I practiced as a monk alone in Japan.

Chapter 211 No Choice Required
The girl took a step back and got a clear look at the figure in front of her.

She frowned and distanced herself.

"cousin?"

Sakura Kazama remembered the young man, but didn't have much of an impression of him. After all, given the relationship between the two families, her only memory was of her parents talking about how this cousin was good for nothing, yet he was favored by her aunt's family, which led to him achieving nothing even as an adult.

But what was this cousin's name again? The whole family shares the surname Asada, but what was his real name again?

Looking at the girl in front of him, Hiroshi Asada's eyes showed obvious amazement. He even forgot to introduce himself and couldn't help but exclaim, "I haven't seen my cousin in so long, she's so beautiful now?"

".What are you talking about?"

Kazama Sakura looked at the other person warily.

Asada Hiroshi was taken aback for a moment before realizing that this was his cousin, who didn't seem to be one of the girls he often encountered in nightclubs. But a cousin is a cousin. She looked so youthful and charming, with an innocent and naive appearance. He wondered if she had already been seduced by other men.
"Oh, it's nothing. It's just been so long since we last met that I couldn't help myself. Your aunt has already arrived and is waiting for you. I came out specifically to wait for you because I was worried you wouldn't know the way."

Although the other party quickly regained their composure, Kazama Sakura remained vigilant.

Having gone through so much, although she still looks innocent and sweet, she no longer believes that there are any people in this world who treat her with naivety, except for Tsukino Gen.

No, it should be said that the one with ulterior motives is actually myself?
"Oh, thank you, cousin. Let's go in then."

"Good good."

In truth, Hiroshi Asada would rather walk behind the girl, but why did she seem so wary and distant towards him? There was no other way but to lead the way.

We didn't book a private room. This restaurant is already quite upscale, and it seems neither of us could afford a higher price.

However, Kazama Sakura noticed it when she came in.

This time, my aunt, whom I rarely see, is quite determined.

What's strange is that they didn't seem to offer much help to our family before, so why are they going to such lengths now? Is it more than just a letter of understanding they're asking for?

When I arrived at my seat with these questions in mind, my mother was already sitting down.

Right across from her mother stood her aunt, dressed in a dress and seemingly having dressed up specially. However, her pointed chin and monkey-like features made her difficult to like.

The other party was very enthusiastic as soon as we met.

"Sakura, it's been a long time. Do you still remember me?"

Sakura Kazama couldn't bring herself to smile at this family; her expression was somewhat stiff and awkward, but she still maintained basic politeness.

"I remember. It's been a long time since I've seen my aunt."

"You used to be only this tall, but now you're almost as tall as Xiao Hong. You must have good genes, and you're so beautiful too."

Aunt Asada's constant flattery even made Sakura Kazama's mother somewhat uncomfortable.

She stopped talking and immediately said, "Let the waiter bring the food, we can talk while we eat."

"That's true. We still have plenty of time today. Let's sit down and talk slowly."

It all seemed like the start of a normal family gathering, with the aunt and her mother chatting quite enthusiastically.

However, what made Sakura Kazama somewhat uncomfortable was that her cousin kept trying to talk to her, and the questions he asked were also quite strange.

What are their hobbies? Do they like going to nightclubs? Do they have a boyfriend?

She tried her best to be perfunctory, and eventually she just wanted to roll her eyes and ignore her.

At this moment, his aunt finally brought up the most important topic.

"By the way, how did you two discuss the letter of forgiveness for Kazama? Look, it's all over now, and he's received the punishment he deserved. When I saw him last time, he genuinely wanted to repent. He said his only wish now is to live a good life with you. It must be so hard for you to raise Sakura alone. How can you manage without a man to support you at home?"

Hearing what the other person said, Kazama Sakura frowned uncomfortably.

His mother also looked rather displeased.

She thought for a moment, suppressing her anger, and said, "I've considered the letter of forgiveness, and I can write it. But there's no need for him to say that he'll live with us again. Those things didn't happen overnight, and even if he wants to repent, I don't necessarily have to give him a chance. Xiaoying and I are already living a completely new life. I think we don't need a man who has hurt us in our lives."

Hearing the woman say that...

Aunt Asada's expression stiffened for a moment, then she thought for a moment and said...

"I can understand why you think that way, after all, we're both women. But there's something we can discuss."

"what?"

"Have you already moved out of your old house?"

"Yes, they did move."

"Since you're divorced, there's nothing you can't discuss. Why don't you leave the house to Kazama? Think about it, how miserable would it be if he were all alone with nowhere to live? You were husband and wife, and he's Sakura's biological father. You should at least give him some leeway, right? You split the money, so wouldn't it be more reasonable for him to keep the house?"

Only after hearing this did Kazama Sakura understand why the other party had gone to so much trouble to act as a persuader.

So it was all for the house?
Upon hearing this, even Sakura's mother couldn't hold back anymore.

"The house? I didn't have much money after the divorce, and I even borrowed money from my sister to pay for the rent. How dare he mention the house? I've already made huge concessions. We can write a letter of understanding, split the proceeds from the sale of the house, and I need to give myself and Xiaoying money to live on. What did he give me in return for the house? It's like I was hurt and escaped suffering, but I have to bear the consequences alone? What kind of logic is that!"

"Auntie, speak properly, why are you yelling?"

Upon hearing the woman's words, Asada Hiroya's expression became less polite.

Judging from their expressions, Kazama Sakura couldn't help but sigh that her cousin and aunt were practically identical in their sharp tongues and meanness.

At this point, Aunt Asada joined in the conversation.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing. Look, everyone's having a tough time. If you sell the house, he'll still have to start all over again, and he'll lose his job. How hard is it to find a new job in this environment? Since you borrowed money from your sister, why don't you just stay together? It's not like he's abandoning you. And what if Kazama becomes successful in the future? Isn't that leaving a way out for your relationship? This way of dealing with the house is really inappropriate."

Upon hearing this, Kazama Sakura's mother's face flushed red and then turned pale; she could no longer contain herself.

"At first, when you came to me with the so-called letter of understanding, I thought you were just siblings with a deep bond. But now it seems you're probably here for this house, aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

My aunt frowned the day before yesterday.

Sakura Kazama's mother sneered, "You know exactly what you mean. It seems he used this house to persuade you when you met him, didn't he? Persuade me to give him a letter of understanding, to let him keep the house temporarily, and then give you a share of the money? He should have hired a proper lawyer instead of you!"

"Auntie, isn't it unpleasant for you to talk like that? It's only been a short time since the divorce, and all you can talk about is money? If you're so stingy with money, why didn't you get divorced? All you do is talk about how hard life is and how difficult things will be in the future. Can you even afford to raise Xiaoying?"

"How dare you talk like that? What business is it of yours!"

The mother got angry and scolded Asada Hiroshi.

However, Hiroshi Asada remained completely unconcerned, continuing to lounge casually in his chair and watch the two of them.

“Aunt, do you still think I'm some clueless kid? Yes, in your eyes I might not be some big boss or CEO, but I do have some underlings willing to help me. To be honest, you have to leave this house to my uncle.” “What if I weren't?”

"Then I'll have people follow you and Xiaoying every day. I'll see if you can go to school, if you can find a job properly, and as for a new life, I'll see if you can even make it!"

"Aren't you all going too far? Using such dirty tricks! This is a society governed by law, how can you act so recklessly?!"

Even Kazama Sakura couldn't hold back any longer. Seeing her mother so angry, she took the initiative to step forward.

Unexpectedly, Asada Hiroshi looked at her calmly.

“Cousin, I’m only thinking of you. You and your daughter are having such a hard time. Why don’t we find a way that benefits both of you? Of course, you can insist on getting a divorce. If you want an easier life, you can come with me. My door is always open to you.”

"Shameless!"

At this point, there was no point in saying anything more. Kazama Sakura didn't want to get entangled with this scoundrel. She remembered the policewoman from before and wanted to call the police. Of course, she wasn't so foolish as to risk a direct confrontation.

She helped her mother up.

"Mom, let's go. There's no need to say anything more."

The mother was pulled up, but Asada and her son remained seated with smiles on their faces, seemingly oblivious to the need for reminders.

"Don't even think about calling the police. Don't worry, no police officer wants to get involved in this kind of family matter. By the way, if it's convenient, could you please pay the bill? We don't want to waste food if you don't eat it."

".asshole!"

The mother gritted her teeth and wanted to turn around and argue, but Kazama Sakura forcibly pulled her away.

Outside, his mother was on the verge of collapse.

"Why...why won't he let us go even now?! How long is he going to keep tormenting us?!"

Sakura Kazama hugged her mother tenderly and comforted her softly.

"It's okay. There will be a way. They will definitely not succeed. How could they possibly succeed with such wishful thinking? Mom, don't be afraid."

But her mother looked at her with even more heartache.

“If it were just me, I wouldn’t be afraid of anything, I could handle anything. But I have to think about you, Sakura. I know people like them, they’ll do anything for money. And it’s true what they say, most police officers will turn a blind eye to this kind of family background. What I’m afraid of is that your life will be ruined because of this.”

Kazama Sakura fell silent.

She didn't know what to do, or perhaps she could only place her hopes on that boy?
But will this cause him trouble? Or should he completely trust the other person?
Life always seems to present countless crossroads. When you strengthen your resolve, choices will emerge, making you realize that you are not as invincible as you thought.

But what choice should I make?
While the girl was still pondering these questions, trying to make herself calmer and stronger.

The forces that supported her have already helped her make certain choices.

such as.

"Son, do you think they'll agree?"

The mother and son who were still in the restaurant weren't in a good mood. After all, if they didn't agree, things would become complicated. Although it seemed like they could handle it, it would still take a lot of effort.

Asada Hiroshi sneered, "They'll agree even if they don't want to. Just ask your uncle to wait patiently; it'll be over soon."

While the two were still talking, a polite waiter walked up to them.

"Two customers, is now a convenient time for you?"

Aunt Asada immediately frowned. "What? They didn't pay the bill?"

"Pay the bill? Oh, our boss said this table can eat for free."

"Free meal? Is there really such a good thing?"

Aunt Asada immediately beamed with joy.

The waiter smiled. "Of course, that's on the condition that our boss wants to see you. Is now a convenient time?"

The two exchanged a glance. "What's going on? Are they here to see us?"

Hiroshi Asada was also puzzled. Although he felt something was wrong, he knew that a greedy person who would abandon principles for personal gain was easily blinded by the benefits in front of them.

"Could it be that I've met a benefactor? Whatever, let's meet him first."

"You two, please follow me."

The waiter led the two away, and they bypassed the crowded tables and chairs in front and came to the bustling kitchen.

Looking at the group of burly chefs, Asada Hiroshi asked curiously, "Where's your boss? Why are you all just cooks?"

Before Hiroshi Asada could finish speaking, a burly chef walked up and kicked him in the stomach.

Asada Hiroshi collapsed to the ground, and the next moment he was covered with a sack.

Aunt Asada, who was standing nearby, turned pale with fright when she saw this scene.

She just didn't know what to say.

"Snapped!"

A slap made her see stars, and then she was put in the same sack.

The restaurant was bustling with activity; people were chatting and laughing, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts.

A couple looked at the empty seats, but the table was still untied.

They looked around and then called out to the waiter who was wiping his hands with a tissue.

"Excuse me, is anyone at this table? It looks like we haven't finished eating, but it seems like no one has been back for a while."

The waiter smiled, his white teeth gleaming brightly under the lights.

"Please have a seat, both of you. This table is empty now. I'll have someone come and clear it away soon."

"Is it really impossible for someone to suddenly come back?"

The young couple still seemed uneasy.

The waiter patted his chest and assured him.

"Don't worry, they definitely won't come back."

……

(End of this chapter)