"Good afternoon, Mr. Xiaoquan," Mrs. Jiutiao said gently.

She looked as young as Xiaoquan Aonai, but she changed her tone slightly, and naturally displayed the maturity of a high school student's mother.

"Where's Dubian?" Jiutiao Meijie didn't find Dubian Che on the stage.

"He's in the second concert hall guiding the Woodwind Group," Xiaoquan Aonai said.

"Hmm," Jiutiao Meijie nodded and headed straight for the second concert hall.

"We should check it out too," the two ladies said, without paying any attention to Kiyono Lin on stage.

Kiyono Lin didn't notice their arrival either, focusing on coaching the brass group.

Under her direction, the group gradually brought out a clear and bright feeling from the score they'd played countless times before.

Even though they knew that if they just did as Kiyono Lin said, they would play better, they still felt trust and admiration for her from the bottom of their hearts.

Meanwhile, Jiutiao Meijie and the two ladies walked into the second concert hall.

Mrs. Jiutiao glanced around and noticed that, aside from Dubian Che, there were only girls.

They were playing, and Dubian Che was staring at the score with a listening expression on his face.

Hearing someone come in, the girls continued to play, and Dubian Che glanced up.

"Play it once more," he said without greeting Jiutiao Meijie and the others, addressing the Woodwind Group.

"Ah—" the girls in the Woodwind Group wailed.

"Mr. Dubian," said Ayane Kumi, the bassoonist and president of the Wind Instrument Club, "we've played this section ten times already, it's about time you tell us what's wrong."

"Exactly!" echoed Horikita Mai, the first-year oboist, "Senpai, you can tell us now, right?"

"You all are really slow," Dubian Che sighed.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Dubian, you're the smartest, just tell us!" the girls said, urging him on without any care.

Dubian Che deliberately used a tough coaching style, but it seemed to have no effect.

"Think carefully, what should be on your mind when you play this part? How do you plan to present this solo? I'll give you three minutes. If it doesn't work, we'll keep practicing today. I hope that after three days of intensive training, you'll have practiced more sections and not be stuck on this one."

Having said this, Dubian Che walked straight towards Jiutiao Meijie and the ladies.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"We came to have lunch with you," Jiutiao Meijie replied.

Dubian Che raised his left hand and checked the black watch face; indeed, it was time for lunch.

"Disband and eat," he turned and said to the Woodwind Group.

"Tell us what's wrong!" the girls still didn't let him go.

"What were you thinking about while playing?" Dubian Che casually inquired.

""Harbor Wind," of course it's the harbor!"

"It's a harbor, but not Tokyo Bay. This piece was written by a Yokohama native, so look up Yokohama Bay during lunch."

After dealing with them, Dubian Che turned back to the ladies and asked, "What shall we eat?"

"Should we go eat with the high schoolers?" Mrs. Jiutiao asked with interest.

"Sure," Dubian Che had no objections.

The four of them walked together to the first concert hall to look for Kiyono Lin.

"Mr. Dubian," Mrs. Kiyono said, "I thought you would be all over little Lin, but you actually came to advise the Wind Instrument Club."

"What kind of image do I have in your mind?"

"Definitely not some innocent youth."

"This is the biggest misunderstanding of August."

"I don't think it's a misunderstanding," Mrs. Jiutiao joined in the teasing, "you're full of sly tricks. Anyway, are you planning to go into politics in the future?"

"No, Meijie and I have decided to develop high-tech, work on holographic projection and artificial intelligence, and rule the world."

"You're so serious even when you joke, you're definitely cut out for a politician," Mrs. Kiyono affirmed.

Mrs. Jiutiao added, "When you graduate from university, I'll arrange for you to be a secretary to a minister, then enter the House of Representatives. Step by step, you'll become the Cabinet Chief, Party Leader, and Prime Minister, quickly."

"Dear Mother-in-Law, I really plan to research artificial intelligence and become the World King."

"It looks like I'll have to get you admitted to a mental hospital for a while." That's what Mrs. Jiutiao thought of her son-in-law's grand dreams.

Dubian Che took Jiutiao Meijie's delicate and soft hand and said:

"My Meijie, starting tonight, your Che won't be able to accompany you. He's preparing to study artificial intelligence; please help him gather related materials and papers."

"Just don't disturb my sleep."

"Does that mean study is study, but you still have to do what needs to be done every day?" Dubian Che said with a quiet laugh.

Jiutiao Meijie rolled her eyes at him.

Together with Kiyono Lin, they followed the Wind Instrument Club to a hotel for dinner.

The meal was not extravagant, but still lavish.

Grilled salted mackerel with grated radish and a slice of lime; green vegetables with dried bonito;

And egg rolls, pickled cucumbers, rice, and a chicken soup with matsutake mushrooms, beans, and bamboo shoots.

"We're eating quite well," Mrs. Jiutiao commented, "Normally I eat about the same."

"I usually just have rice with tea," Dubian Che said.

"So pitiful? Meijie treats you too poorly. Come to our house," Mrs. Kiyono laughed.

"No way," Dubian Che refused, raising his hand, "Last year during the typhoon, Little Miss Kiyono starved for a day and at night got two discounted bentos from the supermarket—is this how you treat guests? And you want me to go there?"

"Ha ha ha!" Everyone except Kiyono Lin laughed, including the three Jiutiaos.

"Did that really happen?" Mrs. Kiyono, with a face full of smiles, asked her daughter.

Kiyono Lin squeezed the lemon, letting the mist spray evenly over the mackerel, then took a sip of chicken soup, picked up her rice, and started eating calmly and slowly.