This Japanese Story Is Not Too Cold

The most important task of Kitagawa Temple now is to find the Inagaki family or the Kamishiro family in the past, and seize the clues connecting Kamishiro Kaori.

The Jindai family has moved out of Tokyo and they don't know where they are going. Now the only people in Tokyo who know Kamishiro Karin's situation are the Inagaki family members.

"Shizuo Inagaki..." Kitagawaji murmured the name.

This may be the person who made an appointment with Kamishiro Kaori. Judging from the name alone, she should be a girl.

Likewise, she is also the most critical person in this trip.

In that far away place...what kind of agreement did two people of similar age make?

Kitagawaji moved forward while confirming the address in his hand.

It was already past four in the afternoon, and Kitagawaji walked towards the Inagaki family home after class.

According to Gango Ryoko's information, the Inagaki family seems to be natives of Minato Ward, Tokyo, and their family has always been wealthy.

After the 'Inagaki's Long House' fell into disrepair, they moved back to the Minato area of ​​Tokyo and settled down.

But there is also a problem here.

Why do people from the economically superior area of ​​Minato City choose to live in longhouses in Adachi City, where the conditions are average?

The longhouse can also be used to collect rent over there, and if their house is empty in the Minato area of ​​Tokyo, isn't it also a waste?

This is also part of the puzzle.

The thoughts in Beichuan Temple's mind collided.

Under the guidance of the navigation system, Beichuan Temple came to a small two-story duplex.

He stopped and looked at the nameplate next to his door.

The word "Inagaki" is clearly left on the home nameplate.

Apparently this is where the Inagaki family moved.

Beichuan Temple did not hesitate.

He put away his cell phone, raised his hand and pressed the doorbell.

Along with the clear ringing of the doorbell, a middle-aged woman's gentle question came from the pager at the door: "Hello, who is this?"

"I'm sorry, I want to visit Beichuan. Maybe you can't understand it, but I'm actually here for a little girl."

Beichuan Temple considered his words and tried his best to tell the other party his purpose.

"Little girl?" The other party didn't quite understand what Beichuan Temple meant.

"Um."

Kitagawaji responded, and then explained: "A little girl named Kamishiro Kaori...Ms. Inagaki, you should have some impression of her.

quiet--

There was no sound at all from the pager, as if the other party had hung up the pager and didn't care at all about what Beichuanji said.

After almost a minute or two, the pager finally heard a voice: "...Please come in."

The low door with iron bars opened with a crisp sound.

"Thank you very much." Beichuan Temple thanked him, then opened the low door and came to the front yard.

Flower beds are cultivated in the front yard.

It is exactly the same as the flower garden that Kitagawa Temple saw in the 'Inagaki Longhouse'.

It should have been made by one person.

However, nothing was planted in this flower bed, and the empty soil bank looked a bit lonely.

Kitagawaji took one look and walked to the front door, then rang the doorbell.

The door clicked.

A soft-looking middle-aged woman's face emerged from it.

Although his expression was gentle, the other person's eyebrows were frowned tightly, looking worried.

While Beichuan Temple was observing the middle-aged women, the middle-aged women were also observing Beichuan Temple.

But she had no impression of Beichuanji's face at all, and there was a trace of doubt on his face.

But since you have already let someone into your home, it is indeed disrespectful to kick them out.

Moreover...she was also very concerned about what Kitagawaji said about "coming here for Kamishiro Kaori".

The woman moved out of the way and greeted softly:

"Please come in, Mr. Kitagawa."

The two of them talked as they walked towards the living room.

During this conversation, Beichuanji also learned the name of the middle-aged woman in front of him.

Her name is Inagaki Kaori and she is a full-time housewife.

Her husband's name is Inagaki Yumasa, and he is still at work, so he is not at home.

After passing the entrance hall, turn right and you will find the living room.

The furnishings of this living room are simple, similar to those of the Beichuan family, just a sofa, a TV, and a coffee table.

At the same time there is...

Kitagawaji looked thoughtfully at the innermost room next to the living room.

"Please use it." Inagaki Kaoru handed the teacup at hand to Kitagawaji, then sat on the main seat, looking at the other party with her eyes.

She was now full of questions, and her eyes looking at Beichuan Temple were full of confusion.

After Kitagawa Temple drank tea, Inagaki Kaoru asked without hesitation: "I wonder what Mr. Kitagawa did when he found us this time?"

Her questions were crisp and clear, and her voice was full of doubts.

You definitely can't answer the other party with the answer "I can see the spirit body of Kamishiro Karin, so I came here."

Beichuanji thought for a moment and then said: "Actually, I came here this time because I wanted to see your concubine Inagaki calmly. There is something I want to know no matter what, and I hope she can clarify it for me."

As he spoke, he observed Inagaki's expression.

Inagaki Kaoru's expression was surprised at first, as if she was wondering why Kitagawaji knew Inagaki Shizu's name.

Then her complexion quickly dimmed again——

Silent for a long time...

Her face was dark and uncertain, and after a long time she sighed heavily, and then looked at Kitagawa Temple: "I know Xiangli's name... I also know Shizu's name... Mr. Kitagawa, are you a relative of the Jindai family?" ?"

Beichuan Temple did not answer this question.

He just looked at Inagaki with calm eyes.

Regarding Kitagawaji's non-answer, Inagaki could only regard the other party as acquiescing.

She bit her lower lip, and a voice like a sigh escaped from her mouth: "Why...you who abandoned Xiangli back then are here again...? You obviously didn't even attend Xiangli's funeral. Why...why did you come to this place so shamelessly?"

Abandon Kamidai Kaori?

Not even attending the funeral?

Beichuan Temple's expression changed slightly.

He looked up at Inagaki, only to find that the edges of her eyes were already red.

Tears are building up.

There was a hint of resentment in his eyes.

Her expression seemed to be asking Kitagawaji.

‘Why couldn’t you have come earlier? ’

Beichuan Temple remained silent.

"I'm sorry, I lost my composure." Inagakixiang wiped the corners of her eyes, her voice a bit hoarse.

Inagaki seemed to know that even putting on such an expression would be of no use. She finally calmed down and asked softly: "Mr. Beichuan, you said it just now, right? You want to see my daughter...right?"

"Yes." Beichuan Temple nodded.

Inagaki took a deep breath, stood up under the gaze of Kitagawa Temple, and said in a sad tone:

"Please come this way."

Kitagawaji stood up and followed Inagaki Kaoru.

Under her leadership, Beichuanji came to the small room he saw just now.

It's just that this small room is dark and there is no light.

Inagakika reached out and turned on the light.

What appeared in front of Beichuan Temple was a small cabinet that was as tall as one person.

Under Kitagawa Temple's gaze, Inagakika lowered her head and stretched out her hand to open the small door of the cabinet.

It turns out this is not a cabinet at all.

But a shrine.

There are two black and white photos enshrined on the niche.

One is a photo of a little girl with a peaceful expression but no hair.

The other is a photo of a little girl holding a tattered song card for a hundred people and wearing small braids.

Inagaki Shizu...and Kamishiro Karin.

"My daughters...are long gone."

Inagaki's voice sounded from behind.

There was no expression on her face.

Yes.

No expressions can be seen.

She was just a little numb... caressing the black and white photo lovingly.

Just as Beichuan Temple expected...

The worst happened.

...

With Inagaki's narration, Kitagawa Temple finally understood the cause and effect of the incident.

Her daughter Shizu Inagaki is a patient with congenital heart disease.

Their daughter, who had been frail since she was a child, had always had very low self-esteem. As she became seriously ill in the later stages, she dropped out of elementary school and was sent to the longhouse in Adachi Ward...that is, Inagaki for rest.

"That's my daughter's dream." Inagaki's eyes were red: "She told me that she wanted to see the Sky Tree up close... she wanted to live with everyone... and feel the feeling of a big family. ..”

This is the most important reason why the Inagaki family left their house in Minato City to live in Adachi City instead.

When the words reached this point, Inagaki's tone was choked with sobs. I can't even form sentences.

Under Inagaki Shizu's wish, the Inagaki family also rented out the second floor of the long house after consideration.

It was then that they met the Kamishiro family who were eager to settle in Tokyo.

A man, a woman... and a small, cute and well-behaved Kamishiro Karin.

"They seemed very kind, so I rented the room to them..." Before Inagaki could finish her sentence, Kitagawaji took over.

"But Ms. Inagaki, you didn't think that those were all disguises, right?" Kitagawaji asked.

Inagaki nodded and continued talking.

She had already forgotten the names of Kamishiro Kaori's parents... and what the circumstances were.

But what they did left a deep impression on Inagaki's memory.

Why does Kamishiro Kaori always wear a shabby red and white cotton-padded jacket?

That's because... almost every few days, the Inagaki family can hear... the angry and cursed voices coming from the men on the second floor.

When the scolding ended, they could hear Kamishiro Kari and her mother covering their mouths, suppressing the pain and sobbing softly.

Yes...

Kamishiro Karin's father seems to have symptoms of mania and often takes pleasure in beating and scolding her and her mother.

The threatening voice and the woman's crying voice were simply unbearable for the Inagaki family.

But the Inagaki family did not drive away this family.

Because Jindai fragrant pear is so...

Inagaki Kaoru wiped the corners of her eyes: "No matter what kind of atrocities she suffered the day before, Kaori will always come over the next day to play with Jing who has no idea about the situation..."

Kamishiro Karin knew that Inagaki Shizu couldn't go out to play like other children because of her health.

So she ran to Inagaki Shizu's room every day holding her tattered 100-person-one-song card.

Inagaki Kaoru actually knew.

Kamishiro Kaori endured the pain and couldn't even grab the kata.

Kamishiro Kaori couldn't help but secretly turned around and wiped her tears.

The red and white cotton-padded jacket she was wearing was getting tattered day by day.

But the Inagaki family didn't know what to do.

Child protection facilities do exist in this society, and the Inagaki family did secretly report it once.

But all that resulted in was a useless investigation and even more brutal beatings for Kamishiro Kari and her mother.

Since that time, the Inagaki family has not dared to act rashly.

They could only watch Kamdairo Kaori suffer inhuman torture.

Powerless...

This is a state of true powerlessness.

"Xiangli gave Jing courage... Jing, who originally resisted treatment and was afraid of surgery... also took the first step. But there was nothing we could do for Xiangli. She was just a nine-year-old girl. Why? Is she going to be treated like this?”

Inagaki Kaoru burst into tears as she spoke.

And Beichuan Temple didn't know how to answer.

The fact that Kamishiro Karuri was subjected to domestic violence was indeed exposed after her death, and this was also recorded in the records.

But...justice delayed is not justice at all.

The domestic abuser had disappeared into Tokyo at that time, leaving behind the undead ghost of the little child who was still lingering on the edge of the longhouse, waiting for the fulfillment of a promise that could not be fulfilled at all.

Under the guidance of Kamishiro Karuri, a peer of the same age, Inagaki Shizu's condition has greatly improved.

Inagaki and the others also regained hope.

Every day when I see Kamishiro Kaori, I greet her with a smile, leave her to eat... and even spend the night.

After all...rather than letting Kamishiro Kari go home and get beaten up, it would be better to keep her in his home as long as possible.

Every time she takes a bath, Kamishiro Kaori always asks Inagaki Kaori and others to enter the bathroom alone.

In fact, Inagaki and the others knew it well.

The little girl was just trying to cover up her bruised body.

One time Inagaki Kaoru passed by the bathroom, and she could even hear the sound of Kamishiro Kaori gasping for air and pouring hot water on herself.

That time Inagakika directly covered her mouth, feeling ashamed for the first time for her inaction and for the fact that as long as she maintained the status quo... her daughter could be saved.

The other party's gasping and pitiful voice made Inagaki make up his mind.

She wants to adopt Kamishiro Kaori.

After talking about this matter with her husband, her husband was very much in favor of this proposal.

Let such little angels stay in hell to suffer, it is better for them to adopt them into their own homes.

After several discussions, plus explicit threats from the Inagaki family, Kamishiro Karin's father finally compromised.

After all, it is an established fact that he has been domestically abusing Kamishiro Kari. If the Inagaki family is willing to spend money to hire someone to investigate and dig deeper in this regard, they will not only lose custody, but even his social status will be in jeopardy... which is what the saying goes. Talk about social death.

"That's not so much a negotiation...it would be more appropriate to use a transaction."

Inagaki Kaoru held the teacup, her voice filled with anger.

The Inagaki family was willing to pay monthly money to Kamishiro Karin's father, and the negotiation was finally established.

Although negotiations were established,...

Pushing Kamishiro Kariri around on the grounds of money is not good for her growth in the first place.

"Even when she learned that she was adopted by us... Xiangli seemed a little unhappy... To be precise, she was a little worried."

Inagaki took a deep breath.

"She told us...it can't be like this."

"What will mom do if she comes to our house?"

Yes.

This is the Kamishiro pear.

A small, kind child.

Thanks to Hanxu QAQ, This Is My Mood, I Am Dou S, and Gui Gui Gui Guilin for the rewards! Thank you so much!