Chapter 27 : Fireworks Festival and Conversation
Jiang Lai once again had the privilege of witnessing Gojo Satoru's speechless expression.
This time he didn't forget to use his phone (an ancient book in others' eyes) to take a photo as a memento, after all, by the time of future 285's era, with his carefree and effortless personality, Gojo Satoru would rarely show this kind of genuine speechlessness.
At that time, he would usually be the one making others show genuine speechless expressions.
Noticing Jiang Lai raising his phone (ancient book) again, teenage Gojo Satoru instinctively stepped back half a step in alarm.
Jiang Lai blinked: "What are you doing."
Teenage Gojo Satoru leaned back tactically: "What am I doing?? You're obviously the one who, ow!"
The floating phone circled around from the side, precisely knocking the white-haired teenager's head, Jiang Lai still stood steadily in place, just using his technique to remotely control his phone to give him a bonk.
"Hey hey! Don't go too far!!" Teenage Gojo Satoru rubbed his head, his beautiful Persian cat-like blue eyes widening into circles, making threatening gestures: "I'm only holding back out of respect for old times, otherwise!"
Jiang Lai naturally picked up the conversation: "Yes yes, the all-powerful super Six Eyes genius teenager, I'm so scared, so frightening."
Teenage Gojo Satoru: "......"
Teenage Gojo Satoru: "I don't know why, but that somehow sounds infuriating."
"You get angry when I praise you?" Jiang Lai smiled, "Speaking of which, how was I going too far? You were the one asking what kind of [existence] I am, isn't this giving you the most vivid experience?"
"......Stop using [head-bonking] existence to fool people."
"No, I'm the [kind of existence that bonks heads when people don't use honorifics with me]." Jiang Lai corrected seriously.
The topic circled back again, the white-haired teenager pouted, making an exaggerated gesture of tilting his head back and whining.
Jiang Lai curved his eyes with a smile. He had finished taking photos, so he stopped teasing the person in front of him: "Alright, just kidding. No need to be so formal, I'm not that serious a personality either."
"Good good, this is what a proper [existence] should be like." Teenage Gojo Satoru immediately changed his expression, grinning and patting Jiang Lai's arm forcefully without restraint.
Then, he looked at the phone (book) in Jiang Lai's hand with curious, investigating eyes, saying: "What exactly is this thing? My blind guess is it's some kind of cursed tool that can break through all techniques......mm, with built-in confusion effects that make me unable to see through it. But it's not very dangerous."
Jiang Lai: "It's still dangerous, what if it bonks you stupid?"
Teenage Gojo Satoru: "..."
He paused for a second, then jumped up and tilted his head back: "So you know too, this genius's head is very precious! No touching without permission."
Jiang Lai coughed once and asked an additional question: "Speaking of which, hypothetically, what if one day you encounter a blade that can break through all techniques? The kind that Limitless can't defend against."
"Hah? Besides you, this thousand-year monster, would there be such cursed tools?" The white-haired teenager looked relaxed, "Even if there were, it wouldn't matter, I'd solve them before they got close to me, don't underestimate the Six Eyes' observation with no blind spots."
"Although, if you have the ability, studying Reverse Cursed Technique wouldn't be bad either."
"Stop stop stop," teenage Gojo Satoru waved his hands, "Change topics, change topics. It's enough hearing them nag about related technique learning at home. I came out to have fun, today's the fireworks festival."
The sound of fireworks exploding directly overhead was very clear, banging through the night, exceptionally lively.
Gojo Satoru wore simple blue and white kimono (although the pattern was simple, you could see the fine workmanship), pointing to not far ahead, his tone rising: "This street has quite a lot of food, coming or not?"
"You're treating?" Jiang Lai blinked, "I don't have money."
"Because deities don't spend earthly money?" Teenage Gojo Satoru repeated the nonsense Jiang Lai had spouted at the shrine back then, saying it deliberately.
"Because moral deities never freeload off working people." Jiang Lai coughed once, then looked sideways with a gentle voice: "Calling me a thousand-year monster one moment, then deity the next, that's quite changeable."
"Isn't that all stuff you said?" Teenage Gojo Satoru's eyebrows shot up high, then he showed a cat-like sly smile: "Why don't you tell me what kind of [existence] you are? Then I can directly call you by your proper name."
"Back at the shrine, didn't you want to call me [Gojo Lai]?" Jiang Lai smiled, "That's fine to call me."
"Tch," teenage Gojo Satoru pouted, but didn't pursue the question further, probably not holding much hope of getting an answer from Jiang Lai anyway.
The white-haired teenager took out his wallet and waved it, his blue eyes lifting: "Enough chatting, let's go! Don't worry, I'm treating." He lifted his chin slightly, posture unrestrained, "Eat, drink, play whatever, money's not a problem."
The divine child who'd been pampered since childhood never had financial problems. Getting whatever he wanted was his life trajectory up to this point.
"Then I'll respectfully accept your gracious offer." Jiang Lai didn't decline. His phone (book) was hidden in his sleeves, hands tucked together, smiling: "Shall we go, Young Master Gojo?"
=
The two strolled from east to west, never stopping their feast on street snacks along the way.
After the initial [existence] setting prototype appeared, Jiang Lai no longer had normal human needs. Not eating didn't bring hunger, eating didn't bring satiation. So he very comfortably tasted everything along the way, satisfying his taste buds' desires.
He didn't have much pursuit of sweets. Eating too many sweet bites made him feel sick, so in the latter half he chose a cup of oden.
For convenience while eating, Jiang Lai first bought a side bag matching his kimono at the start of their journey, putting his phone (book) inside. He didn't want to be too conspicuous in this crowded festival, so he didn't choose to use his technique to float his phone.
The teenage Gojo beside him also carried a side cloth bag in the same color scheme as his kimono, but he didn't put his wallet inside. While walking, the wallet was tossed and caught in his hand like a toy.
He didn't know how his stomach was constructed. He actually never stopped along the way, eating sweets one bite at a time very quickly, the absolute sweet devotee Gojo Satoru never got sick of it. His expression was leisurely and lazy, eyelashes casually half-lowered.
Although the white-haired teenager ate quickly, he wasn't crude. Instead, there was a kind of fluid beauty to it.
They were about to reach the end of this street. Going further out was green forest. Jiang Lai looked at Gojo Satoru beside him, planning to ask whether they should return to the street stalls or go to the central area to appreciate fireworks.
Noticing Jiang Lai's gaze, teenage Gojo Satoru turned his head and spoke: "What?" His mouth was still stuffed with a colored dumpling, cheeks slightly puffed like a hamster.
He lifted his blue eyes, waving the three-colored dumpling skewer he hadn't finished: "What, you want some too?"
Jiang Lai was about to say "no need" when the other person went "ah-woo" and swallowed the remaining two in one bite.
Then, the white-haired teenager waved the clean bamboo skewer, voice muffled and unclear as he grinned: "Want some? Not giving any, watching me eat is enough." His tone sounded quite punchable.
Jiang Lai: "..."
Teenage Gojo Satoru threw the bamboo skewer into the recycling trash bin specially set up on this street, then reached into his side cloth bag, apparently putting away the wallet he'd been playing with all along.
However, when Gojo Satoru withdrew his hand, his closed fingers seemed to be holding something, he tossed it over, and Jiang Lai instinctively reached out to catch it.
It was a bag of tender pink cherry blossom-colored konpeito. Contained in a transparent small bag, the opening tied with a pretty gold thread.
"Bought it on the road earlier, didn't finish it." Teenage Gojo Satoru waved his hand, "That's all there is."
Actually, Jiang Lai hadn't wanted to ask him for candy, but he didn't refuse either, smiling as he accepted it: "Alright, then I'll reluctantly try some."
"Hey, if you're so reluctant, give it back."
"There's no reason to take back something that's been given away." Jiang Lai naturally pocketed it.
By now they had reached the end. The end of the street was no longer as bustling and bright as the interior, the lighting here was much dimmer.
Jiang Lai asked: "Want to go back and browse again? Or go to the central area to see the organizers' various fireworks up close?"
"No need to go to the central area," Gojo Satoru's lips curved up. He magically pulled out a sparkler from his side cloth bag, "I brought my own." The teenager's head lifted slightly, high-spirited.
Jiang Lai was somewhat surprised. He glanced at the other's side cloth bag, not expecting it to actually contain handheld fireworks, it couldn't all be fireworks and firecrackers inside, could it.
"Stop looking, I actually just brought a few of these from home." The white-haired teenager pouted, "Surprisingly, they weren't selling any on that street."
"This street mainly focuses on food, plus various festival trinkets." Jiang Lai recalled, then pointed to the side: "You want to set them off here? But be careful not to start a forest fire."
"It's fine, there's an open area here, isn't there? And if it really catches fire, I'd definitely put it out instantly." Teenage Gojo Satoru said lightly and casually. He handed one to the black-haired youth beside him: "Here's one for you too."
Jiang Lai took the sparkler, thinking in his heart whether the other had snuck out on his own, actually, he'd been thinking about this problem earlier.
After all, the Gojo family couldn't possibly not have anyone following, and as one of the Big Three families, they definitely had their own fireworks feast at the family estate. There was no need to come outside to watch.
From Gojo Satoru bringing a few sparklers from home, there was probably also a fireworks show in the family, and it might even be more luxurious and brilliant than this civilian-organized one.
But according to Gojo Satoru's unrestrained personality, he might indeed prefer being outside rather than in the rule-bound home. Although no one could control him, being in that environment would still make him feel somewhat constrained.
The white-haired teenager in front had already lit the one in his hand. The beautiful sparkling points flickered on and off, breaking through the dark night, light reflecting on his delicate, perfect profile.
The glass bead-like sky blue pupils of teenage Gojo Satoru reflected that cluster of bright light. He gazed at the light in his hand, slowly saying: "Actually, I still don't know clearly whether you're human or not."
Jiang Lai paused, somewhat surprised by the topic he suddenly brought up: "What do you mean?"
He blinked, pointing at himself: "If I were human, could I maintain myself this well? All these years have passed, and I'm still the same as when you first saw me, right?"
"But that can't prove you're an existence beyond humanity." Teenage Gojo Satoru said, "My family also has people whose appearance doesn't change much as years pass."
Jiang Lai's heart paused slightly. He didn't remember there being youth-preserving techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen. Even the immortal Tengen would age.
Teenage Gojo Satoru's sparkler had burned to the end. He lifted his blue eyes: "Are you someone from the Regulatory Committee?"