantrum for a moment before smoothing out her hair and looking at the gift box before her, her eyes sparkling. "What is this?"

Seeing that Himeko had noticed the Peace Buckle, he opened the gift box directly. "Shenzhou doesn't celebrate Christmas Eve, but we have this for wishing someone peace and safety."

Li Ming shook the pair of Peace Buckles in his hand. Each was no more than two inches wide and came with a cord meant to tie around the wrist. Perhaps because they had needed to change their marketing strategy after coming to America, the Peace Buckles had somehow become a pair here.

Well, that was perfectly reasonable. He did not dare say anything, and he did not dare ask anything.

"And the copper coins have both our names engraved on them, just like omamori." He handed Himeko the Peace Buckle engraved with her name. Looking at the five tiny characters on it, Himeko kept rubbing it with her fingers. "This is my name?"

"Yeah, your Shenzhou name." Looking at the Peace Buckle in Li Ming's hand that belonged to him, Himeko ultimately switched the two Peace Buckles.

"Things like this should have each other's names on them, so they can protect the other person, right?"

Himeko waved the Peace Buckle in her hand, then carefully tied it around her right wrist. After Li Ming finished all the remaining curry rice, Himeko glanced at him. "Um, are we still going out to have fun?"

"Of course. But we won't bring Raiden this time. I heard Raiden has been looking for a girlfriend lately!"

At that moment, Raiden was curled up under his blankets, miserably helping his advisor revise papers, when he could not help sneezing. He wiped his nose and stared at the laptop screen in front of him, unable to stop himself from thinking, I wonder how Ming and Miss Himeko are having fun today. I wonder where they'll go. I'm so jealous!

As he thought about it, Raiden could not help muttering, "Damn it!"

However, when the two left the apartment, Li Ming still gave Himeko a Colt Guardian he had gotten from Alahato. After all, going out at this hour was not exactly safe.

Fortunately, the trams had not stopped running at night. Li Ming and Himeko wandered all around California, went to the movie theater district, saw the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco's night view, and finally played at an amusement park until midnight.

"Himeko, I'm going back to Shenzhou in a few days. Will you come with me?"

On the Ferris wheel, Li Ming looked at Himeko across from him and could not help asking.

Asked so suddenly, Himeko became like a startled deer. She hugged herself and moved as far away from Li Ming as possible. "Y-you, isn't this too fast? I-I'm only fifteen!"

Hearing that, Li Ming knew Himeko had misunderstood him. Still, he felt like teasing her and gave a wicked laugh. "Hehehe, you can't escape now. Be a good girl and get into my bowl!"

Of course, the two were only joking. After fooling around for a while, Himeko refused Li Ming. "No. I'm planning to visit my mother's grave during this winter break."

The moment she mentioned her mother, Himeko's voice fell. Li Ming noticed it and did not bring it up again, merely comforting her. But after getting off the Ferris wheel, Himeko forced herself to cheer up and smiled. "Besides, if I went back with you, aren't you afraid my dad would come looking for you?"

At that, an image suddenly flashed through Li Ming's mind: Ryusuke Murata with a stern expression, grabbing Li Ming by the face and wildly slapping him while shouting, "So you're the brat, huh? You dare lure my daughter back home? You've got some nerve, kid..."

(￣ε(#￣)☆╰╮o(￣皿￣///)

Li Ming hurriedly shook those images out of his head.

He could only say regretfully, "All right, then. I'll take you to Shenzhou for fun when there's a chance!"

"Sure, next time for sure!"

Himeko, walking ahead of him, winked at him. Moonlight spread down from the clouds and fell over them both. The pale moonlight was like a piece of white jade in the night, making the scene beautiful beyond compare.

After sending Himeko back to her apartment, Li Ming silently opened his diary. Apart from the diary he had promised Susanna he would keep, Li Ming had another diary for writing down more private matters.

After finishing the entry, Li Ming put away the diary in his hand and began packing some of his things, preparing to go home.

"But tomorrow, I can still spend another day with Himeko."

Thinking that, Li Ming tied the Peace Buckle around his right wrist just as Himeko had. He unconsciously rubbed the faint red marks on his wrist twice, but his heart remained completely calm, as though that arm were not his own.

Two days later, Li Ming boarded a plane back to Qinghe City.

After walking out of the familiar airport, Li Ming got his bearings and pulled his suitcase along. The moment he exited the airport doors, he saw the very road where Truck-kun had nearly sent him off to transmigrate again when he had first crossed over.

However, by the time Li Ming came out of the airport, Steward Zhao was already waiting there.

"Young Master Li, the master and young miss have arranged a dinner to welcome you back."

Li Ming had contacted Su Qizhe before returning, so he was not surprised to see Steward Zhao. However, he had assumed Su Qizhe would book the dinner at a hotel.

Yet Steward Zhao actually brought Li Ming back to the villa.

There were only three people at the dinner table. Su Qizhe looked at Li Ming and personally poured him a glass of wine. "Xiaoming, here. Uncle will have a drink with you today to welcome you home."

"No need, Uncle Su." To be honest, Su Qizhe's enthusiasm had frightened Li Ming a little, but he still obediently drank a glass. He did not eat much, though, since recovering from jet lag was more important.

After dinner, Li Ming returned to his room. At that moment, little Susanna came over, smiling as she handed Li Ming a lollipop. "Big Brother Li Ming, long time no see!"

Only then did Li Ming feel truly relieved. After letting out a breath, he rubbed Susanna's head. "Long time no see, Susanna!"