Saving Private Mutsumi (Continued)

Wakaba Mutsuki walked quietly beside Riki, looking at his profile.

She didn't feel constrained around him. Although he was a very capable person, he wasn't as strict as her father and mother. On the contrary, he was a very gentle person, which made her feel warm inside, like the sunshine in early spring.

But she couldn't get used to it, because she would eventually have to go back home.

No matter how happy she was with Riki, it wasn't her final destination.

"Today's class is over. Although the teacher was a bit strict and only gave me an A, considering Rokko wasn't there, this score is already pretty good for me... As for Rokko, I wish him happiness."

Riki smiled at Wakaba Mutsuki and said, "Let me show you around our school. Haicheng University isn't an elite school, but there are still a lot of interesting people there, and the clubs are quite exciting. Tsukinomori is nice too, but maybe you'll like it here."

Wakaba Mutsuki didn't speak, but obediently nodded.

Mutsuki-chan, if you keep doing this, someone could easily take you straight to a dark room.

Next time a strange person approaches you, you need to learn to say no, okay?

Of course, except for me.

"The basketball club members are pretty good; they won the provincial championship and are going to compete in the national tournament next. They're all muscle and no brains. That's the magic club's territory over there; their movements are incredibly fast—they can turn five meal cards into playing cards in a second. Then there's the anime club; their love for anime goes without saying. And the taekwondo association—no one can match their powerful physiques..."

"What about Riki?" Wakaba Mutsuki asked.

"I'm just a regular member of a band," Riki said. "What kind of club do you think I'm in?"

"Because Riki is very capable, I think you will be the Student Council President," Wakaba Mutsuki said honestly.

"I'm not good at managing other people, especially since everyone at Haicheng University is full of strong personalities." Riki looked at the square of Haicheng University ahead, where there was a fountain in the middle and tents around the perimeter where clubs were recruiting and promoting themselves.

Suddenly, he noticed that Wakaba Mutsuki's eyes lit up. There was a circle of bright yellow Cucumber Flower in the square, and some cucumbers that had already borne fruit looked fresh and juicy. Water droplets hanging from the tips of the leaves, which had just been watered, sparkled in the sunlight.

They looked just as good as the cucumbers she had seen at the supermarket.

"Those must be biological science students. Sometimes they sell their own fruits and vegetables at low prices to nearby merchants, and then get cheap, high-quality fertilizer from them. Because their produce tastes so good, it's one of the most popular majors at Haicheng University. Do you want to ask them how they grow them?"

Riki explained, looking at Wakaba Mutsuki.

Wakaba Mutsuki hesitated for a long time, then finally shook her head slightly, clutching her skirt with both hands.

"Don't cause trouble for others" is the Wakaba Family motto, Wakaba Mutsuki has always abided by this rule.

Besides, there are photographers from a photography agency filming promotional videos over there, and it wouldn't be good if they got caught on camera.

"Really? Then let's go back."

Wakaba Mutsuki lowered her eyes, nodded slightly, and turned to walk towards the school gate.

She really wanted to know how college students managed to grow cucumbers so beautifully and deliciously. When she was in the Tsukinomori, she only had a small amount of time to go to the library to read books about planting, and she only had a little soil from the garden to use. Once she returned home, she couldn't do anything.

But I guess I shouldn't trouble others.

Wakaba Mutsuki was lost in thought.

Riki looked back at the location where the agricultural students had set up their stalls and ran over quickly.

"Mutsuki-chan, I'm feeling a bit hot, I'm going to take a shower!"

Riki ran to the stall in the square, panting heavily, which made the two agricultural girls blush.

You're all blushing like a bubble teapot!

"Um, I'm very interested in your club. May I ask how you grow your cucumbers?" Riki asked.

"Oh, you can join our club and ask us more about that. We also have confidential information," said the club president, who wore glasses and looked extremely professional.

What about the secrets of the organization, you marketplace?

Why are you all so patient when the supermarket aunties ask you questions?

Discrimination against college students, is that it?

"Give me some face. I'm the music genius known as 'Liuwa' in the music department, only slightly inferior to the legendary Riki. Help me out and I'll perform for you for free," Riki said sincerely.

"President, you mustn't be tempted, this is our secret!" the agricultural girl quickly said.

The president adjusted his glasses and sighed, "I should have loudly rebuked this behavior that violated ancestral precepts, but he gave too much."

Are you all putting on an act right in front of me?

"Here you go, a one-picture guide to cucumber cultivation. Actually, if you follow our club's official WeChat account, you'll find related articles there. The uncles and aunties near the school really enjoy reading them."

Why didn't you say so sooner?!

Is there anyone normal in this lousy university besides me?

Riki grumbled and ran back quickly.

Wakaba Mutsuki waited for a few minutes at the school's crossroads. The surrounding college students looked at this beautiful girl with curiosity, wondering whose little sister she was.

Some anime fans' eyes lit up the moment they saw Wakaba Mutsuki.

I've seen this younger sister before.

Three-no-product (no manufacturer, no quality certification), cucumber, Mutsuki-chan!

The cosplayer is so accurate and beautiful, it's just like the real person.

At this moment, Wakaba Mutsuki's eyes flickered, and seeing Riki run out, she quickly walked to Riki's side and stood obediently.

So she really was waiting for her brother?

Sure enough, my brother is handsome too.

No, Nantong is included, right?

Riki cautiously glanced at the surrounding gazes.

"Do you shower so quickly?" Wakaba Mutsuki asked curiously.

"I'm the famous 'Bathhouse Guy' of Haicheng, so it's normal for me to shower quickly," Riki explained, then added with a smile, "By the way, I heard them say that's where they grow cucumbers over there, want to go take a look?"

Wakaba Mutsuki's dejected mood brightened instantly, and she looked up at Riki, nodding vigorously.

The Cucumber Field covers two acres, and the remaining fields are planted with tomatoes, eggplants, and other crops.

Wakaba Mutsuki slightly opened her eyes, a hint of surprise and joy appearing on her expressionless face. She squatted down in front of the Cucumber Flower, observing it carefully, a faint smile of satisfaction on her exquisite face.

I've been supporting Mutsuki for a long time.

"Want to take a picture?" Riki suggested.

Wakaba Mutsuki paused for a moment, then gently shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair to Riki if I took the photo alone, but taking a group photo together would cause trouble for Riki."

If her family finds out, they'll definitely come after Riki.

So although I really wanted to take pictures with this Cucumber Field, it turned out I couldn't.

"It's not that I don't want to take photos, but I'm afraid it will cause me trouble?"

"Yes." Wakaba Mutsuki nodded gently; this was her fate.

"I see."

Wakaba Mutsuki listened, her eyes lowered slightly. I really am a troublesome girl. If Riki had spent more time with me, she would have found me to be quite boring, unlike Sakiko and Su Shi who can easily make people laugh. I am just a pretty doll without a heart.

Suddenly she felt that it was very quiet around her, and when she turned her head she found that Riki had disappeared, and she immediately panicked.

Being alone in an unfamiliar place made her very uneasy.

She stood there, looking around in a panic for a while, when suddenly she saw a person dressed in a mascot costume walking out of the Cucumber Field, wearing Deer Headgear.

"You're my Masta, aren't you, you son of a bitch?"

"... Riki?" Wakaba Mutsuki was startled when she heard Riki's voice.

"Riki? I don't know that kind of person. I am the guardian spirit of cucumbers, from Gensokyo, far removed from the mortal world. You summoned me with Holy Relic," the doll said in a muffled voice.

It really was Riki.

Wakaba Mutsuki breathed a sigh of relief, only to find her shoulder being pulled close to a doll, which was holding a phone and pointing it at the two of them, ready to take a picture.

"Riki, Wakaba Mutsuki quickly said.

"I'm not Riki, I'm Servant, so taking photos is fine," Riki said firmly.

Wakaba Mutsuki was stunned for a moment, looked at Riki dressed in a mascot costume, and finally nodded obediently.

It feels very strange.

Wakaba Mutsuki leaned against the mascot costume, she had been hugged by her parents many times in front of the television before, but the warmth she felt this time was far greater than before, making her feel... very at ease.

"Mutsuki-chan, smile." Riki's voice came through the phone.

Wakaba Mutsuki quickly looked at her phone, revealing a very faint smile, almost invisible unless you looked closely at the corners of her lips.

"A wonderful smile."

Riki wiped the sweat from his mascot costume. The sun was blazing today, and he was almost getting heatstroke. His pants were soaked with sweat.

"Snap!"

Wakaba Mutsuki still shrank back a little in fear, but this time she managed to take a picture with her friend without hesitation.

"There's one more thing. I'll tell you some tips on how to grow cucumbers. These are secrets in the cucumber industry, so listen carefully."

Wakaba Mutsuki nodded quickly, listening attentively and writing down all the key points.

Mutsuki-chan, if you can't remember, you can check it out on our WeChat official account; you don't need to memorize it.

"Alright, I'm leaving now."

Wakaba Mutsuki looked at Riki, who was dressed in a mascot costume, and grabbed his hand. Riki turned his deer head and looked at her in confusion.

"Um, Cucumber Spirit, thank you so much..." Wakaba Mutsuki said softly.

Mutsuki-chan, you can forget about this setting now; I already find it a bit cringeworthy.

"This is the first time I've been able to take a picture like this. If it weren't for Sakiko, I wouldn't have been able to take a picture last time either, so I'm very happy to be able to take a picture with you."

Wakaba Mutsuki opened her arms and hugged the bulky mascot costume, she looked very petite and cute in front of it.

"Thank you, Riki," Wakaba Mutsuki said softly.

If possible, I really want to take a picture with you next time when you're not wearing a mascot costume.

Let's smile together and capture it with a camera for a lifetime.

Riki was stunned for a moment. Was this still Mutsuki?

He reached out his mascot costume hand and gently patted her head.

Riki ran over, changed out of the borrowed mascot costume, and ran back, covered in sweat.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, I just took a shower," Riki said, her persona still unchanged.

"Were you enjoying looking at the cucumbers here just now?"

Wakaba Mutsuki looked at Riki and nodded gently. "Mm."

In the sunlight, her smile seemed a little more pronounced than usual.

Riki chuckled softly.

That's fine. This isn't your home, so what's wrong with having a little more freedom?

How can a pretty girl not smile more?

Damn, I'm getting a bit of heatstroke from all this stuffiness.

Riki never expected to become famous.

I'm not talking about the health code, I'm talking about your body temperature getting a little high.

After returning home, he lay in bed to cool down, with Wakaba Mutsuki watching him with great concern beside him.

Don't worry, it won't be like Mutsuki-chan.

Riki smiled. He actually had a little too much concern for Wakaba Mutsuki. Perhaps he felt sorry for her because of the pressure she was under from her family environment, or perhaps he felt that her closed-off personality was similar to a period of time when his parents were not around.

So Riki wanted to save her, just as he wanted to save his past self.