Shiina Mahiru, during the conversation with the other party, or rather while one-sidedly listening to her lecture, had basically come to understand the entire situation.
Although she had been saved, her heart was filled with bitterness. After all, not only did she have to leave this place, which she had already expected, but most importantly, she had to leave with someone else.
What would her future life be like? Although it had already been full of uncertainty before, it had now become even more unclear.
And she had never expected her mother to continue speaking at this moment.
"Oh, and I'll be taking back the place where you're currently living. You can move your belongings out during these two days, just in time to relocate there."
At this moment, Shiina Mahiru could only nod silently, until the other party finished giving instructions. Then she watched as the other party greeted someone, took them along, and left, leaving the three of them looking at each other.
Shiro then walked over and looked at her.
"Honestly, if I didn't know what your family situation was like, I would definitely think that person wasn't your biological mother, let alone an evil stepmother."
"To be honest, even I'm surprised; I didn't expect her to be that cruel."
Shiina Mahiru heard Shiro's teasing, but she didn't mind it. Instead, she shook her head with a bitter expression.
"I'm already used to it."
When they heard that, both of them seemed to feel the immense sadness hidden within those words, and for a moment neither knew what to say.
Hiratsuka Shizuka then rubbed her temples, feeling somewhat helpless. She truly couldn't say anything about this kind of situation.
Seeing her dejected expression, she comforted her with a few words before slowly speaking.
"If you don't have anywhere to stay, why don't you come live with me?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka instinctively extended the invitation at that moment.
Shiina Mahiru did not answer, while Shiro spoke in a thoughtful tone.
"You're trying to steal her from me, aren't you?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka felt somewhat embarrassed when she heard that.
Indeed, her actions did seem as though she was deliberately trying to take someone away.
"Ahem, I'm doing this for her own good. After all, living with you, a grown man, isn't as convenient as living with me, is it?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka said that with a completely serious face and a tone as if she were stating something perfectly natural.
"Heh heh, are you sure living with you is convenient, and not just a way to find someone to clean up after you? Do I need to remind you what your room looks like?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka's face first turned red when she heard that, because she had been exposed. Then she quickly reacted, realizing something.
"No, I just realized something. How do you know about that?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka was stunned at that moment, looking at Shiro with a strange expression full of questions, as if saying:
"How the hell did you get that information?"
Shiro looked at her expression, then shrugged and answered in a tone as though he were stating something completely obvious.
"Don't you think that with your personality, the state of your home can hardly be very good? So I just made a blind guess and didn't expect to hit the mark. Looks like your home really, really is messy."
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked at Shiro and his calm expression while countless exclamation marks appeared in her mind. Then she gritted her teeth but still tried to defend herself.
"Is there a possibility that I'm simply normally very busy, so I don't have time to clean up, and that's why it's a little messy?"
At that moment, both of them looked at her in the same way. One already knew the truth and therefore showed no reaction, while the other tilted her head, her eyes full of confusion, wondering:
"Is that really the case?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka also noticed the other person's expression, and at that moment she felt extremely annoyed. After all, because of one particular guy, her reputation had been ruined, completely ruined.
Shiro found her sulking expression quite amusing, so he continued adding fuel to the fire.
"You said living with you is convenient. Are you sure living with me isn't more convenient? After all, I don't live alone; Lala and Mikan are there, and Yui occasionally comes by to visit. Don't you think that's better than staying with you?"
When Hiratsuka Shizuka heard those names and those words, she immediately began criticizing him in her mind.
Is that the problem?
If it were a normal situation, she would completely agree. After all, it was precisely because of the people he mentioned that she was worried about him.
You know, if she stays with you, she probably won't last even two days; you'll most likely completely seduce her on the first night after her birthday. That's exactly what I'm worried about.
"Also, it's already late. Personally, I suggest we take her home immediately to pack her things."
"I suspect her mother will probably empty the house within the next day or two."
Shiina Mahiru snapped out of her thoughts when she heard those words and also realized that the other party was indeed capable of doing such a thing.
"Um, how about I go back tomorrow? I won't trouble Shizuka-sensei."
Shiina Mahiru was thinking of returning tomorrow to pack her belongings and take care of everything that needed to be done.
Hiratsuka Shizuka felt very helpless when she heard that form of address and immediately corrected her.
"Didn't I tell you, Mahiru? Don't call me 'Auntie'! I haven't reached that stage yet!"
Hiratsuka Shizuka firmly refused to let the energetic high school girl in front of her call her aunt.
After all, with such a form of address, her nearly thirty years would immediately turn into forty, so she firmly rejected that title.
However, Shiina Mahiru could not understand why the other party was reacting so strongly.
Shiro watched the two of them and showed that he understood why the other party was so sensitive about that form of address.
"Mahiru-chan, let's leave that aside for now. Let's first go to your house and pack your things."
"As for coming back tomorrow and packing by yourself, forget it. After all, we're already all here, so let's take care of it together."
"You know it's easier when you have other people helping you, don't you understand? Don't always think that you have to solve everything by yourself."
Shiina Mahiru pursed her lips when she heard that, then nodded firmly.
Shiro looked at her and thought that for such a simple thing, her heart was filled with emotions. How much love had she been deprived of because of everything she had gone through?
He simply felt that this girl was somewhat naive, the kind of person who could be led away with nothing more than a single lollipop.
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