A Heart-to-Heart with Airi, a Head Rolled to His Feet

Facing the boss as she approached step by step, Chang Yuan silently took several steps back as well.

What a joke. His will was unwavering; as for the boki, that was just a natural reaction.

But the more he acted like this, the more the boss thought Chang Yuan was playing hard to get.

After all, at his age, how could he possibly not be full of youthful passion?

He was merely forcing himself to hold back.

"Chang Yuan, did something happen over there? I think I heard the boss's voice~?"

As someone extraordinary in every way, it was impossible for Airi not to have heard what had just happened over there.

"Cough, cough. The boss seemed to have wandered into my hot spring pool by mistake. It's nothing."

"Mhm, I see. Then hurry up and send her back."

After receiving that answer, Chang Yuan looked at the boss and shrugged.

See? It really won't work. Even if you have the shameful advantage of being too much for one hand, it still won't work.

"Tsk, handsome boy, this is my private number. Call me often when you have time~."

With no other choice, the boss took out her business card from inside her yukata.

Naturally, she did not want to give up on such a fresh young man as Chang Yuan.

Even if she had to pay him, she was willing.

After doing all that, the boss immediately left.

At the same time, after hearing that the boss had completely gone, Airi's voice came through again.

"Chang Yuan, you're not allowed to keep that private contact number."

"Yes, yes. Can't you trust me a little more? Do I really look like that kind of person?"

After glancing at the card, Chang Yuan tossed it away like a dart.

Hmph. His pure yang body could only be given to Airi. As for other women? Who were they?

"Who knows? After all, you're a hot-blooded adult man. I don't want you to become like those bad people."

Leaning against the edge of the hot spring pool, Airi spoke.

She did not know why, but she truly did not want Chang Yuan to become that sort of person.

"Hmph, hmph. Then give me a little more trust, okay? You can always trust me."

"Bleh~. I won't believe you."

"Boo hoo, I trust you so much, but you don't trust me. I'm so miserable."

"Tch~. Who knows? Maybe you don't trust me either. Otherwise, why haven't you told me so many of your secrets? Are you really that afraid I can't keep my mouth shut?"

"..."

Hearing that, Chang Yuan fell silent.

It seemed that he really had not trusted Airi that much.

No, it was because he trusted Airi too much that he was unwilling to tell her.

Because he understood her, because he knew everything about her, he was certain she would make that choice. That was why he absolutely could not let her know in advance.

He had to find a path for them to survive. At the very least, he had to become stronger than everyone else, then knock Airi unconscious and forcibly take her away.

"See? You don't trust me at all. You won't even tell me your little secrets, even though you know so many of mine."

Seeing Chang Yuan fall silent, Airi immediately pressed her advantage.

She had to get him to reveal the secret she had always been curious about.

"I trust you."

"..."

Faced with those four words, four words without any excuse, four simple words.

Yet it was precisely those four words that left Airi unable to refute him.

Because she could hear that Chang Yuan truly trusted her completely. It was an inexplicable, unconditional trust; even she herself did not know where it came from.

"Got it, got it. Honestly, how am I supposed to respond to that?"

On the other side of the hot spring, Airi sat crouched in the water, hugging her knees and blowing bubbles.

"But Airi, don't worry. I'll tell you everything in the end. When that time comes, I'll tell you all of me. But not now. At least, not until that time has passed."

"...Mm, I'll wait for you. I don't know why you insist on hiding it from me, but you must have your own reasons. I won't ask again from now on, unless one day you want to tell me."

"Hehe, don't worry. I won't lie to you."

Half an hour later...

The two of them got dressed and came out right on time.

As they were leaving, Chang Yuan even noticed the boss throw him a flirtatious wink.

It scared him so much that he hurriedly took Airi back to the library.

Though he felt he could ask the boss to let them stay for the night, he had a feeling that if he did, he would lose something.

So he gave up on that idea and forgot that dangerous thought.

"Chang Yuan, be careful. I think I smell blood."

By now, Airi had the physique of a little Superman, making her extremely sensitive to the scent of blood lingering in the air.

Upon hearing Airi say that, Chang Yuan immediately guessed that Sakura had probably already killed that person from earlier.

But they still had to spend the night here, so Chang Yuan patted Airi on the shoulder and said, "It's normal. Bleeding happens all the time, so don't overthink it. We can't possibly be so unlucky that we just happen to run into a murder scene, right?"

"Th-that's true. But just in case, let's take shifts. I don't need much sleep. Wake me in two hours, and I'll keep watch until dawn."

"Whatever you want. Sleep first. Don't worry."

Lying facedown on the table, Airi took out several pieces of clothing, used them as a pillow, and promptly fell asleep.

Chang Yuan watched this scene and diligently played the role of her guardian.

But he also took the opportunity to wander around the library.

In the end, Chang Yuan found someone slumped in an inconspicuous corner.

When he approached, he saw a flower placed beside the person—a Forget-me-not.

The person's neck was wrapped in layer after layer of white cloth, but his deathly pale face made it clear that he had been dead for some time.

It was Chang Yuan's first time seeing a corpse, and from such close range. He could not help feeling a little nauseated.

The bloody scent drifting through the air was also utterly disgusting.

But when he thought of the Dead Soldiers he would kill in the future, even if they were no longer human, they would still resemble humans to some extent.

So if he did not start getting used to corpses now, then during battle, one moment of distraction could get him separated from his head.

So despite his nausea, Chang Yuan still did not avert his gaze.

Until...

Thud—!

Roll, roll!

"!!!"

Seeing that head roll to a stop before him, Chang Yuan was so frightened he nearly screamed, but fortunately, he covered his mouth in time.

Damn it, Sakura! Couldn't you tie it a little tighter? It came loose! You nearly scared me to death!

This time, Chang Yuan truly felt sick, even having the urge to vomit on the spot.