Oh no! They all seem a bit off!

Chapter 122 has completely exploded!

"So, why did you come to Ueno?"

Ji Yexue rested her chin on one hand, gazing at Qiuyue Cheng's profile with a slightly inquisitive look.

"It has nothing to do with you."

Qiu Yuecheng answered indifferently, his cold words causing Ji Yexue to be stunned.

Then, her expression suddenly turned cold, and she questioned, "What exactly do you want? What's wrong with you? Are you really that unwilling to go on a date with me?"

"..."

Akizuki Makoto didn't answer her question, but simply turned his head to look at the scenery rushing past outside the window.

This cold and somewhat dismissive attitude caused Ji Yexue's anger, which she had barely managed to suppress, to surge up again.

She really didn't understand what Qiu Yuecheng was thinking. It was one thing for him to give her a cold shoulder as soon as he arrived, but even after she had taken the initiative to admit her mistake, he still ignored her like this.

"Akizuki Makoto!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and she could no longer contain herself and burst out shouting out Akizuki Makoto's full name.

but……

Akizuki Makoto still ignored her, looking out the window as if he hadn't heard her.

"That's enough, isn't it? You've given me the cold shoulder once or twice, what do you want from me?"

"What did I do to offend you? Why do you treat me so badly?"

"If you have any complaints, just say them! Be a man! Aren't you always the most outspoken one? Why are you mute now?"

When she finally snapped, Akizuki Makoto reacted and turned to look at Hime Yuki.

But this only made Ji Yexue angrier, because Qiuyue Cheng still didn't say anything and even showed an indescribable expression.

His disdainful eyes and mocking upturned lips burned her brain like a silent insult, igniting her anger.

"What on earth do you mean?"

She clenched her fists, glaring at Akizuki Makoto through gritted teeth. The immense humiliation made her breathing rapid, and her chest heaved violently.

"You know it yourself."

Akizuki Makoto smiled contemptuously and said meaningfully, "How ridiculous. I don't know what you think, that you've never done anything to wrong me."

"You—"

Ji Yexue was stunned for a moment, feeling inexplicably flustered. She thought of how Qiu Yuecheng's attitude had started to become strange ever since she used her superpower on him a couple of days ago.

Has it been exposed?
When this thought emerged from the depths of her heart, she could no longer sit still. Her anger subsided considerably, replaced by fear and confusion.

If this is exposed, then it's no wonder that Akizuki Makoto treats her this way.

"...Stop playing games with me. Tell me, what have I done to offend you?"

Ji Yexue forced herself to remain calm, staring intently at Qiu Yuecheng, trying to discern a clue from his expression and reaction.

She really didn't want to admit that she had been exposed, so as long as Akizuki Makoto didn't directly expose her, she still held onto a sliver of hope.

It could be described as a desperate struggle, but she simply refused to accept the fact that she had been exposed.

Perhaps it's just that Akizuki Makoto has doubts, or perhaps there's some other misunderstanding.

"Ha ha……"

Faced with Ji Yexue's desperate struggle, Qiuyue Cheng smiled without saying a word.

Directly exposing Ji Yexue's true intentions would be pointless; he wanted to slowly torture her until she could no longer endure it and would reveal everything on her own.

Only in this way can it be considered revenge, and only then can he vent his anger.

He wanted Ji Yexue to experience the torment and cruelty of being manipulated.

This is just an appetizer; Ji Yexue isn't in such a hurry to argue with him to the end.

"I haven't done anything to wrong you!"

Ji Yexue said decisively, her eyes and tone filled with unwavering resolve.

Akizuki Makoto remained silent, his expression one of utter mockery, as if he were looking at a clown.

Seeing this, Ji Yexue stopped talking. She took a deep breath, calmed her chaotic emotions, and turned her face away.

If she continued to stare at Akizuki Makoto with that mocking expression, she was afraid she would get so angry that she would develop breast hyperplasia and wouldn't be able to sleep at night.

"Miss, we've arrived."

Before they knew it, the car had returned to Bunkyo Ward. The driver, who had been sweating profusely the whole way, brought the car to a steady stop in front of the apartment building where Akizuki Makoto lived.

"Well, wait."

After giving a casual instruction, Ji Yexue got out of the car and took the elevator upstairs with Qiu Yuecheng.

After entering Akizuki Makoto's house, she went straight to the bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and began to choose clothes for him.

Akizuki Makoto sat in the chair in front of his desk, playing with his phone, looking rather perfunctory.

While choosing clothes, Ji Yexue asked, "Where did Dongzi go? I haven't seen her."

"I went to a friend's house to play."

Makoto Akizuki casually replied that he was in contact with Fireworks Komatsu and they had arranged to meet at Senbikiya at 2:30 pm tomorrow to discuss further cooperation matters.

Fireworks Komatsu readily agreed, saying she would be there before 2 o'clock to wait.

"So, you just went to Ueno to take Fuyuko to her friend's house?"

"Yes."

"...I'll wear this outfit."

At this moment, Ji Yexue had already picked out clothes for Qiu Yuecheng: a printed T-shirt with jeans and a plaid shirt jacket.

This outfit actually looks quite presentable, at least not as sloppy and casual as when I first saw it.

After Qiu Yuecheng changed his clothes and came out of the bedroom, Ji Yexue nodded in satisfaction and smiled, "That's more like it. You're more suitable to walk with me."

"Narcissism."

Akizuki Makoto retorted irritably, then said, "Who wants to be a match for you? You have too many requirements."

"Enough talk, let's go. I've already made a reservation at the restaurant."

Ji Yexue seemed to have gotten used to Qiuyue Cheng's rude attitude, and pretended not to care, changing the subject and not responding to his words.

Right now, she doesn't want to argue with Akizuki Makoto, lest she get angry at him.

That's how the battle of wits in love works: whoever expresses their feelings first loses.

There's a saying that goes, "Those who are loved have nothing to fear."

She took the initiative to express her feelings, which put her in a passive position. Since she was the one pursuing Akizuki Makoto, she could only endure Akizuki Makoto's inexplicable attitude.

After taking the elevator downstairs, the two got into the car, and Ji Yexue instructed the driver to go to Tokyo Bay in the port area.

The restaurant she booked was right next to Tokyo Bay, so she could enjoy delicious food while admiring the scenery, and there were even fishing rods available.

If they could catch fish in Tokyo Bay, they could take them to a restaurant to be cooked. On the way to the port area, the two people sitting in the car were naturally silent.

Needless to say, Akizuki Makoto was already planning to treat Ji Yexue with a cold attitude, so he definitely wouldn't take the initiative to start a conversation.

Ji Yexue, on the other hand, kept thinking about how likely it was that she would be exposed, and then carefully considered what she had done in the past few days that might have angered Qiuyue Cheng.

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn't figure out why she would anger Akizuki Makoto, except for the fact that she had exposed herself.

The night she brought Dongzi back, the atmosphere between them was quite good, which made her unable to resist activating her ability and launching a surprise attack on Qiuyue Cheng.

After the surprise attack, Akizuki Makoto seemed to have become a different person, and his attitude towards her became very cold.

Actually, it wasn't just her; it was the same with that philandering cat.

So at that time, she only thought that Qiuyue Cheng was in a bad mood and didn't think much of it, thinking that in a day or two, Qiuyue Cheng would adjust his mood and return to normal.

But after their conversation in the car not long ago, she suddenly realized that Akizuki Makoto's cold attitude was due to another reason.

"...After that, let's test the waters."

Ji Yexue secretly made up her mind that she could not bear to continue spending time with Qiuyue Cheng in such a strange atmosphere.

But she didn't want to be exposed, because she didn't know how she would face Akizuki Makoto if she were exposed.

The so-called three forgivenesses she mentioned earlier were just wishful thinking on her part. After all, Akizuki Makoto hadn't confirmed their relationship, so it wasn't her place to forgive him.

……

Upon arriving at the pre-booked restaurant, the waiters, manager, and chef were already lined up at the entrance, waiting for their arrival.

Upon seeing a young couple get out of the car, they immediately bowed at a 90-degree angle in unison to welcome them.

Seeing this, Akizuki Makoto frowned slightly. He didn't actually like such a grand display, but he didn't say it outright.

Ji Yexue nodded calmly as a greeting, then walked past the line of people and into the store.

The place had already been booked out, and the spacious and bright store was empty, looking rather desolate.

Their dining area was right next to floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a fantastic view of Tokyo Bay.

"Serve."

Ji Yexue gave an order to the shop manager, who was standing to the side, bowing and scraping respectfully to them.

This place also belongs to the Ji Ye family's property. Upon learning that the young lady herself was coming, they put on their best effort to prepare today's lunch.

This is a very standard Western restaurant, and the dishes presented are naturally Michelin-style, such as foie gras, steak, abalone, and lobster.

Although there are many dishes, the portions are small and delicate, basically just enough to finish in one or two bites.

"Sincerity."

While waiting for the food to be served, Ji Yexue rested her chin on her hands and stared at Qiu Yuecheng, who was sitting in front of her and casually looking at the sea view outside the window, trying to draw his attention back to herself.

"what?"

Qiu Yuecheng withdrew his gaze, looked at Ji Yexue, and asked her a question. At the same time, he picked up the water glass beside him, took a sip of water, and moistened his throat.

He instinctively sensed that Ji Yexue was probably going to say something, since continuing this stalemate wasn't her style.

She has always been straightforward and decisive, acting without any scruples and not caring about other people's opinions.

Ji Yexue softened her tone and asked in a consultative manner, "May I ask you a few questions?"

"I'll answer depending on my mood."

Akizuki Makoto gave an ambiguous answer and took another sip of water.

This unusual action caused Ji Yexue's eyes to flicker slightly.

She realized that Akizuki Makoto's heart was also not at peace.

After carefully considering her words, Ji Yexue tentatively asked, "Are you angry with me because of what happened on Thursday?"

"..."

Qiu Yuecheng lowered his head and remained silent, which was his answer.

Ji Yexue understood immediately, but at the same time, her heart sank.

If it really was Thursday, then it's almost certain that she was exposed.

"...What do you think of me?"

"A woman with a bad temper is two-faced."

Akizuki Makoto's answer was quite intriguing; he had given a rather obvious hint.

"Yeah……"

Ji Yexue nodded listlessly, as if all her spirit and strength had been drained away in an instant. She sat weakly in the chair, remaining silent for a long time.

Two simple questions plunged her into despair, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her whole body chilled, and she couldn't help but tremble.

During her silence, the manager brought over dishes and enthusiastically explained the preparation methods and ingredients to them.

However, halfway through his explanation, he suddenly noticed that the atmosphere was off and that Akizuki Makoto and Ji Yexue's expressions were not good. So he immediately quieted down, finished serving the dishes without saying a word, and then reluctantly took his leave.

"Eat."

After giving a perfunctory greeting, Ji Yexue silently picked up her utensils and tasted the food placed in front of her with a bland and unappetizing manner.

Although the food was exquisite and delicious, she found it tasteless because her heart was heavy and filled with bitterness.

She couldn't help but want to escape and end today's date, because she didn't know how to face Akizuki Makoto, and what face she had to face him.

A complex vortex of negative emotions, including shame, annoyance, regret, and despair, is churning and devouring her heart.

After calmly finishing his meal, Akizuki Makoto took a sip of water and said, "...It tasted pretty good. Thank you for your hospitality."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yexue remained silent, her head bowed, her steak fork frozen in place as if she were immobilized.

Akizuki Makoto took a napkin, wiped his mouth, and said calmly, "President, I hate lies and hypocritical people. I suppose you feel the same way."

"..."

Ji Yexue remained silent, her hand gripping the knife and fork tightly, her lipstick-covered lips trembling slightly.

Despite its vibrant red color, it gives off a pale and weak feeling.

"I can leave each other with a last shred of dignity, and you should know the corresponding conditions."

At this point, Akizuki Makoto paused, as if afraid that Ji Yexue might not understand, and then went straight to the point: "That is... we will no longer have any relationship and will become strangers."

"Heh, heh heh... A stranger?"

Ji Yexue suddenly laughed and murmured to herself.

The so-called dignity is actually not dignified at all. Akizuki Makoto's current expression must be full of condescending pity, treating her as a pitiful wretch and a dark clown.

She actually hoped that Qiu Yuecheng would not give her any face and would angrily question her and lash out at her.

This also indirectly proves her importance in Akizuki Makoto's heart.

But Akizuki Makoto didn't even have the thought of questioning her or getting angry at her, which made her feel incredibly sad and that she had never been cared for from beginning to end.

(End of this chapter)