"Lose... huh." Akiko grunted with an 'you better explain yourself' look, seriously ready to reprimand Dubian Che as if he were a student.

"So it's that time of the month?" Dubian Che innocently said, "Remember to drink more warm water and keep warm."

"I..."

"Alright already, let's eat," Xiaoquan Aonai sat next to Dubian Che.

"You just help him out!" Akiko picked up her bowl, took a couple of bites, and then started lecturing Dubian Che again, "What kind of games are you playing? Little sister, big sister? And those dirty ones in the club?"

Not to mention the teacher series, huh.

Dubian Che knew the reason Akiko always looked at him with disfavor was just her concern for Xiaoquan Aonai's happiness, worried about her best friend's future.

In the eyes of ordinary people, Xiaoquan Aonai's love affair was doomed to be tragic, even suspecting that Dubian Che's willingness to be with her was merely out of a young man's vanity to have a female teacher as a girlfriend.

Having such a caring friend by her side, Dubian Che could only be happy for Xiaoquan Aonai.

As for Akiko's attitude towards him, it was just shy of satisfactory, but he would prove everything with time—he would stay with Xiaoquan Aonai forever, and treat her well.

"Mr. Xiaoquan," he said.

"What's wrong? Doesn't it taste good?" Xiaoquan Aonai asked.

"You look really nice today, I couldn't take my eyes off you during class."

"..." Xiaoquan Aonai's face remained cool, "You should listen carefully during class, don't always think about messy things."

"Okay, I won't from now on."

Xiaoquan Aonai's heart skipped a beat.

"Yes, that's more like it," she said with a pang of strong regret.

Really not going to look anymore? Isn't it normal to stare at the teacher during class? Why did I say that? I could have just said to look a little less!

She didn't feel like eating anymore, feeling listless. Should she even bother to dress nicely and wear pretty clothes if she's not going to be taken seriously?

"I really want to take the exam soon," Dubian Che sighed.

"..." Xiaoquan Aonai suddenly found tonight's meal more delicious.

Today was May 7th, and there were still twenty days until the exam. Plus, with the results coming out, it wouldn't be until early June that they could be in each other's arms again.

...It felt like an eternity.

If she had known, she would have agreed to Dubian Che's request to hug three times.

But in that case, if he became first in the nation, they would have to kiss...

Xiaoquan Aonai pretended to eat, bowing her head with her face blushing intensely. She had even thought: if Dubian Che were to put his, his tongue... into her mouth, she would definitely bite him in anger!

But not too hard; getting the tongue bitten would hurt a lot.

What would a kiss with tongues really feel like anyway...

"What do you plan to do for work after you graduate from university?" Akiko asked Dubian Che again.

"Not sure, maybe I'll be a layabout son-in-law?"

"A layabout son-in-law? What about Aonai? Even if she can support herself, as a man, don't you plan to provide for her at all?"

Dubian Che glanced at Xiaoquan Aonai, who was staring down at something, not eating her vegetables, just her rice.

Just as Akiko said, was she worried about the future?

After all, she was a woman, albeit an older one, yearning for a sense of security from her boyfriend.

"Here's what will happen," Dubian Che put down his chopsticks and sat up straight, "I'll buy this apartment and give it to Mr. Xiaoquan, then I'll give her five hundred million yen."

"How, how much?" Akiko's mouth hung open, the stern female teacher had vanished, replaced by just an ordinary young woman.

Miyazaki Mieko was also staring at Dubian Che in surprise.

Ignoring the two of them, Dubian Che turned to Xiaoquan Aonai:

"Mr. Xiaoquan, what do you think?"

"No, you're still a student!" Xiaoquan Aonai reacted vehemently.

Dubian Che thought he'd done something wrong, but when he saw the blush on her beautiful oval face, her eyes slightly moist, he understood immediately—he was after all, a novice at best in practice and theory.

"Then we'll talk about it again after I graduate," he picked up his chopsticks again and started eating dinner.

Talking about apartments and savings was just to assure them, to reduce worries about the future.

For Dubian Che himself, giving the money or not made no difference; he didn't need money to prove how much he loved them or to prove his resolve to stay together forever.

He couldn't possibly let them leave him.

After dinner, and helping to dry the dishes, Bian Che returned to his apartment.

"Aonai!" Akiko grabbed Xiaoquan Aonai's shoulders, "Do you have any idea what you're saying?!"

"Did I say something?" Xiaoquan Aonai jumped in fright.

Had she inadvertently spoken her inner thoughts out loud?

"That's five hundred million, plus this apartment! With that, we could instantly achieve financial freedom, never have to worry about saving money again, never have to travel on a tight budget! Next time we go to Capital City, we could stay in a large suite by the Yachuan River, not cram into a hostel!"

As she spoke, Akiko shook her, and Xiaoquan Aonai, already confused by what Akiko was saying, felt even dizzier from the shaking.

She grabbed Akiko's excited arm, "What on earth are you talking about?"

"Aonai, what are you really thinking?" Miyazaki Mieko sighed, "I know you might feel embarrassed, thinking you're in a serious relationship and shouldn't take this, but as a safeguard for the future, it wouldn't hurt to accept it now. If things go sour without betrayal or having children, you could always give it back."

Xiaoquan Aonai grew more confused.

Children? Whose children?

Miyazaki Mieko continued, "Have you done it with him?"

"Done? Done what?" asked Xiaoquan Aonai, puzzled.

"What men and women do, especially when they're a couple, what else?"

"...Miyuki! What nonsense are you talking about! How could a teacher do such things with a student?" Xiaoquan Aonai's face turned bright red.

"Aonai has always been with us, when would she even have the time?" Akiko's face still showed a hint of regret for the loss of financial freedom.

"That's right! No! It doesn't matter if there's time or not, I would definitely not do those things with Dubian before graduation!"

"I was just asking, it's fine if you don't." Miyazaki Mieko waved her hand to calm her down, "But aside from you, he has a girlfriend and two mistresses. You're the only one not doing anything; is that really okay? A man's passion is even shorter-lived than the shelf-life of medication."

"I truly love Dubian, and he's not that kind of person," Xiaoquan Aonai said with conviction.

"This is between the two of you; I'm just offering some advice from a male physiological perspective."

"Physiological perspective?" Akiko, who wasn't previously interested, became curious.

"It's nothing profound. Simply put, Dubian spends most of his time thinking about women."

Xiaoquan Aonai: "..."

"And what about women?" Akiko asked.

Miyazaki Mieko glanced at her, "Whenever you find yourself thinking about it, that's when most women do."

Akiko's pretty, young face turned instantly red, "I've never thought about it!"

"Then you might want to consider seeing a doctor."

"Well, I have thought about it occasionally," Akiko mumbled.

"Most women don't, so it seems you really do need to see a doctor."

"Are you mocking me?! Doctors and teachers are the last professions that can afford to talk nonsense; think before you speak! Aonai, how often do you think about it?"

"Ah? Me? I..."

Amidst the noise and chaos, the three of them had to go to work the next day. They finished their nightly routines and retired early to their own rooms to sleep.

Xiaoquan Aonai hid under the covers, using her phone to search "How often does a sixteen-year-old boy…" "When do couples who are dating typically become intimate," "The future of couples who don't become intimate," and so on.

Lastly, she searched "How to help a boyfriend relieve his frustrations."

That knowledge made her cover her face with the blanket, not daring to emerge for a long while. Finally, she couldn't stand the heat anymore and gasped for air as she crawled out.

"Do I have to do those things for Dubian?"

"No, no!" Xiaoquan Aonai shook her head vigorously, "I'm a teacher, I promised not to be intimate with him before graduation!"

Just after reassuring herself, she turned her head and thought again,

"There are two more years until graduation. If Dubian does those things with the other three, will he become cold towards me?"

"Dubian isn't that kind of person!"

"But after all, he is young, and he thinks about these things every day..."

"Ah—" Xiaoquan Aonai kicked her legs furiously like a little girl.

The thrashing didn't last long before she grew tired.

"If, and I'm just saying if, Dubian wanted to, maybe I could give him some small comfort."

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