CHAPTER 491: 228. RESTLESS VALENTINE’S DAY (END)

Winter, the school bell rang at six o’clock, half an hour earlier than in the summer.

By six twenty, Dubian Che and Jiutiao Meijie walked along the deserted school buildings, the temperature significantly lower than during the day.

They reached the shoe locker area after descending the stairs when suddenly a figure ran over.

"Mr. Dubian, please accept this!"

"...Oh, thank you."

"You’re welcome!"

Twenty minutes after school had ended, the sounds from the Wind Instrument Club had ceased, as had the unclear shouts from the sports teams on the field. He hadn’t expected someone to specifically wait to give him chocolates.

Jiutiao Meijie glanced at the girl who was walking away and said to Dubian Che, "Let’s go."

"Okay."

Dubian Che put the chocolates into his already overflowing bag and left the school with Jiutiao Meijie, getting into the luxurious car.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at a detached villa in the Chiyoda district.

In this Island Country, apartments are generally considered more upscale than detached houses, but the kind of detached house like Jiutiao Meijie’s was another matter altogether.

And then there was the extensive Jiutiao Main Family residence, where Jiutiao’s mother lived, which was not just an ordinary house either.

The two had dinner in the living room.

Jiutiao Meijie ate only a few bites before she excused herself and went upstairs.

Dubian Che ate leisurely.

"What’s this?" he asked the maid.

"Mustard greens," the maid replied, bending over.

"Is that supposed to be early spring food?"

"Yes, it’s from the Izu Mountains."

"Izu has already reached early spring?"

"It’s just started, I heard some cold cherry blossoms are already blooming," the maid said melodically, as if narrating a story under the night lights.

Dubian Che nodded and took a bite of the deep-fried whitebait, imagining early spring in Izu.

The imagery he conjured was all of the fields in Misezawa Village since he had never been to Izu.

A maid came to serve dishes and took away the first two dishes that had been served earlier.

Just now that maid had initiated the explanation: "This is vinegar mixed with celery, and this is deep-fried bamboo shoot sprouts, both early spring mountain vegetables served at the Izu Hot Spring Inn."

Dubian Che tasted them.

Around the corner from the living room to the kitchen, another maid appeared, bringing fresh dishes.

Half an hour later, a maid came down from upstairs.

She walked up to Dubian Che and said seriously:

"Mr. Dubian, the miss asks if you have finished your dinner."

"What were her exact words?" Dubian Che knew his girlfriend well.

"She asked me to see if you’ve stuffed yourself to death," the maid’s expression remained unchanged.

Dubian Che put down his utensils and wiped his mouth, and as he got up said to the maid who had introduced the dishes:

"Could you please tell the chef I really liked the food today."

The maid bowed slightly.

Satisfied from his meal, Dubian Che gathered his emotions, ready to face destiny upstairs.

In her night robe, Jiutiao Meijie was sitting on the sofa after her bath.

Her graceful, noble body comfortably leaned on the cushion, looking down at Dubian Che who walked in.

The neckline of her robe was slightly open, revealing the firm youthfulness of a young girl.

The hem of her nightgown revealed a long expanse of smooth leg.

"Mei..."

"Come here," she commanded.

Jiutiao Meijie’s allure—enigmatic, mercurial, soul-stirring, and sly.

...

On the large white bed, Dubian Che lay on top of Jiutiao Meijie, his head resting on her chest.

A blush on Jiutiao Meijie’s face, her delicate, pale fingers threaded through his hair.

The two stayed like this, quietly, for a good while.

"Liberal arts or sciences, which one are you planning to choose?" Dubian Che asked.

Except for his lips, he didn’t move, relishing the skin-to-skin contact with Jiutiao Meijie.

"You?" her voice was lazy, content.

In the time they were in bed, she was no longer the queen; their conversation was like that between young lovers or a married couple.

"Liberal arts?" Dubian Che was unsure himself.

"Hmm?"

"Planning to study economics at the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Tokyo University."

"Economics?"

"You see, I nearly don’t have to work in the future, the only time I need to is the four years when you’re having children, so maybe I should learn something about economics."

"I suggest you go to the Faculty of Education," Jiutiao Meijie said as she combed her fingers through Dubian Che’s hair.

"Why?"

"You’ll work for four years, but you’ll be with the kids for at least ten years."

"That makes sense," Dubian Che nodded, causing an itch on Jiutiao Meijie’s chest, "So I go to the Faculty of Education, specializing in preschool education?"

"The kids wouldn’t need you to look after them," Jiutiao Meijie said, "What teachers or nannies can’t we hire at our house?"

"Meijie, there’s something I’ve been curious about and want to ask you."

"Mm."

"How do you plan to raise our future children?"

"The first child with the strictest methods, the others casually."

"What if the first child doesn’t inherit our genes?"

"It doesn’t matter if they aren’t good-looking; if they aren’t smart, we’ll just have to replace them."

"That’s too ruthless, isn’t it? That child would have already been forced to learn a lot before we find out they’re not smart."

"Learning a lot and then giving up on them, it’s all for the sake of the child and the Jiutiao Family. By the way," Jiutiao Meijie’s hand paused, "you are not to interfere in this matter, don’t always come with your gentle approach, let me decide."

"Yes, yes, yes," sixteen-year-old Dubian Che had no sympathy for his future children.

The two were briefly silent.

"What should I give in return for White Day?" Dubian Che suddenly asked.

"The stores have already thought it through for you, just pick something expensive."

"Mm," Dubian Che buried his face in Jiutiao Meijie’s chest, his voice muffled, "what do you want?"

"Figure it out yourself."

Jiutiao Meijie didn’t speak again, feeling the warmth of his breath on her chest.

"Should I buy the most beautiful roses from Ota Flower Market every day and give them to you as a morning greeting?"