My love index is at its maximum.

"Teacher, is that okay..."

"Snapped!"

"Hiss... I haven't even said it yet!"

"I can tell from your expression that you're thinking about some lewd things."

After finishing the last piece of fried chicken cutlet that had turned black, Hoshino Hanami licked her lips with lingering satisfaction and turned to look at Tazaki Tsukasa: "Make more next time, the portions are too small to eat enough."

After speaking, she paused for a moment, then took out a card from her handbag and handed it over: "Take this, the password is the last six digits of my phone number."

Tazaki Tsukasa accepted it generously, and jokingly remarked, "It's great to have a rich wife."

“After all, I eat a lot, and I’m afraid I’ll be a burden on your life.” Hoshino Hanami glared at him, a slight smirk playing on her lips. “Listen up, if you dare take my money to date other women, you’ll be in for a beating!”

A flawless smile, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creates ripples on her face that spread only briefly.

Tsukasa Tazaki enjoys observing these subtle changes in her facial expressions in order to glean insights into her inner thoughts.

For example, although her words carried a strong sense of threat, the curve of her lips revealed a hint of pride. So, her words could be interpreted as a declaration to herself—you are mine now!

What an adorable tigress... Tazaki Tsukasa thought to himself, but said helplessly, "Looks like I'm going to become a henpecked husband."

“That’s great.” Hoshino Hanami crossed her legs, revealing black stockings under her pencil skirt, and rested her chin on her hand as she looked at him. “I’m getting more and more fond of you. I wouldn’t mind marrying you when you grow up.”

Tsukasa Tazaki asked with great interest, "What kind of person am I to you, teacher?"

"I won't go into details about your good looks and intelligence. What I admire most is your strong initiative and confidence. For example, you were very proactive and not at all shy about liking me. In the office, you confessed your feelings to me in front of all the teachers; the first time you went to my house, you dared to call my dad 'Father-in-law'; and when you were alone with me, you weren't shy like a child. It's true that it was a little impolite, but you seemed to know I wouldn't be angry, which is really surprising."

After saying that, she suddenly reached out and tapped Tsukasa Tazaki's forehead, a knowing smile playing on her lips: "A clever mind, excellent action, and strong self-confidence—with these three qualities, you're bound to become an extraordinary person. Plus, you're very handsome and so infatuated with your teacher, there's no reason for your teacher not to be moved."

Gazing into her clear, bright eyes, Tsukasa Tazaki felt a comforting warmth in his heart. If he had to pick one thing he liked most about her, it would undoubtedly be her straightforward personality.

He doesn't suppress his feelings or act pretentiously. Every time he tries to take things to the next level between them, he receives a positive response from her.

The reward brought by this mutual pursuit must be the most heartwarming moment in love.

"Alright, it's about time to go to school."

Hoshino Hanami stood up from the bench, smoothed out the wrinkles in her uniform with her fingertips, and cleared her throat: "Behave yourself at school, don't let anyone find out about our relationship. Although I'm not afraid of gossip, you still need to focus on your studies, understand?"

"As ordered!"

Tsukasa Tazaki laughed heartily as he bent down to clean up the leftover food scraps.

Hoshino Hanami stretched comfortably, feeling cheerful. Since she became a couple, Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden seemed to have transformed into a paradise, even the lake seemed exceptionally beautiful.

Gazing at the vibrant wisteria blossoms by the lake, she thought to herself, "Time flows in such a unique way, sometimes as fast as a green train speeding along the Yamanote Line, sometimes as slow as a snail crawling on a wisteria trellis."

How to make the green train car as slow as a snail is a real headache.

While pondering this question, she searched on her phone for the topic 'how to keep a man interested', and the answers from Yahoo and Google were highly consistent.

Give him appropriate rewards...

Hoshino Hanami stared at the screen for a while, then, as if she had remembered something, a fierce smile appeared on her face.

"Sigh, Tazaki." She suddenly turned around, bent down, and used a single finger to lift Tazaki Tsukasa's chin: "You're only allowed to say such playful sweet nothings like 'Tokyo Bay Penguin' to me, understand?"

She bent over with her hips sticking out, wearing black stockings and high heels, and her dark skirt suit was very tight, creating an alluring silhouette.

Tsukasa Tazaki's Adam's apple bobbed, and he said with difficulty, "I only say sweet nothings to you."

Feeling his burning gaze, a smug glint flashed in Hoshino Hanami's eyes.

I guess all women are susceptible to this little thought... She thought with amusement, picking up her handbag: "It's time to go back to school, do you want your teacher to give you a ride?"

"I couldn't be happier." Tsukasa Tazaki, carrying her schoolbag, followed them to the parking lot and climbed into the passenger seat of her imposing G-Class.

They walked back to school along Shinjuku Avenue, then separated.

Tsukasa Tazaki went to the shoe cabinet to change his shoes. Inside was a pink envelope, which he put in his pocket, intending to throw it directly into the trash can. As he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a clearly malicious shout from above.

"Sigh, that scumbag Tazaki Tsukasa from Class 1-F."

Tazaki Tsukasa looked up and saw that it was his sister-in-law, who had a pure and charming appearance.

“That’s a rumor!” he said first, then added, “But I’m very grateful to the rumor-mongers.”

"Thank you?" Hoshino Shikami pouted slightly, paused for a moment, and then made a complex sound that was both disdainful and snorting: "Anyway, I've already seen through your scumbag nature. If you still dare to..."

"What are you two talking about here?" Hoshino Hanami, who had just returned from the parking lot, asked curiously from behind.

Upon seeing her older sister, the younger sister's eyes lit up immediately. She ran down the stairs and affectionately took her sister's arm: "Sister, did you teach that scumbag a lesson today?"

“A lesson…yes, I punched him hard.” Hoshino Hanami mumbled vaguely, then gave Tazaki Tsukasa a serious look: “Go back to class and don’t let me see you slacking off.”

"Get out of here, you scumbag!" the sister shouted defiantly.

Tazaki Tsukasa nodded, suppressing a smile, and disappeared around the corner of the stairs.

"I really don't understand how you two became enemies." Hoshino Hanami affectionately patted her younger sister's head and said with a smile, "Listen to your older sister, and try to get along with him, okay?"

"No way." The younger sister shook her head and said smugly, "Who wants to be with a jerk?"

"Don't you dare fight with him," Hoshino Hanami said with a gentle smile, using the most tender tone to speak the most devilish words to her younger sister. "In a few years, he'll be your brother-in-law."

He's your brother-in-law...?

Is he your brother-in-law...?

Brother-in-law...?

Hoshino Shika's smug expression froze instantly. She stood there, her small body swaying precariously like an abandoned house about to be demolished.

Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Second Palace's Concubine

Here is a summary of today's activities.

I got hit in the stomach, it hurts a lot.

It feels so good to hold the teacher in my arms.

3033（股票数）＊300（股价）－455000（本金）＝455000（收益），一波操作下来，投资回报率100％！

I've found a girlfriend, Hoshino Hanami! So happy!!

It felt so good to have tormented my sister-in-law once!

In the classroom of Class F, some students were anxiously rushing to finish their homework, trying to make a last-ditch effort; others were catching up on sleep at their desks; and most were students sitting casually in their chairs, munching on Pocky and gossiping.

As Tsukasa Tazaki stepped through the doorway, dozens of eyes immediately turned to him.

"Oh... Here it comes."

"I can't believe he could be that kind of person..."

"The naive Ninomiya-san must have been fooled by that scumbag from Tokyo, so pitiful..."

The discussion was conducted in hushed tones, requiring careful listening to be heard. The post, "【Tazaki Tsukasa from Class 1-F is a scumbag who plays with girls' feelings!】" seemed to materialize, cautiously floating above everyone's heads.

Tazaki Tsukasa ignored the group of gossipy onlookers and returned to his window seat with a normal expression, burying himself in reviewing Japanese history.

"That's so cool..."

"Sigh, I wish he would just cheat on me..."

"Hey, don't you women have any shame?!"

"Shut up, you ugly man!"

"Handsome men represent justice!"

In mid-May, the warm breeze would occasionally rustle the pages of books on the desk. Whenever this happened, Tsukasa Tazaki would look forward to the arrival of midsummer—when the air conditioner was on, the windows would be closed so that he wouldn't hear the noise of the trains coming and going at Yotsuya Station.

“Eh, Tazaki…”

Someone patted my shoulder, and I knew without a doubt it was Murakami Mizuiro.

Tazaki Tsukasa looked up at him, signaling him to speak quickly.

"You've finally come this far, haven't you?" Murakami Mizuiro picked up the mechanical pencil on his desk and twirled it between his fingers. "It's good to have your cake and eat it too, but be careful not to follow in Makoto's footsteps."

“Boring…” Tazaki Tsukasa lowered his head and continued to consolidate his knowledge of the Heian period.

"More than seven hundred comments! You're a celebrity at our school now." Murakami Mizuiro laughed twice, twirling his pencil as he said, "I've read all of those replies. About a hundred are discussing the truth of the matter, two hundred are cursing Kikawa Bitch, two hundred are cursing Kuriyama as a mistress, and the remaining two hundred are speaking out for Ninomiya Shiori."

"boring."

"It's really boring. In my opinion, we shouldn't even discuss whether those hundred rumors are true or false. Who cares about the truth or falsehood of gossip? As long as it's interesting, isn't that enough?"

Tazaki Tsukasa snatched back the mechanical pencil and started spinning it around: "I was saying that you're boring for reading over 700 replies and compiling statistics!"

“Haha…” Murakami Mizuiro held her head in her hands and said boredly, “Life is so boring. Apart from older women in black stockings, there is nothing else that can warm my wounded heart.”

"Didn't you say last time that you liked little girls who were light and flexible, who could be lifted high and held low?"

"Am I that kind of weirdo?"

Please change your interrogative tone to a declarative tone.

The school bell rang, and the bald math teacher walked into the classroom carrying a large compass, ending the conversation between the LSPs.

During lunch break, Tsukasa Tazaki went to the cafeteria alone. The early summer sun shone brightly on the elevated corridor, and his handsome face shone brightly as he walked in the light. People in front of him and behind him secretly turned their eyes to him.

It's not unusual for someone to be spied on.

In the classroom, in the library, on the commuter tram, he was subjected to gazes from women aged 10 to 50, each carrying a range of emotions—admiration, affection, lust, or even hunger…

Tazaki Tsukasa was used to being the center of attention—even if she wasn't, there was nothing she could do; she couldn't very well go up to someone and ask why they were staring at her like that.

As he entered the cafeteria, he looked around. The hall was spacious and bright, with floors that gleamed. Several potted plants stood by the large French windows, and a female student was watering them, creating a pleasant scene.

Tazaki walked over, and as if sensing his presence, the female student who was watering the plants turned around and looked at him with a bright smile: "Kiki, why did you take so long?"

In that instant, Tsukasa Tazaki felt the envious gazes of the boys coming from all directions.

"Lunch has been bought for you, come and eat."

Shiori Ninomiya, oblivious to his presence, waved to him. The sunlight from the window illuminated half of her body, and her slightly curled hair swayed gently like seaweed on the seabed of a shallow ocean, natural and refreshing.

On the dining table in front of her were two stainless steel plates containing the same dishes.

The stewed meat set meal included braised pork, curry potatoes, a green salad, and a small dish of pickles. An extra egg roll was also included, along with a 100 yen cup of lemon water.

Tazaki Tsukasa felt a slight headache. His keen observation told him that the gazes cast upon him from all around had changed from "a scumbag who toyed with the feelings of innocent girls" to "a criminal who cheated rural girls out of their money."