I formed the strongest swordsman group

Qingdeng grinned at the sight mixed with strong emotion delivered by Chiba Shigetaro.

"So... Mr. Shigetaro, are you planning to rely on you, me, Sanako-san and Chiba Tomon Shiro-kun, a total of 4 people to support a swordsmanship performance? Will the number of people be too small?"

"4 people are enough."

Chiba Shigetaro shook his head and smiled wryly.

"The reason why I plan to hold a swordsmanship demonstration with such a small number of people... one of the main reasons is that the space we can use to perform swordsmanship is too small."

"The stalls at the fireworks conference can basically be described as every inch of land and every inch of gold."

Chiba Shigetaro raised two fingers.

"Even if it's me, I only managed to grab a booth with a size of 2 ping."

"Such a big booth is only enough for 3 or 4 people to come forward and perform swordplay."

"If there are more people, we won't even have a place to sit and rest."

After listening to Chiba Shigetaro's explanation, Qingdeng nodded slightly: "Is it 2 pings... Then it is true that only 3 or 4 performers are enough..."

Qing Deng had heard a little about how difficult it was to apply for roadside booths at the fireworks festival.

For a grand event of this level, you can make a lot of money by setting up a food stand or tea stand at the scene.

Therefore, in the eyes of the merchants in Edo, the fireworks festival is a piece of delicious meat, waiting to pounce on it for a feast.

However, there are too many monks and too few porridge... There are only so many places for people to watch fireworks, and there are only so many places suitable for setting up stalls.

Therefore, if you don't have some skills and connections, you can't support the fireworks display.

Therefore, from another perspective, Chiba Shigetaro, who is not a professional businessman, was able to obtain a booth space of 2 ping on August 24th, which is really rare.

Qingdeng has no interest in what Chiba Shigetaro said "relying on martial arts to attract people to practice martial arts enthusiastically", he does not have such lofty ideals.

But Qingdeng is quite interested in "Martial Arts" itself.

Since traveling to the present, he has never held or participated in any form of swordplay.

Performing splitting and cutting bamboo mats and demonstrating swordsmanship moves to the crowd on the side of the road...Qingdeng felt that this seemed quite fresh and interesting.

Chiba Shigetaro is his good friend, and Qingdeng has always been willing to help his friend's small favors that are not particularly troublesome.

And I am very interested in this activity.

Anyway, I didn't have any activities that night, so I was very free. So Qingdeng thought for a moment, then nodded lightly:

"I see. If that's the case, please let me do my best."

"Hahahaha!" Chiba Shigetaro slapped his thigh vigorously again with a joyful laugh, and the corners of his mouth raised so high that he grinned almost to the ears, "I am grateful! Then it's done! On August 24th, Let's meet at the 'Xiangliang' of the Ryogoku Bridge!"

The venue of the fireworks show: Ryogoku Bridge is a bridge that runs east-west across the Sumida River.

The east bridge head is called "Xiang Ryogoku", and the west bridge head is called "Nihonbashi Ryogoku". The streets connected by Nishiqiaotou are the most famous entertainment street in Edo: Ryogoku Hirokoji.

What Chiba Shigetaro said "meeting at the "Ryogoku"" refers to meeting at the east bridge of the Ryogoku Bridge.

Where to meet is just a trivial matter, Qingdeng silently remembered the meeting place that Chiba Shigetaro told, and then nodded to show that he remembered.

Chiba Shigetaro, who was crossing his hands into the sleeves on both sides, had a smile on his face that hadn't dissipated since just now... No, not only did it not dissipate, but on the contrary, it showed a tendency to expand.

His eyes, which were almost squinted from his smile, were shining with a subtle and cunning light of happiness at this moment.

Qingdeng didn't know... Chiba Shigetaro, who has the status of "the eldest son of the Chiba family branch", has a way to get a booth space that is much larger than 2 ping.

Qingdeng didn't even know - if he was free on August 23, then the swordsmanship performance that Chiba Shigetaro said would be held on August 23; if he was free on August 25, it would be on August 23. It will be held on the 25th of May; if there is no free time on any day, then Chiba Shigetaro will ask Qingdeng to find a way to come out to participate in his swordsmanship performance...

...

...

the next day—

In the first year of Wanyan (1860), August 16——

The night of turmoil in which the world view of "good brothers" turned into "good sisters" was greatly impacted was finally passed safely.

Even if the world has changed and changed, the sun will still rise as usual.

I don't know whether it's the general's strong body recovery ability, or the pot of "special medicine" that Ah Bi boiled for her worked. In short, after a night's rest, the general manager regained his former spirit and vitality.

Seeing this, Qingdeng and others breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the chief executive seemed to have recovered, but in order to ensure that her body was completely recovered, at the unanimous request of Qingdeng and others, the chief executive was issued a "foot restraint order".

Except for the two places of the room and the toilet, you are not allowed to go anywhere today, just curl up in the bed and sleep obediently, don't worry about how to eat, we will bring you food when it's time to eat—this is The exact words that Qingdeng and the others said to the general manager.

The general manager who was "grounded" argued hard for reasons and said impassionedly that he had recovered and did not need to stay in the room to recuperate.

"I want to practice swordsmanship in the dojo! Look! I'm so energetic!" the chief yelled loudly, jumping up and down like a puppy trying to please his master, the slender ponytail on the back of his head followed Fly up and down.

But it was clear—no one paid any heed to her claims.

Early this morning, Qing Deng, who has always been self-disciplined, honed his sword skills in the dojo as usual.

Also early this morning, the chief executive's sister Okita Hikaru and brother-in-law Okita Rintaro came to the test guard hall again as expected.

Ever since they came to Edo to attend the upcoming Kondo's wedding, the Okita couple would come to the test room and rush out of the door almost every day.

As the chief disciple, he has lived in the test hall for seven years. Zhou Zhu and Kondo have long regarded the chief minister as their half daughter and half sister.

Thanks to the relationship between the general manager, the relationship between the Kondo family and the Okita family has always been very good. In addition, the Okita family is very polite and has a good way of dealing with people, so the Kondo family very much welcomes the Okita couple to come and accompany them. They do household chores.

Okita Hikaru, who came to the test guard hall again today, immediately knew about the fact that the chief executive had lost his head in Chihiro's house last night.

So, naturally - she hurriedly led her husband to the chief executive's room in a hurry to visit this young girl who made her very worried.

...

...

The test hall, the room of the general manager——

"He would get dizzy in the bath... When did my little sister become so stupid?"

Okita Hikaru, who was kneeling and sitting next to the head of the head of the bed, half-closed his eyes, looked at the head of the head who was sitting cross-legged on the quilt with a look that seemed to be looking at a fool.

"a ha ha ha……"

The director with a dry smile stretched his left hand behind his head and stroked her ponytail.

"People always have accidents..."

"So what happened to you last night? You didn't accidentally fall asleep while taking a bath in the bathhouse, did you?"

Okita Hikaru aggressively questioned the chief executive.

"There is no special reason..."

The chief said vaguely.

"It's just that when I took a bath last night, I felt so comfortable. I accidentally stayed in the bath for too long. When I first came out of the bath, I didn't feel too uncomfortable, but when I returned to the test guard After going to the gym, I felt my head getting dizzy... But sister, don't worry, I have fully recovered!"

After all, the smiling chief raised his arms high like a gorilla.

"..." Hikaru Okita silently stared directly into the chief executive's eyes with a sharp gaze like a blade.

Being stared at by his sister who respects him like his biological mother... the chief executive couldn't help but feel a little shivering in his heart.

In order to prevent Okita Hikaru from discovering her guilty conscience, the chief executive had to force himself to look at Okita Hikari bravely while continuing to maintain a smile on his face.

Although the chief executive last night had a rather big-hearted appearance, he quickly recovered after waking up on Qingdeng's back, and talked freely about her past with Qingdeng...but this is only due to the chief executive's nature. .

Now that Mr. Tachibana found out the real body of the daughter, there is no other way but to accept the fact and move on—the chief executive is such a character.

So optimistic and open-minded.

But the chief executive is also a girl after all, and she also has the restraint and shame of a girl!

As for what happened in the bathhouse last night... the chief executive would not be able to tell anyone even if he was killed! Including my own sister!

The naked self and Qingdeng who were also naked were bathing together in the men's bath. In order to avoid Yongcang and others, they had to hide behind Qingdeng with their backs to their backs. Deng alone dragged her out of the bath, dressed her, and carried her back to the test hall. During this period, his private parts were accidentally used by Qing Deng as a hand... These things, the chief executive can't be ashamed to say!

The general manager is just optimistic and open-minded, not heartless.

So as early as last night, she made a private agreement with Qing Dengyu: what happened in Qianxun's house tonight is a secret shared by the two of them, and they must never tell anyone!

For such an agreement...Qingdeng couldn't wish for it.

Although the embarrassing things that I encountered with the general manager this night, such as "accidentally catching the ball" and "helping the general manager change clothes", were either accidents or unavoidable, but what is irrefutable is—— It is true that he has done a lot of things to the general manager, whether it is viewed from the perspective of this era or the three modern views, it is enough to be chased and killed by the general manager.

Qingdeng was both moved and grateful that the general manager could forgive Qingdeng for what he had done to her so broad-mindedly and tolerantly.

If the chief executive is really desperate to kill him, then Qingdeng may not be able to fight alone against the chief executive whose reason has been destroyed by shame...

Even without mentioning the serious reason that "if it is leaked out, the true gender of the chief executive will be revealed and the innocence of the chief executive will be ruined", just being grateful to the chief executive for not chasing him with a knife is enough to make Qing Deng is obliged to work with the general manager to turn what happened that night into a secret that can only be rotted in the stomach.

By the way - Kondo and the others didn't ask Qingdeng in detail how he brought the chief back to the testing hall alone last night.

Kondo and the others are not mentally handicapped... Of course they know that some embarrassment will inevitably occur on the way when a big man brings a naked girl from the Qianxun House to the testing hall alone s contact.

So last night they were very good at reading the air and didn't talk to Qingdeng and the chief executive about the details of their return to the testing hall.

However, they did not investigate carefully why Qingdeng and the chief executive took a bath together in the men's soup.

Regarding this question...Qingdeng chose to be vague.

This is what the director general asked Qingdeng to do.

Up to now, the chief executive still doesn't want too many people to know that she is being asked by her sister to give up swordsmanship.

Therefore, Qingdeng said, "Because Okita-kun's mental state has been very bad these two days, so I wanted to chase after Okita-kun when she was going to the bathhouse and ask her if she had encountered any troubles recently, so I found out the truth of the chief executive in such a daze. Gender" to fool Kondo and their cross-examination.

After fooling Kondo and the others, Qingdeng did not forget to add a sentence: Although I have asked Okita-kun in detail what happened these two days, I still haven't been able to find out why.

She perfectly kept the secret that she and her eldest sister are having a big conflict because of "whether they practice swordsmanship" or not.

The two sisters stared at each other for quite a while...

"...Xiao Si."

Hikaru Okita, who was expressionless, opened his red lips lightly.

"Why do I always feel like you are hiding something from me..."

In private without the presence of any outsiders, when Okita Hikaru called the chief executive, he always directly called the chief executive's real name: "Si".

"What can I hide from you?" The director directly pretended to be stupid.

"...Forget it."

Hikaru Okita slowly withdrew his gaze, and voluntarily withdrew from the eye contact with the chief executive.

"I guess it's impossible for you to do anything shameful."

At this moment, the director's eyes flashed with a guilty conscience, and her eyes began to dodge unconsciously... Fortunately, before she caught up with Okita Hikaru, she quickly suppressed these abnormalities revealed by her body with brute force .

"Are you still dizzy? Do you still feel uncomfortable in your body?"

"No more!" The chief quickly shook his little head like a rattle, "I'm in great physical condition now! I feel like I can have an extra bowl of rice for lunch later!"

Okita Hikaru carefully looked at the face of the chief executive, and saw that the chief executive's eyes were bright and his face was ruddy. It really didn't look like he was lying to her, and he let out a long breath with a "huh".

"Ah That's good."

Okita Hikaru showed a faint smile as if he had relaxed his mood.

"Since your health is fine, Xiao Si, I'm relieved."

"Be more careful when taking a bath in the future! Don't do such stupid things like accidentally getting dizzy."

"Especially now that the weather is hot, you should pay more attention to the time to take a bath."

"Do you know how many people have irreversible disease or even died because of soaking in the bath or hot spring for too long?"

"I know, I know... Sister, I will never make such a stupid mistake again."

"You are just like this child, you are always reckless... You look like this, how will you care for your husband and raise your children in the future?"

"No, don't talk about husband and son, whether you can find an excellent husband's family is a problem."

Although the chief executive has sincerely stated that he will "never do it again", Okita Hikaru does not want to let the chief executive go just like that.

The topic of the chat suddenly rose from "Xiao Si, why are you so stupid that you can accidentally get dizzy in the bathtub" to "Xiao Si, if you continue to be so stupid, I am very worried about your future".

Faced with his sister's nagging, the chief executive showed a dry smile... that smile was full of helplessness, but it was not mixed with any negative emotions.

"If I can't find a good husband's family... then I can only ask my sister to support me all the time."

From time to time, the general manager mischievously responded to Hikaru Okita's nagging with slapstick words.

"Stop it."

Okita bent the index finger and middle finger of his right hand, tapped the head of the head with the second knuckle of the two fingers, and said angrily.

"We don't raise a careless troublemaker like you."

"Ah! It hurts!"

The two sisters who had this kind of interaction talked to each other, chatting like this all the time. It seems that no matter how we talk, we will never get tired of talking.

Although the topics discussed are not very nutritious...but it is this kind of dialogue without any specific meaning that constitutes the friendship between the two sisters.

After chatting like this for a while, Okita Hikaru stood up slowly while pressing the hem of her kimono.

"Okay, I won't bother you, Xiao Si, to rest."

"You didn't disturb my rest. As I said, I'm cured! I don't need to rest anymore!"

"Even if you are already tired, it's always right to rest in bed when your body is recovering. Lay down and sleep obediently, even if you can't sleep, keep your eyes closed. Today, if it is not necessary, you can rest in bed except in the bedroom. are not allowed to go anywhere.”

Director: "Why is this!"

Not only Qingdeng and others, but even her sister gave her a "foot restraint order"... This made the chief executive very sad.

"No haggling."

After finishing speaking, Okita Hikaru folded his hands in front of him, and walked towards the door calmly.

Rintaro Okita, who had been sitting quietly aside just now, hurriedly got up to catch up.

"……elder sister."

"What are you doing?" Hikaru Okita, who had already touched the doorknob of the room, said without looking back, "I already said 'no bargaining', right? Lie down and rest obediently."

"No. I don't want to bargain with you, I want to solemnly announce something to you..."

"Um?"

Okita Hikaru frowned, turned around, and faced the chief executive again.

"...What are you going to announce to me?"

"Sister, I've figured it out! No... It's my determination that will never waver again!"

The chief raised his head high and showed a big smile like the sun to Okita Hikaru:

"I will never give up swordsmanship!"

"I'm going to keep swinging the sword, keep swinging the sword... until I can't hold the sword anymore!"

The chief is finished.

The room was instantly surrounded by silence where even the sound of human breathing could be clearly heard.

Okita Hikaru's eyes were wide open, and his lips were slightly parted.

Okita Rintaro was startled at first, and then looked at his wife and his sister-in-law cautiously alternately with a worried look on his face.

The chief executive looked at Okita Hikari fearlessly.

The smile on his face reveals unpretentious magnanimity and boldness.

Facing the general manager's speech, he completely took her advice these days as a "rebellious" speech... Okita Hikaru did not fly into a rage, nor did he roar at the general manager.

He just pressed the hem of the kimono silently, and sat upright at the head of the head of the headboard again.

"...Why did you suddenly tell me this in a victorious manner for no reason? People who don't know think that I have agreed to let you continue practicing swords."

"Well... there's no particular reason."

At this time, the scene where Qingdeng personally praised her for being willing to sacrifice so much for swordsmanship last night came to the head of the chief executive's mind——

...

(This kind of heart, this love for swordsmanship, is really admirable.)

...

"It's just that I suddenly want to tell you so loudly."

The chief executive tilted his head, bared his teeth, and showed a childish grimace at Hikaru Okita.

The smile on her face, at this moment... no, it became a little stronger after recalling every compliment Qing Deng said to her last night.

The honest and frank emotions are well conveyed to Hikaru Okita through the smiling face.

Okita Hikari lowered the corners of his brows and frowned instantly as if in embarrassment, and then immediately took a deep breath as if he was in a heavy heart.

"'The resolve will never waver'..."

She softly repeated what the director general said just now.

"You child...why don't you listen to persuasion..."

Okita Hikaru ended her sentence with a long sigh, although the volume was so low that it almost disappeared, but the emotion contained in it was not small at all.

Afterwards, she stopped speaking.

Silently pressing the hem of the kimono, he turned and left.

Looking at her sister's back that seemed to be bent a little, the chief executive's eyes flashed with unbearable... But she didn't regret what she just said or the will she expressed.

...

...

Hikaru Okita, with his hands folded in front of him, walked quickly along the corridor under his feet with a blank expression.

Because the clothes on the lower body are tightly tied, it is difficult for women to walk fast in kimonos, so Okita Hikaru's pace and pace... makes people worry that she will step on the hem of her clothes Then fell to the ground.

"Ah Guang! Ah Guang! Don't walk so fast! Be careful of falling!"

Okita Rintaro, who followed closely behind Okita Hikaru, hurriedly reminded Okita Hikaru...but Okita Hikaru turned a deaf ear to his reminder.

Seeing his wife ignoring him... Okita Rintaro sighed heavily, then opened and closed his mouth several times.

A look that wants to say something to Okita Hikaru, but doesn't know how to say it...

But at this moment, Ben was galloping at high speed, Okita Hikaru suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Rintaro Okita, who was walking behind, was caught off guard and almost bumped into Hikaru Okita's back.

"Ah Guang, what's wrong?"

"...It's nothing." Okita Hikaru said softly, "It's just...that I found out about the young man that I and the chief executive recommended the day before yesterday."

"Young man?" Okita Rintaro followed Okita Hikaru's eyes and looked forward - at the corner of the corridor in front of them, a sweaty young samurai was stepping hurriedly towards the direction of the toilet.

The next moment Okita Rintaro cast his gaze on the young samurai, he suddenly felt the light at his hand brighten - Okita Hikaru who was standing beside him stepped forward again.

She walked straight to the young samurai.

...

...

Since copying to the talent "Strong Stomach", Qingdeng's gastrointestinal digestion and absorption ability have become much stronger, and the frequency of unblocking his hands has become significantly lower.

Of course, compared with the past, the frequency of untying little hands has not changed much.

Feeling that his bladder was full, Qingdeng ran towards the toilet in the testing hall at a speed similar to a trot, wanting to get rid of his physical needs quickly and then return to the dojo to continue practicing swords.

Suddenly, a beautiful female voice sounded from behind him stopped him:

"Mr. Orange!"

Qingdeng's expression was startled, his figure paused, and he quickly turned around to look back.

"Miss Okita?"

Hikaru Okita led Rintaro Okita to the front of Qingdeng in three steps at a time.

Before Qingdeng had time to ask "what's your business", Okita Hikaru explained the purpose of his visit first.

"Are you free this afternoon?"

"ha?"

"I have something very important to tell you."

Okita Hikaru's expression was undeniably serious.

"If you are free in the afternoon, could you kindly invite me to go to the nearby teahouse with my husband and I?"

...

...

It's the day, afternoon——

In Edo, in a certain tea house called "Pin Shui House" not far from the test hall, in a certain private room——

Qingdeng, who was sitting upright, stared straight at the Okita couple sitting across from him with his eyes full of bewilderment.

At this time, Qing Deng suddenly realized that this seemed to be the first time he met and talked with the chief executive's sister in private.

The looks of these two sisters are really outrageous...

Every time when facing Hikaru Okita directly, Qingdeng has the illusion that he is talking to the "mature version of the general manager".

"Umm... Miss Okita, is there anything you want to tell me?"

Qingdeng went straight to the point without dragging his feet.

Although the tone was sonorous and forceful...but there was a bit of caution in the tone.

To be honest, Okita Hikaru suddenly ran over to him and said "I have something important to discuss"... Her behavior made Qingdeng feel a little guilty...

This made Qingdeng couldn't help doubting himself: Could it be that what I did to the general manager last night was brought to light? Is the eldest sister of the head office here to settle accounts with me now?

Thinking of this, Qingdeng felt a chill down his back...

In order to find out what was going on, Qingdeng nodded and agreed to Okita Hikaru's "invitation" this morning without hesitation.

After lunch, he and the Okita couple came to this tea house near the test hall, and opened a private room where they didn't have to worry about being overheard their conversation.

Facing Qingdeng's direct attack, Okita Hikaru did not respond immediately.

Instead, he first looked at Fan Qingdeng's face thoughtfully.

"... Take a closer look, Mr. Orange, you are indeed very talented."

"Huh...? Uh... you've won the prize."

He got a compliment for no reason...Qingdeng agreed humbly with a dazed expression on his face.

"Mr. Orange, there is no need to use honorifics with me. You can talk to me in a more casual tone like you would with a friend."

After finishing speaking, Hikaru Okita picked up the teacup in front of him and gently sipped the tea in the cup.

When he put the teacup back to its original position, Okita Hikaru raised his gaze, cast a solemn gaze at Qingdeng, and said with a serious look and word for word:

"Mr. Orange, the reason why I suddenly bother you today is to ask you to do me a favor."

"help?"

"Hmm. Could you please join me in persuading the chief executive not to study... no, stop obsessing with swordsmanship?"

A shadow of astonishment appeared between Qingdeng's brows.

When speaking of the word "addicted", Okita Hikaru specially used a particularly sharp tone... The sharpness revealed in the voice was like a sharp blade suddenly unsheathed, piercing the air in the room with a "chichi" sound .

"He is the eldest son of our Okita family, and he needs to inherit the Okita family's family business in the future."

"But the general manager is now completely obsessed with kendo and cannot extricate himself."

"He doesn't care about anything other than kendo and gold flat sugar."

"His current obsession with kendo has completely deviated from the categories of 'learning the art of self-defense' and 'strengthening the body'."

"I have no objection to him practicing swords...but I can't ignore his current state of being possessed."

"Mr. Orange, you are one of the best friends with the Director-General."

"The words of Mr. Kondo, Mr. Kondo, Mr. Hijikata, and Uncle Yuan may be ignored by the general manager."

"But your words... the chief executive may be able to listen to him!"

"I would like to ask you to help me persuade the general manager in private."

"Take his eyes off the sword in his hand."

"Let him pay more attention to the world other than kendo."

...

Hikaru Okita has always been eloquent.

Her words can be said to be sincere and contain strong emotions.

After generously explaining the content of the request to Qingdeng and the reasons for making this request, Okita Hikaru confirmed with Qingdeng's eyes.

This action is of course the meaning of "I don't know what you want?"

Qingdeng looked at Okita Hikaru with a blank expression.

After a while, his blank expression turned into a wry smile with mixed feelings.

Although Okita Hikaru just said the same thing... But Qingdeng knew very well in her heart that her generous statement just now was completely half-truth and half-false.

Qingdeng raised his right hand and scratched the flesh of the back of his neck vigorously.

I secretly sighed in my heart:

As expected of sisters... Both sisters are the kind of people who won't give in easily once they make up their minds...

The elder sister of the general manager would not hesitate to ask him for help in order to persuade the general manager to give up learning swords... This is really beyond Qingdeng's expectations.

——Forget it...

Qingdeng put down his hand grabbing the back of his neck, "Hoo..." he turned the complex emotions in his heart into voice.

Then--

"...Miss Okita, you don't want Okita-kun to stop being obsessed with kendo, you want him to give up kendo right away?"

This time it was Okita Hikaru and Okita Rintaro who looked at Qingdeng with a blank expression.

Qingdeng struck while the iron was hot, and went on to say:

"I know why you want Okita-kun to give up kendo."

"You know?" Okita Hikaru's eyes flickered slightly.

Qingdeng nodded: "Not long ago, I accidentally overheard the conversation between you and Mr. Okita in the tea house that Mr. Okita often goes to."

"Then... also not long ago, I found out the real gender of the chief executive by accident."

Last night was not too long ago—Qingdeng and Xin convinced himself so.

Amazement and doubt... The expressions that surfaced on the faces of the Okita couple were no longer numbness, but unpretentious shock.

Qingdeng summed up how he knew that the two sisters were having a conflict because of "practicing swords or not", and how he found out that the chief executive was a girl.

Of course——about how he found out that the chief executive was a girl, Qing Deng was completely vague. This topic was brought up with a simple sentence of "discovered by accident".

As early as the first time he knew that Okita Mitsu was forcing the headmaster to give up his swordsmanship, Qingdeng had the idea of ​​having a good chat with this powerful big sister.

And after learning about the past of this young girl who made many sacrifices for sword learning from the chief executive last night, Qingdeng's thoughts deepened a lot.

Okita Hikaru took the initiative to have a private talk with him today... This is exactly what Qingdeng wanted!

At this moment, Qingdeng has made up his mind - he wants to help the chief executive! Help mediate the conflict between this stubborn pair of sisters!

"Miss Okita."

Qingdeng said in a serious tone.

"Although such words may be very presumptuous for an outsider like me...but please pay more attention to your sister."

"... Pay more attention?" Okita Hikaru frowned, forming a shadow of doubt.

"Okita-kun..."

"Mr. Ju, you can just call us by our real names." Okita Hikaru interrupted Qingdeng, "I, my husband and Xiao Si are all 'Okita', you call us by our real names, right? It's convenient for you and me."

Now that Qingdeng had confessed that he was also one of the people who knew the true gender of the chief executive, she didn't bother to hide it any longer, and boldly called the chief executive by his real name.

"Uh... alright."

Just use his real name to match...Qingdeng would be happy with the convenience.

Qingdeng cleared his throat vigorously, and then continued:

"Miss Guang, when she was 9 years old, she left home as an inner disciple and stayed in the health testing hall. If I guessed right—after she became a member of the health testing hall, the chief executive, you The opportunities for the sisters to meet must be much less, right?"

"..." Hikaru Okita remained silent.

"Did you take a good look at how Lingmei practiced swordsmanship without any prejudice?"

"..."

"Have you carefully looked at Lingmei's smiling face after her sword skills have been improved?"

"..."

"Have you tried to understand Lingmei's determination not to hesitate to change her name, to disguise herself as a man, not to hesitate to quarrel with her most respected elder sister, and not to let go of the sword in her hand?"

"..."

"I can understand Miss Guang why you want the chief executive to give up kendo so much."

"It's true that there is almost no room for female swordsmen in this world, and I don't intend to deny your point of view."

"I just hope that you can try to pay more attention to Lingmei with a normal heart without any prejudice."

Qingdeng straightened his waist a little bit, and raised the corners of his mouth.

"Miss Guang, there will be a good opportunity in the near future."

"It's still some time before Kondo-kun's wedding starts, and you still need to live in Edo for a while."

"You may wish to take advantage of the time when you still need to live in Edo temporarily, and come to the test guard hall to see how Lingmei is accompanied by the sword on weekdays."

"In this way... maybe the 'distance' between you and Lingmei can be shortened."

After finishing speaking, Qingdeng bowed slightly——signed to Okita Hikaru with his movements: I'm done.

After finishing what he wanted to say to Hikaru Okita in one breath, Qingdeng smiled softly because he felt relaxed.

The tea room returned to silence as Qingdeng's words fell silent.

Qingdeng calmly waited for Okita Hikaru's response.

Compared with Qingdeng's leisurely look, Okita Hikaru's expression can be described by the word "serious".

I saw her pursing her red lips, her eyes fixed on Qing Deng, exuding an aura of "don't get close to strangers"

In a word——A look as if he might quarrel with Qingdeng at any time.

Okita Rintaro on the side was shocked by the aura lingering on Okita Hikaru at this time, his body tensed, his expression stiffened, and he shivered...

After a long while like this, the tea room, which was in a tight area, finally heard human voices again.

"'Distance'...is it..."

Hikaru Okita's lips moved, chewing on the word that came out of Qing Deng's mouth just now.

"Mr. Orange, your eloquence is surprisingly good."

"I originally wanted to ask Mr. Orange to help you, but I didn't realize it..."

Okita Hikaru sighed lightly, then stood up slowly while pressing the hem of the kimono.

"……I see."

"Mr. Orange, I will seriously consider the suggestion you made just now."

After saying that, Okita Hikaru turned and walked towards the tea room.

"Mr. Orange, please don't let Xiao Si know that I have talked to you secretly today."

The footsteps gradually fade away...

Watching Okita Hikaru and Okita Rintaro leave, Qingdeng calmly raised the teacup in front of him, and drank the tea in the cup in one go.

Sometimes, simple words from outsiders can often bring unexpected results.

He had tried his best to impress Okita Hikaru with words.

All Qingdeng can do next... is to wait and see what happens.

...

...

In the next few days, the days were leisurely and peaceful.

Qingdeng just kept repeating the daily routine of practicing swords in the test guard hall, going to the Qianshiwu to practice sword drawing skills, going to Xiaoqianye Sword Hall to find radishes to play, and going to the residence to teach Elodie swordsmanship.

Nothing big to mention happened.

Hikaru Okita seems to have really adopted Qingdeng's suggestion, and the frequency of coming to the test clinic and the time spent in the test clinic have obviously increased and lengthened a lot.

In the past few days, I can often see such a scene in the dojo of the test guard hall - Okita Hikaru sits in a corner of the dojo, quietly watching the chief director's swordsmanship practice.

Okita Hikaru listened to his suggestion, which made Qingdeng very happy.

But whether the "distance" between her and the chief executive has been successfully shortened, Qing Deng does not know for the time being...

The days passed.

In a blink of an eye... the time came to August 20th.

This day may be the most special day in August for the test hall.

Because on this day, they fought against the red and white of Xuanwu Hall... finally came!

...

...

In the first year of Wanyan (1860), August 20——

Edo, a certain river bank in the outskirts——

"Hey, look quickly, isn't that person the famous disciple of Xuanwukan: Kikuchi Takejiro?"

"Ah, even that 'Ghost Bazang' is here too..."

"Am I not mistaken? Did I see Sennosuke Chida?"

"You read that right, that person is indeed Sennosuke Chida."

"Hey... so many masters have come..."

"I always feel... Our chances of winning are slim..."

"What nonsense are you talking about! How can you say defeat before fighting?"

...

The previous battle against Little Chiba Sword Hall was an "exhibition match" aimed at entertaining the audience of the "Plum Blossom Festival".

And this battle with Xuanwu Hall is a "private friendly match" for the purpose of exploring swordsmanship and mutual improvement.

Therefore, there were not many spectators in this competition. The only people who came to watch the competition were relatives and friends from the two sword halls.

As soon as Fang arrived at the competition site, the morale of the test hall began to drop sharply before the competition officially started.

There is no other reason—the lineup at Xuanwu Hall can almost be described as "all-star"...

*****

*****

The battle with Xuanwu Hall is finally about to begin!

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