69novels Chapter 144 The guilty Qingzi
Chapter 144 The guilty Qingzi
After changing into normal modern clothes, the stares that seemed to be pressing against me decreased significantly on the way back to the mansion.
After all, unless someone is wearing a very conspicuous black cloak, most people won't stare intently at a stranger on a busy street.
Of course, this was on the premise that Arthur kept his hat brim lowered and toned down his overly dazzling aura.
Pushing open the heavy doors of the mansion, the hall was filled with the familiar aroma of black tea.
Just like before they set off, Yuzhu and the others sat upright on the sofa, quietly flipping through the magic books in their hands.
Hearing the door open, she slightly raised her eyes and turned her gaze to the entryway.
"Miss Yuzhu, we're back."
Arthur took off his vintage newsboy cap and greeted Yuzhu.
The off-white knitted wool sweater perfectly accentuated his broad shoulders and strong muscle lines, adding a reassuring sense of gentleness.
Yuzhu's gaze lingered on Arthur for a brief moment. She had to admit that once the cloak was removed, the man's exterior was indeed very deceptive.
"Hmm." Yuzhu responded softly, then looked away and returned her gaze to the pages of the book.
Aoko changed into slippers in the entryway and tiptoed into the living room.
After a while, the sound of turning pages in the hall paused.
Yuzhu slowly raised her deep, dark eyes and stared directly at Aozaki Aoko, who was slowly moving towards the stairs.
It's too quiet.
Given Qingzi's lively personality—she always complains loudly or boasts when she comes back from going out—her current behavior is unusually quiet.
Yuzhu narrowed her eyes slightly, keenly catching the fleeting...guilt on Qingzi's face?
"Aoko." Arisu spoke softly, her voice low, yet it filled Aoko, standing at the foot of the stairs, with fear. "What have you done?"
As her roommate, how could Aoko's guilty look escape her notice?
"Huh? What... what can I do?"
Aoko shuddered and quickly pulled Arthur in front of her as a shield, abruptly changing the subject:
"Look, look, what do you think of Arthur's outfit? I have great taste, don't I? Isn't it perfect?"
That's much more normal than that tattered black cloak, right? No one would give him a second glance on the street!
Aoko made up some excuses, trying to bluff her way out of it.
Before leaving home, she patted her chest and promised "I will never let Arthur be noticed," but she almost caused a traffic jam on the shopping street.
If Yuzhu knew this, she would definitely scold him!
Yuzhu turned her gaze back to Arthur, and following Aoko's words, commented casually, "The clothes are indeed nice, but..."
Before she could finish speaking, Yuzhu's gaze instantly sharpened, and an almost tangible sense of pressure locked onto Aoko:
"Don't change the subject, Aoko. What are you feeling guilty about?"
Aoko opened her mouth, and a bead of cold sweat even appeared on her forehead.
How was she supposed to answer that?!
You can't exactly say, "Sorry, because this guy is too handsome, the probability of your family being targeted by the church or the Magic Association has just tripled!"
"Ring ring ring... Ring ring ring...!"
Just as Aoko's little brain was racing and she was about to face the witch's judgment, the old-fashioned black rotary dial telephone in the corner of the hall suddenly rang.
For Aozaki Aoko at that moment, the piercing ringing of the bell was nothing short of a blessing from an angel!
"Coming! Coming! I'll come to pick you up!"
Qingzi felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She rushed forward like a gust of wind, grabbed the telephone receiver that she usually found troublesome, and spoke with the urgency of escaping death:
"Hey! This is the Kuonji residence!"
"Oh, it's such a blessing from God to hear your energetic voice at this beautiful midday."
On the other end of the phone came a man's voice that was gentle yet sacred, but which instantly gave Aoko goosebumps.
"Stop trying to disgust me, Wenbing Yongli."
The moment Aoko heard that voice, her guilt and panic when facing Yuzu vanished without a trace, replaced by intense wariness and disgust.
"Speak quickly, what do you want by calling, you hypocritical priest?"
On the other end of the phone, Wen Bingyongli chuckled softly, and with the rustling sound of turning pages, he spoke slowly and deliberately:
"Don't be so cold, Aoko. As co-managers of the spiritual land of Misaki Town, we are at least in a cooperative relationship. I'm just here to check in as usual."
Late last night, there was that exaggerated "earthquake" in the direction of the deep mountains, which even shattered the highest level of protective barrier...
I wonder if the two noble witches were frightened?
Aoko's heart skipped a beat for a moment.
The church's nose is indeed very sharp...
Qingzi forced herself to steady herself and let out a cold laugh:
"It was just a minor mishap during the testing of the barrier, so the church need not worry about it. Since we didn't blow your church to smithereens, please mind your own business."
"A barrier test? What a perfunctory, yet plausible, excuse."
Father Yongli's voice still held a smile, but the probing hidden behind that smile made Qingzi increasingly uncomfortable.
"Well then, let's leave the question about the barrier at that. Now, another question: just now, my parishioners reported something very interesting to me."
The voice on the other end of the phone paused slightly:
"They said they saw our noble Miss Aozaki on the shopping street in Misaki-cho..."
She was shopping for clothes with a tall, blond, blue-eyed stranger who exuded a strong exotic charm.
Aoko tightened her grip on the receiver.
Although she never expected to completely hide Arthur's existence from that mad dog, Moon Byung-yong-ri.
After all, it's impossible to completely hide a living person who suddenly appears in a Western-style mansion.
But she had just taken Arthur out today, and they had barely returned to the mansion when the church called!
"Does it have to be this fast! These church spies are disgusting, like flies!" Aoko cursed inwardly.
"I'm curious, who is that man?"
Wen Bingyongli lowered her voice even further, her tone filled with speculation and probing:
"Could it be that the usually aloof witch has finally come to her senses and is planning to keep male lovers in the mansion?"
Or... are you engaging in some extremely dangerous illegal human trafficking behind the church's back?
Seemingly feeling that she had laid enough groundwork, Wen Bingyongli finally got to the main point:
"After all, according to the believer who observed him up close, the man faintly exuded a kind of... heretical aura."
"Shut your dog mouth, Wen Bingyongli!!!"
Aoko lashed out into the microphone without holding back.
Then, a slender, white hand suddenly reached out from the side and gently pressed on the back of Aoko's hand that was holding the receiver.