12: The new neighbors

Yukino Mifuyu stood in the fifth-floor corridor of her new apartment building, carrying a meticulously wrapped Wagashi gift box. Her snow-pure, ice-blue long hair was tied into an elegant bun behind her head, and her sky-blue Phoenix eyes were as calm as still water, lending her beautiful face an added touch of coldness. She had just finished moving in this morning, and according to etiquette, she should greet her neighbors on the same floor.

However, as she approached the door bearing the Tōsu surname, her footsteps faltered slightly.

(This is... the residual aura of a supernatural entity being dispersed?)

She keenly sensed extremely faint fragments of cold, eerie energy permeating the air, like the remnants of something violently crushed by a powerful force. This forced her to be on guard—the new neighbor was likely not simple.

She composed herself, put on a perfectly gentle smile, and lightly pressed the doorbell.

The door opened, and a black-haired youth appeared at the entrance. He was wearing simple loungewear and had a calm expression, looking at her with a hint of inquiry in his gaze.

“Hello,” Yukino Mifuyu said, lifting the gift box slightly, her voice soft and pleasant. “I am Yukino Mifuyu, who just moved in next door. I apologize for the intrusion, but this is a small greeting gift, please...”

Her words came to an abrupt halt.

The youth's originally mild gaze suddenly sharpened, as if he had sensed something. His dark eyes narrowed slightly as he looked straight at Yukino Mifuyu standing at the door.

Yukino's heart skipped a beat—it was over, she had been seen through.

“Young Miss Yukino?” Lin Luo spoke, his voice still flat, but his tone carried a hint of 'you'd better stop pretending.' “I am Lin Luo. Why don't you come in and sit for a while?”

He stepped aside, his movements polite, but the position he took was exactly between the door and the corridor, essentially cutting off her retreat.

Yukino Mifuyu's eyelashes trembled, and her ice-blue eyes flickered. She knew that turning to run now would only confirm her 'guilty conscience.' So, she took a deep breath, strove to maintain an elegant and composed expression, and nodded slightly. “Then, I shall intrude.”

The moment she stepped into the entryway, she felt the air give a faint 'click'—it wasn't an illusion, it was a barrier.

Lin Luo reached back and locked the door with a 'clack,' the sound crisp and somewhat deliberate.

“Young Miss Yukino,” he turned around, hands in his pockets, his tone relaxed but his gaze sharp. “You... aren't human, are you?”

Yukino Mifuyu's face turned pale. Tiny ice crystals had already condensed at her fingertips within her sleeve, and cold sweat was nearly breaking out. She could feel the calm yet heavy spiritual power emanating from him, pressing down like the deep sea—fighting? She absolutely could not win.

“Please let me explain!” she spoke hurriedly, her words rushing out. “I have official permission! I'm not an illegal entry!”

Before she could finish, Lin Luo suddenly raised his hand—

A streak of pale gold spiritual light shot out with a 'whoosh'!

Yukino Mifuyu's pupils shrank. Her instinct was faster than her brain, and with a wave of her hand, cold air instantly condensed into a crystal-clear ice wall, blocking the attack with a 'bang'!

The spiritual light collided with the ice, exploding into a circle of fine ice shards. Web-like cracks spread across the ice wall, but at least it didn't shatter.

She used the momentum to retreat two steps. While stabilizing herself, she frantically reached into her kimono sleeve. “Really! Look at this!”

She quickly pulled out a card and held it high, like an elementary student handing in homework. “Hokkaido Yuki-onna, full credentials! Legal entry! Registered, contracted, and reporting regularly!”

Lin Luo paused. He narrowed his eyes to examine the card—it was floating with faint golden runes, and there was a hint of the Dragon Vein Decree's aura, righteous and undeniable; it couldn't be faked.

His brow relaxed, and his tone softened. “...Oh, so it's real.”

Yukino Mifuyu let out a long sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging slightly. She quickly placed the ID on the shoe cabinet and folded her hands, trying to show a 'law-abiding' smile. “I felt abnormal spiritual waves here and was worried something had happened to my new neighbor, so I came to check... I didn't mean anything else.”

Lin Luo stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly smiled. “Alright, I believe you.”

Seeing Yukino Mifuyu's shoulders finally relax, Lin Luo pointed to the sofa. “Sit for a bit? I need to confirm something.” As he spoke, he looked down and quickly typed:

「Mr. Long, is it currently permitted for special residents to live legally in Japan? I just met one, just confirming.」

Less than ten seconds after the message was sent, his phone gave a 'ding.'

「Yes, it's currently a pilot program in Japan. It's a step toward promoting the Fusion of the inner and outer worlds, aiming to blur the boundaries.」

「The specific reasons are quite complex; we'll talk later.」

Lin Luo scanned the message and immediately felt at ease. He had no interest in grand narratives like 'regional Fusion' or 'inner and outer worlds'; he just needed to know she wasn't a fake.

He scratched the back of his head and smiled somewhat sheepishly. “I'm really sorry about just now. I acted a bit too rashly without asking clearly.”

As soon as he spoke, his hand flipped, and a crystal-clear fruit appeared out of thin air in his palm—it glowed with a faint blue light, and its surface emitted wisps of cold air, looking like an Ice Crystal Honey Fruit freshly picked from the depths of a snowy mountain, or perhaps a limited-edition pudding from a high-end dessert shop.

“Here, have this!” He stuffed it directly into Yukino Mifuyu's hand. “You look a bit weak. This thing restores spiritual energy and nourishes the spirit; it's perfect for you.”

Yukino Mifuyu blinked her large sky-blue eyes in surprise. She indeed hadn't fully recovered from an old injury, but she didn't expect him to see through it at a glance.

Sensing the pure ice-attribute energy within the fruit, she couldn't help but swallow. This was practically a supplement tailor-made for her!

“It's too precious...” she declined softly, but her eyes remained fixed on the fruit.

“Don't be polite!” Lin Luo pushed the fruit into her hand. “Just consider it an apology. I'd feel bad if you didn't take it. Besides, this is nothing to me.”

Yukino Mifuyu: “...”

She held the fruit, her cheeks heating up slightly. She whispered a “thank you” and couldn't help but steal another glance at Lin Luo—how could this person... look so fierce, yet actually be quite gentle?

Just then—

“Clack.”

The bedroom door was pushed open.

Kirisu Mafuyu walked out rubbing her eyes, her hair slightly messy and her pajama collar loose, looking dazed as if she had just woken up. She yawned and glanced toward the living room, her movements suddenly freezing.

On the sofa, Lin Luo was sitting face-to-face, grinning, with a strange woman who had waist-length blue hair, skin that glowed white, and was so beautiful she didn't look human. That woman was holding a glowing fruit, her face flushed and her eyes darting away; Lin Luo, meanwhile, had a 'super friendly' expression and was scratching his head with a silly smile.

(Lin Luo's inner monologue screamed: Me, grinning like a fool? Which eye did you see that with! I'm clearly apologizing with a serious face!)

This scene... no matter how you looked at it, it seemed like some incredible development.

Mafuyu's heart sank, and a strange, indescribable feeling of stuffiness welled up. She subconsciously pursed her lips, but quickly, her professional teacher's instincts overrode that odd emotion—she instantly straightened her back, all sleepiness gone, and her face took on a familiar 'ice queen mode.'

She cleared her throat, her voice cold and dignified. “You two.”

The two of them turned their heads in unison.

She crossed her arms, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Luo and Yukino, finally lingering on Lin Luo's face for an extra half-second. Her tone was calm but left no room for argument. “If I remember correctly, this—is my home.”

After a pause, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly with a dangerous smile. “You can discuss matters, but could you not make it look like you're acting in an idol drama? Although I don't forbid students from dating...” She deliberately drew out the last word, her sharp gaze fixed on Lin Luo, “don't disregard me, your teacher, too much.”

Lin Luo: “...”

Yukino Mifuyu: “...”

The air was silent for three seconds.

When Lin Luo heard this, he almost couldn't help rolling his eyes—internally he shouted: Good grief, which eye did this teacher use to see us 'dating'? He hadn't even served the woman tea!

Meanwhile, Yukino Mifuyu was caught completely off guard by this misunderstanding. Her face turned bright red all the way to her ears, like a strawberry daifuku fresh out of a hot spring. She waved her hands frantically, her voice soft and urgent. “You... you've really misunderstood! I am Yukino Mifuyu, I just moved in next door, and I came to visit my new neighbor today...” As she spoke, she quickly pointed to the elegantly wrapped gift on the coffee table—wrapped in indigo washi paper, tied with a silver butterfly knot, and even featuring a handwritten 'First Meeting Gift' card. It was full of sincerity and clearly wasn't a last-minute excuse.

Kirisu Mafuyu followed her finger. The gift lay there quietly, so exquisite that even the ribbon screamed 'I am very polite.' Thinking back to Yukino's expression just now—holding the fruit with darting eyes full of gratitude... she suddenly realized that her 'dating' accusation was exactly like a jealous side character in a prime-time family soap opera!

The 'ice queen's' majestic aura deflated with a 'pfft.'

She froze in place, her cheeks turning from white to pink, then from pink to red, and finally almost smoking. Her panicked gaze drifted to the ceiling, the floor, the curtains... anywhere but at the two people on the sofa.

“I-I am terribly sorry!” She bowed almost ninety degrees, her voice trembling. “It was my discourtesy! I made wild assumptions without asking clearly, and said such... such strange things! Please, Young Miss Yukino, do not take it to heart!”

She kept her head down, fingers tightly clutching the hem of her pajamas, while a tragic monologue played out in her mind:

(It's over, it's over! I'm a teacher! How could I say such things in front of a student?! And 'dating'?! Will Lin Luo think I'm a gossip? Will Young Miss Yukino think I'm a lunatic?! Ah—I shouldn't have woken up today!)

The living room was silent.

Lin Luo was stifling a laugh, his shoulders shaking slightly; Yukino Mifuyu held the fruit helplessly, wanting to steady her but not daring to move.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly transformed from a subtle 'catching them in the act' scene to a massive social death apology scene.