Just at this moment, a familiar red silhouette appeared in the distant crowd, entering Aoto’s peripheral vision.
“Ashi, I think my friend is back. Excuse me for leaving first, let’s meet again if fate allows.”
After leaving this remark, without waiting for Ozuki Minoru’s response, Aoto picked up the two cups of sweet water bought from the tea stall and directly turned around, diving into the crowd beside him.
“Ah? Hey...”
Ozuki Minoru’s “hey” crashed into the empty space before her, merging into the heavy air.
She stared blankly at the front where Aoto’s figure was no longer visible, then showed an angry and embarrassed expression, stamping her foot forcefully.
“What the hell...! It’s rare for me to take the initiative to greet you, a mere ‘Blockhead Don’... what pretentiousness...!”
“Little Ashi, finally found you. Weren’t you going to buy tea water? What are you doing here?”
“Ah, dear husband.”
Ozuki Minoru turned around in response to the voice, looking at the four young men striding towards her.
The leading person among these four youths had two ornate swords hanging at his waist. His clothes were as lavish as his swords, and his glossy black hair was meticulously styled in a Tsukushi haircut, with features that could be considered handsome.
This person was Ozuki Minoru’s husband: Ozuki Changci.
“I happened to run into an old acquaintance,” Ozuki Minoru confessed, “so I came over to greet him.”
“An old acquaintance?” Changci blinked, “Who?”
“Oh, it’s the ‘Blockhead Don’ I often mentioned to you.”
Ozuki Minoru’s eyes and tone revealed unabashed disdain and sarcasm.
“‘Blockhead Don’... oh, oh!” Changci lightly patted his notably smooth forehead, shaved with a Tsukushi haircut, “That big fool who always harbors the delusion of ‘wanting to marry you’ without realizing it...”
With that said, Changci displayed a contemptuous expression very much in sync with Ozuki Minoru.
“Is he still here?”
“He already left, said he was going to find friends. Ha, it’s surprising that such a dull fool actually has friends to hang out with and watch fireworks.”
“Already gone... what a pity, I was hoping to see what this fool who’s famous for being foolish looks like.”
“Mr. Ozuki.” The shorter young man standing beside Changci chimed in, “Who is this ‘Blockhead Don’ you’re talking about?”
The three young men surrounding Changci were all his friends.
“Oh oh, it’s a childhood friend of mine who likes to make assumptions and doesn’t know their own worth.”
After a chuckle, Ozuki Minoru briefly recounted her past with Aoto.
Of course—Ozuki Minoru adopted all statements that were favorable to her.
For instance: Turning Original Tachibana Aoto’s admiration into simply coveting her body.
For instance: For all of Original Tachibana Aoto’s gifts, she always accepted them with an “inclusive” attitude, but she framed it as “I’ve clearly told him not to give me gifts anymore, but he just wouldn’t listen, continually forcing some weird gifts on me.”
Also, she never clearly responded to Original Tachibana Aoto’s feelings but forcibly twisted it into her having already rejected his pursuit, yet the other party persistently clung to her.
Portraying Original Tachibana Aoto as a toad lusting after swan meat without self-awareness.
Portraying herself as an innocent, pure white lotus.
In fact, even Changci was deceived by this wife of his.
Having never seen Aoto’s face, Changci’s understanding of Aoto mainly came from Ozuki Minoru’s verbal descriptions.
Listening to Ozuki Minoru’s denigration against Aoto for years, Changci had long unknowingly filled with disdain and prejudice against him.
Through Ozuki Minoru’s distorted fabrications, Changci’s friends now collectively displayed.
“Really, there’s such an ungrateful person in this world...”
“Such a person is just too shameless.”
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, what’s the full name of this ‘Blockhead Don’?”
“Tachibana Aoto,” Ozuki Minoru replied, “If it were just character issues, that would be one thing, but this person’s ability in dealing with people and matters is also indefensible.”
“You know how he got his nickname ‘Blockhead Don’, right?”
“After taking over his deceased father’s position and becoming the new Dōshin at the North Guard Station Town Patrol, he botched many jobs, couldn’t even handle simple tasks. So, the officials at the North Guard Station bestowed upon him the nickname ‘Blockhead Don.'”
“It must be admitted, this nickname suits him perfectly.”
Having said that, Ozuki Minoru covered her mouth and laughed flamboyantly.
Changci and the others joined her in laughter.
Their surroundings brimmed with joyous air.
“However...”
Ozuki Minoru gradually stopped her laughter, suddenly changing the topic.
“It was odd to say the least. When I reunited with that ‘Blockhead Don’ just now, I noticed he seemed like a different person.””
“A different person?” Changci asked, “Did his appearance change a lot?”
“Not a change in appearance, but... the feeling he gave off was different.”
Speaking of this, a hint of confusion appeared in Ozuki Minoru’s gaze—Aoto’s earlier eyes and aura had left a vivid, deep impression on her.
All along, she quite looked down on Aoto.
He had the status of a samurai, a height far above the average for his age, and a face that was barely watchable.
Apart from these, there were no strengths worthy of elaborate mention.
In demeanor and conversation, he was timid, exuding an aura of insecurity.

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