Hearing the gentle words in her ear, Ai's lips unconsciously curled up, but she forcibly suppressed it: "Hmph, sweet talk... Ugh!"
Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was suddenly silenced by a kiss.
Yuzuru's kiss was both gentle and domineering. At first, the tsundere Ai struggled symbolically for a moment, but soon softened in his arms, her fingers unconsciously circling his hair, full of intimacy.
until--
"Ahem." Akemi came out of the kitchen, clearing her throat at the opportune moment. "Dinner's getting cold!"
The two then separated. Ai's lips were slightly swollen and her eyes were glazed over, clearly still not recovered from the kiss.
Yuzuru smiled smugly, picked her up, and carried her towards the restaurant: "Let's go, our little scientist needs to recharge!"
"Put me down!" Ai came to her senses and started struggling again. "I can walk by myself!"
"No, no," Yuzuru shook his head seriously, "You need to be carried like a princess after drinking the special beverage, that's a scientific rule."
"What kind of scientific rule is this?! Is the author's surname 'Yuzuru'?!"
Akemi followed behind, watching the two playfully bickering, a relieved smile on her face.
Once upon a time, that little girl trembled in the shadow of the organization, but now she can act so unrestrainedly and coquettishly.
A sumptuous dinner has been laid out in the restaurant.
To Hanyu Nan's left sat Ai, who was still muttering, and to his right sat Akemi, who was gently serving vegetables.
Outside the window, night deepened, and starlight began to adorn the sky.
...
...
Time is ticking.
A week passed quickly, and Yuzuru successfully experienced all four seasons in seven days.
Thursday afternoon.
The moment the school bell rang, Ran and Sonoko shot off like two arrows, "whoosh," and took over Hanyu Nan's left and right arms.
Ooka Momiji smiled and followed behind, carrying her schoolbag at a leisurely pace.
The four of them strolled leisurely toward the school gate, creating a peculiar scene: in front were the chattering "left and right protectors," in the middle was the male protagonist with a gentle smile on his lips, and behind him was the noble lady maintaining a perfect three-step distance.
The students passing by were already used to this unique combination, after all, such scenes had been playing out frequently this week, and there was nothing they could do but cast envious glances.
"Red Leaf Classmate."
At the school gate, Sonoko suddenly turned around, raised her chin, and said, "We're taking Nan to our secret base now. Make yourself at home~"
Ooka Momiji smiled slightly, her brown curly hair swaying gently in the wind: "What a coincidence, I was just about to go to the city hall. My father has a meeting there and asked me to go and wait for him."
"Liar!" Sonoko's eyes widened. "You were clearly following us on purpose!"
Hongye calmly took out a gold-embossed invitation from her bag: "Would you like to see the invitation? It's about the Ooka family's collaborative project with the city hall..."
Just as Sonoko was about to retort, Ran interjected at the opportune moment: "Kurenai-kun, we're going to Sonoko's dumpling shop for a tasting, it's in the city hall. If you..."
"Oh, I see." Hongye gracefully closed the invitation, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes. "Then I won't disturb your family gathering any longer."
She deliberately emphasized the word "family," but it was a good-natured joke that made it impossible to detect any malice.
This answer stunned Sonoko and Ran.
Based on their understanding of Momiji, this young lady from Kyoto should have tried every means to catch up.
Hongye seemed to sense their confusion and gently straightened her skirt: "Don't worry, I know when to advance and when to retreat."
She performed a traditional Chinese ceremony to Yuzuru, her posture elegant, and said, "My husband, I wish you a pleasant meal."
After saying that, she turned and walked towards the black car that was already waiting by the roadside. Just before getting into the car, Momiji suddenly turned back and winked at Sonoko: "By the way, Sonoko-san, I heard that chocolate and black truffles go really well together~"
Sonoko nodded subconsciously: "Indeed, last time in France..."
She suddenly realized what she was saying halfway through, and stomped her foot angrily, "Who needs your advice!"
Hongye chuckled softly and gracefully got into the car.
The car window slowly rolled up, obscuring her slightly envious gaze.
Watching the car drive away, Sonoko scratched her head: "Why was she so easy to talk to today?"
Xiao Lan pondered, "Perhaps... Hongye isn't as difficult to get along with as we thought?"
Sonoko pursed her lips, but didn't refute.
The "confrontations" with Hongye over the past week have made both Xiaolan and her realize that although Hongye appears arrogant and domineering on the surface, she actually knows how to maintain a proper distance and even deliberately gives in to them at times.
This subtle relationship fostered a wonderful tacit understanding among them.
Yuzuru watched the three girls interact, smiling without saying a word.
He knew that Momiji was using a strategic retreat to advance, demonstrating through her actions that she respected Sonoko and Ran's "territory," a gesture that was far more persuasive than mere verbal assurances.
She cleverly used strategy to express her love while avoiding further direct conflict with other girls. It must be said that this daughter of the Ooka family truly possesses extraordinary wisdom and emotional intelligence.
"Forget it, let's ignore her!" Sonoko shook her head and took Hanyu Nan's arm again. "Nan, let's go!"
The young lady's dumpling shop is opening in a week.
The staff and renovations are all in place. They're going there today to do a taste test and see what needs to be improved.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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