I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

Why is my mother so childish? Can't she be like Xiaoxue's mother, a graceful, mature, and elegant wife?

"To gain such widespread recognition from those around him, it seems he is truly quite capable."

Mrs. Yukinoshita nodded gently, and as she made this comment, she covered the corners of her slightly curved lips with her open fan, and asked casually:

"He seems so popular, he must be a lot of girls at school, right?"

"Yeah!" Mrs. Yuihama, who had instantly come back to life, clapped her hands together, her face full of excitement to gossip. "Handsome and good at playing the piano, people like that were heartbreakers in our time. I heard they were asked out every day to be confessed to! Did you go through that phase, little Yuihama?"

"!"

In that instant, Yui Yuigahama's hair almost jumped up, cold sweat slid down her forehead, and her whole body tensed up as if facing a formidable enemy.

—This is a dangerous sign!

If this topic continues, someone will definitely say something like, "But he's already dating my kid, so it's fine." Then comes, "Huh? He's not dating my kid..." "No, he's my kid..." "..." After a moment of dead silence, a bloody battleground will erupt!

For Xiaoyou's sake, we need to change the subject quickly!

"Uh, that..."

"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't care about such things at all, and he's too lazy to tell me when he gets home?" Kasugano Sora said in a flat tone, even though Yui had just been born, and then pointed to the stage where the curtain had not yet been lifted.

“Instead of this, Yu is going on stage.”

As soon as the words were spoken, the stage lights illuminated the theater, and the bright red theater curtain slowly rose, accompanied by the emcee's gentle announcement:

"Thank you to the Rakugo Club for their amusing yet philosophical performance. And next, his music brought a gentle spring rain to that autumn. The performance that once moved the entire school has now crossed a season and is back. What kind of beautiful scenery will it bring us this winter...?"

Without any prompting, thunderous applause erupted, and the audience held their breath in unison, pushing the atmosphere to its climax and making the stage the center of anticipation.

While everyone's attention was focused on the stage with only a piano, Yui Yuigahama clapped along with the atmosphere and whispered in Kasugano Sora's ear:

"Xiao Qiong, well done! My reaction time is a bit slow, so I might not be of much use. From now on, it's up to you to take the lead! I'll support you from the side!"

"Hmph, you don't need to tell me that." Kasugano Sora didn't look at her, but just snorted lightly. "I'll protect Yu. It doesn't matter if you're not of any use, just don't hold me back."

"Understood!" Yui Yuigahama replied with a smile, unconcerned by her condescending tone.

Just then, a handsome young man walked out from backstage and strolled to the center of the stage where the lights were shining.

As if the moon were enticing the tide, the applause, which had waned considerably, surged forth again like a giant wave.

He didn't pick up the microphone, but simply bowed to the audience as casually as ever, then sat down at the pure black piano, opened the lid, and stretched out his well-defined fingers.

He was no different from the other students, except that he was wearing the unremarkable Western-style school uniform of Zongwu High School.

Yet his upright posture, slender limbs, indifferent expression, and solemn demeanor were like a high-class tuxedo perfectly tailored to him, making one feel as if they had stepped into a national-level concert hall.

The person who stepped onto the stage was undoubtedly a pianist of national caliber.

"Born into a commoner family and without any artistic training, can someone possess such charisma...?"

A ripple stirred in her heart, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with interest. Mrs. Yukinoshita looked up at the person on the stage, a smile of interest that lingered on her lips and gradually deepened.

In terms of appearance, he is a true handsome young man, capable of captivating girls with every gesture; in terms of temperament, he is clean and composed, confident yet reserved, making it impossible for anyone not to be fond of him; in terms of talent, his academic performance surpasses that of his own daughter, and it is said that the piano is not even his most proficient skill; in terms of popularity, the heated discussion just now is enough to prove everything.

Although his background is ordinary, this kind of person is capable of building a distinguished family fortune on his own. It would be a waste to use the term "marry someone of equal social standing" to describe him.

As for the most important issue of character, she believed that Yukino Yukinoshita wouldn't fall for a refined scoundrel.

This seemingly perfect boy, who appears flawless from every angle, is someone Yukinoshita Saori has never seen in person before, even after living for ○○ years.

Aside from not having the surname Yukino, she felt that this person had no flaws—as long as his feelings for Yukino were deep enough, she might turn a blind eye even if they lived together beforehand and get engaged to them first.

Of course, these are all things that she can only decide after she has personally spoken with and examined Tenkuji Yu.

"I'm satisfied, but can Yukino really handle someone like this...?"

Thinking of her younger daughter's somewhat awkward personality, Yukinoshita Saori held her cheek, feeling worried for her: "I should go back and teach her a few tricks for managing a husband. After all, the smarter a man is, the harder it is to detect if he's having an affair. Yukino, who's experiencing her first love, can easily be fooled..."

If Yukino were as shrewd and calculating as Haruno, someone who could manipulate men at will, then she wouldn't need to worry so much.

...Wait, that's not right.

It doesn't seem to be going too smoothly for Yang Nai either. When it comes to dating, both of her daughters are beginners. They're the type who, once they genuinely fall in love, are easily manipulated by high-level men!

She couldn't help but frown slightly, and as her thoughts raced, Mrs. Yukinoshita secretly made a decision.

Once this matter is settled, a family meeting exclusively for women of the Yukishita family is definitely in order!

As a mother, her greatest wish is to see her daughters living happily with their respective partners...

"—"

The smooth piano music caressed her ears, pulling Yukinoshita Saori's mind back to the handsome and composed pianist on the stage.

In the completely silent stadium, crisp and solitary music slowly rose, gradually increasing in speed, from the stage to the audience, and eventually enveloping the minds and bodies of all listeners.

It fell like snow.

Because it was a solo performance, the transitions between each note were crystal clear, and the melody was crisp and uncompromising, chillingly so. After listening for a while, one couldn't help but look towards the door, as if a blizzard had suddenly broken out outside, filling the corner of the stadium with a desolate and frigid atmosphere.

Even so, no one was willing to run away. Instead, they all pricked up their ears and listened carefully, even if they were trembling with their arms crossed, they did not want to miss any falling snowflakes.

Besides the cold, there seemed to be something else enveloping the sound of the piano.

The snow was still falling, gradually reaching my ankles. Sitting still, I felt like a snowman, my breath carrying white smoke.

But not long after, he suddenly slowed down, his fingers lingering on the black and white piano keys, as if the snow had finally stopped.

The sky was hazy and gray, the world was covered in silver and white, and the only constants were the thick snow and the freezing air.

He suddenly stopped.

The whole world fell silent. Everyone seemed to be elevated in that instant, holding their breath and looking down at that silent and cold white landscape.

Then, the light and cheerful melody pulled them into the next stage.

The dark clouds around me gradually dispersed, and a ray of sunlight began to warm my ears.

So the snow began to melt.

At first, it was still stubbornly resisting and unwilling to change itself so easily; however, the sun always stayed by its side, quietly radiating its brilliance, and the cold that kept people at a distance gradually melted away, coloring the whole winter with the colors of melting snow.

The thawing river washes over the soil, the wet road reflects the damp light and shadow, snow falls on the branches, and plum blossoms bloom brightly under the snow.

The ending is a peaceful and cheerful melody, like being inside a kotatsu while listening to the bubbling of a hot pot, even though it's still cold outside. The simple yet happy feeling makes you relax and sway gently to the music.

Winter is not over yet, but the snow has stopped falling.

Nevertheless, it remains in the soil, in the rivers, on the roads, and on the eaves; even though it has lost its original coldness, it still exists in every corner of this world.

Because of it, the sunshine has the meaning of warming the whole winter.

As if whispering such sentiments, the last note fell crisply, its lingering sound echoing throughout the stadium, its resonance resonating long afterward.

Tenkuji Yu stood up and closed the lid of his koto.

He first bowed to the silent audience, then smiled brightly at a certain spot in the audience. Before they could react, the handsome and elegant pianist turned and walked into the backstage curtain.

Behind him, only thunderous applause that lasted for a long time filled the clear world after the snow melted.

"Superb piano skills combined with sincere emotions, creating a unique melody that seems to have been composed solely for her..."

Mrs. Yukinoshita gently touched her chest, the lingering feeling of being shaken lingering in her heart, a feeling that was stronger than shock, but rather a sense of being captivated by him.

She took a deep breath to calm herself, squinted her eyes as if enjoying herself, and wanted to share her feelings and thoughts with Mrs. Yuihama next to her, but when she turned her head, she had no choice but to give up the idea.

Not everyone can understand the core and artistry of a piece of music. Most people just think it sounds good and that's it. They may not have any feelings about it after listening to it. There's nothing wrong with that. Mrs. Yukinoshita will not look down on others because of this. It's just that people have different interests and are a little disappointed.

"Phew, now that we've heard the performance!" Mrs. Yuigahama clapped her hands and eagerly stood up, a joyful smile spreading across her gentle and mature face. "Then it's time to continue exploring the cultural festival with our little piano prince! I want to go get some yakisoba!"

“Then we should also…” Yukinoshita Saori looked at Yukinoshita Haruno.

Chapter 156 Senior, did you bring someone to a parent-teacher conference?

4 8 8 ⑦ 4 9 ⑦ 9 9

Although they didn't discuss it in too much depth, Mrs. Yuihama already knew that the Yukinoshita mother and daughter's goal was also to find Yuu Tenkuji.

As for the reason, it's probably because his daughter is in the same club as him.

In addition, Xiaoxue is currently acting with Tenkuji Yu, looking for her daughter while also meeting him... well, that's normal.

Of course, even if adults have other suspicions in their minds, they will choose to play dumb for the time being and will not speak directly without evidence.

After Yu Tenkuji's performance ended, the group of five got up from their chairs, walked through the still somewhat excited and engrossed audience, and headed towards the backstage area.

"Is it finally here...?"

Yui Yuigahama watched the two ladies' retreating figures, wiped the cold sweat from her palms, and gently bit her lip, revealing a blush of pink and white.

My heart pounded with growing trepidation, but my steps were unwavering, like a new recruit stepping onto the battlefield for the first time.

There was only one thing she could do: prevent the chaotic scene from erupting prematurely and keep the situation within the range that Tenkuji Yu expected—and judging from the current situation, thankfully, she at least did not disappoint him.

Even though she didn't help much, and her role was even less effective than Kasugano Sora's, Yui Yuigahama was self-aware enough to know that with her intelligence, she would be considered successful if she didn't cause any trouble or chaos.

At the same time, she believed that her Xiaoyou could overcome all the difficulties in front of him; being caught cheating by his parents was nothing to him!

What if you have blind faith? What if you can only be a cheerleader?

This is Yui Yuigahama's way of dating.

No matter what happens in the future, Yui Yuigahama will always stand behind Yuu Tenkuji and be his support.

Just like in the past, he supported himself in the same way.

……

The backstage area of ​​the stadium was not quiet. People were busy going in and out, some were eating while leaning against the wall, and others were squatting on the ground adjusting the equipment, working non-stop like gears.

In order not to cause trouble for these hardworking staff, they gave up the idea of ​​going in as if they were visiting someone in the hospital to form a team to find them, and instead sent Kasugano Sora up.

Not long after, Yuu Tenkuji came out with Kasugano Sora and Yukino Yukinoshita.

When he saw Mrs. Yukinoshita, who was beautiful and elegant, he was first puzzled and then suddenly realized what she meant and smiled politely at her.

"You must be Yukino's mother? Nice to meet you. I'm Yuu Soraji, from the same club as her."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm so grateful for your care of my daughter." Mrs. Yukinoshita smiled gently as she closed her fan, her eyes, which were devoid of any wrinkles, narrowed as she looked him over meaningfully. "I'm so sorry for not giving you prior notice. I mainly wanted to take this opportunity to have a good chat with you. I hope I haven't caused you any trouble."

"Not at all. If it's just a short chat, we can always make room for you anytime."