Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

"Okay, I just arrived too!"

Upon seeing the message from Yoshiko Sawamura, the principal's fingers flew across the keyboard, and he replied almost without thinking.

He had been waiting at the school gate for the entire morning, and the morning sun had almost turned into the midday sun, but the principal didn't mention any of this. He even thoughtfully mentioned that he had just arrived as well.

What's this called?

That's called emotional intelligence!

If he were to tell Yoshiko Sawamura directly that he had been waiting since nine in the morning, she would inevitably feel psychologically burdened, and might even feel that Kamikawa University was deliberately putting pressure on her.

Things are different now.

He just arrived.

Yoshiko Sawamura also came over immediately.

Neither side was late, and no one wasted time. Today's enrollment reception was only slightly delayed due to some minor unforeseen circumstances.

Happy to everyone!

The principal looked down at his reply, a smile gradually spreading across his face.

What a great "I just arrived too"!

It was both considerate of the other party's feelings and demonstrated the importance the school placed on having someone to receive them at any time. There were no complaints, no rushing, and no condescension whatsoever.

With just one simple sentence, he simultaneously achieved four goals: defusing awkwardness, taking care of emotions, maintaining relationships, and demonstrating good manners.

As expected of him!

To reach this position today, it's clear that it's not just about ability and luck; emotional intelligence has also played a very important role!

The principal put his phone back in his pocket with satisfaction, straightened his collar which was already soaked with sweat, stood at the edge of the shade of a tree, and looked out of the school gate.

Since Yoshiko Sawamura said she'd be here soon, it shouldn't be long.

ten minutes.

Ten minutes at most!

The principal even began to imagine which direction the other party's vehicle would appear from, and whether he should take a few steps ahead to meet it, or wait until the car had come to a complete stop before going over.

Standing too close can easily appear deliberate.

Standing too far away makes it seem like the school isn't paying enough attention.

It's best to maintain a comfortable distance for both parties. Once you see the convoy, straighten your clothes slightly, smile, and walk steadily forward to greet them.

The first sentence should also be prepared in advance.

"Ms. Sawamura, Mr. Sawamura, welcome to Kamikawa University."

Ok.

Formal and composed, yet not overly obsequious.

The principal repeated it to himself, feeling there was no problem.

Time slowly passed.

Ten minutes passed.

no car.

Twenty minutes passed.

There was still no movement at the end of the road.

Half an hour later, the principal's smile was almost gone.

The midday sun filtered through the leaves, and the shadows that were barely enough to shield one's body gradually shifted to the side as the sun's angle changed. In order to maintain his position as the most conspicuous person at the school gate, the principal could only move slowly along with the shadows.

Moving to the very end, the shade of the trees disappeared.

He was exposed to the sun again.

His face was burning hot from the sun, and sweat kept pouring from his forehead, neck, and back. The shirt under his suit was completely soaked and clung tightly to his body. Even the handkerchief he had just changed was almost dripping wet.

The principal did not leave.

He stood beside the school's main gate, his eyes wide open, staring intently at every car, every person on the street, and any movement that might belong to the Sawamura family.

A black sedan drove up from a distance.

The principal's eyes lit up, he straightened his clothes, and smiled.

The car didn't slow down and drove straight past the school gate.

A white minivan slowly approached.

The principal straightened up again.

The van stopped at the next intersection, and several construction workers carrying equipment got out.

Another luxury car that looked quite expensive came into view.

The principal took a deep breath, just as he was about to greet the car, when the luxury car turned onto another road and disappeared.

headmaster:"……"

again and again.

Hope will come.

Hope shattered.

Later on, the principal's eyes were so blinded by the sun that they almost lost focus. Whenever a dark-colored object appeared in the distance, he would instinctively straighten his back and try to figure out if it was the Sawamura family's convoy.

Unfortunately, there was nothing there.

Let alone a motorcade.

There wasn't even a single ordinary car heading in the direction of the school.

It was midday, and the sun was scorching. There were hardly any people on the surrounding roads. Occasionally, students would come out of the school, but they would keep their heads down and run quickly toward the convenience store or the bus station, as if they wanted to stay in the sun for even a second longer, because they felt that some of their body moisture would evaporate out of thin air.

Wide streets.

A quiet school gate.

The scorching sun.

And a principal dressed in a formal suit, standing at the doorway being continuously baked by the heat, his eyes almost bulging out.

The scene was exceptionally desolate.

"Coming right away..."

The principal took out his phone, looked at the message he had received half an hour earlier, and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

How long exactly is "immediately"?

Is there a time difference in the understanding of "immediately" between foreign countries and Tokyo?

Or is it that the flow of time is different for wealthy people than for ordinary people, and one minute there is equivalent to half an hour outside?

The principal really wanted to send a message to inquire, but after typing it, he silently deleted it.

Don't rush them.

Big shots hate being rushed!

Moreover, he just said that he had only arrived and had only waited for half an hour before asking questions. Doesn't that expose that he had been standing here calculating the time the whole time?

A persona of high emotional intelligence can crumble instantly!

The principal put his phone away and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Wait another ten minutes.

The last ten minutes.

If they don't arrive in ten minutes...

Then let's keep waiting!

What else can we do?

……

As for why Sawamura Kazuki and the other two haven't shown up yet...

Bulgari Hotel, Tokyo.

"Splash..."

Inside the luxurious bathroom, the continuous sound of water could be heard through the door.

Yoshiko Sawamura had already changed her clothes, wearing a large sun hat on her head, with sunglasses and a sun-protective jacket next to her, fully prepared to face the midday sun in Tokyo.

She lay on the soft bed, a fried chicken set meal that the hotel had just delivered in front of her, holding her phone in one hand and a chicken leg in the other, glancing towards the bathroom every few seconds.

"Liyue!"

no respond.

Yoshiko Sawamura took a bite of the chicken leg and raised her voice again.

"Little pink-haired girl, hurry up! The teacher in charge of registration has been waiting for ages!"

The sound of water in the bathroom paused for a moment.

"knew!"

Ritsuki Sawamura's impatient voice came from inside.

"You said the same thing ten minutes ago!"

Yoshiko Sawamura glanced at the time on her phone, her tone gradually becoming serious.

"Being late is already impolite, but making people wait is even more impolite. Come out now, whatever it is, we can deal with it when you get back!"

"Shut up!"

"Mom is reminding you!"

"If you yell again, I'll beat you to death, you old hag!"

A threatening voice came from inside the bathroom.

Yoshiko Sawamura's back, which had been standing ramrod straight, hunched over instantly, and her head, along with her sun hat, lowered. Her aura visibly weakened.

"Even if we fight to the death, we should still try to reason with each other, right?"

There was no response from inside the bathroom.

Only the sound of water resumed.

Yoshiko Sawamura hugged the chicken leg and remained silent for two seconds. She felt that her maternal authority had been seriously challenged. She wanted to say something more, but the image of the offline octagonal cage match between mother and daughter that morning flashed through her mind.

Even though the little pink-haired girl had just woken up and was not in good physical condition, her fighting power was still amazing.

Now that I've taken a shower and recovered my energy, my fighting power will increase by at least 30%!

The odds of winning in a direct confrontation are too low.

Strategic retreat!

Yoshiko Sawamura completed the risk assessment in her mind, and her voice also became much softer.

"Then... then Mom will wait for you for five more minutes."

"You have to come out in five minutes, or the teacher will really get angry."

After uttering a rather weak but intimidating remark, Yoshiko Sawamura lay back down on the bed and picked up a chicken leg to continue eating.

Chew, chew, chew.

Mmm, delicious.

Since I'm already this late, waiting another five minutes doesn't seem to make much difference.

My wonderful mother recovered her composure very quickly. One second she was anxious about being late, and the next second she was distracted by the fried chicken. She even started to investigate what spices were added to the outer skin and why it tasted different from what she had abroad.

Inside the bathroom.

Warm steam condenses into a thin mist on the mirror and glass, and water droplets slowly slide down the transparent partition.

Riyue Sawamura stood under the showerhead. Her long pink hair, which had just been washed, was slightly darker in color. It was wet and clung to her shoulders and back, with tiny water droplets constantly dripping from the ends and falling into the shallow stream of water at her feet.

She raised her hand to wipe the water off her face and opened her eyes.

Her turquoise eyes appeared even clearer against the steam, her delicate features were unadorned, and her skin remained almost translucent white. Her cheeks, after being washed with hot water, had a natural rosy glow, making her look no different from a beautiful doll displayed in a high-end shop window.

Ritsuki Sawamura doesn't usually have to go through this much trouble to take a bath.

rinse.

shampoo.

Just give it a quick and simple treatment.

A total of ten or so minutes is more than enough.

But today is different.

Today she is going to Shenchuan University to complete her enrollment procedures.

After completing the formalities, I need to find an opportunity to meet with Kuroba Shido.

That was the first real formal meeting between the two of them in all the years they had known each other!

Although Ritsuki Sawamura kept saying that she was just passing by to check if a certain lolicon had been tricked by a bad woman in Tokyo and that she didn't have much expectation for this meeting, her actions had already revealed everything.

I washed my hair twice.

I took out all the skincare products that I usually find troublesome and only use occasionally.

They even carefully checked their fingernails beforehand to make sure there were no minor flaws.

It wasn't for Kuroba Shido.

It's your first time at a new school, so you should maintain a good image.

Correct.

That's it!

Ritsuki Sawamura repeated it to herself, picked up a towel to wipe the condensation off the mirror, and looked at the face inside, which was slightly flushed from the steam.

No makeup is needed.

She was excessively beautiful from a young age, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and exquisite features. Later, because someone said that blondes were all losers, she angrily dyed her hair pink. As a result, it did not affect her original beauty, but instead gave her an even more striking and unreal look.

Makeup is unnecessary.

A little cleaning is enough.

If I put on makeup, what if Kuroba Shido notices? Wouldn't it make it seem like I've been preparing for this meeting for a long time?

That's absolutely unacceptable!

Ideally, you should maintain the feeling of just passing by the school, just finishing the procedures, and just bumping into him in the hallway.

At that time, Ritsuki Sawamura can pretend she doesn't know him at all and calmly walk past Shido Kuroba.

The students around her will definitely keep turning their heads when she appears.

After all, Ritsuki Sawamura is quite confident in her appearance.

From childhood to adulthood, whenever she appeared in a crowded place, she would basically become the center of attention. No matter how knowledgeable the people at school were, they couldn't possibly be completely unaffected.

maybe……

Kuroba Shido was among those people.

Riki Sawamura quickly pictured an ordinary boy in her mind: wearing thick glasses, with messy hair, not very tall, and a little chubby—the kind of guy who would be completely overlooked in a crowd.

Everyone around her was shocked by her appearance.

Only that guy was still standing there dumbfounded, not having reacted yet.

She walked past.

Hearing footsteps, Kuroba Shido looked up and was completely stunned after just one glance. His eyes widened, his mouth slowly opened, and he might have been holding a discounted rice ball from a convenience store, which he then dropped to the ground with a thud.

Then, Ritsuki Sawamura stopped in front of him.

"You're Kuroba Shido?"

Your tone must be indifferent.

You cannot show any expectation.

When Kuroba Shido heard the familiar voice, his body jolted, and he finally realized who she was. His expression changed from confusion to shock, and then from shock to disbelief.

"You...you're the beautiful girl who represents the moon?"

"Um."

Riki Sawamura nodded casually.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I really am a super beautiful girl."

Kuroba Shido stood there, looked at her, then looked down at himself, and his inferiority complex became visibly apparent.

After all, one of them is the heir of the Sawamura family, beautiful and of noble status, and she is the center of attention wherever she goes.

The other was just an ordinary-looking, poor boy who spent his days waiting at convenience stores for discounted rice balls.

The gap between the two sides is so huge.

Kuroba Shido will definitely think that she was just joking when she chatted with him before, and that after she finds out her true identity, the two of them will never be able to maintain their original relationship.

then……

Riki Sawamura reached out her hand.

"Considering we've known each other for so many years, if you insist on continuing to be friends with me, it's not entirely impossible."

Shido Kuroba was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears. He held her hands tightly and thanked her profusely.

"Really, Liyue?"

"Are you really willing to continue being friends with me?"

"I knew you were the best person in the world!"

"It's not that bad."

Riki Sawamura appeared calm on the surface, but she could barely suppress the urge to smile.

"We're just ordinary friends, don't misunderstand."

"Uh-huh!"

"If you encounter any problems at school in the future, you can come to me for help, but I may not be able to help you."

"good!"

"You're not allowed to keep following me, and you're not allowed to let others misunderstand our relationship."

"knew!"

"If anyone bullies you, you can mention my name, but not because I care about you; it's just that I don't like others messing with my friends."

Ritsuki Sawamura became more and more satisfied the more she thought about it.

This is the normal development!

This is the script that should go on when two people meet for the first time!

This way, Kuroba Shido can see her true identity and appearance without revealing that he has been looking forward to it for a long time. At the same time, it can also make that guy realize how rare it was that he was willing to play games with him, chat with him, and listen to him brag.

perfect!

It's absolutely perfect!

"Hehehe..."

Looking at herself in the mirror, Ritsu Sawamura's lips gradually curled up, and finally she couldn't hold back any longer, tilting her head back and letting out an increasingly wild laugh.

"Hahaha……"

Outside the bathroom.

Yoshiko Sawamura, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, stopped what she was doing.

She still had a piece of chicken in her mouth, her eyes slowly turning towards the bathroom, listening to the eerie laughter coming from inside, she was completely stunned.

What happened to the little pink-haired girl?

Why are you suddenly laughing like you've conquered Tokyo and are about to stand on the school rooftop and look down on everyone, when you're just taking a shower?

Could it be that the water temperature was too high and damaged his head?

Yoshiko Sawamura took the chicken leg down and stared warily at the bathroom door.

"Liyue?"

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"What are you doing?"

Ritsuki Sawamura has returned to her cold demeanor.

What were you laughing at just now?

"He didn't laugh."

"Mom heard it."

You misheard me.

"But……"

"Shut up!"

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

It’s over.

He's not just crazy.

They still won't admit it.

A few minutes later, the sound of water in the bathroom finally stopped.

Ritsuki Sawamura washed herself thoroughly from head to toe, dried her hair, and changed into clothes she had chosen beforehand before opening the bathroom door and walking out.

Warm steam seeped into the room through the crack in the door.

Her long, pink hair, which was originally wet and clung to her shoulders, has regained its fluffiness and softness. After careful care, the hair has a natural shine and sways gently with her steps, falling all the way to her waist.

Riyue Sawamura was wearing a light-colored outfit. The style was not extravagant and there were not many decorations, but it made her look even cleaner. Her slender and tall figure, coupled with her excessively delicate face, gave her an aura that was completely different from that of ordinary people, even when she was just standing in the hotel room.

Appearance.

Family background.

The living environment one receives from childhood.

These things settled down together, making it difficult for Ritsuki Sawamura to truly hide her identity even without speaking.

She walked to the table, picked up a small bottle of perfume, sprayed it lightly into the air, and then walked through the thin mist that fell.

The fragrance is very faint.

The light scent extracted from natural flowers and trees lacks the overly aggressive feel of common perfumes; it's almost unnoticeable unless you're very close.

Ritsuki Sawamura put away the perfume and checked herself one last time in the mirror.

no problem.

We can set off now.

"us……"

Before she could finish speaking, Yoshiko Sawamura suddenly got out of bed, as if she had discovered something, and stretched her head to get closer.

"Um?"

Ritsuki Sawamura frowned.

Yoshiko Sawamura didn't answer, but her nose twitched slightly twice.

Sniff.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "???"