Leaving Ginza, Dubian Che found a high-end fruit store.

A box of "Sato Nishiki" cherries, six in a box, precisely one thousand yen without tax, he bought four boxes, three for the teacher, one for the senior sister;

Miyazaki Prefecture's special supply mangoes, four thousand yen each without tax, seven thousand five hundred yen for two, he bought four, three for the teacher, one for the senior sister;

Okayama Prefecture's grapes, eight thousand yen per bunch, he bought three bunches, two for the teacher, one for the senior sister;

Finally, after picking and choosing, he also bought Shizuoka Prefecture's melons, priced at fifteen thousand yen each, two in total, one for each side.

Carrying a heap of items, taking the train would take up too much space. Worried about affecting others, Dubian Che once again took Tokyo's famously expensive taxi.

Returning to Shinano Town, he went straight into Room 501.

"How come you're back so late?" Xiaoquan Aonai, who answered the door, took the stuff from his hands and complained.

"I finished buying gifts, then went to buy some fruit."

He had told Xiaoquan Aonai about buying the gifts in advance on Line.

"What fruit did you buy? I told you we were going to wait for you to come back and have dinner together."

"We'll eat it after dinner, I'll eat all of the dinner up." Dubian Che took off his shoes to change into slippers. Halfway through, he remembered something, "Right, split all the fruit into two portions, the smaller portion is for Mayi."

"Mhm, I'll put hers in the cabinet by the entrance. Remember to take it when you leave."

"Will do."

Xiaoquan Aonai, watching Dubian Che change his shoes, hesitated before speaking:

"Dubian, let's invite Mayi Asuka to join us for dinner."

Dubian Che looked up, "Is that okay?"

"Mhm," Xiaoquan Aonai answered softly. "When you're with her, I have Akiko and Miyuki, but when you're with me, she's alone."

Dubian Che thought for a moment: "Let's not."

Lovers meeting each other, Mayi Asuka was once Goda's student, Xiaoquan Aonai is Goda's teacher. It would inevitably be awkward.

Mayi Asuka's cold character doesn't mind, but Xiaoquan Aonai is naturally shy.

"It's fine." Xiaoquan Aonai showed a tender smile. "I've never taught Mayi as a student, we've never even spoken at school, and lately I've been reasoning with myself, getting used to it slowly."

"Reasoning? How so?" Dubian Che asked curiously.

Xiaoquan Aonai felt a little shy, pinned her hair behind her ear, emanating a twenty-five-year-old woman's tender charm, stirring Dubian Che's heartstrings.

"The two of us, it's not about a teacher and a student being together."

"Self-deception?" Dubian Che chuckled.

"It's not!" Xiaoquan Aonai retorted like a little girl, then continued to explain, "It's because I fell for you when I was sixteen and then came to Goda to teach. The only difference between Jiutiao, Mayi and me is the age; our status is the same."

"That's true too. Unfortunately," Dubian Che expressed in regret, "I quite like the identity of being a teacher."

Xiaoquan Aonai flicked Dubian Che's forehead, lifted the fruit and Dubian Che's backpack, and walked into the living room.

"Go call Mayi to come over, I'll go heat up the food."

"Teacher."

"Hm?" Xiaoquan Aonai turned around.

"Thank you."

Xiaoquan Aonai smiled slightly: "Dubian, haven't you said it? Between us, there's no need for apologies, everything is because of love."

"Can you two stop being disgusting, I'm starving!" complained Akiko from the living room.

Dubian Che and Xiaoquan Aonai exchanged a look and both smiled a bit.

"Coming, coming!" Xiaoquan Aonai headed into the living room.

"What's that? Fruit? Bring some here to fill the stomach. Cherries look delicious... So expensive?!"

Listening to Akiko's exclamation, Dubian Che changed back into his shoes, stepped out, then turned back to grab the fruit for Mayi Asuka.

After he left, Xiaoquan Aonai told Akiko and Miyuki Saeki: "I asked Dubian to invite Mayi Asuka."

"Mayi Asuka?" Akiko paused her slipper-wearing preparation to wash the cherries. She hadn't overheard the previous conversation, "Why did you call her over?"

"Don't you feel sorry for her after hearing what Dubian told us about her?" Xiaoquan Aonai said compassionately.

"She is pitiable, being estranged from her family." Akiko nodded her agreement, "But a lover to sympathize with a lover, seeing or even hearing about it is a first."

"Xiaoquan is really satisfied with the current situation to show compassion to others." Miyuki Saeki commented, "If she was still thinking of fighting for the title of legal wife, it would be a wonder if they didn't come to blows."

Xiaoquan Aonai was embarrassed by their words but indeed was very satisfied with her current life.

Her job was stable and smooth, there was no need to part with her best friends, being able to always live together. When she got tired of her girlfriends, she could be with the person she liked, and when she got tired of that person, she'd be back with her girlfriends.

As for money, after achieving each month's saving goals, there was enough left for a short trip—though they couldn't afford high-end accommodations or fancy food.

Besides, Dubian Che had shown her the balance of his savings.

She wouldn't use his money, but having a wealthy boyfriend definitely provided a sense of security.

Xiaoquan Aonai was thoroughly enjoying life now, just waiting for Dubian Che to graduate and considering having a child—together with the three of them raising it, being a mother would be much easier.

Every day was filled with happiness.

Humming a tune, she warmed up the food again, and took the initiative to help Akiko wash the cherries.

Dubian Che walked into Room 501 with Mayi Asuka.

To his invitation, Mayi Asuka showed no hesitation or conflict and immediately agreed.

When the five people sat down at the dining table, everyone except Mayi Asuka felt somewhat awkward.

For the first time, Xiaoquan Aonai took a serious look at Mayi Asuka.

A delicate face, black shining hair, not very curvy, leaning towards slender.

Her clear eyes, for the most part, rested on Dubian Che.

"Mayi... May I call you that?" Xiaoquan Aonai asked.

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