So what exactly was that supposed to be?
Huh?!
Watching Mei and Dong Moxuan acting so intimately, Black-haired Girl had taken a huge mouthful of dog food, and her heart had been dealt another heavy blow.
She had clearly taken a liking to that girl. Why had things turned out like this?
As expected, making friends was impossible for her, wasn't it?
Black-haired Girl slowly turned around and walked away with lifeless eyes.
"Eh? Where did that young lady go?"
It was several minutes after Black-haired Girl had left that Mei finally remembered her existence.
However, when she turned around, the Lolita-style petite black-haired girl had already disappeared without a trace.
"What young lady?"
Dong Moxuan's attention had been entirely focused on Mei. He hadn't noticed that there had been anyone beside her at all.
"A very cute black-haired girl! She enthusiastically taught me how to play this game just now, but before I could thank her, she disappeared."
"Maybe something came up at home, so she went back. Let's keep playing!"
"Mm..."
Mei nodded lightly.
Clearly, neither Dong Moxuan nor Mei had taken the black-haired girl who left to heart.
After they continued playing for another hour or so, dusk gradually arrived.
Looking at the setting sun outside the door, Dong Moxuan stretched and said to Mei beside him, "It's getting late. I'll play one last time today, and then we can head back."
"Eh?!! It's already this late?"
Only after hearing Dong Moxuan's words did Mei realize how quickly time had passed. She lightly rubbed her arm and straightened up, her face still showing a trace of reluctance to stop.
Watching Mei, who had become completely captivated by the charm of games, Dong Moxuan nodded slightly to himself.
Looks like even the housewife can't resist the charm of games!
"So, Mei, what do you want to play? I'll play one more round with you."
"One last round...?"
Upon learning that they were leaving now, Mei felt slightly reluctant.
It wasn't that she had become as obsessed with the game as Dong Moxuan imagined. Rather, she felt melancholy that this memorable day was about to end.
Of course, the fun of the game had also left a deep impression on this gentle Yamato Nadeshiko.
After all, no matter how mature she was, Mei was still just an ordinary high school girl.
Toying with a strand of her hair, Mei's gaze eventually fell on a machine that wasn't a game cabinet but often appeared in television dramas.
"That... is that a claw machine?"
Looking at where Mei's gaze had landed, Dong Moxuan fell into a slight daze.
"Mr. Xuan?"
In his daze, he seemed to see that gentle Silver-haired Girl again.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and her voice was as soft as if she were acting spoiled.
"Could you play that with me?"
She looked at the claw machine beside her with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.
"Mr. Xuan?"
Seeing Dong Moxuan suddenly staring blankly, Mei raised a hand and waved it in front of his eyes.
"Why did you suddenly stop talking? Are you tired from playing, or is something inconvenient?"
"Maybe we shouldn't play anymore. Let's go home first?"
"No, it's nothing!"
Mei's words brought Dong Moxuan back to his senses. He lightly scratched his cheek and said with a smile, "Let's get started, then. Mei, which one do you want? I'll grab it for you."
"I'm fairly confident in my claw-machine skills!"
Standing in front of the claw machine, Dong Moxuan gripped the joystick with one hand and spoke with confidence.
After practicing his skills for so many years, he finally had a chance to put them to use.
"That..."
Looking at the cute plushies inside the claw machine, a strange light appeared in Mei's eyes.
There wasn't a girl in the world who disliked cute things, and Mei was no exception.
She looked at Dong Moxuan and raised her hand lightly, like a student answering a teacher's question in class.
"Um... Mr. Xuan, can Mei try it herself?"
Dong Moxuan: "..."
Mei's words made Dong Moxuan's expression stiffen slightly. He tugged at the corner of his mouth, stepped back, and said with an awkward laugh, "Then you can try it yourself first, Mei!"
"Mm, then let Mei try first!"
Mei nodded lightly, walked up to the claw machine, inserted a coin, and began operating the joystick.
Her target was a particularly cute dumpling plushie. It looked easy to grab.
But claw machines like this one... anyone who had played them knew how they worked!
Mei failed her first attempt without any suspense.
Then came the second, third, and fourth...
By the nth attempt, the plushie was dangling precariously as the claw lifted it up. Then, just as it was about to come out...
Smack!
The claw gave a light jerk and flung the plushie back inside.
Mei: "..."
The excitement that had originally filled Mei's expression instantly froze.
"Pfft!"
Dong Moxuan couldn't help laughing.
Mei: "!!!"
Mei's mind had gone blank at the unexpected turn of events, but Dong Moxuan's laughter brought her back to her senses.
In less than a second, her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Mr. Xuan!"
Her face was filled with embarrassment and indignation.
"Are you laughing at Mei?"
"No, no, that's not what I meant!"
Dong Moxuan hurriedly waved his hands in surrender.
"Machines like this are usually very difficult. It's normal that you couldn't grab it, Mei."
"So, do you want me to help you grab one?"
"Then... then I'll trouble you, Mr. Xuan..."
With her head lowered, Mei spoke timidly, her cheeks so hot they could probably boil an egg.
She had clearly insisted on trying it herself, yet in the end she still had to trouble Dong Moxuan...
It was simply too embarrassing!
Turning around and gripping the joystick, Dong Moxuan didn't feel that there was anything wrong with it.
After all, it was Mei. Her embarrassing herself was normal.
In Honkai Impact 3rd, how often had Mei embarrassed herself?
She had even been turned into all sorts of reaction images and subjected to every kind of meme edit!
[Mei has it so hard! (covers face)]
Lightly moving the joystick, Dong Moxuan began operating it seriously.
He hadn't been bragging just now. Although his skills hadn't reached the inhuman level of certain Umr, they were still far beyond those of ordinary people.
The dumpling plushie that Mei had tried to grab several times without success was easily caught by Dong Moxuan.
"Here, this is for you!"
Dong Moxuan handed the plushie to Mei.
"Th-thank you very much, Mr. Xuan..."
Mei accepted the plushie, her face flushed red.
"All right, since we've gotten the plushie, then..."
"W-wait,"
Before Dong Moxuan could finish speaking, Mei interrupted him anxiously. "C-can Mei try one more time? Just once!"
Holding the plushie in front of her flushed cheeks, Mei pleaded with Dong Moxuan.
"Uh... if you want to, Mei, of course that's fine!"
Dong Moxuan naturally had no reason to refuse.
A delighted expression appeared on Mei's face when she received his permission. She set the plushie aside and took a deep breath.
I only have one chance. I have to get it. I have to get it. I have to get it...
I got it!
Perhaps Mei's prayers had moved the heavens. This time, she had succeeded in one shot, grabbing a purple dumpling plushie.
"Eh? That was pretty good!"
Dong Moxuan looked slightly surprised.
"Mr. Xuan, here."
Mei handed the plushie to Dong Moxuan.
"Eh? It's for me?"
"This is... a re-reward..."
Hiding her cheeks behind the plushie, Mei peeked at Dong Moxuan with one eye and spoke in a soft, sweet voice.
Dong Moxuan: "..."
After hearing Mei's words, Dong Moxuan was stunned for a moment before smiling. "Mm, I like it very much!"
"...Mm..."
The blush on Mei's face deepened at his words.
She hid her cheeks behind the plushie, yet couldn't help curling the corners of her lips into a smile.
"Let's go home!"
Dong Moxuan said.
"Mm!"
Mei nodded lightly.
Then the boy and girl held hands and walked out of the arcade.
In a place neither of them noticed, in front of another claw machine filled with figurines, Black-haired Girl had watched the entire development with her mouth slightly open and her eyes utterly vacant. She didn't even notice when the figurine she had just won slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.
After a long while, the girl picked up the figurine and staggered out of the arcade.
Against the setting sun, that lonely back looked just like a stray dog!
Before you continue