"Lin, would you like something to eat?" Mrs. Jiutiao asked her.

"I already ate at home, thank you." Kiyono Lin sat down on the chair that Dubian Che had pulled out for her.

Her delicate, fair little face dazzled in the sunlight.

"By the way, Mr. Dubian, how did you and Lin become friends?" Mrs. Jiutiao looked curiously at Dubian Che.

"It just happened naturally, nothing special occurred, and before I knew it, we were friends," Dubian Che said.

"Can you tell us how you met?" Mrs. Kiyono rested her chin on one hand, looking like a sister not much older than her own daughter.

Dubian Che glanced at Kiyono Lin:

"I first met you in the Human Observation Department."

"Really?" Kiyono Lin thanked the waitress who brought water.

"Don't remember? Women..."

"I was writing a submission to the Literary Department."

"Right, you didn't even look up."

Dubian Che swirled his straw, the ice cubes in his lemonade clinking against the glass making a clear sound.

"In your eyes, what kind of child is Lin?" Mrs. Kiyono asked.

"With a book, she's a literary beauty, walking down the street, she's a high-class beauty. In short, she's just a beauty, a perfect being, oh, except for often cursing people."

"Are you the only one she curses?" Mrs. Kiyono chuckled.

"No, no," Dubian Che laughed in response, "Meiji occasionally gets scolded too, but she scolds back, while I don't mind."

"Do you really not mind?" Kiyono Lin looked over with a teasing smile.

The atmosphere of the chat was comfortable; they appeared very natural.

The two mothers felt a fresh sense of curiosity about Dubian Che—for a farmer's son, he showed no fear or flattery towards people of such high standing and seemed on equal footing with everyone.

"My dream is to make the world bow before me, I have nothing to contest with someone like you," Dubian Che answered Kiyono Lin's question.

"Very ambitious," Mrs. Jiutiao teased, "So the reason you're dating my Meiji is to step closer to making the world bow before you?"

"That's not making the world bow, that's Meiji making me bow," Dubian Che grumbled.

The two mothers laughed heartily, the laughter echoing in the sunlight.

Dubian Che continued, "Mom, you should really control her, and you too, Mrs. Kiyono, you have no idea how terrifying Mr. Dubian's gaze can be. I have absolutely no authority in our club; they make me do whatever they want."

"I know about Meiji, but Lin too?" Mrs. Jiutiao was curious.

"You've been deceived, Mr. Dubian's gaze when cold, not to mention more ruthless than Meiji, could definitely freeze a person or two, being utterly self-centered."

"Really?" Mrs. Kiyono heard her daughter spoken of in this way for the first time.

"My greatest virtue is honesty," Dubian Che affirmed.

"Mr. Dubian," Kiyono Lin shot him a cold look, "I'll give you a chance to tell the truth."

"See?" Dubian Che said to the two mothers, "That's the look! Scary, right? I'm just ordered around, suddenly told to change my tone."

The two mothers laughed again, crisp and cheerful.

Kiyono Lin glared fiercely at Dubian Che, then couldn't help but find it funny.

"What's so funny?" Jiutiao Meiji approached with her arms folded.

"Meiji?" Dubian Che turned with a smile, "We were just bad-mouthing you and Mr. Dubian, ratting you out to the mothers."

Jiutiao Meiji gave him a sidelong glance, then looked at Kiyono Lin.

Kiyono Lin focused on drinking her water.

"Shall we go? Weren't we going to shop?" Jiutiao Meiji said.

"Yes, let's sit well for a moment, then get moving," Mrs. Jiutiao stretched and stood up.

Letting the world-bowing Dubian Che take care of the check.

The five of them took Jiutiao Meiji's car to the mall.

Entering the mall, Mrs. Jiutiao affectionately linked arms with her daughter—it would be hard to believe they weren't sisters.

On the other side, Mrs. Kiyono also held her daughter's arm.

"Meiji, you and Lin hold hands. We'll dazzle everyone as pairs of mother-daughters," Mrs. Jiutiao excitedly said.

"Let's go," Jiutiao Meiji led her mother forward.

"Really, slow down."

Dubian Che walked next to Mrs. Kiyono: "See, I told you too much meddling is useless."

"Were you involved?" Kiyono Lin asked coldly.

"Half participation," Dubian Che answered.

"Half participation?"

Dubian Che wouldn't force anyone to do anything.

For example, if there were a road, he would smooth out the one he wanted others to take and plant beautiful roses on both sides, letting people choose it themselves.

After hearing Dubian Che's words, Mrs. Kiyono nodded appreciatively, "Mr. Dubian has a talent for influencing people."

"The future successors of the Jiutiao family and the Kiyono family," he said.

"A man who can make the world bow," Mrs. Kiyono said with a laugh.

"Snap his fingers and get any woman, a handsome Tokyo guy," Dubian Che added.

"What did you say?" Kiyono Lin asked.

"Nothing."

"Ha ha ha, Lin is really fierce," Mrs. Kiyono was too happy, leaning on her daughter's shoulder.

Meanwhile, the three caught up with the Jiutiao mother and daughter.

What Dubian Che had just described was somewhat similar to Kiyono Lin's 'providing options but not interfering with the choice,' but it was essentially different.

Paving roads and planting flowers might seem non-impositional, but he still manipulated others' will, making them take the path he wanted.

But it was different from Jiutiao Meijie's coercion.

He would use all means, but even if someone didn't take the road lined with roses, Dubian Che wouldn't force them.

The group first bought camping gear.

"Sir, how big a tent do you need?" the shop assistant asked.

"One four-person tent and one single-person tent, all the best ones," Mrs. Kiyono said.

"I'm not sleeping with you," Jiutiao Meijie said dismissively.

"It's rare we agree," Kiyono Lin noted, observing various camping gear in the store, her gaze resting on a folding chair.

"I haven't slept with Meijie for a long time, we must stay together this time, it's a rare family trip," Mrs. Jiutiao insisted.

"It's an anniversary trip for me and Mr. Dubian," Jiutiao Meijie corrected.

"Meijie," Mrs. Jiutiao gasped, covering her mouth, "Are you going to sleep in the same tent as Mr. Dubian in front of your mom?"

"Can't I?"

"No, you're both too young!" Mrs. Jiutiao looked at her daughter with the demeanor of a young mother educating a child.

Who was it that gave contraceptives as a Christmas gift?

Mrs. Jiutiao.

Who watched Dubian Che and Jiutiao Meijie kissing?

Still Mrs. Jiutiao.

"I also want to sleep with Lin," Mrs. Kiyono said, her gaze not on Kiyono Lin but landing on Dubian Che instead.

"..." Dubian Che spoke up, "Both mothers sleep in the middle, Meijie and Mr. Kiyono on the sides, how about that? Right, Mr. Kiyono, you answer first."

Kiyono Lin looked at him penetratingly, then nodded truthfully without lying.

Dubian Che turned to Jiutiao Meijie, "She agreed, Meijie, you should also stay with your mom."

Jiutiao Meijie scoffed but did not object further.

The two mothers looked satisfied at Dubian Che, who returned a look as if to say, "It's all because of your absurd requests that they agreed."

Neither knew if the two understood, but the young ladies did—they each gave Dubian Che a 'I'll deal with you later' look.

The five of them knew nothing about camping or which brands of gear were best, but they had money.

They let the clerk help choose, specify requirements, and then let the store supplement according to the season and camping environment.

These items would be delivered to the Kiyono's palatial home.

Then they went to buy swimsuits.

Wanting to prove himself and worried about not controlling his gaze, Dubian Che stayed outside the store.

Both mothers' swimsuits, it would be a lie to say he didn't want to look, but Dubian Che thought it was better not to seek such thrills.

But on the camping day, he would see them for sure.

Amid the various glances from women in the swimsuit store, Dubian Che imagined the scene of 'Jiutiao Meijie mocking Kiyono Lin for being flat-chested, Kiyono Lin mocking Jiutiao Meijie's legs.'

He would surely be asked who looked better.

Perhaps the two mothers might ask too? Dubian Che restrained himself from imagining that scenario.

As for Mrs. Kiyono's belly, did it really have a little bit of flab? That was worth paying attention to.

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