Halfway through, when I was about to arrive at the station, it unexpectedly started to rain. So, we took shelter from the rain at a shoe store opposite. By the way, I borrowed an umbrella from the shopkeeper, and when he handed it to me, I noticed his appearance—

His face was full of wrinkles, his hair was gray, and he had a pair of reading glasses on the bridge of his nose that was slightly collapsed. His back was straight, and now he was looking at me with a slight smile on his face. After thanking me, I reached out and took my umbrella.

"It's okay, it's raining so hard, if you go back like this, you'll catch a cold."

He said. The voice is clear, powerful, and gentle. So, I couldn't help but bow my head and thank you again. This time, the shopkeeper reached out and patted me lightly on the shoulder, then turned around and went back to the store, disappearing through the door in a short time.

"There is only one umbrella, what should I do?"

"Wouldn't it be nice to hold it together?"

With that, Lola handed me her hand, and I hesitated and took her hand as well. So, I was pulled by her, and we rushed into the torrential rain together. Instantly, the sound of rain was all around, and they were like the sounds of a construction site, and although they were not annoying, they still felt a little noisy.

At the same time, it also proves that the weather forecast cannot be fully trusted, and the rain seems to be heavier than just now when it is almost to the apartment. It's like watering every corner of the town. By the time we turned the last intersection, we had finally arrived home.

"It's finally here."

Lola breathed a sigh of relief, and her bangs on her forehead seemed to be still stained with droplets. Now, it's slowly coming down.

"Hmm."

She was turning her head to look at my face, and I was looking at hers — and for a split second, my eyes met. At this time, I suddenly felt a little shy, probably ...... So is Lola.

"Speaking of which, Chihiro—"

"What?"

As he spoke, the shoulders and upper arms of the two of us couldn't help but touch each other.

"We didn't seem to have done anything like this when we were in school, did we?"

"What does this mean?"

"Hold the same umbrella—"

As she spoke, she turned her gaze away, looking at something I couldn't see, leaving only the side face for me. And because it happened to be blocked by the hair on both sides, I couldn't see her expression clearly.

"Are you angry?"

"Nope!"

In an instant, Lola's attitude became very cold, and even the voice coming from her throat was extremely cold.

"Okay, tease you!"

As I spoke, I reached out and patted her on the shoulder. Unexpectedly, she was immediately beaten off with her hands.

"I know that I still pretend to be stupid, you, are you angry with me?"

"It's not."

"Then why do you say that—?" As she spoke, Lola's voice was obviously aggrieved. The emoticons are also ......

"It's just that you're cuter with that kind of expression."

"Huh?"

At this point, Lola froze for a moment, her expression froze as if there was a delay, and it took about three seconds before she slowly returned to normal—at which point she turned her back to me in a panic and covered her face with her hands—

"Don't look at me now!"

In an instant, the sound coming from the throat became smaller and smaller in the back.

"Oops, my face is so hot!"

"Oh?"

I tried my best to hold back a laugh as I answered her in the same voice as usual.

"Let's go up quickly, maybe Aoi is still waiting?"

With that, I walked around to her and slowly crouched down. Gently grabbing her arm, he said.

"Hmm."

Lola nodded, taking a few more deep breaths before reaching out to me. In the same way, I handed her my hand.

"Let's go."

However, when we walked into the hallway, we found that the part of our coat near the shoulders was soaked. Instantly, we all couldn't help but feel a little funny—"Why didn't you find out just now?" Then Lola put her hand in front of me again, and then turned it over so that it was palm up.

"Give me your coat and wash it with me later."

"Well, thanks—"

I nodded, and couldn't help but turn up the corners of my mouth slightly. And took off her coat as she said.

"Then I'll cook dinner."

"Okay."

Just as I was taking out my sandals from the shoe rack and changing them into and about to walk to the kitchen, something suddenly rushed at me from the other end and crashed into my arms! In an instant, I couldn't help but stagger back two steps before I could stand firm.

"Aoi-chan! It's dangerous—"

Lola's voice came from the side, somewhat helpless.

"Because, because...... Who told Mom and Dad to come back so late—"

At this time, Xiao Kui's voice was a little aggrieved, and she looked up at me with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dad is too busy."

As I spoke, I naturally reached out and gently placed it on Aoi's head without hesitation, slowly caressing it with a frequency and number of times that she would not hate. Sure enough, she narrowed her eyes comfortably, and her expression gradually relaxed.

"But I brought you a gift?"

Then, gradually, I crouched down in front of her. Then, she took the shopping bag from Lola's hand, which she had been carrying. It was handed over to Xiao Aoi, who was very expectant, and her eyes were shining—she kept waving her hands above her head......

"Bear?"

"Yes, Mr. Bear! Daddy brought it out of the forest—"

At this time, Lola smiled at her.

"Daddy, Daddy! What about the cake? ”

Suddenly, when we heard the word cake from Xiao Kui, we were all stunned for a moment, and we didn't have time to react. I couldn't help but look at each other—

"I forgot to buy it!"

Maybe you understand our expressions? Xiao Kui's expression was also a little aggrieved and disappointed. In an instant, he threw the bear in his hand out angrily! It bounced off the wall and landed on the floor not far from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Aoi-chan!"

At this time, Lola raised her voice and her expression became stern. Under her scolding, Xiao Kui instantly cowered back and lowered her head, looking away aggrievedly. At the same time, tears kept rolling down his cheeks and falling on the floor in front of him one after another.

"Go pick up Mr. Xiong and apologize."

"Yes, got it."

Although Xiao Kui's voice was like a choked cry, she was very reluctant, but she still obediently walked over and bent down to pick up the bear doll she had just thrown away. Then, without saying a word, he walked up to Lola—

"I'm sorry ......"

Her voice was small and somewhat muffled. He also kept peeking at Lola's changing expression......

"Mom—"

He also quietly stretched out his hand, pulled the cuffs, and shook it a few times.

"Does Mom hate Aoi?"

"How could it be—just...... Aoi, do you know? When something is made, there are gods living in it, right? ”

"Huh? God? ”

"Yes, he's very precious for what has been made. So, what would he think if you littered like that? ”

Aoi lowered her head and thought about it for a moment, and looked at Lola seriously again—

"Will it be sad?"

Although her voice was still a little confused and hesitant, she seemed to understand.

"So, you have to cherish a little bit, huh? Got it? ”

"Hmm!"

At this time, Xiaokui promised and threw herself into Lola's arms as if she wanted to be coquettish, rubbing her face constantly. It's like a cat...... Although it was a little itchy, Lola's hand quietly circled her behind and hugged her.

This scene couldn't help but make me a little stunned, until Lola noticed that I was in a daze and called me out for a moment.

"What's wrong?"

Suddenly, in order to hide my embarrassment, I quickly shook my head and said that it was nothing. It's just that the expression is slightly embarrassed.

"I'm going to buy a cake—"

"Huh? But now that the store is closed, huh? ”

"If you look carefully, there will always be one! After all, birthdays are only once a year, so you can't be sloppy! ”

Leave this sentence and I will go out again.

In an instant, Lola couldn't help but sigh in the face of the slightly harsh closing of the door. But Xiaokui in her arms is now happy......

"Are you satisfied?"

"I knew that my dad loved me the most! You're not the same as Mom! ”

As she spoke, Aoi's face was full of confidence, as if she was showing off to me.

"Really!"

Luo, who couldn't help but leak laughter, stretched out her hand and flicked her daughter's head with her fingertips! In an instant, she was so frightened that she hurriedly covered her head with her hands.

"I'm going to talk to Daddy! Mom, you bully me! ”

"Good! If you can convince Dad, give it a try! ”

At this time, Xiao Aoi obviously flinched. showed a very unyielding expression, although he still wanted to say something and stared at his mother's face, but the voice seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he didn't say it until the end.

In this way, it didn't take long for the cake she had been looking forward to to be bought—

"It only took half an hour, and it's worthy of you......"

At this time, Lola, who was standing behind me, was disgusted.

"It's because of you that Xiaokui is going to be spoiled by you."

"Really?"

At this point, I'm going to play dumb to the end.

"Really, even if I say that, you're not going to change it, are you?"

"Aren't you still there?"

"You......"

The next time, we lit candles and sat around Aoi, watching her giggle and make a wish. Coincidentally, at this time, the clock hand hanging on the wall pointed exactly to 12 o'clock.

"It's barely catching up......"

The next day, Shion came to my house early in the morning and told me what the novel was sure to be serialized—however, her expression was a little embarrassed.

"What's wrong?"

I asked her as I took the brewed vanilla tea from Lola's hand, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of her. Then, sit down across from her.

"That means you might have to be apart for a while, okay?"

As she spoke, her gaze circled between me and Lola several times, and the more she spoke, the quieter her voice became. It's so depressed that it's like it's hidden in your throat.

"It's okay, wasn't it always like this before?"

As soon as the words fell, Shion, who had just picked up the teacup and wanted to drink, couldn't help but widen her eyes—

"Is it okay?!"

Then, I couldn't help blinking again.

"Really? Aoi, doesn't she miss her father? You see, the first two times weren't all ......"

After speaking, Ziyuan's gaze under her long eyelashes became a little dim again.

"I'll explain it to her, you don't have to worry."

Lola sat down beside me. Tell her earnestly with a gentle expression and voice.

"Before, after all, I was still young. It's hard for you to make a fuss like that, right? I'm sorry—"

As soon as the words fell, Shion was choked and coughed, and she couldn't speak for a while...... It took about half a minute before she raised her head in her direction again, and her expression suddenly became serious and serious.

"Why do you want to apologize to me? That's not right! ”

"Alright, alright, don't bother with this. In short, you don't have to worry about this. ”

"Okay. I got ......."

Although Shion's eyebrows were about to wrinkle together, she obviously wanted to say something. In the end, though, that's all she said......