I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 206 The Most Show-Off Teenager
They didn't watch Tsukino Gen's actions anymore, because the kitchen was still a bit unpleasant for them when the cooking fumes rose.

They are people who never lift a finger in their daily lives, and the realities of life don't really concern them.

They chatted idly while waiting, and with Morita Kaoru helping out in the kitchen, they didn't need to pay much attention to them.

"Speak, what exactly do you want from all this trip we've come here to see?"

Asagiri Rin was the first to lose her composure; she wanted to know what her mother's intentions were. Of course, she knew about some of the things her mother had done after bringing her back to the family.

To outsiders, it was all bloodless fighting.

She had no reason to complain, after all, she had long understood that this woman had given and sacrificed so much for her and herself. Her father's death was a major turning point, and it was because of this event that she realized a woman could also live a different kind of life.

So for a long time she demanded that she become that kind of person, rather than relying on anyone else's existence.

That's why she believes her mother was never a woman with simple goals. She may seem to have no demands on herself, but she can't afford to be complacent because of that.

Including why she didn't appear before, and why she didn't react when she first interacted with Tsukino Gen. The fact that she's now taking the initiative to find him must mean something special.

She didn't think it meant anything good. After all, the more she experienced the turmoil of that period, the more she understood that she couldn't trust any boy to give herself to her.

The way things are going on now doesn't seem like a test. Is she going to test a man by making him cook? Wouldn't she be furious if she just hired a chef herself?

"I didn't do anything. I'm just happy that you made a new friend. Many mothers invite their children's friends over for dinner, but I didn't expect Tsukino-kun to be so polite and insist on cooking himself. He's such a thoughtful and good child."

Hearing her mother speak in such an exaggerated tone, Asagiri Rin was even more incredulous.

"It's like you're meeting him for the first time."

"Is not it?"

Asagiri Jun smiled and asked in return.

Asagiri Rin narrowed her eyes, "There must be a thick book full of information about him hidden under the table, right?"

Jun Asagiri shook his head. "That's not true. His information is scarce and transparent, and he hasn't done much."

"You're still saying you didn't investigate?"

"I didn't say I didn't do any research, it's just that this is indeed the first time I've met him. Don't worry, I have a pretty good impression of him."

Asagiri Rin didn't know how she could say such a thing.

Despite her usual aloofness and cold demeanor, as a single matriarch of the family, her charm remains undiminished, even after marriage and children.

Asagiri Rin knew how high her standards were for men; she usually met either so-called business elites or legendary politicians. Even many rising young talents of this era had repeatedly shown her interest.

She had previously learned that a young man not much older than herself already possessed billions in assets and couldn't forget her, pursuing her ardently. However, her assessment was merely: a hothead who thought he had conquered the world just because he got lucky.

One can imagine how demanding and harsh his mother must have been.

Gen Tsukino seemed to have no advantage over those people, not to mention the complicated relationships around him. They were all negatives, and she didn't even know how to say it when she wanted to speak up for him.

Why should I speak up for him? He should be the one to fight for it; otherwise, he'll think he's just some ordinary rich girl.

"What am I worried about? If you like it, you like it; if you don't, you don't. It's none of my business."

"Really? You really think you could have so many opportunities to meet him without my permission?"

Asagiri Jun said with a half-smile.

Asagiri Rin did not refute this statement. She simply said calmly, "If we really wanted to stop it, it wouldn't be now, but much earlier."

"Was it when you were in the orphanage?"

Asagiri Rin remained silent, which was tantamount to acquiescence.

At this moment, Jun Asagiri stopped smiling and let out a long sigh.

“Your father was in very poor condition at that time and he did encounter a lot of problems. He couldn’t take good care of you, so I was very happy that you still had friends back then. As for the impact we had on you later, it’s really hard to make up for it. From this point of view, it seems that I have no reason to stop you from being together.”

Asagiri Rin remained silent. She didn't want to make sentimental claims about the influence of her family of origin; no one wanted what had already happened. Her father's death was unavoidable, and there was no point in blaming fate.

Life always moves forward step by step, no matter how difficult it may seem. Even if you stop, it will still push you forward; this is a truth of the world that she understood long ago.

Jun Asagiri wasn't in a hurry. He just smiled and said softly, "Whether you believe it or not, what I said before was true. Do whatever you want, I won't stop you."

Asagiri Rin looked up at her mother, "Really?"

Jun Asagiri smiled slightly, "But you don't need to worry about what I say to him."

"I knew it."

Why make things difficult for him instead of myself?
It seems I shouldn't be in such a hurry. That jerk deserves this kind of treatment. No matter how good I am to him, it's useless. Besides making me angry and unhappy, he won't do anything else.

However, she decided to plant the flowers in the back of the car tonight in her own yard, even if they didn't survive.

As they were talking, Morita Kaoru served up one dish after another.

Upon smelling the aroma, Jun Asagiri stood up. "Alright, let's eat first. Your little boyfriend's cooking seems pretty good."

Asagiri Rin glanced at her. "He's not my boyfriend yet."

"Really? Is it that he's denying it, or that you're denying it?"

Am I really that lowly?

Asagiri Rin was furious. Although he hadn't mentioned it, even if he had, she wouldn't have agreed so easily!

We arrived at the dining table.

One dish after another has been served.

It looks like a perfect example of something that looks, smells, and tastes delicious.

Jun Asagiri was utterly shocked. "Could one person have made all of this? Is this chili pepper? Stir-fried pork? Wait, what's this shredded stuff? And why is there minced meat in it? It looks a bit like taro."

Asagiri Rin wasn't too surprised. From the moment he was about to make his move, she knew he would definitely make a big show and wouldn't simply back down.

They talk about energy conservation, but they won't hesitate to show off whenever they get the chance.

Just as Asagiri Jun was getting impatient, the boy, having washed his hands, finally arrived at the dining table.

With a handsome smile, he said, "We have limited ingredients and didn't want to keep you waiting too long, so I made some relatively simple dishes. I hope they suit your tastes."

Morita Kaoru stood obediently to the side, and to be honest, she was also a little curious about what it tasted like. She ate very simply, generally focusing on health. Judging by the amount of seasoning in these dishes, they must be quite unhealthy. But why did her mouth feel like it was about to water?

"Did Tsukino-kun do this all by himself?"

Asagiri Jun asked curiously.

Gen Tsukino smiled shyly, "Morita-neechan helped a lot, so Morita-neechan, please sit down and eat with us."

Morita Kaoru was taken aback. "Eh? Is that okay? But I didn't help much." She remembered being told what to do by the other person, such as getting a knife, salt, sugar, etc., and she couldn't even distinguish the seasonings.

It's good enough that they didn't make things worse.

"Of course, we're all family, sit down and eat."

Jun Asagiri spoke up.

Morita Kaoru naturally couldn't stand on ceremony, so she sat down obediently and looked at the rice and dishes on the table in front of her.

Jun Asagiri picked up her chopsticks and said with a smile, "Thank you for the hospitality. I'll eat now."

The group started eating.

Upon tasting it, Jun Asagiri's eyes lit up with surprise.

"Mmm, this tastes amazing!"

Asagiri Rin's reaction wasn't as strong as her mother's, since she disliked over-the-top displays.

But as she ate it, an unfake expression appeared on her face. Actually, she had been craving it from the beginning, and the aroma kept stimulating her saliva production. She had already swallowed several times.

Once you actually taste it, you'll find that it doesn't disappoint at all.

It even brought unexpected surprises; this was a flavor I couldn't have imagined.

Even the oil and grease that I usually dislike taste so delicious when it falls into the rice?
Jun Asagiri had originally planned to talk more at the dinner table, and had even prepared drinks, but once they started eating, there was hardly any time to speak.

I was looking forward to tasting each dish, and once I actually tasted it, I realized it wasn't something that could be solved with just one or two bites; the more I ate, the more I wanted it.

It wasn't until the young man picked up his glass that she belatedly realized there was such a step involved.

"Thank you for inviting me here today, Auntie. I'd like to offer you my respects."

You're even offering a toast now?
Asagiri Rin glared at him, but Tsukino Gen pretended not to see it.

As for Morita Kaoru, he buried himself in his food. As someone who had half the duties of a bodyguard, he already had a large appetite, and when he encountered something he liked to eat, he couldn't stop eating.

Asagiri Jun couldn't stop smiling. "I should thank Tsukino-kun. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the chance to taste such delicious food."

"If you like, I can come over and make it for you often."

"I'm so sorry, you've gone to so much trouble. Even if I'm Xiaolin's mother, you don't need to be so polite."

Upon hearing this, Tsukino Gen immediately shook his head, "It's not just because you're Asagiri's mother, but also because you're a very charming woman, so this is something I'm doing willingly."

"Hahahahaha."

"You two should drink, stop spouting this useless and disgusting stuff."

Asagiri Rin couldn't help but say.

What makes a woman truly attractive? What makes someone willing to do something?
I'm still here!

Gen Tsukino blinked and smiled at Jun, saying, "Alright, cheers. Rin just likes to get jealous, nothing else."

"Jealousy?!"

Of course she wouldn't admit it.

But seeing the boy making his mother seem happier than ever before at the dinner table gave her a strange feeling.

Why have I never seen her so happy? Has she never seen a handsome guy like Tsukino Gen?
And this jerk is so good with words, why doesn't he ever try to comfort me? Am I your enemy?!
It’s almost time to eat.

As if remembering something, Jun Asagiri drank quite a bit of wine, and a slight blush appeared on her face. At this moment, her smile was infinitely charming, as if she had her own gorgeous makeup.

"By the way, is your school's sports festival coming up soon?"

"how do you know?"

Asagiri Rin asked curiously, since this woman had never talked to her about school before. Even though this woman was one of the board members of Shōri Private High School.

Asagiri Jun answered matter-of-factly, "I'm a member of the school's board of directors, and I was even invited to watch the show as a guest. Will Tsukino-kun be attending?"

Gen Tsukino glanced at the other person, "I have no plans to participate for the time being."

"Really? I'm really looking forward to seeing a boy like Tsukino-kun sweating it out. He must be really charming. It's been a long time since I've watched a sports meet or anything like that."

The woman looked quite disappointed, and Tsukino Gen wondered if this could be considered a test.

Physical strength and endurance shouldn't be that bad, right?
But now the choice is obvious.

He put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a dashing air.

“Since Auntie has said so, what else is there to say? I’ll participate in whatever program you like to watch.”

"Really?" Asagiri Jun looked delighted. "Let me think... I think soccer and basketball are really fun to watch, and relay races are really exciting to watch. Do you play individual sports like badminton or table tennis, Tsukino-kun? I played a little bit when I was younger."

Asagiri Rin glanced mischievously at Tsukino Gen.

I want to laugh a little bit.

You like to pretend, don't you? You think she'll be polite to you? One of the biggest traits you inherited from your mother is being greedy and demanding. Does she even know how much malice her mother actually harbors?

But what I didn't expect was.

The boy looked at Asagiri Jun with a smile, without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"Although there are some I haven't tried before, I'll participate if Auntie wants to see them. But if I don't do well, there's nothing I can do."

You're actually going to participate?

Are you Superman?!
……

(End of this chapter)