Facing Kiyono Lin, whose eyes gleamed like obsidian, Dubian Che's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish.

He had never spoken to Mayi Asuka, but because of her, he had told Xiaoquan Aonai something last summer, during the Wind Instrument Club's cram school.

Mayi Asuka had decided to bring an adult DVD she'd bought to see him at midnight, leaving him no choice but to suggest he go to her instead, and then Xiaoquan Aonai caught him midway.

Why, at the time, did he say he was on a date with Kiyono Lin?

Right, it was Xiaoquan Aonai who mentioned he had something going on with Kiyono Lin; he just went along with it.

Kiyono Lin stared at Dubian Che's thoughtful profile and sighed helplessly under her breath.

"If you want me to forgive you, you should at least apologize first," she said.

"Ah, sorry," Dubian Che came back to his senses and replied subconsciously.

The perfunctory apology, he didn't know whether it was for just now zoning out or for calling her a lover.

Kiyono Lin rubbed her forehead resignedly and decided not to fuss over it anymore.

Her gaze shifted toward Mayi Asuka.

Dubian Che's official lover was looking at him deeply, as if he was her whole world, not minding the just-past conflict at all.

"Asuka," Kiyono Lin began, "I won't impose on you for dinner."

After speaking, she glanced coldly at Dubian Che, "This time it's on Asuka; remember that well."

"The treat's on me, meaning it's on Che," Mayi Asuka said coolly yet firmly.

"Is that so," Kiyono Lin responded non-committally.

She slightly bent over, her long hair sliding off her shoulders, and she slid her fingers into her flats to take them off, replacing them with the slippers Dubian Che had prepared for her.

After changing shoes, she walked in as if it were her own apartment, naturally leading the way.

Dubian Che took a shopping bag from Mayi Asuka:

"Asuka, let's go inside too."

Once in the living room, Dubian Che first poured a glass of water for Kiyono Lin, then brought her his journal to read.

He and Mayi Asuka went to the kitchen to wash vegetables and prepare the soup base for the hotpot.

The light outside the window was bright; birds hopped among the green leaves of the roadside trees, and it was still early.

They washed the vegetables leisurely, piece by piece, cut them little by little, and then arranged them on the plates in the most attractive way.

Kiyono Lin sat in the living room, a cup of water on the table in front of her and Dubian Che's journal on her lap.

She looked around, her gaze lingering on the cheap TV for two seconds.

Thinking it must have been bought by his parents, she started reading the journal.

Opening the cover, the first line on the opening page read:

"Whenever, wherever, beware of Mr. R."

Though she already knew, seeing Dubian Che's neat handwriting still made Kiyono Lin smile.

Beware of what?

Worry about losing vigilance, loving her hopelessly deep, giving up everything he has now?

Feeling pleased, she suddenly did not want to read on.

She closed the notebook and headed toward the kitchen.

"I'll help," she said.

"Not reading anymore?" Dubian Che turned to ask her.

"I'll read it when I get back," saying this, Kiyono Lin gracefully rolled up her school uniform sleeves, revealing her smooth and delicate wrists.

Her stunningly beautiful arms reminded Dubian Che of something.

"The rose is still in the mailbox downstairs; I'll go fetch it. I'll leave this to you," he flicked the water off his hands.

Kiyono Lin frowned slightly, disliking his gesture.

"Don't get water on the kitchen floor," she said in a flat tone with a hint of scolding.

"Sorry," Dubian Che grabbed a kitchen towel to dry his hands.

"Move aside," Kiyono Lin said again.

"Yes, yes, yes."

The two exchanged places, Kiyono Lin moved next to Mayi Asuka and started working on the ingredients with her.

'Whose kitchen is this anyway? Let's take a good look at the house number, Miss Lin!'

Kiyono Lin suddenly turned back, her eyes coldly fixed on Dubian Che.

"What are you still doing here, Mr. Che?" Miss Lin issued an expulsion order.

Coincidence? Or can this guy really read minds?

It can't be that two people have such a telepathic connection unless they are twins.

Wait, born on the same day, could they really be twins? Is he the long-lost elder son of the Kiyono family?

That wouldn't be so bad, then Kiyono Lin could rightfully be by his side forever.

But then, if he married Jiutiao Meijie, would he need to change his surname?

As he went back downstairs to retrieve the rose that had lain in the mailbox all day, Dubian Che kept pondering these matters that would grieve his provincial parents.

◇

Kiyono Lin plucked leaves off fresh cabbage with her pale fingers.

Mayi Asuka was by her side, removing the veins from shrimp in the sink, her delicate profile expressionless, but her subtle joy was palpable.

"What do you plan to do in the future?" Kiyono Lin suddenly asked.

Mayi Asuka raised her head, her clear eyes looking back in puzzlement.

"...Stay with Che."

"Keep being his lover indefinitely?"

"...Do you intend to compete with Jiutiao?" Mayi Asuka asked flatly.

Hearing this, Kiyono Lin remembered she hadn't clarified that she wasn't Dubian Che's lover.

She had been too focused on schooling Dubian Che and forgot about it.

She generally didn't care what others thought of her, how they saw her was trivial.

"Yes, to compete with her," she placed the plucked cabbage into a basket next to the sink for Mayi Asuka to wash.

Mayi Asuka nodded slightly and continued to work on the shrimp.

"Do you know about Mr. Xiaoquan?" Kiyono Lin picked up a mushroom and started carving a beautiful cross pattern into it.

"...I know."

"Not jealous?"

"...As long as I'm with Che, nothing else matters."

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