“Ugh— lost again~” Linae looked at the giant “KO” on the LCD screen, thoroughly defeated.
She had clearly still severely underestimated Aemeath’s gaming prowess.
This was the person who’d claimed the top spot by a landslide in Startorch Academy’s Deep Dive gaming room.
The games in this real world were simply far too beneath Amy.
“That’s twenty rounds already.
From the very start until now, you haven’t won a single match against me, you know?” Aemeath smugly waggled her controller.
“Still not planning to surrender?”
“I don’t believe it.
Let’s keep going!” Linae wasn’t the type to admit defeat easily.
She was stubborn as could be.
She refused to believe a gaming god like Aemeath couldn’t have a slip-up moment!
After selecting their respective characters once more, the two beauties resumed their new round of slaughter on the screen.
Aemeath had just taken a shower.
Her hair wasn’t fully dry yet, and she didn’t seem too keen on using a hair dryer to dry it.
She was probably just letting it air-dry while gaming.
The pajamas she wore had a sticker-pack-style Miku printed on them.
The topmost button was left undone, revealing delicate, beautiful collarbones.
Two legs, smooth as warm jade, were propped up against her chest — a sight that instantly whetted the appetite.
Linae had also just showered, but her hair had been specially blow-dried and tied up in a refreshing little bun.
Her pajamas were a simpler pale yellow style.
Her pair of long legs, on par with Aemeath’s, were crossed — likewise a rare, food-grade masterpiece.
Compared to Aemeath and the others, locked in fierce combat before the big LCD screen, the bestie pair of Orange Elf and Kind-hearted Peach seemed to embody peaceful, tranquil days.
“Oh my god, Nia, look.
This bird called a raven is so clever!” Sigrika watched the clever, sharp raven in the video with amazement and immediately shared it with Denia, who was gaming beside her.
“Mm?” Denia pulled herself out of her gaming state, glanced at the video Sigrika wanted to share with her, then returned to gaming.
She replied casually along the way, “Ravens are one of the most intelligent types of birds in this world.
They can grasp simple physics while also possessing social intelligence.
You could say not many birds can possess both abilities at the same time like they do.”
How did Denia know this?
Duh!
Look it up online and you’ll know everything.
“Amazing…!
Nia, you know so much!” Sigrika spared no praise, at the same time secretly delighted that she’d learned yet another piece of bird knowledge.
Denia didn’t reply, still playing her game.
But the smile rippling at the corner of her mouth let one see that she was quite pleased with Siggy’s praise.
This bestie pair’s pajama styles were pretty much the same — both short-sleeved top and long pants combos.
The difference was that Sigrika’s pajamas had various bird patterns printed on them, while Denia’s had Winnie the Pooh.
Two pairs of dainty little feet, lustrous as porcelain, swayed back and forth beneath the sofa — looking exceptionally alluring.
…
So what were Bro Ling and Chisa doing?
The camera shifted to the kitchen.
After Xiao Ling had scrubbed the very last plate to a reflective shine, he could finally stretch his body, which had gone somewhat stiff from endlessly repeating the same motion.
“Chisa, thanks for your hard work.
Had to trouble you to help me clear the dishes.” Xiao Ling said to Chisa, who was just as exhausted.
“No trouble at all.
Being able to help Senpai makes me very happy.” Chisa still wore that faint smile at the corner of her mouth, the same as ever.
But the sweat on her back had plastered her uniform tightly against her, faintly revealing the outline of her inner layer.
Even her usually unruly straight bangs were firmly locked to her forehead by fine beads of sweat.
This girl was clearly the textbook example of “mouth says no trouble, body says completely exhausted.” Seems they really would need to install a dishwasher later.
Though Xiao Ling felt Chisa would probably still find things to do on her own anyway.
‘Chisa really is the type best suited to be a wife~’ Of course Xiao Ling didn’t voice this thought out loud.
Otherwise this quiet, reserved beauty before him would turn bright red again while righteously saying, “Senpai is saying strange things again.”
“You go take a shower first.
I can handle the rest of the chores on my own.” Xiao Ling smiled and shooed Chisa off to bathe.
“Yes, Senpai.” Chisa knew he was just concerned about her, and didn’t plan to refute this kindness.
After carefully wiping away the water stains around the sink, she obediently listened and headed upstairs to wash up.
After finishing the final wrap-up work, Xiao Ling also planned to head upstairs and shower.
But a pleasant ringtone interrupted his original shower plans.
The moment the ringtone sounded, four pairs of big eyes swiveled in unison toward Xiao Ling, then shifted back to whatever they’d been doing.
Xiao Ling trotted over and picked up his phone from the dining table.
Opened it up — good grief.
Her Majesty the Queen Mother had descended with thunderous force to conduct an inspection.
‘Come on, man, you can’t play like this…!’ Xiao Ling inwardly groaned at his misfortune.
He!
Right now!
Still hadn’t figured out how to explain to his mom that he’d brought home four more girls just as beautiful as Denia!
And now his own mother had seized the initiative and launched a preemptive strike — a video call coming straight through.
This call was enormously important.
Handled poorly, he’d be off to play a revival match with the big guy upstairs.
“Hello?
Mom?
What’s up?” After picking up, Xiao Ling asked with feigned composure.
“I didn’t say I was looking for you.” Xiao Yue directly ignored her biological son’s greeting.
“I want to see my girls.”
Xiao Ling had an inexplicable bad feeling, but still planned to bluff his way through with a lie first.
“You’d best not try any slick tricks in front of me.
Fess up honestly.” Xiao Yue’s gaze narrowed, watching Xiao Ling with ill intent.
“I heard you went to Granny Lin’s and picked up a few more pretty girls?
What, one little Nia isn’t enough anymore, you want to play feudalism now?”
“Not at all…
they’re all Nia’s friends~” Xiao Ling replied, half-truth, half-lie.
“Nia was worried about them, so she had me bring them back to live together.”
“Put Nia and the others on the phone.
I’ll ask them myself.”
Xiao Yue: As for whether my son’s words are believable — no need to tell me.
I’ll ask myself.
Great.
Looks like there was no need to keep defending himself.
He could only hope Denia would help reduce the suspicion on him a little.
“Nia, our mom’s calling.” Xiao Ling walked over beside the sofa and handed his phone to Denia, still in her game.
“For me?” Denia set down the phone running her game, tidied up her appearance a little, and only then took the phone.
“Little Nia, how’s life here?”
“Everything’s good.
Eating well, sleeping comfortably.” Denia’s obedient, well-behaved smile had quite the lethal force — the kind that made elders happy just looking at it.
“Looks like that little bastard’s taking good care of you.” Xiao Yue expressed approval of Xiao Ling’s responsible attitude.
“Right, Mom heard you brought a few friends home today.
True or false?”
Well, well.
So a certain Xiao had straight-up shoved all the responsibility for bringing Aemeath and the others back onto her.
“Mm-mm, but it wasn’t just my decision alone.
Ling ran into one of them when he was out, and asked about how they were doing.” Denia answered very “honestly.” “The two of us talked it over and felt it was more suitable to bring them over to live here.
They’re fellow countryfolk with me, after all.
And this villa’s so big.
A few more people living here is no trouble at all.”
“Ah, so that’s how it is.
Little Nia really is a kind-hearted girl.” After hearing Denia’s explanation, Xiao Yue couldn’t help but be even more satisfied with her.
“Then introduce your friends to Mom, okay?
Is that alright?”
Denia responded to Xiao Yue’s expectation with action.
She poked Sigrika beside her.
“Nia, what’s up?” Sigrika, still scrolling through bird videos, looked up at Denia who’d just poked her.
And then on Xiao Yue’s end, she saw Orange Elf looking blankly at the camera.
“Wow, such a pretty big sister!” Sigrika covered her little mouth in surprise.
“Nia, who is she?”
“Xiao Ling’s mom.”
“Ah!
It’s…
it’s actually Senior’s mother?!” Sigrika was startled.
The other party looked like she was only in her twenties.
She never expected she was already a mother.
“Then wasn’t I terribly rude just now?!” Sigrika shifted into panic mode.
Her face ripened completely.
Her little hands hovered in the air, not knowing where to place them.
“Aiya, look at this child getting all worked up.” Xiao Yue giggled.
“It’s fine.
Calling me Big Sis works too.
Call it a few more times, in fact.
Big Sis loves hearing it.”
“What pretty big sister?
I wanna see, I wanna see!” And so a pink-haired bundle of fluff squeezed into the frame on Xiao Yue’s end too.
“Big Sis, hello!
I’m Aemeath!” Aemeath greeted her with a very energetic smile.
“We’re having a great time at A-Yu’s place!
He treats us so well!”
Yo, even calling him A-Yu now.
Looks like this kid really hadn’t shortchanged them.
You look very lively.” Xiao Yue praised with the signature warm smile of an elder.
“Seeing you reminds me of when I was young and just as energetic.”
“Me too, me too!” Xiao Yue saw another little blonde squeeze into the left side of the frame.
“Big Sis, hi!
I’m Linae!” Linae introduced herself very enthusiastically.
“My hobbies are riding motorcycles for a cruise and graffiti.
If I get the chance, I’ll take Big Sis out cruising and graffiti-ing.
It’s super fun!”
“Hehe!
Sure, I’d love to experience what cruising and graffiti feel like, see if it’s really as fun as you say.” Xiao Yue responded to Linae’s greeting with equal enthusiasm.
“They’re all really good girls, don’t you think so, Mom?” Denia leaned into the camera and asked Xiao Yue.
“People say chatting with young people can make you younger.
I was half-doubting before, but after getting to know your friends today, I do indeed feel a bit younger.” Xiao Yue smiled and nodded.
“As expected, I really should make more friends among young girls.”
The big girls on the sofa chattered away animatedly with Xiao Yue on the other end of the phone, completely leaving a certain Bro Ling off to the side.
Xiao Ling: Am I not a person?!
Am I really not a person?!
“Senpai, I thought I heard someone calling out ‘Big Sis’ just now…?” A familiar voice rang out.
Xiao Ling turned his head and saw Chisa, fresh out of the shower.
At that moment she wore a pure black pajama set, covered all over in Namipon’s original form — capybaras.
She really, truly loved Namipon.
Chisa was still drying her hair with a towel at that moment.
Denia suddenly turned the camera toward the still-towel-drying Chisa.
And then Xiao Yue saw Chisa frozen in place mid-hair-drying pose, looking rather comical.
“…Big Sis, hello?” Though she didn’t know if the “Big Sis” they’d just been calling was this beautiful woman before her, going along and calling her that was the right move.
“Alright, Chisa, you should dry your hair first.
Otherwise you’ll catch a cold sleeping tonight.” Xiao Yue reminded her, a bit amused.
Two blushes of crimson were painted onto Chisa’s delicate round face.
She silently dried her hair.
Thus, this sudden thunderous inspection drew to a close in the most wonderful way possible.
…
Late night was the stretch when drowsiness swept in.
After a day of surprises and toil, everyone’s eyelids had long since begun battling.
They simply each returned to their rooms to sleep.
But not everyone could hit the pillow and fall right asleep.
Aemeath looked at the extra group chat that had appeared on her phone and smiled knowingly.
After that unexpected inspection segment ended, Xiao Yue had pulled them into a group chat and also called over the financial backer behind this villa.
The other party had been exceedingly generous, giving each person a five-figure allowance.
Upon learning this, Xiao Ling had collapsed powerlessly to his knees, wailing, “Am I even your son?!”
She’d originally thought of giving Xiao Ling a share.
After all, with her own spending, she probably wouldn’t need that much money.
But Sister Xiao Yue had explicitly said — not a single cent was to be given to him, or else their allowances would be docked.
‘Still, she only said they couldn’t directly give him money.
Didn’t say they couldn’t use other forms to help out this impoverished soul, right?’ Aemeath thought to herself.
This little tale aside for now, Aemeath suddenly remembered the group photo with Granny Lin from noon and immediately pulled it up.
She framed this group photo in the spot she could see at first glance, then quietly admired it.
Granny Lin sat in the center, a kind smile on her face.
The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes grew more pronounced as her smile unfurled.
Sigrika and Denia sat to Granny Lin’s left and right.
One threw up double peace signs with a radiant smile, the other a single peace sign with a gentle smile.
Who knew how these two girls with such completely different personalities had become besties who could talk about anything.
Linae and Chisa stood behind Denia and Sigrika respectively.
Linae threw up a peace sign with her left hand while also winking.
Chisa just smiled faintly and made a peace sign with her right hand.
And as for herself, she stood behind Granny Lin, striking the same pose she’d used in the photo with the Rover back when the Fleet Snowfluff fan meetup had ended.
Mm, very photogenic.
Fleet Snowfluff herself was quite satisfied.
As for A-Yu, he raised both hands high with double peace signs, the corners of his mouth spread wide.
He looked happier than anyone.
His tall, broad frame seemed like a mountain of support for everyone.
Aemeath suddenly recalled the confusion and helplessness she’d felt when she’d first arrived in this world.
At that time, she’d been just like when she’d first become an electronic ghost — with no idea where her future should go.
Thankfully, this time the story had developed completely differently from that time.
Back then, after becoming an electronic ghost, she could only slowly accept her circumstances through the passage of time.
Here, she’d met Granny Lin, the kind-hearted folks in the alley, then Chisa and the others, and finally A-Yu — making her realize she wasn’t alone.
This bond from another world — even if one day she returned to Solaris, she would never be able to forget it.
And would never forget it.
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