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Page 460
"Do you know why I stayed?" she suddenly asked, her voice carried away by the evening breeze. She didn't look at Banami, her eyes fixed on the sun slowly setting in the distance.
Bana paused for a moment, then subconsciously replied, "Because...you're pregnant?"
Chu Hua couldn't hold back any longer and said, "What are you talking about? I mean, why did I choose to stay after I got pregnant, instead of leaving the Fengchuan family and going far away like my mother did when she found out she was pregnant with my sister?"
Banami paused, recalling the middle-aged woman recuperating in the sanatorium. Although she was still elegant, her face clearly bore the marks of life's hardships.
If she had chosen to stay with the Toyokawa family, Old Deng would have taken good care of her no matter what, and things wouldn't be like this now...
Chu Hua took a deep breath and said, "I don't know what my mother was like before she married my father, but I can imagine that a pregnant woman coming to the island alone must not have had an easy time."
What I witnessed firsthand was how hard my mother raised my sister and me after my father went to sea and never came back. When my sister was in fifth grade, she had a fever, and my mother carried her to the hospital in the middle of the night. The next day, she had to go to work, and when she came back, she had to go to the hospital to take care of her.
In just three days, I watched as my mother's face grew thinner, but she didn't say a word.
In winter, when the heating bill at home wasn't enough, she would go to the beach to collect seafood, and her ten fingers would get frostbite, but she would still buy us hot taiyaki (fish-shaped fritters)...
The wind carried the dandelions from the rooftop. As Banami listened to the girl recounting her mother's hardships, his nose suddenly felt a little sore. He wanted to reach out his hand, but there still seemed to be a slight distance between them.
Then, Chu Hua said in a resolute voice, "So I swore a long time ago that if I have a child, I will never let the child grow up without a father, and I will never let them grow up in a single-parent family."
I don't want to... become like my mother.
As she said this, Hatsuka's body trembled slightly, and she said to Banami with a slightly tearful voice, "It's also possible that it's just because I can't endure hardship."
Because she had experienced hardship and poverty, she was afraid of ending up in the same situation as her mother.
Hearing the girl's self-deprecating remark, Banami finally couldn't help but gently hold her hands and whisper, "No, I will take good care of the child, because I am the child's father."
Chu Hua couldn't help but laugh, but then suddenly pouted and lightly kicked his knee with her toe: "Just taking care of the child?"
Seeing that she was still a little uncomfortable, Banai awkwardly changed the subject, asking, "Um... what did you and Hatsune talk about just now?"
"Oh, I made my sister promise to share a bed with us from now on," Chu Hua said casually, even winking at him on purpose.
"Huh?!" Banai realized what the other was thinking a beat too late, and then the beautiful scene of the two triangular sisters' graceful figures appearing before her eyes naturally came to mind.
"Pfft—" Chu Hua finally couldn't help but laugh out loud: "I knew you were thinking such naughty things! I'm only recently pregnant, and the doctor said I need to rest during the first three months. I was just teasing you."
"I know, how could I possibly expect something like that, really..."
"So, who's the bad guy who's got me on his back right now?" Chu Hua couldn't help but complain.
Why did you suddenly say something like that? It's a normal physiological reaction.
"However, if you behave well, Brother Xi, maybe one day Sister Chu Hua and I will be willing..."
Good heavens, this girl has already started stringing him along before the days are even over.
But I have to say, it's incredibly tempting.
Banami pinched her thigh hard, recited the Diamond Sutra twice in her mind, and then said, "What nonsense are you talking about? You should focus on taking care of the pregnancy now, and we can talk about the future later."
She stopped laughing, her eyes suddenly softened, and she reached out her arms to him, "Come here, give me a hug."
Ba Nai paused for a moment, then slowly reached out and gently pulled her into his arms. Chu Hua was very light, and she was unusually well-behaved in his arms, unlike before when she would easily get agitated.
She buried her head in his shoulder, her voice muffled, "Don't overthink it. Right now, I just want the child to experience fatherly love. And you, Xi-ge, still need to try your best to make me feel that I'm willing to be the mother of your child."
Oh dear, it's just asking me to pursue you, why make it sound so ambiguous? That's why Japanese girls are really something.
No, she's a mother now.
However, since the other party was, after all, a teenage mother, all Banami could say was, whatever you say is right.
However, to his surprise, Chu Hua was thinking about the scene of chatting with Hatsune Miku earlier.
"Hatsune-nee, I won't go into other things, but I'm sorry for what happened. However, I will make it up to you," Chu Hua said in a light tone.
Hatsune's eyes held a hint of resentment as she pouted and said, "You're already pregnant with Yuuki's child..."
How can we make up for it?
Chu Hua laughed and said, "Then I'll just get you pregnant too."
"Eh?! But... but I..." Hatsune was a little embarrassed to admit her quirk.
However, Chu Hua said, "I know... what if I told you that I'm confident I can cure your quirk?"
Suddenly, Hatsune's eyes changed.
Chu Hua thought to herself that she had actually come up with that method a long time ago, but she was unwilling to do so before. Now that she was a mother, it didn't matter anymore.
As compensation to Hatsune Miku, Hatsuka says: I'll help you.
Chapter Four: Pregnancy Makes You Silly for Three Years
Ave Mujica's debut was a rocket-like frenzy, exploding in the rock and idol scene for days—especially the final showdown between the real and fake Dolores, which was edited into countless clips and repeatedly circulated, with topics like "The Masked Battle Under the Twin Moons" and "Doloris is actually Misaka Mikoto" sweeping across social media platforms.
Both its musicality and the off-stage buzz it generated were off the charts.
When Banami and Hatsuka returned to Haneoka Girls' Academy with their schoolbags, it was as if it were only natural that Hatsuka was surrounded by her classmates.
Unlike the outside world, who was still speculating about who the "fake Doloris" was, Class 1 of Haneoka Academy knew long ago that Misaki Hatsuka had an older sister, Hatsune Miku, so they naturally identified her as Hatsune Miku.
Even if it's just a fake Doloris, being able to perform on the same stage as Ave Mujica and Misumi Hatsuka already makes them, as students, incredibly envious.
Needless to say, people's opinion of the "fake Dolores" is not low.
"Hatsune Miku! Was that last performance pre-arranged, or was it a genuine emergency?"
"The guitar solos by the two Dolores were amazing! I didn't know you were such a good guitarist, Hatsune Miku?"
"Hey, can you tell me who Miss Ob is? Some people say that Metis is Miss Ruoye Mutsu, is that true?"
The girls surrounded him, chattering excitedly, their eyes filled with admiration.
Chu Hua laughed it off and brushed off the topic, but she didn't expect everyone to have such high praise for her, and she was quite happy.
It seems that although she lost to her sister, she is "not bad" in everyone's eyes.
Then, she said in a Versailles-like manner, "Actually, it's nothing, just improvisation."
This caused the girls to burst into laughter again.
Chihaya Aine, who was not far away, was leaning on the table with her eyes shining. She nudged Nagasaki Motoyo next to her and said, "Motoyo, look! Hatsuka is so amazing now! Our MYGO must become a professional band too, and stand on a big stage like Ave Mujica!"
Su Shi glanced at her, twirling a pen in her hand, her tone colder than the early winter wind outside: "You haven't given up on this stupid idea yet? Being a professional band member isn't that easy."
"I'm not stupid!" Ai Yin puffed out her cheeks. "Miss Xiangzi and the others did it, so we definitely can too!"
"You're sneaking around with Zero-chan, aren't you?!" Aine quickly looked for help, but Little Light, who was standing there in a daze, blinked.
"Hatsuka-chan and the others are amazing, I can't compare to them..." Her tone was very sincere.
Ai Yin immediately broke down: "Xiao Deng, don't give up! Keep trying!"
Su Shi couldn't help but complain, "Isn't Aine the one who should be practicing the most?"
Just as the two were bickering, Chu Hua's expression suddenly changed—a familiar feeling of nausea rose in her throat, and she abruptly pushed aside the girls surrounding her, quickly walking towards Banami who had just entered the classroom: "Yu-ge! Come on, come with me to buy breakfast!"
Before Banai could react, she was dragged out by the arm, leaving behind a classroom full of confused students. It wasn't until they turned into the secluded media building that Chu Hua finally shook off his hand, rushed into the restroom, and began to vomit violently, her face as white as paper.
Seeing that no one was around, Banai quietly entered the women's restroom, quickly handing over tissues and warm water, her brows furrowed: "You're vomiting so badly, why don't you take leave and go home to rest during your pregnancy? It's not a good idea to force yourself to go to school like this."
Chu Hua rinsed her mouth, leaned against the wall to catch her breath, and waved her hand: "No way." She looked at her pale but still stubborn face in the mirror, and her voice softened a little.
"This is my last bit of girlhood, so I have to enjoy it to the fullest."
In a few months, her pregnant belly will be impossible to hide, and it's uncertain whether she can continue to stay at school. Even if she can, everyone will definitely look at her as a "pregnant student" instead of "the Miku Miku who can step onto the stage."
Although the married high school girl mom is very charming in the world of anime, Banami understands how much this affects Hatsuka's life, so she can't help but hold Hatsuka's hand and say, "I'm sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing?" Chu Hua glared at him, then laughed. "This was clearly my own decision, it has nothing to do with you." She patted his arm and teased, "Besides, I'm temporarily hiding my pregnancy, so you don't need to feel so much pressure, right, Xi-ge?"
Apart from Shoko, Hatsune, and the Toyokawa family, no one at school knew she was pregnant; even Aine and Suze were kept in the dark.
Although I don't intend to keep it a secret forever, I'll at least give him some time to process it and tell everyone slowly.
However, Chu Hua's actions made him feel more and more like a real father.
Although she didn't know what the child would be like, the thought of becoming a father made Banami unable to help but smile foolishly, her smile even more uncontrollable than an AK.
After resting for a while, the two returned to the classroom, where Ai-yin was distributing a bag of snacks to everyone.
As the school's go-to source of information and a beauty from all walks of life, Ai Yin is popular not only because of her good looks and sweet voice, but also because she often gives the girls small snacks.
In her words, goodwill doesn't come out of nowhere; you have to make the most of your time to cultivate it.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Ai Yin handed her snacks to Chu Hua and exclaimed, "Sanko-kun, these spicy konjac noodles are super delicious! I remember you like spicy food, right? Try them!"
Seeing that Banai was quick-witted and snatched the konjac noodles away, she subconsciously said, "What are you eating? You're not suited to eat this."
Chu Hua's expression froze instantly, and Ai Yin was also stunned, her face full of confusion.
Banai realized what was happening and quickly tried to cover it up: "I mean, this stuff is greasy and unhealthy, it's not good to eat too much of it."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Chu Hua quickly chimed in, clutching her stomach and pretending to be sick. "Last time I went to eat Mapo Tofu with Brother Xi, my stomach hurt from the spiciness. Now I'm afraid of spicy food and can't eat it at all."
Ai Yin then dispelled her doubts, muttered "Okay," and turned to hand snacks to Takamatsu Akari.
Chu Hua secretly glared at Banami and mouthed "idiot" to him. Banami looked innocent, but his mind was still on his fantasy of becoming a father.
During recess, Ai-yin grabbed Soyorin's hand and said excitedly, "Soyorin! I heard the school's vending machines have started selling hot drinks. I heard they're super delicious, let's go try them!"
"I'll go too!" Chu Hua immediately raised her hand, thinking that she could take the opportunity to move around and avoid feeling nauseous from being bored in the classroom.
"Why drink hot beverages? The things sold in vending machines are so high in sugar, they're not healthy at all," said Banami, trying to stop her.
After saying that, he took out a thermos from his schoolbag, handed it to Chu Hua, and said, "Drink this. It's red date and goji berry tea that I brewed. It's warm and nourishing, much healthier than beverages."
A slightly smug expression appeared on his face, as if he was saying that he had specially cooked for the pregnant woman, which was enough to show his care, right?
Seeing his smug look, Chu Hua couldn't help but cover her face, wishing she could disappear into the ground. She muttered under her breath, "This idiot..."
Only then did Banai notice Aisu's puzzled yet slightly suspicious look. He coughed and said, "Uh, what I mean is, I cooked this for you all. Come and have some to nourish yourselves."
Although they made up for it, Ai and Su still felt that Banami was acting a little strange today.
Chu Hua thought to herself, "They say pregnancy makes you stupid for three years, but this expectant father looks even dumber than me now."
Chapter Five: The Mother's View of Her Daughter-in-Law Grows Increasingly Unhappy
The midday sun shone through the gauze curtains of the Astronomy Department, casting dappled patterns of light on the floor.
The dining table, pieced together from several student desks, was filled with colorful lunchboxes. The most eye-catching item was the insulated food box in the center—the stir-fried vegetables were vibrant green, the steamed egg custard had a unique aroma of mushrooms, and there was a bowl of chicken soup with a little oil floating on top. The aroma wafted out from the gaps in the food box, making one's mouth water.
"Wow—Yu-kun, when did your cooking skills become so good!" Chihaya Aine exclaimed, her mouth bulging as she held her rice bowl.
Banai smiled and said, "If you like it, eat more, just don't spit your food on me. I don't mind eating your saliva, but Suze's mother will look unhappy."
Ai Yin gave a soft hum, seemingly not wanting to pay any attention to this guy, but she still accepted the food he made without hesitation.
However, Aine was unaware that as she spoke, Banami kept glancing at Hatsuka, who was taking small bites of steamed egg custard.
Meanwhile, Nagasaki Sose paused in her hand as she picked up rice, giving Aine a cold glance. This idiot really didn't know that Banai saw that this guy was actually a very good cook, even better than hers. The main reason was that he also had a skill in Chinese cuisine that Sose hadn't yet learned.
The problem is... my gaze involuntarily drifts to Hanami across from me. He himself doesn't seem to have touched his chopsticks much, but he's quite actively serving food to others.
"Su Shi's mother, try this steamed chicken. I used shallots, which are really hard to find in Japan." With that, she picked up a piece of chicken for her.
It was delicious, but it made Su Shi even more suspicious. He said, "If someone is being unusually kind, they must have ulterior motives."
She knew Banami's personality all too well. This girl was lazy to the core. She would make do with bread and instant noodles when no one was cooking. Unless there was some special reason, she would never bother to make such a "nutritional balanced" lunch.
Moreover, although he served everyone food, Su Shi noticed a detail: this guy... actually served food to Sankaku Hatsuka as well.
Although the two were more like good buddies before, Bana always felt that this action made her feel a little strange.
Before she could continue observing, Chu Hua gently wiped her lips with a tissue and said, "I'm going to the restroom."
Then he left rather abruptly, even though he hadn't eaten much, but Aine and Xiaodeng didn't seem to realize anything.
Banami pretended to pick up two pieces of food with her chopsticks before putting them down and saying, "I'm going to the restroom too."
With two people suddenly missing from the Astronomy Club, Aine said with a hint of something odd, "I feel like Miku-kun is acting a bit strange today."
Although she didn't think in any outrageous direction, the girl's unique sensitivity still caught on to something.
"But, Triangle-kun, he didn't look annoyed or sad..." Xiaodeng's answer was still a bit off-key.
If it were someone who was sick and in pain, they would definitely show that kind of emotion, but Chu Hua actually looked rather happy.
Su Shi didn't reply. She stared at the phone that Banami had left on the corner of the table, a hint of suspicion flashing in her eyes.
Misaka Hatsuka is a cunning girl, so checking her things would be a waste of time, but Banami... She remembered how the boy used to always be grinning at his phone, not knowing what he was looking at, and a thought suddenly popped into her head.
"I'll go get them some water." Su Shi stood up calmly, casually slipped Banami's phone into her pocket, and turned to go into the next lounge. The moment she closed the door, she immediately turned on the screen—sure enough, there was a lock screen password.
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