C19 Two Dolls

Although Kurumi had her reservations, Lin Mu couldn't help but be astounded when he witnessed her shooting skills. While her accuracy wasn't quite the perfect score he achieved, Lin Mu was fairly certain of one thing: Kurumi must have had extensive experience with firearms.

By the time they left the shooting range, it was well past three in the afternoon. Having subsisted on nothing but a single cup of coffee since the morning, Lin Mu's hunger had reached the point where he felt his stomach might cave in.

Wandering down a snack street, Lin Mu's eyes lit up at the sight of a very familiar Chinese treat – Chestnut Crisp. The nostalgia hit him hard; even in a foreign land, the taste of home could evoke such warmth and closeness, especially for someone like Lin Mu, who felt as though he was in a world apart.

Noticing Lin Mu's wistful expression, Kurumi followed his gaze and remarked, "That looks really tasty."

Lin Mu beamed with pride at her interest. "Right? Want to give it a try?"

With a charming smile, Kurumi replied, "If that's what you'd like, Lord Lin Mu."

"Hehe, then let's have some," Lin Mu said, scratching his head sheepishly. He approached the vendor and requested, "Uncle, could I have two Chestnut Crisps, please?" He spoke without a hitch, but it dawned on him only afterward that he had instinctively slipped into his mother tongue – Chinese – upon seeing the familiar dish.

Ready to clarify his order in Japanese, fearing the vendor might not have understood, Lin Mu was taken aback when the stall owner responded with a look of delight, speaking in fluent Chinese, "Oh, young man, are you also from China? It's like meeting an old friend in a foreign land, isn't it?"

As Lin Mu nodded in surprise, the stall owner's enthusiasm grew. "Come on, as a fellow Chinese in a foreign country, I've got to offer you a discount. How about this: you pay for one, and I'll throw in the second as a gift!"

"No, no, that won't be necessary, Uncle. You work hard for your money," Lin Mu protested, waving his hands dismissively. He wasn't one to seek undue advantages, especially not from a fellow countryman.

The result was a comical back-and-forth, with the buyer insisting on paying the full price and the seller adamant about accepting only half.

Ultimately, Lin Mu couldn't outstubborn the big-hearted shop owner, who had laid out his terms clearly: "Either pay up a portion, or I won't take a dime."

With no other choice, Lin Mu relented and handed over the money, but not without securing a promise from the "acquaintance from afar" to call on him for help with any future troubles. Lin Mu pledged to assist as best he could.

The uncle was visibly moved by the gesture. "You're a good man, young fella."

Lin Mu chuckled awkwardly. "Really?" Where he came from, being called a "good person" wasn't always a compliment.

"Absolutely! And hey, not to pry, but your girlfriend is stunning—a real credit to our country," the uncle said heartily, clapping Lin Mu on the shoulder and casting a glance at Kurumi, who looked on in confusion, unable to follow their conversation.

Lin Mu's smile faltered as he clarified, "She's not my girlfriend..."

"Ah, come on, don't be shy! There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I used to read fortunes before selling chestnut treats, and I've never seen a couple more suited for each other than you two," the uncle insisted.

...

It was a full half-hour before the uncle finally let Lin Mu leave. Walking down the street, Lin Mu wore a look of existential doubt, while Kurumi, ever curious, remarked, "That uncle was quite a character, too bad I couldn't understand your chat..."

"Yes... lucky indeed," Lin Mu replied.

Their conversation was interrupted as the sky turned overcast. Lin Mu looked up just in time for a raindrop to hit him squarely in the eye.

"Huh? Rain again?" Lin Mu voiced his surprise. It had stormed just a few days prior, and another downpour seemed too soon.

But with the rain coming down, there was no sense in staying outside to get soaked.

"Let's duck into the commercial plaza building over there to escape the rain," Lin Mu suggested to Kurumi at his side.

Kurumi nodded in agreement, signaling no objections.

Together, they strolled unhurriedly toward the nearby plaza, their relaxed pace a stark contrast to the other pedestrians who dashed by in a hurry.

To the observant eye, it was clear that as Lin Mu and Kurumi stepped under the shelter of the building, the first damp spots of rain began to dot the ground.

It was Lin Mu's first visit to this trading square, so Kurumi, ever considerate, joined him as they aimlessly wandered.

That was until, in the entertainment area, Lin Mu spotted two familiar figures. One was his dear friend, Itsuka Shido, and the other, exuding excitement, was the elf known as the princess.

"Oh, has Lord Lin Mu run into someone he knows? Should we say hello?" Kurumi inquired with a playful smile.

Lin Mu, however, shook his head with composure. "Let's not. They're on a date, after all. It would be rude to interrupt."

"Really?" Kurumi's eyes narrowed slightly, her tone taking on a hint of intrigue.

Lin Mu remained silent, simply watching as Shido and the princess elf tried their luck at the claw machine.

Soon after, Shido and the princess elf departed, proudly carrying a "Soybean Bread" toy they had won together.

Lin Mu shrugged, then peering out at the clearing sky, he turned to Kurumi and suggested, "Looks like the rain stopped. Shall we head out?"

Kurumi, however, declined with a shake of her head, her delicate finger pointing towards the claw machine Shido and the others had played with. "That looks like fun," she remarked.

Surprised, Lin Mu asked, "You're interested in that, too?"

Kurumi giggled behind her hand, "Wouldn't it be rude to assume otherwise?"

After a brief pause, Lin Mu offered, "Sorry about that... As an apology, tell me which toy you like, and I'll win it for you."

"Really now, Lord Lin Mu, are you implying you're quite the expert at this?" Kurumi teased, tapping her porcelain-like chin as she posed the question to Lin Mu.

Lin Mu scratched his cheek, "Well, I wouldn't say I'm an expert... I've got a bit of know-how."

Kurumi cocked her head, "Really? Well then, I'll take you up on that."

With that, she made her way to one of the claw machines, which was brimming with plush toys of little animals.

Lin Mu trailed behind and eyed the machine before him, then ventured, "Kurumi, do you have a soft spot for animals?"

Kurumi didn't respond to Lin Mu's inquiry this time, merely offering a slight smile before pointing at a cat plushie inside the machine. "How about this one?"

Lin Mu turned to assess the toy's position. "Hmm... The angle's a bit tricky, but I think it's manageable..."

With those words, Lin Mu dropped a hundred-yuan coin into the slot and began maneuvering the controls.

He lined up the direction, tweaked the angle, waited for the right moment, and released!

The claw, guided by Lin Mu's steady hand, wobbled toward the sea of plushies. Despite the initial instability, it eventually, just as Lin Mu had calculated, snatched the cat-shaped toy firmly within its grasp.

Lin Mu exhaled, confident that things would proceed as he had predicted...

The claw retracted slowly, its oscillation causing the once-securely held toy to teeter precariously, as if it could tumble down any second, the claw's erratic motion only heightening the suspense.

Kurumi, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but tense up with anticipation.

But then... just as the claw hovered above the prize chute, the wobbling plushie slipped from its grip...

A look of disappointment flickered in Kurumi's eyes, but it was swiftly replaced by delight. Due to the claw's erratic shaking, the toy had slipped free just as it swung over the chute, and, serendipitously, the plushie was flung straight into the prize hole!

Thud...

That was the sound of the toy landing in the collection bin...