A Conversation With Mei

The next day, early morning.

Perhaps because so much had happened yesterday, Mei, who usually woke up early, slept until past eight before groggily emerging from her room.

"Good morning, Mei!"

"M-Morning, Jun Xuan."

Still not fully awake, Mei's jewel-like purple eyes held a hint of mist.

"The time is now..."

Glancing at the clock hanging in the center of the living room, Mei instantly snapped awake.

"It's already this late, oh no, I'm going to be la—"

Mei's words abruptly stopped as she suddenly came back to her senses.

It seemed...

She didn't need to go to school anymore...

Dong Moxuan noticed Mei's reaction and couldn't help but chuckle.

"By the way, Mei, do you really like school that much?"

"Is this the legendary good student? I'm scared, I'm scared."

"Mmm~"

Mei, realizing her flustered state had been seen by the boy, couldn't help but blush. However, her attention was quickly drawn to what the boy was doing.

"Jun Xuan, are you...?"

"Making breakfast? Can't you tell?"

"Eh?!"

Mei usually prepared breakfast, so seeing Dong Moxuan's actions, she was momentarily taken aback.

"Since you didn't wake up today, if I didn't make it myself, I'd probably starve to death."

"Eh?! S-Sorry, Jun Xuan..."

"Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?"

Dong Moxuan didn't expect Mei to be so literal and waved his hand helplessly.

"I was just kidding."

"You've taken care of me for a month, it's about time I did something."

"Alright Mei, most of the breakfast is ready. Only the steamed buns aren't packed yet. You don't have to wait for me, just eat first!"

"Oh..."

Mei sat down at the dining table, looking a bit dazed.

After Dong Moxuan finished preparing all the breakfast, he also sat down opposite Mei.

"Mei, why are you still spacing out? Eat your breakfast!"

Casually picking up a steamed bun, Dong Moxuan said to the girl sitting opposite him, who was still lost in thought.

"I... I know..."

While eating breakfast, Mei glanced at the boy in front of her and muttered to herself.

"This feeling... it's like a dream..."

"What are you saying?"

Dong Moxuan hadn't heard clearly.

"N-Nothing..."

Mei waved her hand with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I just... feel like meeting Jun Xuan was just yesterday... It feels..."

"Like a lifetime ago?"

Dong Moxuan finished her sentence.

"Mm..."

Mei nodded gently.

"Jun Xuan... you knew my father, right?"

"Yeah, I met him when I was working at the orphanage. He was a colleague of my boss."

"In your eyes, what kind of person was my father?"

"Brother Ryoma... he seemed a bit unserious, but he was surprisingly reliable!"

Well, she was Raiden Ryoma's daughter, so Dong Moxuan knew what to say.

And Raiden Ryoma was indeed that kind of person, though praising that guy made Dong Moxuan feel a little displeased.

"Is that so?"

After hearing Dong Moxuan's assessment, Mei lowered her head a little, feeling disappointed.

"Just as I thought, in Jun Xuan's eyes... my father is also a very outstanding person..."

"Therefore, it's normal for such an outstanding father to not have time to spend with Mei."

"Mei..."

Looking at the girl before him, Dong Moxuan seemed hesitant to speak.

"Jun Xuan, do you know?"

Mei didn't pay attention to the change in Dong Moxuan's expression and continued speaking to herself.

"Ever since Mei started high school, my father... hasn't eaten a meal with me again, not even on my birthday... So..."

"Mei is really happy that Jun Xuan can be by her side!"

Saying this, Mei looked at Dong Moxuan and seemed to suddenly realize something, speaking with a hint of panic in her voice, "S-sorry, Jun Xuan, I think I just said something strange..."

"Not at all!"

Dong Moxuan smiled and gently patted Mei's head.

"I'm happy that you can tell me these things, Mei..."

"Mmm~"

Feeling Dong Moxuan's touch, Mei's cheeks flushed as she puffed them out.

"Jun Xuan, don't always treat Mei like a child!"

"In front of me, you are a child. I'm from your father's generation!"

Hearing Mei's playfully petulant words, Dong Moxuan chuckled and flicked her forehead.

"B-but didn't Jun Xuan say before that you and my father were friends despite the age difference?"

For some reason, Mei felt very uncomfortable with Dong Moxuan's elder-like demeanor.

"You look about my age, don't you?"

"In this world, age can't just be judged by appearance!"

"Some perverted old virgin who's lived for five hundred years still looks like a young man in his twenties."

"Huh? Jun Xuan, are you lying? How can someone live for five hundred years?"

"If Honkai exists, why can't someone live for five hundred years?"

"Let alone five hundred years, there are old virgins who have lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years!"

"My age isn't that exaggerated, but it's more than enough to be Mei's elder!"

"Besides, Ryoma that guy isn't responsible anyway..."

Stroking his chin, Dong Moxuan looked Mei up and down and said jokingly, "How about Mei, you recognize me as your dad? I'll dote on you like my own daughter!"

"Oh?"

Hearing Dong Moxuan's words, Mei didn't get angry. Instead, she looked at him with a subtle expression.

"So, Jun Xuan likes Mei's mother?"

"But Jun Xuan, you should give up. Mom will always love Dad, you won't have a chance!"

"You little brat..."

Mei's words left Dong Moxuan speechless. He could only laugh and scold her, then said, "Hurry up and eat, we have to go out soon!"

"Go out?"

Mei's expression was a little confused.

"I said,"

Dong Moxuan rubbed his temples with a hint of helplessness.

"Although you're not in danger in this city, you don't want to live with a bunch of 'zombies', do you?"

"So, after breakfast, we're leaving Changkong City!"

"Leave... Changkong City..."

Mei lowered her head, her emotions unreadable.

Was she going to leave the city she had lived in for over a decade?

But...

Looking up at the young man before her, Mei gently nodded.

"I'll listen to Jun Xuan!"

"Then hurry up and eat!"

Dong Moxuan tapped Mei's head with his chopsticks.