Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 127 The Day of Christmas
Drop drop drop-

Waking up by the alarm clock, Naruse opened his eyes instantly, and several thoughts flashed through his mind.

From breakfast to the bus, to school and attendance, the last flash of thought told him: Winter vacation has begun, and he forgot to turn off the alarm clock last night.

"..."

Drop drop drop-

The alarm clock is still ringing.

He touched the alarm clock, looked at the time before turning it off, and went back to sleep.

When I woke up again, it was already two hours later.

Staring at the ceiling in a daze for a while, Naruse turned over and looked out the window.

Covered by dark clouds and reflected by white snow, the outside is dark and bright, making it difficult to tell the time.

The winter vacation has already begun, and he can continue to lie down.

Because of this, last night, Hai Xing, Takikawa Hikari and Morimi not only stayed at his house for dinner, but also stayed very late before going back. During this period, they have been discussing the plan of the hot spring trip starting tomorrow.

After the end, several people sent Morimi, who lived the farthest, home together.

And when he got home, he packed up his things a bit, took a shower, and it was almost two o'clock in the morning when he went to bed.

Before going to bed, he specifically confessed to Shangzi not to get up too early to prepare breakfast, so that both of them can sleep well, but he himself forgot to turn off the alarm clock instead...

After lying down for a while, Naruse was fully conscious, and Naruse got up.

He went downstairs to wash up, and when he heard his movement, Shangzi who had just woken up followed suit.

"Merry Christmas, Harumi."

"Merry Christmas... I almost forgot that today is Christmas."

Naruse looked at her face, "Have you had enough sleep, you can't even open your eyes."

"It's about this point."

The two went back to their rooms, fetched Christmas presents prepared for each other, and exchanged with each other.

"This year's Christmas gift was finally given to me by Chunhai himself."

"It will be like this in the future."

After exchanging gifts, Naruse went to prepare breakfast.

After breakfast, the two went on to pack their luggage for the hot spring trip.

"You don't need to bring too many things, a change of clothes should be enough."

"Hmm. It's about clothes."

"Do you want to bring anything else?"

"Toiletries or something."

Naruse didn't have any toiletries to bring, and he finished packing soon, while Shangzi was still picking out the bottles and jars he bought himself or sent by Matsu Chiaki.

"Choose slowly, I'll throw out the trash."

"Ah, if Chun Hai wants to go out, help me go to the convenience store to buy some..."

Naruse came down and went out with a garbage bag.As soon as he arrived at the intersection, he saw a starfish pushing a bicycle.

"what."

Seeing him, she also quickened her pace a little, and the cart came to him.

"Good morning."

Naruse looked at the snowy sky, then at the almost full wine box in the back seat, "Will you deliver wine?"

"Ah."

Starfish nodded, raised her hand and pushed the black-rimmed glasses that had slid down.

When she was working part-time or helping out in her own store, she usually didn't dress up much, and she didn't wear contact lenses. She always went out with the image of the current pair of black-rimmed glasses and a green coarse apron.

"Where are you going?" Naruse asked.

"Nirino's side." Hai Xing said.

"... so far away."

It is almost two or three kilometers away from Qingliu to Niaojingye.

He looked down at the front wheel of the bicycle, and the white snow filled the grooves of the wheel, "Push it all the way?"

"The road is covered with snow, so I can't ride a car."

Hai Xing puffed his lips, and pointed to the wine in the box in the back seat.

"It will be a disaster if you fall...and it's so heavy, it's impossible to move it by yourself, you can only push the cart."

"Then you should be able to earn a lot of errand fees by running this trip."

Otherwise, she wouldn't agree.

Starfish nodded and smiled again, "Not too many."

"Then you go." Naruse didn't want to delay her making money, after all, she was "heavy in debt" now.

Hai Xing nodded, hesitated a little, and looked at him.

"That... Merry Christmas."

Naruse smiled.

"Well, Merry Christmas."

A word of blessing, that's all, neither of them prepared Christmas gifts for each other alone.

Saying goodbye to Starfish, Naruse threw away the trash and walked towards the convenience store.

"what……"

However, within a few steps, he heard her screaming softly from behind.

Looking back, she was trying to support the car that was tilted to one side, but the wine box in the back seat was too heavy, and she was about to be brought down.

Naruse walked back quickly, picked up the bicycle, and supported her as well.

"There's a snowdrift..."

The starfish kicked on the ground, and the snowflakes splashed everywhere.

Naruse supported the bicycle, and looked at the long road ahead.

Anyway, the luggage has been packed, he has nothing to do this morning...

"Give me the address, and I'll deliver it for you. Go to the convenience store and buy something for me, and just deliver it to Shangzi at my house."

Starfish was stunned, "Hey..."

"The errand fee is still yours."

She looked at him, "Can you?"

"You won't be able to dawdle any longer."

She agreed immediately.

"Just treat it as a Christmas present," Naruse said again.

Starfish smiled and nodded.

"Um...thank you."

Holding the money, Haixing ran to the convenience store, and Naruse pushed the bicycle and walked towards the delivery address she gave.

Along the way, he also paid attention to the road conditions to avoid accidents.

He also tried to ride, but the snow on the ground was so deep that he was frightened even trying to move forward. After almost falling down, he obediently got down to push the cart.

"It's been a long time since I've been here."

Leaving the county road, the number of buildings on both sides of the path is visibly reduced.

As far as the eye can see, there are large farmlands covered by snow all around, and he is a lonely point among them.

Further on, there is another river, the Kitagi River, that flows down from Mount Iwaki and passes through the Aoyagi area.

Birdino is on the other side of the Kitagi River, a little far away. He used to go there to commit crimes, but in the six months since he came back from Tokyo, he has hardly been to this area.

The snow was vast, and there was no one to be seen on the road. After walking like this for about 10 minutes, Naruse suddenly heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind him.

Looking back, it was actually Hai Xing running over here.

"starfish……"

He stopped, and she finally caught up with him, panting on the wine tank, unable to speak for a long time, and then squatted down again.

"Well...it's so uncomfortable..."

Naruse felt helpless, supported the car with one hand, and patted her on the back lightly.

"What are you doing here?"

She clutched her belly, and it took a while before she said, "I'll go there with you..."

Naruse shook his head, didn't say anything, just stood by and waited.

And Hai Xing squatted for a while, and finally recovered from the discomfort of running.

"How's it going."

"never mind……"

She stood up holding his hand, and quickly let go, "Go over."

Naruse was still pushing the car, and Haixing followed behind, symbolically supporting the wine box in the back seat.

"Have you bought anything?"

"Well, it has been sent to Shangzi."

He looked back at Bai Xue on her knee, "Did you fall on the road?"

"I fell a little... but I don't feel anything, it's okay."

No one can be seen on the road. On the boundless snow field, two rows of footprints and a rut are gradually elongated.

"Have you packed your luggage for tomorrow's trip?"

"It was cleaned up in the morning."

Naruse tilted his head slightly, "What did Mr. Seiichiro say?"

Starfish looked at him, "'Go ahead'...that's what Dad said."

Naruse smiled.

After pushing for a while, a crack appeared in the middle of the vast snow field that could not be completely covered by snow.

We have arrived at Kitakigawa.

Continuing along the path, there is a bridge crossing the river, the bridge deck is covered with snow, and the guardrail has been smeared until there is only a little incomplete shape left.

On the bridge, Naruse tried to stop the car, but found that he couldn't stand at all, so he could only push the car to the guardrail and look out along the river.

Watching him stand silently for a while, Hai Xing also looked down at the river bed.

Both sides are covered with snow, and black stones are exposed in the middle.

"Is there anything in the river?"

"It's nothing... just the river."

Naruse shook his head, but his eyes still did not move away from the river.

Haixing recalled the past: "You really like the riverside."

Naruse smiled, "I used to think that when I stayed by the river, my mood would become calm. Now I'm more used to it...Let's go."

He pushed the cart and continued to move forward. Hai Xing looked at him and quickly followed.

"When I was in Tokyo, I lived by the river for a while, on the edge of the Sumida River." Naruse said.

"yes."

"It's the kind of river where you can see the boats on the river when you open the window, and you can jump into the river. It's a perfect river."

Haixing looked at him, imagining his life when he lived by the river, "Then you must be very happy."

Naruse was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"probably."

After crossing the bridge, you will be in the area of ​​Bird Well Field.

The wine was going to be delivered to a restaurant near Birdino, Naruse had sharp eyes and quickly noticed the signboard of that restaurant.

"That's where the 'bird well taste' that starfish mentioned, right?"

"Ah... um."

In front of the store, Haixing stepped forward to support the car, and Naruse took down the whole box of wine, and then moved it into the store.

When Haixing parked and went in, he was already collecting money.

"is that all."

She took the money and counted it, "Yes."

The owner is a regular customer of Zhenmu Hotel, and he also knows Haixing, so he chatted with her.

Naruse took the empty wine case from another clerk and went outside first.

"Starfish's boyfriend?"

"……Nah."

"Well, let's work hard."

Haixing looked outside at Naruse who was fixing the wine box on the back seat of the bicycle.

"Come on, what are you..."

When Hai Xing came out and went back, Naruse noticed that she seemed a little depressed.

He pushed the car and walked ahead, looked back at her, "what's the matter."

"It's nothing." Hai Xing quickened his pace a little, "I'll push it myself."

The wine tank had been emptied, and the car was not so heavy, so Naruse didn't refuse.

Still seeing no one else on the road, the two walked back along the road they came from. On the other side of the road were the footprints and ruts they left when they came.

The wilderness is quiet, only the sound of the chain when the bicycle is moving forward, and the crunching of each other's footsteps on the snow.

The two suddenly had nothing to talk about.

Hai Xing pushed the car for a while, then looked back.

Naruse looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, his mind was completely out of sight and under his feet.

She turned back again.

It took some time to return to the familiar county road, and Naruse followed Haixing until he came to Morimi Kohonten before stopping.

"Are you going to continue delivering wine when you get home?"

"Well... there is another order that is closer, and it is at Soya Hospital."

Soya Hospital is an internal medicine and orthopedic hospital on the side of the county road. It is nearby, and the kindergarten the two of them attended before is also there.

"Be careful on the road." Naruse looked at her and said, obviously not planning to go with her anymore.

"……Oh."

Watching Haixing push the bicycle back to the real wood hotel, Naruse turned and walked into the bookstore.

Sen Jian was sitting at the counter and had seen him a long time ago.

"Did Naruse and Haixing go to deliver wine together?"

"Can you see that?"

She pushed her glasses, "Intuition."

"It's scary." Naruse muttered, turned and walked into the bookshelf.

"I'm going on a trip tomorrow, do you still have time to read?" Mori Jian also got up and walked out of the counter, stopping beside him.

"Of course there is time."

Naruse glanced at the spines of the books that filled the shelves, "I can read for a while in the afternoon... I have a lot of time in the evening, and I have a lot of time on the way to Yamagata tomorrow."

"Are you still planning to go out with the book?"

"Can't you?"

Senjian snorted softly, "It's really leisurely."

"It's all winter vacation."

"whatever."

She didn't say much, didn't go back to the counter, just stood in front of the bookshelf.

Naruse took the book down, opened it and looked at it, "Have you packed your luggage?"

"Except for a few changes of clothes, there is nothing to clean up." Morimi said.

"This new book seems to be okay."

"I haven't read it. If you want to take it out, lend me a look after you finish reading it."

Naruse turned to look at her, "Give me the money."

"What do you think."

"This is a new book."

"So thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patronage."

Naruse shook his head, finally picked out two new books, and when he went to the counter to check out, Morimi glanced at his new wallet.

"After all, today is Christmas."

"Well, Merry Christmas."

"Is there no gift?"

"Send it to you."

After changing hands, Naruse handed back one of the new books to her, and solemnly confessed:

"Be sure to bring it with you tomorrow."

"..."

She looked at him for a while, but still took it.

"Thank you, I accept it."

"Didn't you return the gift?"

"On the bookshelf on the right behind you, in the fourth row from top to bottom, there is a very exciting adventure novel, enough for you to pass a day or two."

Naruse looked back and found the unattractive novel. He opened it and looked at the content of the opening chapter. It was indeed much more attractive than the cover and title.

drop--

Senjian took the book and scanned it, then handed it to him.

"How much?" Naruse took out his wallet again, ready to count the change.

"Four hundred yen." She said, then took out her wallet and took out a five hundred yen coin, "I said it was a gift."

"I thought Senjian's gift only included the recommendation part."

"I'm not that stingy."

Naruse smiled, put away her gift, chatted a few more words and went back.

Watching him leave, Mori Jian picked up the unopened new book and stared at the cover for a while.

"One leaf."

Mori Jianshu came out from behind, "Leave this to me. Go on a trip tomorrow, remember to pack your things early when you get back."

"It's all packed." Even so, Yiye stepped out of the counter and didn't forget to take the book.

Mori Jianshu glanced casually.

"This book has already been paid for." Yiye said.

Mori Jianshu was a little surprised, "If you want to see it, just write it down in the ledger."

She smiled.

"Chunhai paid for it."

The day has been cloudy with occasional snow.

At around three o'clock in the afternoon, Hikari Takikawa came out of the house and was about to go to the convenience store across the road.

Before she passed, she saw two familiar figures standing on the bus platform from a distance.

"Shangzi and Chunhai... want to go out?"

She was about to go over to say hello, but when she turned her head, she saw a bus speeding from the other side of the county road.

"Ah, here comes the car..."

She hurriedly crossed the road, stood outside the convenience store, watched the bus stop, and the two got on the bus.

Are you going to the city to buy something?

The bus started, and Takikawa Hikari walked into the convenience store.

"what happened?"

Noticing Naruse's gaze, Naoko also looked back.

"It seems to see the light."

"where……"

"I went to the convenience store." Naruse quickly turned back.

Shangzi looked again, then turned around.

At this time in the afternoon, apart from the driver, there were only the two of them in the car.

"It's so deserted."

"Ah."

"That restaurant won't close."

"No, it's Christmas anyway...and I also called ahead to make a reservation for Christmas dinner."

"uh-huh."

　The slightly shrunken Dazhang is gone at noon

　　
　
(End of this chapter)