Chapter 44: Daily Life

“Because I couldn’t just ignore it.”

Shokuba Haruka answered him calmly. “For example, about Satsuki’s matter, don’t tell me… you know nothing about it.”

She stopped smiling, and her tone turned a bit colder.

What does this have to do with my younger sister?

Fang Jing was full of questions. He had sensed it earlier—when Shokuba Haruka appeared, she carried a hint of hostility.

Could it be… Shokuba Haruka thinks I have something to do with Sasamori’s death?

For some reason, he had felt it just now—when Shokuba Haruka showed up, there was a faint trace of animosity.

“One thing I want to ask is, how did Satsuki get those injuries before?”

Shokuba Haruka continued speaking. “Do you remember our conversation before? I originally wanted to ask you this question…”

“So… that time you wanted to talk about Satsuki’s matter.”

Fang Jing quickly analyzed the situation. Shokuba Haruka was probably asking about Nishizuka Satsuki’s long-term bullying issue.

However, Satsuki probably didn’t dare to tell anyone about these things. She even carefully hid her wounds.

So, how did Shokuba Haruka find out about this? What was her real intention?

Fang Jing was very suspicious by nature. He was trying to figure out Shokuba Haruka’s motive for asking him.

“Ah… forget it. Actually, after seeing how you and Satsuki interacted at the family restaurant, I realized I was mistaken.”

Shokuba Haruka sighed. “I’m really sorry about that.”

Fang Jing simply stayed silent. Given his position, defending himself wouldn’t be useful anyway.

Next, Shokuba Haruka borrowed Fujiwara’s phone from him.

————————

During lunch break, he ended up eating alone again.

Feeling uncomfortable staying in the classroom, when class ended, Fang Jing simply took his lunch box and left the room.

He was always in lone wolf mode, doing everything by himself. But Fang Jing was quite used to this lifestyle. He mostly thought about his previous job, where he poured all his energy into his work every day. This single-minded focus felt very relaxing.

The school had a large cafeteria. Most students chose to have lunch there, and only a few brought their own meals.

Students spilling out of the classrooms crowded the hallway, chatting as they slowly moved forward, heading down the stairs.

“What a hassle!”

Fang Jing sighed. He thought for a moment and recalled that Nishizuka Tsukasa usually left the class to find a quiet corner to eat lunch.

“There’s a staircase at the Old School Building. It should be quiet there.”

Thinking back, Nishizuka Tsukasa did that too—he either ate on the rooftop or on the stairs of the Old School Building.

The Old School Building wasn’t far from the main teaching building. He went to the first-floor steps, opened his lunch box alone.

Lunch was a mentaiko sandwich with bacon. It was quite filling and tasted good.

Lately, his appetite had been growing—the only side effect of his improving physique.

“Long time no see, Senpai.”

Just as he was about to pick up his chopsticks to eat, he heard a girl’s voice from below the stairs. The owner of the voice made a “heave-ho” sound and hopped up the steps lightly.

“I didn’t see you the past couple of days, Senpai. Were you away before?”

Kuranaga Kuraruka. When she saw him, she looked as excited as a puppy seeing its owner.

It felt like if she had a tail, she would be wagging it wildly behind her.

“Hmm…”

“I didn’t see Nishizuka Senpai on Thursday. I thought we could walk to school together.”

“Is that so…”

Fang Jing’s tone was absent-minded. He suddenly thought of something and couldn’t help asking.

“Kuraruka, do you have a part-time job outside school?”

“……”

Kuranaga’s expression darkened slightly, but she quickly regained her cheerful demeanor.

“Yes, actually, my family’s situation isn’t great, so I work part-time to help out. Oh, Senpai, please don’t tell anyone. The school is very strict about this.”

“I know that.”

Fang Jing found it hard to discern anything from her tone, but whether Kuranaga was involved in compensated dating or not, he was indifferent to it.

He was inherently a cold person and rarely cared about others’ affairs.

“By the way, Senpai, do you want to go to karaoke after school? It just so happens that my classmates…”

“No, sorry. I have something to do today.”

“Eh… no way! Can’t you spare a little time?”

Kuranaga for some reason wanted to invite him.

Fang Jing normally wouldn’t agree even if he had nothing to do, and besides, he had matters to attend to after school, so he definitely couldn’t accept her invitation.

“Bzz—!”

Just then, Fang Jing heard his phone ring.

He took out his phone and saw that it wasn’t his incoming call.

“Ah… it’s my phone. Sorry, let me take this.”

Kuranaga smiled slightly, put down her small lunch box, took out her phone, and answered.

“Hello! What’s up?”

After all that, it turned out to be Kuranaga’s phone ringtone—exactly the same as his.

“One of the three great illusions in life?”

He couldn’t help but sigh.

Meanwhile, Kuranaga was frowning, talking on the phone about something. Not long after, she hung up and let out a sigh.

“Was it a call from your family?”

Fang Jing asked casually.

“No, it was from the place where I work.”

Kuranaga puffed her cheeks and muttered quietly, a bit upset. “So troublesome, right at this time…”

“Did something happen at work?”

Out of politeness, he asked further.

“Nothing much, but I probably need to go to the shop.”

Kuranaga closed her lunch box and shook her head helplessly. “Senpai, could you take this back for me? I can pick it up from your place tonight.”

“Sure, you can leave it with me.”

It wasn’t any trouble, and agreeing wouldn’t cost him anything.

Besides, neighbors helping each other was common. Although deep down, Fang Jing wanted to keep his distance from Kuranaga Kuraruka, he still understood basic courtesy.

“Wait… Kuraruka, you’re not planning to skip class, are you?”

“Hehe, no choice. It’s urgent at the shop. The manager seems really angry, so I have to go.”

She smiled apologetically.

“…Well, be careful. Try not to get caught by the teachers.”

Fang Jing naturally had no particular opinion on this.

“Understood.”

Kuranaga said apologetically, “I’m really causing you trouble, Senpai. But I still hope to invite you to karaoke sometime.”

“Maybe another time…”

He replied like that, making Kuranaga Kuraruka show a shy smile.

“Thanks! Senpai!”

Watching her back as she turned to leave, Fang Jing realized he found this girl a bit hard to figure out.