Chapter 96
But this isn't her fault. Should she deliberately act weak and act cute with girls younger than her? The persona is completely mismatched!
Lost in random thoughts, she led Shiina Mahiru downstairs.
"Um, where does Sister Asahi live?" Shiina Mahiru asked her, half expectant and half curious.
Although Fuchu City is not large, being just one of the more than twenty cities under the Tokyo Suburbs, its urban area cannot be limited to such a small area as hers.
Because they had met here several times, she subconsciously assumed that Ogura Asahi also lived here, completely unaware that she lived in another city.
"Ah~ Come to think of it, I haven't told you yet," Ogura Asahi also remembered this, her gaze drifting, "I don't actually live in the Fuchu."
"Huh?! Is that so?" She opened her eyes wide, utterly astonished.
"Yes, I live in Tokyo Metropolis Minato Ward, Tokyo. The first time we met was just... I happened to have something to do, so I came here, and that's how we bumped into each other."
She believed she wasn't lying; she did have something to do at the time, but that something was simply to meet with her.
"Is that so? Then, were you here today and last time specifically for...?" Shiina Mahiru stopped in her tracks, a faint glint of light flickering in her eyes.
"Well, the two sides are very close anyway, it's not a big deal."
Seeing her stop, Ogura Asahi could only stand still and explain.
"Sister Asahi!"
Unexpectedly, she yelled and bumped into him, hugging him tightly.
"Pfft!" She gasped, startled, as if a small breath had escaped her chest. A gentle pat on the back followed. Three minutes later, she said, "That's enough. There are people around. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Hearing her say that, Shiina Mahiru released her Hands, her delicate face slightly flushed, and took a step back. She Kokoro glanced at the peeping eyes around her, becoming even more embarrassed.
"Let's keep going, or we'll get there by evening."
Without teasing her, she continued to lead the way, and Shiina Mahiru had no choice but to lower her head and obediently follow.
"Um, who are the family members in Sister Asahi's family?" She immediately became curious about this question and was eager to ask.
"Also, since this is my first visit, should I prepare any gifts?"
Suddenly remembering this, she became flustered and tightened her fingers.
What should I say when I meet Asahi's parents later?
Oh, I'm so nervous!
"My parents are both in the America for work, and aside from Relatives, I only have one family member in Tokyo right now, but they don't live at the place we're going to later," Ogura Asahi explained. "So you don't need to prepare anything, just be normal."
"I see..."
Shiina Mahiru's tension eased, but she was also slightly disappointed. She had hoped to meet her family, but it seemed she wouldn't have the chance this time.
The two walked out of the apartment building's first-floor entrance. Ogura Asahi led her a short distance to the roadside to wait.
"Um, Sister Asahi, why are we standing here? Aren't we going to get a car?"
After learning that she lived in Tokyo, Shiina Mahiru assumed they needed to buy tickets to take the train.
"..." Ogura Asahi, who was staring at the message on her phone, paused, thinking that this seemed to be a problem. She turned to her seriously and said, "Mahiru, I need to tell you something in advance."
"Hi?"
"Um, don't be surprised when you get to my house later," Ogura Asahi avoided looking directly at her, afraid of hurting her feelings about her parents and family. "Your family situation is a bit special, so it's a little different from others. I hope you're mentally prepared."
"Huh?" Shiina Mahiru tilted her head, not understanding.
She could easily understand why Ogura Asahi was different from others; after all, her image was already quite striking. But was there a need for such hesitation?
Could it be that Sister Asahi's family is actually very poor?
She widened her eyes slightly, realizing she had found her blind spot.
This kind of plot often appears in TV dramas and anime: a seemingly perfect female characters actually comes from a very poor family background and only shines in front of others through her own self-reliance and extraordinary efforts, working part-time jobs.
Recalling her outstanding appearance, culinary skills, and ability to design and make clothes... every metric was close to perfect.
Is it because of the hardships and struggles she endured from a young age that she developed such remarkable skills?
The image of her saying that her home wasn't anything special flashed through her mind, and combined with the embarrassed expression on her face, Shiina Mahiru felt that she had guessed the truth!
If that's really the case... As expected of Asahi-neechan!
Her pupils glowed, and her gaze became even more adoring and interested.
Even in adversity, she remains untainted by the mud, growing up to be so outstanding. She was not defeated by difficulties; she is indeed someone worth pursuing for a lifetime!
"Don't worry, Asahi-neechan!" She raised her hand to her chest, grasped Asahi's arm, and said excitedly, "No matter what I see later, you'll still be my sister!"
"Oh, oh..." Overwhelmed by her imposing presence, Ogura Asahi found it difficult to utter any further explanation.
I have a feeling that this child has misunderstood something.
"By the way, Sister Asahi, are we standing here waiting for someone?" Shiina Mahiru.
"Yes."
"Waiting for whom?"
"The people who brought us there, ah, they've arrived."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shiina Mahiru saw a very high-end sedan drive around the corner, gradually approaching them, and then—stopping steadily in front of them.
Although she didn't know much about cars, she recognized the striking little golden figure on the hood.
"Get in the car." Ogura Asahi stepped forward and opened the car door.
"Huh? Uh oh!!!"
A Shiina Mahiru of disbelief echoed through the sky above the Fuchu.
Half an hour later, the car stopped in front of the Sakura Mansion.
After their identities were confirmed, the metal gate of the mansion slowly opened, and then the car slowly started moving again, driving into the courtyard of the mansion.
Leading the still dizzy Shiina Mahiru through the mansion gate, the dozen or so maids already lined up on both sides called out in unison:
"Welcome home, young lady!" XN
"I'm back."
"..." Shiina Mahiru was startled by the clear and loud voice and froze on the spot.
Still reeling from the shock of the vast courtyard and the mansion's facade, she merely widened her eyelids slightly, showing little astonishment.
Her reaction was exactly as Ogura Asahi had expected; he grabbed her slender arm and dragged her inside.
Fortunately, prior arrangements had been made with Yashiro Ichiyo and the maids at the mansion, so none of the many people present showed any surprise or astonishment; they simply performed their duties even more diligently than usual.
However, occasionally, you can see a hint of a smile hidden deep in their eyes.
He led Shiina Mahiru to the spacious living room, walked to the sofa, and then forced her to sit down by pressing her stiff body.
Soon, a maid came over and prepared tea, serving it to them with practiced ease.
"Startled?" Ogura Asahi casually asked, taking a small sip of the clear tea.
"...Hmm." Startled by her words, Shiina Mahiru realized what was happening, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and she nodded gently.
Just as she expected, the other person's home was the same as in the story, but it wasn't the kind of inspirational story of overcoming adversity that she had imagined. Instead, it was a very clichéd and overused Prince and Princess story!
Volume 1: The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Chapter 130 Become My Child
The indoor air smells wonderfully fresh and invigorating; you can tell at a glance that high-end Aromatherapy were used.
The size of the courtyard and the mansion exceeded her expectations; she couldn't even imagine how much it would cost to own such a mansion in the heart of Tokyo!
And there are maids! So many of them! They actually greet you at the door with "Young Miss"!
What kind of Chinese family is this?
Even more unbelievable is that she is the only one living in this mansion!
Even the family of Shiina Mahiru, whose parents didn't treat her very well, while having some wealth, wasn't as extravagant as this place.
She finally understood why Ogura Asahi had told her not to be too surprised later.
If Sakurakoji Talent knew what she was thinking, she would definitely refute it—in fact, there's never been a single owner here normally.
The number of maids wasn't very large, just enough to maintain the daily cleaning of the mansion.
For larger families, such as the main residence of the Okura Family, in addition to security personnel and regular maids, there will be many dedicated service staff and multiple teams of top chefs.
The number of people there would be far greater than what we see here.
However, while the Sakurakoji Family could afford it, it was really unnecessary for them, as there were only a few people in their family, half of whom were living abroad.
My family doesn't have much of a pursuit of material enjoyment, nor do we have deep connections or frequent interactions with politicians or secretaries from all walks of life. We don't need such a grand display.
"As you can see, my family has a certain historical background and is relatively financially independent, so we are a little different from others."
Was this considered "slightly"? Shiina Mahiru clicked her tongue inwardly.
"But none of that matters. What matters is that our relationship won't change because of any of this."
"Anyway, just treat this place like your own home and relax." Ogura Asahi took in all of her still stiff muscles.
"There aren't many people here usually, so it's a bit quiet. If you feel bored during your holidays, you're welcome to come over anytime. I'd be happy to have you."
"Thank you, Sister Asahi," Shiina Mahiru said shyly.
The atmosphere here made it impossible for her to relax as usual.
Whether it was the maid standing upright beside her, the ornate Rococo-style decorations inside, or the grand and historically significant atmosphere of the mansion itself, all of these elements transformed into an invisible pressure, weighing on her heart and making her afraid to even glance around.
Ogura Asahi knew this wasn't something that could be resolved immediately, but she still adhered to her principle: you'll get used to it.
"You can go out now. I want to speak with this child alone for a few minutes." She looked at the maid standing beside her.
"I understand." The maid bowed to the two of them, then silently left the room, closing the living room door behind her.
After a while, she put down her teacup and looked intently at Shiina Mahiru, Hands were clenched tightly and pressed firmly against her knees, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.
After a moment's thought, she decided to confront him directly.
"Um, Mahiru, listen to me."
"?" Shiina Mahiru looked over in confusion.
"Um, first of all, I want to apologize to you." She lowered her head, looking ashamed.
"Hey?! Sister Asahi! What are you doing?" Shiina Mahiru was shocked by her actions and didn't understand why she was acting like this all of a sudden.
"Actually, I've already noticed some things about your family." Unaffected by her, she continued to elaborate.
"Ah..." With just that one sentence, Shiina Mahiru instantly understood what she was saying and what she was about to say next.
"Because I noticed no one attended your graduation ceremony, and you seemed particularly sensitive about family issues, I, driven by curiosity, took it upon myself to investigate your background."
"..." Shiina Mahiru lowered her head and remained silent, her delicate and stiff body tensing even more, her fists clenching even tighter.
"Therefore, I also learned about your situation, and I want to apologize to you for that."
"It's okay, anyway, Sister Asahi did it because she cares about me, right? And it's not a secret worth keeping..." She smiled weakly, her eyes seeming to well up with tears.
This matter remained the most vulnerable and deeply buried secret in her heart, unknown even to her teachers and classmates at school.
Outside, she is a flawless, beautiful, generous, and gentle top student. But at home, she is just an unwanted, burdensome, and dispensable outsider.
The reason she initially underestimated Ogura Asahi's background might be because she secretly hoped that the other person was someone with flaws like herself.
My own heart is truly ugly... Shiina Mahiru bit her inner lip, mentally criticizing herself for her sins.
My parents' marriage was a cliché political arrangement; they were both out there indulging in debauchery and having affairs, with absolutely no affection for each other. I was merely the child they had Kokoro conceived after a one-night stand, so it's no wonder I wasn't loved by anyone, right?
After learning the truth, Sister Asahi must have been very disappointed in herself. She realized that she wasn't the kind of Good Child she thought she was, but rather a villain that even her family disliked.
Someone like me really doesn't deserve to be loved...
She suddenly remembered what her former housekeeper, Aunt Xiaoxue, had once told her, "You must win the heart of the person who brings you happiness through their stomach."
'I'm sorry, Aunt Xiaoxue, I don't think I can even do this much, because that person is so much better than me.' She secretly glanced at Ogura Asahi.
In an effort to win back the love she felt for her family, she learned many skills from Aunt Xiaoxue from a young age and presented herself as a gentle, obedient, and virtuous "Angel," but all her efforts were in vain.