Crossing over, and then being blocked by a rich JK.

Chapter 467 The Unreliable and the Reliable

As it turns out, most of the world's secrets cannot be leaked if those in the know are willing to keep it a secret and remain tight-lipped.

Throughout the entire sports meet, every grade and class at Seongnam Private High School was discussing the police arrest of the paparazzi that day, and many people were speculating about the paparazzi's purpose.

Some say the paparazzi was there to photograph the gravure idol from Class 2E of the second year of high school, while others say the paparazzi came to the school to discover potential stars. Still others suggest that a low-key superstar has emerged from the school, and the paparazzi came specifically to photograph his private life.

But no matter how many different opinions there were, no one doubted the handsome boy in Class C of the second year of high school.

After all, when he gave his speech last time, everyone's wild guesses had already made them look foolish. People aren't stupid; how could they possibly make the same mistake twice?

Besides, who in the world wouldn't want to be a star?
Once you become a public figure, the money you can earn and your fame will increase accordingly. Although you still can't compare to local tycoons and councilors, it's enough for an ordinary family to have reached this point.

Not everyone wants to navigate the treacherous and extremely pragmatic world of officialdom.

So, after Watanabe Yu put in a good performance and helped the class win two first places, the sports meet came to a smooth end.

Unfortunately, their class failed to win the high jump event, so when the total score was calculated, Class C only got second place, while Class E, the dark horse, won first place.

When they went on stage to receive the award, the teacher in charge of Class E was beaming with joy, while the teachers in charge of the other classes had a rather ambiguous expression.

Of course, applause was still given.

"Is this enough food?"

On her way home, Ryoko Hamabe, carrying a large bag of groceries, asked uncertainly.

Tonight they are going to entertain Ikumi Eda and Risa Yasuhara.

Actually, at first only I called Yumi-nee, but Yumi-nee said it was a little awkward to be alone, so I called Risa-nee as well.

In addition, Yuki is also coming tonight, so if nothing unexpected happens, there should be six people having dinner tonight.

If Auntie were to turn around and launch a surprise attack, then there would be seven people.

"enough."

Watanabe Yu uttered those words without even thinking.

He was carrying two large bags.

From meat to seasonal vegetables and even fruit for dessert, everything was provided. It's no exaggeration to say that the ingredients prepared tonight are enough to feed ten physical education students.

"Hmm." Ryoko Hamabe nodded, switching the plastic bag in her other hand. "Speaking of which, why did Yu suddenly decide to treat Yumi-nee to dinner?"
"You already treated them on the second day of the sports meet, even though it was just a meal outside. Isn't that enough in terms of courtesy and propriety? Treating them too many times might make them feel embarrassed and even cause an imbalance in the relationship."

She felt that such social interactions should be reciprocal.

It wasn't about taking advantage of the meals the other person treated her to, but rather that she felt the relationship would gradually become abnormal if one party consistently paid for everything.

She had witnessed something like this when she was in junior high school.

The two girls met in the first year of junior high school, and by the second year, they had become quite close. They would go out together on Saturdays and Sundays, and the girl with short hair would pay for most of the expenses, while the girl with long hair would just play.

Later, at a small gathering, everyone started splitting the bill after dinner, but this time the short-haired girl didn't pay for the long-haired girl as usual, which led to a conflict.

When they said goodbye and went home, everyone was in a good mood. But after they got home, the long-haired girl started posting a long essay in the class group, saying that it was normal for everyone to split the bill when eating out, but she should at least pay for her share.

In that long-haired girl's mind, it was only natural that the short-haired girl should pay for gatherings and meals like this.

It was after that short essay that the two, who had been getting along incredibly well before, completely broke up.

"Last time we ate out, which was a way of thanking her for her help. To put it more vividly, that was a formal thank you. This time it was a private thank you, so it's different. And do you remember, she helped us once before, and we didn't thank her then."

Yu Watanabe provided an explanation.

He could understand Ryoko's meaning and was aware of her concerns, but this time it wasn't a one-sided invitation from him; Eda Ikumi also had this intention.

I just don't know what Jiang Tian was stammering about on the phone and what question she wanted to ask him.

"Oh."

Ryoko Hamabe nodded thoughtfully.

She didn't really understand it, and was still a bit confused, but she didn't dare to ask again.

Furthermore, Ayana also said that in situations like this, don't rush to ask questions, just think about it slowly.

Social skills and interpersonal relationships are truly difficult.

So, who's cooking tonight?

Watanabe Yu coughed lightly and began to talk about a topic that he was relatively more interested in.

"I'll do it."

Ryoko Hamabe always felt that when guests come, the head of the household should act like the head of the household and should be outside to entertain them, rather than going into the kitchen.

"But what if I want to make spicy diced chicken?"

Watanabe swallowed hard; he hadn't eaten this dish in a long time.

He spent a long time carefully selecting the chicken for this dish today.

"I'll do it."

It's not like she doesn't know how to cook; in fact, she feels that her skill in cooking this kind of dish is already very close to his, and the taste won't be too bad.

"How about I do it?"

Watanabe Yu had no intention of giving up. He hadn't been in the kitchen for so long, and he was itching to cook.

Of course, he also had his own quirky sense of humor, wanting to give Risa Yasuhara and Ikumi Eda an unforgettable impression, just like that old man who told reporters not to pick the oranges, saying he would pick them himself.

"Then who will entertain Risa and the others?"

Ryoko Hamabe stared straight at him, her beautiful eyes filled with the question, 'You made me do this?'

"Then I'll go first, and I'll cook last after you're done on your end, okay?"

Watanabe Yu chose to surrender, and at the same time, he felt relieved.

No wonder this girl is so hung up on this; it turns out it's because of this.

That's normal, though. After all, not all girls are saintly ladies who can navigate situations where they interact with older people with ease.

But the question is, why do Mom and Ryoko get along so well?

Was it her mother's tolerance? Or did Ryoko simply have a natural affinity for her mother?
"no problem."

Ryoko Hamabe nodded.

If it's just for a short while, no problem.

Actually, it's not that she's completely incapable of entertaining guests; she's just afraid of awkward silences, plus she lacks experience in this area.

*

At the same time, a black Maserati was weaving through traffic on the road outside Hibiya Station in Chiyoda Ward.

“I already told you, they said dinner would start at 6 p.m., but you didn’t come out until 5 p.m., you’re going to cause a traffic jam.”

As Risa Yasuhara drove, she complained helplessly.

Chiyoda Ward isn't actually that far from Bunkyo Ward, but it's rush hour! She was stuck in traffic for a full half hour on the elevated highway, a distance of less than 500 meters, until she was completely numb.

Judging from the current situation, it's highly likely that it will be reissued, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

"Then what should I do? You want me to tell the boss, 'Old Deng, I have a dinner appointment tonight, so I'm leaving first,'" Jiang Tianyumei rolled her eyes and retorted.

Theoretically speaking, today is Saturday, and she should be on holiday, but unfortunately, her boss brought her and another colleague to help out.

As a last resort, her day off was postponed.

"That's exciting."

Risa Yasuhara thought about that scene and couldn't help but laugh out loud, her resentment vanishing as a result.

"Just for the thrill?" Eda Ikumi glared at her, annoyed. "Put yourself in her shoes. If you asked the principal for leave, using what I just said, what do you think the consequences would be?"

"That's quite like a performance review report."

Do you even need to think about it? It's fine in private, but if other colleagues are present, would you dare to say that? Wouldn't that be disrespectful to them?

No matter how good the relationship is, no matter how much someone treats you like their own granddaughter, they still have to punish you, otherwise where would they put their face?
"So, that's it." Eda Ikumi turned her head and stared blankly at her reflection in the passenger window. "Risa, you know what? I received some good news and some bad news today."

"Now you know, hmm, so what?"

Risa Yasuhara glanced at the traffic light ahead and gently pressed the brake.

The black Maserati came to a smooth stop in front of the pedestrian crossing.

"You're not giving me any face at all. You promised to respond to everything."

Eda Ikumi pouted and muttered something.

"Ma'am, I was driving, and I didn't respond! Answer me! I didn't respond!"

"The good news is that my family has stopped pressuring me to go on blind dates."

Ikumi Eda ignored Risa Yasuhara's over-the-top antics and continued talking to herself.

"Shouldn't we celebrate?"

Risa Yasuhara placed her hands on the steering wheel, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

How can these incredibly beautiful young women, who are mentally 18 and possess youthful charm, be pressured to get married every day?

"At that time, she did not know that all beautiful things had a price tag attached to them."

Eda Ikumi slowly uttered this classic sentence.

"So what's the price?"

Risa Yasuhara picked up the conversation very quickly, or rather, thanks to her frequent contact with this person, her mental acuity in this regard had improved to a whole new level.

"The price is that I have to bring my aunt's daughter, my cousin, back." Jiang Tianyu sighed heavily. "It's about making sure she studies hard, improves every day, and doesn't think about or do anything that's not worthwhile."

"Including but not limited to?"

Risa Yasuhara tilted her head.

"I'm going to dye this thing golden yellow!"

Eda Ikumi pointed to her short hair, then couldn't help but sigh again.

Joking aside, saying that made her feel hopeless again.

She genuinely couldn't think of a way to change the mindset of a rebellious, immature girl during her teenage years.

"That's difficult."

Risa Yasuhara glanced at the countdown timer on the traffic light, released the handbrake the instant the red light turned green, and then gently pressed the accelerator.

The black sedan was once again driving on the road.

Whether it was good luck or because Saturday's evening rush hour was gentler than usual, they didn't encounter any serious traffic jams, even though the traffic was heavy and they had to stop and go frequently.

"So, I need your advice, as a teacher."

Eda Ikumi turned her head and looked to her best friend for help.

"What's the bad news?"

Risa Yasuhara didn't respond, but instead followed up on the question from before.

"The bad news is that if I fail, I'll have to go on ten more blind dates in a row, the kind I absolutely have to go to."

Eda Ikumi shrank into the passenger seat, her pupils losing their luster.

Just imagining that scene made her want to die.

"Then why don't we grit our teeth and go on a blind date?"

Risa Yasuhara gave her objective and fair judgment.

This was also the reason why she didn't teach junior high school students in the first place.

Compared to high school students who are relatively mature in their thinking, junior high school students who are going through puberty are much more difficult to manage due to physiological and psychological factors. Everyone has their own ideas and thinks they have grown up.

In this situation, it's incredibly difficult to correct a girl who wants to be cooler and thinks being a hot girl is more mature.

The more you try to persuade them, the more determined they become.

The more the adults oppose me, the more it proves that I am right!

It's so pure it's hard to put into words.

"No, how can you be so cold-hearted! So selfish!" Eda Yumi pouted. "I'm serious, give me some ideas, or I'm really going to die."

She didn't want to dress up in a flash for a blind date, then put her cards on the table with her dates and screen them like she was looking at houses; that would be really boring.

"My thinking is that you can't force her, you have to..."

Risa Yasuhara was momentarily speechless.

She wanted to say, 'You need to learn how to guide her,' but she immediately realized a problem: how do you guide her?
For students to truly hear and internalize the words, they must be spoken by people they trust or consider excellent.

If any random Tom, Dick, or Harry says something, people won't listen at all; they'll just treat it as nonsense or ignore it completely.

"Me?"

Eda Ikumi looked at her expectantly.

“I can’t do anything about it.” Risa Yasuhara sighed, then asked, “Do you think you can guide her?”

"I don't think... I can."

Eda Ikumi lowered her eyes.

She desperately wanted to insist that she could, but the truth wouldn't change just because she was stubborn.

“Then there’s nothing we can do.” Risa Yasuhara shrugged. “Instead of asking me, you should ask Yu, at least his age is closer. Of course, you can also ask Ayana and Ryoko.”

"..."

Eda Ikumi didn't respond, but silently closed her eyes to rest, while also carefully considering the words she would use to ask the question later.

Sure enough, best friends are no reliable at times like this. In the end, you still have to rely on high school students who are closer in age.

(End of this chapter)