Chapter Forty-Eight: I Am Not a Lolicon; It Just So Happens That the One I Love Is a Little Girl

The moment the bullet pierced Su Mo’s chest, his body twisted, caught in the spinning force of the projectile. The distortion rapidly spread, and in the next instant, it was as if some inexplicable power had swallowed him whole—he vanished without a trace.

Seeing this, Kurumi Tokisaki lowered her gun, murmuring to herself, “At last, the mission is complete. So long as everything unfolds according to plan, Mr. Su Mo is certain to appear in the neighboring realm. I just wonder if, when that time comes, he’ll still remember me?”

At that thought, a faint smile played at Kurumi’s lips, memories of something amusing flickering in her eyes.

“Though by then, I doubt I’ll remember Mr. Su Mo at all~”

...

Su Mo frowned slightly. He’d been shot by Kurumi, and yet there was no pain in his body. Instead, for a fleeting moment, he felt as if every inch of him had been tossed into a blender and shredded without mercy. His sense of balance vanished; he no longer knew up from down, everything spinning wildly, his mind lost in a haze until even consciousness itself dimmed into darkness.

How long he remained in that oblivion, he couldn’t say. Perhaps it was an eternity, perhaps only an instant. When at last he came to his senses and opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a quiet street with few passersby. The sun burned fiercely overhead, its heat oppressive, and the shrill cry of cicadas filled his ears, leaving him momentarily dazed.

But clarity quickly returned.

“Did I return to five years ago?”

Su Mo turned his body, his gaze slowly sweeping his surroundings. All was calm. He distinctly remembered it had been dusk when he was with Kurumi, yet now the sun blazed at its zenith. Still, the scenery was oddly familiar.

He’d spent enough time in Tengong City to know most of its roads. Even if things looked a little different, he could tell he was still in Tengong, and the Wukawa family home was only a few minutes away.

Walking slowly down the street, Su Mo soon reached a wide avenue lined with bustling shops and crowds of people.

“If I’m not mistaken, the Wukawa house should be this way.”

Relying on his memory, Su Mo strode purposefully in that direction. But as he prepared to cross the avenue, a woman carrying a stack of notebooks approached from the opposite side. He might not have noticed her, but the moment their eyes met, Su Mo froze in astonishment.

“Miss Zhu?”

He couldn’t help but exclaim. The woman before him was none other than his homeroom teacher, Miss Zhu Hui Gangfeng. She wore glasses, her petite frame unchanged from what he remembered—still as delicate as she’d been five years later, as if time had left her untouched.

Running into a familiar face from five years ago, Su Mo was genuinely surprised. But his purpose in returning was to save Kotori and Origami, so he quickly set aside the distraction. Still, recalling that five years hence, Miss Zhu would still be single and unattached, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.

By all rights, with her looks and figure, she should have no trouble attracting suitors. How could such a beauty remain unmarried at twenty-nine? For most women, the reason for singleness lay in having standards too high—every girl dreamed of a prince, so at twenty she’d want someone tall, rich, and handsome; by twenty-five, rich and handsome would do; by thirty, just rich was enough, and after that, expectations only dwindled further.

But Miss Zhu wasn’t that sort of person. And glancing at her, Su Mo suddenly understood. Her diminutive stature meant she barely reached his waist, and her face was so youthful that she looked like a child—a classic “loli.” Out in public, she was likely mistaken for a teenager, if not a child, which would certainly discourage most men, unless they had a very particular taste.

Unless one belonged to a certain niche, it would be difficult for someone like Miss Zhu to find a suitable partner. As she was about to pass by, Su Mo stepped forward and blocked her path.

“Miss Zhu!”

He called out suddenly. Miss Gangfeng stopped, startled, her eyes widening in surprise. “How do you know my name?”

She eyed the young man before her, who looked every bit the high school student. She didn’t recognize him, nor could she fathom how he knew her name. But after a moment’s thought, a sudden realization dawned, and a blush spread across her cheeks.

“Could this be… is this a pick-up attempt?”

“Hm?” Su Mo was momentarily baffled, but Miss Zhu seemed not to notice. She fidgeted shyly, her voice soft.

“Oh, you’re so naughty—so these things really do happen! How embarrassing. But, how old are you now? People often mistake me for being underage, but I’m actually already twenty-four!”

At this, she bit her lip nervously, as if dreading something. Every time she went on a matchmaking date, her childlike appearance spooked the men away. No one wanted to be seen walking around with someone who looked barely out of middle school—they’d be taken for a pervert.

Of course, things might be different in China.

—I’d worship you!

Such are the cultural differences between nations; after all, China boasts no shortage of “loli” enthusiasts.

Su Mo, however, was an exception. He’d never admit to being one himself—it was simply coincidence that the people he liked happened to fit that type!

“Don’t worry, I’m not trying to hit on you.” Su Mo sweated inwardly, astonished to discover that even five years ago, Miss Zhu was already desperate for marriage. No wonder, when he’d confessed to her later on, her enthusiasm had nearly overwhelmed him. Yet, knowing she’d still be single five years from now, he felt compelled to do something.

With heartfelt sincerity, he said, “Miss Zhu, have confidence in yourself—you’re the best! Don’t give up hope. You’ll find your happiness yet. And if you can’t find anyone here in Japan, I suggest you try China—you might discover a whole new world. Otherwise, if you’re still single five years from now, that would be truly tragic.”

His words, a string of nonsense to her ears, left Miss Zhu momentarily stunned. By the time she regained her composure, Su Mo had already turned and walked away at a brisk pace.

“What a strange man,” she muttered. But recalling his words, she wondered—could she really find happiness? And most importantly, would she still be single five years from now?

The thought sent a tremor through her. Unmarried at twenty-nine? Unthinkable.

Yet the suggestion to visit China lingered in her mind. She made a mental note to travel there during the summer holidays, hoping to see what she might discover.

...

(A small plea for recommendation votes. Also, some sad news: our trial run for promotion didn’t go well—the numbers are dismal. It looks like the book will be released for sale next week. Sob, sob~)