·52｜Exclusive from Jinjiang·52
Valentine's Day is the time to make chocolates.
Yomi Lai decides to investigate on her own, whether it's the administrator's secret or the red-haired Yomi.
However, the police department is not a place that Yomi Lai can easily investigate or break into, so she decided to start with the red-haired Yomi.
To figure out her relationship with the red-haired Yomi, Yomi stopped sleeping in and started getting up early every morning to wait at the alley entrance outside the Yomi mansion. Whenever the red-haired Yomi appeared, she would pull her hat down low and quietly follow her.
Today marks the seventh day of Lai Chuan Huang Quan's surveillance. She sat in the library, her hands supporting her chin, her gaze fixed on the open, illustrated edition of "Unsolved Mysteries of the World." It couldn't be her imagination; as she settled down with the thick, intriguing book in her arms, the two borrowers sitting to her left and right quietly moved their chairs, increasing the distance between them.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan glanced listlessly at the seat three rows away from her, where the red-haired Huang Quan was engrossed in reading a law-related book.
"Why……"
Lai Chuan Huang Quan sighed, not knowing what to say.
Red-haired Yomi's daily routine consists of going to class, going to the library, practicing violin in the music room, and going home. Except for the occasional outing with a classmate named Asami, her routine is as regular as a computer program executing code, and even her social circle is excessively clean and orderly.
"Senior," a man appeared behind Lai Chuan as she drifted off into the Yellow Springs, "You dyed your hair back, but both red and black hair look good."
As he spoke, he looked down and saw what Lai Chuan Huang Quan was reading, and froze: "You actually... are reading this kind of meaningless stuff."
Yomi Laichuan: ...
I'm so sorry, but I can only understand this kind of meaningless stuff.
Although she really wanted to retort, Lai Chuan Huang Quan glanced at the books the others had borrowed. On her left was a book on nuclear and particle physics, on her right was a book on mechanical engineering and mechanics, and the man who had just patted her on the shoulder was holding a copy of the Constitutional Code.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan hesitated, then gave up trying to explain.
It seems that she is indeed the only one who would read "Unsolved Mysteries of the World," a book full of fabrications, lies, and stories, in the library of the University of Tokyo.
But this book is really good!
Lai Chuan Huang Quan pondered for a moment, about to retort, when a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. She pressed her palm against her temples, thinking it was probably because she had been staying up all night for the past few days, and she must go to bed early tonight.
The dizziness wasn't unbearable, but it could turn a pleasant mood into anxiety. Lai Chuan Huang Quan rubbed his temples in circles, replied, "Sorry, you've mistaken me for someone else," stood up, shoved the book back on the shelf, and left without looking back.
It was nearly dusk when I left the University of Tokyo. The streets, bustling with people, were decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and many shops were busy pasting red paper and the character "福" (fortune) on their windows and display cases. Most Japanese people don't celebrate the Lunar New Year, but considering the number of Chinese people living in Japan, many Japanese shops proactively celebrate Chinese holidays in an effort to increase their sales.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan was extremely excited as she looked at the streets filled with red. When she excitedly called Hagiwara Kenji, the two SWAT aces had just finished work.
“You mean this?” Kenji Hagiwara explained with a smile, “It’s Chinese New Year. If you’re curious, I’ll take you to Chinatown on Chinese New Year’s Day. It’ll be super lively!”
"Okay!" Lai Chuan Huang Quan asked, "When is the Spring Festival?"
Kenji Hagiwara opened Google and started searching: "Let me see... This year, the Lunar New Year happens to be Valentine's Day."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan murmured to himself, "Valentine's Day..."
Holding her phone, she looked around and noticed that in addition to the festive signs celebrating the Spring Festival, the brightly decorated storefronts also displayed advertisements for Valentine's Day activities.
She didn't know what the Valentine's Day customs were like in this world, but she wanted to prepare a little surprise for Kenji Hagiwara.
Yomi Laichuan only has four friends in this world. Yomi Laichuan can't possibly call Kenji Hagiwara to ask him what gift he wants for Valentine's Day; with her movements restricted, she's also too embarrassed to call him about such a thing.
As soon as he hung up the phone, Raikawa Yomi immediately called Matsuda Jinpei without hesitation.
When Matsuda Jinpei received a call from Yomi Raikawa for the first time, he was quite surprised to see the caller ID. He was even secretly looking forward to it, wondering what Yomi Raikawa would say to him. But Yomi Raikawa's first words were: "Officer Matsuda, I want to prepare a Valentine's Day surprise for Kenji. Can you give me some ideas?"
Matsuda Jinpei: ?
Matsuda Jinpei, who had been single for many years despite being only a few years old, twitched his lips twice and hung up the phone. But no sooner had he hung up than Raikawa Yomi called again. Matsuda Jinpei snorted coldly, and this time he didn't even answer, pressing the red hang-up button directly.
After hanging up on Lai Chuan Huang Quan's calls four times in a row, Matsuda Jinpei frowned at the still-nagging phone and pressed the answer button with a helpless expression: "Seriously, what do you want?"
"Matsuda, the smartest officer in the world," Yomi Yorikawa tried to whine, "please help me, I really don't know what to do on Valentine's Day."
Matsuda Jinpei had no idea what one could do on Valentine's Day, but he didn't want to directly answer Yomi Yorikawa with "I don't know."
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he said calmly, "I'm giving you chocolates."
"Mmm!" Lai Chuan Huang Quan tilted his head, held his phone between his fingers, and began to take notes seriously with paper and pen. "And then?"
Matsuda Jinpei asked in surprise, "There's more?"
“Of course,” Raikawa Yomi said matter-of-factly, “Just giving chocolates would be too boring. Officer Matsuda, how did you usually spend Valentine’s Day? What little surprises did your girlfriend prepare for you?”
Matsuda Jinpei, who is better looking and smarter than most people in Tokyo, still remains single and clutches his phone tightly, falling into a silent slumber.
"For the past 22 years, I have spent every Valentine's Day with a pile of disassembled mechanical parts."
I simply can't say such a thing!
They'll definitely be mocked mercilessly by Raikawa Yomi!!
Matsuda Jinpei could even imagine, through his phone, the smug look on Yomi's face when she found out. That idiot would definitely put her hands on her hips, raise her chin, and say something like, "Officer Matsuda, you're so lame," in a sarcastic tone that would definitely get her punched.
Seeing that Matsuda Jinpei had not answered for a long time, Yomi Yorikawa called out to him again in a pleading tone: "Officer Matsuda, please help me, I promise I will never steal meat from you again."
Matsuda Jinpei clicked his tongue but remained silent. It wasn't that he didn't want to help, but rather that he truly couldn't.
And she said she wouldn't fight him for the meat...
Matsuda Jinpei suddenly recalled the scene on the day he was discharged from the hospital. Knowing he was in the wrong, Raikawa Yomi behaved extremely well after leaving the Metropolitan Police Department, as obedient as a rag doll, holding his bowl and not even trying to take a single piece of meat from him.
"Officer Matsuda, please eat more to replenish your strength."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan even stood up and took the initiative to put her favorite Sanwa beef into Matsuda Jinpei's bowl.
It seems like she suddenly changed her personality, but...
Matsuda Jinpei picked up a whole piece of grilled pork belly and placed it in the dipping sauce dish. Raikawa Yomi's almond-shaped eyes, brimming with longing, followed the movement of the dipping sauce dish from Matsuda Jinpei's bowl. When Matsuda Jinpei brought the meat to his mouth, Raikawa Yomi stared wide-eyed at his mouth, her eyes fixed on the meat that Matsuda Jinpei had placed on his chopsticks.
Matsuda Jinpei: "..."
I couldn't eat anymore. It felt like being stared at by a cute little dog with a pitiful expression while I was eating.
It's clear that Yomi Lai Chuan is trying very hard to fight off the cravings in his stomach.
At first, Matsuda Jinpei could force himself to ignore Yomi Raikawa, but after hearing the gurgling sound she made as she swallowed, he couldn't hold back any longer. He helplessly covered his face and pushed his porcelain bowl full of meat in front of Yomi Raikawa: "You eat it."
Lai Chuan Huang Quan's eyes lit up as she stared at the bowl full of meat that had been pushed in front of her. She frantically wagged her nonexistent tail, swallowed again, and spoke with a mixture of excitement and hesitation: "But Officer Matsuda, you…"
Matsuda Jinpei sighed, "I'm full, you eat."
The next second, he saw stars shine in Lai Chuan Huang Quan's sky-blue eyes. If it were a puppy, it would probably be so excited that its ears would stand up.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan excitedly picked up a large piece of meat: "I'm going to dig in now~!"
As the memory ended, Matsuda Jinpei listened to the woman's voice on the other end of the phone, constantly pleading and acting weak towards him, and found it all amusing. She'd say she wouldn't steal the meat, but Yomi Raikawa would always look at him with a pitiful expression until he couldn't bear to touch his chopsticks and gave her all the meat.
Matsuda Jinpei would rather Yomi Raikawa just make a big fuss and take it from him directly, so that he could eat with a clear conscience.
"Officer Matsuda," Yomi Laichuan said angrily, her pleas proving futile. "You've never celebrated Valentine's Day but are too embarrassed to tell me, so you're just being stubborn."
Matsuda Jinpei: ! !
You guessed right!!
"Pfft!"
A laugh came from the driver's seat at just the right moment.
Matsuda Jinpei glanced sideways at the driver's seat, where Hagiwara Kenji, the person he and Raikawa Yomi were discussing, was gripping the steering wheel, his mouth puffed out like a pufferfish trying to suppress a laugh—the two ace soldiers of the Mobile Squad had spent the entire day together. Hagiwara Kenji had overheard the entire conversation between Matsuda Jinpei and Soft-Bread. Before Raikawa Yomi could even decide what to prepare for the so-called surprise, Hagiwara Kenji already knew everything.
Matsuda Jinpei was extremely annoyed and determined to regain his dignity. He frowned and carefully recalled the methods his female classmates had discussed back in school—it wasn't that Matsuda Jinpei wanted to hear gossip, but rather that his childhood friend was so popular that many girls had come to him to inquire about Hagiwara Kenji's preferences.
Although most people not only can't get any information from him, they are also scared away by his menacing appearance.
Matsuda Jinpei pondered for a long time before speaking again, his tone tinged with uncertainty: "...Give Hagi a kiss?"
After saying this, all three people on both ends of the phone fell silent.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan, her face flushed, angrily said to the person on the other end of the phone, "Officer Matsuda, you're completely unreliable! I knew I shouldn't have asked you!"
After saying that, she hung up the phone.
Suddenly yelled at, Matsuda Jinpei's eardrums felt like they were being struck by a heavy hammer, thumping painfully. He rubbed his ears, mumbled a few words, locked his phone, and stuffed it back into his pocket.
"Hey, Jinpei," Hagiwara Kenji finally said with a frown and a smile after the call ended, "Where did you hear this weird idea from?"
“After finishing my shift last time, I went to the cafeteria for lunch. The traffic policewoman sitting behind me was discussing a popular TV drama, and I happened to overhear this part,” Matsuda Jinpei glanced at Hagiwara Kenji indifferently. “What, any objections?”
“No, quite the opposite,” Kenji Hagiwara narrowed his eyes into crescent moons, his smile so bright it was almost blinding: “I’m very satisfied with your suggestion, I just don’t know if Soft Bread will take it.”
"Tch, that little coward blushes at the drop of a hat, she'll never take my advice."
Matsuda Jinpei made a sarcastic remark, then turned to look out the window and ignored Hagiwara.
“That’s true,” Kenji Hagiwara slowly pressed the accelerator and drove the car out of the parking garage, “but who knows, a miracle might happen.”
"Ha, you're overthinking it."
But just two streets away in Beika Ward, Yomi Laichuan was drawn to a beauty store by the overflowing display of lipsticks facing the entrance. The exquisite gold counter gleamed under the lights; no girl who loved makeup could resist the temptation of two entire counters filled with different shades of lipstick. Above the counter, a mannequin tilted its head back, revealing sensual red lips, its eyes alluring and mysterious.
Lai Chuan Huang Quan originally planned to take a taxi home directly, but she stopped in her tracks and stood at the entrance of the beauty store staring at the row of lipsticks for a long time.
Her ears flushed crimson again. She pursed her lower lip and turned to leave, but after taking two steps, she suddenly stopped in her tracks. Taking a deep breath, Lai Chuan Huang Quan made a huge decision before turning around and striding aggressively into the cosmetics store.
She picked out a tomato-colored lipstick from among the many available and carefully applied it to her lips with her fingertips. She looked at the small round mirror on the counter; her wide field of vision only allowed her to see a glimpse of her red lips in the mirror.
—Give Hagi a kiss.
Matsuda Jinpei's words echoed in her mind again, and Yomi Yorikawa suddenly blushed.
Following the sales assistant's recommendations, she hastily bought a huge bag of cosmetics, leaving with her mind completely blank. She patted her flushed face, excitedly clenching her fist: "Great! Next up is chocolate!"
But then, Raikawa Yomi deflated like a punctured balloon.
Chocolate should be easy to make... right?
[Author's Note]
Second year of graduate school: It's okay if I can't eat chocolate, I can eat bread.
Huang Quan: ?
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