"Who are they?" Pointing at C.C. and the little girl, Suzumiya Haruhi planted her hands on her hips, narrowed her eyes, and stared at Jiu Ming with an unusually intense look. "...A mother-and-daughter duo?"
"Cough! Don't get the wrong idea. They're just customers. You really came at the perfect time." Jiu Ming gave a light cough, nearly choking on Haruhi's words. He waved for her to stop talking for now, then turned to the little girl. "Heading back?"
"Mm. There are still things I need to do myself. Goodbye, big brother." With a resolute expression, the little girl walked toward the 'World Crossing Gate' behind Suzumiya Haruhi. Haruhi watched her in considerable surprise. Was that really an expression a child should have?
Children that age were supposed to be carefree, weren't they?
"...Good luck." Shaking his head, Jiu Ming gave her an encouraging smile. To be so determined at such a young age—should he say, "This girl will surely achieve great things someday"?
After the little girl left, Suzumiya Haruhi leaned closer. "Don't you think... the way she looked at you was kind of strange?"
"My surname isn't Long. At most, she's just a passerby in my life." Jiu Ming shook his head, indicating that Haruhi was completely overthinking it.
"What does that have to do with having the surname Long?"
"Huh? You don't know Long Aotian?"
"Who's Long Aotian...? That name sounds ridiculously awesome!"
Jiu Ming's mouth twitched hard. He simply shook his head, with no intention of continuing this topic. Come to think of it, if Suzumiya Haruhi ever truly recognized her own powers, she would totally be a female version of Aotian, wouldn't she?
"Who cares who he is? It has nothing to do with us. You came here at noon—you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Apart