By the time Zhiyan and Shoko left her parents' house, the sky had begun to darken.
They returned to the Zenin Clan estate through the side gate. They crossed the gravel path, passed through the bamboo-planted courtyard, and followed the long corridor floored with dark wooden boards to Zhiyan's courtyard.
"Don't you guys think-" His voice was low, but deliberately so, which only made it sound especially affected. "Zhiyan's going to be totally henpecked."
In the courtyard, Satoru Gojo sat on a stone stool, legs crossed and hands braced on his knees, looking as solemn as if he were delivering an important academic presentation. Beside him, Xian Di sat on another stone stool, holding a cup of tea and preparing to offer his own grand opinion.
He opened his mouth.
Then he caught sight of the two figures approaching through the courtyard entrance.
Xian Di's mouth hung open for a fraction of a second, and what came out instead was,
"Watch what you say, Satoru." His tone turned earnest and measured. "I think that's a rather unfair assessment."
Satoru Gojo froze, clearly unaware that anyone was approaching from behind.
"Unfair? How is it unfair?" he argued confidently. "Didn't you see? If Shoko tells him to go east, he wouldn't dare go west. If she tells him to stand, he won't sit-that's the textbook definition of-"
"I think Xian Di's right." Suguru Geto's voice came from beside him, calm and certain, with the composure of someone claiming to be an impartial observer. "What Zhiyan and Shoko have must be true love. You can't describe it with a shallow word like 'henpecked.'"
Satoru Gojo turned to look at Suguru Geto, his eyes plainly asking whether he had lost his mind.
"True love? Since when did you get so-"
Wana happened to have