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

Kai Uesugi was taken aback. Her reminder made him realize his father-in-law's true thoughts.

We watched each other grow up.

A son-in-law who has truly watched his son grow up is generous in passing on his best skills and is willing to pave the way for his future. In his eyes, he is practically a son to him.

Whether to support a boy you've never met or a half-son you've known since childhood, the choice is obvious.

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood."

"Kai-kun... actually, Grandpa's attitude is still unclear..."

Is your grandfather easy to talk to at home?

"Well... Uncle and Aunt listen to Grandpa... But Grandpa has retired and doesn't manage the family affairs much anymore. Grandpa called Dad before and relayed Uncle and Aunt's message. Dad thought it was Grandpa's idea, so he brought Hanabi to see him today."

So that scene at Meiji Shrine was about this.

------

A street scene in Tokyo at 1:39 p.m.

Cold rain sprinkled across the transparent umbrellas that were being used to walk between the high-rise buildings.

"Welcome to 7 Days Convenience Store."

"Hi, Seunghye, 300 yen."

"Sir, starting in September, you'll be charged for plastic bags. Here's your change: 190 yen. Please keep it safe."

Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to welcoming you again.

After leaving the convenience store, Uesugi Kai, whose chin was now covered in stubble, walked home alone, holding an umbrella.

The whispers of raindrops hitting the umbrella's surface filled my entire body with a chill.

Kai Uesugi didn't react much, letting the chill invade his body as he continued walking through the rain-soaked streets of Tokyo.

###Chapter 317 The Hanamaru Family, Hanamaru Masanobu###

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

In the early morning, Hanabi Hanabi helped him get dressed in the bedroom.

She bought all of Uesugi Kai's clothes, which isn't a bad thing.

Aside from the relatively high price, both the style and size suit him perfectly.

As a student of Hanamaru Hanabi's art school, she always manages to create a variety of different, yet very attractive, outfits for him.

It's true that women are always better at choosing clothes than men.

At least when Uesugi Kai goes out to buy clothes, she never thinks about what to wear; as long as the clothes fit, that's fine.

“We only dated for two years, but we lived like an old married couple every day. When I went out, you would help me tidy my clothes, and when I came home, you would have already cooked the meal. When the key turned the lock, you would stand in the doorway and say to me, ‘Welcome home.’”

Hanabi Hanamaru lowered her hands from his collar and gently clasped them in front of her skirt.

"They've only been dating for two years... but Kai-kun and Hanabi grew up together..."

"I know, we're childhood sweethearts."

Kai Uesugi smiled, took her small hand in his, and felt the soft touch radiating warmth.

"It's rare for childhood sweethearts to end up together, so I cherish this readily available fate even more. I originally thought we would get married peacefully in three months, but I didn't expect there would still be some trouble."

Hanabi Hanamaru took his hand, and although she was weak, she did not avoid his gaze.

"Kai-kun...no matter where we are...Hanabi is content as long as Kai-kun is by her side..."

Her voice was weak, but there was a hidden strength within that weakness.

She wanted to give him confidence and tell him her most genuine but also most shy thoughts.

“That’s enough.” Uesugi Kai reached out and pulled her into his arms. He did this not for any particular reason, but simply to hug her.

Hanabi Hanabu leaned against him, her face flushed with shyness and a sense of security.

Through the crack in the door, Xiao Aiyi looked curiously at her older brother and sister hugging each other inside the room.

......

"Here, a banana. Did you bring a bento?"

Kai Uesugi helped her organize her schoolbag and handed her the banana he was holding.

"I brought it." Aiyi took the banana from her brother with both hands, peeled it, and started eating it.

She was wearing the school uniform of Baiqiu Elementary School, with white socks being mandatory, and a hat optional.

Ai often wore it, which reminded Uesugi Kai of Hanabi when she was little. She was also small and would be attracted by flowers and butterflies from time to time on her way to school, but she was much more sullen than Ai back then.

Starting from elementary school, children no longer need their parents to take them to school; they usually go to school with their classmates.

Hanabi doesn't have many friends; she only goes to school with Uesugi Kai.

It was always Uesugi Kai who went to see her. She liked to sleep in late, and the two of them walked the same route to school together through elementary, middle, and high school.

Seeing Aiyi and Qian Aiyi off at the door and noticing their familiar school uniforms brought back a lot of memories.

"Brother, Sister Hanabi, Ai and I will head out now."

Goodbye, brother~ Goodbye, sister~

"Okay, goodbye."

"Aiyi, remember to eat more meals and not so many snacks."

After the two little girls had walked away, Uesugi Kai turned around and said to Hanamaru Hanabi, "You also loved eating snacks when you were little, so why are you talking about Ai now?"

"Fireworks...this is a reminder..."

Kai Uesugi smiled calmly and said, "So people just repeat the same mistakes. When they are young, they say how they will treat their children well when they have them, but when they actually have them, they still lecture them."

"Aiyi and Qian Aiyi are both very well-behaved."

"Of course I know that, but what if our child is naughty and you spoil him? Anyway, I will discipline him when necessary."

Will you hit him...?

"You'll get a spanking if you don't behave."

"Kai-kun, maybe we shouldn't..."

"Look, you're already feeling sorry for Hanabi even before the baby is born." Uesugi Kai smiled; he knew Hanabi was just soft-hearted.

"Hanabi wouldn't really spoil the child, would she?" Uesugi Kai asked.

"will not."

"I think so." Uesugi Kai glanced at his phone and continued, "Alright, your uncle will be here soon, get ready to see your grandfather."

"I really won't, Hanabi will listen to Kai-kun."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you."

"It's up to Kai-kun."

With these occasional bickerings, Uesugi Kai has even lost the sense of crisis that he has to break off his engagement with Hanabi.

Perhaps it's because our daily interactions are so mundane, but as long as we keep talking together, we can forget all our troubles.

The two were still arguing about whether they would spoil their child. Uesugi thought they would, while Hanabi thought they wouldn't. They argued for a long time without reaching a conclusion. A little while later, their uncle, Hanamaru Yuzuki, appeared at the intersection in a Mercedes-Benz. He leaned out of the car window, his hand hanging on the door, and said:

"Alright, you two stop flirting. I'm almost full. Get in the car."

After her uncle said that, Hanabi Hanamaru, who hadn't thought anything of it, actually felt a little shy.

The two got into the car together, with Uesugi Kai sitting in the passenger seat.

Kai Uesugi's uncle has always dressed in a youthful style, and he feels that he is no different from his peers, making it very easy to chat with him.

"Did your second brother tell you about it?"

“I told you.” Uesugi Kai looked ahead. The streets of Tokyo were relatively narrow, lined with shops and restaurants on both sides, and the roadside was full of tangled wires.

The vehicle stopped at the intersection waiting for the red light.

"That's unfair. Whatever the profit or loss is, it's their business. Why use fireworks to pay off a debt? No wonder I can never get along with them." Hanamaru Yuzuki held the steering wheel with one hand, and with the other hand, she habitually reached for the cigarettes in her pocket, but then put them back halfway.

Hanamaru Yuuki often drinks in Kabukicho. Uesugi Kai doesn't know if his nightlife is carefree or not, but he seems to be keeping himself clean and just likes to drown his sorrows in bars.

"Does your uncle have a bad relationship with the family?"

The green light came on, and the vehicles continued to move forward at a slow speed.

Hanamaru Yuzuki looked out the window and turned the steering wheel to the right with one hand: "Yeah, we don't get along well with them."

Uesugi Kai didn't say anything more. He knew there was a story behind it, and it involved his uncle's private affairs. He had no interest in asking about other people's secrets.

"Aren't you going to ask some more questions?"

“If my uncle is willing to talk, of course I’m willing to listen.”

"The Hanamaru family is a rather old-fashioned family with many rules and a lot to learn. As a well-known family, this is understandable, but I just don't like it. It's inevitable to be rebellious when you're young, but I did something that was extremely rebellious: I was pursuing my older sister. When this got out, I lost face, but I also made my family lose face. Although they didn't say it to my face, they didn't like me."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"Anyway, I don't get along with the others. It's okay if we don't get along. As for what happened next, I won't go into details. Anyway, there was no outcome."

After a moment of silence, Uesugi Kaiya continued, "So... Uncle has been single all this time?"

"Yes, haha, am I ridiculous? My third sister is already married, to a policeman."

It's hard to judge. Such a thing that goes against conventional wisdom is bound to be controversial. Some people say it's just true love, while others say it goes against human ethics and is something that should never happen.

But in any case, my uncle must have been under tremendous pressure.

Now that it's all in the past, the final outcome is obvious.

"My uncle is very magnanimous."

"I'm the kind of person who does whatever comes to mind and whatever I want to do. If I have the will, why not go for it? I guess some people will feel uncomfortable hearing what I'm saying."

Kai Uesugi realized that when Hanamaru Yuzuki said "those people," he meant his older brothers and sisters.

What is Grandpa Hanabi's attitude towards Uncle's matter?