Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 18 The Life of Two People
Putting down the vegetables in his hand, Naruse turned to Shangzi beside him and asked, "Apart from handicrafts, does Shangzi have any other interests?"

Shangzi glanced at him, puzzled flashed across his face, then picked up the vegetables and stuffed them back into his hands.

"This is for dinner."

"Ah, oh."

She continued walking, and Naruse followed, taking a shopping basket by the way.

The two were picking out the ingredients for dinner in the supermarket.

"Why do you ask that all of a sudden?"

"Because it came to me suddenly."

Shangzi stopped, took a look at the onion in hand, "Let's cook."

"I think it's closer to a skill than an interest," Naruse said.

"But I do like cooking."

"Okay. Is there anything else besides cooking? Housework doesn't count."

Shangzi looked back at him, "Chunhai has almost ruled out everything I like and what I'm good at."

"Is this gone?"

She looked at him, turning her eyes left and right on his face, "There are still some girls' privacy."

Naruse pursed his lips, "Sorry."

She smiled, "If I have to say it, shopping should be one of my hobbies."

To be precise, it should be a visit to a fabric store, but Naruse didn't correct him, nor did he ask any further questions.

"I see."

"Why do you ask such a question?" Shangzi still cared about the reason why he asked this question.

"Curious." Naruse said, "I want to know more about Shangzi."

She looked at him for a while, then smiled slightly: "Chunhai's ability to deal with others has improved again."

"Thank you."

Naruse was somewhat embarrassed, "For this kind of thing, I think silence is more powerful than verbal praise."

Shangzi nodded, raised the onion in his hand, and chose another way besides silence, "Let's have curry tonight."

"it is good."

The topic was brought to light, and the two continued to stroll around in the supermarket, stopping and going.

Seeing Naoko standing in front of the shelf comparing the prices of the two chickens, Naruse suddenly thought of something.

"Shangzi."

"Huh?" She was still staring at the label.

"Did my mother leave you money before she went to Tokyo?"

Only then did Shang Zi look over, "No."

In other words, he is being supported by Shangzi's money these days.

Knowing that she had the habit of keeping accounts, Naruse said, "At the end of the month, remember to give me the bill."

"It's okay."

He shook his head, insisting.

"Ok."

Shangzi didn't say much, and finally made a choice from two servings of chicken.

"Is there anything else Chunhai wants to buy?"

"No."

"That's about it, let's go check out."

"Ah."

After paying, Shangzi put the small ticket into his wallet and kept it together with other tickets.

The Qingliu area is not within the urban area, and supermarkets, convenience stores, and local small hospitals are basically concentrated on both sides of the county road;

The supermarket is relatively far away. On the way back, you will pass by the Real Wood Hotel and the Morimi Kohonen store diagonally opposite.

When Naruse and Shangzi came back from school, they didn't see Haixing and Morimi on the bus. At this time, they couldn't see anyone in the two stores, and they didn't know if they were in the store or they didn't come back at all.

Thinking of what he heard in the staff room this morning, Naruse's guess is more inclined to the latter.

"Haixing seems to need a make-up exam. She failed the final exam last semester, and she still failed four subjects."

Shangzi looked at him, then nodded, "Haixing often makes up exams."

Seeing his inexplicable smile, she smiled too, and quickly restrained herself, "Haixing has never been very good at studying."

This was no different from the situation before he went to Tokyo. Naruse was not surprised, and asked casually: "Mori, her grades should be pretty good."

"Yiye is number one in grade." Shangzi said, "Since middle school, it has always been like this."

"Really." Naruse was a little surprised, but felt that it should be taken for granted.

Although he didn't have much contact with her during the time he came back, he could still get a glimpse of her hard work in study.

"After the cultural festival is over, it seems to be the first comprehensive exam of this semester."

"Is it really okay to arrange it at that time?"

Shangzi smiled, "Perhaps the school just wanted to use a fiasco to remind the students: the cultural festival is over, and it's time to calm down."

"Well, it makes sense to think so."

Chatting along the way, Shangzi went through the house without entering, so he went home with him, put down his schoolbag and went to the kitchen to process the ingredients and prepare curry.

Naruse went back to the room upstairs and stayed alone for a while, and after deep thinking, he made some plans.

Then he went downstairs to help in the kitchen, and he said to Shangzi: "Tomorrow afternoon, I will go to the handicraft club again."

"..."

Shangzi suddenly remembered the surprised look in the eyes of those female members when he came to the department room in the afternoon.

She grasped the handle of the kitchen knife.

"Is Chun Hai planning to join the handicraft club?"

"No, I don't have that plan. It's just that there's nothing else to do after school, so let's stay with Shangzi."

Naruse said, handing her the washed onions.

tuk tuk-

Dice the onion and put it on a plate for later use, Shangzi motioned for him to take out the chicken as well.

"Will it bother you?" Naruse asked.

"will not."

Shangzi shook his head, "The overall preparations for the cultural festival have almost come to an end. There is still a month to go, so we can still be busy anyway."

"That's good."

He went there today and saw that most of the members of the handicraft club were busy with their own affairs, such as Shangzi sewing her zodiac puppet.

Stir-fry the onion, chicken, carrot and other ingredients, and pour them into the pot together. Shangzi asked while adding water:
"Has Chun Hai considered joining any club?"

"Still watching."

Naruse watched from the sidelines and handed her the lid of the cooking pot just in time.

"It just so happens that the cultural festival is an opportunity to learn about all the clubs. Whether you want to join a club, which club to join, let's make plans after the cultural festival is over."

Shangzi nodded, staring at the faintly beating flames under the cooking pot.

"uh-huh."

After dinner, Naruse and Shangzi cleaned up the mess together.

After tidying up, both of them sat on the sofa in the living room and watched TV.

After Matsu Chiaki left, Naruse and Shangzi's life rhythm at home did not change much. They stayed together before and after eating, and did their own things in the rest of the time, just like ordinary family members.

"The typhoon is coming."

"I almost forgot that it's still summer now. Can the typhoon reach Aomori?"

"It's hard to say."

"I hope you don't come."

Looking at the weather map on the TV screen, Naruse only hoped that the tropical cyclone still lingering in the Pacific Ocean would understand his commuting inconvenience and disappear in place.

"No, it's better not to come."

Shangzi smiled and embraced the pillow he sewed.

After reading the weather forecast, Naruse stood up, "I'm going to take a shower."

"Ah."

When he finished washing, Shangzi had already gone back to get a change of clothes, and walked into the bathroom as if taking over.

After Song Qianqiu left, she took a bath here, saying it was for convenience.

Back in the living room, Naruse flipped through the messages on his cell phone and watched the TV absently.

The longer he left Tokyo, the less news from there, although he didn't have many serious friends.

Staring down at the phone, he unconsciously touched the stud on his left ear. After an unknown amount of time, a moist fragrance suddenly wafted from behind him.

"What happened to Chun Hai's ears?"

He turned his head, his eyes were white.

Coming out of the shower, Shangzi had already changed into her pajamas, and at this moment she bent over and stood behind him, staring at his ears, getting very close.

"fine."

Naruse turned his head to look away, and let go of his hand, "I just remembered those people who asked me to put earrings on before."

Shangzi bypassed the sofa and sat beside him, staring at him, "Chunhai still has contact with those people?"

"It's long gone."

"Really?"

"Ah."

"That's good."

She seemed to be relieved, and then she sat beside him and wiped her hair without moving away.

The pajamas were loose, and the neckline was propped up high, and they swayed slightly as she rubbed her hair. One couldn't help but wonder how the astonishing weight in it was usually hidden.

There was a faint fragrance in the long wet hair, and it took a lot of time to dry it completely. The two huddled together, concentrating on each other but absent-mindedly until late at night.

"I went back to rest."

"Ah."

Sending Naoko back to the house next door, Naruse went back to his room and said goodnight to her by the window.

The first day of the new semester also ends here.

(End of this chapter)