"Mom, are you wearing perfume?"

At the dining table, Ran tilted her head slightly, sniffed gently with her little nose, and looked at Eri with curiosity, asking, "Isn't this the one you use when you appear in court?"

Eri Kisaki was startled: "I just... grabbed it casually."

She really just grabbed it casually. When she came downstairs from washing up, she inexplicably picked up the perfume and lightly sprayed it behind her ears and on her wrists—this was the "Victory Scent" she only used when appearing in court.

Realizing that her daughter's attention was still on the perfume, she quickly changed the subject, saying in a casual tone, "The fried eggs were very good today. Mingmei's cooking skills have improved again."

"Attorney Fei, you flatter me." Mingmei smiled slightly and handed over a bowl of chicken soup at the right time: "Have a bowl of chicken soup, it's been simmering all morning."

"Thanks."

Eri took it, taking the opportunity to avoid her daughter's probing gaze.

The surface of the dining table appears calm, but undercurrents are actually surging.

Tomoko Suzuki would occasionally lightly dab her red lips with her fork, her gaze sweeping over Nanami Hanyu seemingly casually; Eri Kisaki sat upright, occasionally adjusting her collar or hair, every movement deliberately elegant; while the boy being watched by the two remained calm and composed, dealing with Ran and Sonoko's coquettishness while discussing business plans with Ayako Suzuki.

"Konan," Tomoko Suzuki suddenly spoke up, "the Suzuki Foundation is having a charity gala next week, would you like to come along?"

Before Yuzuru could even reply, Eri Kisaki politely declined on his behalf: "Yuzuru is very busy lately and probably won't have time to participate in these kinds of social activities."

"Oh?" Tomoko Suzuki raised an eyebrow. "How did Attorney Kiyoshi know about Konan's schedule? Could it be that you...?"

“As family, it’s normal to understand each other’s schedules,” Eri Kisaki calmly retorted, her eyes meeting Tomoko Suzuki’s without flinching. “But Tomoko, your concern for Konan seems to go beyond what a mother-in-law should do.”

Tomoko Suzuki's red lips curved slightly: "I care about all outstanding young people. Especially..."

She deliberately dragged out the words, "Xiao Nan is such an outstanding young man."

The tension between the two grew increasingly palpable, even the oblivious Sonoko noticed something was amiss: "Mom, what's wrong between you and Aunt Eri?"

“It’s nothing, darling.” Tomoko Suzuki elegantly wiped her mouth. “We were just discussing…the education of young people.”

Eri Kisaki gave a soft snort, not exposing the clumsy lie.

Xiaolan's gaze swept back and forth between her mother and Aunt Pengzi, her brows furrowing slightly.

As a daughter, she keenly sensed that something was wrong with her mother today—her deliberately straight back, the frequent movements of adjusting her hair, and the occasional glances she gave Nan...

"Mom wouldn't be like that too...?"

A terrible thought suddenly entered Xiaolan's mind, but she quickly rejected it, "No, it's impossible..."

How could there be a mother and daughter fighting over a man?

Absolutely impossible!

"Come on, Ayumi, eat more so you can grow taller quickly!"

Mrs. Yoshida gently placed a fried egg on her daughter's plate, her eyes full of doting affection. Today, she was wearing a beige knitted sweater, her smooth black hair draped over her shoulders, and she exuded a gentle and virtuous temperament.

"Thank you, Mom!" Ayumi smiled sweetly, her little hands clumsily holding the fork. "When I grow up, I want to be Nan-gege's bride!"

The dining table fell silent for a moment.

Mrs. Yoshida's hand trembled slightly, and a hint of unease flashed across her face: "Ayumi, don't talk nonsense..."

"That's not nonsense!" Ayumi puffed out her cheeks and retorted earnestly, "Brother Nan promised me! He said he would marry me when I grow up!"

Yuzuru almost choked on his milk—he did say that, but he was clearly just trying to coax a child!

Um……

Okay, it's not all about coaxing kids.

Ai sat next to Ayumi, her half-moon eyes filled with the word "scumbag," and silently mouthed to Hanyu Nanasu, "Pervert, he doesn't even spare little girls!"

Yuzuru shrugged helplessly, indicating that he was wronged.

“Ayumi,” Akemi gently intervened, “If you want to be a bride, you have to eat well and study hard first.”

"Yes!" Ayumi nodded vigorously. "I will try my best!"

After saying that, she buried her head and started eating her breakfast in big bites, as if that would make her grow up faster.

Mrs. Yoshida coughed lightly, her cheeks slightly flushed: "Children say things without thinking, please don't take it to heart..."

Tomoko Suzuki took an elegant sip of her coffee and gave Mrs. Yoshida a meaningful look: "Children's words are often the most truthful. It seems that Nanami's charm... really appeals to all ages."

Eri Kisaki's knife scraped across the plate with a harsh sound: "Please don't think of everyone as so despicable."

“I’m just stating the facts,” Tomoko Suzuki smiled. “After all…”

Her gaze swept over Mrs. Yoshida, Momiji, Ran, Sonoko... "The competition here is fierce enough."

Ai watched this farce with a cold eye, her heart completely unmoved, and she even wanted to roll her eyes.

As the only sober observer at the table, she had long seen through everything—Eri Kisaki's deliberately applied perfume, Tomoko Suzuki's subtle flirting, Mrs. Yoshida's darting gaze towards Kusuo Hanyu...

"Ha, men."

Xiao Ai muttered to herself as she stabbed the fried egg in front of her with her fork.

Ayumi turned her head curiously: "Ai, what did you say?"

"It's nothing." Ai took a sip of milk expressionlessly. "I was just wondering if some people's hormone levels are too high."

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!