The fact that Ji Zizi's izakaya had taken in another child was not surprising news to the regular drinkers.
Although it was called an izakaya, Qingshang Izakaya did not look like an entertainment venue that would make serious people frown at the mention of it. The atmosphere here was more appropriate to call it a tea house than a tavern. Most of the people who came here were famous people nearby and the Grim Reaper of Jingling Ting. It was rare for them to get drunk and go crazy.
The owner of this tavern, who had a cultural and artistic atmosphere, was famous for his kindness.
The guests felt that it was only natural that the child with the surname Kunan was adopted. Previously, there were many similar children who had stayed in the izakaya for a while before finding the district elders to assign them to their respective families.
Unlike them, this child with the surname Jiu Nan looked at Ji Zi with a hint of fear in his eyes.
Just like a kitten that had been abused.
"This won't do. The action of pouring wine is very particular.”Ji Zi smiled as he demonstrated his actions to her in a coherent and elegant manner.
The corrected child immediately shrunk his neck like a frightened kitten."Yes…Miss Ji Zi…I'm very sorry.”
Ji Zi sighed softly and put down the work in his hands. He stroked her unsupple hair." Don't be so nervous. I'm not reprimanding you…"
She clearly knew that Ji Zi was a gentle person, but she still could not change her cautious attitude.
" I…I'm sorry…" She buried her head very, very low, and her voice was so weak that it was hard to recognize." I've caused you so much trouble, but I still can't learn these things. I can't help you…"
She was annoyed at her own clumsiness, not only when learning certain skills, but also when communicating with others. It was as if she would be chased out of the house if she accidentally angered Ji Zi. Somewhere in her heart, she subconsciously felt that her attitude was not enough to gain the approval of others.
Ji Zi saw through her trembling emotions at a glance.
Even Xiao Zou, who was brewing tea at the side, could not help but remind her,"Miss Ji Zi is a very good person. What are you afraid of?”
"Little Zou, concentrate on brewing your tea. You have to control the heat well. Even if it's just a little longer, it'll make a big difference.”Ji Zi turned his head gently and said.
"Yes." Xiao Zou stuck out his tongue and continued to focus on his work.
Then, he turned to look at her timidly.""But she's right. Do you think I took you in just to make you work hard? I really treat you as my family. If you don't want to learn these things, you can naturally forget about it…"
"No, I have to do something!”As soon as he finished speaking, she stubbornly raised her head." Otherwise…I'll feel guilty.”
He was a man with a backbone.
Ji Zi smiled helplessly. There was no point in explaining too much to a child at this age. It was better to let her slowly get used to it in life.
"Alright, then let's take a break first and eat some snacks before learning.”
It was night.
"Jiu Nan?" Xiao Zou carried a lamp up the stairs. Under the flickering light, Joe was staring at the starry sky above him in a daze.
"Ah, Sister Xiao Zou." She hurriedly squeezed out a smile." Good evening.”
"It's so late and you're still up? Do you want to come downstairs and chat with us?”Xiao Zou used his hand to protect the weak flame, looking very concerned about her.
The night in the Corpse Soul Realm had always been very quiet. At this time, there was basically no one walking around outside. Other than the two of them, only Ji Zi and a few helpers were left in the huge izakaya. Even after many years, she still couldn't forget this tranquility when she looked down at the brightly lit night view of Kongzuo City.
"Alright," she nodded obediently.
"You…are just too distant.”Xiao Zou, who was only a few years older than her, sounded like an elder, which made her feel that she was very cute.
" It's nothing…I just…" She lowered her head, looking like she was blaming herself.
"Miss Ji Zi is really a very gentle person.”Xiao Zou's tone suddenly softened, as if he was yearning, but also reminiscing.
She blinked her eyes, waiting for Xiao Zou to continue.
" The first time I saw her was decades ago…" Xiao Zou's lips curled into a faint smile." An orphan like me would never have been able to survive on Liuhun Street if it weren't for her help…She taught me a lot of things, and it's because of her that I'm who I am today.”
There was a hint of sympathy in her eyes. They were very similar.
"Therefore, she will definitely give you a different life.”Xiao Zou said seriously," Believe it. The pain of loneliness and suffering in the past no longer exists!”
Because she was used to living alone, she knew more and more about her attachment to warmth.
She felt that the missing part of her heart was gradually returning to its original shape.
"Yes."
However, apart from the past few months, she could not remember anything else.
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
In the blink of an eye, forty years had passed.
This new customer of the izakaya had been staying in a room on the second floor of the izakaya. After Ji Zi's education, he had already learned how to read and make wine, and could even help out a lot in the shop. Life in Liuhun Street was the same as before, day after day. Only one person's change could be used as proof of the passage of time.
Ji Zi leaned against the front desk in relief and looked at her, who was busy wiping the table.
"Alright, Joe, let's call it a day.”
She did not change her name at Ji Zi's insistence. Ji Zi knew very well that a person's name symbolized the deepest feelings of the person who gave him the name. She would never do something like taking away this relationship.
After all, this was also the last bit of restraint that the child's sister had left for her.
No, no, there was one more thing.
"Miss Ji Zi." Joe slowly stopped wiping the table. He hesitated, but said with unusual decisiveness," I…want to be the Grim Reaper.”
Ji Zi narrowed his eyes as a faint sense of helplessness spread from the bottom of his heart.
"As expected…you still can't escape this fate.”
"Eh?" Qiao turned around in confusion. Before she decided to tell Ji Zi, she had been hesitating because she had learned from a frequent tavern guest that her chances of becoming the Grim Reaper were not high.
However, it was not completely impossible.
"Why, why do you want to become the Grim Reaper?”Ji Zi tilted his head and asked.
Before she could think, her brain gave her an answer."Because my sister Jiu Nanbai used to be a Grim Reaper. I want to know why she suddenly disappeared.”
Ji Zi's pupils constricted.
" Death God?... Oh right, the vice-captain of the Ninth Division, right? " I didn't even guess that it was her in the past…" From her tone, Ji Zi seemed to know everything about Jingling Palace like the back of his hand.
" Miss Ji Zi knows her?" Joe's eyes flashed with excitement." Then you must be…"
"No, I don't know how she disappeared either. I only heard about that incident.”Ji Zi smiled bitterly. He did not want to give her a blow." Who doesn't know about the disappearance of eight captains and the defection of three captains?”
"…Is that so?" She lowered her head in disappointment.
He was indeed too impatient. If it was just a normal disappearance, it would not be enough to erase all traces of their existence, let alone destroy all the related items in a hurry and chase her out of the Tranquil Palace without anyone to take care of her.
In the past, she had been too young to understand why her team members, who were also members of the Grim Reaper, would suddenly be so heartless…But now, it seemed that Jiu Nanbai, Rokucha Kenshi, and the others must have fallen into a taboo incident that could not be revealed, causing no one to be able to investigate the reason.
Ji Zi was deep in thought before he finally spoke again.""So this is the reason why you want to become the Grim Reaper?”
"Yes, I've always wanted to know the truth, but I didn't know what to do." But now I understand. I have to return to the Tranquil Spirit Palace to understand everything.”
She lied. The reason why she never mentioned this topic was because she did not dare to. She was afraid that her willful request would make Ji Zi, who supported her, hate her and be abandoned again.
It was the first time he dared to mention it after 40 years.
Ji Zi did not get angry. Instead, he frowned and asked,""Even if your sister doesn't want you to do that?”
"…I…don't understand what you mean.”
" If I were her," Ji Zi sighed," I would prefer for you to spend the rest of your life in peace and happiness, rather than rushing into a dangerous world for an uncertain goal.”
“……”
She didn't quite understand what she meant.
"Let's take a step back. Even if you find out the reason for her disappearance, does that mean you can change what has happened in the past? Could he redeem his regrets? Could it save a life that might have died long ago?”
Ji Zi did not want to be the bad guy at all. But there was no one else who could have said such blunt words to Joe.
Joe's eyes darkened slightly.
"Thank you for worrying about me. However, if I were to cut off my past responsibilities and choose to escape, I would definitely regret it in the future.”
He was not joking at all. Hearing this answer, this child must have thought about this question many times. On unknown nights, he had been troubled countless times about whether he should bid farewell to his comfortable life, but he had maintained his silence for a full forty years. This was the first time he had even told Ji Zi that he wanted to become the Grim Reaper.
What was this child thinking?
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。