Embarrassment has two meanings. First, it means that the situation is difficult and difficult to handle. Second, it describes the look and unnatural attitude.

Wugeng felt that he had achieved both of these two categories. Zhongyuan's words sounded like he was handing out good guy cards at the beginning, and in the middle he felt like he was expressing his emotions, and at the end he felt like he was confessing while taking advantage of the momentum.

Nishino interrupted at the most critical point, which made Wu Geng wonder if she had chosen the right time on purpose.

At this time, Nishino and Zhongyuan looked at each other, and Wu Geng was sandwiched between Zhongyuan. No matter how dull she was, she still felt an unusual atmosphere. The air-conditioning temperature in the room was just right, but she felt sweat on her forehead. The three of them

They stood there strangely inside and outside the door, the air was like gel. No one spoke.

Wu Geng felt that as the master of the house, she still had to break the tense atmosphere, but just when she was about to open her mouth, Nishino beat her to it.

"Why don't you come in and sit down? Zhongyuan Sang."

"...Well, I'm sorry, Nishino-san."

It stands to reason that this should be what Wu Geng, the provider of the gathering place, said. Nishino said this as if she was the owner of the house, and it was somewhat suspected of promoting sovereignty.

Wu Geng didn't think much about it, but was surprised when she heard Zhong Yuan's answer. She had invited Zhong Yuan many times, but Zhong Yuan declined them all, but when Nishino opened his mouth, she accepted instead. Wu Geng was puzzled.

.

Seeing Zhongyuan enter the house and close the door, he sat at the entrance and changed his shoes. He bowed slightly and said, "Excuse me..." and walked to the living room. Wu Geng, who stayed there, scratched his head, was a little startled, and followed.

passed.

Ikuta was excited, and when he saw Zhongyuan coming in, he rushed to greet him, and he was in an enthusiastic mood.

The dining table used for Wu Geng's family gathering is not big. It can normally accommodate six people. Eight people can squeeze in a little. But if there are more people, it will be very difficult. That's why we opened a balcony for the previous Christmas party.

The buffet format avoids the situation of many people crowding into a small table.

When they returned to the living room at five o'clock, Zhongyuan and Nishino were already seated. Ikuta pushed Xiao Asuka aside and started chatting and laughing with Zhongyuan.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Wu Geng was sandwiched between the two of them. She didn't think much and just sat over.

The Valentine's Day party is back on again.

As Zhongyuan said, the number of times she attends parties is not many, only a few, and she is far less open than the little master Ikuta Ko Asuka. Akimoto has shouldered the heavy responsibility of cooking many times, and besides, she is very good at taking care of her.

Human emotions, so I didn’t seem uncomfortable.

Only Zhongyuan, even though he was sitting there chatting with Ikuta, always felt like a guest and a trepidation. While dealing with Ikuta's rising emotions, he frequently looked back and looked at Wu Geng. It's no wonder that other members have some concerns about Zhongyuan.

get along with each other.

Wu Geng looked at Xi Ye beside him and found that her eyes were fixed on Zhong Yuan. Instead of her usual smiling expression, it was a bit like a state where the battery was exhausted. She was a little distracted and didn't know what she was thinking about.

Akimoto noticed the abnormality in Nishino's mood. She looked at Zhongyuan, who was slightly stiff, and took the initiative to hand over the last piece of cake. Zhongyuan thanked him in a panic and took it.

"Nana Sai." Qiu Yuan called Nishino in a low voice. Only then did she come back to her senses and look at Qiu Yuan blankly.

Seeing Nishino's expression, Akimoto wondered what happened at the entrance to make her so shaken, but this was not the time to ask.

Akimoto made a silent mouth shape.

chocolate.

Ah, Nishino woke up and put her hand into the canvas bag behind her. However, the moment she touched it, she stopped instead.

No, she said in her heart, it shouldn't be like this.

She turned her gaze back to Zhong Yuan's face, who was also looking at her intentionally or unintentionally.

Xi Ye's bad premonition gradually worsened.

Seeing Zhongyuan's expression in front of the door, she felt that something was wrong with the development of the matter. She saw Zhongyuan's panic and unnaturalness, including the hand that retracted from the bag.

chocolate.

If I just gave out chocolates, why would the other party show such an expression of being caught off guard? It contains apologies, shyness, and the regret of not being able to express important feelings.

What kind of feelings does Zhongyuan think about the fifth update? Thank you? Or something else?

Xi Ye had a rough guess in her mind, but could not confirm it. She was concerned in her heart, as if she was stuck in a quagmire. The more she tried to get out, the deeper she sank.

There's no escape, she thought.

Nishino sat upright and spoke under Qiu Yuan's confused gaze.

"Zhongyuan Sang..."

After hesitating for a while, he made up his mind.

"What did Zhongyuan Sang want to say to Xiaoxiao just outside the door?"

Perhaps because of her anxiety, her straight shots were crisp and fast, without any twists or detours. Even Nishino herself felt that it was not like she could say it out loud, and that it was somewhat aggressive.

Everyone was surprised by the courage revealed in Nishino's words, and their voices became softer.

"...something about work?" Gao Shan asked.

"What kind of work do I have to do on Valentine's Day night?" Ikoma complained.

Akimoto looked at Nishino worriedly.

Only the little flying bird was minding its own food.

"What's wrong with Hikari and Shiyao-chan?" Ikuta asked, looking at Zhongyuan.

"...No, it's nothing." Zhongyuan shook his head slightly.

"But Zhongyuan Sang did want to say something outside the door just now, right?"

Nishino's voice was a little louder and more urgent, almost following Zhongyuan's answer.

These words, which were like questions, made the atmosphere at the table stagnant for a moment.

"Actually, it's nothing. Hiyaxiang just came to express her gratitude. You see, didn't I help her get rid of the illegitimate meal last year? I remember telling Na-chan about it later."

There was something a little bit wrong with the atmosphere, so Wu Geng had no choice but to step forward and smooth things over.

"So that's it." Nishino nodded and smiled.

Wu Gen breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Nishino then said

"But I asked Zhongyuan Sang, why did Xiao Xiao answer? And when did Xiao Xiao start calling Zhong Yuan Sang Riya Xiang?"

The smile on Nishino's face was as usual, but at five o'clock, he suddenly shivered and felt a chill lingering around him.

Ikoma, who was still quarreling at first, suddenly calmed down. He looked at Nishino who was smiling, and then at Wu Geng who was sweating coldly. He shrank his neck and said nothing. Takayama and Akimoto looked at each other and both looked at each other.

Didn't speak.

The chopsticks holding the chicken legs in the little bird's hands stopped in mid-air. He couldn't take them back or put them back. He flattened his lips and looked at Wu Geng as if asking for help.

Although Wu Geng was uneasy under Nishino's subtle gaze, he finally did not ignore Xiao Asuka's embarrassment.

She coughed slightly and said, "Feiniao, you can eat if you want..."

This was not really a proper rescue method, but the little Asuka was somewhat clever. She blinked, changed her chopsticks, and placed the chicken legs on the plate in front of Ikuta.

"Ikuta-chan, here you go, are you not full yet? Eat more, don't be hungry."

This trick was really clever, killing two birds with one stone and resolving the embarrassment while highlighting the love between the group. Before Ikuta could react, there was already an extra chicken drumstick on the plate.

Zhongyuan on the side pursed his lips.

She came uninvited, and she was apologizing inappropriately. She felt that she had disturbed the gathering of several people, so her attitude was naturally a little weaker. Faced with Nishino's pursuit of two consecutive questions, she hesitated in her heart and did not answer directly. Instead, she jumped.

Wu Geng, who came out to lighten the atmosphere, was shot.

"I just want to say thank you to Shixiao-chan." She said softly in the silent space.

"Why?"

"...He helped me get rid of the smuggling incident last time."

"Last time? What happened last October? Now thanks?"

"..."

The conversation stopped here.

It was only at this time that I realized what it meant to be on pins and needles, especially since she was sandwiched between the two of them, like a new recruit who accidentally entered the battlefield, at a loss what to do in the hail of bullets.

She glanced at Ikuta and Ko Asuka, and found that the two people, who were usually noisy, were sitting upright at this moment, as well-behaved as children who made mistakes and were scolded by adults, and did not dare to express their anger.

Especially Xiao Feiniao, whose face turned red from nervousness. It was probably the first time he had experienced such a smoke-filled scene. He winked at Wu Geng frequently, and his meaning of "please do something quickly" was very clear.

The critical fifth update is at the center of the incident, and it is difficult to protect oneself, so how can one have the energy to think about turning the tide.

Nishino is very strange, no, more than strange, it is simply abnormal, supernormal, black and violent.

She still has a smile on her face. She is definitely angry when she is angry, but to what extent she is angry and why she is angry is still at a loss. She always feels that there is a huge misunderstanding.

This awkward and embarrassing atmosphere lasted for about a few minutes. It felt like several years had passed, and the day of my coming-of-age ceremony was not far away.

"...Well, you guys talk first, I'll go to the bathroom."

She finally couldn't bear it anymore. Every minute she stayed here was torture, so she had no choice but to get away temporarily and go out to calm down. She tried not to look at the "you traitor!" look from Xiao Feiniao and the others.

When she was about to stand up and leave, Zhongyuan grabbed her arm.
To be continued...