Chapter 4: The Fiancée of Yagyu Motoharu (Part 1)

Even in such a distracted state, Yagyu Motoharu was taken aback; this was simply the campus version of a martial arts brother! He first nodded subtly without speaking, then directly walked to his seat, placed his backpack down, leaned back, closed his eyes, and assumed a posture that suggested he was contemplating life, signaling to others not to disturb him.

As two days passed, it was unclear whether the body had adapted to the introspective state or if the introspective state had gradually become an instinct of the body. Yagyu Motoharu's mental focus, which was used to maintain the introspective state, gradually diminished, allowing for more energy to be devoted to responding to external circumstances

In the blink of an eye, the two-day weekend has passed, and during these two days, Liu Sheng Yuan and Ke have truly felt as if they were walking on the edge of a precipice, treading on thin ice. On one hand, they had to force themselves to maintain a state of introspection, while on the other hand, they had to deal with their family in the simplest manner possible. To reduce the information shock brought about by various unexpected situations, Liu Sheng Yuan spent almost all of his time these past two days holding a wooden sword, striking a pose like a master of swordsmanship in the home gym.

From time to time, parents would come and ask, "Have you finished your homework? Do you need to drink some water and take a break? Come over for dinner!" Sometimes, my younger brother would even run over and pose beside me. These various daily situations, in the context where Liu Shengyuan and most of his mental energy are devoted to maintaining an introspective state, are akin to being asked to carry a bowl full of water while going about daily life, and yet this water cannot spill even a little.

"Oh, what is the reason?" Liu Sheng and Dao Yi, dressed in a suit and preparing to go to work, asked.

A letter bears a red heart-shaped seal. Although Liu Shengyuan and the current situation are quite special, he cannot help but feel a wave of emotional turmoil—how open is capitalism that a girl would take the initiative to send a love letter in the second year of junior high? Another envelope has nothing on it, so it seems he must open it to find out what it contains

The younger brother chattered incessantly along the way, while Liu Shengyuan and Zuo Er listened passively, responding with noncommittal "uh-huhs" without truly comprehending what the younger brother was saying. His current state did not allow for complex thought, and his overall demeanor was one of vacant eyes and absent-mindedness

Especially in order to prevent the internal vision state from dissipating during sleep, for the past two days, Liu Sheng Yuanhe has been forcibly using meditation to replace sleep. Perhaps it is due to sufficient mental energy, or perhaps it is due to excessive excitement; in any case, Liu Sheng Yuanhe has surprisingly adapted to it

"Father, I would like to request a few days off," said Liu Shengyuan in a very calm manner to his father

"No, you can practice kendo and I support that, but you still have to attend classes." Yagyu Hejima put on his suit and prepared to leave: "You can continue practicing this weekend. I will check if there are any famous kendo dojos nearby and find you a good coach."

In a state of helplessness, he had no choice but to leave the house with his younger brother, carrying lunch boxes—known as bento in Japan. Behind him were the worried gazes of his parents, concerned for their mentally challenged son

In the morning, after having breakfast with his parents and younger brother, Liu Shengyuan had to face the issue that every student must confront: going to school

He now requires only about half of his mental focus to maintain a state of internal observation. Although he still appears somewhat sluggish and speaks very little, he can at least eat and converse normally. Otherwise, his father and mother would have to consider taking him to the hospital for a check-up.

Then, cautiously maintaining the state of introspection, I gradually withdrew the available mental energy to begin retrieving my memories.

The two brothers strolled to the school in no time, as it was only about a ten-minute walk from home. The elementary and junior high divisions of the private Kōten Academy are connected, but they must enter through different gates. Inside the campus, there is a 2.5-meter high fence that separates the junior high from the elementary division, and the two areas do not connect. At the entrance of the school, the brothers parted ways and each entered their respective campuses.

Casually, he put the letter into his backpack and changed into soft-soled shoes. Motoharu Yagyu walked into the school building with other students. As a private academy located in one of the most prosperous areas of Japan, Kōden Academy boasts first-class facilities. The wooden floors are spotless, and the exterior walls of each classroom are adorned with complete murals, typically designed by the classes themselves and painted by students with artistic talents. For instance, the exterior wall of Class 2-2, where Motoharu Yagyu is, features a depiction of Kenshin Himura performing the Hiryū Senpū-ken, and it is quite well done.

I want to practice kendo. Yagyu Motoharu said very straightforwardly that it was not that he did not want to find a better reason, but that he was currently striving to maintain a state of introspection, and all the associative mechanisms in his mind had been completely interrupted by himself, leaving him unable to come up with any clever reasons.

As I walked through the door of the classroom, a sudden chorus of greetings, "Hello, Yuanhe, big brother!" filled the air. Liu Sheng Yuanhe glanced around, and nearly all the male students and more than half of the female classmates were bowing their heads in greeting to him

Liu Sheng Yuanhe walked towards his second-year class in the second group of the junior high school. Along the way, many classmates greeted him, and Liu Sheng Yuanhe merely nodded in acknowledgment. He continued until he reached the entrance of the teaching building. There was a shoe cabinet specifically for students to change their shoes. Naturally, Liu Sheng Yuanhe had his own shoe cabinet. When he opened it, he found two envelopes on top of his shoes.

A couple of days ago, I was so focused on introspection that I only did a rough job of memory integration. As an old ghost who has just awakened from reincarnation, how could I possibly pay attention to the matters of a second-grade child? However, the scenes encountered upon entering school were, even for an old ghost, rather bizarre, prompting me to carefully organize my memories and recall what Liu Shengyuan has been up to all these years.