Chapter 243: Chapter 109: Watch Closely, Aoto. This Is What a Humanoid Self-Propelled Cannon Looks Like! [8600]_5

Speaking of this, Hijikata paused.

Immediately after... the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a captivating smile filled with tenderness.

"Ajing, did you come specifically to see me?"

Hijikata raised his hand and gently stroked Ajing’s delicate cheek.

"Thank you. I just came out of the prison compound, and you came to see me right away. I’m so touched."

"Mr. Hijikata..." As soon as Hijikata’s large hand touched her cheek, Ajing’s body shivered a few times, and then her moist peach blossom eyes rippled, looking softly at Hijikata’s charming smile.

"Ah yes, yes. Since you’re here, I just might as well give you this small present."

Hijikata reached into his chest and pulled out a peach blossom.

"I encountered this peach blossom by chance on the roadside when returning from Tama to Edo."

"This peach blossom left a deep impression on me at that time."

"Of the whole peach blossom tree, only it bloomed the fullest and the brightest."

"Such a peach blossom reminded me of you."

"You are just like this peach blossom, tender and lovely, inviting affection."

After expressing these deep words, Hijikata pinned the peach blossom in Ajing’s ear.

"Mm, this peach blossom really suits you."

"Mr. Hijikata...!" Ajing’s eyes rippled even more intensely. She seemed to be overwhelmed by emotion and threw herself into Hijikata’s arms, her small hands tightly wrapped around his waist.

Hijikata also took the opportunity to hold Ajing.

Embracing each other tightly, they shared a moment of tender affection...

Agoto, who was inexplicably witnessing a display of affection, asked Chokata beside him: "That girl, is she Mr. Hijikata’s girlfriend... his partner?"

"... To be precise, one of Mr. Hijikata’s partners," Chokata twitched the corner of his mouth.

"One of...?" Agoto keenly caught this word that made him have to pay attention...

Hijikata and Ajing shared their deep affection for quite a while before they released each other.

After saying some sentimental words that Agoto considered somewhat cheesy to Ajing, Hijikata used "It’s getting late, you should go home quickly, I’ll find you later" as an excuse to wave goodbye to Ajing.

Ajing, with the peach blossom Hijikata just gave her still tucked in her ear, waved goodbye to Hijikata with effort as she quickly disappeared into the night.

After seeing Ajing off, Hijikata was about to turn around and go back into the house.

But at that moment... a young female voice sounded from the opposite direction of where Ajing had just left:

"Mr. Hijikata...?!"

Hijikata, along with Agoto and others who were peering beside the small window at the entrance, uniformly turned their gaze to the source of the voice—a very young, beautiful girl.

But her attire was slightly different from Ajing’s.

She was wearing exquisitely expensive-looking clothes, followed by a middle-aged samurai who looked like a bodyguard.

With a bodyguard and such attire, she should be the daughter of a quite wealthy merchant.

Hijikata looked at this newly appeared girl, paused, and then "surprisedly" said:

"Axiang? Why are you here?"

Axiang quickened her steps, merging three steps into two until she reached Hijikata.

"Mr. Hijikata, I came to find you!"

"Why are you standing outside the door?"

"Ah... Oh, I just ate a full meal, so I stood outside to get some fresh air," Hijikata lied without blinking... "You mean—you came to find me?"

"Mr. Hijikata! I heard you were taken away by the Magistrate’s Office today!"

With Hijikata steering the conversation, Axiang didn’t bother to delve into why Hijikata was standing outside, she urgently asked.

"What happened? How did you get taken away by the Magistrate’s Office? Are you okay? Any injuries? Did you face any abuse at the prison compound?"

"Hahaha." Hijikata laughed freely, "So you came for this matter."

"Don’t worry, I’m fine."

"I was indeed taken by the Magistrate’s Office people this morning, but I’ll explain the specifics to you later. Now is not the time or place."

After saying some comforting words and sweet talk to Axiang, Hijikata reached into his chest and pulled out a... peach blossom...

"Ah yes, yes. Since you’re here, I just might as well give you this small present."

"I encountered this peach blossom by chance on the roadside when returning from Tama to Edo."

"This peach blossom left a deep impression on me at that time."

"Of the whole peach blossom tree, only it bloomed the fullest and the brightest."

"Such a peach blossom reminded me of you."

"You are just like this peach blossom, tender and lovely, inviting affection."

After repeating words that seemed almost identical, Hijikata pinned this peach blossom in Axiang’s ear...

"Mr. Hijikata...!"

Then a similar scene occurred... Axiang was so moved she threw herself into Hijikata’s arms, and Hijikata wrapped his arms around her...

Axiang’s bodyguard very tactfully turned around...

After snuggling with Axiang for a while, Hijikata told her, "It’s getting late, you should hurry back home, I’ll find you later," sending off Axiang.

Watching Axiang leave, Agoto’s mouth... had now formed an "O" shape.

He hadn’t had time to express astonishment at the scene he just witnessed—

"Mr. Hijikata...?!"

Another female voice sounded...

This time the emerging female was dressed in a kendo uniform, with a wakizashi at her waist—looking like the daughter of the samurai family.

"Hmm? Aya?" Hijikata again showed a "surprised" expression.

After Aya appeared unexpectedly, the scene Agoto had already watched twice played again...

Aya said to Hijikata: I heard you got caught and put into custody, I came specifically to see you.

Then Hijikata said he was fine and would explain the details to her later.

And then... Hijikata reached into his chest again.

"Ah yes, yes. Since you’re here, I just might as well give you this small present."

"I encountered this peach blossom by chance on the roadside when returning from Tama to Edo."

"This peach blossom left a deep impression on me at that time."

"Of the whole peach blossom tree, only it bloomed the fullest and the brightest."

"Such a peach blossom reminded me of you."

"You are just like this peach blossom, tender and lovely, inviting affection."

With these words said, Hijikata for the third time pinned the "most vibrant peach blossom" in the girl’s ear...