Zongman: Unknowingly trapped in the hatchet

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Amid the whistling sound, the sound of some hard objects colliding seemed extremely abrupt.

Ka-

It seemed like the sound of heels hitting asphalt.

The footsteps gradually approached and became louder, until they reached a peak and then stopped.

Instead, a cheerful female voice said, "Yukino, I'm here to pick you up."

Su Qing and the others stopped at the same time. Xue Nai also noticed who was coming and whispered:

"elder sister……"

Yang Nai stepped on his boots again and came in front of the few people.

She put her hands in her pockets, not looking at Su Qing and Yui, but just looking at Yukino with a slight smile.

"I don't remember anything that required you to pick me up..."

Yukino calmed her mind and looked directly into her sister's eyes.

"My mother asked me to come here. She asked me to live with you temporarily. There should be an empty room in your house, right?

The luggage will be delivered tomorrow. I will be at home tomorrow morning, but I have to go out for something in the afternoon. I will trouble you then."

Yang Noi started talking a lot as soon as she opened her mouth. In fact, it was just that her elder sister wanted to live with her younger sister, which was a very normal thing.

But the other party emphasized from the beginning that it was the [mother’s] instruction.

It was as if the "Emperor decrees, by the Will of Heaven" was specially emphasized before the imperial edict was read out.

The person who announces the decree only needs to be responsible for reading it out, and does not give others even the slightest room to refuse.

All you can do is buffer and accept it.

Just looking at Yukino's confused expression at the moment, one can get a glimpse of something - her mother must not have discussed or informed her in advance.

"Wait...wait a minute, why did it suddenly become like this?"

Yukino's tone was a mixture of accusation and confusion.

——Even if the rent was not paid by her own efforts.

But she is an adult after all.

In any case, shouldn't this kind of thing be discussed with her in advance to see if it's convenient?

What's more.

With the financial resources of the Yukinoshita family, it shouldn't be difficult to buy a house in Tokyo specifically for Haruno to live in, right?

Not to mention that the family's influence has already spread to Tokyo in recent years.

unless--

The mother's goal was to have her sister be responsible for keeping an eye on her.

"I thought... you would understand."

Yang No said gently with a somewhat regretful tone, but she didn't know when her smile had disappeared.

"How can I know if you haven't discussed it with me?"

With her fists clenched tightly, Yukino's voice was indescribably calm.

Being dull is also a kind of indifference.

"Hey... I've given you the freedom, how long are you going to play with it?"

After sighing softly, Yang Noi tilted her head slightly and stared at Yukino with a puzzled and questioning look.

Su Qing and Yui were standing next to Yukino, but they seemed to have been forgotten by the two.

"……Play?"

An expression of disbelief appeared on Yukino's face, and her shoulders were visibly shaking.

"Ah, aren't you playing?"

Yang Noi said in an incomprehensible tone, then looked at her sister in front of her, who seemed to be as childish as before, and couldn't help laughing:

“Forget it, maybe in your eyes it’s not a joke.

In short, you just need to know that the freedom your mother gives you is limited. She could turn a blind eye before college, but now you are a sophomore and an adult, and everything goes with you.

The same is true for freedom.

So you need to start learning to take on some of the family's responsibilities, understand?"

Yukino tightly grasped one of the straps of her schoolbag, "So mother sent you to teach me?"

"Teach? If Yukino is willing to learn humbly, I, as her elder sister, will naturally not be so cruel as to ignore her."

As Yang No said this, she reached out her hand to Yukino, as if she wanted to touch her head after a long time.

After the latter noticed it, he quickly dodged to the other side - Yang Nai missed.

[Yukino was still the cutest when she was clinging to me when she was little....]

Yang No sighed and said, "It's still like this." He waited quietly for Yukino's next words.

Xue No bit her thin lips and said, "...We can talk about that later. Shouldn't you first tell me what exactly 'responsibility' means?"

[I didn’t deny the possibility of taking responsibility and asking me for help...]

Thinking of this, Yang Nai couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

"Specifically? It's really hard to briefly describe it to you... It's an abstract concept to begin with." After thinking for a moment, Yang Nai gave an answer, "Well... Anyway, let's start by attending the gatherings or blind dates arranged by the family?"

"Blind date?"

Yui said in disbelief.

Yukino didn't reply immediately. She just gave Yui a look that said "it's okay" before she frowned and questioned Haruno:

"Is this the so-called 'family responsibility'?"

"You don't seem to understand the purpose of this arrangement?" Yang Nai shook her head. "Even if you are outstanding and talented, the resources are always controlled by the upper level. No matter what you want to do in the future, you will always need this network of resources."

After a pause, Yang Nai seemed to explain the good intentions of the "family":

"I'm asking you to go on a blind date, not because I really want you to marry someone else. Of course, if you like someone, your mother and I will be happy for you.

Even if you don't like them, it's always good to get to know more people, right? "

"..."

Yukino listened quietly, remaining silent.

No one would tell her how much was "too much", just as no one would tell her what family was.

She just needs to wait for arrangements and follow the instructions like a puppet.

Yes.

Isn't that just how her mother always behaves?

After a while.

She asked in a slightly trembling voice:

"Is it family-related, or...my mother's arrangement?"

"Is there any difference?" Yang Nai asked in disbelief.

We are all smart people.

That being the case.

Why do you have to say everything so bluntly?

Yes or no, it doesn’t mean much anymore.

"...Shouldn't you guys ask for my advice more often?"

How on earth did Yukino say this?

Confused?

Not willing?

Or...

Disappointed?

"your opinion?"

As if afraid that she had heard it wrong, Yang No confirmed with Yukino again.

The only response from Yang Noi was a silent nod.

"Only when people with a 'self' put forward opinions can they be accepted by others, right?"

Yang No narrowed her eyes and smiled maliciously at Yukino, "Do you think... you still have a so-called 'self'?"

"self?"

Yukino was confused by Yang No's sudden words, but before she could ask back, Yang No interrupted:

"Since the beginning, you have only been imitating me, haven't you?"

The corners of Yang No's mouth turned up, but her sharp and cold eyes seemed to have seen through Yukino completely.

[As expected...still no improvement?]

[There is something I long for but cannot have... freedom]

"Even if you enjoy so-called freedom, in the end, nothing is decided by you. With this kind of person, what 'self' do you have?"

The gaze that Yangno shot at Yukino almost froze her.

There was still a smile on her face, but her voice was colder than the howling north wind.

Besides that... there seems to be a hint of pity?

"I……"

What Yukino said seemed to dissipate in the wind.

The sound did not reach Yang No.

So she stopped looking at Yukino.

next moment.

Yang Noi turned her gaze to Yui and Su Qing standing beside her.

"So... is this the [real thing] you're looking for?"

Yang No sighed heavily, seeming disappointed with Yukino's "answer".

"If this is the so-called [real thing], at least you should be able to do something now, right?"

Yukino neither denied nor confirmed.

If it weren't for her whole body trembling slightly at this moment, there would even be reason to suspect that Yukino had turned into an ice sculpture.

perhaps……

She is still confused.

——Lost on the road of finding [self].

She must be missing something, she thought.

and so.

At this moment.

She could only look at her sister helplessly.

——This sister who seemed to be omnipotent since childhood.

Yang Nai shook his head, looking uninterested.

Just when she wanted to say something more and leave.

A figure suddenly stood in front of her and tried hard to meet her gaze.

"Xiaoxue, it's not what you said!"

……