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“Very unusual.”
"Perhaps it was fate destined by God that the two of us, who were both abandoned in winter, met each other. Chitose, you should know that children who grew up in orphanages are always sensitive and sharp-tongued, and I am no exception.
"Before, in my mind, I couldn't afford new clothes, I couldn't afford meat, and my meals were packed in a big iron bucket. It wasn't until I went to school and met classmates from normal families. They had beautiful lunch boxes, beautiful new clothes, and toys that I could never afford.
"At that time, I didn't know why they had those things. I only knew that these things were given to them by the people they called 'relatives'.
"Dear, what is it?
"At that time, I thought about it for a long time and observed for a long time. I found that relatives would go to greet them when they got out of school, that relatives would buy them new clothes, and that relatives would buy them the toys they wanted, toys that I had envied for a long time but could not get.
Fujii Itsuki paused when he spoke here.
"That's why I, who had no relatives since childhood, longed for the appearance of someone I could call a relative. Until you, Chitose, appeared."
“My presence.”
"Yes, it was snowing heavily that day, and the weather forecast said that the lowest temperature at night would reach minus ten degrees Celsius. I had just sold some handicrafts that night and was about to return to the welfare home. Because a customer asked me to help clean the room before he was willing to buy our things, I returned a little later than usual. It was by chance that I was lucky enough to find you at the door of the welfare home on a snowy night."
Fujii Itsuki smiled and looked at Chitose Yangkui and continued to talk about the past.
"On a cold night, a newborn baby was placed at the door of the orphanage. It didn't take much thought to understand what this meant. I walked towards you with curiosity, lowered my head, and looked at you. You were very unique. You didn't cry or make a fuss. Instead, you opened your big eyes, and two small hands thinner than bamboo sticks curled up in front of your round face, looking at the night sky with snowflakes falling comfortably.
"You noticed my presence. Maybe you were tired of seeing the snow. The moment you noticed me, you smiled and stretched out your hand to me. You kept babbling, and I felt my heart melt at that moment."
As Yang Kui Chitose listened, a smile inadvertently appeared on her face.
"I picked you up anxiously and fiddled with your swaddling clothes to see if your parents had left anything for you. Unfortunately, there was no clue, only two oranges, one large and one small. I took you back to the orphanage and told the director about finding you. To be honest, the orphanage was no longer surprised by the abandonment of children, so it was natural for you to stay in the orphanage.
"There were very few nurses at the time, and the director and everyone else were busy with their daily work, so they didn't have much free time. I was the oldest among the children, so naturally the task of taking care of you fell on me."
It was the first time that Yang Kui Qiansui heard him talk about how he had taken care of her in the past, so she patiently asked, "And then?"
"Then?" Fujii Itsuki smiled. "Then, of course, there are a lot of troubles in taking care of babies. Children are generally not abandoned without reason, so three days after finding you, the welfare home arranged a physical examination for you and found out that you have congenital heart disease.
"Because I picked you up, the dean gave me the opportunity to name you. You are much more fragile than other children. I hope you can live longer. And because there are two oranges in your swaddling clothes, I named you Tachibana Chitose."
"I know this"
"I gave you a name, and knowing that you have a heart disease, I will naturally be more careful with you.
"I have to feed you little by little, and coax you to sleep carefully. Even if I use toys to play with you, I dare not do it too vigorously, for fear that you will get heart problems if you get excited.
"It's strange. It's obviously very troublesome to take care of you, but I always feel that I don't hate it. Compared with other children who like to run and play, I prefer to carry you on my back and interact with you. Take you to see the snow, take you to see the sea, take you to see the railway tracks and trains. Although you can't speak yet, every time I take you out, you will respond to me with babbling, as if telling me that you are happy to go out with me."
The story is over.
"Now Chitose knows why I said that there is something special between us, right?"
"Well," Yang Kui Qiansui said, tears in the corners of his eyes, and his voice was choked, "I am the only relative of Brother Shu in this world."
"That's it. So, Chitose, no matter what's on your mind, you can tell me directly. I will do my best to answer it for you."
The atmosphere had already been set to this point, so Fujii Itsuki waved to his sister and asked her to sit next to his bed.
I reached out my hand, just like in the past, and touched my sister's head, gently stroking her fragrant hair.
This girl is very sensitive and cares a lot about the past.
Fujii Itsuki talked about such a long time ago just to remind her of the past they shared.
Qiansui did not resist being patted on the head at all, even though this action had not happened for several years.
Even though she has grown older and become prettier, when I recall the past, she still seems to be the little girl who liked to stick to me.
As he touched her, Qiansui's face turned red and she became more obedient.
"Are you used to it now?"
"Yeah, I like it very much."
"Chitose is still as well behaved as ever."
".Brother Tree."
This call of "Brother Shu" is many times more delicate than usual.
Fujii Itsuki smiled bitterly. He knew very well what Chitose meant by calling him like that. She used to call him like that when she wanted him to hug her.
"I must remind Chitose that you are already sixteen."
"But. Brother Tree."
Okay, Qiansui’s idea is about to come out.
"If Chitose isn't afraid of infecting you with a cold, you can hug me."
Before he could finish his words, a soft girl fell into his arms.
She leaned her head against his chest, and gently put her arms around her waist. There was no other movement or rubbing, but just when she threw herself into his arms, he could feel the softness and warmth in his chest.
She clung to him tightly, as if she would never let go for the rest of her life.
She was much bigger, softer, and heavier.
The girl still likes to act coquettishly like this.
Forget it, let's make an exception for her today.
Fujii Itsuki thought to himself and hugged his sister in his arms.
The scene was very heartwarming, but while enjoying herself, Chitose Yangkui had already made a secret decision in her brother's arms.
From now on, no one can take my brother away, and no one can get close to my brother.
No one can.
Chapter 19 Do I want to be a teacher again?
I recovered from the cold yesterday.
Fujii Itsuki believed that the quick recovery from this severe cold was inseparable from Jiuhuayue's care.
After the cold incident, his impression of Jiu Huayue changed from a pretty girl who was not frank to a pretty girl who was kind but not frank in her heart.
Because of her kindness and care, he more or less didn't want her to commit suicide again.
But that's all.
During these three days, the two of them still maintained a stranger relationship, and only greeted each other when they met in the morning.
I got up early today and happened to meet Jiuhuayue coming downstairs again.
"Uncle, are you well from your cold?"
"I was fine yesterday. Thank you for your concern. Are you going out?"
Fujii Itsuki saw Jiuhuayue dressed for going out again, wearing the familiar white beret and red shawl, and matching white cotton socks and a white dress.
She was carrying a small purple waist bag and wearing a beige scarf.
It is full of girlishness, but also has a bit of mature flavor.
This should be an illusion caused by her being too tall.
It's holiday time now. Fujii Itsuki doesn't know what she is going to do, but it seems that she has to go out in formal clothes like this every once in a while.
Maybe it’s because of her “job”.
Fujii Itsuki was a little curious, but he didn't want to ask Jiuhuayue about her privacy and make things difficult for himself.
After spending these days together, he has come to understand clearly that Jiuhua hates others asking about her private life.
"Yes, I'm going out."
"You're coming back late at night this time too?"
"It's hard to say. Maybe he won't come back in the next two days," Jiu Huayue answered subconsciously as she walked down the stairs. Then she remembered that it was Fujii Itsuki who was asking her a question. "Uncle, why are you asking this?"
"I just recovered from my cold. I'm very grateful to you. If you come back in the evening, I'm going to make you dinner to thank you."
Jiu Huayue gave him a strange look and refused, "No, taking care of you is my way of repaying your favor."
Fujii Itsuki shook his head. "What you do is more valuable than a bowl of instant noodles and a bento."
"Then consider it as my extra reward. Thank you for thinking so. I am willing to do all that for you because you are so sick. No matter how much I dislike you, I still worry that you will die in my house."
These words expressed concern and gratitude, but they still sounded a little cold.
Is she doing this on purpose, or is she just not good at speaking?
"Also, I suggest that you smoke less."
"how?"
"Not only does your body smell heavily of cigarettes, but your room starts to become a bit messy after just a few days of living there. This will really ruin other people's impression of you."
"What do you mean?"
"Your ashtray, your clothes, and the garbage you left by your bed for days without throwing it away."
"How can a single man's room be tidy?"
Jiuhuayue sighed, "But at least don't let it interfere with your own life, right?"
"I'm used to it. It's not wet garbage anyway, so there's no odor."
How do you say this?
It is basically impossible for a single man to keep his house tidy.
Because no one cared, I would just throw my clothes on the bed when I got home, and put the food and plastic bags of my lunch boxes at the head of the bed, and the ashtray was also placed there.
Normally, he is too lazy to clean as long as there is no peculiar smell.
Anyway, no guests will come to see me.
This was a habit he developed in Tokyo.
Of course, the image of a teacher to the outside world is another matter.
"How can that situation be a habit?"
Fujii Itsuki recalled the three months when he just quit his job and lived a life of drunkenness and debauchery. "When you are so stressed that you just want to fall asleep as soon as you get home, you won't think so anymore. Everything will be better the more convenient it is."