"..."
At this mont, Yan Huan and his mother had yet to step out of the car. In front of the villa, the atmosphere among the several people gathered there gradually turned ominous. Their sharp gazes locked onto the vehicle, all of them growing restless and ready to make a move.
Speaking of this, An Le and Tong Yingying couldn't help but mutter that Sakuramiya Hitomi had entirely too much luck.
On the first day of Yan Huan's readmission to the hospital, both An Le and Tong Yingying had temporarily left to handle family matters.
And it was exactly at that ti that Yan Huan's mother, whom he hadn't seen in ages, returned!
The first person she saw was Sakuramiya Hitomi, who had been staying by Yan Huan's side to take care of him all this ti!
Not only must Sakuramiya Hitomi have left a deep impression on Yan Huan's mother over these past few days, but it was highly likely she had taken things a step further, making the older woman believe she was actually Yan Huan's official girlfriend!
"..."
'With this thought in mind,' An Le and Tong Yingying's expressions shifted, their imposing auras intensifying several notches!
Compared to Sakuramiya Hitomi, they each had their own sore spots:
Family background, age...
Therefore, for this first proper eting, the impression they left on Wang Yulu was of the utmost importance!
Showcasing their virtues was the top priority, and declaring their status ca second...
"Clack, clack..."
Off to the side, Sakuramiya Hitomi seed completely oblivious to An Le and Tong Yingying's intense internal struggle.
She simply tidied up her kimono and, acting as if it were only natural, took the lead in walking toward the entrance.
'Sakuramiya Hitomi, you greedy woman!'
'You already t with Auntie in secret over the past few days, and now you still want to get ahead of us?!'
"..."
Staring at Sakuramiya Hitomi's back view as she acted like the representative female friend, An Le and Tong Yingying couldn't help but burn with irritation.
However...
Sakuramiya Hitomi was a physical weakling, and her shoes were traditional wooden clogs ant to match her kimono. Taking it step by step, she was walking as slowly as a turtle!
So, letting Sakuramiya Hitomi take a head start wouldn't matter at all!
A smile crept onto Tong Yingying's face as the muscles in her legs instantly tensed, gathering strength.
'With this short distance, I only need to tap the ground lightly, and I'll be there in an instant...'
"Snap!!"
Yet the mont her foot pushed off the ground, Tong Yingying imdiately stumbled and gasped in shock.
Gritting her teeth, she looked back, only to see An Le holding onto her clothes with a harmless expression, acting as if she had lost her balance...
"What are you doing?!"
Knowing full well that An Le was causing trouble on purpose, blue veins slowly bulged on Tong Yingying's forehead. Wearing a forced smile, she forced the words out while gritting her teeth.
However, An Le simply cast an innocent glance down at her high heels and offered a helpless explanation.
"Sorry, Sister Tong. I don't wear high heels very often, so..."
Tong Yingying wasn't buying it for a second. With itching teeth, she whispered fiercely to An Le.
"Could you fake it any worse? Believe it or not, I will tell his mother about you secretly living with Yan Huan!"
Obviously, Sakuramiya Hitomi was a total weakling when it ca to physical fitness, and even this short distance would take her quite a while to cross.
In contrast, An Le absolutely could not beat Tong Yingying's speed, which was exactly why she had to intervene and hold her back.
Seeing Tong Yingying rcilessly expose her lies, An Le's expression didn't change at all as she nonchalantly continued.
"On the flip side, weren't you doing the exact sa thing before, Sister Tong?
"You thought Xiao Huan was just a destitute boy lacking a mother's love, so as his boss, you tried to lure him in with money, playing the old ox eating tender grass...
"Now that Auntie is back, what if she finds out you have inappropriate designs on Xiao Huan..."
Hearing this, Tong Yingying let out an aggressive hiss.
"Stop making slanderous accusations! What old ox eating tender grass... Yan Huan and I are in a free and modern romantic relationship!"
"A romantic relationship?"
"..."
Behind her, the sounds of Tong Yingying and An Le hissing at each other rose and fell, prompting Sakuramiya Hitomi, who was walking slowly and properly like a lady, to let out a sigh.
'Goodness, what a pair of idiots.'
'I specifically invited you both here to warn Auntie Wang to be on guard against Ye Shiyu, and yet here you are, fighting amongst yourselves...'
'Even if you want to fight, have you never heard the story of the Tortoise and the Hare?'
'It's true that my physical condition and attire are a burden. It's impossible for
to outrun you, but with my unrelenting perseverance, I can certainly...'
'Dominate everything!'
With this thought in mind, a faint smile graced Sakuramiya Hitomi's lips.
However, in the blink of an eye, she glanced up to find that Aria had inexplicably materialized right beside the car, as if she had teleported.
She was leaning against the car window, scrutinizing Wang Yulu in the driver's seat as if she were inspecting a rare animal...
'Aria!!'
"It's a living, breathing Yan Huan mama, awooo..."
Outside the window, Aria blinked her eyes as she peered inside.
Her breath from her slightly parted lips fogged the glass at close range, creating patches of mist that appeared and vanished like the shifting tides.
In her eyes, the person sitting in the driver's seat was an amiable red piggy auntie.
Except on her head, she wore a feather crown identical in color to the peacock crown Yan Huan had worn before.
"Uhh... Xiao Huan, is this friend of yours..."
Wang Yulu felt a bit awkward under Aria's innocent, zoo-animal-observing gaze. She could only wave awkwardly in greeting as she asked the question.
"This is Aria..."
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Yan Huan unbuckled his seatbelt.
While giving the introduction, he was also frantically typing on his mobile phone to call for backup.
'The atmosphere with this current lineup is already bizarre enough. And combining that with what Mom just said about Aunt Ye Lan coming over, which ans Ye Shiyu will be here too...'
'Yeah, I'd better invite so neutral third parties.'
'Like Yabashi Ki and the others.'
"@Everyone, I moved into a new place today. Do you guys want to co over and visit tonight? Hitomi is here too."
He sent this ssage to the Student Council managent group chat.
Yabashi Ki replied instantly:
"Sure, what's the address? I'll grab a cab over later."
'What a true bro, Yabashi Ki!'
Yan Huan smiled faintly, stepping out of the car while preparing to send Yabashi Ki the address.
But before he could hit send, Yurianna posted a sinisterly smiling emoji.
"Ah, Sakuramiya invited
yesterday too, hehe... Class C's An Le, Aria, and Senior Student Ye from Class 2-A are all going. @Yabashi Ki"
Not even a second after that ssage appeared, Yabashi Ki replied:
"President, to be honest, a water pipe in my house just burst. I probably won't be able to make it tonight..."
'Yurianna, you little punk!'
Yan Huan's face darkened. He shot back an emoji of a black cat with a darkened face before finally putting his phone away.
"Aria, this is my mother. You can just call her Auntie."
"Awoo, Auntie!"
The mont Wang Yulu opened the car door, Aria called out to her sweetly, instantly lting the older woman's heart.
'This child is just too adorable...'
But before she could finish the thought, Aria blinked and asked,
"Can I call you Piggy Auntie too?"
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Wang Yulu blinked in utter confusion and hastily looked over at Yan Huan.
Yan Huan grabbed Aria's shoulder and warned her with a dark expression,
"Just Auntie is fine!"
"Awoo..."
"Haha... ha... She's quite funny, this kid..."
A bead of sweat faintly ford on Wang Yulu's forehead.
"Wang... hah... hah... Auntie Wang... hah..."
In the next second, however, Wang Yulu was given another scare by Sakuramiya Hitomi, who ca stumbling over while lifting the hem of her kimono, looking as if she had just run a hundred-ter sprint.
"A-Are you alright, Hitomi? You..."
'Please don't pass out from exhaustion right here!'
"I'm... I'm fine... hah..."
Exactly at this mont, the second-place runner of the Tortoise and the Hare race, Sakuramiya Hitomi, finally crossed the finish line.
With the confusion in her eyes growing even more apparent, Wang Yulu looked at her son for the second ti.
Yet he remained calm and unconcerned, simply offering a nod.
"..."
The beads of sweat on Wang Yulu's forehead slowly multiplied.
"Auntie, long ti no see~"
Just then, a gentle and remarkably normal voice ca from nearby, making Wang Yulu's eyes light up slightly.
At that mont, tied for third place, An Le and Tong Yingying arrived simultaneously, pulling and shoving at each other along the way.
However, Tong Yingying was a bit slow on the uptake, allowing An Le to snatch the chance to speak first.
But when Wang Yulu turned her head to look...
She saw a girl with soft features standing before her, looking every bit the picture of a shy, sweet girl next door.
"Oh my, you're... An Le, right? Indeed, it has been a long ti."
Wang Yulu's eyes brightened slightly. For so inexplicable reason, An Le gave her a reassuring and favorable impression.
"This is so Ejiao cake I made at ho. It nourishes the blood and is very good for your health, Auntie..."
"Thank you... You're so skilled. Auntie doesn't even know how to make this."
Accepting the gift, Wang Yulu was incredibly pleased, though she sneakily glanced at her son out of the corner of her eye.
This ti, her son strangely averted his gaze...
Oh, wait, no.
He wasn't avoiding her gaze, but rather...
Avoiding the gaze of this seemingly harmless girl?
'Hmm?'
A twinge of suspicion sprouted in Wang Yulu's heart, and she subtly darted her eyes back.
As a result, she caught sight of An Le staring at her son with the ravenous, gluttonous eyes of a starving beast...
"!!"
Wang Yulu blinked in shock. An Le seed to notice the older woman's gaze, imdiately blushing and twirling her black hair as she reverted to her shy deanor.
"Auntie, I'm just... worried about Xiao Huan."
"..."
The beads of sweat on Wang Yulu's forehead were now clearly visible.
However, there was still one last person standing there...
When she saw the mature, red-haired woman, Wang Yulu squeezed out another smile and extended a hand for a handshake.
"Hello, how should I address..."
The usually bold and striking Tong Yingying coughed lightly, displaying a shy and nervous expression for the first ti.
"Hello Auntie, I... I am Tong Yingying."
"..."
Hearing this, the smile on Wang Yulu's face froze, and even her extended hand paused in mid-air.
She had originally planned to ask for the other woman's na and then directly refer to her as a sister.
Who would have thought...
Seeing this reaction, Tong Yingying mistakenly believed she was being rude and hurriedly reached out to shake her hand.
This gesture was like the final straw that broke the cal's back for Wang Yulu.
She chuckled awkwardly, touching her own face in a daze, as if questioning whether she truly looked that old.
"Pfft..."
From the side, soone let out a stifled laugh, causing Tong Yingying to instantly beco overheated as she whipped her head around to glare at An Le and Sakuramiya Hitomi!
'It had to be those two!'
Because Aria was still circling Wang Yulu, observing her from every angle as if she were seeing a panda for the very first ti...
"Mom, this is Sister Tong. She's the boss of the tavern where I work part-ti. She's been taking good care of
for a while now."
Thankfully, Yan Huan spoke up at this mont, taking the initiative to smooth things over for Tong Yingying. "Ah, I see..."
Wang Yulu blinked, but this ti, she just couldn't bring herself to smile.
She had finally figured it out...
These friends surrounding her child?
It seed like every single one of them had so bizarre hidden talents!
"Everyone, go on inside first. Auntie will cook sothing delicious for you all tonight."
"Alright, Auntie~"
Before her eyes, the group took the lead in walking toward the door.
Wang Yulu unlocked the door with her fingerprint and fetched shoe covers for everyone.
Yan Huan enjoyed better treatnt, as he had designated slippers to change into.
Watching the girls curiously inspecting the living room, Wang Yulu adjusted her expression once more, restoring her usual composure.
'Sigh, it's fine.'
'It's not like my son is dating or marrying them anyway. If they're just friends, it's no big deal...'
'Besides, Lan's daughter goes to the sa school as Xiao Huan.'
'Lan is a wonderful person, and her daughter, having been taught by her example, must be the sa.'
'With her looking out for my Xiao Huan at school, he will naturally be perfectly fine, even with these Pokémon surrounding him.'
"Just wait a mont, girls. Aunt Ye Lan will be bringing her daughter over shortly... You all go to the sa school, so I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about."
"..."
Who could have guessed that the mont Wang Yulu uttered those words, the previously bustling living room instantly descended into dead silence.
Not only that, but the girls all turned their heads in unison to stare at her.
"W-What's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
The girls exchanged glances but said nothing. Fortunately, Yan Huan spoke up with his usual calm expression, finally allowing the heavy boulder in Wang Yulu's heart to settle.
"That's good to hear... Co on, Xiao Huan, let
show you to your room. I've moved all your clothes from the South Ward over, and they're in the wardrobe. Why don't you change into sothing comfortable since you're ho?"
"Alright, Mom."
Yan Huan nodded. As he followed his mother upstairs, he cast a stealthy glance at the girls and silently mouthed,
"Don't expose the modifiers!"
"..."
Imdiately, Sakuramiya Hitomi flashed an OK hand sign.
Seeing this, Yan Huan finally felt reassured enough to follow his mother upstairs.
Just like the other layout, the second bedroom on the third floor was Yan Huan's room.
Because the villas in this neighborhood all shared a similar floor plan, Yan Huan's room was in the exact sa location as Ye Shiyu's room in the Ye Residence.
Thus, without even needing ti to adjust, Yan Huan already knew it would be massive.
An en-suite bathroom, a walk-in closet, a computer room, the main sleeping area...
Though it was called a second bedroom, it was practically a self-contained apartnt with every functional space one could desire.
It truly gave Yan Huan a taste of what money power felt like.
"Take a look, Xiao Huan. This is the initial layout. You can decide whatever you want to change later. Oh right, haven't you always loved cats since you were little? How about we go buy one later?"
"A cat..."
Hearing this, Yan Huan, who was still surveying the room, froze slightly.
His mother's words suddenly brought the mory of Myau-chan flooding back into his mind.
'Now that I think about it, why did Myau-chan disappear again?'
"Tick... tock..."
At that mont, the hands of the clock on the wall slowly ticked past 4:44.
And Yan Huan seed to finally recall the reason.
'It seed like...'
'Because all the modifiers were resolved, he had completed his mission?'
"..."
For so reason, feeling the reality of Myau-chan's departure, a sense of lancholy washed over Yan Huan. He softly replied,
"No need, Mom. I've already raised one."
"Eh? You already raised one..."
Before Wang Yulu could ask for details, the faint sound of the doorbell drifted up from downstairs.
Following that, Aria instantaneously appeared from downstairs...
Heaven knows how she managed to co up so fast.
"Auntie, soone is ringing the doorbell, awoo!"
"Ah, alright..."
Wang Yulu replied, then turned back to give Yan Huan a gentle smile.
"It must be your Aunt Ye Lan. I'll go open the door for them. Make sure you co down as soon as you change your clothes."
"Okay."
Yan Huan smiled faintly as he closed the door and fully stepped into the room.
After taking a good look around the space, Yan Huan tossed the clothes he intended to change into onto the bed.
Even so, staring at the massive, perfectly made bed in front of him, he couldn't resist lying down on it and spacing out.
"This is way too soft... Is it a Simmons mattress?"
When had Yan Huan ever enjoyed such luxury before? The bed back in the South Ward creaked just from having two people sleep on it.
It was just that this room happened to face west, so it caught a bit of the glaring evening sun in the afternoon.
'I just need to draw the curtains...'
With this thought, Yan Huan got up to pull the curtains shut.
But just as he walked up to the windowsill, he happened to catch sight of the villa directly opposite his.
That was Aunt Ye's house.
Coincidentally, in the third-floor side bedroom facing east, a girl with long, straight, black hair wearing white pajamas was also in the middle of closing her curtains.
"..."
Their villas weren't far apart, separated only by a single-lane road, allowing them to clearly see each other's figures.
The timing and movent of them drawing their curtains were identical. Naturally, they also spotted each other at the exact sa ti.
"Sister Shiyu?"
Yan Huan spoke subconsciously. Of course, the other party couldn't hear him and could only read his lips.
Therefore, in the opposite building, Ye Shiyu tilted her head with an expressionless face and looked at him.
'Hiss...'
'That's not right. Didn't Aunt Ye Lan co over?'
Yan Huan stuck his head out the window and, right on cue, heard the sounds of Ye Lan arriving for her visit downstairs.
'Which ans...'
"Didn't Aunt Ye just get here? Aren't you coming over too?"
Yan Huan looked up at the nearby window and subconsciously voiced his question.
Ye Shiyu opened her window and heard his voice.
Yet she remained entirely silent. Instead of answering verbally, she turned around and picked up a notebook from a nearby doll workbench.
"Scribble, scribble..."
She wrote sothing down with a water-based pen, then held the notebook up in front of her face.
"I'm not coming over."
"Why not?"
Yan Huan asked again. Ye Shiyu heard him and once again lowered her head to write sothing down.
Imdiately after, she raised the notebook and placed it in front of her face once more.
Black ink on white paper, exceptionally clear.
Behind the white paper, her unruffled black eyes blinked from ti to ti, resembling dark stars in the dayti sky.
"Because I don't want to cause you any more trouble."
"..."
Seeing this, Yan Huan opened his mouth to speak.
Not knowing what to say for a mont, he decided to change the subject with a teasing remark.
"We're such idiots. Why aren't we just chatting on Plane with our mobile phones?"
"..."
Ye Shiyu paused for a mont. Yan Huan thought she had taken the hint and prepared to turn around to grab his own phone.
However, in the very next second, he watched as she lowered her head and started writing again.
"Scribble... scribble..."
Looking up, he saw what she had written:
"I forgot."
Yan Huan almost burst out laughing, abandoning his plan to fetch his phone.
"...Actually, chatting like this is fine too, except I can't send my emojis, so it feels a bit weird."
"..."
Ye Shiyu looked at Yan Huan quietly. A second later, she lowered her head and began scribbling away once more.
Before long, she raised the notebook with her usual expressionless face, her gaze fixing on Yan Huan.
The ssage read:
"I can."
"(??'ω'??)"
Below the words was a line of kaomoji shaped like little cat paws.
"..."
Seeing this, Yan Huan leaned against the windowsill and let out a bright, happy laugh.
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