My love index is at its maximum.

I'm not making this up...

Tsukasa Tazaki felt a little wronged.

"Haha, Sister Li, don't be so strict. This child is so funny, what if you scare him? By the way, is Tazaki-kun free tomorrow? How about we go play a round of golf together? I can also introduce you to my little Ai. She's a rare beauty."

Kurisu narrowed her eyes and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki with a smile.

The eyeball that was only half visible seemed to be saying, "If you dare to agree, you're dead."

"Oh, tomorrow?" Tsukasa Tazaki sighed, "I'm busy preparing for the school festival tomorrow. How about I spend time with you, Auntie, after I'm done?"

"That's easy, I'll have Xiao Ai go to your school to find you."

"..."

"It's a deal, no backing out!" Bumiko waved cheerfully and left in her high heels.

"Auntie..."

"explain."

"As you saw, she herself handed her daughter over; I didn't say a word."

"I know."

"Could you please, Auntie, remove the sole of your shoe from my foot?"

"Ok?"

"Hmm, it feels really good, Auntie, please increase the pressure."

As the two were speaking in hushed tones, someone else brought over a wine glass.

A middle-aged man, dressed in a very elegant pinstripe British-style suit, with a neckerchief tucked into his breast pocket.

"Kuriko, it seems that you and Tazaki are the closest in this family." He stood in front of the two of them, a friendly smile on his lips.

Tsukasa Tazaki looked at him.

This man had a somewhat square face with sharp angles, and with his big eyes and big mouth, he did possess a certain masculine charm.

I vaguely remember it.

His name seems to be Kouta Kirikawa, the father of that ugly older brother Kirikawa Shinhiro whom we beat up before.

Tazaki Tsukasa felt a surge of energy.

According to the usual pattern, when the son gets beaten up, the father steps in; this guy is nine times out of ten a villain.

"Konta's been really busy lately, I haven't seen you all day." Kurisuki's hand was still on Tsukasa Tazaki's shoulder as she casually pulled him toward her.

Tazaki Tsukasa saw right through her subtle maneuvering.

This is an unethical act disguised as protection, but in reality, it's an attempt to take advantage of someone!

But I didn't lose out, so I couldn't be bothered to condemn her...

"The company's affairs are a real headache to deal with," Kōta Kichikawa said gently, holding his wine glass. "Speaking of which, I really envy Kuriko's life. Despite having so many things to do, she always manages to live so carefree."

Kurisu raised an eyebrow and smiled innocently, "Kangtai wants a more leisurely life? No problem, do you need me to help you arrange it?"

Kōta Kisakawa's lips twitched.

"A more leisurely life" probably refers to retiring thirty years earlier than expected.

"No, no, no, I can handle this little problem myself. I wouldn't dare trouble you, Kurisu." Kōta Kichikawa quickly waved his hand and looked at Tsukasa Tazaki as if changing the subject: "Speaking of which, we haven't seen each other since Tsukasa moved out."

Tsukasa Tazaki nodded: "It has been a while."

"Can you tell your uncle about your life after you moved out?"

“There’s not much to say,” Tsukasa Tazaki said with her usual innocent smile. “After moving out, I rented an apartment in Nishi-Shinjuku. It’s one of those six-tatami-room rooms, and the rent is only 4 yen. It’s at the end of a dark, north-facing corridor. But because it faces southeast, it’s very comfortable. In the summer, I can just open the window and let the breeze blow in, saving on air conditioning costs. And the best part is, there are no cockroaches or rats in it, which is incredible, isn’t it?”

"..." Kōta Kichikawa swirled his wine glass, his expression inexplicably strange.

What is this kid talking about?

Who cares about your renting that shabby place? What people want to hear is the reason for your drastic change!

Tazaki Tsukasa was talking to himself.

From renting a room to working at a convenience store, to the chicken's bathwater, and finally to the roar of beating up Kikawa Shinho during Golden Week, the father probably felt embarrassed and chuckled twice before taking over the conversation.

"This kid really knows how to talk," Kōta Kirikawa said with a smile. "Such a sweet tongue, the kind that pleases elders. No wonder Kuriko treats him differently, and the head of the family doesn't hold a grudge about the past."

Tsukasa Tazaki had no idea where he'd discovered he had a sweet tongue.

But since he's praising himself, we should naturally go along with it.

He looked at the unpleasant middle-aged man with a very serious expression: "I'm very outstanding, you know. If you don't believe me, Uncle, you can compare me with other people's children."

"...?"

Kouta's face was stiff, as if it were covered in cement.

"You're talking nonsense again, aren't you?" Kurisu put her arm around Tsukasa Tazaki's shoulder and said irritably, "I think you don't have much talent, all you know is how to flatter."

“Being good at flattery is a good thing,” Kōta Kichikawa said casually, as if he had found an opportunity to retaliate. “Being good at flattery is the only way to climb up to a rich young lady from a noble family and create a male version of Cinderella.”

Tazaki Tsukasa smiled brightly: "Uncle is right. Of course, being good at flattery is a skill. Some people want to flatter, but they can't because they're ugly."

then.

Kouta Kisakawa made up an excuse and slipped away.

"Not only has his skill not improved, but his eloquence is also lacking. What a failure." Kurisu looked at his back and commented with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Take it easy, Auntie. How can such a big family not have a few idiots?" Tsukasa Tazaki raised his eyebrows slightly, comforting her in a boastful manner: "After all, you can't expect everyone to be like me, an extremely charming, almost unparalleled handsome man."

"Look at you, so smug! It's really endearing."

Kurisu reached out and kneaded his handsome face like dough for almost a minute before reluctantly letting go.

Several ladies nearby couldn't help but join in the scene.

In an instant, Tsukasa Tazaki found himself surrounded by lustful middle-aged women.

Having finally managed to break free, before she even had a chance to tidy her clothes, she was dragged around the courtyard by Kurisu Kirikawa to meet relatives and was forced to greet one high-society person after another.

Only when he was so hungry that he could no longer bear it was Tsukasa Tazaki allowed to act on his own.

Turning around, I walked towards the eaves, where I visited a long table laden with food, the hem of a pure white tablecloth rustling in the autumn wind.

Qichuan Wei took her hands off the keyboard, interlaced her fingers and raised them above her head to stretch her muscles. When she saw him walking over, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"You've finally decided to come?"

"If you don't come soon, I'm going to starve to death."

"Am I less appealing to you than food?"

"In a way, Xiaowei is also a kind of food."

"...You're such an infuriating man?"

What's bothering you?

"That fake smile is disgusting."

Tazaki Tsukasa plopped down on Kikawa Yui's stool, naturally putting his arm around her slender waist. Looking at the well-dressed crowd, he said wearily, "I probably don't have as many fake smiles as I have today, all the fake smiles I've ever given before."

Chapter 293 Family Banquet

The sky was getting dark.

The golden ginkgo trees rustled in the constant breeze. The windows on the first floor were open, and the white lace curtains inside swayed gracefully in the wind.

Kikawa Yui kept her head down and continued typing on her laptop.

"What are you busy with?" Tsukasa Tazaki leaned over to take a look.

"The opening ceremony program of the sports festival."

A clear autumn breeze swept across her long, golden hair, lifting a few strands that brushed against Tsukasa Tazaki's cheek.

On this late autumn afternoon, the wind carried a slight chill.

Seeing that her older brother's formal attire was a bit thin, Tsukasa Tazaki took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

His coat was a bit too big for Yui Kichikawa; it covered the blonde girl from the chin down, leaving only her fair face exposed. She looked like a groundhog peeking out of its hole, which was very cute.

"Are you hungry?"

Qichuan Wei looked up at him with her little face: "A little."

"I'll go get some food," Tsukasa Tazaki said affectionately, gently stroking her delicate nose with his fingertip. "What would you like to eat, big brother?"

I'll eat whatever you eat.

"Get me something high in calories, so you can get fat!"

Tazaki Tsukasa stood up and walked to the table covered with a white cloth to get a plate and fork. A plump middle-aged woman was picking at her food nearby. When she saw Tazaki Tsukasa coming over, she greeted him with a look of surprise.

"Excuse me, you're not... Ms. Rin's child, are you?"

Tsukasa Tazaki nodded.

“That’s wonderful,” she smiled happily. “You look a lot like her.”

"Thank you."

The white tablecloth fluttered in the wind as Tsukasa Tazaki placed a bright red lobster, two medium-rare steaks, a beautifully decorated pudding with cherries and cream, and a few pieces of cantaloupe on his plate.

A young waiter approached and asked respectfully, "Young Master Tazaki, would you like something to drink?"

"Bring me a pot of hot black tea."

"Hold on."

Imagine the blonde girl eating cherry pudding with a silly look on her face, licking the cream off her fingers with her tongue, and soon the waiter brings over hot black tea.

Tsukasa Tazaki carried the tray and walked towards the corridor.

Qichuan Yui had turned off her computer at some point and was relaxing on the lawn by taking a walk.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the courtyard, seemingly aimed directly at her, causing the hem of her dress to billow up. In an instant, her fair and translucent thighs came into Tazaki Tsukasa's view.