69novels Page 99
Page 99
"Your lunchbox." Chen Xiao sat down next to her and handed her the lunchbox.
Kato Megumi looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "...Thank you." She took the bento box but didn't open it immediately. "Why aren't you chatting with that cute junior?"
Chen Xiao turned to the side, rested his elbow on the back of the bench, and stared intently into Kato Megumi's eyes: "I'd rather be with Megumi than with Aine."
The affectionate nickname made Kato Megumi's ears turn slightly red. She looked away, her voice almost inaudible: "You always like to say things like that to get my attention." After a pause, she continued, "Even if it's a lie, it actually makes me... a little happy."
·· ·Requesting 0 flowers ····
Just as Chen Xiao was about to speak, Kato Megumi suddenly turned her face and asked, "W-would you like to eat lunch together?" A faint blush rose on her cheeks, and her eyes flickered uncertainly.
Chen Xiao's lips curled into a slight smile—he knew the time was almost ripe. Kato Megumi's defenses were crumbling, like thin ice in spring; just a little more pressure was needed…
"Hey! Girl over there!"
A sudden male voice broke the delicate atmosphere. A boy wearing black-rimmed glasses and carrying a backpack was walking briskly towards them, his eyes fixed intently on Kato Megumi.
"I'm Aki Tomoya from Class 2-B!" The boy excitedly pushed up his glasses. "You...you're the background heroine I've been searching for!"
Kato Megumi blinked in confusion: "...Me?"
"That's right! That extraordinary quality hidden beneath the ordinary, that subtle yet undeniable presence!" Aki Tomoya gestured excitedly. "It's perfect! I'm making a visual novel, and I absolutely have to ask you to be the model for the heroine!"
Chen Xiao's face instantly darkened. He stood up and blocked Kato Megumi's path: "Get out of my way."
Aki Tomoya then noticed Chen Xiao's presence, but he remained unmoved: "Excuse me, I'm discussing something important with this girl, please..."
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Xiao's fist slammed heavily into Aki Tomoya's face. His glasses flew off, and Aki Tomoya staggered back a few steps before falling to the ground.
.. 0 0
"Chen Xiao!" Kato Megumi exclaimed, quickly grabbing Chen Xiao's arm. "Stop!"
Chen Xiao ignored him, grabbed Aki Tomoya by the collar and lifted him up: "Listen up, stay away from her." His voice was terrifyingly low, "Otherwise, next time it won't be as simple as just one punch."
Despite blood streaming from his nose, Aki Tomoya stubbornly stared at Kato Megumi: "Please...please consider my invitation! You possess a unique charm that shouldn't be overlooked!"
"How dare you say that!" Chen Xiao raised his fist again.
"Enough!" Kato Megumi grabbed Chen Xiao's arm forcefully. "Chen Xiao, stop!"
Chen Xiao stopped what he was doing, but the anger in his eyes had not subsided. Kato Megumi turned to Aki Tomoya and said softly, "I'm sorry, I can't accept your invitation."
Aki Tomoya wiped the blood from his nose and picked up his broken glasses: "Is it because of him?" He pointed at Chen Xiao, "Are you two dating?"
Kato Megumi didn't answer directly, but simply shook her head: "Anyway... please don't come again." She secretly glanced at Chen Xiao's gloomy expression, her voice even softer, "He'll be very angry..."
Aki Tomoya gave Kato Megumi one last, deep look before turning and leaving. Only after his figure had completely disappeared did Kato Megumi release Chen Xiao's hand.
"You've gone too far," she whispered. "How can you hit someone like that..."
Chen Xiao snorted coldly: "The way he looks at you makes me uncomfortable."
Kato Megumi paused for a moment, then turned her face away: "...Idiot." This word, which carried a hint of reproach, inexplicably eased the atmosphere between the two.
They sat back down on the bench and shared Kato Megumi's bento box. Chen Xiao noticed that today's bento box was much more lavish than usual—it was clearly prepared with care.
"To thank you for your help yesterday..." Kato Megumi explained softly, placing a piece of tamagoyaki into Chen Xiao's lunchbox.
Chen Xiao took a bite and showed genuine appreciation: "Delicious."
Two simple words, yet they made Kato Megumi's lips unconsciously curl into a smile. Sunshine, cherry blossoms, shared bento boxes, and the boy beside her who was sometimes gentle and sometimes domineering... all of this created a wonderful scene, completely different from her usual mundane school life.
"Chen Xiao," Kato Megumi suddenly spoke, "do you really...like me?"
Chen Xiao put down his chopsticks and looked directly into her eyes: "Why do you ask that?"
"Because you have so many girls around you..." Kato Megumi's voice trailed off, "and I'm so ordinary..."
Chen Xiao reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye: "It's precisely because you're ordinary, precisely because you don't revolve around me like they do..." His thumb gently stroked Kato Megumi's chin, "that's why I find you special."
This answer seemed to have surprised Kato Megumi. Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something but swallowed it back.
Chen Xiao stared at the message for a long time, a sense of foreboding spreading through his mind.
"Wait, can we go on a date together?" Chen Xiao asked.
"Okay." This time she didn't refuse.
Chapter 106 Controlling Chihaya Aine, Targeting Those Mago Groups
"Wait, can we go on a date together?" Chen Xiao asked, his voice a few decibels lower than usual.
Kato Megumi took a deep breath, her gaze lingered for a moment, and finally she nodded gently: "Mm."
This simple response brought a victorious smile to Chen Xiao's lips.
He naturally took Kato Megumi's hand, feeling the slight warmth of her palm. "Your palms are sweaty because you're nervous."
"Where do you want to go?" Chen Xiao gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb.
"Whatever..." Kato Megumi's voice was as light as a feather.
Chen Xiao chuckled: "Then I'll do as I say."
They went to a newly opened dessert shop near the station.
They entered the dessert shop and sat down.
Chen Xiao remembered that Kato Megumi had lingered on this page of the magazine's menu for three seconds.
When the cutest strawberry parfait on the page was pushed in front of her, Megumi Kato's eyes lit up.
How did you know I wanted to eat this?
"I guessed." Chen Xiao rested his chin on his hand and looked at her. "You glanced at it a little while you were looking at the magazine."
Kato Megumi's spoon stopped in mid-air: "You even noticed that?"
“I’m paying attention to everything about you.” Chen Xiao leaned forward and took a bite of the parfait from her hand. “So sweet.”
Kato Megumi's face instantly turned bright red, and she hurriedly put the spoon away.
Chen Xiao enjoyed her flustered appearance, and then deliberately ordered a chocolate bar, biting off one end to show her.
"This...this is too...embarrassing." Kato Megumi's voice trailed off.
"You don't want to?" Chen Xiao feigned disappointment.
Kato Megumi hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved closer to the other end of the chocolate bar.
Just as their lips were about to touch, Chen Xiao suddenly moved forward, pushing the chocolate towards Kato Megumi's lips, and kissed her directly on the lips.
"Ugh!" Kato Megumi's eyes widened, but she couldn't push him away. The chocolate melted at the corners of their mouths.
When they parted, Kato Megumi's breathing was visibly erratic: "Too...too cunning..."
"But you don't hate it, right?" Chen Xiao looked at Kato Megumi, who shyly lowered her head.
The atmosphere of the date gradually warmed up.
They watched a movie, and in the dimly lit theater, Chen Xiao's fingers remained intertwined with Kato Megumi's. When they passed by a park, Chen Xiao bought a balloon and tied it to her wrist, saying, "That way we won't get separated in the crowd."
As the sun set, they shared an earphone on a bench by the river, listening to a collection of love songs carefully selected by Chen Xiao.
"It's getting dark." Kato Megumi checked the time. "I should go home..."
Chen Xiao didn't let go of her hand: "I'll take you." After a pause, he added, "Can I come to your house for a while? I'd like to see what Hui's place is like."
Kato Megumi immediately shook her head: "No, this is too sudden..."
"Why?" Chen Xiao looked hurt. "Aren't we boyfriend and girlfriend now? And..." He lowered his voice, "I just want to know more about you, to know what the real Hui is like."
These words seemed to strike a nerve with Kato Megumi. She bit her lower lip, hesitated for a long time, and finally whispered, "Just...just for a little while..."
Kato Megumi's apartment was even tidier and simpler than Chen Xiao had imagined, with almost no unnecessary decorations, just like her, unremarkable.
Chen Xiao found something interesting in the details—the light novels neatly arranged on the bookshelf, the cat photos pasted on the refrigerator, and the box of colored pencils and sketchbook hidden under the coffee table.
"Would you like something to drink?" Kato Megumi asked nervously, her fingers constantly tidying up the already neatly arranged cushions.
"Water is fine." Chen Xiao sat down naturally on the sofa and patted the spot next to him. "Don't bother, come and sit down."
Kato Megumi hesitated for a moment, then brought over two glasses of water and carefully sat down half a meter away from Chen Xiao.
Chen Xiao didn't give her a chance to escape and hugged Kato Megumi.
"Chen Xiao!" Kato Megumi cried out in alarm, trying to break free.
"Call me by my name," Chen Xiao whispered in her ear. "I want to hear you call me by my name."
Kato Megumi's body trembled slightly: "Chen...Chen Xiao..."
"Not this." Chen Xiao pinched her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You have to call me Xiao."
“Too intimate.” Kato Megumi shook her head, but Chen Xiao grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. In the dim living room light, Chen Xiao’s eyes were so deep they were unsettling.
"Xiao..." she finally whispered, and was immediately kissed by Chen Xiao.
By the time Kato Megumi realized how things were going, Chen Xiao had already pinned her down on the sofa.
"Wait, wait..." Kato Megumi stopped Chen Xiao with her hand, "Why are you in such a hurry..."
Chen Xiao stopped what he was doing, a calculating glint in his eyes.
He lowered his eyes, his voice suddenly becoming fragile: "I... I don't feel safe. I'm afraid that Megumi will be taken away by that Aki Tomoya."
"No..." Kato Megumi's heart softened as expected, and her hand unconsciously touched his face.
“But he can see that you’re special.” Chen Xiao tightened his arms around her. “He’s the only one besides me who has noticed how unique you are. I won’t give you to anyone else.”
These words acted like a key, unlocking Kato Megumi's last line of defense.
Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears—never before in her life had anyone chosen her or needed her so resolutely.
"Idiot..." Kato Megumi's voice choked with sobs as she kissed Chen Xiao's lips.
Chen Xiao whispered in her ear again and again: "Hui is mine."
Afterwards, Kato Megumi curled up in Chen Xiao's arms, her cheeks still flushed.
Chen Xiao stroked her hair absently, but his gaze fell on the photo frame on the bedside table—in the photo, Kato Megumi stood under a cherry blossom tree, all alone, her smile shy and lonely.
[Ding! System notification]
[Successfully captured target: Megumi Kato]