Chapter Twenty-Seven
The setting sun warmed the asphalt road, and dappled sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves. Zhiyu clutched Yufeng's clothes, her steps light as a hopping sparrow.
"Brother Yufeng, look, look! So many cherry blossoms fell at school today, like pink snow!" She tilted her head up, her eyes shining like the sunset. "And also, I met a super gentle friend named Ito Aiko. She even invited Takagi Taro to lunch with her. Taro is a quiet guy, but he gave me a strawberry cake!"
Yu Feng slowed his pace, matching her short legs, and turned his head to look at her upon hearing this.
The girl's cheeks were flushed from running, her lips were upturned, and even her hair seemed to be brimming with joy.
His vocal cords twitched slightly, his voice softened as if by the evening breeze: "How are you adjusting today?"
"It's alright!" Zhiyu nodded vigorously, her ponytail swinging behind her head. "Everyone is so friendly, I'm so happy to have made friends!"
Yu Feng's gaze lingered on her bright eyes for a moment, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he said softly, "That's good."
The two walked side by side, the aroma of milk from the bakery next door wafting on the breeze. Zhiyu suddenly remembered something and tugged at Yufeng's sleeve: "Oh right, Mom and Dad aren't home for dinner today. Are you going to play tennis later?"
"Mm," Yu Feng responded, his tone carrying the earnestness unique to young people, "We can't let our guard down."
"Can I watch you practice?" Zhiyu stopped and looked up at him, her eyes full of expectation, like a puppy hoping its owner would nod in approval.
Yu Feng looked down at her, remained silent for two seconds, and uttered a single word: "Okay."
"That's great! Thank you, Brother Yufeng!" Zhiyu immediately broke into a bright smile, stood on tiptoe, reached out and hugged his arm, her small body pressed against him, carrying a faint scent of milk.
As night deepened, the lights outside Tezuka's residence had long been turned off. Zhiyu lay on Yufeng's desk, unable to resist the drowsiness, her head nodding off, until she finally fell asleep, her head resting on her arm.
Yukimura tiptoed over and carefully picked her up.
The little girl was sleeping soundly, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows under her eyelids, and a sweet smile on her lips.
He carried her home; the evening breeze was slightly cool, causing Zhiyu's eyelashes to tremble.
"Hmm..." She opened her eyes groggily, her vision still blurry with sleep. Seeing the person holding her, she softly said, "Daddy..."
"Awake?" Yukimura looked down at her, his voice extremely gentle. "If you're sleepy, sleep a little longer. We're almost home."
Zhiyu rubbed her eyes, snuggled her head against his chest, and suddenly asked curiously, "Dad, how do you know Mom?"
Yukimura paused for a moment, then chuckled, gently flicking her nose with his fingertip: "We met in a dream."
"Huh? Really?" Zhiyu's eyes widened suddenly, and her drowsiness vanished. "Then can I see Brother Yufeng in my dreams?"
Yukimura's smile froze for a moment. He coughed twice and mumbled, "...Hehe, no way."
"Why not?" Zhiyu's face fell, her tone full of frustration, her little brows furrowed into a deep frown.
“Because this is a secret between me and your mother.” Yukimura cleared his throat and said this nonsense with a straight face, “No one else can do it.”
"Then can I have secrets with Brother Yufeng too?" Zhiyu was unwilling to give up, grabbing his collar with her small hand and looking persistent.
“It’s different.” Yukimura smiled helplessly. “Your mother and I are husband and wife.”
"Ah!" Zhiyu's eyes lit up as if she had discovered a new continent. "Then can I be husband and wife with Brother Yufeng?"
Yukimura paused, looked down at the earnest little girl in his arms, and said with a wry smile, "No, you're both too young."
"Then can I do it when I grow up?" Zhiyu asked, her voice full of anticipation.
Seeing her persistent little face, Yukimura finally couldn't resist pinching her cheek and changing the subject: "Hehe, Zhiyu, you've been eating too much candy lately. You can't eat any more candy for a week."
"Ah? No, Daddy!" Zhiyu immediately put on a pitiful expression, her little hands tightly gripping his collar, her eyes slightly red. "I'll be more careful next time, okay? Don't not give me any at all, just a little bit is fine..."
Although Yukimura's heart softened, he still put on a stern face and said firmly, "No, this is a matter of principle."
Zhiyu pouted, buried her face in his chest in grievance, and muttered softly, "Daddy is bad," but still obediently hugged his neck. Before long, she fell into a deep sleep in his warm embrace, her breathing even and long.
The morning sunlight, like melting honey, streamed into the bedroom through the gaps in the curtains, spreading a warm yellow hue across the floor.
Zhiyu rubbed her sleepy eyes and got out of bed. As soon as her little feet touched the cool wooden floor, her nose caught a familiar aroma—it was her favorite scallion pancake, with the aroma of caramelized eggs and the refreshing taste of shredded potatoes, making her stomach rumble.
She shuffled towards the kitchen in her slippers, and from afar she saw Yuzuru wearing a beige apron, busy at the stove.
The frying pan sizzled, and the golden pancake slowly puffed up inside. Yuzuru was deftly flipping it with a spatula, his profile bathed in a soft glow from the morning light.
"Mommy, Mommy!" Zhiyu rushed into the kitchen, hugging Yusheng's leg tightly with her little hands, her cheek rubbing against the soft fabric, her voice still soft and sweet from just waking up, "It smells so good! I love Mommy's cooking the most!"
Yuzuru looked down at her, a gentle smile in his eyes, and reached out to ruffle her messy hair: "Good morning, our little Zhiyu. Go brush your teeth and wash your face, dinner will be ready soon."
"Okay, Mom!" Zhiyu replied loudly, then tiptoed to peek into the pot one last time before reluctantly turning and running to the bathroom.
When she finished washing up and returned to the dining table, breakfast was already neatly laid out. Golden and crispy scallion pancakes were rolled with sweet and sour shredded potatoes, tender ham sausages, and runny fried eggs, with a cup of steaming hot milk next to them, the aroma wafting towards her.
Zhiyu picked up the small fork and eagerly took a big bite. The crispness of the crust and the savory aroma of the filling exploded in her mouth. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction, her little face full of happiness: "So delicious!"
She wolfed down the entire scallion pancake, a little oil still clinging to the corner of her mouth. She licked her lips, then suddenly looked up at Yusheng: "Mom, can I bring one for Brother Yufeng?"
"Of course you can." Yuzuru smiled, picked up a tissue, and gently wiped her greasy mouth. "Mom will make you another one and pack it in an insulated box for you to take with you."
Zhiyu's eyes lit up, and then, remembering something, she asked, "Mom, can I bring candy for my new friends? Ito Aiko and Takagi Taro are very friendly, and I want to share with them!"
Yuzuru nodded, and just as he was about to speak, he saw Yukimura walking down the stairs in his pajamas, his hair still carrying a hint of morning laziness.
He immediately noticed Zhiyu's smug look, raised an eyebrow, and said with a hint of teasing, "I've put all the candy away, so going to your mom won't help."
Zhiyu's face instantly fell, and she glared at him with puffed-out cheeks, like an angry little pufferfish: "I just wanted to give it to my friend, not for myself!"
"Okay." Yukimura walked over, ruffled her hair, and smiled. "I prepared some strawberry cookies for you. They're in a small bag. Take them with you to share with your friends."
"Really? Thank you, Dad!" Zhiyu's bad mood vanished instantly, and she immediately beamed with joy, tilting her little face up to give him a sweet smile.
Yuzuru shook his head helplessly and urged with a smile, "Alright, alright, hurry up and eat, we're running out of time and we'll be late for school."
"Yes!" Yukimura and Chiyo answered in unison, one picking up the milk and the other the remaining half of the scallion pancake, speeding up their eating.
On her way to school, the morning light was just right, and a gentle breeze was blowing. Zhiyu clutched her insulated lunchbox tightly. As soon as she saw Yufeng waiting ahead, she quickened her pace and ran over to him, handing him the lunchbox with bright eyes: "Brother Yufeng, this is a scallion pancake my mom made today. It's super delicious, I brought it for you!"
Yu Feng took the insulated box, his fingertips touching its warm surface. He looked down at the girl's excited face, a faint smile curving his lips: "Thank you, Zhiyu, and thank you, Auntie."
"Actually..." Zhiyu pouted, adding with a touch of pride, "It's because my dad said he wanted to eat it, so my mom made it, but I love it so much!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Feng's smile deepened, and he said earnestly, "Auntie's noodles are delicious, and the red bean buns last time were also very tasty."
"Of course!" Zhiyu puffed out her little chest, looking very proud. "Mom's cooking is the best, and Dad's is the second best!"
"Dad's back today, and he said we'll have dinner together tonight." Yu Feng said, his schoolbag slung over his shoulder, the hem of his school uniform still damp with the evening breeze, his voice tinged with barely perceptible excitement.
Zhiyu was kicking leaves at her feet when she heard this, she paused, and replied softly, "Oh, okay."
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two as they walked side by side on the stone path of the Tezuka family's house, the sweet fragrance of gardenias from the neighboring yard wafting in the air.
As soon as I pushed open the door to the entrance, Mina came up to me with a plate of washed strawberries, her eyes sparkling: "I heard that Ryoma Echizen is getting married."
"Wow, really?" Yuzuru had just changed into his slippers when he heard this and immediately came over, his voice full of surprise. "That's really something to be happy about!"
"I heard they met when they were in school at Seigaku." Mina placed the strawberry plate on the coffee table, her skirt swaying gently as she sat down.
"Really?" Yuzuru picked up a strawberry and took a bite, the sweet and sour juice spreading on his tongue. "Seigaku's success rate is really high. Did they say where they'd get married?"
“It seems like they haven’t said that yet,” Mina thought for a moment, resting her chin on her hand. “They should get the marriage certificate first, and then have the wedding later.”
Yuzuru gazed at the setting sun outside the window, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the strawberry stem, and sighed softly, "It feels like I was still in Seigaku when I was studying there."
In the living room, Tezuka and Yukimura sat side by side on the sofa watching the news. Financial news was playing on the TV, and the two occasionally exchanged a few words in hushed tones.
Suddenly, the broadcast was interrupted by an urgent news report. The anchor's hurried and excited voice came through: "World-class tennis player Ryoma Echizen proposed live after winning the tournament!"
They both paused simultaneously, their gazes falling on the screen. Yukimura's lips curved slightly, a gentle smile playing in his eyes: "How youthful."
Tezuka adjusted his glasses, his tone still calm, yet tinged with a hint of helpless indulgence: "Too careless."
Yuzuru carried a plate of freshly stir-fried vegetables out of the kitchen. A glance at the television screen caught his eye, and his eyes lit up instantly. He immediately shouted towards the kitchen, "Mina, Mina! Echizen proposed! A live proposal!"
Upon hearing this, Mina immediately ran out of the kitchen, her hair still covered in flour. Seeing Echizen kneeling on one knee on the screen, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, Echizen is still so cool! So handsome!"
"Yes, yes," Yuzuru said with a smile as he placed the dishes on the table, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Still so cocky, hahahaha."
After laughing, she rubbed her ring finger, her tone tinged with a hint of regret: "But speaking of which, I've never been proposed to before, which is a real shame."
“Me too!” Mina immediately chimed in, and the two smiled at each other, their eyes filled with girlish longing.
The two people on the sofa seemed to be watching TV, but their eyes glanced over here without making a sound before casually looking away.
Yukimura picked up the tea on the table, took a sip, concealing the smile in his eyes, and said softly, "Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I played ball with Echizen."
Tezuka nodded, tapping his knee lightly with his fingertips, and said earnestly, "Indeed. It's time for a match."
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