My love index is at its maximum.

"Haha~"

Kurisu reached out and patted his arm, laughing happily: "Tsukasa, why do you look like you really hate your aunt... Oh dear~ Just like I imagined!"

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

Since you knew from the beginning that I would react this way, why did you even ask?

“But the more Xiaosi hates it, the more exciting it is for Auntie.” Qichuan Li stretched lazily, revealing her curves in her form-fitting evening dress. She didn’t care at all about the hot gazes of the boys around her, but instead rested her elbows on the table, interlocked her fingers, and rested her chin on the back of her hand.

With a smile, he looked at Tsukasa Tazaki in the same pose as Commander Gendo Ikari: "Hey, why don't you forget about Yui and live with your aunt from now on?"

Tsukasa Tazaki did not believe she was lying.

After all, she was a woman who had committed immoral acts against herself. According to the vulgar ways of life in high society, stealing one's daughter's boyfriend was nothing.

"mom!"

Qichuan Wei gripped the pointed chopsticks tightly, looking at her mother with dark eyes: "Please go back. This place is full of students, and the atmosphere isn't suitable for you."

"Oh dear... does Xiaowei think Mommy isn't young and pretty enough?"

Kurisu blinked and answered in a cute manner, completely oblivious to the fact that she was acting cute at her age.

"Please stop now!" Kikawa Yui was so angry that her chest swelled up, making the minister opposite her lose her appetite.

"Your mother warned you about this a long time ago."

Kurisu's lips curled up in a pleased smile, but her voice was icy cold as she looked at her daughter with a look of utter disdain, as if to say, "What kind of creature is this?": "Your personality is terrible, although that's part of what makes you so outstanding... but I really don't like it."

Before her daughter could answer, she turned her beautiful face away mercilessly, looking at Tsukasa Tazaki with seductive eyes: "Compared to a clueless high school girl like Yui, Tsukasa prefers a beautiful older sister like me, right?"

If we answer according to the normal answer, what my aunt said is correct.

Whether they're adorable, married teachers, or widows, they're all very nice!

But my aunt is...

Her carefree and uninhibited demeanor makes it difficult to discern her true thoughts, and the powerful forces behind her make being around her feel utterly powerless, leaving one with a sense of helplessness.

Tsukasa Tazaki shook his head: "Neither of you like it."

"Okay kiki~"

Shiori Ninomiya's face beamed with a radiant smile, as if the sun had shone brightly, and all the unhappiness in her eyes vanished.

"Xiao Si, you're lying!" Qi Chuan Li was very dissatisfied with this answer and puffed out her cheeks unhappily.

Tazaki Tsukasa had a fleeting thought of poking her cheek, but quickly realized that it would be suicidal, so he regretfully gave up.

"Hmm..."

A soft, nasal voice came from Kuriyama Sakura's left; it wasn't seductive or alluring. Tazaki Tsukasa looked over and saw the club president's slightly upturned lips, a comforting sight.

"Tsukasa!" Kurisu glared at him, clearly displeased. "Don't you like a beautiful older sister like me?"

"Someone like my aunt can't blame others for disliking her."

Tazaki Tsukasa shrugged dramatically, then turned his gaze back to his aunt: "Besides... Kikawa is still your daughter, so please consider her dignity in front of so many classmates."

Hmm! The Qichuan Stock Index rose 50 points, current stock price: 73.

Looking up at the girl across from me, the blonde girl seemed to be reluctantly sipping her black tea, her plate of food barely touched.

She was always an expressionless child, with only her eyes and lips occasionally changing. But unlike before, the indifference that had long covered the surface of her clear blue pupils like a thin film was rapidly dissolving under Tsukasa Tazaki's gaze.

It's like the fog quickly dissipating, revealing a vibrant, azure sky.

Having a mother like this is such a headache... Tazaki Tsukasa looked at her sympathetically, wondering whether he should help his daughter who was being bullied and had no way to fight back.

However, doing this means going against my aunt.

Tazaki Tsukasa wasn't afraid, but he felt it was a bit tricky.

Just as he was thinking about how to help, Kikawa Yui lowered her head, took a trembling breath, and then raised her head again, bravely looking at her mother: "There is something I need to tell you here."

"Oh?" Kurisu twirled her Coke cup, her expression quite amused. "My dear daughter has entered her rebellious phase. Why don't you tell your mother what's on your mind?"

The blonde girl stood up, turned around, and bowed to Shimamoto Kana: "Shimamoto-sensei, could you please ask the other students to leave?"

Most of the students in the cafeteria had finished eating; those who remained were simply there to watch the spectacle.

As a psychological counselor, Shimamoto Kana probably knew that what she was about to talk about would be difficult for Kikawa Yui to say, so she smiled gently at her as encouragement.

After standing up and chasing away the students who were watching the commotion, she pulled Kuriyama Sakura and Ninomiya Shiori away from the cafeteria. As they walked, she teased them, "The appearance of a dangerous predator makes the once peaceful fishpond a little more lively. Kuri is a formidable opponent; her antics have essentially given Kuri a huge boost. You two better keep up the good work and don't fall behind!"

……

The cafeteria quieted down.

The hissing sound of the cola bubbles in the glass was clearly audible.

Kurisu casually twirled the cola cup in her hand, looking at her daughter through the glass. Despite the layer of light brown liquid in the middle, her sharp eyes did not soften in the slightest.

"Xiao Wei, are you afraid to speak now?" she asked in a nonchalant tone, her slender fingers lightly tapping the rim of the cup. The sound, which should have been crisp and melodious, carried an icy chill, as if it forbade anyone else to intervene.

Tsukasa Tazaki could only hold his breath and wait.

Doing nothing, not even saying a word, they quietly waited for Yui Kichikawa to speak.

The blonde girl remained silent for a long time.

Silently enduring her mother's gaze, her eyes wandered unnaturally, occasionally landing on Tsukasa Tazaki. When their eyes suddenly met, she would awkwardly turn her face away.

"If you don't tell me now, Mom will go back."

Kurisu rested her hand on her cheek, gazing at her daughter, and casually said, "No matter how much you resent your mother, I will only give you ten minutes."

Tsukasa Tazaki noticed that the blonde girl's fingertips were trembling slightly as she clenched her fist, looking very nervous.

As if carefully choosing his words, he opened his mouth cautiously, then closed it again.

It's hard to imagine that such a proud and perfect girl would have moments of fear.

Does this reflect that my aunt is really difficult to deal with?

Kurisu silently scrutinized her slightly bewildered daughter. After a long while, a smile suddenly appeared on her lips: "Let me tell you. The head of the family has decided not to consider having Tsukasa as your husband anymore, but to choose another suitable person to marry into the family."

Tsukasa Tazaki: "..."

It turned out to be the case.

No wonder the golden retriever ran into my room in the middle of the night and even tried to seduce me with its legs.

Isn't this just a way to force himself to lay a hand on her and then take responsibility?

Luckily, I didn't fall for it.

Tazaki Tsukasa thought to himself with a sigh, then silently looked at Shigawa Yui.

Facing his somewhat indifferent gaze, Yui Kikawa's nose twitched slightly, the movement so subtle that it was impossible to tell whether she was inhaling or exhaling.

After hesitating for only a moment, the blonde girl smiled faintly and slowly said, "I want to make my own decisions about what's to come."

The voice was elegant and clear; although the volume wasn't loud, it was enough for all three people to hear it clearly.

In those clear blue eyes appeared a straightforward gaze that refused to waver, which might just touch the heart of the listener.

At least Tsukasa Tazaki thought she was courageous.

As for whether the biological mother will be moved, that's hard to say.

“I will try to persuade the head of the family... Even if it doesn’t work out, I will try my best to do it.”

Kikawa Yui spoke firmly, her tone unchanged from usual, and her pace slow.

That's why her determination is even more evident.

Kurisu put the cola cup in her hand on the table and gestured to her daughter to continue.

"At least... this is the only thing I need to make clear."

At this point, Yui Kikawa slowly lowered her head, her dazzling long golden hair obscuring her face.

Her slender shoulders swayed slightly.

Tazaki Tsukasa couldn't discern her current expression, but fortunately, she didn't pause for long before continuing, "I have people I'm interested in, so I absolutely will not accept the arrangements made for me by the head of the family."

After saying that, she brushed her hair aside.

Her snow-white face was revealed, and a calm smile graced her usually expressionless face.

Tsukasa Tazaki couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

Her clear blue eyes, filled with unwavering determination, and her smiling face tinged with a faint blush, made this perfect young woman's demeanor utterly worthy of the word "perfect."

What would a biological mother do?

Tazaki Tsukasa couldn't help but look at his aunt.

The mother's expression at that moment was very similar to her daughter's, with a beautiful and strong smile on her face.

The difference is that the biological mother's smile appears as cold as the stepmother's.

She asked coldly, "Is this all you wanted to say?"

The voice contained no emotion.

Even just listening from the sidelines, Tsukasa Tazaki could feel the chill in the air; it was as if a stepmother was treating her daughter born to her ex-wife.

Under her mother's still cold gaze, the daughter nodded silently.

Like a strict teacher grading an exam paper, Kurisu stared at her daughter for a long time, during which time her daughter's stubborn expression remained unmoved.

Finally, Mother sighed softly, finished the rest of her cola in one gulp, and put the cup back on the table.

Tsukasa Tazaki saw a faint lip print on the rim of the cup.

"Mom understands what Xiaowei is trying to say." Qichuan Li nodded slightly in satisfaction. "Since you're serious, Mom will find a way to help you."

"……help?"

Yui looked at her biological mother in surprise, who seemed to have just remembered her identity, hardly believing what she was hearing.

"Yes." Kurisu Kuri answered affirmatively with a single word.

"Thank you, Mom."

"You're welcome, you're welcome." Kurisu chuckled. "Whether Tsukasa becomes my mother's son-in-law or her husband, it's a very good outcome."