My love index is at its maximum.

Correspondingly, from the moment they met, Kana Shimamoto treated him with gentleness and kindness. Later, she naturally and somewhat reluctantly gave herself to him, eventually falling completely in love and unable to control herself.

From Tazaki Tsukasa's male perspective, this charming older sister was cute and beautiful.

"Hey, Tazaki," Kana Shimamoto poked her head out of the bathroom, "make the fireplace burn brighter."

"Hurry up and wash, I'm bored waiting by myself."

"Why are you rushing us? It's all your fault. People came here clean and tidy, but they've been dirtied like this..."

Kana Shimamoto glared at him and then shrank back into the bathroom.

Tazaki Tsukasa came to the fireplace, lit it, added firewood, and the flickering flames rose up, like a warm cave dug in the center of the room, the heat creating a warm zone that varied in size.

A layer of mist covered the windows, and rainwater was flowing down outside.

Tazaki Tsukasa ran over and opened a crack to let in a refreshing breeze, thus regulating the air in the room.

In the bathroom, the soft sound of water flowing as Kana Shimamoto showered could be heard; outside the window, the sound of water gurgling was also heard, like a concert, the sound spreading into countless tiny points, filling every corner of the room with the warmth of the heater.

After a century-long wait, Kana Shimamoto finally emerged from the bathroom.

She was wrapped in a white bathrobe with a long sash hanging down her waist, and her hair was tied up at the back of her head. Her delicate face showed no trace of the charming demeanor she had displayed in the kitchen just now.

"My wife is truly a treasure..." Tsukasa Tazaki thought to himself.

“I was thinking of asking you to take me out for a walk this afternoon,” Kana Shimamoto said, moving to the sofa to lie down. “But with the rain so heavy, I guess I’ll just have to stay home.”

"I think this is better!"

Tazaki Tsukasa pressed himself tightly against her, embracing her hot body that had just finished bathing.

"I think so too."

At this moment, Shimamoto Kana forgot her earlier fervor and nestled obediently in his arms, reveling in the sense of relaxation brought about by satisfaction and tranquility.

"When I'm with you," she said with a silly smile, "I feel so happy. I wish I could drop everything and just stay with you all day long."

“I am happy too,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied, “because we love each other and are very close.”

Kana Shimamoto nodded and leaned in to kiss him.

It was raining outside, and the house was empty; it felt like there were only the two of them left in the whole world.

“We are the most exemplary couple,” Kana Shimamoto smiled, pursing her lips. “We live together, and I take care of your daily needs as your wife. Isn’t that what a real couple is like? So romantic, right?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Tsukasa Tazaki said, gently rubbing her chubby oval face as if she were a child. “So romantic that I almost fainted.”

"You're serious, Madam!" Shimamoto Kana's eyes widened, her expression very serious.

"Of course I know. By the way, your face feels so nice, like kneading dough."

"Stop interrupting!"

"Speaking of dough, how about we bake some bread tomorrow?"

"Are there any bread-baking tools here?"

No.

"How do you bake it?"

“Love,” Tsukasa Tazaki replied, “is what we have the most of.”

"I have an idea!" Shimamoto Kana exclaimed happily. "Tomorrow, bake bread for me with love. If you can't bake it, I'll pack my bags and go back to my parents' house."

"...?"

Seeing his bewildered expression, Shimamoto Kana burst out laughing.

Her beautiful face gradually softened, like a delicate flower blooming in the rain, releasing its fragrance.

Chapter 365 The Warmth of an Old Married Couple

The rain outside the window kept falling.

Kana Shimamoto clung tightly to Tsukasa Tazaki, whispering to him.

They talked about everything from the Big Bang to how well-done an egg should be cooked.

"Hey, hey..."

Kana Shimamoto rubbed her cheek against Tsukasa Tazaki's neck, kissing him as she asked, "What do ants do on a rainy day?"

"I guess they're cleaning their burrows or organizing their storage or something," Tsukasa Tazaki said with a smile, looking at her bright oval face. "Ants are very industrious creatures, probably about the same as me."

"Why can't an ant as diligent as you become you?"

"Uh...maybe their ancestors are different from mine?"

Kana Shimamoto leaned back slightly, looked at his face, and smiled emotionally: "I thought Lord Tazaki was knowledgeable about everything."

"I'll try my best." Tsukasa Tazaki squinted contentedly.

"come on!"

Kana Shimamoto chuckled, sticking her head under his clothes and fiddling with it for a long time.

The roaring flames of the fireplace, like a steaming coat, enveloped the person snuggling up just right. Tazaki Tsukasa's first thought was that her movements were quite different from Sachiko's; although both were full of tenderness and indescribable beauty, there were always differences in technique.

After a long while, things calmed down.

"Hey, Tazaki..."

Kana Shimamoto lifted her face and lay back on his arm.

"You're not allowed to think about other women at a time like this," she warned, wiping her lips.

"Of course not," Tsukasa Tazaki assured him with a yawn.

Listening to the crackling sounds of the still-burning firewood, immersed in the lingering feeling, all he wanted to do was sleep; he had no time to think about other women.

He was listless, but Shimamoto Kana was wide awake; she had a lot of feelings to express.

Seeing that Tsukasa Tazaki's eyes were about to squint, she glanced at the window covered by the curtains, and after confirming that it was really impossible to go out, she turned her gaze around and saw "Remembrance of Things Past" on the table.

"I used to read this book often."

“Oh, I admire you,” Tsukasa Tatasaki replied dismissively, seemingly lost in a reverie. “I can’t even get into this book.”

"Listen carefully!" Shimamoto Kana grabbed his ear, forcing him to concentrate. "When I was in my senior year of high school, I spent a full two weeks reading through all three million words of this book."

Looking at Shimamoto Kana, whose face held a hint of anger, Tazaki Tsukasa imagined what she would look like at seventeen or eighteen. Back then, she must have been wearing a school uniform, petite and beautiful, with a face as shy as a green apple.

"Is Madam's high school also in Tokyo?"

"Yes, the junior high school affiliated with Ochanomizu Women's University..."

“Luckily it was an all-girls school,” Tsukasa Tazaki said with great emotion. “You and Hanami both went to all-girls high schools. Fortunately, during the age when you most wanted to be in a relationship, there were no guys bothering you. In the end, it all benefited me.”

Hearing his smug tone, Shimamoto Kana gently shook her head: "A greedy fellow."

"Hehe," Tazaki Tsukasa, knowing he was in the wrong on this topic, quickly steered the conversation back to their sex life, "You've improved so quickly. Have you been practicing in front of the mirror these past two months?"

Shimamoto Kana blushed as she thought of the mirror next to her bed: "...Don't tease me."

“I’m telling the truth.”

I don't understand what you mean.

"You didn't seem like you didn't understand just now."

"...Okay, let's not talk about this anymore." Shimamoto Kana punched his shoulder as if she couldn't stand it anymore. "It's all your doing, okay?"

After being praised by her, Tsukasa Tazaki felt a little smug and filled with a sense of accomplishment.

When they first got together last summer, she was quite reserved and seemed a little slow to react to flirting.

The fact that she can bloom so beautifully now perfectly illustrates one thing—no matter how excellent the variety, it is impossible to cultivate beautiful flowers without the cultivation of a master gardener.

Kana Shimamoto turned slightly to the side, resting her head on his shoulder, gazing at him with tender eyes: "Go back to Tokyo soon, I'm so lonely all by myself."

"it is good."

Tsukasa Tazaki answered briefly.

The two embraced quietly, feeling an immense sense of tranquility and contentment in their intimate relationship.

After a while, Kana Shimamoto suddenly picked up "Remembrance of Things Past" from the table, propped herself up, and said, "Shall I read it to you?"

"why?"

Perhaps he really wanted to sleep, because Tsukasa Tazaki's voice was a little muffled.

In contrast, Kana Shimamoto appeared increasingly radiant, both in appearance and mood, she was in excellent spirits.

"If you miss me, then miss me."

Her tone suddenly turned serious.

As if she were talking about something that had to be done, the wife's profile showed no sign of being willing to compromise, a competitive spirit and stubborn nature unique to women.

Tazaki Tsukasa rubbed his forehead with a terrible headache and muttered, "So you just miss me and then ask me who reads better, me or Sakura, right?"

"Of course," Kana Shimamoto replied casually.

Tsukasa Tazaki rolled over and rested his head between her legs: "Then read it!"

Smelling the fragrance emanating from her, he thought to himself, "If I have to ask, I'll just pretend to be dead like my older brother."

Kana Shimamoto opened the book, randomly picked a passage, and began to read it aloud.

“I went upstairs to sleep, and the only comfort I had was that my mother would kiss me after I got into bed, but her goodnight was too brief, and she would turn around and leave quickly.”

“A few times, after my mother kissed me, she opened the door to leave, and I actually wanted to call her back and say to her, ‘Kiss me one more time.’”

"She leaned her warm face toward my bedside, as if she were offering me the Holy Communion. My lips felt her presence and drew strength to fall asleep peacefully."

"Ah~"

Tsukasa Tazaki yawned groggily.

The lady's reading voice was truly beautiful, exceptionally pleasant and soothing, seeping from the depths of my ears into my brain, gently stimulating my auditory nerves.

Whenever she reads a passage filled with genuine emotion, she not only respects the original meaning but also speaks in an elegant and sweet voice, conveying the warmth and magnanimity between the lines.

No matter how engaging the lesson was, it couldn't stop Tsukasa Tazaki from being really sleepy.