Ome Quartet of Snow Country

Chapter 6 Dim Sum
The newly opened second-hand store near the central station is not large, even relatively small, but it gives Naruse a very good feeling.

He has visited many shopping mall-like large second-hand stores in Tokyo, and his experience is different, but none of them compare to the half an hour spent wandering around in this store.

This feeling is very wonderful, but it is not easy to put it into words, Naruse thought about it for a long time.

"It should be said that there is a feeling within reach?"

"Ah... yes."

The shop owner was absent, and the substitute was a female college student. Although the perfunctory smile looked cute when she couldn't answer the conversation, Naruse regretted that she couldn't communicate.

The two continued to stroll around the store, Shangzi stopped and touched the suitcases on the shelf.

"The texture is really good."

Naruse glanced at the label below, "This is a suitcase made in Italy in the 50s."

"It's older than the two of me and the two of Chunhai combined." Shangzi sighed, glanced at the price of the leather case, and quickly withdrew his hand, "There is really everything here."

"This kind of small second-hand shop accepts all types of second-hand goods, and generally doesn't classify them specifically." Naruse looked to the side of the suitcase, and there was an old-fashioned German-made radio, and next to it were a few books. Discolored old books, "Because of this, only by walking into the store in person can we know what unique... things are hidden inside."

Shangzi looked at him, and a thought suddenly popped up in his mind.

"Is there anything Chunhai wants to buy?"

"Well……"

Naruse looked at the dazzling array of second-hand items on the shelves, his eyes uncertain.

"Let's go shopping again."

The two stayed around until three or four in the afternoon before leaving. When they walked out of the second-hand shop, they still didn't buy anything.

"No one you like?"

"It's better to say that there are too many things I want to bring back, so let them stay here."

Confirming his thoughts, Shangzi smiled, and then said: "It's not too far from Jingao, so Chunhai can come here often."

Looking at the unremarkable second-hand shop in the surrounding row of shops, Naruse nodded.

"Let's go back."

When they came to the bus platform, the two waited for a while.Looking at the timetable, the next bus will arrive in about 10 minutes.

Accidentally caught sight of a dim sum shop by the side of the road, Naruse thought for a while and asked, "Has Shangzi ever been to that dim sum shop?"

Shangzi followed his gaze and quickly shook his head.

"I haven't been there. But I heard from girls in the same grade that the dim sum in that store seems to be pretty good. Because the price is relatively expensive."

"What a way of judging."

Naruse smiled, got up and said, "The bus will arrive in a while, let's go over there and have a look."

He walked to the pastry shop, and he did not forget to bring the big bag of fabrics, but Shangzi, who was left behind, was a little surprised.

She could name a hundred of his preferences without thinking, so she was pretty sure that Japanese sweets were not among them.

For him, dim sum is something that he "doesn't dislike". He may eat a few bites occasionally, but it has nothing to do with "like".

Have tastes changed?
There were thousands of thoughts in his mind, and Shangzi was not slow on his feet, and quickly followed.

"welcome."

Walking into the dim sum shop, there were no other customers, and the clerk at the counter was enthusiastic without being overly enthusiastic, looking at them with a smile on their faces.

Shangzi looked at Naruse, wanting to see his plan, but he also looked at her: "Shangzi wants to eat something, just pick whatever you want."

She was even more surprised, but she didn't say much, "Let's have a look together."

The two walked to the glass counter and glanced at the various snacks such as dumplings, yokan, and cypress cakes.

Shangzi seldom comes to this kind of store, not to mention that curiosity is far stronger than appetite at this time, and his attention is still on Naruse beside him.

He stood in front of the counter for a while, his wandering eyes suddenly stopped, then he lifted up, and said to the clerk inside:

"Please get me one... no, two of this."

He pointed to one of the snacks.

Steamed yokan?
Shangzi took a second look.

"Well... take an extra one and pack it separately." Naruse said again.

"Ok."

According to his request, the clerk quickly packed the snacks.

"Where's Shangzi?" Naruse turned his head and asked.

She thought for a while, then smiled at the clerk and said, "Bring me a steamed yokan, too."

"Ok."

After paying the money, Naruse took the packaged snacks, and Naruse gave one of them to Naoko.

"Thank you."

"Let's go."

Just as the two walked out of the dim sum shop, a bus drove over from a distance.

"It seems to be the bus going back... fast."

He hurriedly ran to the platform, waited for the bus to stop, and then got on the bus to find a seat. After the bus restarted, Shang Zi breathed a sigh of relief.

Wiping the faint sweat from her forehead, she looked down at the dim sum in her hand, and was about to speak when Naruse suddenly said, "Haixing's father likes to eat steamed yokan."

"..."

Shangzi was startled, and then he understood.

"A present?"

"Ah."

It turned out to be the case.

"The one that was packed separately is for Auntie?"

"Otherwise she will complain again."

The bus was moving forward with slight shaking, Naruse looked away from the window, "Shangko, let's go back later, I'll go to the Shinki Hotel, and I'll be back soon."

"Then let's go there together." Shangzi said, "I want to say hello too."

Naruse nodded, but said nothing.

Almost half an hour later, the bus arrived at the Qingliu area, where the two got off.

Going forward along the county road, passing through the intersection of going home, the road deflects slightly to the north, and then turns south again. After passing this bend, Naruse quickly saw the sign of the shop not far away: [Shenmu Hotel]. (a liquor store)

The shop is as old as it was when he left four years ago, and it used to be his home.

"give it to me."

Getting closer, Shangzi took the fabric from him, and then handed him two bundles of steamed yokan.

Arriving in front of the hotel, Naruse took a deep breath before walking in.

Facing the slightly dazed owner at the counter, he bowed slightly.

"Long time no see, Mr. Seiichiro. This is Harumi."

Coming out of the Maki Hotel, Naruse turned around and said goodbye to Maki Seiichiro again.

"This was your home before, no, that... In short, Chunhai can come and play anytime."

"Ok."

"And Shangzi too."

Shangzi smiled and nodded in response.

After walking far, the two turned their heads together and found that Seiichiro Maki was still watching them at the door of the store, so they lowered their heads at the same time.

Seiichiro Maki waved his hand, turned and went back to the shop.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"Go home." Shangzi said.

Naruse nodded, glanced at the signboard of Shinki Hotel, turned and left.

The hotel owner who just walked in was his first stepfather.

After Naruse Shou died of a long-term illness and passed away, Song Qianqiu raised his son alone, and gradually became powerless;
When his biological father passed away, Chun Hai was only seven years old. After being hit by this, his personality also took a sharp turn for the next two years, becoming gloomy.

Out of multiple considerations, Song Qianqiu finally made a decision and agreed to remarry with Seiichiro Maki, who runs the hotel.The other party's wife also died in the torment of illness, leaving behind a daughter, Haixing, who was only a few months younger than Chunhai.

However, the reorganized family did not bring much warmth to each other-the two adults got along well, and the conflict broke out between the two children who were originally very close.

Perhaps because of missing her mother who died of illness, or because of other reasons, Hai Xing hated Song Qianqiu, who became a stepmother, and never showed a good face, even though she had expressed her admiration and love for her more than once before;

In order to protect his mother, Chunhai naturally does not treat Haixing kindly, and often "disciplines" Haixing as a stepbrother.

Over time, the contradictions intensified.

After struggling for two years, Song Qianqiu finally divorced Maki Seiichiro.

Another year later, Song Qianqiu chose to come back under the contact of his agent, took Chunhai to leave Aomori, and went to Tokyo to develop, and that was also the last time Chunhai saw Haixing.

"Just now when Uncle Seiichiro said that Haixing was not at home, Harumi was obviously relieved." Shangzi said.

Naruse pursed his lower lip and turned to look at her: "Shangko seems to be the same way."

She smiled, "Because I'm worried that Chunhai and Haixing will quarrel as soon as they meet."

"She's a high school student, so she won't be as immature as before."

Shangzi looked down at the steamed yokan in his hand, but didn't answer.

Naruse frowned, "Could it be worse?"

She shook her head, as if she wanted to prevaricate with a smile, "I can't say."

"Is she still in school?"

"Of course. Haixing is also in Jin Gao, and Ichiyo is in the same class." Shangzi looked at him and said, after a pause, he added, "I am in the same class as Hikari."

Naruse suddenly realized that the class after his transfer seemed to be undecided.

"Hope it's not that bad luck."

　Thank you for the leader of the book friends [Salary Star] and [SHIRRO].

　　
　
(End of this chapter)