Living in Tokyo, all I want to do is laze around.

This shows that he is very confident about this matter.

Or rather, they are very shrewd and have such a deep foundation that they don't even bother to show confidence or smile.

But neither of these qualities is befitting a man younger than his own daughter.

He also noticed a blood-red magatama hanging around his neck, which looked anything but ordinary.

'He definitely has some background.'

Meijin's father picked up a mouthful of rice with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, wondering why this kid had lied to his daughter, telling her that he was just an ordinary person.

But his daughter believed him completely, just because the guy was handsome?

A woman in love is truly hopeless.

Uesugi Kai had no idea what this uncle was thinking. His lack of expression was simply because he wasn't interested in the matter.

Even if someone definitively denies it and says that his dream is impossible, he won't have any objections.

It was just a goal I mentioned casually.

“Uesugi-kun...the ring on your hand...?” Umezu’s mother stared at the ring finger of his left hand.

"I have one too!" Faced with her mother's puzzled expression, Nana Umezu immediately realized what was going on, raised her left hand, revealing a diamond ring, "Haha, Mom, we just wear these for fun. Look, my diamond is fake. I bought it because I saw it on the street while shopping and thought it looked nice."

Umezu's mother laughed upon hearing this and teased Uesugi Kai, "I knew it! How could you two young people afford such an expensive engagement ring? The size of the diamond alone is impossible, let alone a designer piece from VA Jewelry."

"Haha, speaking of which, when I saw the engagement ring on Uesugi-kun's hand, I thought you two had secretly gotten married behind my back. I was worried that it might be a bit too fast."

If you're going to counterfeit something, you have to do it perfectly.

Kai Uesugi wouldn't take off Hanabi's engagement ring, but to avoid arousing suspicion from Nana Umezu's parents, she had to find a fake one at the market for her to wear.

Fortunately, these rings are famous enough that counterfeits can be found.

The more Meijin's mother laughed, the happier she became, while Meijin's father grew increasingly worried. Could he be a dissolute playboy?

Looking at that handsome face that was so pleasant to look at, I felt even more strongly that this guy had ill intentions towards his daughter.

He had seen plenty of men who were all talk and no action.

"Ahem, now that you've found someone you like, Nana, and are willing to put aside your pride and pursue them, I hope things can settle down as soon as possible." He meant he hoped you two would get engaged quickly.

"Huh!? That's too fast."

Nana Umezu never expected her usually conservative and tentative father to be so aggressive, going from a meal to engagement. She had only asked Uesugi to get rid of her parents' entanglement so she could focus on her studies for a while.

"What's so quick about it? Aren't we always urging you to find someone you like and who's a good match for you so you can get married soon?"

Umezu's father tried to observe his daughter's reaction, and glanced at his wife sitting next to him. "Since your mother admires Uesugi so much, and you like him too, of course I won't object to anything."

"It's too fast! I need to get used to it a little more..." Nana Umezu said, blushing.

“No, it’s not that I’m unhappy,” Meijin’s mother said with a smile. “Besides, it’s not uncommon for couples to fall in love after marriage; feelings can develop over time.”

Kai Uesugi calmly ate the food. It has to be said that the food in this restaurant is indeed refreshing. Whether it is raw or cooked, it brings out the original flavor of the ingredients and adds to it, making it not only incredibly delicious but also visually appealing.

"Nana, look, even Uesugi-kun agrees with what Mom said."

"No! No! No! We really... really need more time... This kind of engagement can't be rushed..." Nana Umezu kept emphasizing this point.

Meijin's father realized from his daughter's blushing that she genuinely liked the boy, but he was afraid she would be deceived by sweet talk. He was just figuring out how to find out more about the boy, and this was a perfect opportunity to follow up on what his daughter had said.

After exchanging a glance with the child's mother, he solemnly addressed them and said:

"Alright, your mother and I will refrain from interfering in your affairs for now, but..."

Before his father could finish speaking, his mother interrupted him with a smile: "You two should spend another two months together. If it's a good time, you can start getting engaged. We won't interfere in anything during that time."

Two months to relax... Nana Umezu felt that was too short a time, and was about to speak when...

"Ahem!" Umezu's father said with a serious expression, "It will take at least a year."

One year! Nana Umezu mentally gave her father a thumbs up.

“A year is too long,” Umezu’s mother told him.

"Just one year." With an unequivocal tone, Umezu's father intended to use his connections to investigate this boy named Uesugi Kai, and in the meantime, he would give his daughter a few more words of advice so that she wouldn't be deceived to the point of losing her virginity.

However, girls in love are very unreliable, and he plans to make a decision directly after finding out about Uesugi Kai.

Clean-cut, keep him as a son-in-law; prodigal son, keep him away from your daughter.

Afterwards, the group continued eating the remaining food, and Uesugi Kai answered many questions from Umezu's mother, covering his family, address, hobbies, and even a lot of cultural knowledge about haiku.

Kai Uesugi was able to answer this, having even studied it at the University of Tokyo. His expertise was relevant, and his words were eloquent, which delighted Umezu's mother.

Only after that did the dinner finally come to an end.

After leaving the Matsukawa restaurant, Uesugi Kai and Umezu Nana saw off the two parents who were about to drive away.

"Uesugi-kun, you've really gone to a lot of trouble today," Umezu's mother said, looking at him through the car window.

"Not at all, this is something we should do when entertaining elders," Uesugi Kai said modestly with a smile, trying her best to portray her fake boyfriend as genuine.

"And Nana, Uesugi-kun, you'd better hold on tight. There aren't many guys as cultured and knowledgeable as her anymore."

"Okay, okay, you guys hurry up and leave." Nana Umezu waved her hand and urged them on from beside the car.

"You silly child."

Umezu's mother gave her daughter an expression that suggested she had forgotten her mother now that she had a husband, but since Uesugi Kai was right next to her, she smiled and said, "Alright, let's not bother you any longer. Your father and I will go home first."

"Okay! Okay! Goodbye, goodbye!"

"Goodbye, Uncle and Auntie." Uesugi Kai also bowed politely.

"Uesugi-kun is so sensible, you little brat!" Umezu's mother glared at her daughter before telling Umezu's father to drive away.

The car window slowly closed, and Uesugi Kai saw the taillights disappear around the corner, knowing that the two parents had indeed left, and his heart finally relaxed.

The matter of impersonating her boyfriend has come to an end.

###Chapter 306 Encounter, Dinner Party###

(It will take a little longer today, please check back in the morning...)

"Hello, Uesugi-kun," Sekine Sagara said with a smile, extending his hand and exchanging a few pleasantries. "What a coincidence, I never expected to meet you here."

“Yes, what a coincidence.” Uesugi didn’t extend his hand. “I never expected to run into Sekine-san in this small place at the same time.”

Sagara Sekine covered his embarrassment with a nonchalant smile and withdrew his hand that was hanging in mid-air. "I was just accompanying my father to discuss business and taking the opportunity to learn some business conversation skills. I came out for some fresh air."

Kai Uesugi sized him up: a blue suit, a patterned tie, a silver watch... all very formal.

"Sigh, Uesugi-kun, I don't really like these things, but I have no choice but to come because of my father's demands."

Sekine Sagara shook his head, made a helpless shrug, and then immediately smiled and politely extended his hand to Umezu Nana, who was standing next to Uesugi Kai. "Hello, my name is Sekine Sagara. You can call me whatever you like, just call me Sekine-san."

"Ah, hello, Nana Umezu." Nana Umezu snapped out of her daze and extended her hand in return.

“Hello, Ms. Umezu,” Sekine Sagara withdrew his hand, “May I ask who just left—haha, please don’t mind me asking so many questions, I just saw a car model I liked and wanted to satisfy my curiosity.”

"Those are my parents."

“So they are your parents.” Sekine Sagara glanced at Uesugi Kai beside her.

Nana Umezu noticed this detail in his gaze and quickly explained, "Sekine-san, don't misunderstand, Uesugi-kun and I are just classmates."

"Haha, no, no." Sekine Sagara quickly shifted his gaze to her.

The more polite he was, the more Uesugi Kai suspected he had ulterior motives.

It's hard to say whether he just happened to be eating at this Matsukawa restaurant.

This guy probably saw him talking to Umezu's parents, but so what if he did? He talked to Hanabi about it properly, and he's currently sitting in the restaurant.

It's hard to say what Uesugi Kai's attitude is towards Sekine Sagara.

He knew that Sekine Sagara had designs on Hanabi, but Sekine Sagara made no move and never bothered Hanabi. Uesugi Kai simply disliked the guy a little.

"Umezu-kun, would you like to eat more?"

"No need, no need."

"Alright, I won't bother you any longer." Uesugi Kai wanted to walk back to the restaurant.

“Uesugi-kun, this money is still for you…” Umezu Nana grabbed the handbag from her waist.

“It’s alright, I already said it was for you,” Uesugi Kai said with a dashing smile, before turning to Sekine Sagara. “Sekine-san, I have to take my leave now. Goodbye.”

"It's okay, we can chat more next time."

Uesugi Kai didn't look at his ever-present smile again, and turned to walk into the corridor.

Only the two of them remained outside.

"Sekine-san and Uesugi-kun are...?"

Sagara Sekine explained politely, "We didn't have any relationship before, but we have since met."

"A friend?" Nana Umezu didn't understand why he was being so mysterious.

The phone rang suddenly. Guan Gen took out his phone, glanced at the screen, then put it back in his pocket and apologized to her, saying, "Sorry, my father is calling me back."

"Then go quickly."

"Ms. Umezu, let's talk again sometime," Sekine Sagara said with a smile, before striding back into the restaurant.

------

“Uesugi,” Totsuka Katsura said, putting down her chopsticks and turning to look at Uesugi Kai as he entered the room. “Are you done on your end? Where’s Umezu?”

“It’s alright,” Uesugi Kai said, closing the door to the private room. “Umezu-kun is going home now.”

"Oh, by the way, let me introduce you."

Totsuka Katsura pulled the girl sitting next to him over, "She's my girlfriend, Bando Noboru, Noboru-chan. And this is my classmate, Uesugi. He's treating us to dinner today."

A girl with refined features and glasses greeted him politely: "Uesugi-kun."

"Ah hello."

"Senior," Kiyosaki Takeshi greeted him.

"Come here, come here." Kitagawa Sakakisa, who was sitting next to Hanabi, waved to him.