Tokyo: Starting with taking on his wife's debts

Xiuming picked up his chopsticks and took a bite; the taste was quite good.

Misako glanced at her sideways, picked up her chopsticks, and said, "Are you really this rude? Shouldn't you say hello before eating?"

"You have so many bad habits. We're living together now, do you really need to be polite?" Xiuming craned his neck and glared. "Don't be so hypocritical. If you want to curse, just curse. If you make me angry, I'll hit you."

"Shameless bastard..." Misako ate her food in silence.

"Hey, don't you think I'm bullying Riko?"

Xiuming thought about the problem with Intelligence 3. If he could get another good review, he could get a "professional skill" for free.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Misako froze, the pink on her face spreading to her ears. She lowered her head, almost burying her face in her rice bowl.

"Give me a good review for bullying Riko. I love bullying Riko the most."

"Pfft! Cough cough cough...!" Misako choked on a mouthful of rice, clutching her neck and coughing dryly. "I, I don't know how you bullied me, I, how could I possibly give you a good review..."

Chapter 144: Just a wedding, nothing else is needed.

Misako held onto the dining table with her right hand and covered her eyes with her left hand, coughing as she spoke.

Her face was already flushed red, and by the end she was almost bent over and hiding under the table, but her eyes were peeking out through her fingers. When she was discovered, she coughed violently to cover her embarrassment, as if she wanted to cough up her lungs.

Xiuming looked at her suspiciously.

Riko's voice was so loud last night; if she's not deaf, she definitely knows how she was bullied.

Since she dared to go home with him last night, and seemed completely smitten, things should have progressed naturally. But she backed down at the last minute.

Actually, it doesn't matter if you back down; everyone has their own ambitions.

But she didn't back down completely. Like a cat lying at the door, she looked like she wanted to run away, but she stuck her butt out and looked back.

She's definitely hiding some secret thought or purpose... Last night she said something about how things that are too easily obtained are not cherished...

It gives you the feeling that makes you want to beg her.

How could Hideaki possibly do something like that?

After all, in his heart, Riko was the model wife, obedient, adorable, virtuous and considerate.

After waiting for Misako to finish coughing, she sat back down in her chair and started eating.

"Are you regretting it again?"

As Hideaki spoke, he stretched his foot out from under the table and rubbed his toes against Misako's smooth calf skin.

Misako jumped as if stung by a wasp, almost dropping her rice bowl. She frantically clutched it, still head bowed, and said, "What are you saying? I...I don't understand..."

She was depressed again last night.

Her mind flashed back like a slideshow, recalling her struggles in the workplace after graduation, her parents' pressure to get married, the neighbors' mockery... and finally, when she couldn't resist anymore, she attended her only blind date... But because of her age, she was not only ridiculed by men as an old hen that couldn't lay eggs, but also mocked by women as a shameless auntie...

The hazy flashbacks finally settled on a scene in my old rented apartment, lying alone on my small bed, hugging a pillow and staring at the dark ceiling, immersed in the feeling of darkness—cold, desperate, and unable to go on living…

As Riko instinctively searched for sleeping pills, a blissful scream came from the bedroom... Then, Chieko's vivid description from before popped into her mind.

At one point, it suddenly occurred to me that if I hadn't run out of the bedroom to help Riko clear the table before going to bed, Riko would probably be the one lying here tonight.

After all, Riko said she didn't mind... she definitely wouldn't blame me... but I don't want to be so casual... but what right do I have to negotiate...?

Anyway, he's a depressed person who often has internal conflicts and struggles with himself.

One moment I regretted running out of the bedroom, the next I felt sad about being alone, and then I felt that my past persistence was not worth it...

I've gotten used to insomnia; the more I think, the less I can sleep. Until dawn, I finally managed to peel away what I thought was a decent idea from my restless thoughts:

If he just takes the initiative for a little while, I'll stop caring about everything... It'll be a tribute to my past persistence.

The love I once fantasized about was a safe haven where there was raging storms outside but peace and tranquility inside.

But a 36-year-old single woman no longer has the right to be demure and dependent. Time flies, and missing out could mean missing out forever... After all, how embarrassing would it be to be with a man 12 years younger than her?

Although the idea was quite firm, the conflicted thoughts and emotions still revealed a sense of unwillingness.

She both wanted Xiuming to be domineering, like the kind of domineering that forced her to call him "husband." But she also worried that his domineering nature would take away all her freedom. She also felt ashamed about such things, yet she hoped that Xiuming would occasionally act cute and affectionate, giving her a sense of dignity befitting her age... In short, she was so conflicted that she was almost going crazy.

“Riko gave you a chance last night, but you were useless,” Hideaki moved his chair closer to Misako and continued, “You want to run away but you don’t want to. What are you doing here? Tell me a way to take our relationship to the next level, and let’s discuss it.”

How could I not understand? I'm just playing dumb...

"You, you shouldn't be so close..." Misako hurriedly moved a chair, went around the dining table, and then moved to face Hideaki, burying her head in her rice bowl. "Do you think this is a children's game? What are you discussing? What's there to discuss? How childish..."

"You're going crazy." Hideaki peeled a shrimp shell and threw it on Misako's head. "Is this because you suddenly stopped taking your medication? Should we go to the hospital to get it checked out?"

Misako suddenly paused, slightly lifting her head from the bowl, revealing a cat-like look in her eyes, and asked, "Will you take me to the hospital?"

Indeed, I didn't sleep at all last night. I kept feeling like the antidepressants I chose had some addictive properties. I was sad all night and kept thinking about climbing out the window and jumping off.

“No problem.” Hideaki picked up the rice bowl in front of him and took a big gulp. Then he said, “Back to the first topic, give me a good review for how I bullied Riko. Even though you don’t know how I bullied her, Riko has already given me her opinion. You can refer to her opinion.”

Her mental state was really off; she seemed overly excited, as if she were exhausted.

“I don’t need to refer to it…it’s not relevant to my reference…” Misako wiped her flushed face, quickly shoveled down two mouthfuls of rice, put down her chopsticks and headed towards the Japanese-style room. “I’m finished eating, I’m going to change my clothes.”

"Do you dare change your clothes where I can see you?" Xiuming turned around with his rice bowl in hand and continued, "Ezaki always does it this way. She has a great figure. If you don't dare, it just means you lack confidence."

Misako didn't respond. Her face flushed, she grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Misako wore a black dress with white lace trim, the hem just past her knees, and white stockings. She carried a pair of black leather shoes in her hand. Compared to her flushed face, which she tried hard to keep calm, she looked more like a part-time girl going to a cosplay convention.

The dress still has the tag on it, so it must be the first time I've worn it, but it also looks like it's been stored away for a while, maybe it's been there for ages?

"So beautiful, so gorgeous," Xiuming put down his rice bowl and exaggeratedly licked his lips. "Come here, let me kiss you."

Misako swallowed hard, tossed her hair with an air of aloofness, picked up her shoes, and headed towards the entrance.

“Hey, you have no common sense,” Xiuming said, pointing to the dining table. “What are you going to do after you finish eating?”

Misako turned around in confusion.

"Okay, you've never been a wife, so you don't understand. Now your husband will teach you: put the dishes in the kitchen and wash them."

“I already…” Misako instinctively retorted, then suddenly stopped, her heart pounding. She threw her shoes on the floor, her face flushed, and walked to the dining table. As she cleared the dishes, she whispered, “You, you shouldn’t flatter yourself… I, I’m not your wife, and, we’re not married…”

She wants to get married?! Xiuming gasped, immediately shut her mouth, and hurried back to her bedroom to change her clothes.

Riko was still fast asleep, a happy smile on her lips.

The thin blue sheet clung tightly to her undulating figure, and Xiuming lifted the sheet, which had slipped down to her fair shoulders, up a little.

Misako stood at the doorway, peering in their direction.

“Oh dear, if it were polygamy, I’d marry you,” Hideaki chuckled as he walked past Misako. “This awful Japan, it’s awful…”

To express his powerlessness against fate and his regret at not being able to marry Misako, Hideaki took Misako's little leather shoes and grabbed her foot as she sat down in the entryway while she was changing her shoes. He then put them on for her.

Misako initially shuddered, as if trying to struggle, but then suddenly stopped moving.

After Xiuming put her shoes on, he reached for his own, but Misako snatched them from him first. With her head down and face flushed, she silently put his shoes on for him as well. Then, without a word, she opened the door and went out.

"Is there something you want to say?" Hideaki asked as he closed the door and walked over to Misako.

He silently thought to himself: If she wants to get married, then it's goodbye. I'm a heartless man in the outside world...

"I want to get married..."

Misako pressed her slender fingers on the elevator button. The button lit up, but she didn't lift her fingers; she just kept pressing it.

Xiuming's meaningful gesture when he put shoes on her just now instantly stirred her girlish heart; this must be what pampering is...

However, after being pampered into wearing the shoes, she couldn't help feeling shy and couldn't let go of her dignity, so she immediately took action to return them.

But while I was putting his shoes on, it sparked a fantasy about marriage; isn't this how wives put shoes on their husbands...?

Sharing joys and sorrows... supporting each other... this is the kind of marriage I've always dreamed of.

Unfortunately, it was too late; he had already married Riko. But thankfully, he was a womanizer, and Riko didn't mind...

Just having a wedding is okay, right? It definitely is… I can't hold back anymore, I have to say it…

"Oh, really? You really should get married... Hmm, do you have someone in mind? I'll congratulate you, give you a big red envelope, and attend the wedding..."

Xiuming's heart inexplicably raced. He chuckled and brushed it off, inwardly fuming: If she didn't have depression, I would have turned around and gone home, locked the door, and shut her out... Let her reflect on her mistakes and only open the door when she realizes they're wrong... Like Tachibana...

"Are you scared? Hmph~" Misako didn't turn around. The elevator doors opened, she stepped in, and continued, "I'm a little jealous of Riko."

Hideaki's tense tone made Misako feel a tightness in her chest and a little annoyed.

“No, you can’t be jealous of her. She’s been so good to you, how can you repay kindness with enmity?” Xiuming followed her into the elevator.

Misako's voice was filled with grievance and resentment... She was simply laying her cards on the table and venting her emotions... Let's see what happens next...

Jealousy, of course! I should be, after all, even I'm jealous that Riko has such a good husband.

"What were you thinking when you helped me put on my shoes?" Misako looked down at her shoes.

As for her comments about being jealous of Riko, they were merely an expression of her dissatisfaction with Hideaki's obvious favoritism. She couldn't truly feel jealous; she felt she and Riko were on completely different levels. It wasn't just the age difference, but also their personalities—both stemmed from deep-seated inferiority complexes.

"Because I can't marry you, I thought I'd make you happy." Xiuming said, tilting his head, then suddenly widened his eyes and continued, "You wouldn't be moved by this and want to marry me, would you? I can't abandon Riko. Even if I'm worried about your depression, I have to be clear about things. After all, I'm an honest person."

"You've already made me call you husband, and you still treat me like a wife, washing the dishes and even putting a wedding ring on my finger. Can't someone who's never been married before have a little expectation?"

Misako was furious at Hideaki's blunt and heartless words. She wanted to see what other cruel things Hideaki would say next.

"Haven't you heard of 'national husband'? To be honest, I feel embarrassed just hearing it myself. Some women are just too shameless. They see a handsome and rich man and rush to call him 'husband,' without caring whether he feels embarrassed or disgusted. I really admire your persistence and devotion."

"Huh? What nonsense are you talking about? I don't understand a word!" Misako was stunned. Was it going to be the same topic as before? Had they changed the subject?

"I can't abandon Riko. You want to take her place? No way!"

The elevator doors opened just then, and Xiuming walked out as he spoke.

That's really decisive...

"Who said we were going to rob it!" Misako shouted, jumping up and kicking Hideaki in the lower back, sending him sprawling. She also lost her balance and fell to the ground with a thud, wincing in pain.

"Oh?" Xiuming's face lit up with joy. He scrambled back, hugged Misako in his arms, lifted her skirt, and rubbed her bottom, saying, "You should have said so earlier! Look how this was done... ouch... how embarrassing! Does it hurt?"

"You...you...you're so shameless..."

Although Misako was in a lot of pain from the fall, she was also worried that she might have hurt Hideaki. When she saw him crawling over as if nothing had happened, she was a little annoyed, but she didn't want to be too willful like a child. She quickly slapped away the hand that was still rubbing her butt and endured the pain to get up.

"Which hospital are you going to? Does it have a specialist psychologist?"

Xiuming abruptly changed the subject, as if the previous discussion had nothing to do with him.